Challenged by a congressman to "be honest" about how long American troops might have to fight in Afghanistan, Army Gen. David Petraeus revealed that he has a personal stake in ensuring that the U.S. war objectives are met -- his son, Stephen, whose recent combat tour was kept "very quiet." A family of heroes. We thank you all for your service and sacrifices.
#1
Petraeus' son is definitely a hero. Princess Diana's son was not allowed to serve because word got out. This in of itself is a big slap in the face of the TIS (Talibunny Un-intelligence Services). And I thought Allah knows all.
Posted by: Ebbinesing Prince of the Trolls2232 ||
03/17/2011 13:17 Comments ||
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#2
'Well" said the king, 'return to him and to them that sent you hither, and say to them that they send no more to me for any adventure that falleth, as long as my son is alive: and also say to them that they suffer him this day to win his spurs; for if God be pleased, I will this journey be his and the honour thereof, and to them that be about him.' - Quoted from Froissart's chronicle of the legendary episode during the Battle of Crecy in 1346
[Tolo News] Afghan government and the US have discussed a new strategic partnership for further improvement of mutual strategic relations between the two nations. There's a long sentence that said precisely nothing...
During the discussions participated by senior US officials between 13-14 March, both sides "underlined support for an Afghan-led reconciliation process that protects the rights of all Afghans, including women," a statement by Office of President Karzai's National Security Advisor said.
Foreign Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Ahmad Zaher Faqiri told TOLOnews that the discussions would be fruitful in building up Afghan capacities and strengthening relations with the United States.
The statement said both sides reached a consensus that "a stable and peaceful Afghanistan, that is not a safe haven for international terrorism, would serve as an anchor for long-term regional stability and contribute to international security."
The next round of discussions is expected to begin in April.
"The discussions were held at the Presidential Palace and the first round of talks was focused on a joint strategic partnership document," Mr Faqiri said.
During the talks Afghanistan and the the United states underscored that new strategic partnership will lead to capacity building in Afghan organisations and improvement of economic and political relations between Afghanistan and its neighbours, Mr Faqiri said.
Meanwhile, ...back at the bunker... Deputy Foreign Minister Jawid Ludin speaking at 55th anniversary of the institute of diplomacy said security situation in Afghanistan will have its impact on regional security.
Posted by: Fred ||
03/17/2011 00:00 ||
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There have been serious disagreements between Taliban leaders and their fighters within the Taliban's leading council, National Directorate of Security (NDS) said on Wednesday.
The differences among the Taliban leaders and their fighters have made the Taliban to step up suicide kabooms in cooperation with al-Qaeda network in a bid to conceal their defeat in Afghanistan, NDS Spokesperson Lotfullah Mashal said.
Mr Mashal said a number of foreign snuffies with crucial role in recent wave of attacks in northern Afghanistan have been jugged.
He said military pressures by Afghan and foreign troops have forced out snuffies to hide somewhere in Pakistain and refuse to resume their fight in Afghanistan.
"There have been differences of opinion between low and high level Taliban leaders within Taliban's Quetta Shura, Haqqani network and Taliban's council in Beautiful Downtown Peshawar," Mr Mashal said.
An increase in suicide attacks in the north and especially in Kunduz province is a sign of Taliban's failure and panic, he said.
The Taliban have lost all their strongholds and their momentum has been reversed in most all parts of the country, he said.
National security department said two Ukrainian bully boyz along with their Afghan associates have been jugged.
Until cut-thoat sanctuaries beyond the Afghan borders are not rooted out, the counterinsurgency fight would not lead to victory, he said.
We seem to be expanding UAV attacks as quickly as the missiles arrive from the factories (and then there are the American and Afghan Special Forces quietly wandering the landscape, all unmentioned). The next step would be Arclight bombing runs and the infantry rumbling through the passes heading south. We seem a bit thinly stretched at the moment for such excitements.
Posted by: Fred ||
03/17/2011 00:00 ||
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#1
Until cut-thoat sanctuaries beyond the Afghan borders are not rooted out, the counterinsurgency fight would not lead to victory, he said.
We have got rid of the terrorist camps in Afghan and moved them next door close to their owners!
Posted by: Paul ||
03/17/2011 11:10 Comments ||
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I like Taliban leaders divided , hopefully head from rest of body .
The mass-exodus of hundreds of prisoners held on terrorism-related charges continued this week in Egypt.
