[Garowe] Nearly 29 years have passed, but U.S. Army veteran Jeff Struecker still vividly remembers the day a fellow soldier saved his life and died in the process as their convoy came under attack during the battle that became the basis for the movie "Black Hawk Down."
Struecker, a former Army Ranger who lives in Columbus, Georgia, was leading the convoy in October 1993 as it tried to return to its base after extracting downed helicopter Ranger Pvt. Todd Blackburn in the battle of Mogadishu, Somalia.
"These three Humvees just creeping down the road came under gunfire from hundreds of different directions at the same time. I mean from every doorway, every window ... every rooftop, there was gunfire and grenades and rockets," Struecker, a retired Army major and chaplain, told a Decatur audience Thursday.
Suddenly, the danger turned personal and immediate.
"Down the road on the right side of the Humvee, hiding, waiting for us was a Somali gunman."
Struecker was an easy target, but then his comrade, Dominick Pilla, and the gunman spotted each other.
"Pilla and this gunman exchanged gunfire at the exact same time, and they both killed each other."
Struecker said he would not be alive if Pilla had not been next to him operating a machine gun.
Struecker said he will remember Pilla on Memorial Day and that Monday's holiday is a time to remember men and women who have served in combat and bit the dust.
"It's one of those bittersweet holidays where I thank God that I had the chance to serve with great men and women, but it's sad that they're not with us anymore," Struecker said.
Struecker recalled the danger of the incident in Somalia and said, "I was absolutely certain I was going to die." But his strong faith in God and knowing where he would go when he died got him through the situation, he said, and helped him exhibit a calm in a battle that fellow soldiers recognized. He said it made him realize he should share his faith with soldiers who didn't have it as a bulwark against fear.
The audience of about 150 Decatur Kiwanis Club members and guests also heard Struecker discuss his participation in the invasion of Panama, Operation Desert Storm, and more than a dozen combat tours in Afghanistan and Iraq. He was awarded the Silver Star as well as other medals for his combat service and bravery.
Struecker spent his last years in the service as a chaplain in airborne and ranger units. He retired after almost 23 years of active service and was inducted into the U.S. Army Ranger Hall of Fame.
Marianthe Snyder, from Hartselle, is an Army wife and said Struecker's speech was inspirational on many levels. She said it was a good reminder for this time of year of what military men and women go through.
Around Memorial Day, "there are several different things that go through my mind because we have friends that have lost sons and we have friends that have been lost. But there's a sense of just never-ending gratefulness, just so thankful. It's just a debt I can't ever payback," Snyder said.
Austin Johnson, Giselle Lozano and Daivon "Deuce" Fouche from the Decatur High School JROTC attended the meeting. All are planning to join the military after high school and said they were inspired by Struecker's speech.
Lozano said Memorial Day is a special day "where we can appreciate veterans and anybody who has ever given their life for America and for other people."
Charles Rogers, from Decatur, attended the meeting and said Memorial Day is a time to remember those who have fallen and those who have survived.
"The way the country is right now, I think it's more important than ever," Rogers said.
[ToloNews] "The relationship between the Taliban ...the Pashtun equivalent of men... and al-Qaeda remains close, with the latter celebrating the former’s success and renewing its pledge of allegiance to [Mawlawi Hibatullah Akhundzada]," a UN report said.
The Islamic Emirate has yet to comment on this latest claim but has earlier denied reports of the presence of terrorist groups in Afghanistan.
The report estimated an approximate presence of "180 to 400 fighters affiliated with Al-Qaeda" from "Bangladesh, India, Myanmar and Pakistan" who are settled in "Ghazni, Helmand, Kandahar, Nimruz, Paktika and Zabul provinces."
The UN Security Council released a report by the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team which assessed the presence of al-Qaeda and ISIS groups in Afghanistan.
"Member State assessments thus far suggest that al-Qaeda has a safe haven under the Taliban and increased freedom of action. Ayman al-Zawahiri ...Formerly second in command of al-Qaeda, now the head cheese, occasionally described as the real brains of the outfit. Formerly the Mister Big of Egyptian Islamic Jihad. Bumped off Abdullah Azzam with a car boom in the course of one of their little disputes. Is thought to have composed bin Laden's fatwa entitled World Islamic Front Against Jews and Crusaders. Currently residing in the North Wazoo area assuming he's not dead like Mullah Omar. He lost major face when he ordered the nascent Islamic State to cease and desist and merge with the orthodox al-Qaeda spring, al-Nusra... has issued more frequent recorded messages since August, and there is now proof of life for him as recently as February 2022," the report said.
