"Hello? King Gyanendra? This is Aziz, the prime minister of Pakistan... Say, are you nuts?"
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Thursday called Nepal's King Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev and the two leaders discussed holding the 13th South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation Summit (SAARC) and the Pakistani-Nepalese relations, said a Foreign Ministry press release. King Gyanendra shared Prime Minister Aziz's disappointment over the postponement of the SAARC Summit and expressed full confidence in Pakistan to set new dates and assured Mr Aziz that he would attend the summit.
Posted by: Fred ||
02/03/2005
9:25:49 PM ||
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3 alleged bombers arrested
Three alleged bombers have been arrested from the city's Mirpur area in connection with the killing of a rickshaw-puller during the opposition's 60-hour marathon hartal. The arrested, identified as Farooque, Habib and Mokhtar Hossain, were arrested on Tuesday morning. After interrogation, police recovered a petrol bomb from the house of Farooque at Bishail, Uttara yesterday. Quoting the confessional statement of Farooque, police said a political party used the boys to create an anarchic situation in the city.
"Investigation is on in this regard," said a police press release.
One lynched
A suspected robber was beaten to death at a village under Chougachha upazila in Jessore early Wednesday. The victim was identified as Abul Kalam, 40, of Narail and a resident of Phulsara village under Chougachha upazila. Local people and the police said Kalam along with his associates raided the house of one Shaukat Hossain at about 1:00am and tried to commit a robbery.
The house-owner's son, Faruk caught hold of Kalam while his associates stabbed Faruk indiscriminately to release their associate, they said. The villagers then beat up Kalam to death and the injured son was admitted to Chougachha Upazila Health Complex.
Three outlawed party leaders killed in shootouts
KUSHTIA, Feb 2:—A regional leader of an outlawed party was killed in a shootout between two extremist groups of the party at a beel at Laxmipur village in Kumarkhali Upazila early today (Wednesday), reports UNB. The deceased was identified as Abdul Malek, 46, a most wanted criminal and regional leader of outlawed Purba Banglar Communist Party. He was also an accused in a number of cases including 14 murders, police said.
Police said the gunfight ensued between the groups of Abdul Malek and Ekdil near a graveyard in the beel at about 3pm over establishing supremacy in the area.
A good old-fashioned turf war
After receiving information, a police team led by OC Nasiruddin Ahmed of Kumerkhali thana encircled the area. But sensing their presence, the terrorists opened fire on police forcing them to fire back.
"Hark! I sense the presence of the cops! They've over there, let um have it!"
In the shootout OC Nasiruddin and SI Monir received bullet wounds. Later police found the bullet-hit body of Adul Malek and they also recovered one LG and some ammunition from the spot.
Soooooo, the only deader is the leader of the bad guys? Ya got any witness, other than the stiff's in the graveyard, that there was a gunfight between two gangs? No? Nice switch from the usual "crossfire".
Another report from Pabna adds: Two zonal leaders of outlawed Purba Banglar Communist Party were killed in a shootout between their accomplices and police at Beel Salanga village in Sathia upazila on Tuesday night.
Here we go again
The dead were identified as Salek, 27, son of Khalil Pramanik and Shariful, 30, son of Jonab Ali of the village.
Police said they arrested them from their respective houses in the evening. And later on the basis of their confessional statement, the law-enforcers along with them went to the area to recover the hidden arms at 2:30am.
Yup, another day, another hidden arms recovery mission. Bet there's gonna be gunplay
As soon as they reached the area, the terrorists' gang fired on them in a bid to snatch their leaders.
Yeah, like that's gonna happen
Police responded triggering a gunfight and the two leaders caught in the shootout, died on the spot.
Fancy that
Three policemen, including SI Afizul Islam received severe bullet injuries during the encounter. They were admitted to the Sadar hospital. A revolver, a shooter gun and six rounds of cartridges were recovered from the spot.Police said they were wanted in a number of cases, including four murders.
Another report adds: An alleged terrorist was hacked to death by his rival group in Hamragara Beel at Sonakandi village in the same upazila on Monday night.
If the cops don't get ya, your rivals will
The deceased was identified as Manik, 24, son of Shukur Ali of at Boro Mangalgram village in Faridpur upazila. Locals said some masked assailants abducted Manik from his house at 11pm and chopped him indiscriminately, leaving him dead on the spot.
Indiscriminately, in de ally, in de street, in de yard, etc...
Police suspect that the murder was a sequel to intra-party conflict.
Dire Revenge - Bagla style
The body of Manik, who was wanted in sensational murder case of Chan Mia, was sent to Sadar hospital for autopsy. A case was filed.
Posted by: Steve ||
02/03/2005
8:36:46 AM ||
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#1
I new form of Crossfire⢠and some Dire Revenge too.
WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld disclosed Thursday that he had offered President Bush (news - web sites) his resignation twice during the height of the Abu Ghraib prisoner abuse scandal last year. He said he wanted the decision on his future to be placed in Bush's hands.
"He made that decision and said he did want me to stay on," Rumsfeld told CNN's "Larry King Live," according to a transcript provided by CNN before the program aired Thursday.
In the CNN interview Rumsfeld asserted, as he has many times in the past, that as defense secretary he could not be expected to know all that takes place in war zones halfway around the world. But he also indicated that he could have done more to head off the trouble.
The release of photographs last spring depicting American soldiers abusing Iraqi prisoners at Abu Ghraib triggered worldwide outrage, particularly in the Arab world. Rumsfeld told Congress at the time that he would quit if he felt he could no longer serve effectively, but he also said then that he would not resign simply to please his critics and political opponents.
Posted by: Mrs. Davis ||
02/03/2005
7:11:20 PM ||
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#1
You all did see that on the Lupercal I thrice presented him a kingly crown, Which he did thrice refuse: was this ambition? Julius Ceasar, Act III, Scene II, (Mark Anthony's speech.)
From Policy Review, an article titled "Understanding Jihad" by Mark Gould, a professor of sociology at Haverford College.
.... My purpose here is to characterize the nature of value commitments within Islam. I contrast them with those dominant in Christianity, focusing on ascetic Protestantism — especially the contrast between Christian theology of salvation and Islamic theology of the Last Judgment. Unlike Christians, Muslims, untainted by original sin, believe themselves, with God's guidance, capable of acting in ways meriting salvation. In Islam, God gives men the will to act for good or evil, but he predetermines the outcome of their actions. I contend that the requirement to act in accordance with God's decrees, possible but nonetheless difficult to fulfill, thus attaining salvation, may be short-circuited when fulfilling the religious obligation of jihad. There, either one accomplishes good works (as decreed by God) or dies a martyr; if the former, one enhances one's chances of being sent to heaven at the Last Judgment; if the latter, one goes directly to heaven.
Thus, I argue that there is an authentic Islamic tradition that partially explains the predisposition to the use of force, in jihad, that is diffused widely among contemporary Muslims. Of course, this does not mean either that all or even most Muslims are disposed to use force, or that Muslims will use force in all situations or any particular situation. It does suggest, however, that contemporary activities cannot be explained in purely situational terms: for example, that Muslims are simply reacting to external impingement on Muslim lands. While the specific form of their reaction may be situationally constituted, the reaction itself must, in part, be explained by the logic of Islamic religious conviction. .....
In Islam, God's messengers, and most especially his last and final messenger, Muhammad, have told believers how they must act to be saved. God has requested nothing that believers cannot do. If they follow God's commandments (as enunciated in the Koran and the Sunna, the tradition), on the Day of Judgment God will judge them fairly, weighing the good against the bad. .... Certain customs in ritual and law were established as sacred; derivative from the Koran and from the Sunna, they constitute the shari'ah that regulates virtually all aspects of a Muslim's life. In the words of Islamist Sayyid Qutb, "The basis of the Islamic message is that one should accept the shari'ah without any question and reject all other laws, whatever their shape or form. This is Islam. There is no other meaning of Islam." .....
The concern with one's eternal fate is as manifest in Islam as in Christianity, but its manifestation is different. The Early Meccan suras — as Sells writes, "those learned first by Muslims when they study the Qur'an in Arabic" — focus on the Day of Judgment, on God's judgment of people in light of his commandments (which are codified in the later suras, in the Hadith and in the shari'ah). God is merciful, but believers are told to fear his wrath if they fail to conform to the duties he has revealed for them; thus Muslims are highly motivated to fulfill God's commandments, knowing that at the Last Judgment, "Whoever does an atom's weight of good will see it, and whoever does an atom's weight of evil will see it also". The structure of religious commitment is embedded in this eschatology. In Christianity, in contrast, a soteriology [salvation doctrine] of grace is enunciated; it requires deeds but centers more concretely in faith. The incarnation of God in Jesus, not in a text articulating a set of rules and regulations, embodies men's hopes, even as it increases their uncertainty. ....
One consequence of the differential emphases, on a soteriology of grace versus an eschatology of works, is that Christianity functions in terms of principles, while Islam emphasizes rules. Christianity evokes a set of values that regulate actions, but often does not specify them in legal detail. Rules are, in turn, subject to (in some forms of Protestantism) discussion and reevaluation. In contrast, Islam functions more in terms of precepts, which are, for most Muslims, not subject to lay interpretation, while for some the interpretation stopped over a thousand years ago. For almost all Muslims, the interpretive process stops at the point of revelation. While principles can be found in the Koran and the Hadith, more often than not, in those texts norms are manifest in legalistic regulations, e.g., social justice in the giving of charity. Traditionally these precepts have not been generalized into principles.
The shari'ah is God's legislation for Muslims everywhere. It constitutes, as Denny writes, the "Muslim commitment to justice and social order in a harmonious and disciplined community that knows no distinction between 'church' and 'state,' or religious and secular realms — these themes and others will be seen still to inspire and regulate the ways in which today's Muslims believe, behave, interact with others, and anticipate their destinies as servants of God". While shari'ah is much broader than "law," it is codified in legal terms. While law always embodies both rules and principles, Rahman notes that shari'ah emphasizes rules and is articulated within an interpretive framework deeply suspicious of innovations that might be legitimated through the evocation of principles.
Muslims have the obligation to create a social world in which they can implement shari'ah, the social world in which it is possible to do good works, a social world that is all-encompassing, regulating most aspects of their lives; if jihad is necessary to construct that world, an Islamic state to impose actions in conformity with shari'ah, if not conformity with Islamic belief, jihad is viewed by many Muslims as a religious obligation. ....
Islam has been repeatedly the vehicle of an expansionist drive, and the evocation to jihad as a collective obligation of all Muslims — where jihad is understood, as the Islamists understand it, as an offensive war to impose shari'ah — has a history as long as the history of Islam. .....
In earlier work I have drawn the distinction between disorderly subcultures and subcultures of disorder.36 In the former, those who violate institutionalized norms legitimate their disorderly activities and, in consequence, regularize them. In a subculture of disorder, violations of institutionalized norms may occur, but only when they are seen to be advantageous. They are not legitimate, but rather, participants adopt a neutral attitude toward them. Like Mao's fish swimming in a sea, a relatively small cadre of revolutionaries, a revolutionary subculture, emerges out of and comes to be sustained by a larger subculture of revolution. Likewise, contemporary Islamists act within social orders where many are neutral towards their convictions and activities. Those in the "subculture of Islamism" might not participate in "jihad," but persons within a "subculture of Islamism" are not hostile to it.
Islamists share the conviction that they know how they must act to garner God's favor. One obligation, the neglected obligation that they assume, is jihad, war to impose shari'ah, first on their own societies and then on other societies. This obligation stems from an authentic tradition within Islam. They have not hijacked Islam; instead, they are working out their convictions, convictions with a history that reaches into Islam's formative years.
In the longer term, there is hope that Muslims in the West will work towards the generalization of their religious precepts into more abstract moral principles, principles capable of problematizing certain of the precepts. Muslims living in the West, in Europe and North America, can have no realistic hope of establishing Islamic states to rule the majority of the population. Perhaps, in this circumstance, they will work to accommodate Islam to the civil religion we find, for example, in the United States. In this civil religion, moral precepts from many denominations are found, but they are generalized from the denominational precepts that may be in force for believers, precepts that are not enforced politically. The resources for such an accommodation can be found in Islam, in its concern for equality and social justice. If this accommodation occurs, perhaps it will have an effect on the larger umma. Until then, it is clear that one of the Islamists' motivations to act stems from their understanding of their religious tradition, and it is just as clear that that tradition provides the resources to legitimate their actions.
Posted by: Mike Sylwester ||
02/03/2005
7:06:19 PM ||
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Posted by: Mrs. Davis ||
02/03/2005 19:39
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#2
I don't know about others, but quite frankly, I don't give a flying you-know-what about the nuts and bolts of jihad. All I know (and care) is that when non-Muslims are caught up in that BS, that's where I draw the line.
HANOI : Vietnam said Thursday it is seeking international help to battle a worsening bird flu epidemic and to prepare a long-term plan to tackle the killer disease. Agriculture Minister Cao Duc Phat sent a letter late Wednesday to the World Health Organisation and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation asking for the assistance. The avian influenza was "spreading very quickly in the country", the minister said in the letter obtained by AFP. The government requested the "WHO and FAO's kind assistance in sending the qualified experts to Vietnam to collaborate with local (authorities) to study the outbreak and set up" a plan for its control. The virus has claimed 13 lives in Vietnam since December 30 and 33 since the end of 2003. Twelve people have also died in Thailand from bird flu, which has swept parts of Asia since December 2003. Bird flu has now spread to 33 of Vietnam's 64 cities and provinces, including northern Ha Giang province bordering China. Experts have long warned further outbreaks of the disease were inevitable in the country as long as humans live cheek by jowl with fowl livestock. I lived through SARS and there seems to be more to this than the numbers indicate.
Posted by: phil_b ||
02/03/2005
6:50:45 AM ||
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#1
Sounds like a job for their (the communists) HERO - John Kerry....
#3
Glad to hear the UN is on the case. No need for us to overshadow them.
Posted by: Mrs. Davis ||
02/03/2005 10:11
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#4
The World Health Organization (WHO) is probably the least sucky and most competent part of the UN. I know, faint praise indeed. Still, they managed to eradicate smallpox and had nearly done the same with polio up until muslim ninnies in Africa decided healthy children were an Evil Crusader Plot(tm).
There is no denying WHO is a large bureaucratic organization and part of the UN, to boot. But unlike their dung beetle diplomatic comrades, WHO has actually done some good in the world.
#5
Ok, yes, the Vietnamese government sucks. No argument on that.
But if you think that this disease couldn't possibly get over here, you're dead wrong. We're overdue for a big, ugly flu epidemic. I'd rather they get some help to deal with this (and in the process, learn about it and if it could mutate into something hideous we don't want to think about).
Put aside the ideology for a moment, guys.
#6
I'm with DB. IIUC this is one of the most likely sources of a pandemic. It's unlikely that anything bad will come of it, but the potential cost is in the range of Spanish Flu.
Posted by: Frank G ||
02/03/2005 13:11
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Frank G - I might be wrong on this, but I thought the flu can cross species barriers from anywhere on the human-pig-bird (usually duck) transmission pathways. As in, human to bird to pig, or anywhere on those connections. I'm not putting it very elegantly, so I hope I'm communicating it ok.
#11
IIUC, pigs are considered the most likely path to humans, but the disease is still the same. This particular type of virus is considered to be a high risk.
Maybe it's a result of reading "Earth Abides" when I was very young, "The White Plague" when I was not much older, and seeing "Twelve Monkeys". Maybe my concerns are overblown. I consider this to be a risk on par with asteroids and comets, if not higher.
A significant part of my supporting OIF was opposition to the work of Dr. Taha.
Until such time as we have established isolated (non-terrestrial) populations, this will continue to be a risk.
#12
We all should be applauding Vietnam for admitting there's a potentially serious problem here and getting help right away -- a more honest and upfront response than that of China, for instance.
Pigs are closer to humans biologically, but we eat a LOT of poultry raised in crowded conditions. Having this jump to humans, as it apparently has begun to do, is a serious health threat. And db is right - we've got two generations of people (at a minimum) here who haven't had to develop strong immune response to the nastier strains of flu. Remember - antibiotics don't help. Don't know if something lik the retro drugs for AIDS might, but it would probably take time to engineer them.
#13
Another point: by destroying its poultry flocks to prevent the spread of the disease, Vietnam will be taking a real economic hit. This is one situation where (what is to us a modest amount of) economic aid would be the best possible positive reinforcement for responsible behavior.
A number of Native scholars and activists are challenging his posture of speaking for American Indians in his inflammatory writings on the 9/11 terrorist attacks and even his claim to be an American Indian.
The Oneida Indian Nation, which has historic ties to nearby Hamilton, issued the following statement:
''It's disturbing that anyone would use such hateful speech, and do so while claiming to be an American Indian when there is significant evidence that he is not. Oops. Professor Churchill caused many in the media to falsely believe an American Indian scholar could besmirch the lives of those who died on 9/11. Because of this, he owes every American Indian an apology.
''Likewise it is sad that he would perpetrate this apparent hoax on Hamilton College, an institution founded to help educate Indian students.'' (Hamilton was founded by Samuel Kirkland, 18th century missionary to the Oneidas, and the famous Oneida Chief Schenandoah is buried on its grounds.)
Churchill resigned his position as head of the CU Ethnic Studies program but kept his $96,000 per year teaching post. After initially planning to move the panel to a larger auditorium, Hamilton College cancelled it, citing credible threats of violence.
The Colorado University Board of Regents called for an emergency session but, according to reports just before press time, had decided it did not have legal authority to fire Churchill summarily from his tenured position. Misrepresentation sounds like good grounds to me...
Although the national furor struck with the unpredictable suddenness of a Great Lakes storm, Churchill has long been a divisive and somewhat feared figure in Indian country, especially among his former colleagues in the American Indian Movement. Some prominent activists involved in earlier confrontations have devoted a great deal of energy to investigating his claim to be an American Indian himself and have found no evidence to support it.
At various times, according to press reports, Churchill has described himself as Cherokee, Keetoowah Cherokee, Muskogee, Creek and most recently Meti. In a note in the online magazine Socialism and Democracy he wrote, ''Although I'm best known by my colonial name, Ward Churchill, the name I prefer is Butthead Kenis, an Ojibwe name bestowed by my wife's uncle.'' In biographical blurbs, he is identified as an enrolled member of the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokees. But a senior member of the band with access to tribal enrollment records told Indian Country Today that Churchill is not listed. George Mauldin, tribal clerk in Tahlequah, Okla., told the Rocky Mountain News, ''He's not in the data base at all.''
According to Jodi Rave, a well-known Native journalist and member of the Mandan-Hidatsa-Arikara Three Affiliated Tribes, Churchill was enrolled as an ''associate member'' of the Keetoowah by a former chairman who was later impeached. The one other known member of the same program, since discontinued, was President Bill Clinton Chief I Did Not Inhale When Puffing on Peace Pipe. Rave said that she made this discovery as a student in a journalism class at the University of Colorado. She was also in a class taught by Churchill. When her article came out, she said, he dropped her grade from an A to a C minus. Glad to see he didn't take it personally...
Suzan Shown Harjo, a columnist for ICT who has tracked Churchill's career, said that aside from the in-laws of his late Indian wife, he has not been able to produce any relatives from any Indian tribe.
Beyond the question of his personal identity is the question of his standing to represent Indian opinion, not only on 9/11 but also in his other published works. Mohawk ironworkers helped build the World Trade Center and other monuments of the New York City skyline, and one crew was actually at work in the flight path of the plane that struck the second tower. St. Regis Mohawk Chief James Ransom noted that they joined rescue teams at great personal risk.
Far from suffering for his views, Churchill appears to have been sought out by many in the universities as a representative of American Indian thinking. But to many Native intellectuals, he is traveling under false pretenses, both in his ideology and his personal identity.
#1
As soon as I heard the first reports of this "tough guy" in the context of the Hamilton college lecture, I just knew in my bones he would turn out to be a fraud.
My BS meter has been tuned superfine since 9/11.
I am sure that real Native Americans have a word for such wannabe poseurs (and I fully expect to learn it here on RB...)
Posted by: Carl in N.H. ||
02/03/2005 18:41
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#2
Why not let the Native Americans take care of "Chief Speaks with Forked Tounge" in the manner of their acentors. Not sure what the punishment was for lying, but it can't be bad enough.
#5
Tenure is not protection against Treason during time of war.
Of couse if any 'professor' had used similar language to describe the four little school girls killed in the Birmingham bombing in racially colored language you'd be sure the faculty senate would have run the man out of town on a rail.
#6
When her article (questioning his Indian heritage) came out , she said, he dropped her grade from an A to a C minus.
Damn, I thought that Churchill was such a strong advocate of free speech. My mistake. HIS right to speak apparently does not extend to OTHERS.
#7
As a Native American I'm sort of a washout - no elders around to teach me diddley-squat.
I did, however, spend a night or three in jail back in my misspent youth, and there was a ponytail-wearing, chanting, cussing Native American down the hall in the drunk tank, one night. All night long he cried (phonetically):
"koo-tah-haaay!"
All goddamned night long. You can say it is seared, seared I say, into my brain.
I have no doubt it is a colorful epithet, but I would most assuredly appreciate anyone who can translate it into AmerEnglish.
This happened in Utah, so he could have been Ute or Souix or or Flathead or from any of a half-dozen other tribes.
Thanks, in advance, if anyone can help - it's been bugging me for, oh, 35+ years, heh.
#11
the way he lies and poses, Ward Churchill's probably not his name
Posted by: Frank G ||
02/03/2005 23:25
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#12
.com, are you sure the chief was not a Somali?
Koo tahay or koo-ban tahay is definitely a somali expression. I know that it is somali, I am sure. By some coincidence it is connected to either alcohol or a substance abuse in general. I can't say no more. (cuz I know a fuque what that means)
#15
BTW, I found out when they released me that my cellmate was in for Murder One. He was a bar owner who blew his wife's head off - and then a customer's head off - double barreled 10 GA - one barrel each. She flirted and flaunted it in his face - for the last time. Nice guy. We played cards cuz we couldn't sleep with Chief Cutahay down the hall, heh.
I believe the President has settled on the direction he is going to pursue with Iran. If I am reading the tea leaves correctly, it would appear a pattern has begun to emerge in the recent statements by President Bush, Condolezza Rice and others.
What is the new strategy?
Let's begin with President Bush's State of the Union speech. The President warned the Iranian regime that he is willing to significantly ramp up his support for the Iranian people:
"And to the Iranian people, I say tonight:
As you stand for your own liberty, America stands with you."
The President has recently warned Iran to end its nuclear enrichment program and that he has not taken the military option off the table. At the same time, he also made clear his interest in pursuing a "diplomatic solution."
Why A diplomatic solution?
First, military action in Iran would likely be counter productive. Military action would almost certainly have the unintended consequence of killing large numbers of civilians and thus create a "rally around the government" effect. This would provide a tremendous opportunity for the regime to argue that the US government does not really "care about the people" of Iran. Thus alienating the very people we want to support.
Second, it is also unlikely that such military action could permanently stop Iran's nuclear effort. To accomplish this would require an invasion of Iran and therefore a much larger military force than we have available at this time, so we are told.
Third, Europe is unlikely to ever support military action against Iran and the US public would also find it hard to support it unless there was an imminent threat. (Nearly everyone would want irrefutable proof of Iran's nuclear weapons program).
So what options are left?
An effective non military response to the Iranian threat would require the administration find an issue that is universally accepted in order to gain international support. Such international support was essential in the recent popular revolt in the Ukraine.
Such an issue already exists.
I believe the issue the administration intends to focus on is human rights in Iran.
If you follow the news on Iran, the administration has begun focusing on the human rights issue as it relates to Iran. Here are a few examples:
From the day of our Founding, we have proclaimed that every man and woman on this earth has rights, and dignity, and matchless value, because they bear the image of the Maker of Heaven and earth. Across the generations we have proclaimed the imperative of self-government, because no one is fit to be a master, and no one deserves to be a slave. Advancing these ideals is the mission that created our Nation. It is the honorable achievement of our fathers. Now it is the urgent requirement of our nation's security, and the calling of our time. ...
America will not pretend that jailed dissidents prefer their chains, or that women welcome humiliation and servitude, or that any human being aspires to live at the mercy of bullies.
We will encourage reform in other governments by making clear that success in our relations will require the decent treatment of their own people. America's belief in human dignity will guide our policies, yet rights must be more than the grudging concessions of dictators; they are secured by free dissent and the participation of the governed. In the long run, there is no justice without freedom, and there can be no human rights without human liberty.
Condoleezza Rice:
Iranians "suffer under a regime that has been completely unwilling to deal with their aspirations and that has an appalling human rights record". BBC
Even Senator Brownback, the new chairman of the Helsinki Commission says he plans to highlight Iranian human rights issues with Europe. The NY Sun reports:
The plan by Senator Brownback, a Republican from Kansas, is in keeping with the president's commitment to spread freedom throughout the world...
Senator Brownback said he planned to publicize the plight of Iranian dissidents in hearings before the Helsinki Commission, the American body created in 1976 to engage the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe on their treatment of political prisoners and human rights. American envoys would often read the names of political prisoners aloud at commission-related meetings, at first to embarrass their Soviet counterparts. Later this technique proved effective, when in the twilight of the Cold War many political prisoners were released.
"We are going to bring up human rights issues and what is taking place in Iran aggressively," he said.
Europe and the UN have a long history of advocating human rights. Europe has tied increased trade with Iran to improvements in their human rights record. European leaders advocacy for Human Rights in Iran bought them popular political support at home at very little cost.
Europeans are proud of their leaders stand for Human Rights. It was no surprise to Europeans that the Iranian human rights lawyer, ShirinEbadi, won the 2003 Nobel Peace Prize.
If the US makes Human Rights in Iran a centerpiece of its Iran policy, the EU and the UN will have to support it. Russia and China would find it difficult to oppose it.
President Bush's support for "their issue" will likely be perceived by Europeans generally as a European victory. Popular support could force their leaders to join the US effort.
If Iran refuses to permanently end its uranium enrichment program, as they claim, the EU will have to withdraw its offer of increased trade.
Instead, I would then expect an ever increasing demand of the international community to end all trade (the EU's only real weapon) until the regime guarantees the Iranian people's human rights.
Already British firms such as BP have declared that they will not invest further in Iran. US firms have also taken similar positions and I expect we will see an ever growing number of international firms ending their business relations with the Iranian regime.
Why will this help bring down the regime?
First, the people of Iran will at long last receive the international attention and support they have been pleading for. This support will encourage the people to stand against the regime and various elements in government will be forced to decide whether to support the people of Iran or their unpopular leaders.
Thus the regime will face a serious dilemma.
On the one hand, cracking down on dissent will further alienate the regime and likely result in an end to international investments/trade in Iran.
On the other hand, the regime cannot comply with this without risking encouraging a popular revolt.
Iran's presidential elections are scheduled for June. The hardline elements in Iran have been hoping to further consolidate their power and will not likely be interested in being pressured by the international community on human rights.
If the Iranian regime cracks down on popular dissent this time, the international community will be watching as never before. Crack downs will lead to further doubts by the international business community. As more firms pull away from Iran, investment dollars will dry up.
Iran needs the investment dollars to keep the regime in power. Unemployment is already unbearable. Significant increases in unemployment will only fuel more civil unrest.
It would appear the regime will be in a no win situation.
President Bush is about to travel to Europe. If I am right, we will see a mending of relations and a new unity among the US and the EU.
Time appears to be running out for the Mullahs of Iran. It may prove to be a very hot summer in Iran.
#1
I would not underestimate the possibility of a military assault using unusual tactics. For example, bottling up the cities and other strongpoints, then attacking the rural nuclear facilities. The purpose of this is to cut off their military from their civilian population--met in the field they could only surrender or die. This would amaze the Iranians by *not* destroying their cities, and most likely *capturing* most of their army. This would leave the Mullahs stuck in the cities, trying to motivate a civilian population to "go out there and die". Highly unlikely that this would last long. Then, we would make a deal with their military leaders that *they* should rule Iran as a junta until *fair* elections could be held--mullahs need not apply.
#2
....don't think we have the boots available for such an action - unless we knew exactly which facilities were key. I don't think we have that kind of intel. It's a tough case. The diplo route may take a very long time. Military action probably can't guarantee the results we seek. At the very least, we need to ratchet up the pressure and be ready to face a nuclear Iran and be ready to back Israel if / when they take action.