Mohammad al-Zawahiri, the brother of al-Qaeda's second-in-command, Ayman al-Zawahiri, was released Thursday from Egyptian prison after more than ten years of incarceration. Extradited from the Yemen in 1999, he had been held on charges of conspiring against the government in relation to the assassination of former Egypt's former President Anwar Sadat.
His release comes as the Interior Ministry continues to evacuate "political detainees" by direct order from the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces. Just days ago the cartaker-government released Tareq and Abbud al-Zomor, members of Egypt's al-Jihad Islamic sect who were also held in relation to Sadat's killing in 1981. They were let go as part of a 69-prisoner release being billed as a concession to rights activist. According to Interior Ministry statements, they, along with al-Zawahiri, will be subject to five years surveillance. Read more from Al Arabiya.
In related news, a UN report Thursday indicates the astonishing release of 950 former militants from the Gama'a al-Islamiyya terrorist group. While the Egyptian Interior Ministry has refused official comment on their cases, Montasser al-Zayyat, head of the Lawyers' Syndicate Liberties Committee representing the freed militants said they have been gradually released over the past 11 days. To find out more read this IRIN News release.
AoS note: do NOT put a http link into the space where your name/nyn goes. That has the potential to hose our formatting big time.
Egypt will vote on Saturday on whether to approve amendments to the country's constitution ahead of parliamentary and presidential elections. The changes were drafted by a closed committee over ten days and they were open to public discussion for only three weeks.
And now some 40 million Egyptians are expected to vote on measures that will have a profound effect on their country's future.
And those 40 million will have every bit of the voice they had last year.
The amendments include measures to limit presidential terms, to ease restrictions on presidential candidates and the formation of political parties and to bolster judicial supervision of elections. The changes do not, however, curb the president's powers.
The new president, reluctantly, needs those powers. Y'all will just have to understand.
Speaking on Egyptian television last week, Mohamed ElBaradei, a presidential candidate and former head of the UN's nuclear watchdog, branded the proposed text "a dictator's constitution".
His view has been echoed by many of the young web-savvy militants who led the revolution that toppled Egypt's long-time president, Hosni Mubarak. They argue that the constitution needs to be rewritten from scratch -- and that in its current state it is too similar to the one that upheld Hosni Mubarak's 30-year dictatorship.
To make their point, they are planning a "million man" march for Friday in protest at the proposals.
Egyptian artist and activist Aalam Wassef is one of the educated elite that spearheaded the revolution with activity online and in the streets of Cairo. He told FRANCE 24 that the amendments were "cosmetic" and that the army, which dominates Egypt's caretaker government, was rushing the country into premature elections "in a very undemocratic fashion".
He said: "The amendments were done without any national dialogue by a small committee of eight people who were not chosen by the people. The army is not legitimate to propose amendments. There is no discussion."
Asked if a "Yes" vote would put the brakes on the revolution, he replied that it would "reignite it".
But not all opposition forces agree. The powerful Muslim Brotherhood has called for a "Yes" vote. Critics say that is purely because it would give them an advantage, given that the Brotherhood is the largest and most organised political group outside of Mubarak's own NDP party. Despite Mubarak's fall, the NDP remains the country's biggest and richest party, with the largest number of seats in parliament.
According to Aalam Wassef, the Brotherhood and the NDP are hoping to share power in the future, with the army's blessing. "They are accelerating the process so that alternate parties may not form and take part meaningfully in the election," he said.
Posted by: Steve White ||
03/17/2011 00:00 ||
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The Army still haven't decided who the new Rais (literally head) is going to be?
SYDNEY Australia's foreign minister urged the U.N. Security Council not to let the crisis in Libya become another failure of the international community to save innocent people.
A little late for that, isn't it...
Australia is strongly backing a U.N.-backed no-fly zone over Libya to stop airstrikes by Moammar Gadhafi's forces against an uprising.
Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd cited the genocide in Rwanda and ethnic violence in the Balkans and Sudan's Darfur region as failures of the U.N. to uphold its responsibility to protect innocents.
"Let's look at the U.N. Look back to Rwanda: fail. Look back at Darfur: fail. Look back at the Balkans: partial fail," Rudd told Australian Broadcasting Corp. television Wednesday.
"I would hope the international community would learn from history, because in a month's time, two months' time, three months' time, if for whatever reason Gaddafi begins to prevail and we see the large-scale butchery of Libyan civilians, I am deeply concerned about how the international community will reflect on itself," he said.