The report estimated an approximate presence of "180 to 400 fighters affiliated with al-Qaeda" from "Bangladesh, India, Myanmar and Pakistain" who are settled in "Ghazni, Helmand ...an Afghan province populated mostly by Pashtuns, adjacent to Injun country in Pak Balochistan... , Kandahar, Nimruz, Paktika ...which coincidentally borders South Wazoo... and Zabul provinces."
"The Islamic Emirate has yet to reach a final discussion regarding this issue. The officials of the Islamic Emirate should provide final assurances in this regard," said Shir Hassan Hassan, an international relations analyst.
"After the killing of (the late Osama bin Laden ...... who used to be alive but now he's not...... ), the al-Qaeda has become a diminished organization. In fact, al-(Qaeda) is not an important danger to the world," said Torek Farhadi, a political analyst.
"These are the excuses for the Islamic Emirate. The Islamic Emirate should clarify its stance about whether it has a link with al-Qaeda or not. If not, then clearly deny it," said Sayed Ishaq Gailani, leader of the National Solidarity Movement of Afghanistan.
The report said that " Taliban are starting to see the National Resistance® Front challenge fading while recognizing ISIS-K as a more long-term and serious threat."
[KhaaamaPress] Members of the Supreme Council of National Resistance® for the Salvation of Afghanistan issued a statement, on Friday, 27th May, calling the Taliban ...the Pashtun equivalent of men... ’s recent actions, including convening the Loya Jirga and forming the Return and Communications with Former Afghan Officials and Political Figures Commission, a "ploy" that they "firmly reject."
While the Taliban lacks national and international legitimacy, the council claimed that the Taliban had made "desperate efforts" to gain support from the Afghan people and the international community, as well as to rule the "oppressed" people for a period of time.
The council said in a statement that the Taliban were staging a "sinister plot" by hosting a "show", referring to the meeting of the "Great Assembly of Afghans" at the behest of a pre-determined plan.
The National Resistance® Council for the Salvation of Afghanistan, according to the statement, denies both Taliban attempts, calling them "an insult to the collective consciousness of the people, a disdain to political figures and their complicity in the Taliban’s crimes, and a play on the international community’s thoughts."
"The Taliban must understand that no conscientious political figure, no committed and diligent scholar, and no brave and patriotic woman is willing turn a blind eye on the blood of Afghanistan’s oppressed people and their just demands and partake in the group’s crime," the statement stated.
The council also said the Taliban should know that the group’s treatment of domestic politicians, its violence against women and former regime employees, is the best measure of how it treats others.
The Supreme Council of Resistance® for the Salvation of Afghanistan has stated that instead of these "ridiculous tricks and games," the Taliban should seek realistic and viable solutions to the country’s present situation.
According to the council, the Taliban must comply with the legitimate demands of the Afghan people, including the formation of a transitional government and then a regime based on the people’s will through general elections, in order to bring real change to the country and bring stability, security, and prosperity to the country.
The statement comes as the Taliban has established a commission to invite and protect political figures inside the country. In addition, the group plans to hold an assembly in Kabul, labeling it the Loya Jirga, to obtain internal legitimacy.
[ToloNews] The deportation of Afghan refugees by Iran ...The word Iran is a cognate form of Aryan. The abbreviation IRGC is the same idea as Stürmabteilung (or SA). The term Supreme Guide is a the modern version form of either Duce or Führer or maybe both... has been continuing, the Ministry of Refugee and Repatriation said, adding that more than 700,000 Afghans have returned to the country since the Islamic Emirate swept into power.
Speaking at a presser in Herat ...a venerable old Persian-speaking city in western Afghanistan, populated mostly by Tadjiks, which is why it's not as blood-soaked as areas controlled by Pashtuns... , the deputy Minister of Refugees and Repatriation put the number of Afghans being deported by Iran between 2,000-3,000 a day.
"Since the Islamic Emirate took power, between 600,000 to 700,000 Afghan refugees have returned home, while many of them were deported by Iran," said Mohammad Arsalah Kharotai, deputy Minister of Refugees and Repatriation.
He called on the Iran government to hold those who mistreated the Afghan refugees accountable.
"We call once again on all countries, particularly from Iran, to treat the Afghan refugees based on international norms," Kharotai said.
Elderly women and kiddies are among the deportees.
The Afghans refugees returning from Iran have complained about the mistreatment they faced in neighboring countries.
"The Iranians treated Afghans badly. They would beat up the Afghans," said Daud, a resident of Ghazni, who has been deported by Iran.
"They were oppressing the Afghans. They were beating the Afghans," said Mohammad Aauz, a resident of Herat.
