I'm experimenting with XML, since I'm pretty ignorant on the subject. Link is on the right. I grabbed the format from Suman, generated by Blogger Pro. I haven't yet delved into RSS, but it'll come... Offers of tips, hints, help, hand-holding, or back massage will all be appreciated and gratefully accepted...
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
07/28/2002 07:41 pm ||
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American forces bombed a village in the suburb of Khost, an informed source said. The American troops that were pursuing some unidentified Afghans attacked the village of Abgholi, 15 kilometers southeast of Khost, but faced the protest of the people. The American troops then engaged in a confrontation with the people, the source said, adding, as a result the U.S. forces dispatched one fighter and two helicopters to bomb the village. After the bombing, the village was encircled by the U.S. forces and nobody was allowed to leave the place. Due to the siege of the region, the number of casualties is not clear. Y'think this mighta had something to do with the ambush on the convoy yesterday? Or was it just another wedding?
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
07/28/2002 08:56 am ||
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another confrontation with The Peopleâ¢. At least this time we've encircled the swamp - time to drain it and see what mudsuckers are left... There should be no repeats of Mullah Omar riding off on a dirtbike. Find 'em, catch 'em, kill 'em.
Posted by: Frank G ||
07/28/2002 9:26 Comments ||
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The position of ethnic Pashtuns is particularly precarious. While Pashtuns form a majority of the population in the country as a whole, they are a minority in the north, which is dominated by ethnic Tajiks, Uzbeks and Hazaras. Moreover, whether or not they supported the Taliban, they are nevertheless identified with the fundamentalist militia, which derived the bulk of its support from southern Pashtun tribes. Could be because when they were on top they engaged in murder, rape, robbery, extortion, and random sadism...
In the late 1990s, fighting between the Taliban and the various militias now comprising the Northern Alliance left a bitter legacy of ethnic animosity, the result of appalling atrocities on all sides. Very even-handed description. The Pashtuns tried to wipe out the Hazaras...
With no militia of their own, ethnic Pashtuns in northern Afghanistan, many of whom have roots going back generations, have been the subject of torture, rape and murder. The extent of the violence was brought to light in a lengthy Human Rights Watch report published in April entitled âPaying for the Talibanâs Crimes: Abuses Against Ethnic Pashtuns in Northern Afghanistanâ. Based on eyewitness accounts, the report described how Pashtun villages were attacked after being disarmed by local militia commanders. Some families were stripped of their personal possessions; others were beaten and tortured. There were also some cases of rape. All this has to stop if Afghanistan is ever to become a civilized country. But you don't hear of hundreds and even thousands being killed at a go under the new regime, and the atrocities aren't policy. It's the usual Human Rights Watch policy of holding the regime to a theoretical standard of perfection that's never been achieved within the country, rather than pointing out how much better things are and congratulating them, while acknowledging that there is still a way to go...
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
07/28/2002 09:32 am ||
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Iraq said on Sunday it had taken all measures to face a possible U.S. military strike to topple President Saddam Hussein. "Our leadership has prepared everything and our people are determined to resist all attempts against our country," said the speaker of parliament, Saadoun Hammadi. "Our people's morale is high, our financial potentials are good and we are quite certain we will be able to thwart the U.S. aggression," he told reporters after parliament met to discuss preparations for a U.S. military attack. "We shall defend our country in our territory," Iraq's Foreign Minister Naji Sabri said in an interview with CNN on Saturday night. He said Washington wanted U.N. weapons inspectors to return to Iraq "for a sole purpose of updating their military and intelligence information on Iraq to be used in any attack on the Iraqi population." Part of a continuing series of bluster, brought to you by the Government of Iraq...
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
07/28/2002 08:48 am ||
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I take the "financial potentials" bit to refer to their Swiss bank accounts. The only problem is getting yourself out of country to enjoy this bit of capitalist perceptiveness.
Posted by: Tom Roberts ||
07/28/2002 9:59 Comments ||
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I've always wondered what Sammy would look like without his moustache. And with glasses. And a false nose...
Posted by: Fred ||
07/28/2002 10:03 Comments ||
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Iran's main pro-reform party threatened Sunday to quit the Islamic regime unless the conservatives who still dominate the courts and security forces stop undermining the elected reformist administration. Might as well go ahead and quit, then...