The 'international community' lacks a conscience and won't care. The Euros will get the oil flowing again and that's what matters to them. Obama will play another round of golf; that's what matters to him. The Libyan rebels will be hunted down and crucified; that's what matters to Qadaffy.
Posted by: Steve White ||
03/17/2011 00:00 ||
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another failure of the international community to save innocent people
Tell me how many Libyans disapprove of 3 months old Hadas Fogel butchered in her crib, and I'll tell you how many of them are "people", let alone "innocent".
#2
Beware of taking Kevin Rudd's advice: his agenda is the advancement of Kevin Rudd. Something suitably magnificent at the UN preferably, otherwise his old-failed!- job as Prime Minister of Australia will have to do.
#3
I am deeply concerned about how the international community will reflect on itself
That's an easy one. The international community, whatever the hell that is, will blame America for not intervening, unless America does intervene, in which case the international community will blame America for intervening. And they'll work the Juices in there somehow.
Posted by: Matt ||
03/17/2011 9:18 Comments ||
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The only way to keep whatever side from winning from filling mass graves is to put boots on the ground. A lot of boots. You want to put 500,000 troops in Libya Australia? No? The US sure as hell isn't going to. How about you EU? No?
Then all of you shut your foot intake device/bullshit spewer and worry about problems you can fix. You can't save or regulate everyone and the Libyans will have to work things out on their own.
#5
And Kevin Rudd does not speak for Australia. He doesn't even speak for the Government, despite him being Foreign Minister. This is him grandstanding on the world stage, something dear to his heart, while sabotaging Julia Gillard as Prime Minister.
I am repulsed by these clowns. In a couple of years they have debauched my country's politics.
#7
Rwanda: fail. Look back at Darfur: fail.
Great, I love that he not only listens to internet memes, but thinks them appropriate to use in international diplomacy.
MUSCAT The Council of Ministers and the chief of Omans trade union federation called upon the people to protest peacefully and not to indulge in violent activities. While the council of ministers warned the people against unlawful protests, the chairman of the General Federation of Oman Trade Unions (GFOTU) said that protestors should stop behaving in an uncivilised manner like indulging in vandalism, arson and destroying property.
The protestors would get further if they were more like the Tea Party and cleaned up after a protest.
The anti-government protests, which began in February across the country, had turned violent in some places like Sohar, Ibri and Dhank where government and private properties were damaged and arson took place.
The Council of Ministers statement said that the pioneering steps taken by His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said to improve the standard of living of all citizens and provide jobs in many sectors, should be received in proper spirit by the people.
As in, do as you're told.
The Council of Ministers, while warning that no one is above the law,
Except His Enormity, of course...
stated that since the authorities are considering the demands of all the protestors, they should not act in a manner, which is against the laws and legislations of the country. Such acts are also not in harmony with the culture, progress and values of the Sultanate.
Meanwhile, private security guards in Oman blocked the main airport in the Gulf Arab state on Wednesday in a demonstration to demand higher pay, witnesses said. Between 400 and 500 security guards, who are employed by private companies, protested on the Muscat airport road.
Posted by: Steve White ||
03/17/2011 00:00 ||
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SEOUL, March 17 -- South Korea said Thursday it will delay the repatriation of 27 North Koreans who had been set to cross the Yellow Sea border later in the day without four others who have defected here, citing a malfunction in the fishing boat that was to carry them back home.
The Unification Ministry said in a message to reporters that the South Korean Red Thingy Cross notified its North Korean counterpart of the delay through the liaison officials of the two countries. A ministry official, speaking to reporters on the condition of anonymity, said the engine on the fishing boat "was found to be malfunctioning this morning, making it impossible for the vessel to operate."
The engine was a replacement after the original one broke down when the boat strayed south on Feb. 5, carrying the 31 North Koreans across the tense western sea border, the official said.
The Unification Ministry official would not elaborate on the engine problem on the 5-ton wooden fishing boat, dismissing speculation that new defectors have emerged among the 27 North Koreans set to be repatriated.
If we had a CIA worth anything the rumor would be that all 27 wanted to defect.
Posted by: Steve White ||
03/17/2011 00:00 ||
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I can imagine the SKOR CIA fattening them up on rice, kimchae, and bukgoki. After a month or so it would be hard to go back to starving.
[Geo News] Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman John I was in Vietnam, you know Kerry Senator-for-Life from Massachussetts, the Senate's current foreign policy expert, filling the vacated wingtips of Joe Biden... on Wednesday pledged to strengthen United States' relationship with Pakistain, hours after a Pak court set Raymond Davis free when families of victims forgave the CIA contractor in a compensation arrangement for late January killings.