Meanwhile, ...back at the pond, Gloria slowly backed away from the eight-foot bull frog. If the creature croaked she would surely be deafened... an Afghan charity organization in the US donated a shipment worth five million dollars to the vulnerable people in Afghanistan.
"This shipment arrived in Afghanistan. It is worth five million dollars. The shipment includes clothes, socks, blankets, jumpers and boots," said Farhad Safi, a member of the charity.
Posted by: trailing wife ||
05/30/2022 00:00 ||
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[Garowe] A leading peace and civil society activist in Somalia has passed away, his immediate family has confirmed, in what has been termed as a serious setback to the teams organizing reconciliation in a country that has struggled with instability for decades.
Abdullahi Mohammed Shirwa, a much-loved activist, died on Saturday night after illness, state media reported. Abdullahi spent most of his adult life trying to pacify communities in Somalia. He was the co-founder, and chair of the Somali Peace Line civil society organization.
Since the ouster of Siad Barre in 1991, Somalia has never enjoyed peace and there have been deliberate efforts to unite the country, which is also battling with al-Shabaab ...... the Islamic version of the old Somali warlord... menace. al-Shabaab first emerged in 2007 and has been terrorizing people in the country and across the borders.
The death of Abdullahi Mohammed Shirwa is a big loss for Somalia according to analysts who have previously covered his peace initiatives. Recently he led the team that collected $4.4M for the victims of the Zobe explosion, which helped 1000s including 1,547 orphans, per VOA's Harun Maruf.
President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud termed the death a "huge blow" to the fragile nation and asked the world to pray for his family. The president, who assumed office last week, noted that the country should emulate the activist by preaching peace across the nation.
Mohammed Hussein Roble, who is the Prime Minister, also mourned the dear departed as a selfless leader who "used available resources" to bolster peace in the country. Similar tributes were passed by Puntland ...a region in northeastern Somalia, centered on Garowe in the Nugaal province. Its leaders declared the territory an autonomous state in 1998. Puntland and the equally autonomous Somaliland seem to have avoided the clan rivalries and warlordism that have typified the rest of Somalia, which puts both places high on the list for Islamic subversion... President Said Abdullahi Deni.
His death comes at the time Somalia's new government has called upon the world to chip in and assist in the peacebuilding network. The US has already confirmed that it is dispatching close to 500 soldiers who will help the country in stabilizing.
The African Union ...a union consisting of 53 African states, most run by dictators of one flavor or another. The only all-African state not in the AU is Morocco. Established in 2002, the AU is the successor to the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), which was even less successful... Mission Forces [ATMIS] has already started plans to hand over security responsibilities to the Somali National Army [SNA] but the program is likely to take a little bit longer because of the rising al-Shabaab threat in the voice.
[AlAhram] Sudan's army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan on Sunday lifted a state of emergency imposed since last year's military take over, the ruling sovereign council said.
Burhan "issued a decree lifting the state of emergency nationwide," the council said in a statement.
The order was made "to prepare the atmosphere for a fruitful and meaningful dialogue that achieves stability for the transitional period", it added.
Sunday's decision came after a meeting with senior military officials recommending the state of emergency be lifted and people detained under an emergency law be freed.
It also came after the latest calls by UN special representative Volker Perthes for removing the state of emergency, following the killing of two protesters during anti-coup protests on Saturday.
Sudan has been rocked by mass protests since the military take over, which have been met by a violent mostly peaceful crackdown that has left nearly 100 people dead and hundreds maimed, according to pro-democracy medics.
Hundreds of activists have also been rounded up in the clampdown under emergency laws.
On Sunday, military officials also recommended allowing the live TV unit of the Qatar ...an emirate on the east coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It sits on some really productive gas and oil deposits, which produces the highest per capita income in the world. They piss it all away on religion, financing the Moslem Brotherhood and several al-Qaeda affiliates. Home of nutbag holy manYusuf al-Qaradawi... -based network Al Jazeera to resume operations in Sudan, after authorities banned it in January for "unprofessional" coverage of protests.
Sudan has been reeling from deepening unrest since Burhan led the October 25 coup, upending a fragile transition following the 2019 ouster of president Omar al-Bashir ...Former President-for-Life of Sudan He came to power in 1989 when he, as a brigadier in the Sudanese army, led a group of officers in a bloodless military coup that ousted the government of Prime Minister Sadiq al-Mahdi and eventually appointed himself head cheese. He fell out with his Islamic mentor, Hasan al-Turabi, tried to impose shariah on the Christian and animist south, resulting in its secessesion, and attempted to Arabize Darfur by unleashing the barbaric Janjaweed on it. Sudan's potential prosperity has been pissed away in warfare that has left as many as 400,000 people dead and 2.5 million displaced. Hee was overthrown by popular consent in 2019. Omar has been indicted for genocide by the International Criminal Court but nothing is expected to come of it... The military takeover triggered widespread international condemnation and punitive measures, including crucial aid cuts by Western governments pending the resumption of the transition to civilian rule.