The Islamic Iran Participation Front insisted it would rather resolve the country's political crisis by dialogue, but warned it could no longer tolerate the conservatives' persistent undermining of the policies it was elected to implement. "We want to work towards agreement and not disagreement, and to hold a dialogue without preconditions in mutual respect," the party chief Mohammad-Reza Khatami, younger brother of moderate President Mohammad Khatami, said in a statement. "But if (the conservatives) do not heed the demands of the people that we have already given them a final warning to accept, then we can only withdraw the reformist presence -- that it is to say the legitimate elected representation -- from the regime." Ummm... So far "dialog" with the ayatollahs has consisted of saying "yes, sir" when told what to do...
At its annual congress earlier this month, the Participation Front issued an ultimatum to conservatives within the Islamic regime to allow it to implement its mandate or face losing all popular legitimacy. Divine right theocracies don't have to worry about popular legitimacy...
The Front, which holds 130 seats in the 290-seat pro-reform parliament and has five ministers in Khatami's government, is demanding the "right to call government institutions to account," particularly the courts and watchdog bodies which have so far blocked all reformist legislation. Mothers give up their children with much less fuss than dictators give up their power...
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
07/28/2002 02:48 pm ||
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An Iranian revolutionary court judge has been sentenced to 10 and a half years in jail for pimping and the illegal detention of a 17-year-old girl, court sources said Sunday. The judge in the Tehran satellite town of Karaj was found guilty of having covered up for a brothel where 17 girls were detained, many of them as young as seven. Seven years old? Is this guy a Pashtun?
They said the judge, whom they identified only by his first name Hadi, had confined a 17-year-old who went missing several months ago before being found by her father in a brothel. Hadi was also sentenced to 90 lashes and barred from any post in the judiciary, and will have to return a total of 625,000 dollars in bribes received from the brothel owners. Seventeen others were convicted in the same case and handed lesser sentences, the sources said. What kind of corruption was it that absolute power induces?
A welfare official said in June that the Islamic republic now had 300,000 prostitutes and warned their number would increase rapidly if poor living conditions persisted. But they're all very devout...
UPDATE:
Hoder Derakhshan sez the conservatives have decided to go ahead and legalize prostitution...
Finally they found a way to legalize women's prostitution in Iran, using ironic Islamic laws and judiciary's tolerance. If Iran was in a stable and normal economic situation and people could afford their cost by normal jobs, that'd be very reasonable to allow prostitutes to work legally. But at this time, and particularly by these kind of people, I think it's another way to make huge profits and to help building another Mafia around it. (Surprise: I didn't find even a single story on this subject in English!)
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
07/28/2002 04:43 pm ||
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Ayatollah Ali Khameneh'i, the autocratic leader of the Islamic Republic hinted Saturday at dissolving the regimeâs constitutional powers and establish a one-man dictatorship. "Anytime one feels that heads of the three powers have reverted to actions that leads to the deviation of the regime from its original path, the leader will stand up to them like a dam", Mr. Khameneh'i said addressing members of the Friday Preachers. This is the first time that the egocentric Ayatollah hints at dissolving the Executive and the Legislative, which is controlled by the reformers and challenges his leadership. The Legislative is still controlled directly by Mr. Khameneh'i. If you can't control 'em, dissolve 'em. That's sure to calm the country down, introduce stability, and raise the standard of living...
His warning that he could shut the three powers echoed a statement issued last week by the Revolutionary Guards of the Islamic Republic that threatened the reformers, dissidents and the press not to pave the way for an American attack on Iran. Many reformers, noting that the army had no constitutional right to interfere in the nationâs political affairs, rejected the stern warning by the Guards. Critics also observed that the statement has been issued with the blessing of Ayatollah Khameneh'i. When that happen, the blow-off will be set up and it'll be just a matter of time before it comes...
Iranian analysts said recent US policies to support Iranian peopleâs demand for democracy and freedom, instead of engaging the government, and by extension, the Iranian regime, has "genuinely frightened" the conservative leadership. If they had a system that worked, there wouldn't be any reason to be frightened, would there?
As Mr. Khamenehâi was addressing some Friday Preachers, an Islamic revolution tribunal in Tehran announced the dissolution of the Iran Freedom Movement (IFM), one of Iranâs oldest political organisation, and delivered harsh sentences, ranging from ten years to nine month jail, against 33 of its leading members. And at exactly the same time, Ayatollah Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, the regimeâs number two personality menaced Washington that Iran could destroy oil and gas fields in the Persian Gulf if attacked by the United States. Iraq did something similar. Did 'em a lot of good...