Playing that you actually won in 2004, Senator Kerry?
"This was a very important and necessary step for both of our countries to be able to maintain our relationship and remain focused on progress on bedrock national interests," the senator said in a statement.
Look at the concepts the man thinks he understands! It would be cute, were he not old enough to retire.
A court in Lahore first charged Davis for killing two Paks on January 27 and then aquitted him when the family of victims said they had no objection to his release after the compensation arrangement.
Kerry said he was deeply grateful for the Pak decision.
"As I said last month in my visits to Lahore and Islamabad, we deeply regret the loss of life that led to this difficulty in our relationship and the demonstrations on Pakistain's streets, but neither country could afford for this tragedy to derail our vital relationship.
"We look forward to working with Pakistain to strengthen our relationship and confront our common challenges," added the senator, who visited Pakistain in the days following the shooting in a bid to calm rising tensions.
That there was a Royal We if ever there was one. A pity he speaks for no one but himself, and that poorly.
Posted by: Fred ||
03/17/2011 00:00 ||
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Kerry grandstands on his behalf every chance he gets. Democratic principle: "Don't let a crisis go to waste."
[Ma'an] The Executive Committee of the Paleostine Liberation Organization accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of "waging a vicious campaign" against Paleostinians in the wake of the Itamar murders.
The attitude of Netanyahu and his government in the wake of the killings, secretary of the PLO body Yasser Abed Rabbo ... Paleostinian politician and a member of the Paleostine Liberation Organization's (PLO) Executive Committee. He holds an M.A. in economics and political science from the American University in Cairo..... told news hounds at a news conference on Wednesday, "aimed at destroying all political efforts aimed at reviving the grinding of the peace processor."
Israeli officials immediately branded the murder of the Fogel family in the Itamar settlement a terrorist attack, sparking waves of settler violence and accusations from Paleostinians that Israeli soldiers were doing little to stop the tide.
Netanyahu announced, in retaliation for the attack, the construction of hundreds of new settler homes in the West Bank, adding to half a dozen illegal settlements.
Abed Rabbo, speaking after the PLO meeting which was chaired by President the ineffectual Mahmoud Abbas ... a graduate of the prestigious unaccredited Patrice Lumumba University in Moscow with a doctorate in Holocaust Denial. He was one of the founding members of Fatah. Since no one would talk to him anymore in the wake of the Karine A incident, Yasser Arafat appointed Abbas prime minister in 2003. Arafat then proceeded to pretend there was no such thing as a prime minister and Abbas resigned in frustration in October of the same year. Arafat keeled over dead from AIDS the next year, and Abbas ran in the presidential election in January 2005. Fatah managed to split down the middle between the Greedy Old Guard and the Young Bloodthirsty Guys for the legislative elections, which threw the whole thing to Hamäs. This resulted in a Government of National Unity™, which worked about as well as those things usually do, and Hamäs soon beat up Fatah's goons and threw them out of Gazoo. Recently Hamäs points out, accurately, that Abbas' term as president has expired, but refuses to allow any elections to take place, which prevents him from gracefully stepping down. This the sort of thing we usually expect in Paleostine... , said the Paleostinian leadership "reject the attempts to take advantage" of the killings, and called for "Israeli public opinion not to be dragged by attempts of its government to slander the Paleostinians."
The course of action taken by Netanyahu, he said, was effectively "abuse to the future of the Paleostinian cause."
The official urged on youth groups protesting in Ramallah and Gazoo City, saying their calls for unity must be heeded as a first step on the Paleostinian political sphere in a move that would ultimately "confront settlements and the brutal Israeli crimes carried out against the Paleostinians."
Posted by: Fred ||
03/17/2011 00:00 ||
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"waging a vicious campaign" against Paleostinians in the wake of the Itamar murders.
#2
When the Israelis get to the point of hunting down everyone even remotely connected to this evil, their friends, families and pets, and shooting them like rats at a dump, then I'm willing to consider charges of "waging a vicious campaign". Until then, choke on that candy.
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.
Challenged by a congressman to "be honest" about how long American troops might have to fight in Afghanistan, Army Gen. David Petraeus revealed that he has a personal stake in ensuring that the U.S. war objectives are met -- his son, Stephen, whose recent combat tour was kept "very quiet."
suicide kaboom
[Geo News] Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman 
Yasser Abed Rabbo