Posted by: Rex Mundi ||
02/03/2005 20:03
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I generally agree with this analysis. I particularly agree that an Iraq style invasion is both unfeasible due to manpower constraints and would risk causing Iranians to rally around the government.
Still, I have always been skeptical that a bunch of coffeehouse students have the spine to stick up to the harsh government crackdown that would follow any serious revolt.
However, the main vulnerabilty of the Mullacracy is that the sham elections they hold are a tacit admission that democracy is legitimate. This gives us, and the liberty seeking Iranians we support, a rhetorical opportunity with every election season to support human rights and real, free choice in leaders.
What's missing is a charasmatic, effective leader to become the alternative in waiting and followers willing to take up arms should he or she not be given their due. It's the latter missing requirement that distinguishes Iran from Georgia or the Ukraine. We better be contacting to the more sensible members of the Iranian military as Anonymoose states. I also hope to see us supporting organized exile movements.
In the 'election crisis' scenario I think is our best hope, limited use of US airpower and ground troops are conceivable if not likely. I'm no military expert, but I would expect missions to include interdiction Revolutionary Guard movement against friendly military formations, destroying secret police buildings, securing nuclear materials, etc. Our presence in Iraq would make this more doable than it would have been in the past despite our problems there.
If this best case scenario fails to work in time, massive air strikes should remain an option (taking this option of the table as advocated recently by Straw and Clinton is insane) but I would have to think they will be ineffective as the Iranians have had a long time to dig in. We may just fall back on our strategic triad -- second strike anhilation.
#4
I think there will be military action of one sort or another. Remember, we don't have to stop their nuke program forever -- just delay it long enough for the bums to be tossed out.
#6
I tend to agree with the article, but I also agree with Jarhead. We are stretched too thin for any more major projects in the style of Iraq. We sure do not have the occupation/nation building resources to take on another project. What we will need is a bunch of crowbars, i.e., leverage in key places to multiply our application of force. It seems to me that Syria needs a few well placed crowbars. Their actions or condoning of nefarious activities inside their country has been a source of misery to Iraqis and a source of loss of our troops in Iraq. Iran has a forward base in Syria. Take it away or neutralize it and more heat goes onto the MMs.
At the risk of being maudlin and over the top, I think that Bush, in his SOU address, raised the battle to a moral issue, just like Lincoln did in the War between the States. Fredrick Douglass used to work on Lincoln to take the moral high ground and to include liberation of the slaves as one of the war aims, and not to just explain the war as saving the Union. When the moral high ground was taken, it made the enemy weaker in people's eyes. Doing this with human rights in Iran is a smart move by President Bush.
We do not have the options in Iran that we had in Iraq. A regime change is an option that needs to be pursued. The human rights thing ought to make the EUniks uncomfortable, well, maybe. I would not count on it.
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
02/03/2005 23:06
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Posted by: Fred ||
02/03/2005
4:27:35 PM ||
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#1
So, the under-Capo is Sodano? But what about Cardinal "Ratzo" Ratzinger, head of the Doctrines of the Faith (aka Inquisition)? After Cardinal "The 500 pound gorilla" Law was 'retired', I figured things would have settled down. Nobody wants a war.
Russian and Chechen officials dismissed a reported rebel announcement of a unilateral cease-fire as a bluff Thursday, while rumors swirled that militant leader Shamil Basayev was killed in a clash with Ike and Jimmy Clanton foreign mercenaries.
If Shamil's dead and it's not admitted, that makes for a good time for Arslan to declare a ceasefire, since he'd be left with nothing he controls to fire with...
A British TV channel, meanwhile, went ahead with a broadcast of a taped interview with Basayev on Thursday night, drawing a furious rebuke from Russia. "We perceive such an action as the latest step in informational support of terrorists active in the North Caucasus," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement. The ministry called the broadcast "an irresponsible step in disseminating to a wide viewership the views and threats of a bandit," who is wanted by Interpol and on the list of the counterterrorist committee of the United Nations' Security Council. It also said it "runs counter to the efforts of the international community in fighting terrorism," adding that Moscow had called on British authorities to stop the broadcast.
A Web site linked to the rebels, Kavkaz Center, reported Wednesday that Aslan Maskhadov, president of Chechnya during its de-facto independence in the late 1990s, had signed an order last month for all offensive actions to be halted in February in Chechnya and bordering areas as "a display of good will." The Web site said Basayev ordered all rebels under his command to halt attacks until Feb. 22 the day before the anniversary of Stalin-era mass deportation of Chechens to Central Asia. Feb. 23 is also the day Russians honor the nation's armed forces. Akhmed Zakayev, Maskhadov's London-based envoy, told The Associated Press that the rebel leader had aimed his declaration at the Russian people, because "we have no hope that today's leadership would desire or be capable of reaching peace in Chechnya."
The Russian headquarters for military operations in Chechnya claimed the statements attributed to Basayev and Maskhadov were "fictitious." Top officials in Chechnya's Kremlin-backed government, including regional President Alu Alkhanov, also dismissed the cease-fire calls as untrue. Margot Light, a Russia specialist at the London School of Economics, also cast doubt on the report. "One of Maskhadov's problems is that he has no control over the warlords ... therefore the claim that is being made is not very credible." The Interfax news agency quoted Col. Gen. Vladimir Bulgakov, deputy commander in chief of the Russian Land Forces, as saying rebel attacks were continuing on its motorcades and checkpoints.
This article starring:
AKHMED ZAKAIEV
Chechnya
ASLAN MASKHADOV
Chechnya
SHAMIL BASAIEV
Chechnya
Posted by: Fred ||
02/03/2005
3:59:36 PM ||
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Don't they have a charm school where they teach Generals not to tell the ugly truth in front of traitorous reporters?
A senior U.S. Marine Corps general who said it was "fun to shoot some people" should have chosen his words more carefully but will not be disciplined, military officials said on Thursday. Lt. Gen. James Mattis, who led troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, made the comments at a conference Tuesday in San Diego. "Actually it's quite fun to fight 'em, you know. It's a hell of a hoot. It's fun to shoot some people. I'll be right up front with you, I like brawling," said Mattis.
"Mike, I'll betcha $20 I can make at least two Rooters reporters poop themselves tomorrow!"
"Okay, Jim! You're on!"
"You go into Afghanistan, you got guys who slap women around for five years because they didn't wear a veil," Mattis said during a panel discussion. "You know, guys like that ain't got no manhood left anyway. So it's a hell of a lot of fun to shoot them."
"C'mon, Mike! Pay up!"
"You cheated, dammit!"
In a statement, Gen. Michael Hagee, commander of the Marine Corps, praised Mattis as "one of this country's bravest and most experienced military leaders." "While I understand that some people may take issue with the comments made by him, I also know he intended to reflect the unfortunate and harsh realities of war," Hagee said. "I have chewed his ass pretty goodpaid counseled him concerning his remarks and he Knows if he says sompthin stupid like this in front of some reporter again, it'll be the last time agrees he should have chosen his words more carefully," Hagee added. Maj. Jason Johnston, a Marine spokesman at the Pentagon, said Hagee did not plan any disciplinary action against Mattis. Johnston declined to provide details of how Hagee had counseled Mattis, calling it a private matter.
"Bartender! Another round here!"
At a Pentagon briefing on Thursday, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said he could not comment on the remarks, but Gen. Peter Pace, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, praised the general as having set a stellar example for troops in his service abroad. Mattis is commander of the Marine Corps Combat Development Command at Quantico, Virginia, south of Washington.
Think real hard, now, Mr. Rooters: Who'd you rather shoot? Guys you like? Or wife-thumping crapbags?
Posted by: Mrs. Davis ||
02/03/2005
3:48:37 PM ||
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#1
Sure hope they don't find out about the "napalm sticks to kids" cadence.
#4
That's true, Muck. The ad should read: If you feel this way, the Marines are for you!
Posted by: Mark E. ||
02/03/2005 16:21
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#5
I'm with the general. It'd be a hell of a lot of fun for me to get my firearms training practicing on Zarqawi and Bin Laden. Cuz you know, I might not be a very accurate shot at first, but with a lot of practice...might prove they have "Swiss heritage"...
#6
A Patton for our time. Outstanding comments Sir! It is fun to shoot known women beaters and pedophilers. The only people who think different are Islamists, pussies, and msm reporters.
#7
Who wouldnât feel good about ridding the world of a terrorist? Notice there was no talk about relieving him or making him retire? Yes, that is what Marines do they kill the bad guys. Semper Fi Marines.
#15
My apologies SPOD, you are of course quite correct. "Some Peoples just needs a killin'" - Seems to me that quote was an official defense in justified homicide cases in Texas. Imho that could cover Sharpton, Jesse Jackson, Saddam, Zarqawi, Khameni, Castro, Ward Churchill & that bitch from the pretenders.
#16
The fact that Mattis' remarks even raised eyebrows in this county is further proof of the continued attempts of "pussification" (hat tip du Toit) of the US male by fifth column journ-weenies, lll educators (indoctrinators) & metro-sexual prancers (not to be mistaken w/the avg gay guy though some of them could fall into that category). I've got a gay uncle whose more of a man then that fat drunken blow hard kennedy will ever be. TK is an embarrasment to Americans of Irish descent everywhere.
I long back to the time when men were men, warriors were warriors & they meant what they said and told it like it is. They knew life and war was rough, and you had to be a rough man w/a hearty soul to persevere. No lame-ass belly aching about sensitivity, save that shit for the p.c. college profs & other non-hackers.
The folks Mattis offended are 100% candy-asses. The msm is trying to make a mtn out of a moles ass on this one.
"I'd like to spit some beech-nut in that dude's eye and shoot him down with my ole' forty-five....."
The International Atomic Energy Agency has been quietly cooperating with the United Arab Emirates to end shipments of nuclear fuel and components through the Gulf region. Diplomatic sources said the UAE has allowed the agency to conduct inspections of facilities in Dubai and other areas where weapons of mass destruction were suspected of being stored or shipped. They said the targets included three facilities in Dubai believed to be exporting WMD material to Iran. Dubai has been the leading port for supplies to Iran. The sources said the UAE port served the Pakistan-led nuclear smuggling ring of Abdul Qadeer Khan, which exported nuclear material and gas centrifuges to Iran, Libya and North Korea. The sources said the agency pressed the UAE for access to facilities in Dubai following the disclosure of the Khan network and investigations in several countries. Khan maintained an office in Dubai that handled nuclear orders from Middle East and Asian states.
Posted by: Fred ||
02/03/2005
3:41:58 PM ||
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Israel's unilateral withdrawal from the Gaza Strip could turn the Palestinian area into a sanctuary for Al Qaida, a new report said.
A larger version of Ein el-Hellhole, perhaps?
The Jerusalem-based Institute for Contemporary Affairs said Al Qaida could fill the vacuum left by the death of Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat and the departure of Israel from the Gaza Strip.
I'm making the assumption the writers don't want them to depart...
The report envisioned the prospect of a Hamas takeover of the Gaza Strip and its invitation to other Islamic insurgency groups, such as Al Qaida. "The eventual takeover of the Gaza Strip by Hamas certainly cannot be ruled out, given the enormous political clout it already possesses and the relative decline of the Fatah movement in recent years," the report, authored by [Res.] Maj. Gen. Yaakov Amidror, a former military intelligence chief, said. "Even if the Hamas takeover is partial and Hamas only shares power with Fatah in Gaza, the political behavior of a post-withdrawal Palestinian government will have to be very carefully monitored." Since the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan in October 2001, Al Qaida has sought sanctuaries in Iraq, Mali, Pakistan, Somalia and Yemen. The report said the ideological affinity between Hamas and Al Qaida would convert the Gaza Strip into a base for Osama Bin Laden's movement.
Posted by: Fred ||
02/03/2005
3:38:55 PM ||
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#1
Hizb'Allah gets its money from Iran. If Hamas has problems getting funding, and they should have problems, given their dismal record of success, then Hizb'Allah should be able to take over. Just with money and muscle. They will be in Gaza and they are in southern Lebanon and Syria. The Paleos are tools. I see this development as a real threat to Israel, as these terrorists will disburse themselves among the masses of Paleos, using them as shields, so to speak.
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
02/03/2005 16:26
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#2
One more reason why the notion that a party (Hamas, etc.) can have both political and military wings should go the way of the dodo. Define these groups as terrorist groups, period.
#4
Zhang Fei-Do you think the movers and shakers in the EU on Israel/Palestine policy (our "partners' in the Peace Plan) make that fine a distinction, in terms of their pet causes? Does Israel?
It may well have been about shielding the leadership, but anyway, why should they be shielded?
#6
This could be the opportunity to decide this issue once and for all. The Israelis complete their security fence, pull their forces out of all the disputed territories, and the Paleos give the self-governing thing a go. If and when the Paleos really phuque things up and Hezbollah, IJ, and/or AQ end up being the absolute ruling authority in the West bank and/or Gaza and begin launching attacks anew on Israel, then the IDF goes in with guns blazing, mows down all the terrorists in sight, and banishes forever the idea of a nation named Palestine.
#7
B-A-R I go along with your plan. I really think the Paleo need to be given all the chances they can to get their act together with out any external influence or intervention from anyone as the only caveat. Once they totally screw that up if they attack Israel then the land should be cleared of them or they can die where they stand.
Oman has acknowledged the detention of hundreds of nationals amid a crackdown on Al Qaida. The sultanate has refused to give details of the crackdown. But government spokespeople said the crackdown was meant to foil plots to attack the country. Omani Information Minister Hamad Bin Mohammed Al Rashdi said authorities have detained an unspecified number of people. He did not deny reports that more than 300 people have been arrested in the crackdown in late January. "We don't want to talk on this matter as it is an internal issue and because we are not accustomed to defaming our citizens by publishing their photos in the media and highlighting their crimes and justifying the procedures taken by the government," Al Rashdi told the Oman News Agency.
"Everything's fine here!... How are you?"
Posted by: Fred ||
02/03/2005
3:37:11 PM ||
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Hamas and Hizbullah have agreed to continue the war against Israel. Leaders from the two groups met in Beirut and discussed strategy amid efforts to arrange a Palestinian Authority ceasefire with Israel. The Islamic insurgency organizations rejected the ceasefire and said they would maintain the war against the Jewish state.
Toldja there was no way Hamas was going to let peace happen...
"They agreed that the option of resistance and steadfastness was the only choice to confront the current situation," Hizbullah said in a statement after the meeting. The statement said the Jan. 30 meeting comprised of Hizbullah secretary-general Hassan Nasrallah and Hamas political bureau chief Khaled Mashaal. Both groups have received significant support from Iran.
This article starring:
HASAN NASRALAH
Hizbullah
KHALED MASHAAL
Hamas
Posted by: Fred ||
02/03/2005
3:35:05 PM ||
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#1
Well, all that needs to happen now is for one bona fide attack by either org. Then it'll be time for "Targeted Killings, The Next Round".
#3
Then we freeze our announced aid to Palestine and refuse to meet on the Peace Plan until Hamas and Hizbullah are out of the picture. This may sound petulant, but we cannot get caught up in this spin cycle again-domestic politics and the WoT leave us no time for deadly nonsense.
#6
SPOD - the targetted killings ineveitably take apart a couple henchman in every helizap. Makes it hard to maintain a chain of command or get an escort of intelligent henchmen. Either way, it puts a crimp. Israel needs to get the internecine war going among the Paleos. I'm still in favor of a bloody civil war among the f*ckers
Posted by: Frank G ||
02/03/2005 22:29
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#7
As far as I am concerned the dirt under the Paleos feet need to be wetted with thier blood not anyone elses. Pretty much these assclowns invented the type of terrorism we as a civilization are faced with right now. How random or specific they get eliminated from the gene pool is not important. It's just that they do.
#8
I would not pump too much US money into the Paleo PA until they show something besides decibels. The building of the wall and evacuation of undefensible settlements is a good first step. If Hizb'Allah and/or Hamas steps into Gaza and starts lobbing missiles into Israel, then Gaza becomes a Free Fire Zone. If Abbas wants to compromise with Israel, then they will have to literally take the bull by the horns and take out Hamas and Hizb'Allah. That is one Tom Wallager tall order!
I think that the way that this one will play out is that Abbas will do his best with what he has. He will be powerless to act against the terrorists. The Paleo people will not be like the Iraqis and start to rat out the rats. This Paleo situation will stabilize for a little while, then the nutcases will start their terrorist missile attacks and the Paleos will get the sh*t kicked out of them in their own personal free fire zone.
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
02/03/2005 23:14
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#9
the only way he can take on Hamas and Hizbollah is with Egyptian and Jordanian SF help....
sounds good to me
Posted by: Frank G ||
02/03/2005 23:27
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My head: A luxuriant growth of blond hair likely in 6 months...
THE PHILIPPINES will likely seal a peace pact with Muslim separatists in six months provided both sides cooperate the MILF rearming goes as planned and strictly stick to a ceasefire, President Gloria Arroyo's chief aide said Thursday. I'm sure the Easter Bunny will deliver it to.... only to be blown up by the Islamics for being christian.
A draft document that would serve as "reference material" for government negotiators and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) leaders was being worked out to kickstart the next round of talks, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita told reporters. Ermita said lead government negotiator Silvestre Afable had expressed confidence a peace pact would be signed within six months.Of course the MILF is incapable of enforcing it on its 'members' but I'm being paid to get any deal, any deal at all, signed.
"He is confident that an agreement would be signed provided that there will be cooperation on both sides, and the arms shipments to the MILF occur on schedule especially with the help of the Malaysian government and the IMT (International Monitoring Team)," Ermita said.
The Malysian-led IMT has been on the ground in the southern island of Mindanao since late November to check on violations of a ceasefire.
The team last month unsuccessfully prevented any further hostilities when a renegade MILF unit attacked an army outpost that left 23 dead in Mindanao, 17 of them rebels. 23 dead is a sign of *success*?
A military air strike on the same group Which the MILF protected last week reportedly left as many as 40 dead, but this has yet to be independently confirmed.
Despite the attacks, Afable has said talks would resume at a date still to be specified by Malaysia, which has been brokering the talks.
In the southern city of Marawi, meanwhile, Malaysian peace monitor head Major General Zulkefli bin Mohammad Zin said the ceasefire was being maintained by both sides and that "the peace process is very much on track."
"We, members of the IMT, can feel the pulse of transparency We *feel* your pain!
getting to be stronger.
Commitments and cooperation shown by all parties concerned are commendable," Mohammad told a gathering of peace advocates.
"We could also see that restraints are being exercised. The peace momentum is now getting to be much stronger," he said.
"If the current trend prevails the people of the Philippines and those living in the region should be able to see a bright light at the end of the tunnel soon," he said. Er.... bright lights at the end of tunnels usually mean an oncoming train.
The MILF has been waging a separatist rebellion in Mindanao since 1978. It is pushing to create an independent Islamic state in the region, but has struggled to appear to distance itself from terrorist groups in the region linked to Osama bin Laden's Al-Qaeda network.
Authorities say that the MILF, despite its repeated denials, are harboring or training members of the Jemaah Islamiyah (JI), the al-Qaeda's Southeast Asian arm.
Did anybody else notice that there are no 'hopeful' quotes from anyone associated with the MILF?
Syrian opposition sources have reported fighting within the security services under the regime of President Bashar Assad. The Reform Party of Syria said the infighting was prompted by the appointment of Brig. Gen. Ghazi Kanaan as Syrian interior minister in mid-2004. The group, supported by the U.S. Defense Department as a democratic alternative to the Assad regime, said Kanaan was provided a mandate to unify the rival intelligence services.
[Digs in ear with end of car key]
Dang. I thought I'd heard that someplace before...
Quoting "reliable sources in the Middle East," RPS said that since Kanaan entered the Interior Ministry, Syria's security and intelligence services, including military intelligence services, "have been at each other throats for control. The in-fighting is almost at a point of spilling of blood."
The cockles of my heart are all toasty...
RPS said Assad's brother-in-law, Assaf Chawkat, regarded as the liasion to the security agencies, had opposed their consolidation. The group said Defense Minister Hassan Turkmani also opposed the move out of concern that he would lose his authority.
Posted by: Fred ||
02/03/2005
3:31:42 PM ||
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The IRA has withdrawn its offer to complete the decommissioning process. In a statement, the organisation said it had taken the offer to put its weapons beyond use off the table. The IRA, which denies claims it was behind the £26.5m Belfast bank raid, said the British and Irish governments had "tried its patience to the limit". Last year, the IRA said it would complete the decommissioning process within weeks and move into what it called a new mode. A Downing Street spokesman said they were not surprised by Wednesday's statement, passed to the An Phoblacht newspaper. "The fact remains that it was the IRA that did carry out the Northern Bank robbery and as the prime minister and the taoiseach said on Tuesday therefore it is the IRA that is the sole obstacle to moving forward," he said. However, the spokesman made it clear the government does not interpret the statement as a threat to return to terrorism. BBC correspondent Mark Simpson said the statement was "more of an IRA tantrum than anything more significant".
Wednesday's statement said: "Our initiatives have been attacked, devalued and dismissed by pro-unionist and anti-republican elements, including the British government. The Irish government have lent themselves to this. At this time it appears that the two governments are intent on changing the basis of the peace process. They claim that 'the obstacle now to a lasting and durable settlement is the continuing paramilitary and criminal activity of the IRA'. We reject this."
DUP leader Ian Paisley said the statement proved the IRA never had any intention of decommissioning in a credible, transparent and verifiable way. "They never had any intention of giving up their criminal empire," he said. "The IRA had better realise that we will not be bullied or threatened and we will accept nothing less than the complete and utter end of all terror and criminal activity and the decommissioning of all their illegal weaponry in a transparent manner."
Continued on Page 49
Posted by: Bulldog ||
02/03/2005
2:57:43 AM ||
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#2
Try the Mossad approach and liquidate a few of the key figures in the IRA - the big guys financiers, logisticians etc? As soon as the first boom goes off in London just send the SAS in and 'remove' the entire leadership.. I suppose we can arrange a couple of mysterious fatal car crashes for Adams/ McGuinness or simply contract the job to the UDA/UVF. Pope dead yet?
Posted by: Howard UK ||
02/03/2005 4:09
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#3
So, "guns don't kill people, people kill poeple," and "I'll give up my gun when they pry it out of my cold dead hand," works here but not there? Has the DUP decommissioned yet? We have 30+ thousand gun deaths in this country yearly. How many do the IRA kill a year?
Posted by: Weird Al ||
02/03/2005 7:43
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#4
Most American gun owners are responsible and respectable members of society, using their weapons for sport and/or self defense. If the same were true in Ireland, then disarmament would not be at issue. However, most gun owners over there use their weapons for crime and/or harming those who disagree with them. This is a significant difference, as I'm sure you'll agree, Weird Al.
#5
"Security sources believe the Irish Republican Army (IRA) alone has enough weaponry to equip a small country's army and sustain a campaign for at least a decade. The arms -- about 1,700 weapons, 50 heavy and general-purpose machine guns, 40 rocket launchers, grenades, mortars, flame throwers, booby traps, ground-to-air missiles and an estimated two tons of Semtex -- are hidden in deep bunkers, almost certainly in the Irish Republic, their whereabouts known to just a few. The IRA's arsenal was amassed over several years, some of it smuggled in from America and continental Europe, but most of it in several shiploads from Libya in the mid-1980s."
Just a bunch of small arms enthusiasts, huh, Weird Al? Since when have you thought it a good idea to allow terrorists and bank robbers access to guns?
Has the DUP decommissioned yet?
The DUP will never decommission, because it has never commissioned. It's a political party, not a terrorist organisation. The reason the mutual decommissioning process, involving both Loyalists and Republicans, has broken down is that the IRA used the DUP's request for photographic evidence as a pretext for shelving the decommissioning process, claiming they felt that such a procedure would be "humiliating".
#7
One man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter. The IRA has pretty good justification to be called both. They have certainly attacked civilian targets as well as military ones, making them less than upstanding. They have decommissioned their heavy weapons and bomb making materials. I misspoke earlier, mentioning the DUP when I meant the RUC. They have decommissioned? I haven't heard about it. And they are estimated to have about ten times the arms of the IRA, and have been equally likely to attack civilians. More so. So, the ultimate question is whether the IRA should trust the british to the extent of handing in all their weapons.
To trailing wife: most gun owners in this country are law abiding. We also have some real nut cases, who have armament caches that probably equal anything the IRA has. The reason a high proportion of people in Ireland with weapons are considered outlaws (the IRA, not the RUC. I haven't heard them denounced in similar terms) is that the average person doesn't have the right to own guns.
I'm not against ownership of weapons. I gave the quotes above to illustrate what I consider one extreme point of view in this country. I knew I would generate a storm...that's OK. I don't think the IRA should decommision until 26 + 6 = 1. Sorry.
Posted by: Weird Al ||
02/03/2005 10:10
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#8
I believe the RUC/PSNI have not decommissioned. That is because they are the police. Perhaps you have them confused with some other organization. The IRA are terrorists. No better than al Qaeda, regardless of the merit of the cause for which they slaughter innocents.
Posted by: Mrs. Davis ||
02/03/2005 10:18
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#9
One man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter.
Oh. You're one of those.
They have certainly attacked civilian targets as well as military ones, making them less than upstanding.
Not "less than upstanding". Attacking civilians makes them terrorists. For that they should be exterminated, and their political goals should be consigned to the sewers, never to be considered until their crimes have been forgotten.
Posted by: Robert Crawford ||
02/03/2005 10:20
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#10
Someone wrote on RB recently - One man's Nazi is another man's German hero. Go figure..
Posted by: Howard UK ||
02/03/2005 10:28
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#11
I'm not "one of those", whatever the hell that's supposed to mean. I thought I was clear. Both the IRA and the RUC can be considered terrorists, but only one side gets called. it. The RUC may be the police now, but they sure weren't in the past. They were essentially thugs working on the protestant side, and equally as liable for atrocities as the IRA. I would suggest an excellent book on the subject "The IRA", written by Tim Pat Coogan. Or any one of half a dozen of others. Or does everyone else here feel that the british have been even handed understanding landlords of Ireland for the past 700 years or so? Apparently so. And please don't give me this cultural relativism baloney. Ain't true. They're all terrorists. And if someone has called Nazis german hero's it's news to me, and evidence of a mind a lot more disturbed than mine.
Apparently Howard just isn't quite ready to give up the last remnants of empire. Go figure.
Posted by: Weird Al ||
02/03/2005 10:49
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#12
The RUC may be the police now, but they sure weren't in the past. LOL!
Posted by: Howard UK ||
02/03/2005 11:06
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#13
The next time i run from an IRA bomb alert in central London I'll console myself with the fact that the immediate threat to my personal safety is the fault of my forefathers and I'll beat my chest with guilt... Hang on! I'm of Irish descent... errrr...
Anyone IRA scum sets off a bomb near me and they deserve to have my government pop a cap in their ass.
Posted by: Howard UK ||
02/03/2005 11:10
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#14
Apparently Howard just isn't quite ready to give up the last remnants of empire. Go figure.
I presume your one of those Americans who happily drops dollars in the NorAid tin, thereby sponsoring the cold blooded murder of men, women and children by cowards on the far side of the Atlantic. How do you feel about Muslims who donate to Hamas?
#15
Weird Al - Look, knock it off with the "700 years ago...." crap. EVERY NATION on this planet has screwed over their neighbors and pissed on the tribe next door, and if by some chance they haven't done that yet (unlikely), it's just because for whatever reason they couldn't get their sh*t together in time to take advantage of the opportunity.
Anyone who knows anything about Irish history knows about the abuse of the locals by the British. Still, I don't see how setting off a bomb in downtown London is an intelligent reply to, say, the Potato Famine.
BTW....if I am correct, RUC stands for "Royal Ulster CONSTABULARY". Lemme borrow Mucky's dictionary (or however he spells it). "Of or relating to a constable". You know....a cop, as we put it on this side of the pond. Their responsibility was law enforcement and anti-terrorism. They did like to beat up the Catholics. Occasionally they killed them, too. Unfortunately, abuse of police power is nothing new. But from the start, they always were the police, so to say that they started out as something else is silly.
In any event....they don't exist anymore, and haven't since 2001, when Tony Blair started the Police Service of Northern Ireland.
If you mean to call Ian Paisley a terrorist, or a terrorist sympathizer, fine....just make sure you get your facts in a row.