Addressing Iranian airmen, Mr. Hashemi Rafsanjani, who is the Chairman of the powerful Expediency Council, pointed to the American economic problems and said: Though the United States barks while at sleep and is not able to carry out the flag of war, yet, if it creates problems for us in the Persian Gulf, it would loose the resources it has (in the Persian Gulf). He's underestimating. He's buying the "Paper Tiger" thing, and that's a bad thing to do...
Though he did not specify the "resources" and say how the US would loose them, political analysts, reading on Mr. Rafsanjaniâs lips, said he might mean attacking the oil fields that satisfy more than 40 per cent of the industrial worldâs needs of energy. Ten days ago, the former president had told the American that Iran, if attacked by America, will take the battle "right at the heart of the United States". That means Hezbollah and Islamic Jihad try to swarm the country, or I miss my guess...
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
07/28/2002 04:23 pm ||
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Iranian "airmen", did I read that right? as in 'iranian air force"? I know they have some left over export versions of the F-14 and a whole lotta ex-iraqi air aircraft ( thats the very definition of the worst kind of hardware hand-me-down!) but other that tactical air defence pieces and silkworms anti shipping missles , what do they have to offer?
These guys were fought to a standstill by that great menacing islamic superpower, iraq( insert cynical grimace here). They have no navy to speak of, and they are a conscript army of the worst kind, with no history of winning wars of any type since the reign of Cyrus the great about 3000 years ago.
I feel like we are being taunted by a seventh grade smartass kid, who just learned to smoke and say nasty words.
Oh yeah, who on our side governemnt or media ( besides the blogosphere) has said anything about attacking Iran? Is it " Me thinks they doth protest too much..." or are they more than a little shook up over how fast their hillbilly next-door neighbors got tossed out on the street( you remember - the afghani "quagmire" that would take years and thousands of troops to take over)....
Posted by: frank martin ||
07/28/2002 17:26 Comments ||
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Deputy Culture and Islamic Guidance Minister Ali-Asghar Ramezanpour said here on Sunday that in the past eight months, about 200,000 illegal books were seized from the market and legal actions were taken against 35 unauthorized printing centers. Ramezanpour told reporters that 7,000 copies of illegal books had been seized in the past two weeks and now nearly 90 complaints have brought up against the publishers. Also, in the past three months, about 1,600 books were scrutinized by the Inspectorate Organization, said the official, adding that judicial actions against the publication of certain books were supported by complaints raised against them. Y'gotta watch them books. Purty soon, people get to readin', the get ideers, y'know? 'Sides, ain't nothin' better'n a bookfire to keep a devout fambly warm of a winter's night...
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
07/28/2002 08:05 pm ||
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Most popular titles being burned are:
1. "What Went Wrong" by Bernard Lewis
2. "The Mystery of Capital" by Hernando De Soto
3. "Leadership and self deception" - Arbinger institute
4. "Empire of Freedom: The Amway Story and What It Means to You" By James W. Robinson, Richard L. Lesher
5. "Origins of the bill of rights" Leonard W. Levy
6. The Brand You 50 : Or : Fifty Ways to Transform Yourself from an 'Employee' into a Brand That Shouts Distinction, Commitment, and Passion! - Tom Peters
7. Victory: The Reagan Administration's Secret Strategy That Hastened the Collapse of the Soviet Union - Peter Schweizer
8. Our Sacred Honor: Words of Advice from the Founders in Stories, Letters, Poems, and Speeches
- William J. Bennett
9. What's So Great About America - Dinesh D'Souza
10. "How to quit and not come back", By Jack Parr**
** - ok this ones not real, but it should've been( and most of youngins have no idea who this guy is).
Posted by: Frank Martin ||
07/28/2002 21:44 Comments ||
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Sudan's president has said the government and the country's main rebel group were committed to a united Sudan although they have agreed a peace deal offering the south an option to secede in a future referendum. If they don't just start shooting each other again, that'll put the north on its best behavior, at least until after the referendum...