Sudan, one of the world's poorest countries, is also struggling from a plunging economy due to decades of international isolation and mismanagement under Bashir.
The United Nations ...where theory meets practice and practice loses... , along with the African Union ...a union consisting of 53 African states, most run by dictators of one flavor or another. The only all-African state not in the AU is Morocco. Established in 2002, the AU is the successor to the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), which was even less successful... and regional bloc IGAD, have been pushing to facilitate Sudanese-led talks to resolve the crisis.
Western governments have backed the UN-AU-IGAD bid and urged Sudanese factions to participate in the process.
Burhan has pledged to free political detainees to set the stage for talks among Sudanese factions.
Last month, Sudanese authorities released several anti-coup civilian leaders arrested in the crackdown.
Unless it is announced that this is the final ruling, it is only another stage along the intricately winding path that is the Egyptian judicial process, a process that is as much a deliberate punishment as an actual sentence would be. No doubt Hell’s devils are envious...
[AlAhram] A Cairo Supreme State Security Court sentenced on Sunday acting Moslem Brüderbund guide Mahmoud Ezzat and former presidential candidate and leader of the Strong Egypt Party Abdel-Moneim Abul-Fotouh along with 16 others to 15 years in prison on charges of leading an illegal group and spreading false news.
The court also sentenced 15 others to life in prison and two other defendants — including Strong Egypt Party Vice President Mohammed El-Kassas to 10 years in prison.
The high state security prosecution accused Abul-Fotouh and Ezzat as well others in the trial of several charges, including leading the Moslem Brüderbund terrorist organization that attempted to change the regime by force and executing terrorist attacks targeting judges, army and police personnel, and public institutions in order to topple the regime.
Abul-Fotouh was also accused of spreading false news in an interview with Qatar ...an emirate on the east coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It sits on some really productive gas and oil deposits, which produces the highest per capita income in the world. They piss it all away on religion, financing the Moslem Brotherhood and several al-Qaeda affiliates. Home of nutbag holy manYusuf al-Qaradawi... i-based al-Jazeera news agency about the regime.
The 71-year-old physician had been a leading member of the Moslem Brüderbund since his university years in the 1970’s, however, he left the group in 2011 over organizational disagreements.
In June 2012 — following the 25 January Revolution — Abul-Fotouh ran an independent presidential bid in the first presidential elections after Mubarak’s ouster, finishing fourth with 18 percent of the votes in the first round of the election, which was eventually won by the Moslem Brüderbund’s Mohammed Morsi in a run-off against Ahmed Shafiq.
Shortly after the 2012 presidential elections, Abul-Fotouh established the Strong Egypt Party.
Abul-Fotouh was arrested in February 2018 hours after his return from a visit to London, during which he was interviewed by al-Jazeera and reportedly criticised government policies.
Meanwhile, ...back at the shouting match, a new, even louder, voice was to be heard... Acting Moslem Brüderbund Supreme Guide Mahmoud Ezzat was arrested in a hideout in Eastern Cairo in 2020 and was sentenced in April 2021 to life over charges of murder and terrorism in a case known in the media as the ’Guidance Bureau Case.’
He was also sentenced in December of last year to life for collaborating with the Paleostinian group Hamas, the braying voice of Islamic Resistance®, and other foreign organizations and disclosing information pertaining to Egypt’s national security.
Moreover, he was sentenced to life in prison in April in the ’Storming of the Eastern Borders Case’ that goes back to 2011.
The Moslem Brüderbund has been designated a terrorist organization by the Egyptian government since December 2013.
[AlAhram] Egypt’s Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry discussed recent Israeli provocations in the Paleostinian territories with Secretary of Paleostinian Fatah Movement’s Central Committee in Cairo Jebril Ragoub, the Egyptian foreign ministry announced.
“Tut, tut. And again I say tut!”
“Too which, sir, I add a harumph!”
The press release which thereafter was sent out summarized the discussions as follows:
The parties found themselves once again in harmonious accord, indignantly tutting and harumphing in chorus at the perfidious conduct of the Joos, who refuse to vacate premises taken by the Ummah by right of conquest from the Romans a millennium ago.