And don't drag out that stupid cliche of "one man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter." Nope. A freedom fighter goes after the government.....you know, people who can fire back. A terrorist goes after kids, old people, anyone else who basically has to just sit there, take it and die. There's a huge difference.
#17
im one of those americans who despise the IRA. Terror is terror. The Brits conceded enough by allowing Sein Fein into negotiations and the NI govt at all. They MUST disarm completely for the agreements to continue. The US govt MUST reassert its absolute support for the UK in insisting on disarmament.
#18
Howard UK..."Pope dead yet?" Just what the f**k does that mean? You sound like one of the so-called Moderate Muslims who hides his hate for the Jews until he thinks that no one is looking, or Senator Byrd who has freshly starched sheets in the closet. Somehow it amazes me that it takes so little to bring out the lurking vileness in people.
#19
RUC was formed by protestants, was 100% manned by protestants, and had the job of making sure the folks on the other side of the tracks behaved. If the IRA sets off a bomb in your nieghborhood, hunt them down and kill them. RUC has been "integrated" - they now recruit catholics. Well and good. Basicly, the IRA are terrorists, but the RUC are OK...schizophrenic at best. Don't kid yourself the RUC has been disbanded. They've simply gone underground. Read the history of the IRA for god's sake before you start screaming. They have plenty of reason not to trust the gov't with their lives. And until the recent holdup, they have behaved pretty well in the past few years. Apparently I'm the only one who isn't willing to give the brits a free pass simply because they're british
Posted by: Weird Al ||
02/03/2005 12:49
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#20
Yup, he's one of those.
Posted by: Mrs. Davis ||
02/03/2005 12:58
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#21
Wierd Al, I think you mean the UDA/UVA or red hand, are you sure you mean the RUC (Royal Ulster Constabulary)?
I've never condoned the IRA's actions wrt any sort of terrorist or criminal activity involving civilians, terrorism is terrorism. Sticking a bomb in a mail box or car and letting it blow to kill whomever happens to stroll by is cowardice in my book. OTOH, and I may draw some fire on this, wrt going after purely military targets - I don't want to see any Brit lads get killed but I do respect that aspect of the IRAs guerilla warfare. Personally I wish it was one island under the Republic, though I know it's not that simplistic & there are lots of issues from both the N.Ireland protestant and catholic sides.
I've had family in the IRA, some buried in the IRA cemetery in Belfast, others in Derry. I'm neither proud nor ashamed of it. It's an awkward situation as I've great respect for the British soldiers but think N.Ireland should be returned to the Republic of Ireland.
#22
re: 12 I'm glad you got some enjoyment out of my comment about the RUC. The Royal Ulster Constabulary were a bunch of strong arm artists from the 1920's right through the troubles of the 70's and 80's. A comparison with the brown shirts is probably not too far-fetched. As to the IRA fighting governments rather than people, they did just that for many years. First against the british gov't until the sweet heart deal that Michael Collins signed in 1922 allowing the british to maintain controlof the six northern counties. Next in the Irish civil war that occured from 1922 until 1924, fighting against Collins and the interim Irish government. They went into eclipse for many years, only to re-appear when the troubles started. At that time the splinter group Provos appeared. They were a frankly marxist group, funded by people such as Libya, and were responsible for many of the civilian bombings. They were very nasty people. Even the traditional IRA disowned them. Just to further infuriate people, if that's necessary, it warms my heart to see Martin McGuiness and Gerry Adams sitting in meetings with the Brits. Not to mention the fact that they have in fact held their people in check since negotiations began. Will they ever trust the brits? When hell freezes over, more or less.
Just to set the record straight, no, I'm not a marxist, communist, or etc. Don't waste you breath. I too have taken the libertarian test. Only missed on one answer.
Posted by: Weird Al ||
02/03/2005 13:06
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#23
Weird Al - As a Catholic who has actually been to Ireland, I'm in no way, shape or form an apologist for the Brits. They have, without question, acted abominably. There is plenty of evidence of that in Ireland still should you care to look.
However....The RUC doesn't exist any more. Period. What about that do you NOT understand? I did not dismiss the idea that there are Protestants who act just as badly as the IRA (or don't you know who the hell Paisley is??)
I stand by my definition of terrorist v. freedom fighter. It's pretty simple to see who falls on what side of that argument.
I am not going to give the IRA a pass because they call themselves "Catholics". Bullshit. There is nothing in Catholic dogma that justifies blowing up innocents. They know it, they just ignore the inconvenient parts of doctrine.
Just keep putting in the cash in the NorAid jar and thinking you're helping the good fight...If you do, Weird Al, your hands are as bloody as the imbecile that built the bomb or shot at some kids.
#24
23: Thanks, but I've been there too. You beiieve that just because the british gov't disbanded the official RUC that they have disappeared? I have some great land to sell you in Florida. Actually is above the water line at least 8 hours a day. Nobody gives the IRA a "pass". I do not however simply give a knee jerk in the other direction. We are after all talking about whether the IRA will give up it's weapons. I don't believe they will as long as the british hold the final say on the political structure in northern ireland, which they have amply proved by rescinding the powers of the elected officials.
As to NorAid, I admit I don't even know what the hell you're talking about Never heard of them.. When you can't win on facts, start throwing insults?
Posted by: Weird Al ||
02/03/2005 13:21
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#25
On the insult thing, i must apologise for the Pope comment - it's hard to shift out of caveman mode without coffee - also hard to escape the moronic religious/football terrace culture. Apologies to one and all.
Posted by: Howard UK ||
02/03/2005 13:38
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#26
I have this thing. All Bombers need to die. I don't give a flying leap who's side they are on. When you target Moms and Kids you lose the right to anything but a bullet behind the ear. The last thing North Ireland needs is explosives, heavy machine guns, mortars and rockets. The IRA can keep the assult rifles and hand guns. Everything else has to go. Put beyond use isn't enough. Cut the weapons up and burn the explosives in a very public way.
An American group decides to start a campaign to reclaim North America on behalf of the pre-European population, and do so through violence. Let's call them the IAA (Indiginous American Army). They plant a bomb at your local mall one Saturday morning and kill YOUR wife or YOUR children or YOUR parents because they hold THEM responsible for the actions of dead ancestors who may or may not have engaged in an injustice against their own dead ancestors. They talk about the Sand Creek Massacre and the Wounded Knee Massacre a lot, and prefer not to mention the Jamestown Massacre and what happened in the Wyoming Valley. Let's get back to the present: YOU are lucky. YOU just lose your legs.
And MY response (as a Brit) is to say: "you had it coming". Payback's a bitch. And your police force and army are no better than the bombers - they're just descended from Wild West lawmen and the contemporary US soldiers who used to shoot Indians on sight.
I have never stated that there weren't extremely bad people in the RUC. I have also never stated that the bad actors haven't gone over to another group, where they act as badly or even worse today. Where you get that from my comments is a mystery.
And for someone who thinks they know a lot about Ireland, your ignorance of NorAid is...interesting. NorAid is/was a not-so-subtle financial drive for the benefit of the IRA. Lots of Irish bars, especially around Boston, used to have jars for donations. There were some other names, but that was the best known. Since I haven't been up there since 9/11 I don't know if the jars are still there. I just know I haven't seen one in my neck of the woods for a long time. The only way you could say that it went to old people and kids is if you clarified it and said it went to BLOWING UP old people and kids.
They aren't going to give up their weapons, simply because they only feel big & tough when they can make someone else scared to death. The current batch using the name aren't really out to reunify Ireland like the original gang was back in the 20's. They just get their jollies out of being pathetic little killers.
I don't throw insults, Weird Al. I just put out inconvenient (to you) facts. If you choose to be insulted by the truth, that's not my problem.
#29
The photo of the IRA member looks much like the terrorists operating in Iraq, Lebanon, Palestine, etc. How is the IRA different than these terrorists. How are the IRA different than Tim McVeigh, Bob Matthews (Christian Identity bank robber and terrorist), or the North Hollywood bankrobbers. The results are the same. Innocents get wounded or killed for some bullshit cause that generally falls apart on serious scrutiny.
#30
Oh, boy, have I stirred up the hornet's nest. I meant to. For (I hope) one last time. I don't live in Boston, so I don't hang out in irish bars there, so I don't know the name NorAid. Do I know money has been sent from the US to ireland to buy guns? Of course I do. The american irish financed virtually the entire thing. The financing has been explored in other books, some by Coogan, some by others. Interestingly, people in the Republic don't care about the IRA one way or the other, and don't really think much about re-unification. If pushed, they tell you that it's happening financially anyway, and that's all they care about. The republic is in better financial shape than the north, in contrast to what was true twenty years ago. It's just another market to them. Most of them don't give a damn about the british one way or the other, except in terms of sport. Some of them are rabid fans of british soccer teams.
Actually, I agree with SPOD. Kill the bombers, get rid of the heavy weapons. If the IRA wants rifles and hand guns, nobody should care.
Finally, I agree with a statement made many years ago by a sci-fi writer named A E Van Vogt, who wrote a book called The Weapon Shops of Isher. I recommend it highly. A quote from the preface is instructive: " The right to have weapons is the right to be free." Period.
Posted by: Weird Al ||
02/03/2005 14:53
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#31
Weird Al: The 30K + gun death statistic is a bit distorted. In 2003 there were 9,638 murders caused by firearms. The remainder of deaths were caused by suicides and accidental discharges. This is down from 11,348 in 2001. During 2001 (the latest data I can find on gun related suicides), the number of suicides by fire arms is 16,869. The total in the last few years has fallen under 30K.
Sorry to be such a pedant, but the 30K figure is another one of those figures that the MSM keeps tossing around without any explanation or breakdown and it drives me nuts.
#32
#31. Thanks for the correction. I'm not surprised to hear it. So roughly 25k deaths of all kinds. Not a problem.I've probably been the same way in this series. The provisional IRA is as ugly a bunch as ever came done the pike, with a marxist philosophy that promoted anarchy as a way of social change, just as in other parts of the world. I hope they're all dead. The traditional people are actually working in the system at this point, but asking them to trust the brits and give up their total stock of weapons is pretty naive. I meant the quote before, the right to have weapons is the right to be free........from governments you don't trust.
Posted by: Weird Al ||
02/03/2005 16:02
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#33
"The IRA can keep the assult rifles and hand guns."
-I agree, and no one should care about rifles or pistols. OTOH, I don't think they will ever give up all their weapons, even though I think they should give up the heavy stuff.
I was in Ireland in 1996. As I recall the police force there when I went to Derry was the RUC. I remember that I thought they looked like bobbies at the time.
I don't know anything about any Nor-aid as I'm not from Boston. I do know that many Irish Americans did indeed finance IRA activities by whatever means, though I've never heard of nor-aid. The British government does not deserve a pass and neither do the provos.
#34
A bit of history. While Northern Ireland was technically part of the UK prior to around 1970 it was internally autonomous. The RUC was more or less a regular policeforce, but there was a militia force under RUC control called the B Specials who's only task was to keep the Catholics under control and responsible for widespread anti-catholic violence. The government was entirely controlled by protestants and discrimination was widespread and systematic.
This was the environment in which the modern IRA developed. I won't pretend to make sense of the IRAs politics - mixture of Marxism, Irish Nationalism and good oldfashioned anti-Brit sentiments, but they were never terrorists in the sense of randomly killing people like AQ or Saddam Hussien. Their terrorism was intended to make NI cost too much to run for the Brits. You can't plant thousands of bombs as the IRA did and not kill people. I have personally seen at least a dozen IRA bombs explode and I never felt particularly threatened by them.
Protestants were the primary cause of random killings especially bombings and Paisley was almost certainly involved. He was saved by an amnesty around 1973 and was smart enough to keep his hands clean after then (I've met him).
As I have remarked before, terrorist organizations mutate into criminal gangs. Its the way they fund themselves. The modern IRA is mostly a criminal gang, but one with considerable popular support. Sein Fein (the IRA's political arm) consistently gets the largest share of the Catholic vote. The reality of N. Irish politics is you have to deal with the IRA. Like it or not they represent a large consituency.
otherwise the right to have weapons is the right to be free........from governments you don't trust. Or at least negotiate from a position of strength.
#37
I know who the hell Paisley is. Just didn't want to actually write his name. I was told not too long ago by someone in the republic that his son is just like him, only meaner and not very bright. Wonderfull.
Posted by: Weird Al ||
02/03/2005 18:28
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#38
I shouldn't say this prolly but Ian Pasley is a Ass. He is a stiff necked, obstreperous pig with blood on his hands. At least some of the "troubles" largely are his fault. It's too bad he isn't dead. I have no love for the IRA but his Protestant camp is as guilty as the IRA. A well placed brick to his head is long past due.
#39
Tough f-in' luck. They had their chance with Trimble, played hudna games instead of actually trying to settle anything, and got Paisley. More false promises broken, more Arab-style obsession with "face", and we're beginning to see a pattern here...
Who's contemptible enough still to defend the IRA? Too many folks, it seems. This thread makes me sick -- there aren't any "buts" on terrorism.
When I was in Derry I walked the bog-side. Very sad, but I never felt threatened by anyone. The locals would say watch out for this pub because its IRA or watch out for that one because its loyalists owned. I never gave a shit. I went where I pleased and was warmly received by protestants and catholics a like.
As an American of strong Irish background and being a catholic I often empathized w/the Irish up north but never condoned any targeting of civilians or criminal activities on either side. Though I think elected officials who legislate unfair laws are fair game. I think the catholics did get a raw deal and I hope Ireland does re-unite under the Republic, however, if that happens the catholics need to remember that Ireland is also just as much the home of the protestants as well, they needed to be treated fair like any other people. I know some of the history but not nearly as much as some of the others on here.
someone - if this thread makes you sick, maybe you should try another one. If I was a catholic in N.I. I'd never give up my guns, ever.
Agreed. History blurs. Especially in today's world of globalized funds flows and multiple links between international crime syndicates, narcoterrorists, rogue states and terror movements, it's harder and harder to say that terror movements are essentially political in nature. In fact FARC, the IRA, Hamas, Fatah, AQ and many other groups are so heavily interpenetrated with criminal activity and internecine thuggery that it's hard to distinguish their m.o. from that of your garden-variety mafia family.
These days, the political agenda is less clear than the profiteering, the drug-running, the racketeering, the shake-downs of the people these thugs claim to lead. Like Arafat's organizations, like FARC, the IRA today are essentially a mafia syndicate with an overlay of political ideology.
#42
Right on, Lex. The terrorists are mainly criminal gangs. I have been in the North when bombs went off and blew up innocent kids. Hey, the Barleycorn had fun and clever songs in the 80s and 90s, but they are not fun anymore as the so called IRA is just a bunch of murdering criminals. It is easy to build a bomb or hijack a car in Armagh and blow up something. It takes a special character to recognize one's own resources and limitations, and to compromise to make a decent start. Read Michael Collin's biography. He fought the Brits and Black and Tans, then he exhaustively negotiated with the British govt for 6 months to get the beginnings of independence. Then some breakaway IRA nutcase murdered him in Cork. Great loss to Ireland.
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
02/03/2005 23:29
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#43
Indeed. "We who are but weasels, fighting in a hole..."
BTW, add the Chechen "rebels" to the list. I think the process of criminalization simply happens faster and more thoroughly these days due to the impact of globalization. The greater the funds flows from the outside-- be it from coca barons or Saudi princes or east european mafiya elements-- the easier it is for thugs and thievery to snuff out any pretense of political dedication, asceticism or commitment.
#44
You can't plant thousands of bombs as the IRA did and not kill people. I have personally seen at least a dozen IRA bombs explode and I never felt particularly threatened by them.
You are a lying, terrorist-apologist sack of shit, Phil_b.
Same goes for the arabs or whoever. I'm consistent across the board w/the right to bear arms for any people. I could personally give a fuck if some paleo owns a rifle, shotgun, or handgun for personal protection or hunting rabbits etc. If some paleo or catholic in N.I. want to own a gun in their home WTF should anyone care? If they are criminals or terrorists then they will end up in jail or dead, same as in the States. You don't remove the ability to own a firearm just because some people in that particular region are assholes. That's LLL thinking someone.
The head of the Iraq Oil-for-Food Program investigation has formally presented an interim report to United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan. Paul Volcker, chairman of The Independent Inquiry Committee into the Iraq Oil-for Food Program, brought the report Thursday to U.N. World Headquarters in New York from the panel's offices a few blocks away. He did not comment to reporters. However, Volcker, former chairman of the U.S. Federal Reserve, in a Wall Street Journal op-ed piece Thursday said, "The findings do not make for pleasant reading." He said the humanitarian program's "procurement process was tainted" and "the management responsiveness critical to achieving a fully effective auditing process were lacking.
But, before you get your hopes up.....
"The management of program administrative funds appears free of systematic or widespread abuse."
Kofi gets off, but they seem to have decided on a scapegoat..
But he found "disheartening" the performance of the program's chief, saying, "The evidence is conclusive that (Benon) Sevan ... placed himself in an irreconcilable conflict of interest, in violation both of specific U.N. rules and of the broad responsibility of an international civil servant."
Posted by: Steve ||
02/03/2005
2:12:04 PM ||
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PARIS (Reuters) - Iran has conducted successful experiments on a crucial triggering mechanism for a nuclear weapon, an exiled opposition group said on Thursday. President Bush on Wednesday renewed his accusation that Iran was seeking to develop atomic weapons and called it the "world's primary state sponsor of terror." Tehran dismisses the accusations and says its atomic ambitions are limited to the peaceful generation of electricity. The National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), which wants to oust Iran's clerical rulers and has given accurate information on its nuclear sites in the past, said Iran was close to producing the 'neutron initiators' that spark the chain reaction in a bomb.
"Tehran has already succeeded in using beryllium in conjunction with polonium-210 for large scale laboratory testing purposes, and it is getting very close to the point of industrial production," Mohammad Mohaddessin of the NCRI told a news conference in Paris.
Diplomats have already said there is evidence that Iran has bought small quantities of beryllium and tried to buy much more, and that the International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) is examining this as part of a two-year investigation of Tehran's nuclear program. Beryllium also has many innocent uses, but Mohaddessin said Iran had not only secured significant quantities but also tried to conceal its purchases from the IAEA.
"Tehran currently has enough beryllium to produce initiators for a dozen nuclear bombs," he said. He said the laboratory tests had been conducted at the Lavizan II site close to Tehran by experts from the Malek-Ashtar Industrial university, which is run by the Defense Ministry.
Germany, France and Britain, acting for the European Union, have been urging Iran to permanently scrap the uranium enrichment that could give it the potential to make nuclear explosives in return for political and economic incentives. Washington takes a harder line and wants Iran to be reported to the U.N. Security Council for possible sanctions.
The NCRI is a coalition of exiled opposition groups. The State Department lists it and its armed wing, the People's Mujahideen, as terrorist organizations.
Pity, they produce damm good intel, I'll wager the nuclear spies Iran arrested last year were members of NCRI.
Posted by: Steve ||
02/03/2005
1:58:49 PM ||
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#1
If this can be verified its just the lightening rod Israel needs to take action. I don't see up getting involved with a preemptive strike cause of politics. I do see us giving flyover permission and logistical support in any way to the Israelies. This will up the pucker factor for everyone in the area.
Posted by: Yosemite Sam ||
02/03/2005 15:01
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#2
Anybody think the timing (i.e. within 12 hrs of the SOTU address) is a coincidence?
#3
Where are the carriers? Are any headed in for the next rotation? Though I suppose now there are enough bases in the area to do it without many carriers, which would let the US drop that particular "It's Coming" tipoff.
Posted by: Laurence of the Rats ||
02/03/2005 16:06
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#4
LotR, I guess the question is whether that is what we want to be provoked by these guys into doing.
I would love to see the mullahs gone -- but I also would love to see that younger generation both free and without overwhelming resentment of us. They would be a formidable asset to us and the world if they took power there. Let's be careful not to be manipulated by exile groups. We may choose to strike, but it would be best if it were due to our own analysis, not a response to carefully publicized info from a group with a clear agenda.
#5
Listen mullahs.... a finished game of "Mousetrap" isn't a nuclear triggering device.....
Posted by: Mark E. ||
02/03/2005 16:18
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#6
If this berrylium and Po210 story is correct, then the Iranians are well along to the plutonium bomb. The berrylium and Po mix in the center of a sphere of plutonium serves as the sparkplug at the moment of implosion, sending neutrons into the plutonium to initiate the chain reaction.
Thanks to the evil Dr. Khan, the Iranians probably have the explosive lense details knocked out. Now all they will need is the plutonium (from Bushehr, the Norks, or other willing seller) and the precision electric detonators that set off the explosive lenses, initiating the implosion.
And Yosemite Sam, this is definitely a pucker factor raiser if it is tee-rue.
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
02/03/2005 16:34
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#7
rkb - That is true, it would be better if something internal could stop this, but with a story like this it seems like they are moving too fast for a real revolt to get steamed up.
Good point on not letting an exile group getting us going. That sort of thing should be an asset or a piece of information, not the deciding factor in a decision to attack.
Posted by: Laurence of the Rats ||
02/03/2005 17:16
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JUST FOUR MONTHS AGO, thousands of mourners thronged the Grand Mosque in Mecca for the funeral of a famous Sufi teacher. This was an extraordinary event, given the discrimination against all non-Wahhabi Muslims that is the state policy of Saudi Arabia. The dead man, 58-year-old Seyed Mohammad Alawi Al-Maliki, had been blacklisted from employment in religious education, banned from preaching in the Grand Mosque (a privilege once enjoyed by his father and grandfather), and even imprisoned by the Saudi regime and deprived of his passport. That so many Saudi subjects were willing to gather openly to mourn him--indeed, that his family succeeded in excluding Wahhabi clerics from the mosque during the memorial--says something important, not just about the state of dissent inside the Saudi kingdom, but also about pluralism in Islam.
It's hard to know which facet of Al-Maliki's identity his mourners were turning out to honor--if indeed these can be separated. He was, first, a Hejazi, a native of the western Arabian region that was an independent kingdom before the Saudi-Wahhabi conquest in the 1920s. Home to Mecca, Medina, and the commercial port of Jeddah, the Hejaz hosts an urban, cosmopolitan culture very different from that of the desert nomads. Al-Maliki's funeral was the first for a prominent Hejazi to be held in the Grand Mosque in decades.
He was also a leader of the Maliki school of Sunni Islam, a classical school of interpretation that the Wahhabis have forced underground in Saudi Arabia. Prior to the imposition of Wahhabi fascism, the Malikis, along with the other three main schools of Sunni Islam, had maintained a respected presence in the Grand Mosque for many centuries. Dialogue had characterized relations among these schools of Islamic thought.
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Posted by: Dan Darling ||
02/03/2005
1:34:54 AM ||
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#1
In a nutshell Sufis teach that your relationship with God is your personal business - they are the Islamic Reformation that never became institutionalized the way it did in the West. A Sufi SA - now thats a concept to play with.
#2
Phil, not that clear cut. In a general sense, it may be true. Perhaps because Sufism went through several centuries of evolution.
But let's not forget that Hassissins (Assassins) were a sufi outlet. Yes, it was almost 8 centuries ago.
You know why Soddies call OBL deviant? It is not just because they don't like the guy or something and that he is trying to get a rid of them. He managed to incorporate some sufi elements into his Wahhabi core beliefs, specifically some mystical parts that earlier sufis borrowed from Kabala. That is what scares Soddy Royals most, because they presume that he practices black magic and they are a superstitious bunch. The regular AQ members are 'deviants' because they are followers, not that there is the same assumption associated with them. If AQ simply targetted infidels, there would be no problem, that is the core of wahhabi doctrine and its major export article. But they see themselved in AQ crosshair and that makes Soddy Royals jittery. The gull of OBL to see them as kufars!
Sure, nurturing relationship with sufis may be helpful... but in the long run, it's Qu'ran that is at the base of Islamism. Sooner or later, even if the current Islamofascist spike is somewhat contained, it would bubble up again a few a century later, perhaps more virulent.
Islam has to be entirely replaced. How, that is a question many very smart people are pondering at the moment.
#3
Schwartz is himself a sufi and so his comments have to be understood in that light.
Yes, it is true that the Maliki (founded by Malik ibn Anas) school is more moderate than other Islamic jurisprudence (Hanifa, ,Shafi'i and Hanbal). However, the schools have many more similarities than differences (like I suppose Griffindor, Hufflepuff, etc.).
For example, all schools make a woman's word not count for much and a kufr's word not count for anything in court. All schools require death for apostates. All schools forbid the mandatory charity (zaka) from going to a kufr. Etc.
#4
is there some rule that all posts with discussions of jewish law go to the sinktrap? Or just ones by me? Since were talking about schools of law, etc, I really thought mine was relevant. Look for it in the sink trap.
#5
While I dont doubt that Steven Schwartz means well, I can't help but be irritated by him. This is a guy who went on some pompous worldwide quest for the truth about religion or some such thing which basically means that he went shopping for a religion that suited him and his preferences.
But what I find the most annoying about him is that he claims that sufism is the so-called "real" islam as opposed to wahhabism and it has become his cause to pin all of islam's problems on the Soddies.
The problem with this is that he can't possibly approach the subject objectively no matter how hard he tries. He has taken all thats is fine about islam and put it on one side, the white or "real" side and he's taken everything that's bad about it and put it on the black or "false" side. How very convenient for him but how very unrealistic.
At some point, Schwartz was a desparate man, desparately seeking to find a religion he could live with. He searched until he found his preferred brand, labelled this real islam regardless of any contradictory evidence and he has never looked back. Like a lot of modern Westerners he has gobs of intelligence and worldly experience and also good intentions, but he has no concept of what it is to truly conform to a religion nor does he seem to have any notion of the what the first step in any quest for truth must be. At no point in his own personal testimony of his conversion did he ever question his own basic assumptions. This seems like the very first step. But it seems like he simply assumed that he already had a good idea of what was right and he went out looking for a match, never questioning whether that beginning hunch or idea was really objectively right or the product of his unhappy subjective experiences.
I dont buy his line at all. Sorry. islam is built on flawed concepts. This doesn't mean that it is without merit, but what it does mean is that is has no place pretending to be the equal or superior of Christianity or Judaism.
#6
I remember many moons ago, LH, I was trying to engage you in conversation about aforesaid subject, and both our comments ended up in the sinktrap. Maybe its some anti-Boris thing -- use the English transliteration of yehuda too many times in a post and it gets flushed.
#9
At some point, Schwartz was a desparate man, desparately seeking to find a religion he could live with. He searched until he found his preferred brand, labelled this real islam regardless of any contradictory evidence and he has never looked back.
#11
I think concentrating on the theology alone is a mistake.
I think one thing being missed is the fact that there used to be interpretations of sharia that allowed urban civilization rather than fragmented tribalism, but somewhere around the thirteenth century (remarkably coincidental with some of the Mongol, Morgul, and Turkish incursions) the prevailing interpretation of sharia switched to sommething that caused a much more fragmented society to prevail.
And I think that's what needs to be fixed.
Posted by: Phil Fraering ||
02/03/2005 12:52
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#12
Another thing I've found striking is the way Arabs simultaneously idealize their nomadic bedouin background and treat the actual bedouins still extant as eighth-class citizens. Kinda like a politician in D.C. who idealizes "American Rugged Individualism" in speeches but looks down on actual cowboys working in the cattle industry and living in trailer parks in rural New Mexico.
Posted by: Phil Fraering ||
02/03/2005 12:54
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#13
As usual, Liberalhawk bypasses any substantive comment he could make in reply and focuses instead on personal attacks.
I thought the important thing that I said was about how and in what manner is a proper search for truth begun? I stated that it properly requires that all of ones basic assumptions should be called into question and subjected to scrutiny and challenge.
Why do I say that? Because I am a convert to Christianity who studied a lot of other religions BUT i began with the idea that everything I knew or assumed could be wrong. I played out every possible idea to its furthest conclusion including considering long and hard islam's world view and entertaining long and hard whether it could be true.
My point is that no quest for truth begins with a shopping list. Its not a search for a match that suits us. We must questions ourselves before we begin and search out how our experiences have biased us and affected us.
This is what I did, not because I am better or smarter than anyone else, but through the grace of God I was led to first question myself and every notion that I had about what religion should be like. That one of the reasons I am confident in my "choice" although I dont consider my decision to be entirely my choice since I consider myself rescued from error with a sudden profound experience of insight. That insight was the end of a process begun by questioning myself most of all and doubting everything. Since then, I've come to realize how applicable this method could be for anyone seeking some objective truth as best as we are able. It is the best method and most people simply skip this vital first step.