President Omar Hassan al-Bashir spoke late on Saturday on return from Uganda where he held his first meeting with John Garang, head of the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) which has been fighting a 19-year-old civil war against Khartoum. "Both the government and the SPLA expressed their acceptance of the Machakos protocol and commitment to peace and unity, voluntary unity in Sudan," Bashir said referring to the Kenyan town where the peace protocol was announced earlier this month. Analysts said the option of secession for the south could raise concerns in neighbouring states, particularly Egypt which shares the Nile waters with Sudan and other countries and would not want an additional state demanding a share of the resource. Sudan's First Vice-President Ali Osman Mohamed Taha is due to arrive in Cairo on Sunday as part of the government's diplomatic effort to explain the deal to nearby countries. The peace deal announced on July 20 included agreement on two key issues which have been obstacles in previous negotiations, namely self determination and religion. There are going to be breakdowns and factional fighting as this is implemented, and I still think Sudan will eventually break into several pieces, but it would be nice if the agreement actually worked...
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
07/28/2002 08:48 pm ||
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Sudan called on Libya on Saturday to keep up its peace efforts, following the signing of a protocol accord between Khartoum and southern rebels. Sudan's Information Minister Mahdi Ibrahim delivered the call, contained in a message from President Omar al-Beshir, during a meeting with Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi, officials said. Yup. That oughta help lots...
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
07/28/2002 08:50 pm ||
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India on Sunday conveyed to the United States that the infiltration from Pakistan side had not stopped as Islamabad had failed to take any action in dismantling terrorist camps. "We have expressed hope that Pakistan will take a step before India takes any consequential measure," foreign office spokesperson Nirupama Rao told reporters in New Delhi. Perv doesn't want to shut down the training camps because of the flak â including bloodcurdling threats and attempts on his life â that he's gotten from the fundos. All he can really do at this point is try to throttle them back. As long as they're still turning out jihadis, it's better, from his point of view anyway, if they go to Kashmir. Otherwise they'll hang around in Pakland and kill politicians. It's my impression, and occasionally it's been admitted in the Indo press, that the level of infiltration actually has dropped, though not to nothing.
Probably to Perv, Kashmir is the tail and Pak's internal affairs are the dog. He actually might be pushing against the fundos on a different front. In days of yore we seldom heard reports of the Quaint Local Customs to be found in Pakland. Lately we've been hearing a lot more: gang rapes and sodomy on young boys, the corruption and ignorance of tribal elders, child brides and stoning adultresses and the insane. All these are, or can be, laid at the door of fundamentalism â the very guys, coincidentally, opposing Perv. I think he's a more skillful politician than the Indians give him credit for being, despite his habit of often backing off at critical moments. He seems content with half measures, but I think that's because he's content to achieve half an objective and then try again for another half of the remainder later.
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
07/28/2002 08:48 am ||
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Musharraf seems to understand, I think, that failure to curb terrorism may lead to the destruction of Pakistan, ground to powder between the US and India. Whether there is anyone else in Pakistan smart enough to realize that is another matter. Certainly the people who keep up the murder campaign against India are not that smart.
Posted by: Michael Lonie ||
07/28/2002 22:32 Comments ||
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The term you're looking for is "salami tactics," a Marxist-Leninist phrase often attributed to Stalin. It means you start by slicing the end off the salami, then another piece... no one act is enough to unite your opponents against you, but eventually most of the salami is gone.
Posted by: Joe ||
07/31/2002 14:28 Comments ||
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A Kashmiri group claimed responsibility on Saturday for three political killings in the past week and threatened to kill anyone who takes part in elections in occupied Kashmir. Jamiat-ul-Mujahideen, one of the two groups India banned in April under controversial anti-terror laws, said it had shot dead three members of disputed Kashmir's ruling party, National Conference, on Thursday. The killings, on the eve of a new peace mission to South Asia by US Secretary of State Colin Powell, brought to more than 10, the number of National Conference members the group claims to have killed in the past six week. In making the claim, a spokesman for the group told Reuters all active participants in elections due by mid-October in occupied Kashmir were now targets. So lemme get this straight: Anyone running for office or voting is a target for a bunch of thugs?
"Any person, who as a candidate, or as a voter or supporter or as a transporter, takes part or assists in the elections willingly, will be deemed a traitor and meet an exemplary fate. No person will escape his fate who betrays the blood of 80,000 martyrs in Kashmir, or who tramples over the feelings of the Kashmiri people by participating in the elections." That's what I thought. What kind of people are participating in the elections, if not Kashmiris? Are they importing Samoans? Bolivians?