Tensions rose in East Jerusalem Sunday as Israel allowed its controversial flag march celebrating the full capture of the city in the 1967 Six Day War with thousands of Israelis marching through the Paleostinian quarters carrying the Israeli flag.
Also on Sunday, groups of Israeli settlers stormed al-Aqsa Mosque, the third holiest place for Moslems around the world.
From his side, Minister Shoukry stressed the necessity of suspending any procedures or practices that target the Moslem and Christian Arab identity of the city of Jerusalem and change the historical and legal status of the city, warning that the escalation impacts the stability of the Paleostinian territories.
The Paleostinian presidency issued a statement condemning the Israeli actions saying that "Israel was playing with fire by allowing the settlers to desecrate the holy sites in East Jerusalem."
The Egyptian FM also warned that the expansion of settlement activity, whether through building new settlements, expanding current settlements or confiscating land from Paleostinians, undermines the opportunity to reach a two-state solution in Paleostine.
Sameh Shoukry asserted in the meeting with the Fatah official Egypt’s continuing support to the Paleostinian cause and the legitimate rights of the Paleostinian people.
Egypt has reiterated its full support for the two-state solution and an independent Paleostinian state on the borders of 5 June 1967 with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Y’all keep chasing that phantom if it makes you happy — just understand that even President Biden can’t make it happen.
Apparently it’s that time of year again, when vapid statements about belling the cat are made by various mice in conference.
[AlAhram] Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shoukry held a meeting on Wednesday with his Jordanian and Paleostinian counterparts on the sidelines of the 157th ordinary session of the Arab League ...an organization of Arabic-speaking states with 22 member countries and four observers. The League tries to achieve Arab consensus on issues, which usually leaves them doing nothing but a bit of grimacing and mustache cursing... Council at the ministerial level, in an attempt to revive peace talks and resolve the Paleostinian-Israeli conflict.
During the meeting, Shoukry discussed with Jordanian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Ayman al-Safadi and Paleostinian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Riad Maliki the latest political developments that Paleostine is witnessing, a statement by the ministry said.
The meeting also touched on the most prominent areas of cooperation between Egypt, Jordan and Paleostine and ways to further enhance their relations, foreign ministry front man Ahmed Hafez said.
The three foreign ministers stressed the importance of launching serious negotiations between Paleostine and Israel in an effort to reach a comprehensive, fair and ever-lasting peace that guarantees the establishment of an independent Paleostinian state on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, Hafez noted.
The three ministers also expressed their aspiration for the concerned parties to actively engage in the grinding of the peace processor and to work towards addressing everything that undermines the chances of reaching a two-state solution and establishing peace in the region.
Shoukry affirmed Egypt's continued support for Paleostine at various levels, and agreed to continue coordination and consultation with all concerned parties during the coming period, according to the statement.
This came ahead of the opening of the 157th ordinary session of the vaporous Arab League Council, which was headed by the Lebanese FM, where Arab foreign ministers called on the international community to revive the grinding of the peace processor in accordance with relevant international references and the Arab Peace Initiative.
They call, but only the nymph Echo responds.
Meanwhile, instead of posturing, Israel and Egypt do this:
Israel and Egypt are moving to strengthen economic ties and hope to reach $700 million in annual bilateral trade in the next three years, the Economy and Industry Ministry said Sunday.
Under a new proposed plan, the two countries are set to jointly develop the Nitzana crossing between them, where commercial trade is handled, as a regional logistics center and a joint employment area; engage in R&D cooperation; develop joint projects in the area of green energy; and increase the number of direct flights. The plan will also see Israel increase imports of food, fresh fish, and construction materials from Egypt and exports of agriculture solutions and technologies.
The two countries are targeting annual trade (excluding tourism and natural gas exports) at about $700 million by 2025, up from about $300 million in 2021, according to the ministry.
Most Israeli exports to Egypt are in the textile sector, with the rest in areas like chemicals, rubber and plastics and other materials. Israel imports agricultural and food products from Egypt, as well as chemicals, electrical machinery, rubber and plastics, and minerals and fuels, the ministry said.
The new plan will expose more Israeli industries to the Egyptian market and make development and infrastructure projects accessible to Israeli tech companies, the ministry added.
[OneIndia] Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Saturday said that everyone should abide by the High Court and the government's orders after the Hijab issue resurfaced in Mangaluru.
"There is no need to create hijab controversy (again), the court has given its order, all have to abide by the court and the government's order. Majority of them, about 99.99 per cent of them, are following it. The syndicate's resolution is also that court order has to be followed...according to me, studies should be important for students," Bommai told the news hounds.