I just thought that i would point out that Schwartz never questioned his gut or his initial reasoning. He never seems to have accounted for his upbringing in a religiously divided and confused household or for how that upbringing might have skewed his vision. My position therefore is that is conversion and his opinion of islam is therfore also necessarily skewed and decidely unobjective.
#14
Point the third: does anyone really think that OBL, or Mullah Omar, if they were really in charge (or back in charge), would be all that devoutly religious themselves, or would they be more like everyone thinks the royals today are?
Being religious isn't all that hard when it consists of redefining it at will so you're always right... and before he dropped off the radar screen (and likely died) OBL was writing his pronouncements in verse. As if he were the second coming of the prophet. (Not just the Madhi).
Posted by: Phil Fraering ||
02/03/2005 12:58
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#15
And that's all I have to say for now; I have to go eat and get back to work, and I'll be back sometime this _evening_. Try to keep this from turning into a Monster Raving Loonie thread, OK? :-)
Posted by: Phil Fraering ||
02/03/2005 13:01
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#16
"Try to keep this from turning into a Monster Raving Loonie thread, OK? :-)"
I'll do my best ;-) Anytime someone starts talking msytical experiences, like me for instance, its going to sound flaky to other people even if it certainly does not to me. So I think I'm going to pull back a bit and try to stuff my personal admissions back in the can as best I can. Thanks for the reminder.
Back on track. I still say that Sufism isnt the answer because by itself its insufficient. It has an oppostional sort of existence. Its opposed to mainsteam islam but dependent on it. Without mainstream islam it becomes the islamic version of liberal protestantism having triumphed over more literal forms of Christianity. It will wither and die away, too limp to keep on living. It seems a noble option for now to those inclined to it but its triumph would spell the end of islam as liberalism has spelled the end of many mainline protestant bodies particularly in Europe. All religions exchange vitality and vigor when the most liberal form is adopted.
Phil,
I think that islam was urban and sophisticated until it killed off its host cultures, the refined Persians, Byzantines and the Jews of the Diaspora. Once these populations dwindled to the point where they no longer had much influence on culture, islam also began to degrade. It began to degrade because it was dependent on itself and its own resources and it slowly strangled initiative, innovation, and creativity out of islamic civilization. The trouble was with islam becoming too dominant in that region and with its wiping out the competition to it to the point of irrelevancy. I know that when any civilization ios attacked by barbaric hordes that this does quite a bit of damage, but I have to disagree with you about the Turks being part of the blame. To the contrary, they are often credited with a revival of civilization among muslims and with uniting disparate fueding tribes into a nation.
#17
1. I dont necessarily agree that there is one best way to approach a PERSONAL spiritual search. In any case, whatever the philisophical merits of one approach or the other, theyre not really on topic here, and certainly not relevant to the political points Schwartz is making.
2. There was, AFAIK, no decline in the number of Jews in the Islamic world at the time Islamic civ dried up. And the Persian and Byzantine influences had dried up much earlier.
3. The turks certainly unified a large part of islam politically, but ive never heard that they revived it culturally. Oh, BTW, there were Turks invading and gaining political dominance long before the Ottomans created unity.
ASFAIK, (I like that) civilizations don't start and stop on a dime. The original inspiration could fuel a civ for many years. There is no denying the influence of Persian and Byzantine knowledge and civ on islamic culture. muslims got quite a bit of mileage out of it but in the end islam lacked the internal to keep it going.
Also, while the two empires mentioned ceased to be fairly early, for a very long time there existed sizable populations of Christians and Zoroastrians who were still culturally Byzantine and Persian. You will note that islamic decline hastened in porportion as these populations along with the Jews, went into serious decline. The less of these cultures there has been in the ME, the worse the ME has become. Right now these populations are near neglible in numbers.
And where do they now thrive? In the West. It seems for all the talk about some enlighten islamic attitude to other religions particularly the Jews, the proof is in the pudding. Practically wiped out in the ME. Thriving and free in the West.
I tend to put more stock in how things actually turn out even if it takes thousands of years to turn out that way, then I do by high-minded talk and an initial period of where the ideal is practiced to a great extent. If someone talks a good game but can't stay in it, I think less of them than those who had a rough start but eventually finishes strong.
While Christianity has a worse historical record of persecuting Jews for instance, there was nonetheless mettle and teaching sufficient to overcome our failings. Islam started out seeming to be better towards the Jews but lacked the mettle and teaching sufficient to prevent the utter decay in that relationship to the point where almost no Jews live now in muslim dominated lands.
Please don't get mad at me. I'm not taunting you. Just think about this for a second. i'm not asking you to suddenly start loving Christians or something. Just give it some serious thought. I'm talking look at the whole picture and not some highminded talk. Who turned out better at tolerance although we began in the worse position and who overcame their failings? I wonder if this could count for something in your view?
#19
It seems for all the talk about some enlighten islamic attitude to other religions particularly the Jews, the proof is in the pudding. Practically wiped out in the ME. Thriving and free in the West.
That would prove that Anglicanism is is more enlightened than Lutheranism, since Jews are thriving and free in the UK, Canada, Australia and US, while wiped out in Germany. Russian Orthodoxy somewhere in between.
BTW, did you know the blood libel was first spread in the mideast by Syrian CHRISTIANS?
turned out better at tolerance although we began in the worse position and who overcame their failings
Ah, but the game isnt over yet - we dont KNOW how Islam will turn out. And we have policy decisions to make RIGHT now that will have an impact on how Islam turns out.
Pardon, I dont think Christianity "turned out right" because of the mettle of its teachings, but because of its historical circumstances, which were different from Islam's. If you want details, read Bernard Lewis.
Im not asking you to suddenly start loving muslims. Im just asking you to look at history more broadly, and not to judge evolving religious civilizations based on their original texts.
what you dont seem to understand is that religious civilizations evolving or not base themselves on their original texts! Those original texts and the examples of their founders are the foundations of those civilizations. If the foundation is faulty then what do these civilizations derive from them when they return to them as they will again and again.
To say as you do that the original texts dont matter and should be disconnected from the ensuing religion is just nonsense. I have to wonder what is your concept of a religion if it does not find its source and renewal in its original texts and examples?
I honestly dont see why you tell me about who started the blood libel. Do I have to list every failing and every crime committed by Christians in order for you to stop acting as though I am unaware of them? Is this supposed to surprise me? Silence me? What the? How do I have to put it. Do I have to say that Christianity is entirely bankrupt and false and horrible, a religion which no good person could possibly believe because of its crimes in history? Would that finally satisfy you? well you'll be waiting a long time.
And what were these historical cirsumstances? where did they come from? They arose in a culture saturated and entirely dominated by Christianity. Did these circumstance come out of thin air? That, i'm afraid is a completely flawed way to look at history and takes no account of religious influence on any opposition that arose to Christianity nor does it take into account or give any merit to the faith's eventual response no matter how long in coming. I'm sorry but I am not impressed with Bernard Lewis. He is not infallible and many smart people take issue with his interpretation of history. And that is his interpretation. History is not a science even if it might begin with hard data. It takes that hard data and attempts to interpret it. Frankly Lewis seems to be seriously lacking in accounting for the power of religion on a society if he thinks that Christianity was basically tied up and forced to capitulate without it having the least efect on the outcome of current Western history. Its preposterous. It makes no sense whatever. If we are going to say that then we have to subtract all religious influence whether positive or negative out of the equation of history entirely.
Anyway, Peggy, one thing you might want to look into... I can't seem to find the link anymore, but I once read a fascinating article on the different developmental paths Christianity took in both the Eastern and Western halfs of the Roman Empire, even going back to the time of St. Paul. The article suggested that St. Paul was writing different things to different people regarding things like gender roles in the Church, in order to fit in more with the cultural differences between the Eastern Mediterranean region and the Western one.
Posted by: Phil Fraering ||
02/03/2005 18:48
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#22
LH,
I've been thinking about your last post while I was working out and I think I can summarize Lewis' argument and yours via Lewis.
Lewis' argument goes something like this. All religions are history makers except for Christianity. Christianity is nothing but history's victim and its irrelevant to Western history except for all the bad stuff.
On this you base your argument which is as follows. Nothing matters about Christianity especially anything that might show it has some redeeming value. Any positives about it are pure accident and irrelavant to any discussion. It doesn't matter how it started (It was pacifist like its founder). Its texts dont matter unless we are talking about the so called Jew hating stuff and how it turned out doesnt matter. All pure accident. Christianity just layed there and stuff happened to it. Nothing positve about it has anything to do with its theology. Lots of things matter about islam on the other hand. A brief golden period makes all the difference. A couple of verses which seem very religiously tolerant makes all the difference with islam. How islam might possiblly maybe turn out also matters. How it is in the present and how it got there is nothing at all to worry about. Your faith that this period is just and abberation is complete. Further, you can state with perfect confidence that in spite of the two religions being very different in how they began and where they are now, not the least of the differences being the standards applied to them, nonetheless you can predict that the outcomes will be exactly the same.
I am always interested in differing opinions about even my religion. I would read it if you could find it. I'm not sure how new the idea is though. I think I've heard similar theories before although not this exact idea that he was writing different things to different regions. Paul was a pragmatic man, I'll agree. He had a very definite idea of what mattered about the Gospel and to an extent he might well have taken a loose attitude to prevailing customs if these didnt contradict with the fundamentals.
The prevailing idea in the Church is that Paul was writing to specific situations in specific cities. Corinthians, from which came the most infamous of Paul's recommendations about gender, was addressed to the church in Corinth which was apparently particularly wayward. I have heard better arguments than this that satisfy me about his attitudes and why he wrote different recommendations to different places. By and large the letters that the whole church came to use lean decidedly in favor of strong and active roles for Christian woman in that community and evidence seems to bear that out. Christian women had an honored and respected place in early Christian life.
One last thing. There were some things Paul was adamant about and some things that he made clear were recommendations. He would explain his reasoning in these cases and the early church respected his authority so these recommendations carried more weight than mere opinion. Typically, a conservative church like mine tries to respect the specific recommendations rather than tossing them out as inconveniences. But the whole of Pauls output is also taken into consideration. The result is a good and sensible balance IMO.
#24
Actually Peggy, that looked a little like a personal attack.
If you'll stick around a while, you might find that LH is quite accomplished as a Talmudic scholar. Which applies directly to your point about evolution of religion, and the "original text" under discussion.
The practice of Talmudic law has made Judaism quite a different thing, for the most part, from that described in the Torah. This was, in fact, largely due to the social and historical environs of the evolving religion, and a lively debate between the various schools of Judaic jurisprudence.
LH is quite right that we don't know quite what Islam is going to turn out. But the continuing adherence to a literal interpretation of the orignial original texts, and the ascendancy of particularly traditional schools of Shari'a interpretation, does not bode well.
I think that I pretty fairly summed up LH's argument. If I say that Christianity's positives are due to theology, he returns by saying that the positives are accidents. Re-read his comments and I think you will see what I am talking about.
I don't doubt that he knows quite a bit about Judaism and I have learned from him and I respect his knowledge on the subject. His opinions about my faith are another matter entirely.
I also know something about Judaism because I have tried to study it from Jews. Writers mostly since I haven't figured out a good way to approach rabbis in person yet. There really aren't a lot of good options here in Dallas. I am currently reading "The Prophets" by Abraham Heschel and I am quite impressed with it. I am coming to love and appreciate the Hebrew prophets more than ever because of him. Its a wonderful book. A bit heavy and in depth but its also warm and emotional and full of love for God and his Word. If thats your kind of thing, I recommend it.
#26
I didn't see LH use the words "accident," I saw him allude to Bernard Lewis for potential further reading, and then I saw you put a lot of words in his mouth.
You probably don't want to get into my "kind of thing," but I'd advise caution if you're interested in speaking with a Rabbi. Your background and interests might, ah, interject a bit of a bias into a personal discussion that could turn it into a debate.
My mentor was a wishy-washy, secular Jew with strong Socialist leanings. He took issue with Heschel on the basis of defining a successful prophet in terms of the correctness of the message and its rendition---rather than the reception and legacy of the message. There are lots of failed prophets with great messages and oratory skills. Sabbatai Zvei was one such until he capitulated to the Turks and renounced his message.
#27
Always enjoyable to hear folks argue religion. Reminds me of the times when I was about 12 and my buddies and I would argue who would win in a *real fight* - Sgt Slaughter or the Iron Sheik?Hulk Hogan or Andre the Giant? Batman or Siderman? Bo or Luke Duke? A shark versus a crocodile? Bwhahahaha.......
#28
Peggy: I can't definitively speak for LH, but what I suspect he was trying to say, and which is what I believe, is that Christianity was never really monolithic to begin with, and as it spread to different parts of Europe at different times the result was a plethora of different "Christianities." Even before the major schisms.
The paper I wish I could find about Paul said that he wrote what he did to Corinth because Corinth was in the Hellenistic sphere of influence rather than the Latin sphere of influence, and in the Hellenistic sphere, more or less, women had less rights or public influence than in the Latin half of the empire. (I think it also mentioned the Jews as being an exception to this general rule; LH can correct me on that if he's still reading).
The article also listed a large number of semi-Islamic customs that were common in the Hellenistic area but not in the Latin area, which seemed to hint that Islam reinforced more-or-less lousy cultural trends that were already present in the area in which it came to prevail.
BTW, I take it you're in Dallas? Do you ever go elsewhere in Texas?
Posted by: Phil Fraering ||
02/03/2005 21:45
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#29
Hell, er Hey! I used to be religious and write fatwas. But ya know what happened? They all started coming out like municipal resolutions or ordinances. It is kinda like talking like Donald Duck. Do that for a while and it takes over your head. Must.not.write.fatwas.any.more.
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
02/03/2005 21:52
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#32
Nice, AP! I work with a guy that talks like Scooby Doo... and laughs like him, and walks like him... matter of fact, it's kind of creepy when he's coming at me on a forklift.
#33
Er, in Halacha, Jewish law, a gentiles word is not good in court,except when he is testifying on a matter of his technical expertise. A non-observant Jews word isnt good either. The notion being that your word is good cause youre afraid of the next worldy consequences of perjury, and you cant assume anyone but an observant jew believes in those consequences. A gentiles word IS good on matters of technical expertise, cause its assumed a craftsman wants to protect his reputation for competence,and so will testify truthfully about matters of his craft. This does not prevent Orthodox and Conservative Jews from living peacefully in secular societies. Again, it is a mistake to focus purely on texts and/or legal doctrines and ignore how groups are actually functioning today. While many Sufis ARE very conservative, they are NOT engaged in the kind of war that the Salafis are. In practical terms, they are the enemies OBL and the Salafis. Salafism may not be Islamic modernism, but it doesnt possess an ideology or a structure to fight Islamic modernism as Salafism does.
And religions dont get replaced as a general rule in the modern world. They get diluted, forgotten, etc. Like Christianity in western Europe.
#34
Er, in Halacha, Jewish law, a gentiles word is not good in court,except when he is testifying on a matter of his technical expertise. A non-observant Jews word isnt good either. The notion being that your word is good cause youre afraid of the next worldy consequences of perjury, and you cant assume anyone but an observant jew believes in those consequences. A gentiles word IS good on matters of technical expertise, cause its assumed a craftsman wants to protect his reputation for competence,and so will testify truthfully about matters of his craft. This does not prevent Orthodox and Conservative Jews from living peacefully in secular societies. Again, it is a mistake to focus purely on texts and/or legal doctrines and ignore how groups are actually functioning today. While many Sufis ARE very conservative, they are NOT engaged in the kind of war that the Salafis are. In practical terms, they are the enemies OBL and the Salafis. Salafism may not be Islamic modernism, but it doesnt possess an ideology or a structure to fight Islamic modernism as Salafism does.
And religions dont get replaced as a general rule in the modern world. They get diluted, forgotten, etc. Like Christianity in western Europe.
I honestly dont see why your post would end up in the sinkhole. But,while I respect Judaism greatly, I have to say that where I disagree with judaism is pretty much at the same points and for the same reasons i disagree with islam although I disagree with islam a lot more since it is based on a garbled understanding of Judaism. mo didnt study Judaism, he just picked up on what he liked about it and went from there. It shows.
I think Judaism's saving grace is two fold. One Judaism has no pretensions to universality in the sense that anyone but those born into Judaism are expected to follow Jewish law and Jews do not seek to turn non-Jews into Jews. The second is that Judaism is only properly the state religion in a limited geographic area. Jews do not have and never had any ambitions to make Judaism dominant throughout the world nor have they attempted to place the whole world under Jewish governance. Whatsmore, a gentile living in Israel would be subject to some kind of secular law as they are now in Israel and ideally they are only expected to follow a basic moral code such as do not murder, lie, cheat, steal etc. I know of no Jewish laws that bring gentiles under some form of Jewish religious code as in the dhimmi laws of islam where gentiles must live subject to Jews and face may onerous restrictions.
The problem with islam is that it tries and fails to imitate Judaism but on a universal scale undesired by Judaism. islam is a whole different animal than Judaism. I hope that you dont find that out the hard way someday.
I honestly dont see why your post would end up in the sinkhole. But,while I respect Judaism greatly, I have to say that where I disagree with judaism is pretty much at the same points and for the same reasons i disagree with islam although I disagree with islam a lot more since it is based on a garbled understanding of Judaism. mo didnt study Judaism, he just picked up on what he liked about it and went from there. It shows.
I think Judaism's saving grace is two fold. One Judaism has no pretensions to universality in the sense that anyone but those born into Judaism are expected to follow Jewish law and Jews do not seek to turn non-Jews into Jews. The second is that Judaism is only properly the state religion in a limited geographic area. Jews do not have and never had any ambitions to make Judaism dominant throughout the world nor have they attempted to place the whole world under Jewish governance. Whatsmore, a gentile living in Israel would be subject to some kind of secular law as they are now in Israel and ideally they are only expected to follow a basic moral code such as do not murder, lie, cheat, steal etc. I know of no Jewish laws that bring gentiles under some form of Jewish religious code as in the dhimmi laws of islam where gentiles must live subject to Jews and face may onerous restrictions.
The problem with islam is that it tries and fails to imitate Judaism but on a universal scale undesired by Judaism. islam is a whole different animal than Judaism. I hope that you dont find that out the hard way someday.
I honestly dont see why your post would end up in the sinkhole. But,while I respect Judaism greatly, I have to say that where I disagree with judaism is pretty much at the same points and for the same reasons i disagree with islam although I disagree with islam a lot more since it is based on a garbled understanding of Judaism. mo didnt study Judaism, he just picked up on what he liked about it and went from there. It shows.
I think Judaism's saving grace is two fold. One Judaism has no pretensions to universality in the sense that anyone but those born into Judaism are expected to follow Jewish law and Jews do not seek to turn non-Jews into Jews. The second is that Judaism is only properly the state religion in a limited geographic area. Jews do not have and never had any ambitions to make Judaism dominant throughout the world nor have they attempted to place the whole world under Jewish governance. Whatsmore, a gentile living in Israel would be subject to some kind of secular law as they are now in Israel and ideally they are only expected to follow a basic moral code such as do not murder, lie, cheat, steal etc. I know of no Jewish laws that bring gentiles under some form of Jewish religious code as in the dhimmi laws of islam where gentiles must live subject to Jews and face may onerous restrictions.
The problem with islam is that it tries and fails to imitate Judaism but on a universal scale undesired by Judaism. islam is a whole different animal than Judaism. I hope that you dont find that out the hard way someday.
I honestly dont see why your post would end up in the sinkhole. But,while I respect Judaism greatly, I have to say that where I disagree with judaism is pretty much at the same points and for the same reasons i disagree with islam although I disagree with islam a lot more since it is based on a garbled understanding of Judaism. mo didnt study Judaism, he just picked up on what he liked about it and went from there. It shows.
I think Judaism's saving grace is two fold. One Judaism has no pretensions to universality in the sense that anyone but those born into Judaism are expected to follow Jewish law and Jews do not seek to turn non-Jews into Jews. The second is that Judaism is only properly the state religion in a limited geographic area. Jews do not have and never had any ambitions to make Judaism dominant throughout the world nor have they attempted to place the whole world under Jewish governance. Whatsmore, a gentile living in Israel would be subject to some kind of secular law as they are now in Israel and ideally they are only expected to follow a basic moral code such as do not murder, lie, cheat, steal etc. I know of no Jewish laws that bring gentiles under some form of Jewish religious code as in the dhimmi laws of islam where gentiles must live subject to Jews and face may onerous restrictions.
The problem with islam is that it tries and fails to imitate Judaism but on a universal scale undesired by Judaism. islam is a whole different animal than Judaism. I hope that you dont find that out the hard way someday.
#5
While sitting in the office of the family Shaman this morning I read an article in Reader's Digest about the Framingham Osteoporosis Study that found beer drinking can help slow down osteoporosis. Maybe that's why my bone density scan is above normal even though I've been taking prednisone for 10 years.
Posted by: Deacon Blues ||
02/03/2005 16:13
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Police on Tuesday killed a militant wanted in the October bombing of an Egyptian tourist resort, only days after Kuwaiti authorities cracked down on militants purportedly influenced by al-Qaida. Tuesday's gunbattle in the Sinai desert and the Kuwait raids follow significant clashes in Bahrain and Oman with suspected militants, raising fears that terrorists inspired or trained by Saudi extremists are taking part in a regional spread of terror.
The gunbattle in the mountains of Sinai erupted as police were chasing militants believed involved in the Oct. 7 bombings at the resorts of Taba and Ras Shitan, which killed 34 people, the Interior Ministry said in a statement. The ministry identified the suspect killed Tuesday as Mohammed Abdel Rahman Badawi, saying he took part in the Sinai bombings and was found armed with an automatic rifle and a handgun.
Experts on Islamic militancy agree extremist ideologies are born and whelped in Saudi Arabia, the home of the puritanical Wahhabi doctrine that has inspired thousands of terrorist mujahedeen from Afghanistan to the Philippines. Many potential militants, particularly in the Middle East, are also thought to be paying heed to their al-Qaida-linked counterparts in Saudi Arabia fighting a violent campaign against security forces and foreign interests. But there is disagreement about whether Saudi militants, who are closely allied to Osama bin Laden's group, and non-Saudi terrorists belong to the same organizational core or simply follow the same principle -- waging holy war against infidels. Jamal Khashoggi, spokesman to the Saudi ambassador to Britain, Prince Turki, said ideology alone is enough to lump Kuwaiti and Saudi militants together. "Al-Qaida is not a Saudi brand name," he said.
Posted by: Dan Darling ||
02/03/2005
12:58:40 AM ||
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#1
Jamal Khashoggi, spokesman to the Saudi ambassador to Britain
I don't have time to look it up, but I bet this guy is related to Adnan Khashoggi, arms dealer to the stars. There was a piece on Slate a million moons ago about "Six Degrees of Adnan Khashoggi," and how his sticky fingers show up in every honeypot of the world for the last twenty years or so...
#2
That would certainly fit with working for Prince Al Turki, formerly the Saudi Intel Chief and one of the dirtiest players of the Sudairi Seven. He rivals Nayef, IMHO.
#3
I still maintain the wahhabi inspired terrorism in the ME hasn't crossed the scale and efficiency barrier to make it more than a nuisance (although a locally deadly nuisance). To change governments they have to scale it up by a factor of one or two (X10 to X100). Right now its just a Turkey shoot.
#4
Phil, that is because OBL miscalculated. He revealed his cards too soon. And to his detriment, GWB was at the helm, thanks to whatever fortune arranged that. Just imagine how situation would be different if Gore won. It would be far more dramatic than if Kerry won. The result would be the same, eventually, in both cases, but in different time frames.
We are the winning horse at this stage. It could have been otherwise. Still a looong way to go and there may be nasty surprises before this is all over.
#5
Wow..I did some reading on Adnan Khashoggi who, according to the game of six degrees claims...
was able to link Khashoggi to Iran-Contra, Wedtech, the Marcos Philippine kleptocracy, BCCI, the death of Princess Di, the Kennedy assassination, Watergate, and the breakup of the Beatles
and the links are like this (tin foil required)
http://slate.msn.com/id/1006609/ The Breakup of the Beatles is often attributed to tensions that arose when John Lennon and Paul McCartney got married. In an interview this past October on British television, McCartney, now a widower, declared his love for a woman named Heather Mills, who was a toddler at the time of the Beatles' breakup. Had McCartney left his wife Linda for Mills at the time, perhaps the Beatles would have remained together. Prior to dating McCartney, Mills reportedly dated Adnan Khashoggi.
Apparently, if Paul had been a child molester, dating Heather Mills when she was a toddler, the breakup of the Beatles would not have happened.
or this: BCCI. The most complicated bank scandal in human history. Khashoggi had a big account with BCCI's Monte Carlo branch.
As if every rich Saudi in the world didn't have one there.
They try to link him to Teresa LePore, with causing the Gore election to go to Bush..breezing past the fact that she was a registered Democrat.
It goes on, and you get the idea, but actually the guy is an interesting character who is clearly a very big player in the underworld of arms dealing, shady deals and black markets - which I'm sure at a certain level, is not all that large.
Rather than GW, it looks to me more like it's mafia type connections, as this blurb indicates:
In late September, Van Rijn met with Yard detectives at the British embassy in Madrid. He had with him an old friend, a man he and the detectives had been referring to in telephone conversations as "our friend in Spain." The friend was Felice Cultrera, an amateur art-and-antiquities collector; the owner of casinos in Paris, Belgrade, and Prague; someone who was allegedly linked to the Sicilian drug-running Santapaola Mafia; and a money man for weapons merchant Adnan Khashoggi.
#7
I agree with your assessment Sobie. My question is the dark undertone of "He Revealed his cards too soon". What the implication is, if UBL had taken his time and planted more cells and developed his WMD in the training camps in Afghanistan the situation would be more dire? Would UBL have been able to mobilize the "Muslim Street to rise up and violently create the Caliphate? My take on that is that Muslims back a winner. Like in Afghanistan and Pakistan, there is always negotiating before fighting and side flipping (very Kerry-esque). The majority of Muslims loathe the US but will continue to support us against Islamists because the Islamists are not empowered yet. Yes, had UBL not miscalculated and Al Qaeda had time to acquire WMD - many things would be different. I'm afraid we'd have more enemies. We can't allow any of these movements to develop. I fear our previous Admin did very little to counter AQ and look what happened.
A doctor indicted for allegedly plotting terrorist sabotage has denied knowing Arafin bin Ali, the Singaporean member of the Indonesia-based Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) terrorist network. The Criminal Court heard Dr Waemahadi Waedao's statements during cross-examination yesterday. He is charged along with Maisuri Haji Abdulloh, owner of a Narathiwat ponoh school, Muyahi Haji Abdulloh, Mr Maisuri's son, and Samarn Waekaji. The defendants have been charged with aggravating outside threats to the country, being members of a clandestine group and secret society and conspiring with Bin Ali to plot the bombing of five foreign missions in Bangkok.
They were arrested on June 10, 2003 in tambon Manang Tayo, in Narathiwat's Muang district and deny the charges. Dr Waemahadi denied any connection to JI. He said he only heard about the organisation through the media. Some people may have become confused by Islamic associations with similar names in the southern province, he said.
"We call our local medical association Jemaah Is-LUM-iyah, for instance..."
Dr Waemahadi said he was vice-chairman of one such association in Narathiwat, registered 40 years ago. He said he had no idea who Bin Ali was and first came across the name while he was remanded in police custody prior to being charged. Dr Waemahadi said police had sought US help to trace his phone calls. But the checks were conducted on a ''Dr Waema Hadai'', which was not him.
"Yeah! He wears glasses! I don't!"
On the day of his arrest, several men turned up outside his home. He was afraid he might be kidnapped as word had spread that community figures had gone missing. The defendant said he tried to leave the house through the back but he was caught. A man held him at gunpoint and escorted him to a car. His captors identified themselves as plainclothes police but did not say which precinct they worked in. Nor did they produce a search warrant. Dr Waemahadi said the men took him from Narathiwat to Pattani. On the way, they slipped a sack over his head and tried to extract from him information about people in his community. He was later taken to the police station.
This article starring:
ARAFIN BIN ALI
Jemaah Islamiyah
MAISURI HAJI ABDULOH
Jemaah Islamiyah
MUYAHI HAJI ABDULOH
Jemaah Islamiyah
SAMARN WAEKAJI
Jemaah Islamiyah
WAEMAHADI WAEDAO
Jemaah Islamiyah
Posted by: Dan Darling ||
02/03/2005
12:53:05 AM ||
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Ten people were killed in two separate attacks on security forces in Sulu, officials said Wednesday. Two soldiers, a civilian and three members of the al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf militant group were killed Tuesday in a gun battle on the southern island of Jolo, 950 kilometers south of Manila. In a separate attack on Tuesday four policemen were killed when they were attacked by armed men in Maguindanao
In the Jolo attack, officials said the fighting lasted more than four hours in Barangay Kapuk Pungol near the town of Maimbung after militants ambushed a group of soldiers. Col. Domingo Tutaan, spokesman for the Southern Command, said two soldiers were killed in the clash with about 100 Abu Sayyaf gunmen. Three Abu Sayyaf gunmen were killed in the clash and a child died in the crossfire. Soldiers recovered three M-16 rifles and two M-203 grenade launchers that were left behind by the fleeing bandits.
Col. Gerry Jalandoni, chief of the Army's 604th Brigade, said the Maguindanao attack occurred Tuesday when a unit was ambushed. Jalandoni said the policemen had been preparing to negotiate for the surrender of members of the notorious Pentagon kidnap gang, made up of former rebels. "Apparently, they were on their way to negotiate the surrender when they were ambushed by, as yet, unidentified armed men," Jalandoni said by telephone. The attackers were positioned along the roadside and caught the police in a crossfire, he said. Jalandoni said authorities had yet to establish the identity of the attackers. Several armed groups are known to be in the area. The encounter occurred amid an intensified military campaign against suspected militants that are believed to be hiding in Mindanao.
Posted by: Dan Darling ||
02/03/2005
12:51:48 AM ||
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THE Chechen rebel leader who masterminded the Beslan school siege last autumn plans more such operations, despite his apparent remorse over the deaths of more than 330 people half of them children in the North Ossetia attack. In his first interview since that bloodbath, Shamil Basayev says that he is in a state of shock over what happened, but blames the Russians for precipitating the bloody end of the siege. Mr Basayev, Russia's most wanted man with a $10 million bounty on his head for numerous attacks, said he is willing to stand trial for his actions, but does not renounce his war with the Kremlin or attacks on Russian civilians.
The interview, to be broadcast on Channel 4 News tonight, was obtained after months of negotiations through intermediaries. It was filmed by Mr Basayev's entourage at an undisclosed location last month and the video given to a journalist in the Middle East. Mr Basayev said that he originally planned to seize one or possibly two schools simultaneously in either Moscow or St Petersburg, but lack of funds forced him to pick North Ossetia, a "Russia garrison in the North Caucasus", and thus the root of all things bad in war-torn Chechnya, with the 'silent consent of (the North Ossetian) population.'
He says his intention was to offer the Russian leadership no chance of achieving a "bloodless resolution" to the siege, forcing it to stop the "genocide of the Chechen people". He says he never thought the Russian leadership would be willing to oversee the death of children, but says that he was "cruelly mistaken" and that he was "not delighted by what happened there". He claims that the collapse of the roof of the school gym was the result of flame-throwers used by Russian special forces, not explosives placed by the hostage-takers.
Continued on Page 49
This article starring:
SHAMIL BASAIEV
Chechnya
Posted by: Dan Darling ||
02/03/2005
12:49:31 AM ||
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#1
What a charmer that be-bearded warrior amputee can be! He'd make a great neighbor or statesman for a free Chechnya wouldn't he?!? He may be a child killing devil but he's the chechen people's devil and he had good reasons eh? Wonder how the average chechen feels about it. Basayev slowly and surely becomes the perfect model of what he tells us he abhors. If it all wasn't so sad and sick it might almost be ironic and funny.
#2
Some bearded Arkansas hillbilly saws off a shotgun and the feds are on him like fleas to a stray dog within days of the event, but the Russian Army can't find this lowlife.
Six Russian soldiers were killed and 17 injured in the latest 24 hours of violence ending on Wednesday, pro-Russian officials in the war torn republic told AFP. Most of the incidents involved remote controlled mines and other explosions in the southern mountains of Chechnya where most of the rebels are based, and around the war-ravaged capital Grozny. Fighting in the breakaway republic endured from late 1994 to 1996, before erupting anew in October 1999 after a wave of apartment block bombings in Russia that killed hundreds. The official Russian death toll was reported late last year at around 4,500 troops, although a committee of soldiers' mothers estimates the true toll may be three times higher because the Moscow figure does not include people who died of their wound in hospitals outside Chechnya.
Posted by: Dan Darling ||
02/03/2005
12:44:48 AM ||
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In a clear reference to Iraq's weekend balloting, a statement purportedly made by Osama bin Laden's top deputy says holy war, not ''rigged elections,'' is the only path for reform in Islamic nations. The written statement, said to have been the transcript of an audio taped recording of a speech by al-Qaida No. 2 Ayman al-Zawahri, first appeared on several Islamist Internet sites Tuesday. ''Reform can't be achieved under governments installed by the (foreign) occupier through rigged elections conducted under the supervision of the United Nations and protected by B-52s and Apache helicopter rockets,'' al-Zawahri said. ''There is no reform except through holy war.''
It was not immediately possible to authenticate the statement. The audiotape itself was inaccessible on several militant Web sites where it had been posted. A U.S. intelligence official who was able to access the tape said on condition of anonymity that the voice is believed to be that of al-Zawahiri. Iraq's Association of Muslim Scholars months ago urged Sunnis to shun the polls because of the presence of U.S. and other foreign troops, while insurgents threatened to kill anyone who voted in Sunday's polls, in which Shiites and Kurds turned out in huge numbers. Islamic militants, led by al-Qaida in Iraq terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, claimed responsibility for numerous suicide bombings and attacks against polling stations Sunday.
Al-Zawahri, who is believed to be hiding with bin Laden in remote, mountainous regions along the Pakistani-Afghanistan border, renewed his attack on the United States for invading Afghanistan and Iraq, saying, ''America is seeking by every means to fight the Islamic community.'' The undated statement also referred to recent events like Egypt's December signing of a trade agreement with Israel and the United States. The deal paves the way for establishing Qualified Industrial Zones, where Egypt which signed a 1979 peace treaty with Israel can export goods to America duty-free as long as a minimum 11.7 percent of their value is made in the Jewish state. ''No reform could be achieved while our (Arab) rulers are pursuing a normalization policy with Israel to destroy our economy to achieve their personal interests,'' the statement said.
This article starring:
ABU MUSAB AL ZARQAWI
al-Qaeda
AIMAN AL ZAWAHRI
al-Qaeda
Posted by: Dan Darling ||
02/03/2005
12:41:21 AM ||
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#1
Boo - freakin - hoo.. I hope when they get this bitch they put him in with the 'sisters'. That beard's gonna give em plenty to hang on to.
Posted by: Howard UK ||
02/03/2005 6:28
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I had to check to see if this was ScrappleFace:
"Reform can't be achieved under governments installed by the (foreign) occupier ... There is no reform except through holy war."
I'm thinking that our strategy worked for Germany and Japan without holy war. Perhaps he should have spent less time memorizing the Koran and more time reading history.
Posted by: Tom ||
02/03/2005 8:19
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Better punishment for Ayman. Force him to watch Reid and Pelosi's speechs over and over again.
At least five men died and 10 were wounded in a shootout provoked when the Yemeni army tried to stop tribesmen in a remote tribal region in the north of the country carrying arms in public, witnesses said on Tuesday. The Yemeni authorities are trying to impose a ban on illegal weapons in the Marib province near Saudi Arabia. It was not clear what started the shootout but at least one soldier was killed, the witnesses said.
This comes in a time Riyadh is battling a wave of militant violence blamed on Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda network, has been working with Sanaa to stop arms smuggling over its long, porous border with Yemen where weapons are widely available. Violence in Yemen is quite common due to the lack of self-control high number of firearms held by civilians, which is officially estimated at more than 60 million pieces, i.e., an average of more than three weapons per person. A disarmament law is yet to be approved by the Yemeni parliament to limit the number of weapons in the hands of citizens. An attempt was made in September 1999 by the Ministry of Interior to establish security checkpoints in the main streets to inspect cars and confiscate unlicensed weapons. At the time, tens of thousands of light arms were confiscated and it was declared that unlicensed weapons would not be allowed in main cities. The Minister of Interior then confessed however that it was not possible then to launch a countrywide disarmament campaign due to the fact that most tribes think that this process is against their traditions, and because the sources of these weapons are still open. Hence, a confiscated weapon is still available for smugglers, and importers.
Posted by: Dan Darling ||
02/03/2005
12:38:08 AM ||
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Georgia's Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania has died, with initial indications the cause was gas poisoning, the ex-Soviet state's Interior Minister said. "Since he did not answer his telephone for a long period his bodyguard broke through the window ... and found Mr Zhvania's body. We can say that this is a case of gas poisoning," Interior Minister Vano Merabishvili said on Georgian television.
Zhvania was found dead at 4:30 a.m. (0130 GMT) on Thursday morning along with an unnamed friend, Merabishvili said. It was not immediately clear if Zhvania was in his own apartment or elsewhere, or whether he died as a result of foul play. Zhvania, who was 41, was appointed prime minister in January 2003 by President Mikhail Saakashvili, who was swept to power by a wave of protests over a fraudulent election that forced veteran leader Eduard Shevardnadze to resign.
Additional:The prime minister was visiting the Tbilisi apartment of his friend, Zurab Usupov, deputy governor of the Kvemo-Kartli region, who also died, Interior Minister Vano Merabishvili said on Rustavi-2 television. Security guards broke through a window when they heard no signs of life from inside several hours after the prime minister arrived, Merabishvili said. Zhvania had entered the apartment about midnight Wednesday, and the guards came in between 4 a.m. and 4:30 a.m. "It is an accident," Merabishvili said. "We can say that poisoning by gas took place." A gas-fired heating stove was in the main room of the mezzanine-floor apartment, where a table was set up with a backgammon set lying open upon it. Zhvania was in a chair; Usupov's body was found in the kitchen. Police declined to give further details.
Levan Chichua, a top official in Georgia's National Bureau of Forensic Medicine, said there were no signs of violence and that preliminary examination showed both died from carbon monoxide poisoning. Deputy Prosecutor-General Georgy Dzhanashia told journalists the heater was installed "with serious technical violations ... there was no ventilation in the apartment." Central heating is scarce in Georgia. Many people rely on gas or wood stoves in their homes and fatal malfunctions are often reported.
Well, as much as I like a good conspiricy, it looks like a tragic accident. Carbon monoxide poisoning from bad heaters happens all the time, even in the US, during colder months.
Posted by: Dan Darling ||
02/03/2005
1:23:05 AM ||
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#2
Poisoning seems to be popular these days in the FSU. Was it carbon monoxide or something more along the lines of sarin? Not that you can't easily buy a cylinder of carbon monoxide...
Posted by: Tom ||
02/03/2005 7:58
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#3
along with an unnamed friend
"unnamed friends" Must be every serious security detail's nightmare.
#5
Sitting in a chair near a table with a backgammon game?
Hmmmm....
Former VP Nelson Rockefeller was found sitting at a table, in his bathrobe, slumped over the Wall Street Journal... He was assuming room temperature...
The mistress disappeared and the bed was made, (and the body moved).
No foul play here. Just heart attack at the height of...
The widow, who was known as "Happy", wasn't.
One always has to be suspicious of bodies found reading or near board games...
Turkish bomb disposal experts have defused a 4 kg bomb found at a bar next to an airbase in southern Turkey used by U.S. forces, the CNN Turk Web site and other media said on Wednesday. It said the home-made explosives, studded with nails and containing powdered potassium, were found in the garden at the entrance to the bar near the Incirlik Air Base. Workers at the bar spotted the package containing the explosives on Tuesday night and informed paramilitary police who cleared the premises. They called police bomb disposal experts who defused the bomb and took it to a laboratory for examination. State-run Anatolian news agency said that, based on eyewitness accounts, police are looking for a man and a woman in connection with the explosives. Police were not immediately available for comment.
Posted by: Dan Darling ||
02/03/2005
12:20:47 AM ||
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#1
Murat's got himself a girlfriend? I thought he'd mellowed a bit.
Rebels killed 12 Iraqi soldiers near Kirkuk yesterday, said an Iraqi military commander. The 12 soldiers were travelling back from their jobs guarding oil pipelines when they were ambushed on the road between the villages of Azab and Zaraquiya, 85km west of Kirkuk, said General Anwar Amin. Earlier, 11 Iraqis, mostly security forces, have been killed in attacks north and south of Baghdad, security sources said. Meanwhile, the chief of police in Mosul has given insurgents two weeks to give up their weapons or face a crackdown by security forces emboldened after the election. "Hand over your weapons or we will come and get you," police chief Brigadier Mohammed Ahmed Al Jabouri said in a television address. The ultimatum came two days after Iraq held successful national elections despite insurgent threats.
US Marines killed a leader of Abu Musab Al Zarqawi's group and 13 other insurgents during clashes late last month, the US military said. A US military statement announced that Ali Mohammad, also known as Abdul Jalil, was killed during a Marines' raid on January 26 in Haditha west of Baghdad and near the former insurgent stronghold of Fallujah.
Iraq has enjoyed a period of relative calm since Sunday's landmark elections despite threats by insurgents to continue their deadly campaign against the government and US-led forces. Two soldiers and a civilian were killed when clashes erupted between rebels and an army patrol in the restive Sunni city of Samarra, north of Baghdad. "The civilian was driving close to where the clashes happened," said an army officer. Another soldier was killed and one wounded when their patrol was targeted by a bomb around dawn near Dhuluiya, about 70km north of Baghdad, the army said. A bomb apparently intended for a passing US army patrol killed two civilians driving in a car at Dijla, about 30km north of the capital, police said. Gunmen also killed two policemen near Baquba, an interior ministry source said.
Continued on Page 49
This article starring:
ABDUL JALIL
al-Qaeda in Iraq
ABU MUSAB AL ZARQAWI
al-Qaeda in Iraq
ALI MOHAMAD
al-Qaeda in Iraq
Posted by: Dan Darling ||
02/03/2005
12:19:41 AM ||
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#1
Oh baby, a real Top Cop challenged by the nastiest jihadi around. Perfect. Give this guy serious support and advisers. Give him instantaneous access to air assets through his advisers. Set up traps. Initiate a snitch program with serious money for tips that prove valid. This could be a golden opportunity to nab Zarqi. Especially if a couple of attempts run by underlings fail. Opportunity knocks here, make the most of it and protect this guy with the best.
#2
Ditto to all that, .com. Traps, real informant programs, and more. When a snitch tips you to a major ordnance cache, don't go take it and issue a press release (as done not long ago by US forces in the Mosul area). If circumstances permit, stake the place out with Iraqi agents, discreetly tag/contaminate some of the stuff for later screening of suspects, de-mil the worst stuff, booby-trap other stuff, track people coming/going, pick the best candidates of those and turn them to finger the folks up the chain. Doing things right the first time means lives saved, even if it takes more effort.
No one knows who was behind Monday's car bombing — or even whether it was one — but it appears to confirm fears of pre-election trouble. The dust has settled from an apparent car bomb which killed one person and shook government buildings in the Tajik capital Dushanbe, but the political fallout is yet to become clear. Most seem to believe the explosion had something to do with politics — Tajikistan holds a general election on February 27 — but what exactly, no one knows.
The blast happened at 10:20 on the morning of Monday, January 31, outside the ministry for emergency situations. The driver of a Russian-made Volga car was killed in an explosion so powerful that the vehicle was totally destroyed and the wreckage dispersed over a 200-metre radius. Windows of nearby office and apartment blocks were shattered and several other vehicles badly damaged. About 10 people inside the ministry building were hurt, and several of them were taken to hospital suffering blast injuries.
A spokesman for the military prosecutor's office told the media the explosion was a "terrorist act" caused by explosives. They have already identified the dead man, who was driving his own car, as a Dushanbe resident. Police and prosecution officials were soon on the scene, and the investigation was assigned to the ministry of security. Yet even as security officers began picking over the wreckage, a major fire broke out at their own ministry. The security ministry building was evacuated and firemen moved in, but they were unable to save a canteen and conference hall. Officials were quick to say there were no suspicious circumstances and that the fire had started because of an electrical short-circuit.
Continued on Page 49
Posted by: Dan Darling ||
02/03/2005
12:17:02 AM ||
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"To be honest, in such an environment I wonât risk going out to vote"
In a Frankfurt hotel suite, a Yemeni sheik coached his assistant about how to speak in code and said he would funnel money to Al Qaeda, Hamas and "anyone we know of who is in the jihad field." That was the prosecution's translation of a secretly recorded conversation, mostly in Arabic, that the jurors in the terrorism-financing trial of the sheik were shown yesterday on videotape in Brooklyn federal court.
The defense has challenged the translation. But the prosecution's case was bolstered by the sheik's own body language, which included at least one clumsy effort at secretiveness that could be seen clearly on the tapes. Just after what the prosecutors described as a discussion with two informers about whether a $2.5 million donation might be funneled to jihad, there was a knock on the door of the suite on Jan. 9, 2003. It might have been a maid at the door. On the courtroom monitors, the sheik, Mohammed Ali Hassan al-Moayad, could be seen bolting forward in his seat in Frankfurt. His hands darted to turn over a pile of papers on the coffee table. "Remove everything," the prosecutors' transcript quoted him as saying. According to the transcript, he offered his assistant and the two informers an explanation they could give to anyone who might ask what they were doing: "We translate the Koran."
Yesterday was the second day of the prosecution's presentation of the secretly recorded tapes that are the center of their terrorism-financing case against the sheik and his lover assistant, Mohammed Mohsen Yahya Zayed. When one of the informers asked on one of the videotapes played yesterday where he could send his American "cell" of would-be mujahedeen fighters for training, the sheik suggested Lebanon, Syria or Iraq, the prosecution transcript said. "We'll discuss it with the Hamas people," the sheik was quoted as saying. When one of the informers said a donation would be for "weaponry, explosives, communications and all kinds of jihad," the sheik answered. "In that field," the transcript says were his words.
Continued on Page 49
This article starring:
MOHAMED ALI HASAN AL MOAIAD
al-Qaeda
MOHAMED MOHSEN YAHYA ZAIED
al-Qaeda
Posted by: Dan Darling ||
02/03/2005
12:14:18 AM ||
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#1
Crosshair site.
Posted by: DO ||
02/03/2005 12:32
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Controversial government plans to keep terror suspects under house arrest rather than in jail could falter in parliament and fail to become law. The Conservatives declared on Wednesday they would oppose the new scheme, hastily drawn up after the highest court ruled that imprisoning foreign suspects without trial broke human rights law. With the Liberal Democrats also against, and many in the Labour party uneasy, the legislative battle could be bloody. "Internment without trial creates martyrs. It can be a very effective recruiting sergeant," Conservative leader Michael Howard told a news conference on Wednesday. "The government believes in house arrest. I do not. If people are dangerous terrorists they should be in prison not at home. But their innocence or guilt must be determined by a court of law, not by the Home Secretary."
Prime Minister Tony Blair's huge majority should ensure he wins the day in the elected House of Commons but a tight vote will give Lords in the upper chamber a green light to mount their own challenge -- altering, delaying or even sinking the legislation.
Home Secretary Charles Clarke bowed last week to the Law Lords' December ruling, replacing jail with sweeping powers to impose house arrest on terrorism suspects regardless of nationality. Civil liberties campaigners said the new measures could prove even more draconian than the old ones. "We are going to oppose those and try and defeat those in the Commons and Lords," Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman Mark Oaten told BBC Radio. "You cannot have a situation where the Home Secretary is able to impose house detention now on UK nationals as well as foreign nationals." Clarke said 11 foreign terrorism suspects held under the old powers, some for as long as three years, would remain jailed until the new measures were in place.
Continued on Page 49
Posted by: Dan Darling ||
02/03/2005
12:12:05 AM ||
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#1
As long as the "Law Enforcement" approach to terrorism prevails, the citizens are at great risk. I would wager that no police force in the West is sufficiently empowered, as the laws are full of assumptions that everyone is more or less civilized, to consistently prevent crime, especially cell-based subversives. So far, it seems the UK has staved off successful attacks through truly extraordinary effort and amazing luck. The traditional job of the Police is to clean up the mess and figure things out - after the fact. How long can they last before one slips through? When the asshats pull off a major event in the UK, the politicians (who aren't among the insane SocioFascistIslamoBatsâ¢) will have to address the issues and create something similar to the Patriot Act to enable more effective domestic security. It's not a question of "if", but "when".
#2
The irony is that the UK for quite a number of years had effective anti-terrorism laws that the chattering class was relatively unconcerned about becuase they were directed against the Irish. The mystery is why muslims evoke the sympathies of the Left while the Irish do not.
#3
Phil, not a mystery. Left, especially the far left, is totalitarian. They appreciate similar mindset. They also live in illusion that they would be able to manipulate islamonazis later in the game, same as Stalin thought vis-a-vis nazis.
#4
I think the main difference is that since Islamist violence has for the most part been contained, it is regarded as more of a hypothetical threat than a real one. Once ordinary Brits start to die on British streets at the hands of Islamic terrorists, public and even the chattering classes' attitudes will rapidly change, possibly overnight. That's what the IRA did, and that's why few people worried about how heavy handed the authorities' response was.
But it's interesting to note that many prominent left-wing politicians (extreme examples being Ken Livingstone and George Galloway) are sympathetic towards both the left-wing IRA and Islamofascism, and the Left in general has always been more sympathetic towards Irish causes than the Right, in the UK.
#5
Dead right Bulldog - I remember reading the Socialist Worker (as a student!) and was amazed at its open sympathy for the IRA/ republican cause (*spits*).
Phil - I don't think the chattering classes were concerned about the terror laws used against the IRA because innocent people were being killed. As soon as the Islamofascists get lucky here I don't think the chattering classes will give a shit about the laws used to combat the new threat either. It's just a damn shame that it takes bloodshed to shake the touchy-feely mob out of their woolly headed liberalism.
Posted by: Howard UK ||
02/03/2005 5:16
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#6
Bulldog, Howard, I know you genuinely believe what you say, but the current European example on offer is Madrid (and I speak as a Brit who long ago left those dismal (literally) shores for sunnier climes)
#11
[Michael] Howard doesn't get it. At all. When will the Tories grab a clue(tm)?
His comments about a 'recruiting sergeant' are stupid. But at least the Tories and the Lib Dems are effectively opposing Labour's compromise solution. House arrest is not only extremely expensive, it ties down personnel who would be much better spent doing other things, elsewhere. It also adds to the impression that the UK Gevernment doesn't take dealing with suspects seriously. There does seem to be an overhaul of the system needed, but IMO the answer should be more, faster, repatriations and more power to the authorities to imprison with 'secret' evidence, and on the basis of evidence which at the moment isn't allowed (e.g. phone tapping).
#12
Hey, it seems that the Brits are letting an opportunity to make two problems each other slip through their fingers.
On one hand, as detailed above, their "liberal" judiciary won't let their gov do any thing meaningfull about jihadists.
On the other hand, as detailed in another article here: IRA Reneges on Commitment to Disarm---principaly because the Provo membership doesn't have any non-violent marketable skills...
I strongly believe that terrorists are cowards but the cowardice you're going to see in this story is just exceptional. The suicide attack that was performed on an election center in one of Baghdad's districts (Baghdad Al-Jadeedah) last Sunday was performed using a kidnapped "Down Syndrome" patient. Dr. Mengele would have approved.
Eye witnesses said (and I'm quoting one of my colleagues; a dentist who lives there) "the poor victim was so scared when ordered to walk to the searching point and began to walk back to the terrorists. In response the criminals pressed the button and blew up the poor victim almost half way between their position and the voting center's entrance". There is no curse in English, French, or any other language on the face of the Earth severe enough for the terrs' actions.
I couldn't believe the news until I met another guy from that neighborhood who knows the family of the victim. The guy was reported missing 5 days prior to elections' day and the family were distributing posters that specified his descriptions and asking anyone who finds him to contact them. When a relative of mine (who has a mental handicap due to an Rh conflict at birth) told me a month ago that a group of men in a car tried to kidnap him as he was standing in front of the institution he periodically visits to get medicine and support waiting for his brother; I thought that he was imagining the whole story. He said that they tried to force him into the car telling him not to be afraid and that they're from the "mujahideen and not going to hurt him". My relative, despite his handicap was moved by his survival instinct and managed to run away. After I heard the other story, I began to connect between the two stories and to consider my cousin's story as a true one that uncovered a new miserable war technique that can come only from the sickest minds.
What a huge difference there is between those who kidnap and use the mentally handicapped to perform their murders in cold blood and between the brave Iraqis who sacrificed their lives to protect their brethren. one story that is famous now in Iraq is about one brave Iraqi (A'adel Nasir) who saw a suspicious looking guy walking around a polling center in (Al- Hurriyah) district and soon the brave man realized that the suspicious guy was trying to commit a suicide attack; he ran towards him, wrestled him and knocked him down causing the bomb carried by the terrorist to explode, sacrificing his own life and saving the lives of the people standing in line at the gate of the voting center. It turned out later that the terrorist carried a Sudanese id. Now, the school that hosted the voting center on the 30th carries the name of A'adel Nasir, as the Iraqi minister of education announced today. The pathetic terrorists are breaking one world record after another in cowardice and insanity and this tells how bankrupt they're getting.
Posted by: Korora ||
02/03/2005
12:04:46 AM ||
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#1
The actions of Aâadel Nasir described here are basically identical to the Abdelamir Najem Kazem story of yesterday. Is this the same event - with the names mixed up - or was this about the only tactic the asshats had available to them - resulting in similar acts of heroism?
It is great that they did not hesitate to honor Nasir's act. I hope they do the same for Kazem - and both their names gain the respect they deserve.
Via Lucianne, how brown is her nose??? ... The assumption is that NBC is a valuable resource. But on one of the hottest stories around, the U.N. corruption scandal, NBC has been out to lunch. Why? Its U.N. reporter has been on the payroll of the U.N. lobby.
Linda Fasulo, the U.N. correspondent for NBC News and MSNBC, has written a pro-U.N. book, An Insider's Guide to the U.N., which reads like the U.N. paid for it. Actually, the pro-U.N. lobby paid for it. In a monstrous conflict of interest for a supposed straight news reporter, Fasulo acknowledges Ted Turner's U.N. Foundation and Better World Campaign for "their generous financial support" of her book project. She also thanks the Rockefeller Brothers Fund "for helping to fund the project."
The book is about "one of the finest and most important governing bodies," she says. Of the U.N. chief, she writes like a school girl with a crush. "It is hard to find anyone who can mount a serious criticism of [Kofi] Annan's performance as Secretary General," she claims. His performance is so "impressive" that she wonders if a "cult of personality" has risen up around him. One U.S. official is reported to be "astonished by just how good a Secretary General Kofi Annan has been."
#1
Somehow, this doesn't surprise me, but I can't put my finger on why . . .
Posted by: The Doctor ||
02/03/2005 13:47
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"The book just sings!" - Mike Sylwester
Posted by: Frank G ||
02/03/2005 13:51
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Edward R. Murrow rolled over to face down in his grave last year. I doubt you can hear him gag anymore. What you probably heard was the reaction of Paul Volcker to the part about "...Volcker was a board member of the BCUN, a group partly funded by BNP Paribas, the French bank that handled all oil-for-food transactions...".
Posted by: Tom ||
02/03/2005 13:54
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Cross your legs, babe. The position you're in is undignified.
#7
Ha! No Effin way! I bet she rationalized it by saying something like her intentions are pure, and who could argue regarding the value of the UN; I mean, it stands for the "United Nations." With a name like that, what could be bad about it?
Posted by: Mark E. ||
02/03/2005 16:25
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(2005-02-02) -- Former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean, whose failed presidential bid in 2004 established the power of the Internet as a campaign tool, seems poised to assume the leadership of the Democrat party, according to a report in The New York Times.
As the news broke, White House political advisor Karl Rove released a statement denying any role in Mr. Dean's election as DNC chairman.
"I have no ongoing contact with Mr. Dean, nor influence with anyone in the Democrat party," said Mr. Rove.
Asked to explain how the opposing party could rationally choose a man who dropped out of the White House race after one of the earliest primaries, Mr. Rove said, "It's not like they have a slate of winners from which to choose. Dean's probably the best candidate and he may do a good job if he can overcome his name recognition."