He said that matter is closed "after a meeting." Mangalore University Vice Chancellor Prof P Subrahmanya Yadapadithaya had said on Friday that the college will facilitate admission of Moslem girl students in other institutions if they insist on wearing hijab inside classrooms, PTI reported.
The Vice-Chancellor had said that students wearing hijab will be counselled and an attempt will be made to convince them regarding the need for attending the classes without the headscarf.
The hijab issue had once again come to the fore on Thursday as a group of students from the University College in Mangaluru staged a protest at the campus alleging that a few Moslem girl students are attending classes wearing the headscarf.
The Karnataka High Court on March 15 dismissed petitions filed by a group of Moslem students, seeking permission to wear hijab inside classrooms.
The three-judge bench of the court consisting of Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi, Justice Krishna S Dixit and Justice J M Khazi further noted that the prescription of school uniform is only a reasonable restriction, constitutionally permissible, which the students cannot object to.
Following the High Court order, the Department of Pre-University Education has made uniforms prescribed by the College Development Committee, compulsory for Pre-University (PU) students from the 2022-23 academic year.
It also states that in case no uniform is prescribed by the College Development Committee or management, students must wear a garment which will "maintain equality and unity, and which does not disturb public order".
To a question on demands for the sacking of textbook revision committee chairperson Rohith Chakratirtha accusing him of "saffronising" school textbooks, by including a lesson regarding RSS founder Keshav Baliram Hedgewar's speech and making other changes, Bommai said he would discuss this with Primary and Secondary Education Minister B C Nagesh on the developments.
"He (Nagesh) is aware of all the developments, I will speak to him and make a decision," he added.
[Rudaw] In a rare occurrence that earned the high praise of Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani, a Christian on Thursday graduated from Zakho Military College in Duhok. The Assyrian’s graduation may have inspired scores of other young Christians in the Kurdistan Region and Iraq, many of whom previously viewed the military as an unsuitable option, paving the way for them to enlist in the Peshmerga forces.
Eldad Apraim Yaldakhaei, 25, was always passionate about the military, and hoped to join the Peshmerga forces ever since he was a little boy. While Yaldakhaei was initially concerned that his religion might serve as a tool for discrimination, he decided to chase his dreams anyway and told Rudaw English over the phone on Saturday that "it was all worth it" in the end.
"I thought that they wouldn't prioritize me because I was a Christian and maybe I would be disadvantaged in the college, but I applied and they accepted around 500 students among more than 7,000 applicants for the college," Yaldakhaei said proudly, mentioning that a degree in military sciences is "very special" and will greatly assist him in the future.
While delivering a speech to the graduating class of Zakho Military College on Thursday, President Barzani specifically praised Yaldakhaei for being the only Christian graduate among 499 other Peshmerga officers, and encouraged other minorities, such as Yazidis and Turkmen, to enlist in the force. The president's remarks have served as a source of pride to the young Assyrian Christian and his family.
"I brought pride to my home, my family, my village, and all Christians," he said with delight, when asked about the president’s comments. "It was a very big deal when someone like President Barzani distinctively calls out your name and congratulates you among 499 others."
Yaldakhaei's fears of discrimination were put to rest upon his arrival at the college. Differentiation on the basis of religion or ethnicity was entirely nonexistent in his academy, he explained, and during the nearly two and a half years he spent at the college, he was never discriminated against by his superiors or fellow students.
"I had many friends, and not once did they ask me questions about religion. There, it's all about humanity. Everybody would pray their respective prayers and we had no differences whatsoever," he said, adding that "we are all like brothers."
The unorthodox decision by Yaldakhaei to enlist in the Peshmerga and his subsequent success has set the scene for further Christian participation in the force. After the popularity he attained from being recognized by President Barzani, scores of young Christians who had previously refrained from joining the military due to safety concerns because of their religious background have been calling Yaldakhaei for advice on how to apply to the college, he said.
The decades-long conflict between The Sick Man of Europe Turkey ...the only place on the face of the earth that misses the Ottoman Empire... and the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) has brought devastation to the Assyrian village of Chalik, which Yaldakhaei is originally from. He expressed concern about his village's state due to frequent Ottoman Turkish bombardments and wished that his people could safely return to their homeland again.
#1
So his classmates didn't give him a hard time. Interesting. The Peshmerga has a good rep, but this takes it another step.
Also opens up other sources of manpower.
Posted by: Richard Aubrey ||
05/30/2022 0:26 Comments ||
Top||
#2
So his classmates didn't give him a hard time.
They might have at first, but upon seeing the kid was dedicated to the actual task (and not trying to be something 'special'), cut him some slack and they all proceeded together.