The DNC chairman is primarily responsible for transferring millions of dollars from wealthy Democrats and labor unions, to advertising agencies, political consultants and delicatessens. The chairman also does frequent media interviews explaining why Americans overwhelmingly support the ideology of candidates who lose elections.
Posted by: Korora ||
02/03/2005
12:00:29 AM ||
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#1
And I thought the next four years were going to be boring! Dean adds a whole new (crazy) dynamic that the LLL desparately need. Not matter if you wear a tin-foil hat, KKK sheets, or nothing at all, Dean is the man for the people and the party. Paid for by Conservatives for Boxer 2008.
#2
If Dean is picked to head the DNC it will be a real scream.
Posted by: Deacon Blues ||
02/03/2005 10:04
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Dean will actually be very good for the DNC. He has the wackos behind him but he recognizes that the Democrats meed to get votes from those with Confederate flags in the back window of their pick-up in order to win.
Posted by: Mrs. Davis ||
02/03/2005 10:23
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Anyone who claims to be a metrosexual and then admits he doesn't know what that means is perfect for the DNC.
#6
An awful lot of people in the South see the Confederate battle flag as a symbol of the region, not a political symbol or a symbol of ones racial feelings. I think the symbolism of the Confederate battle flag is misread by most people, even in the South. A symbol such as the flag can have different meanings to different people.
Posted by: Deacon Blues ||
02/03/2005 16:23
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You remember the term Dixiecrat, JFM, for those loyal Southern Democrats. However, along with most of the rest of the country, they have been turning to the Republican party in recent years as better representing their socially conservative outlook.
#10
DNC Chair's role is first and foremost to raise money. If "Screw 'Em" Kos's favorite guy is now head of the party's fund-raising arm, it tells you all you need to know about where the party's new center of gravity is. Dreadful.
Republicans should not be too smug about this. It's truly dreadful for this country to have the main opposition party hijacked by people who openly sympathize with fascist neck-sawers and killers of our troops. Heaven help this country.
#11
Clairifcation of above: Dean as Chair means the party is now going to rely heavily on groups like Kos, DU, MoveOn etc for its fund-raising to the detriment of centrist donors. Very, very bad news for everyone.
A statue of former Belgian colonial king Leopold II has been re-erected in the centre of the Democratic Republic of Congo capital, Kinshasa. The statue of Leopold riding his horse is still dirty after spending 40 years in an open-air dump. Can they make a statue of a gallows and hang the Leopold statue on it?
The Congolese culture minister said DR Congo's history should be revived. Leopold II set up the Congo Free State in 1885 as his personal possession and left arguably the worst legacy of all the European colonial regimes.
Holocaust
Former BBC Kinshasa correspondent Mark Dummett says King Leopold II turned the country into a massive labour camp, made a fortune for himself from the harvest of its wild rubber, and contributed in a large way to the death of perhaps 10 million innocent people. Now, what punishment did Vachel Lindsay say he faced?
In front of the statue outside the central station, one man told the BBC:
"He left us in poverty. He exploited our raw materials and left us with nothing." Another said: "It's important for us to remember our past, like the Jewish people remember the Holocaust." Former President Mobutu Sese Seko had the statue removed in 1967, saying it was a constant and unwelcome reminder of colonial rule. Culture Minister Christophe Muzungu said people should not just see the negative side of the king - they should also look at the positive aspects. "We are restoring the history of our country because a people without history is a people without a soul," he said.
Meet your future, same as your past...
Posted by: Steve from Relto ||
02/03/2005
11:51:26 AM ||
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Wasn't Kinshasa called "Leopoldville" in the past? I kinda remember seeing it on the wall map in high school. (a long, long time ago, to be sure)
#2
I want the ajoining sledgehammer concession. A dollar a whack.
Posted by: ed ||
02/03/2005 13:17
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The sad part is that, with all that Leopold and his minions did, by the 1950's the Belgian Congo was a relatively well-run colony - i.e., the people in general had a much higher standard of living than they ever did afterwards, and certainly they are much worse off today than they were then. So it is not true that the colony was "left in poverty".
Its biggest problem was that the managerial/technical and even clerical middle class was almost purely Belgian/expat, to a greater degree than in nearly any African colony. When they were mostly driven out the place went to hell.
#4
"Listen to the yell of Leopold's ghost
Burning in Hell for his hand-maimed host
Hear how the demons chuckle and yell
Cutting his hands off, down in Hell."
Vachel Lindsay
Posted by: James ||
02/03/2005 16:14
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I think this was a special part of the SOTU address...
WASHINGTON - They met just before the speech began: the mother of a soldier killed in Iraq and the daughter of a man killed by Saddam Hussein's regime. They found some comfort in a spontaneous moment that electrified President Bush's State of the Union address.
The two women, both touched by death in Iraq, reached out for each other while lawmakers, military leaders, the president and the nation watched. Their locked embrace inspired the longest applause of the evening.
On Thursday, the parents of Marine Corps Sgt. Byron Norwood said the Iraqi woman, Safia Taleb al-Suhail, had turned and introduced herself just before the speech.
"She thanked us for our son's sacrifice and made sure we knew the people in Iraq were grateful for the sacrifices that were made not just by our son, but by all of them," Janet Norwood said.
"I just told her how happy we were that the elections were successful and told her our son would have been pleased," said Norwood, appearing on ABC's "Good Morning America" with her husband, Bill.
Al-Suhail's father was killed 11 years ago by the Iraqi intelligence service. Now the leader of the Iraqi Women's Political Council, she watched the annual presidential address Wednesday night at the Capitol as a guest of first lady Laura Bush.
Behind her sat Janet Norwood, who sent her son into battle wishing she could "protect him like I had since he was born." Her son was proud to fight, loved his job and wanted to protect the nation, the mother wrote in a letter to the president.
"We have said farewell to some very good men and women who died for our freedom and whose memory this nation will honor forever," Bush said.
Pain etched lines in Norwood's forehead as she held a woman who won the freedom to vote in Iraq's election on Sunday. Norwood finally let go, took her husband's arm and rested her head on his shoulder.
I dont think Karl Rove could have planned it better. Oh wait.....
Posted by: CrazyFool ||
02/03/2005
11:42:36 AM ||
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Tammy Jean Warner, 42, gave Michael Warner two large bottles of sherry on May 21, which raised his blood alcohol level to 0.47 percent, or nearly six times the level considered legally drunk in Texas, police detective Robert Turner in Lake Jackson, Texas, told the Houston Chronicle.
Bottoms up !!
Posted by: Doc8404 ||
02/03/2005
11:27:40 AM ||
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A BAC of 0.47%? WTF was she trying to do, kill him and embalm him in one easy step???
Posted by: Dave D. ||
02/03/2005 12:59
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With friends like her, who needs enemas?
Posted by: Dar ||
02/03/2005 13:03
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What a hangover.
A headache, an ass ache and then you die.
Posted by: Bill Clinton ||
02/03/2005 13:05
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Also known as a lobotomy if you have sh*t for brains.
PARIS: French police were Thursday investigating claims that a son of Libyan leader Moamer Gaddafi beat a woman in a Paris hotel earlier in the week. The Libyan embassy was asked to step in after scuffles in two separate luxury hotels, during which Hannibal Gaddafi allegedly produced a nine-millimetre handgun. After the first incident a woman was treated for bruises in hospital and later filed suit claiming to have been beaten by Gaddafi.
Gaddafi, who is in his late 20s, left Paris for Copenhagen on Wednesday after being questioned by police. It was unclear whether Gaddafi enjoys diplomatic immunity in France. Police were trying to determine whether Gaddafi has a permit to carry a handgun, but sources said this "doesn't seem to be the case". In September a bodyguard working for Gaddafi was fined and given a one-month suspended jail sentence for hitting a policeman after the son of the Libyan leader was caught speeding on the famed Champs-Elysees.
Posted by: Fred ||
02/03/2005
10:20:48 PM ||
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Supporters of deposed dictator Saddam Hussein are now the main threat to security in Iraq, a senior British commander said today. Lieutenant General John McColl, former deputy commander of coalition forces in Iraq, said that former regime elements were trying to win popular support by representing themselves as "freedom fighters". Giving evidence to the Commons Defence Committee, he said that while militant Islamists like Abu Musab al-Zarqawi had carried out a series of "headline-grabbing" attacks, they only accounted for around 1% of the incidents.
While there was little support in Iraq for Saddam's regime, the former Baathists had had some success in reinventing themselves as defenders of the people from foreign forces. "There is no doubt which poses the major threat. That is the former regime elements and those who coalesce around them," he said. "Over the last year, they have developed in terms of coherence and sophistication and they are trying to present themselves as freedom fighters. However I do think that the recent successful elections will be a dent for that."
Gen McColl said that the "jihadists" like al-Zarqawi — whose group murdered the British hostage Ken Bigley — would continue to carry out attacks while there was a Western presence in the country. He said that the majority of suicide bombers came from outside Iraq from countries elsewhere in the Middle East. The ease with which militants were able to enter Iraq by crossing the border from neighbouring Syria was "unhelpful", he added.
Posted by: Dan Darling ||
02/03/2005
1:00:35 AM ||
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As the vote count moves ahead in Iraq to choose a National Assembly which will draft later a permanent constitution, the much-hoped code looked virtually at stake as Iraqi Sunnis could veto it when a referendum is held in October. Anti-democratic -occupation Sunni powers, which boycotted the January 31 vote, mull using the veto weapon if they were marginalized in drafting the constitution by the Shiites and the Kurds, a senior official with the influential Association of Muslim Scholars (AMS) revealed on Tuesday, February 1. "These powers have this card up to their sleeve and will definitely play it when necessary in accordance with the interim constitution," Mahdi Ibrahim told IslamOnline.net.
Under rules agreed last year, an October referendum to ratify that draft will fail if two-thirds of the voters in any three of Iraq's 18 provinces give it the thumbs-down. Main Sunni groups shunned the election. The AMS said the poll could not be free with occupation troops on Iraqi soil. The Islamic Party, which is represented in the interim government, withdrew saying violence precluded a fair vote. "If we resorted to this option, the new government formed by the National Assembly will find itself in a constitutional limbo as it will have to set stage for a new constitution, which means holding a new parliamentary election," Ibrahim added.
This article starring:
MAHDI IBRAHIM
Association of Muslim Scholars
Posted by: Fred ||
02/03/2005
00:00:00 AM ||
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Of course. Without a veto of democracy, the Sunnis would be lost, powerless, impotent, and irrelevant.
Should this be an accurate story (islam on-line has missed a couple, heh) and the Sunnis do have the power to derail everything accomplished since Saddam's utter defeat and emasculation, they undoubtedly will do so. They've never shown, in any country dominated by Sunnis, any actual grasp or understanding of democracy - except by the thugs, mullahs, and kleptocrats who see their loss of power and wealth in its spread.
This will speed the break-up of Iraq, I'd wager. Free Kurds. Free Shi'a. Works for me. Especially when the Kurdish in Northern Syria join and give them a path to the Med which will make the Turks choke on their own bile. Melike.
#2
Under rules agreed last year, an October referendum to ratify that draft will fail if two-thirds of the voters in any three of Iraq's 18 provinces give it the thumbs-down.
Yes they do have that right. The provision was inserted at the insistence of the Kurds, for obvious reasons, but the Sunni arabs could use it as well. Of course they can only do so if they actually VOTE.
#3
The Sunnis are the Democrats of Iraq, a minority whose only power is obstruction, and like the Democrats, they will become increasingly irrelevant. Lead! Follow! Or get out of the way!
#5
Oh, I see they're back to being called the influential Association of Muslim Scholars. There was some confusion when the reporter neglected to call them influential yesterday, and the assumption was that they were no longer influential, but had instead returned to being inconsequential.
Posted by: Fred ||
02/03/2005
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#1
Um, let me guess - they'll stop indoctrinating them with the Islamic memes and send them all out of the country to Western non-Muslim host families for raising? A couple of generations of that and we'd be getting somewhere.
Anything less than eternal is temporary, I suppose...
Mohammed Zohdi Nashashibi, member of the Palestine Liberation Organization's (PLO) executive committee, said on Wednesday the Palestinian presence in Lebanon was temporary and that the PLO will never relinquish the Palestinians' right to return to their homeland.
Which, I suppose is a reasonable stance, given that the Lebanese will never, ever allow them to become integrated into their country...
Nashashibi indicated that Palestinian weapons in refugee camps in Lebanon will remain as "a legal means of self-defense," stressing that "those who passed Security Council Resolution 1559 should pressure Israel instead into stopping its attacks on Palestinians," rather than demanding a disarmament of militias.
In other words, they're going to remain an uncontrolled and uncontrollable armed camp occupying a sovreign country and refusing to abide by its laws, while at least talking about carrying out attacks on another sovreign country...
He made the comment during a visit to the Ain al-Hilweh refugee camp, Lebanon's largest, hosting 75,000 refugees in a space of 2 square kilometers, when he was inquiring about the status of refugees in Lebanese camps and trying to consolidate a dialogue between Palestinians and between Palestinians and Lebanese people. Palestinian sources familiar with the issue said the visit is a complementary step to a previous visit by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Ahmad Qorei. The visit also took place in order to clarify to concerned officials, the circumstances of the upcoming meeting between Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and to discuss the possible "mitigation" of the situation in Palestine.
This article starring:
MOHAMED ZOHDI NASHASHIBI
Palestine Liberation Organization
Posted by: Fred ||
02/03/2005
00:00:00 AM ||
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#1
"Anything less than eternal is temporary, I suppose..."
#2
the Lebanese will never, ever allow them to become integrated into their country
And rightly so Fred. Nobody likes the Paleos, certainly not their "brother" Arabs who only need them to kill Joooos.
#3
Not even the West Bank or Gaza Paleos will want these lawless (even by Paleo standards) assholes as neighbors and competitors. They are destined to die in the camps by their own hands
Posted by: Frank G ||
02/03/2005 9:44
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Somebody please explain to me why such hatred in the Arab world of Palestinins and Kurds. They are all Muslims and it's Hallal for Muslims to kill other Muslims. I'm sure the answer isn't in todays sociopolitical situation but any rants are welcome.
#5
The Kurds aren't Arabs, but once they ruled...remember Saladin?
The Palestinians, on the other hand, are everyone's ill-mannered poor relations: originally they had migrated to British Palestine for the jobs that resulted when the Jews developed the economy (anyone who arrived by 1945 is entitled to call himself a Palestinian). When the surrounding Arab countries were about to invade in 1948, they called on the locals to leave, so that they would have a clear field of maneuver, with the promise that the locals could come back after and take over the Jews' houses and possessions. But it didn't happen that way, so the temporary charity guests became permanent. On the one hand a reminder of the failure to drive the Jews into the Mediterranean Sea, on the other a permanent source of political capital and cannon fodder. Hence the refusal of the Arab countries to allow the Palestinians to settle permanently anywhere. They remain officially Stateless, and I believe carry U.N. passports.
In a case of very mistaken judgment, the Palestinians have been inculcated from the get-go with the idea that they would soon return in violent triumph to their homes. Thus the summer training camps for the children, and so on. While this does make them eminently suitable for cannon fodder, it makes them equally unsuited for living among people. Thus the ungovernable armed chaos in the now-permanent refugee camps.
#6
Why can't they just be asked to leave?
Just ask anyone honestly they are nothing but trouble. Send them away minus their weapons and bulldoze the camps.
The opposition demanded for the first time Wednesday on a "total withdrawal" of Syrian troops from Lebanon and not a mere redeployment along the borders. "The opposition asks for a compromise with Syria to remove all its troops from Lebanon based on the Taif Accord," said a statement released after a two-hour closed meeting of members of the opposition held Wednesday at Le Bristol Hotel in Beirut.
While the first Bristol gathering, held in December, only called for a redeployment of the remaining 14,000 Syrian troops in Lebanon, on Wednesday the opposition agreed on an outright withdrawal. Some opposition members, particularly Chouf MP Walid Jumblatt, had been reluctant to use the word "withdrawal," arguing that the Syrian presence in the border area was necessary in light of the conflict with Israel. But sources said Wednesday the prominent opposition leader specifically called for the total withdrawal during the meeting. The opposition's new position comes a day after a visit to Beirut by Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Walid Moallem, seen as the start of a new phase in bilateral relations, free of Syrian tutorage of Lebanon's politics through intelligence apparatus.
Moallem even met with opposition members Batroun MP Butros Harb and Metn MP Nassib Lahoud. But Qornet Shehwan Gathering member Samir Franjieh said there are two conditions for the opposition to start talks with Syria: that all the opposition is part of the discussions, and that Damascus respects its demands. Following the Bristol meeting, Jumblatt accused the Syrian authorities of maintaining their intelligence apparatus in Beirut, despite earlier claims that those services have been moved outside the capital. "I would like to make the following remark to Moallem that Beirut southern suburb's intelligence posts have been moved to Beau Rivage (a hotel in the center of Beirut) and Aley." "We ask those (Syrians) that next time they want to come here, they should bring with them tow-trucks. It would be better for us and better for them," Jumblatt said.
Posted by: Fred ||
02/03/2005
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A top Shia leader tipped to become Iraq's next prime minister has branded Iyad Allawi's interim government as the most corrupt in the country's history.
This, coming after the Saddam Hussein regime? My breath is taken away.
A close confidant of Grand Ayat Allah Ali al-Sistani, Husain Shahristani lashed out at the Allawi government and singled out defence minister Hazim Shaalan as the main offender. "It is very well known in the country that the corruption is very widespread from the police to the judicial systemsâŠas a matter of fact Iraq has never known the level of corruption prevailing now," Shahristani said.
How many palace has he built with the national grocery money?
"A lot of public funds have gone missing under the Coalition Provisional AuthorityâŠand even now," he said, of the disbanded US occupation authority. Shahristani took Shaalan to task for the defence ministry's transfer of $300 million to Lebanon as part of an arms deal last month. "The fact that the minister of defence, on the day there were four suicide bombings in the capital, spends all his day at the airport trying to take a few hundred million dollars in cash out of the country before the elections doesn't speak very well for the government's performance." Shahristani, formerly a nuclear scientist who spent 10 years in the Abu Ghraib prison, vowed the next government would review all suspect contracts made under the Allawi cabinet. "One thing we are going to pursue is that all suspicious contracts should be properly examined and any funds that have been misused should be returned to the publicâŠand these things should be explained to the Iraqi people," he said.
This sounds like that infighting we heard about yesterday...
Posted by: Fred ||
02/03/2005
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#1
Ah, the smell of regular ol' politics... Gotta love it.
#2
Hazim Saalan, mentioned in the article, was the one who had named Iran as the "number one enemy of Iraq", saying that Iran supported terrorism and brought enemies to Iraq, sending spies and saboteurs and even infiltrating in the Iraqi government. He had even threatened of invading Iran, if it didn't stop what it was doing.
It's therefore probably not a coincidence that he's been singled out for this attack.
#3
Both comments above are spot on. I spent most of a day this week near a checkpoint to the Zone, and just outside at one point a smallish group of Iraqis demonstrated, holding hand-lettered banners aloft and chanting. An Arabic-speaking colleague said he could just make out something about "Allawi is a thief". We both smiled and thought -- "Merely a thief? What an improvement over the previous regime!".
#4
note shaalan also said Chalabi was about to be arrested. Hes made some odd statements himself over the last couple of months.
Look, whoever want to dig at the Iraqi Alliance list will call them pro-Iranian. The Iraqi alliance will naturally respond with charges of corruption (though there own administration of Basra has been riddled with corruption, per the WaPo.) Its regular politics, like someone said. -:) -
Ive seen reports that Iraqi Alliance will only get 40% of the vote. That will mean they will heavily need coalition partners. Allawi will get about 20%, as will the Kurdish alliance. the Communists will get about 5%, and two sunni parties (led by Yawer and Pachachi respectively) will get 2 - 3 % each. Rest scattered, including smaller ethnic minorities.
That to me is hopeful, as it means no one agenda can be imposed. But it also means the maneuvering will be bitter, and the name calling loud.
This is beginning to sound very much like Israeli (!!!!!) politics, and that to me is a hopeful sign.
#5
Corrupt? thats ALL? When will Hakim accuse Shalaan of being a Bolshevik? When will Shalaan accuse Hakim of being a racist bigot? Theyve got a long way to go to reach Israeli levels of civilized political discourse.
#6
A top Shia leader tipped to become Iraq's next prime minister has branded Iyad Allawi's interim government as the most corrupt in the country's history.
Hey man, the time for stump speeches has passed. It's time to start compiling material for your "49% of Iraqis were disenfranchised" speech.
Chouf MP Walid Jumblatt's comment over the weekend about the importance of drawing the border between the Shebaa Farms in Lebanon and Syria to provide Hizbullah with legal coverage to maintain its activities against Israel, had negative repercussions for Hizbullah. The statements showed Hizbullah's lifelong ally is trying to deprive the party of its resistance character in the wake of harsh bickering between Jumblatt and Syria, and as part of Jumblatt's dedication to consolidate the opposition facing the Lebanese government.
Such a position embarrassed Hizbullah secretary general Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, who was forced to adopt a defensive position that showed in his recent statements, at a time when he cannot afford to fall into the trap that led to internal dispute, particularly with Jumblatt. Efforts to involve Nasrallah as an internal party in the confrontation at a time when he is still consolidating Hizbullah's presence as a resistance against Israel tarnishes the party's image. As for the repercussions of Jumblatt's statements, they were harsh on Hizbullah, not just because they were issued by Jumblatt, the ally with whom Hizbullah mediated for Syria to restore relations after the extension of the presidential term. The statements coincided with a Christian position that was declared by Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Butros Sfeir, the spearhead of the opposition which Jumblatt is a part of, who expressed support for Security Council Resolution 1559. The statements also coincided with a similar position expressed by former army commander General Michel Aoun, who urged Hizbullah to disarm, and with the passing of Resolution 1583 that stipulates the extension of UNIFIL's term. In its fourth article, the resolution urged Lebanon "to spread its control on all its territories," which is widely interpreted to mean regulating Hizbullah's action in South Lebanon.
Posted by: Fred ||
02/03/2005
00:00:00 AM ||
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Nabatieh MP Mohammed Raad, a member of Hizbullah's parliamentary bloc, said the elections this spring will determine the balance of power in Parliament and the majority will decide whether to promote or abolish the "national constants" that led to the liberation of the South. Speaking during a political meeting organized by Hizbullah on Tuesday, Raad referred to the continuing need for the resistance and the continuity of relations with Syria. Raad said the party was not affected by electoral divisions, but added that small districts "pave the way for a swift return of sectarian and confessional division."
Raad said that the adoption of the proportional system was the way to provide true and fair representation. He said Hizbullah appreciated that the government's draft law was a sincere attempt to avoid the "blackmail" attempt presented by UN Security Council Resolution 1559. Observers believe the government has adopted small districts to dismiss accusations that Lebanon's politics are under Syrian tutelage. Raad added that UN Security Council Resolution 1559, "which some forces depend upon to make local political choices," was directed against the resistance, its allies and Lebanon's Arab identity.
This article starring:
MOHAMED RAAD
Hizbullah
Posted by: Fred ||
02/03/2005
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#1
Otherwise he'll have to go back to being a 7-11 night clerk. The pay is much better, I guess.
Syrian President Bashar Assad met with Jordan's King Abdallah yesterday, officials said, a sign the two countries want to put mutual recriminations about US policy in Iraq and a border dispute behind them. "Syria has come out with a positive stance over Iraq and this is encouraging," Jordan's Foreign Minister Hani Mulki told reporters after the talks in the royal palace.
Syria's come out with positive stances over Iraq several times, only to change its mind and go back to siding with the Bad Guyz. Possibly this time is different, but I doubt it. Baby Assad might be occasionally able to see which side the bread's gonna land on, but I'm not sure he has enough control to get his country on the winning side.
Assad's one-day visit was aimed at improving ties between the two neighbors of Iraq, long at odds over the aims of the US invasion of Iraq in 2003 and the Middle East peace process. Jordan, a key US ally who covertly supported the invasion, has in recent months joined Washington in piling pressure on Damascus to be more supportive of the postwar political process in Iraq, officials said. "We told the Syrians repeatedly the regional situation has dramatically changed and they could no longer put conditions but must comply," one official said on condition of anonymity.
Abdallah's been smart enough to follow what was happening from the first. And Jordan ate droppings for a few years after the first Gulf War, after King Hussein backed the wrong side.
Amman is Iraqi interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi's firmest Arab ally and hosts the largest training scheme outside Iraq to rebuild its neighbor's fledgling security forces. Syria opposed the invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein and Washington has accused it of failing to stop infiltrations and weapons smuggling into Iraq, which Syria denies. Relations between Jordan and Syria also took a turn for the worse when Amman publicly raised a long-buried border dispute last year. Jordanian officials said Damascus should reverse several decades of creeping encroachments on Jordanian land. Syria has in recent months agreed to move back fences and sand posts it gradually shifted beyond the internationally recognized border, they said. "After several meetings with the Syrians we have witnessed a positive readiness to end this issue," said one Interior Ministry official. Jordan has boosted security along the Syrian border amid concerns Syrian militants were abetting Jordanian radicals in alleged plots, revealed last year, to attack Jordanian and US targets in the kingdom.
Posted by: Fred ||
02/03/2005
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#1
Fred - Are you saying that Jordanian dogs can learn new tricks, whereas Syrian dogs can't? Lol, er, Woof! Either RKB or Ship will have the last word on this topic, I'd bet!
#2
Old dawgs learn just as fast, but most have learned to game the system, the massive positive reenforcement - treats, praise, cash make for an inefficient learning environment.
The historic summit between Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon will be held in Egypt next week. This is the first summit between the two sides in four years of armed conflict, officials said yesterday. The talks, to be joined by Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Jordan's King Abdallah, would aim to solidify a shaky new de facto cease-fire by setting in motion a peace process based on a US-backed road map to a Palestinian state.
Sharon, who refused to meet Abbas' late predecessor Yasser Arafat, and the Palestinian leader accepted invitations from Mubarak to meet at Sharm El-Sheikh on the Red Sea on Feb. 8. Mubarak's office said it was time for a summit "in light of the delicacy of the stage the peace process is going through and in an endeavor to seize the auspicious opportunity to achieve tangible progress on the Palestinian track". A senior Israeli official said Sharon would be looking at the summit for Palestinian commitments to "prevent terrorism" by dissolving militant groups. Persuading them to observe a truce was not enough to launch road map talks, he said. "They want to move fast on political issues but we will accept no leapfrogging over security commitments written into the first phase of the road map," he said.
Abbas, citing a concern not to stir civil unrest, has said he wants to co-opt rather than crush militants many Palestinians regard favorably as "freedom fighters" in occupied territories. Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qorei said Abbas would seek an Israeli promise to stop all military action, free thousands of jailed militants and withdraw forces from Palestinian areas. He said Palestinians "will exert 100 percent effort" on security but expected Israel to honor reciprocal obligations in the road map, including a halt to expansion of settlements in the West Bank.
Posted by: Fred ||
02/03/2005
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Sudan has slammed US insistence on imposing sanctions over Darfur even as doubts have been raised whether Washington will succeed in its attempts. Speaking to Aljazeera from Khartoum on Wednesday, Sudan's Information Minister Abd al-Basit Sabdrat, commenting on the US threat to impose sanctions on Sudan's oil trade, said Washington judged events on its own terms. The minister was addressing US insistence that the conflict in Darfur amounts to genocide despite a contrary finding by a United Nations fact-finding investigators.
He pointed to US allegations on Iraq's weapons of mass destruction which were later proved to be false by committees that Washington itself had constituted, Sabdrat said. Although the International Committee for Investigation in Sudan (ICIS) had found no evidence of alleged genocide, the US was bent on imposing sanctions, the minister said. Explaining Sudan's violations in Darfur listed by the ICIS in its report, the minister said there was a war raging in the region. During any war, laws could get violated and other consequences could follow, he said. The Sudanese government had taken a positive step to form a national judicial committee which submitted its report last week. "We are following up on its recommendations," the minister said. A second committee would study the damage inflicted on the people and a third would solve the issues that had triggered the fighting, he said.
Posted by: Fred ||
02/03/2005
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Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi has backed revising Japan's post-World War II pacifist constitution and referring to its Self-Defence Force as the nation's military. The war-renouncing constitution - drafted by US occupation forces and unchanged since 1947 - bars the use of military force in settling international disputes and prohibits maintaining armed forces for warfare. Tokya has interpreted that to mean the nation can maintain troops for self-defence and has one of the most modern, best-equipped militaries in the world. However, Japanese troops have taken an increasingly high-profile role in recent years, prompting some critics to accuse Tokyo of moving away from its post-war pacifism. Koizumi, who has strongly backed a bigger role for Japan's forces, on Wednesday said it was time for the troops to be openly referred to as a military.
Posted by: Fred ||
02/03/2005
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#1
Let them go - we need a hedge against Chinese Imperalism anyhow. Banzai!!
#4
Japan Good
Iran and Korea Evil
Need I say more ?
Posted by: Bill Clinton ||
02/03/2005 11:22
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#5
excuse me North Korea
Posted by: Bill Clinton ||
02/03/2005 11:23
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#6
It looks like just a name change... but I wonder if any of the Chinese leadership is beginning to regret supporting Little Kimmie in his adventures?
#7
What I wouldn't give to fight alongside the Japanese. Might require a bit of explaining to my father, though! ;-)
Posted by: Mark E. ||
02/03/2005 13:57
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#8
Kimmie and the ChiComs had better think this one through quickly before something starts that won't stop.
Posted by: Tom ||
02/03/2005 14:05
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#9
Imagine the headlines..."Today US and Japanese Marines together stormed ashore in a daring assault behind North Korean/Chinese lines..."
Posted by: Laurence of the Rats ||
02/03/2005 17:21
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#10
Cool. New alliance needed: US + Japan + Australia + India. Awesome firepower, battlehardened yanks and aussies, Indian naval power and Japan on the rise = China well and duly contained. Make it happen.
#12
Well, US + J + Aus is a pretty good start. India can help immediately in some areas like combatting piracy on the seas. In any case we need to shift our attention away from Europe, esp from France and Germany, and toward Japan and India, which are far more important to us and our security than the EU heavies.
Iraqi leaders yesterday stepped up efforts to persuade minority Muslim sects to return into the political process as the final vote count from the country's historic election got under way. Iraq reopened its frontiers and Baghdad airport as it eased a security clampdown imposed for the first free election in the country in more than 50 years. There has been no major attack since Sunday's vote. But Al Qaeda frontman Abu Musab al Zarqawi vowed to pursue his war against the Iraqi government and US leaders are resisting pressure to set a timetable for the withdrawal of US troops. Interim President Ghazi al Yawar, a Sunni, said all parties — except those tainted by the deadly insurgency that has gripped Iraq since Saddam Hussein's overthrow in April 2003 — should take part in negotiations after the election.
"We must all become involved in a dialogue and reconciliation... with everyone. All those who were not involved in violence must be part of the political process," Yawar told a press conference. "There were no winners or losers" in the election he said, calling it "a victory for Iraq." The election is likely to see Shiites take power in Iraq for the first time in history after decades of oppression under Saddam's regime. The final count of ballots started amid stringent security in Baghdad although no announcement of the final result is expected for at least a week. But party officials said negotiations between rival parties over the make-up of the new government had already started. The president called on the Iraqi Islamic Party, a mainstream religious faction which ordered supporters to boycott the poll, to join the drawing up of a new constitution. Yawar also predicted that a member of the Shiite majority community would have the key post of prime minister, with a Sunni president and a Kurdish head of the national assembly. Despite the absence of major attacks after the election, Zarqawi's extremist group vowed to maintain his holy war, in a statement on a website. Fighters from his group "will press on with their war until the banner of Islam flies over Iraq," according to the statement, which could not be authenticated.
Posted by: Fred ||
02/03/2005
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Turkey yesterday pledged support for Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas in his people's struggle for statehood and efforts to reform Palestinian institutions. "Lasting peace and stability in the Middle East will not be possible until the Palestinian people achieve their independent state and the honorable, prosperous and free life they deserve," Turkish Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc said at a lunch with Abbas. "Rest assured that all your efforts for peace will be wholeheartedly supported by Turkey," he said, according to a statement released by parliament. "We are confident that you will accomplish in the most efficient way the reforms required in the institutions of the Palestinian Authority. We will be happy to share with our Palestinian brothers our experience on reform and extend our solidarity."
Abbas, who was visiting Ankara on the last leg of a four-nation tour following his election as successor to Yasser Arafat, welcomed Turkey's support. "We take Turkey's democratic experience as a model," he told reporters through an interpreter. Abbas also highlighted the importance of Jerusalem for the world's Muslims. "With the support of peace-loving nations, Jerusalem will again belong to the Muslims and worship will continue in Jerusalem until doomsday," he said. On Tuesday, Abbas met with President Ahmet Necdet Sezer and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan as well as Turkish business leaders, who said they would convene a meeting with Palestinian and Israeli colleagues in Turkey in March to discuss possible joint projects.
Posted by: Fred ||
02/03/2005
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#1
âLasting peace and stability in the Middle East will not be possible until the Palestinian people achieve their independent state and the honorable, prosperous and free life they deserve,â Turkish Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc said at a lunch with Abbas.
#3
Abbas: "...Jerusalem will again belong to the Muslims...".
On that alone I can see that Abbas isn't going to accomplish anything more than Arafat did.
Posted by: Tom ||
02/03/2005 14:01
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Turkey to Back Abbasâ Struggle for Statehood
The only "struggling" that Mazen is going to be doing is with the enemies under his own roof.
Islamic groups in Kuwait have gone on the defensive as liberals step up calls for a clampdown on extremists in the wake of deadly gun battles between security forces and Islamists.
If they weren't so closely identified with the extremists they wouldn't have anything to worry about, would they?
Mainstream Sunni groups moved swiftly to distance themselves from the violence that has rocked the normally peaceful emirate after the first gunfights broke out on Jan. 10, killing two police officers.
"Nope. Nope. Wudn't us."
Leading Islamic figures, groups, organizations and charities have since issued statements condemning the militants and declaring their total backing to the government's iron-fist policy to stamp terror. They also held public rallies and lectures focused on the need for national unity in order to confront extremism which they said was alien to Kuwait and its people. "We meet today to prove on the ground that we all stand united against all terrorists and those who believe in violence," Islamist MP Nasser Al-Sane told a public rally late Tuesday.
"Our kinda violence is entirely different from those guys!"
"The group that carried out those incidents has no roots in Kuwait. They are alien to the Kuwaiti people," Khaled Sultan Al-Issa, head of the Islamic Salaf Alliance, said during the rally.
"It's only coincidence that most of 'em wuz Kuwaitis and some of 'em wuz holy men!"
Security forces over the past month fought four bloody gun battles in three weeks with gunmen linked to Al-Qaeda network, killing eight of them and capturing 14 others.
It's the 14 who were captured that the Islamists have to worry about. Some of them may talk...
Islamic groups, which form the largest single bloc in the 50-seat parliament with 13 MPs, have been directly accused by liberals of breeding extremism and creating an environment conducive to the spread of terrorism. Liberal groups, reduced to a small minority in parliament after the 2003 elections, have also accused government of turning a blind eye and failing to curb extremism. In a statement yesterday, the three main liberal groups the Democratic Forum, National Democratic Movement and National Democratic Alliance said government leniency was to blame for the rise of extremism in Kuwait. Former Oil Minister Ali Al-Baghli, a liberal, wrote in Al-Qabas yesterday that "it is not enough to cut the tail of the snake because it will grow another."
Could he be referring to the holy men? Or perhaps even to certain princes resident in a neighboring country?
"What is needed is to cut off the snake's head, namely the masters of terror and all those who propagate for terror in mosques and the media," he said. Islamists however charge that liberals are trying to capitalize on the bloodshed. "(Liberal) writers are instigating and pouring fuel on the fire rather than cooling things down," Islamist MP Daifallah Buramia said.
Cooling things down is what you've done up until now, isn't it?
This article starring:
KHALED SULTAN AL ISA
Islamic Salaf Alliance
Posted by: Fred ||
02/03/2005
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The top UN envoy in Sudan said he was horrified by fresh attacks in Darfur and urged both sides yesterday to stop fighting this month and conclude a peace agreement by the end of the year. "Stop the fighting in February. Talk 10 months ... but you should not give yourselves 10 years," envoy Jan Pronk said, referring a separate deal to end more than 20 years of civil war in southern Sudan signed last month after a decade of talks.
He told reporters that last week he visited the Labado area in the east of South Darfur state, which saw fierce fighting between the government and rebels in December, followed by what Pronk called a "systematic pattern" of attacks by militias on civilian villages in which many people died. "I was horrified by what I saw in Labado. All huts had been demolished and burnt down... All water wells have been destroyed," he said. Militias had destroyed dozens of villages around the town in a similar manner, he added.
He said the African Union (AU) summit to be held in Khartoum in January 2006 should be an incentive to achieve peace before receiving the presidents from more than 50 nations to Sudan. Pronk was speaking two days after an independent commission of inquiry, in a report to the United Nations, stopped short of the US assessment that there has been genocide in Darfur. But it said government and military officials and allied Arab militia leaders were responsible for widespread abuses which may constitute crimes against humanity.
Oh, innat terrible? He's "horrified." Not to the point where he calls for real armies to step in and depose a corrupt dictatorship that commits what may constitute "crimes against humanity," though not genocide, of course. Instead, he calls on both sides to "stop the killing" and be nice. I'm ready to scrape the UN from the national shoe every time I read something like this.
Posted by: Fred ||
02/03/2005
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#1
I guess since the US didn't ratify the ICC, the UN will not do anything, out of spite.
#5
In keeping with the Bush Doctrine I say we send some Special Forces troops along with CIA assets into Darfur and get Black Africans back on the offensive and work to collapse this Regime as well. PS Where is public outcry from Rangel, Obama, Jesse Jackson etc about the abject slaughter of "Blacks" by Insano Muslims. Not a peep. Disgusting.
Posted by: Mark E. ||
02/03/2005 13:39
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#8
The so called "Dafur Crisis" will need to wait until the superb bowl is over. This will free up the cruise shipping necessry for a balls to the wall UN effort.
LiberalHawk... WOT heard Jacksonville described on NPR as Baja Florida. LOL!
#9
Re #6 (Pappy): Where is public outcry from Rangel ...
I know that Rangel has been very outspoken about the problem.
.
Posted by: Mike Sylwester ||
02/03/2005 18:15
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#10
He's "horrified." Not to the point where he calls for real armies to step in and depose a corrupt dictatorship that commits what may constitute "crimes against humanity," though not genocide, of course. Instead, he calls on both sides to "stop the killing" and be nice.
The very same can be said about President Bush.
.
Posted by: Mike Sylwester ||
02/03/2005 18:17
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#11
MS-That's because Pres. Bush already knows that any offers to intervene militarily WITH THE HELP OF ALLIES will be flatly refused and mocked by the less ethical among the UN members, while 6000-10000 people per month are dying in Darfur from unnatural causes.
Mike-It's amazing to me that you can be so sensible on WoT issues, but when it comes to the UN, you are as unwilling to criticize the UN as a cowed woman is of a spouse who has just beat the crap out of her and the police are on the phone asking if she needs help.
"Oh, no, he's wonderful, he's the best thing I know in this world. Nothing's wrong. Oh, those bruises? Well, I tripped down the stairs..."
#13
Re #11 (Jules): That's because Pres. Bush already knows that any offers to intervene militarily WITH THE HELP OF ALLIES will be flatly refused and mocked by the less ethical among the UN members
There's inadequate political support within the USA for a military intervention in Darfur. In that regard, the USA is no different than its allies or than other members of the UN Security Council.
We are not in a situation where the USA would decide to intervene if it had support from the UN and from other countries. The real situation is that the USA does not want to intervene.
.
Posted by: Mike Sylwester ||
02/03/2005 19:14
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#14
Re #11 (Jules): when it comes to the UN, you are as unwilling to criticize the UN
I've criticized the UN plenty, and I'll criticize it again. The UN is structurally unable to intervene effectively in many major international problems. The UN consists mostly of countries that are undemocratic, ignorant, corrupt, backward, foolish, and so forth. The UN wastes a lot of money. Does that make you happy enough for now?
That doesn't mean, though, that the UN is to blame for all the world's problems. It doesn't mean that the USA's own non-intervention in such problems is the fault of the UN. It doesn't mean that if the UN disappeared, then the world would be a better place. It doesn't mean that the UN does not serve some useful purposes, such as providing a forum where practically all the world's countries belong and participate.
.
Posted by: Mike Sylwester ||
02/03/2005 19:21
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#15
Luckily the UN is too ineffective to cause many problems.
#18
Europe is full of sympathy for others and that is about it. If someone balls have to be placed on the line outside of the UK there is nothing. The Phrench will gladly defend their interests but noting else. The rest of them are pretty much usless as tits on a bull. Sudan is Europes problem. They were never a colony of the US or a client state. We have our hands full. We have had no problem using the G word. The rest of the UN has.
#19
Sounds like a good case for getting the locals some serious training in weapons and tactics so they can defend themselves. Some SF leverage might do some good. I am not familiar with the details involved, but the Sudan govt needs a good bloody nose. Read the history of the Sudan and weep.
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
02/03/2005 23:17
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#20
I know that Rangel has been very outspoken about the problem.
I thought he was involved with PETA in shaking down berating KFC.
President George Bush last night issued clear warnings to Syria and Iran that they were next in his sights in his declared mission to spread democracy around the world.
The state of the union address to Congress had been billed as reconciliatory, but, along with a series of references to alliances and international initiatives, there were some blunt words. After recounting the fall of the Taliban in Afghanistan and Saddam Hussein in Iraq, the president said: "There are still governments that sponsor and harbour terrorists, but their numbers have declined.
"There are still regimes seeking weapons of mass destruction, but they are no longer without attention and without consequence."
The president then singled out Syria, which he said "still allows its territory and parts of Lebanon to be used by terrorists who seek to destroy every chance of peace in the region." "We expect Syria to end all support for terrorists and open the door to freedom," he said, to heavy applause from members of Congress.
He turned to Iran, which he said "remains the world's primary sponsor of terror" and he issued a direct message to Iranians to stand up to the clerical regime in Tehran. He said the US was working with European states to make clear to Tehran it must give up its uranium enrichment programme, but he also signalled a much broader agenda, aimed at the ultimate removal of the clerical regime itself.
He declared "to the Iranian people, I say tonight: As you stand for your own liberty, America stands with you."
Only way he could have been more blunt would have been to wear an orange tie and wave a purple-stained finger.
Posted by: Steve White ||
02/03/2005
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#1
Clear. Just like the Mullah declaration that they will not give up their desire for nukes.
#2
I wonder if "W" will give the clerical regime 48 hours to get out of Dodge comply with nuclear proliferation demands, when the fat hits the fan (the point of no return)?
#3
Why? You do know that Arabs live by colorful and very visual speech - empty speech - recall Saddam in Gulf I - "mountains of bodies and rivers of blood", etc., right? One of the things you'd learn living in an Arab country is how totally amazed and shocked they are when you do precisely what you say you'll do. Even people who've worked with Westerners a long time, such as at Aramco, still never quite grasp that we are not full of bullshit - and talking just to hear ourselves, as they commonly do.
So I'd say they've had more than enough notice and they wouldn't "get it" anyway. When the time is right, just do it.
#5
Absolutely - the Iranians are Persians, not Arabs, but their "leaders" exhibit the same penchant for hyperbole. Who started it (lol!) I dunno, heh. I'll readily admit that the Iranians I know personally are "Americanized" and do not follow this - and a friend who toured Iran (backpacker style) for a month last year didn't comment on whether this is common among them in Iran. I'll ask him and get back to you when he deigns to reply, heh. But the Mad Mullahs certainly have the trait, no? Here's the link to the last May Day style parade where they showed off their Shahab-3 missiles with all sorts of anti-Israeli and anti-US epithets and declarations as an example...
#7
Well I know the MMs talk alot of crap. But 20 years of "Death to American" and "Death to Isreal" lends it's self to thinking you are right .com. I just think unlike most Arabs, they don't talk trash. I actually expect the MMs to try and deliver on their promises. I just wonder if your typical run of the mill Iranian is more like and Arab than not.
#8
Putting the hurt on Syria and Iran is good, but IMHO the world's primary sponsor of terror is Saudi Arabia. They have the money and desire to spread their poison around the world. Those jerks need a whoopin' too.
#9
I can't really disagree with you, Spot, but I can see reasons for going after them last. Syria and Iran are unstable, but possess enough weaponry to make a big mess if they have the initiative. They've been doing enough damage in Iraq as it is. If you take out Syria, that gets rid of a big terrorist staging area. It also strengthens Israel, which can concentrate its defenses on the east and south. Toppling the Iran regime (provided the opposition can do it with only indirect help from us), blows out the most powerful terrorist-supporting regime.
The Soddies spend lots of money, but cannot do anything directly. It's safe to turn our backs on them to clean out Syria and Iran. It is notsafe to go after Saudi with Syria and Iran free to act as they want.
Of course, that's just My opinion. I only know what I read in Rantburg.
#10
At the end of âHigh Noonâ Gary Cooper drops his badge in the dust and drives out of town. Guess what Syrians and Iranians? OUR âGary Cooperâ still has his badge (for FOUR more years!)
So it isnât that thereâs a NEW Sheriff in townâ¦itâs the SAME Sheriff!! And he just flat out doesnât like bad guys!!
#11
Jackal-
You may be right about the order, but I can't help but wonder that the Soddies have a nuke or two hidden away (gotten from the Paks whose bomb development they helped finance). The Mad Mullahs are a wild card because they're, well, mad (in the crazy sense) and bent on nukes. But if you look at whose money and influence feed radical islam look no further than the Magic Kingdum.
#12
Order of precedence, feasibility of success, and economic reality all dictate Syria and Iran before Saudi Arabia. Syria is non-oil-producing with a decrepit military, a weak no-chin Baathist {facist} dictator, and an open sore militarily in Lebanon. Iran is cracking up due to demographic and ideological divisions, has a more capable military than Syria, and is actively supporting Hezbollah and Islamic Jihad.
The big problem with Saudi Arabia is the muslim holy sites of Mecca and Medina, and the oil shock that a disruption of their pumping would cause. We would need the backing of the Hasemite royals to re-establsh their control of those holy sites along with agreements of the local Sufi/Shiaa populations - eg, Republic of Eastern Arabia. Saudi Arabia becomes much easier if Syria and Iran are out of the way.
#14
Spot, I'm sure they've got one, but which of them knows how to maintain or detonate it?
Posted by: Mrs. Davis ||
02/03/2005 19:45
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#15
Syria and Iran are unstable, but possess enough weaponry to make a big mess if they have the initiative. They've been doing enough damage in Iraq as it is. If you take out Syria, that gets rid of a big terrorist staging area. It also strengthens Israel, which can concentrate its defenses on the east and south. Toppling the Iran regime (provided the opposition can do it with only indirect help from us), blows out the most powerful terrorist-supporting regime.
The Soddies spend lots of money, but cannot do anything directly. It's safe to turn our backs on them to clean out Syria and Iran. It is notsafe to go after Saudi with Syria and Iran free to act as they want.
Good assessment, Jackal. The Saudis are among the few Mideast Arab "allies" we can turn our backs on. Better that we first clean out the other hornets' nests in Syria and Iran before addressing such momentous power-shifts as with Saudi Arabia. Yes, they are a major terror lever, but they are also more stable per se. Better to denude the region of its favorite safe havens before closing down the biggest whorehouse of all.
#3
German regulatory agencies should double check the plans to see if there are any unusual empty spaces situated in any hard-to-get-at location. Spaces that are big enough to accomodate crates of AK-47s, grenades, RPGs, etc, etc...
Comments here, put on page 2 to keep things balanced.
Posted by: Steve White ||
02/03/2005
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#1
I missed it because of a class tonight, but I saw the picture of the Iraqi hugging the Marine Mom. Few things make me tear up but seeing that picture and knowing what each of them went through to get there tore me up. Risking my life to vote Republican, Democrat, or Pagan is something I can't fathom. And losing a son in a far away land is something I hope I never have to face. On the flip side on want to applaud the Democrats for finding the shallowest ideas to talk about on this historic night. They are nearly on the verge of becoming an even smaller minority than they are now.
#6
Today, from Alaa in Iraqi on their special day on Sunday, on voting in Iraq on Sunday....
Alaa, at the THE MESOPOTAMIAN puts it best on Monday, Jan 31, 2005.... http://messopotamian.blogspot.com/
"Finally, we heard the speech of President Bush Loud and clear. He, and the American people and their British and other valiant allies have much to do with this event. All I can say is that this man has all the essential traits of character that distinguishes the great men of history; the insistence and utter conviction and the perseverance and steadfastness in the face of all doubters and detractors. This was no ordinary election, and it was not simply to elect a constituent assembly. It was the answer of the people, what they really thought about the liberation, what they really thought of the ideas preached by the president. This was a message by the Iraqi people to the American people and their great president. It was the heart of Iraq answering the heart of America that voted to give the President the mandate to finish the task; it was the answer that the common people of Iraq gave by braving danger and exposing their life and that of their children and families to death, this was their way to make their voice heard.
Well, thank you Mr. President, we heard you; and I am sure you also heard us."
You have to know, the rest of the world heard those words that Alaa heard, and tonight, W added his signature to Iranians, etc. "I mean what I say."
The people of the world will long remember that embrace of a Marine's mom with that Iraqi woman. Alaa's words let us know, they hear our words. W, again tonight, delivered them for us. And, he knows it!
1. My kids (ages 12 and 9) watched parts of the speech with me. On the Social Security part, the 12-year old (who could care less for policy wonkery) was saying "He's kickin' it. I didn't know he was that good."
2. Inaugural Address, Part 2: W called out the Saudis, the mullahs of Iran, Baby Assad, Mubarak -- the same way he called out the Dems on Social Security. Ain't no backdown with this dude.
3. (I know, I can't count.) Hillary looked as peevish last night as she did on 9/20/01. "Now I'll NEVER be president!"
Posted by: Mike ||
02/03/2005 5:55
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#11
I think the Left is generally in shock that tide has turned so much. The snippet I posted yesterday from Simon Jenkins illustrated it well. In summary, 'this is not the right future - something went wrong.'
When they come to write the history, GWB's name will be writ large as the man who epitomized the triumph of principal over both ideology and (craven) self interest. Applause.
#13
Hey Gluper, if you don't like President Bush, you wouldn't like the idea of president Cheney.
Posted by: Steve from Relto ||
02/03/2005 9:08
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#14
Would have been interesting to be a fly on the wall in Mubarak's office when GWB got to that part about Egypt "leading the way" to democracy in the region. Heh...
Posted by: Dave D. ||
02/03/2005 9:34
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#16
I noticed the President mentioned energy in the context of demanding action on the legislation he submitted to Congress in 2001 (actually before the 9-11 atrocity).
Near as I can tell that same bill, which has oodles of tax code manipulations (most of which I'm against - I'm the kind of fellow who'd rather the govt simply spend $100 on windmills than credit $100 in tax relief to windmill builders), is still on the table. This contradicts the 'simplify the tax code' portion of the SOTU.
#17
I'm a pretty hard-core cynic. I'm also a political independent that doesn't agree with a number of Pres. Bush's policies (ex. Border control / immigration, etc.). However comma that was probably the boldest, most moving and motivating State of the Union speech I have ever witnessed.
What I saw last night was a strong leader who communicated a vision with clarity, optimistic enthusiasm and resolve. Inspiring. Thatâs what a leader does and thatâs what a President should be.
#19
PH-I'm with you. I am concerned about what is going to happen/not happen with immigration and social security. I am VERY concerned about what is going to happen with my 25+ years of payments into social security. I will wait to watch the debates and will be ready to dissect proposals presented for their true effects. I will say, thank God that Pres. Bush is strong enough to welcome different ideas instead of being rigidly locked into a plan now. That gives me hope.
Bush is getting stronger, and, I get the impression, more comfortable in his role as president. He is inspiring to watch. I don't agree with everything the president does, but I think he is a decent man with big vision. That's unusual for a politician.
I thank God every day that Bush was in office on 9/11 and after 9/11. I shudder to think what slimy deals the Dems would have made with folks overseas through the mere mirage of fighting terrorism.
#23
It looked like Reid and Pelosi had to wipe drool off their chins from all the frothing at the mouth they were doing in the rebuttal. Someone needs to advise them to say something CONSTRUCTIVE, because they are becoming laughing-stocks...
Skateboard kid want's to be like Reid? So when did the kid's Ritalin perscription run out?
#24
I don't cry at ANYTHING, but when I saw those two women embrace, my eyes started to tear up; I almost started sobbing. It was moving, and it was beautiful.
I started watching the Democrats' rebuttal. Reid impressed me a bit at first - having heard rumors of his "Bush's S.S. plan will NEVER pass the Senate! MWA-HA-HA!" statements earlier in the day, I was expecting someone far more deranged. Instead, he told a nice little story (although I was constantly wondering, You say you believe this, and this, so why aren't you a Republican?). It was when he got to the social security issue that he started to become a little unhinged, though, and when Pelosi started talking I started reaching for the remote before remembering that I don't have one, so I had to get up and walk over to the TV. Reid's was at least something a rational person could listen to and definitely disagree with (at least in my uninformed opinion). Pelosi just started ranting about Iraq, and was so crazy I couldn't take it.
As for Bush, he seemed a little slow at the very beginning, on the education issues, but he very quickly picked up steam, and I really enjoyed the rest of the speech. Clear plans, excellent delivery, and (my favorite part) a wink and a smile every now and then. At one point, he wiggled his eyebrows and grinned, don't remember what the context was, but it was great. W is The Man after last night; keep this up and the far-lefties will self-destruct in no time.
Posted by: The Doctor ||
02/03/2005 13:45
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#25
"You say you believe this, and this, so why aren't you a Republican?"
Don't be fooled, they can only win people over by pretending to be conservative, but they are far from it. Billary is putting up a big smoke screen, but she would undo every conservative law or appointment if she could.
#26
Hey, Sarge -- you shifting your loyalty from Hillary??
Cold, man ..... although I have to agree, Boxer's on-the-edge-of-insanity, spittle-flying delivery is a nice change from the Hon Sen of NY's remote-controlled automaton sometimes.
#28
Glad Bush mentioned the 4 middle easter countries I only caught part of the SOTU address, but I was happy to hear Bush name Iran, Syria, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt to the official poop list. I am especially glad he mentioned Egypt, a coutry who has so far gotten a free ride. Egypt, the country of the most vile government sanctioned anti-American propaganda, a country surviving on American generosity, the birthplace of the ideology and core members of Al Qaeda.
Posted by: ed ||
02/03/2005 17:08
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#29
Like they would ever let me pick thier candidates. My Sharpton/Kusinich ticket was rejected by the DNC long before the Iowa Caucus. However I am floating a Clinton/Boxer ticket for 2008. That would be especially sweet to see Babs drag Hillary down with her. Hell that ticket might give the Republicans their first 50-State win. Run Babs RUN!
A deputy interior minister in Russia's southern republic of Dagestan has been killed after their car was sprayed with bullets in the capital Makhachkala. Magomed Omarov died in hospital, according to state-controlled television channel Pervy Kanal on Wednesday. Dagestan's deputy prosecutor Arsen Bulatov added that two of his bodyguards were also dead and that a third was seriously injured and was in hospital. Omarov and his bodyguards were caught in automatic weapons fire as they were driving into Makhachkala, Bulatov said, adding that the Dagestani prosecutor's office has launched a criminal investigation. The minister was the target of an assassination attempt in May 2003 when his car was blown up by a remote controlled mine in downtown Makhachkala. But both he and his drivers sustained only light injuries.
Posted by: Fred ||
02/03/2005
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Russian President Vladimir Putin has come out against parts of an anti-terror bill that would drastically restrict media reporting of militant attacks, a newspaper reported on Wednesday. Putin had told parliament he feared the section of the bill relating to journalists reporting of such attacks violated Russia's existing press law, the respected Vedomosti daily said. The bill, that has already passed the first of three readings in the State Duma (lower house), would bar publication of graphic scenes of violence and restrict journalists' access to the scene of militant strikes.
The bill followed criticism of the media's actions during the Beslan hostage crisis in September, when more than 330 people died. Officials said journalists showed no restraint in publishing graphic pictures of dead and injured people. Journalists in turn said official spokesmen at the scene lied about the number of hostages and the militants' demands, and were forced to seek information from unofficial sources -- something the new law would make illegal.