Posted by: Mullah Richard ||
05/30/2022 8:23 Comments ||
Top||
The highly indignant view from Pakistan. Comments from the participants in a video at the end.
[Dawn] Israel President Isaac Herzog has said that he recently received a delegation of Pak-Americans, calling it an "amazing experience" and referring to it as an example that showed him "great change" vis-a-vis Israel's ties with the Moslem world.
Herzog delivered these remarks during a special address at the annual World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting on May 26 in Davos, Switzerland ...home of the Helvetians, famous for cheese, watches, yodeling, and William Tell... , while talking about the Abraham Accords — a deal brokered by the United States in 2020 which saw normalisation of relations between Israel, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain.
Continued on Page 49
[IsraelTimes] In rare interview with al-Jazeera network, Muhammad Sinwar says May 2021 conflict with Israel changed the equation; describes failed plan to kidnap IDF soldiers
The brother of Hamas, the well-beloved offspring of the Moslem Brotherhood, terror group leader Yahya Sinwar said in an interview that last year’s conflict with Israel laid down new ground rules in which firing rockets at cities in Israel’s heartland from the Gazoo ...Hellhole adjunct to Israel and Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, inhabited by Gazooks. The place was acquired in the wake of the 1967 War and then presented to Paleostinian control in 2006 by Ariel Sharon, who had entered his dotage. It is currently ruled with an iron fist by Hamaswith about the living conditions you'd expect. It periodically attacks the Hated Zionist Entity whenever Iran needs a ruckus created or the hard boyz get bored, getting thumped by the IDF in return. The ruling turbans then wave the bloody shirt and holler loudly about oppression and disproportionate response... Strip became more viable.
Continued on Page 49
[IsraelTimes] Paleostinian Authority, Jordan condemn Israel for allowing ’extremists’ — including far-right MK Ben Gvir — to visit holy site
A record number of Jews visited the Temple Mount on Sunday to mark Jerusalem Day, prompting rebukes from Jordan and the Paleostinian Authority.
According to the Israel Police, some 2,600 Jews were granted entry to the holy site, in groups of 40-50 in two waves in the morning and afternoon.
Hundreds had arrived early in the morning to wait for a chance to tour the site, and many more did not get in.
The figure was an all-time record, according to Hebrew media reports.
It smashed what was previously considered the record, on the fast day of Tisha B’Av in August 2019, when some 1,700 Jews visited.
Among those who visited the site on Sunday was far-right MK Itamar Ben Gvir.
The Temple Mount — which also houses the al-Aqsa Mosque — is administered by the Waqf, a religious trust run and funded by Jordan. The site is the holiest place for Jews, as the place of biblical temples, and al-Aqsa is the third holiest shrine in Islam, turning the area into a major flashpoint in the Israeli-Paleostinian conflict.
A spokesperson for Paleostinian Authority President the ineffectual Mahmoud Abbas ...aka Abu Mazen, a graduate of the prestigious unaccredited Patrice Lumumba University in Moscow with a doctorate in Holocaust Denial. While no Yasser Arafat, he has his own brand of evil, just a little more lowercase.... said Israel was "playing with fire" by allowing "settlers to desecrate holy sites."
"[Israel] is disregarding international law and considers itself above the law," presidential spokesperson Nabil Abu Rudeineh said, according to the official WAFA news agency.
Abu Rudeineh called for "the international community, especially the US administration, to assume their responsibilities regarding what is taking place."
Meanwhile, ...back at the wreckage, Captain Poindexter wished he had thought to pack sun block... Jordan’s foreign ministry denounced Israel for allowing Ben Gvir and other Jewish "extremists" to visit the holy site.
"The Foreign Ministry spokesperson demanded of Israel that it cease all practices and violations of the al-Aqsa Mosque," the ministry said in a statement.
The Jordanians also condemned the "provocative, escalatory" Flag March that began later on Sunday, warning it could lead to an eruption of violence.
Though it is a national holiday, Jerusalem Day, which marks Israel’s conquest of the Old City and East Jerusalem from Jordan in the 1967 Six Day War, is celebrated nowadays mainly by national-religious Jews.
Most prominently, youths parade through the Old City for the contentious Flag March. Israeli officials have worked to dispel false rumors that the parade route includes the Temple Mount.
Under an increasingly frayed arrangement known as the status quo, Jews are generally allowed to visit the Temple Mount during limited hours, but not pray there or perform other acts of worship that can be seen as a provocation to Moslems.
Prior to the arrival of the Jewish visitors at the site Sunday, dozens of Paleostinians barricaded themselves inside al-Aqsa Mosque and hurled rocks at security forces stationed outside.