Posted by: Fred ||
02/03/2005
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#1
Interesting. First thing Putty's done in the last 2 years I would consider as summing to a positive. Good for him - and Russia. Now about those hand-picked Governors, the theft of Yukos, and a shitload of other totalitarian Soviet-style developments from the last few years...
British TV personality Robert Kilroy-Silk has launched a new political party, promising tough action on immigration and the European Union. Calling the new party Veritas, the Latin word for truth, Kilroy-Silk told audiences in London on Wednesday that he would offer the electorate "straight talk". The 62-year-old former talk show host first entered politics by helping the UK Independence Party (UKIP) win seats last year in European elections, picking up one for himself along the way. But now is expected to attract fans to his new party as he is already a household name among middle-class Britons who are likely to be most swayed by his populist rhetoric against the European Union, immigration and crime.
Posted by: Fred ||
02/03/2005
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#1
KS intended to use UKIP as his personal bandwagon but leapt off when they declined to give him the reins. That had been an symbiotic relationship - both parties benefitted - and the departure of KS will take the Star Attraction out of UKIP. But KS doesn't have the political skill or following, alone, to make a successful go of it, and his style of leadership discourages followers. He'll get a thorough drubbing in the national elections coming up.
#2
Next he'll pop up in a turquoise tracksuit proclaiming the end of the world is nigh ;)
Posted by: Howard UK ||
02/03/2005 4:34
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Howard - LOL! There's a bit of a resemblance too, isn't there? Personally, I hope the Reptillians get him before he does any more damage to the Eurosceptic cause. I think I read on Icke's site once that the Queen Mum has been kept in cryogenic storage for just such a mission.
#4
Queen Mum cryogenically frozen? Thought she'd pickled herself in gin?!
Posted by: Howard UK ||
02/03/2005 5:56
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Thought she'd pickled herself in gin?!
Apparently not. They tried that for nearly a hundred years but ultimately concluded that it had too many undesirable neuronal and cloacal side-effects. Freezing's more lizard-friendly.
Chechen rebel leader Aslan Maskhadov has ordered all Chechen fighters to observe a ceasefire in their separatist war against Russian troops in February, a rebel Web site reported on Wednesday.
Getting thumped, are we?
Site www.kavkazcenter.com published a statement from Shamil Basayev, Russia's most wanted man and the organiser of last year's Beslan hostage-taking, which ordered all fighters to refrain from any offensive operations until Feb. 22. But Basayev was quoted by The Times newspaper in London as saying he still considered Russian citizens fair targets for future fighting. The newspaper also quoted him as saying in a Channel 4 television interview to be broadcast later on Thursday that there were plans for more operations of the kind that killed more than 330 people at the hostage-taking at the school in Belsan.
Find him and kill him. Now.
Basayev's statement on the Web site said Maskhadov had ordered his followers not to carry out diversionary attacks in Chechnya or in the rest of Russia, attacks on Russian bases, Russian convoys or vehicles, or on "traitors or unbelievers". Kremlin officials were not immediately available to comment on the report of the ceasefire since they're out looking for him . The statement said fighters should "continue mining approaches to their bases and to continue operations to destroy people or machinery of the enemy forces who are spying or attacking mountainous forested areas". The Web site said Maskhadov gave the order on Jan. 14 as a gesture of goodwill but did not elaborate. Several of his relatives have been kidnapped in the last two months, but it was unclear if their disappearances were linked to the ceasefire. "We do not react to Kavkazcenter. This is not an official organ," said a spokesman for Dmitry Kozak, Russian President Vladimir Putin's representative in the North Caucasus region.
Continued on Page 49
This article starring:
ASLAN MASKHADOV
Chechnya
SHAMIL BASAIEV
Chechnya
Posted by: Steve White ||
02/03/2005
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#3
"Islam sees hijab as an obligatory code of dress, not a religious symbol displaying oneâs affiliations â unlike the symbolic Christian crucifixes or Jewish Kappas."
Um....since when? Wasnt this "made" "obligatory" in the 70's? What are the origins of the hijab?
Agreed--No hats means no hats. Why the constant assertion that the rules don't apply to muslims (rhetorical)?
Posted by: Mark E. ||
02/03/2005 13:32
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#4
Obligatory to keep women from feeling equal to the insecure little men of Islam
Posted by: Frank G ||
02/03/2005 13:45
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#5
Hijab made the scene in Lebanon and Iran as political statements. There is no mention of it in the Koran as far as I know. Any claim that it is required religious garb would then be false. It's being used as a Trojan Horse.
Posted by: Rex Mundi ||
02/03/2005 17:25
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#6
Islam sees hijab as an obligatory code of dress, not a religious symbol displaying oneâs affiliations â unlike the symbolic Christian crucifixes or Jewish Kappas."
Im confused - Kippas (not Kappas) (also called Yarmulkes) are NOT symbolic displays - they are REQUIRED when praying - which is not a once a week thing, but comes up before and after every meal for a fully observant Je*w, among other occasions. And since there are some occasions that can come up unexpectedly where a blessing is required, most Orthodox Je*ws consider head covering at all times to be mandatory.
Say! How're those EU negotiations with Iran going? Is it true the head of their negotiating team's the Dark Lord of the Sith?
Posted by: Fred ||
02/03/2005
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#1
Good. Clarification is good. It's clear. This has been a consistent message now for the last 3 or 4 months.
When the E3 pull their collective heads out of their asses and acknowledge this obvious fact, perhaps they will let go of the fantasy of their negotiations having any effect, whatsoever, and either join us in a rational and aggressive effort or, if the politics of their constituencies is so rabidly blind as to make that impossible - a creature of their own devise, they will Shut The Fuck Up - and remove any personnel from Iranian soil. Collateral damage should be minimized.
On second thought, France can just STFU and go away - I would not trust collaborating with them in any degree or with any intel even remotely sensitive.
I recall a phrase which applies: Lead, Follow, or Get Out Of The Way. It's time. Choose.
Europe is pressing Iran for concessions on its nuclear program, which the United States claims is aimed at producing atomic weapons. In exchange for nuclear guarantees, the Europeans are offering Iran technological and financial support and talks on a trade deal. ... Iran suspended uranium enrichment and all related activities in November to build trust, reduce international suspicions and avoid UN Security Council sanctions. The International Atomic Energy Agency agreed to police the suspension.
Under an agreement reached with France, Germany and Britain, which negotiated on behalf of the European Union, Iran will continue suspension of its enrichment activities during negotiations with the Europeans about EU economic, political and technological aid. Iran has said it will decide within three months whether to continue the suspension.
.
Posted by: Mike Sylwester ||
02/03/2005 7:30
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#5
So, Mikey, you've gone from questions-mode to article-quoting mode. Would you like to clue us in on why you picked those two paragraphs out of the entire readily-accessible article?
Posted by: Tom ||
02/03/2005 7:53
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#6
Tom - go round to Mike's house and threaten to kill him. He'll probably give you a DVD player.
Posted by: Tom ||
02/03/2005 8:35
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#8
lol
Posted by: Frank G ||
02/03/2005 13:31
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#9
What .com said.
Europe's rectal-cranial insertion factor is so acute that oral re-emergence is merely a matter of time. Mike S, your confidence in Europe's approach appears to be sorely misplaced. I suggest you reconsider the ramifications of Iran acquiring nuclear weapons and adjusting your world-view accordingly.
Do you honestly discount the utterly insane consequences of Iran going nuclear or are you merely blinded to that possibility? I mean no insult but sincerely question your mentative capabilities if you are willing to disregard the threat that a nuclear Iran poses.
King Gyanendra announced a 10-member Cabinet dominated by his own supporters yesterday, one day after he dismissed Nepal's government, declared emergency rule and virtually cut his nation off from the world. An official later said the new government would reach out to the country's Maoist rebels to renew peace talks. Dozens of politicians have been arrested and many more have gone underground to avoid detention, an opposition figure said, as extra riot police and soldiers patrolled the streets of the capital, Katmandu, where civil liberties were severely curtailed. World leaders condemned the power grab — Gyanendra's second in three years — saying it undermined democracy and the fight against the insurgency. The United Nations, Britain, India and the United States were among the critics of Gyanendra's actions. Australia and New Zealand advised their citizens not to visit Nepal. UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan called the king's actions "a serious setback" that would bring neither lasting peace nor stability to Nepal and urged him to take immediate steps to restore "democratic freedoms and institutions."
Posted by: Fred ||
02/03/2005
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Kurdish self-rule is inevitable if not imminent, according to Kurdistan Democratic Party chief Masud Barzani. Commenting on an almost unanimous vote for independence in an unofficial referendum held on 30 January, Masud Barzani said on Wednesday that "when the right time comes it will become a reality".
"Self-determination is the natural right of our people, and they have the right to express their desires," he added. Barzani heads one of the two main Kurdish groups which control Iraq's northern Kurdish zone. The KDP leader was speaking three days after more than 1.9 million Iraqi Kurds - some 95% of those asked - voted for independence in an informal survey conducted by volunteers. Iraqi Kurds have long pushed for independence, but Turkey, Iran and Syria - all with substantial Kurdish minorities - oppose the establishment of Kurdish state on their borders.
Posted by: Fred ||
02/03/2005
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#1
Indeed.
The absurdity that is Iraq, that is a confabulation of Sykes-Picot, that saddles the Kurds' future with the stupidity and backward Sunnis, will eventually be addressed. And, in the end, only Partition or Independence will adequately and fairly resolve the matter.
#4
The Kurd's are badasses (at least Saladin was) and I'm amazed the local Arab states can't get beyond their prejudices and get the Kurds fighting for them (sort of a Gurkha/Scots sort of thing).
Not only that the Kurds could then be used as leverage against neighbors with Kurdish populations who might be afraid of mixed kurdish sympathies.
A wiley Turk following such a pattern could have taken half of Northern Iraq and Iran while those two were bleeding each other white. They could have created a Kurdish state at the expense of others.
Any Kurdish politician with an ounce of strategic sense would rather be autonomous inside a federal Iraq, than out on his own, landlocked, and surrounded by states none of whom could be counted on to be friendly and some of whom could be counted on to be deadly enemies.
Lebanon's opposition on Tuesday laid out its demands for the future of relations with Syria during a highly unusual meeting with an envoy from Damascus. The opposition figures told Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Walid Muwallem, whose country dominates Lebanon, they wanted to see a dramatic and swift reduction of Damascus' influence over the country and a withdrawal of its troops. "The solution is for Syria to lift its control of Lebanon, which must now recover its sovereignty and independence," said opposition deputy Nassib Lahoud after a meeting with Muawllem. "This is the central objective. Any other way will prolong the crisis," said Lahoud. "There must be a complete Syrian withdrawal from Lebanon within a short timescale," he added
Haven't you guys figured out that you're supposed to be grateful? You're natives, and they're the colonists.
Muwallem's meetings with anti-Syrian figures during his two-day visit mark a new departure for Damascus and come amid increasing pressure on Syria from the United States to reduce its presence in the country. After a series of partial withdrawals, some 14,000 Syrian troops are still deployed in Lebanon, but this is less than half the number stationed in the country since 1976. Lahoud said the opposition wanted Damascus to dismantle its joint security services in Lebanon before spring elections and treat the country as an "independent state" instead of a colony. After the elections, a Lebanese government of national unity should set out a timetable for Syria's complete withdrawal from Lebanon, he said. Muwallem, a respected diplomat who was Syrian ambassador to Washington, has spoken of the need for an "evolution" in relations and acknowledged "erroneous practices" between the two countries.
Not that they'll give anything back, ya understand.
Posted by: Steve White ||
02/03/2005
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#1
I wonder how baby Assad likes being asked for his "exit strategy."
Pakistan President Gen. Pervez Musharraf made a call to foreign investors yesterday to help his country fight extremism and terrorism by investing and creating more jobs to alleviate poverty. "I say to foreign investors ...contribute indirectly in fighting extremism and terrorism by creating more jobs and alleviating poverty," Musharraf said at the opening of Expo Pakistan 2005 — at the Karachi Expo Center here. "You can help by investing in Pakistan and increasing imports from here," he told delegates at the fair designed to attract foreign investors scared off by violence that has plagued the country since the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on the United States.
I've got a better idea: you kill all the extremists or chase them out of the country and have them take the fundos with them. Establish a stable secular state. Then people will be willing to invest in Pakland. Nobody wants to put money and resources into a country where its facilities are liable to be blown up, its personnel kidnapped and held for ransom, and its employees shot up because of their religious preferences. You don't want to be anybody's colony, so take charge, dammit!
Posted by: Fred ||
02/03/2005
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We only have one N-bomb, and cannot afford any more.
The chief of police in the northern city of Mosul has given insurgents two weeks to hand over their weapons or face a crackdown from Iraqi security forces emboldened after the election. In a television address two days after the country held a successful national vote despite insurgent threats, Brigadier Mohammed Ahmed al-Jabouri issued a forthright ultimatum. "Hand over your weapons or we will come and get you," he said on the local TV station. He said his message was particularly aimed at insurgents hiding out in towns and villages around Mosul, Iraq's third largest city.
Jabouri said his men were aware of where the insurgents were and were not afraid to come after them. He said he was giving them until Feb. 15 to hand in their weapons but gave no details about how they were supposed to do it. The day before, on the same TV channel, police paraded seven suspected insurgents detained in a series of election-day raids. They are believed to be members of a group headed by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the Jordanian leader of al Qaeda in Iraq. Jabouri's tough talk is an abrupt turnaround for the Mosul police -- two months ago virtually the entire police force deserted after rebels launched an offensive against them. Dozens of police stations were overrun, looted and then destroyed.
This article starring:
ABU MUSAB AL ZARQAWI
al-Qaeda in Iraq
Posted by: Fred ||
02/03/2005
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#1
The article fails to mention that thousands of Kurdish militia were brought into replace the mostly Sunni police. Looks like Febuary is going to be be whack-a-Sunni-month around Mosul.
#3
phil_b: âwhack-a-Sunni-monthâ
Most Kurds are Sunni.
Kurds arenât Arabs. (But comparative genetics shows very little difference between Iraqi Kurds and Arabs.). The religious, racial, language, tribal, and cultural dynamics are complicated.
KUWAIT CITY — Religious groups in Kuwait have gone on the defensive as liberals step up calls for a clampdown on fundamentalists in the wake of deadly gunbattles between security forces and militants. Mainstream Sunni groups moved swiftly to distance themselves from the violence that has rocked the normally peaceful country after the first gunfights broke out on January 10, killing two police officers.
"Wudn't us." "Nope, not me." "I know nothing." "Pshaw."
Leading religious figures, groups, organisations and charities have since issued statements condemning the militants and declaring their total backing to the government's iron-fist policy to stamp terror. They also held public rallies and lectures focused on the need for "national unity" in order to confront fundamentalism which they said was "alien" to Kuwait and its people. "We meet today to prove on the ground that we all stand united against all terrorists and those who believe in violence," MP Nasser Al Sane told a public rally late Tuesday.
Posted by: Steve White ||
02/03/2005
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#1
liberals in the old fashioned sense i discussed the other day, those who support a liberal democracy. Hillary, Ron Reagan, John Kerry, Maggie Thatcher all liberals by this definition. Senator Byrd, Michael Moore, and Pat Buchanan NOT liberals.
Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs David Satterfield said Wednesday that "visits and statements are not enough," scorning Syria's apparent shift in dealing with "the Lebanese case." Meanwhile, in Lebanon, Damascus' new approach in dealing with Lebanon, characterized by the unusual flow of Syrian officials to Lebanon, was seen as a step in the right direction - even if it might only be an attempt to dispel international pressure. Commenting on the recent visits of Syrian officials here, Satterfield told the state funded Radio Sawa in Washington: "We are not interested in visits, climates or statements. We have gone past this stage a long time ago and so have the Lebanese. We are now interested in seeing fundamental change indicating that Syria is willing to comply with (UN) Security Council 1559." Satterfield said Syria has not made serious moves toward granting the Lebanese more independence or towards pulling out its 14,000 remaining troops from Lebanon, as mandated by Resolution 1559. He also denied Syrian and Lebanese claims that the Israeli-occupied Shebaa Farms are Lebanese and therefore fall under UN Resolution 425.
Posted by: Fred ||
02/03/2005
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The Kuwaiti government decided Monday, January 31, to refer the nascent Ummah (Nation) Party's leaders to the public prosecution's office, accusing them of declaring the establishment of the Islamist party illegally and unconstitutionally. The government further presented an official complaint to the US embassy in the Gulf emirate, expressing uneasiness over the participation of embassy official's in "an illegal" gathering or meeting, during which the party was declared, according to Al-Watan daily, citing an unnamed cabinet source. "Kuwait is a state of institutions and laws. To declare a party, there are legal procedures to be followed and licenses to be obtained first," the source added.
Posted by: Fred ||
02/03/2005
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#1
Ummah doesn't mean nation, Ummah means Islamdom, analogous to Christendom. I wonder why the Islam Online translator chose the innocuous sounding word instead.
#2
"...It will seek the implementation of Islamic Shari`ah laws in all political, economic, legislative and social sectors...â
Now it's fine with me for them to have their very first "party", buy why was a U.S. embassy person there for a Sharia party? Intelligence gathering, I hope.
Posted by: Tom ||
02/03/2005 8:07
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#3
IIUC ummah means "people" and is related to the Hebrew "am". It normally refers to the "Muslim people", but im not sure it could never mean a specific national group.
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.
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Thursday called Nepal's King Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev and the two leaders discussed holding the 13th South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation Summit (SAARC) and the Pakistani-Nepalese relations, said a Foreign Ministry press release. King Gyanendra shared Prime Minister Aziz's disappointment over the postponement of the SAARC Summit and expressed full confidence in Pakistan to set new dates and assured Mr Aziz that he would attend the summit.
The 
Oman has acknowledged the detention of hundreds of nationals amid a crackdown on Al Qaida. The sultanate has refused to give details of the crackdown. But government spokespeople said the crackdown was meant to foil plots to attack the country. Omani Information Minister Hamad Bin Mohammed Al Rashdi said authorities have detained an unspecified number of people. He did not deny reports that more than 300 people have been arrested in the crackdown in late January. "We don't want to talk on this matter as it is an internal issue and because we are not accustomed to defaming our citizens by publishing their photos in the media and highlighting their crimes and justifying the procedures taken by the government," Al Rashdi told the Oman News Agency. 
Syrian opposition sources have reported fighting within the security services under the regime of President 
The IRA has withdrawn its offer to complete the decommissioning process. In a statement, the organisation said it had taken the offer to put its weapons beyond use off the table. The IRA, which denies claims it was behind the £26.5m Belfast bank raid, said the British and Irish governments had "tried its patience to the limit". Last year, the IRA said it would complete the decommissioning process within weeks and move into what it called a new mode. A Downing Street spokesman said they were not surprised by Wednesday's statement, passed to the An Phoblacht newspaper. "The fact remains that it was the IRA that did carry out the Northern Bank robbery and as the prime minister and the taoiseach said on Tuesday therefore it is the IRA that is the sole obstacle to moving forward," he said. However, the spokesman made it clear the government does not interpret the statement as a threat to return to terrorism. BBC correspondent Mark Simpson said the statement was "more of an IRA tantrum than anything more significant".
The head of the Iraq 
Police on Tuesday killed a militant wanted in the October bombing of an Egyptian tourist resort, only days after Kuwaiti authorities cracked down on militants purportedly influenced by al-Qaida. Tuesday's gunbattle in the Sinai desert and the Kuwait raids follow significant clashes in Bahrain and Oman with suspected militants, raising fears that terrorists inspired or trained by Saudi extremists are taking part in a regional spread of terror.
Ten people were killed in two separate attacks on security forces in Sulu, officials said Wednesday. Two soldiers, a civilian and three members of the al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf militant group were killed Tuesday in a gun battle on the southern island of Jolo, 950 kilometers south of Manila. In a separate attack on Tuesday four policemen were killed when they were attacked by armed men in Maguindanao
THE Chechen rebel leader who masterminded the Beslan school siege last autumn plans more such operations, despite his apparent remorse over the deaths of more than 330 people half of them children in the North Ossetia attack. In his first interview since that bloodbath, 
Six Russian soldiers were killed and 17 injured in the latest 24 hours of violence ending on Wednesday, pro-Russian officials in the war torn republic told AFP. Most of the incidents involved remote controlled mines and other explosions in the southern mountains of Chechnya where most of the rebels are based, and around the war-ravaged capital Grozny. Fighting in the breakaway republic endured from late 1994 to 1996, before erupting anew in October 1999 after a wave of apartment block bombings in Russia that killed hundreds. The official Russian death toll was reported late last year at around 4,500 troops, although a committee of soldiers' mothers estimates the true toll may be three times higher because the Moscow figure does not include people who died of their wound in hospitals outside Chechnya.
In a clear reference to Iraq's weekend balloting, a statement purportedly made by Osama bin Laden's top deputy says holy war, not ''rigged elections,'' is the only path for reform in Islamic nations. The written statement, said to have been the transcript of an audio taped recording of a speech by al-Qaida No. 2 
At least five men died and 10 were wounded in a shootout provoked when the Yemeni army tried to stop tribesmen in a remote tribal region in the north of the country carrying arms in public, witnesses said on Tuesday. The Yemeni authorities are trying to impose a ban on illegal weapons in the Marib province near Saudi Arabia. It was not clear what started the shootout but at least one soldier was killed, the witnesses said.
Georgia's Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania has died, with initial indications the cause was gas poisoning, the ex-Soviet state's Interior Minister said. "Since he did not answer his telephone for a long period his bodyguard broke through the window ... and found Mr Zhvania's body. We can say that this is a case of gas poisoning," Interior Minister Vano Merabishvili said on Georgian television.
Turkish bomb disposal experts have defused a 4 kg bomb found at a bar next to an airbase in southern Turkey used by U.S. forces, the CNN Turk Web site and other media said on Wednesday. It said the home-made explosives, studded with nails and containing powdered potassium, were found in the garden at the entrance to the bar near the Incirlik Air Base. Workers at the bar spotted the package containing the explosives on Tuesday night and informed paramilitary police who cleared the premises. They called police bomb disposal experts who defused the bomb and took it to a laboratory for examination. State-run Anatolian news agency said that, based on eyewitness accounts, police are looking for a man and a woman in connection with the explosives. Police were not immediately available for comment.
Rebels killed 12 Iraqi soldiers near Kirkuk yesterday, said an Iraqi military commander. The 12 soldiers were travelling back from their jobs guarding oil pipelines when they were ambushed on the road between the villages of Azab and Zaraquiya, 85km west of Kirkuk, said General Anwar Amin. Earlier, 11 Iraqis, mostly security forces, have been killed in attacks north and south of Baghdad, security sources said. Meanwhile, the chief of police in Mosul has given insurgents two weeks to give up their weapons or face a crackdown by security forces emboldened after the election. "Hand over your weapons or we will come and get you," police chief Brigadier Mohammed Ahmed Al Jabouri said in a television address. The ultimatum came two days after Iraq held successful national elections despite insurgent threats.
No one knows who was behind Monday's car bombing — or even whether it was one — but it appears to confirm fears of pre-election trouble. The dust has settled from an apparent car bomb which killed one person and shook government buildings in the Tajik capital Dushanbe, but the political fallout is yet to become clear. Most seem to believe the explosion had something to do with politics — Tajikistan holds a general election on February 27 — but what exactly, no one knows.
In a Frankfurt hotel suite, a Yemeni sheik coached his assistant about how to speak in code and said he would funnel money to Al Qaeda, 
I strongly believe that terrorists are cowards but the cowardice you're going to see in this story is just exceptional. The suicide attack that was performed on an election center in one of Baghdad's districts (Baghdad Al-Jadeedah) last Sunday was performed using a kidnapped "Down Syndrome" patient.
... The assumption is that NBC is a valuable resource. But on one of the hottest stories around, the U.N. corruption scandal, NBC has been out to lunch. Why? Its U.N. reporter has been on the payroll of the U.N. lobby. 
(2005-02-02) -- Former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean, whose failed presidential bid in 2004 established the power of the Internet as a campaign tool, seems poised to assume the leadership of the Democrat party, according to a report in The New York Times.
Tammy Jean Warner, 42, gave Michael Warner two large bottles of sherry on May 21, which raised his blood alcohol level to 0.47 percent, or nearly six times the level considered legally drunk in Texas, police detective Robert Turner in Lake Jackson, Texas, told the Houston Chronicle. 
PARIS: French police were Thursday investigating claims that a son of Libyan leader Moamer Gaddafi beat a woman in a Paris hotel earlier in the week. The Libyan embassy was asked to step in after scuffles in two separate luxury hotels, during which 
Supporters of deposed dictator Saddam Hussein are now the main threat to security in Iraq, a senior British commander said today. Lieutenant General John McColl, former deputy commander of coalition forces in Iraq, said that former regime elements were trying to win popular support by representing themselves as "freedom fighters". Giving evidence to the Commons Defence Committee, he said that while militant Islamists like Abu Musab al-Zarqawi had carried out a series of "headline-grabbing" attacks, they only accounted for around 1% of the incidents.
As the vote count moves ahead in Iraq to choose a National Assembly which will draft later a permanent constitution, the much-hoped code looked virtually at stake as Iraqi Sunnis could veto it when a referendum is held in October. Anti-
A top Shia leader tipped to become Iraq's next prime minister has branded 
Chouf MP 
Nabatieh MP 
Syrian President 
The historic summit between Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon will be held in Egypt next week. This is the first summit between the two sides in four years of armed conflict, officials said yesterday. The talks, to be joined by Egyptian President 
Sudan has slammed US insistence on imposing sanctions over Darfur even as doubts have been raised whether Washington will succeed in its attempts. Speaking to Aljazeera from Khartoum on Wednesday, Sudan's Information Minister 
Prime Minister 
Iraqi leaders yesterday stepped up efforts to persuade minority Muslim sects to return into the political process as the final vote count from the country's historic election got under way. Iraq reopened its frontiers and Baghdad airport as it eased a security clampdown imposed for the first free election in the country in more than 50 years. There has been no major attack since Sunday's vote. But Al Qaeda frontman 
Turkey yesterday pledged support for Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas in his people's struggle for statehood and efforts to reform Palestinian institutions. "Lasting peace and stability in the Middle East will not be possible until the Palestinian people achieve their independent state and the honorable, prosperous and free life they deserve," Turkish Parliament Speaker 
Islamic groups in Kuwait have gone on the defensive as liberals step up calls for a clampdown on extremists in the wake of deadly gun battles between security forces and Islamists.
The top UN envoy in Sudan said he was horrified by fresh attacks in Darfur and urged both sides yesterday to stop fighting this month and conclude a peace agreement by the end of the year. "Stop the fighting in February. Talk 10 months ... but you should not give yourselves 10 years," envoy 
A deputy interior minister in Russia's southern republic of Dagestan has been killed after their car was sprayed with bullets in the capital Makhachkala. Magomed Omarov died in hospital, according to state-controlled television channel Pervy Kanal on Wednesday. Dagestan's deputy prosecutor Arsen Bulatov added that two of his bodyguards were also dead and that a third was seriously injured and was in hospital. Omarov and his bodyguards were caught in automatic weapons fire as they were driving into Makhachkala, Bulatov said, adding that the Dagestani prosecutor's office has launched a criminal investigation. The minister was the target of an assassination attempt in May 2003 when his car was blown up by a remote controlled mine in downtown Makhachkala. But both he and his drivers sustained only light injuries.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has come out against parts of an anti-terror bill that would drastically restrict media reporting of militant attacks, a newspaper reported on Wednesday. Putin had told parliament he feared the section of the bill relating to journalists reporting of such attacks violated Russia's existing press law, the respected Vedomosti daily said. The bill, that has already passed the first of three readings in the State Duma (lower house), would bar publication of graphic scenes of violence and restrict journalists' access to the scene of militant strikes. 
British TV personality 
Kurdish self-rule is inevitable if not imminent, according to Kurdistan Democratic Party chief 
Pakistan President Gen. Pervez Musharraf made a call to foreign investors yesterday to help his country fight extremism and terrorism by investing and creating more jobs to alleviate poverty. "I say to foreign investors ...contribute indirectly in fighting extremism and terrorism by creating more jobs and alleviating poverty," Musharraf said at the opening of Expo Pakistan 2005 — at the Karachi Expo Center here. "You can help by investing in Pakistan and increasing imports from here," he told delegates at the fair designed to attract foreign investors scared off by violence that has plagued the country since the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on the United States.