In an apparent violation of the so-called status quo, several Jewish visitors who visited the mount raised Israeli flags. The Hamas, a contraction of the Arabic words for "frothing at the mouth", terror group has previously signaled that the waving of the Israeli flag at the holy site, which includes the al-Aqsa Mosque, could trigger a violent mostly peaceful response.
[IsraelTimes] State Department’s point-man on the conflict to be elevated to position of special envoy to Paleostinians; US embassy’s Paleostinian unit to report directly to him, not ambassador
The Biden administration, the same old faces in slightly different places, the same old ideas, the same old graft ...the collection of boodlers, grifters, hangers-on, and self-proclaimed experts affiliated with the Biden Crime Family. Entrusted with an entire nation as the result of a suspicious election, they set about happily implementing stuff they absorbed in college, all of which blew up and splattered the rest of us... has settled on a series of steps aimed at boosting its diplomatic ties to the Paleostinians in lieu of reopening the US Consulate in Jerusalem — a move it reluctantly shelved amid Israeli opposition.
Continued on Page 49
[BenarNews] The Philippine Congress on Wednesday officially declared Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Sara Duterte-Carpio winners of the May 9 presidential and vice-presidential polls, saying the running mates each garnered about 60 percent of ballots cast in landslide victories.
The declaration was a crowning moment for Marcos, the son and namesake of the late Philippine dictator, as he sealed his quest to follow in his footsteps as president, despite the long and dark shadow of his father’s brutal rule. It also guaranteed that a Duterte would have a top position in the incoming administration as President Rodrigo Duterte exits office at the end of June.
This year’s proclamation of electoral results — the fastest in the country’s history — came after the House of Representatives and Senate convened as a canvassing body a day earlier. Congress noted that lawyers for top opposition candidate Leni Robredo, who received less than half of the votes for Marcos, did not pose any objection.
"We did not sacrifice transparency and authenticity of the results for a speedy count," said Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri, who chaired the process, adding that Marcos garnered close to 59 percent of the total presidential votes cast, while Duterte-Carpio, the daughter of the incumbent president, took in 61.5 percent of votes for VP.
Marcos’s inauguration is set for June 30, under the Philippine Constitution, and his first work day will be July 1.
FAMILY PRESENT
Among those attending the announcement on Wednesday were Marcos’s family, including his mother, Imelda. The aging matriarch of the political clan remains a polarizing figure in the Philippines, 36 years after a peaceful people-power revolt removed her dictator husband, Ferdinand E. Marcos, from office.
Marcos Jr.’s sister, Imee Marcos, a senator, said the family was grateful to the Philippine people for giving them a chance to revive the Marcos name.
Imee Marcos said the family had been unduly judged through the years after her father went into exile in Hawaii in 1986, where he died three years later. The elder Marcos had ruled the nation for more than two decades and had declared martial law in 1972.
Following his death, Imelda Marcos and their three children were allowed to return home and were never barred from running for public office.
In 2016, the family supported Rodrigo Duterte’s successful presidential campaign, the same year Marcos lost the vice presidential race to Robredo. One of Duterte’s first official acts as president was to transfer the remains of the Marcos patriarch to the National Heroes’ Cemetery in Manila.
"Yes we’re very, very grateful for a second chance as it were, because we have gone through so much. They have filed many cases against us, on top of their criticism and oppression. Our family really suffered for the past almost four decades," Imee Marcos told news hounds.
"So I thank everyone who trusted us, to our loyalists, the Ilocanos and to those who believed that the country really needs strong leadership," she said, referring to the people of the Ilocos region, the family’s northern bailiwick.
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.
[Garowe] Nearly 29 years have passed, but U.S. Army veteran 
...... who used to be alive but now he's not......
...the Pashtun equivalent of men...
...The word 
...... the Islamic version of the old Somali warlord...
...an emirate on the east coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It sits on some really productive gas and oil deposits, which produces the highest per capita income in the world. They piss it all away on religion, financing the Moslem Brotherhood and several al-Qaeda affiliates. Home of nutbag holy manYusuf al-Qaradawi...
...the only place on the face of the earth that misses the Ottoman Empire...
...home of the Helvetians, famous for cheese, watches, yodeling, and William Tell...
...aka Abu Mazen, a graduate of the prestigious unaccredited Patrice Lumumba University in Moscow with a doctorate in Holocaust Denial. While no Yasser Arafat, he has his own brand of evil, just a little more lowercase....
...the collection of boodlers, grifters, hangers-on, and self-proclaimed 