Earlier in July the United Jihad Council, the main anti-India alliance, of which Jamiat-ul-Mujahideen is a member, urged freedom fighters in occupied Kashmir to start an anti-poll campaign and warned election supporters of dire consequences. But Jamiat-ul-Mujahideen's statement was the first to make a direct threat to all involved in the election process. The group said people should boycott the elections, which would be "a fraud intended to deceive world opinion". World opinion's pretty wimpy. I don't see world opinion up in arms, demanding the heads of Jamiat-ul-Mujahideen and United Jihad Council on a platter after they've threatened to kill all the pols and all the voters in Kashmir...
The spokesman said his group had formed a special guerrilla force named Al Jabbar to target people actively involved in the election. "We will not touch those supporters of the pro-election parties who either are not taking part in any election process or stay away from such a process," he said. The spokesman said the prime targets would be supporters of National Conference actively engaged in the election. Do y'get the feeling they don't want elections that even remotely resemble legit? Do y'get the impression they think elections would go against them? Do y'get the idea they'd rather have a divine-right caliphate, with them in charge, interpreting the Word of God for the worshipful masses?
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
07/28/2002 05:23 pm ||
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Four people died and at least five were wounded on Saturday when unidentified attackers threw a grenade at a crowded market in occupied Kashmir. The attack coincided with the arrival of US Secretary of State Colin Powell in New Delhi. Wotta surprise.
"Militants hurled a grenade at a security patrol at busy Budgam town. The grenade missed the target and exploded near shops, killing two civilians on the spot," a police official said. Two of the wounded died on the way to a hospital, police said. "The dead include a father and son." One of the things they don't cover in those jihadi training camps in Pakland is how to get a grenade to its target...
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
07/28/2002 05:28 pm ||
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Cheez, you'd think these jihadi's were trained by Imperial stormtroopers. Those guys couldn't shoot straight, either, and look what happened to the Death Star.
Regards,
Posted by: Steve White ||
07/28/2002 21:06 Comments ||
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A local additional district and sessions judge on Saturday awarded death penalty and a fine of Rs200,000 to an accused for committing blasphemy against the Prophet. Judge Sardar Ahmad Naeem based the conviction on the "extra judicial confession" by accused Wajihul Hassan, 26, in front of two prosecution witnesses. The court also convicted Wajih under Section 295-A PPC (deliberate malicious act intended to outrage the feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs). That sounds familiar. Don't they have the same law at Antioch College? Or is it Brown? Or both?
Wajihul Hassan allegedly wrote letters to advocate Mohammad Ismail Qureshi, the complainant, containing derogatory remarks against the Prophet. The complainant, however, burnt the letters out of anger. Mr Qureshi received another series of five letters in 1998, followed by some obnoxious phone calls. However, according to the complainant, Wajih could not be traced although he kept making obnoxious calls. Sounds like some sort of hate crime, doesn't it? Guess he's getting what he deserved, then. Like they say in Pakland, "Y'gotta honor other people's diversity, unless they're different; then you can kill them."
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
07/28/2002 05:35 pm ||
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Haaretz reports talks among Tanzim-Fatah representatives - and perhaps Hamas operatives as well - were resumed over the weekend, with the aim of halting terror attacks in Israel. Opposition chair MK Yossi Sarid (Meretz) was told by Palestinian officials that the talks, sponsored by Saudi Arabia and the European Union, were resumed despite the killing of Hamas leader Salah Shehadeh and at least 16 civilians in the Israeli attack in Gaza last week. No idea whether these are genuine or pro-forma. Shehadeh getting banging may have put the fear of God into the Bigs, so it could actually be real...
The talks reportedly involve Palestinian preventative security chief Mohammed Dahlan and his men in Gaza, Hussein al-Sheikh and other Tanzim operatives in the West Bank, and Sheikh Hassan Yousouf of Hamas in the West Bank. Thought Dahlan was Yasser's "national security advisor"?
According to Palestinian sources, Marwan Barghouti, currently in jail in Israel, has been informed and has given his blessing to the talks. Hamas leader Sheikh Ahmed Yassin is also reportedly fully aware of the ongoing dialogue. Before the attack in Gaza, Tanzim-Fatah had announced that it would be ready to reduce the number of terror attacks and maybe even stop them altogether. Before the attack, there were attempts to convince Hamas to moderate its operations as well, but now Hamas, Islamic Jihad and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine insist that they have a right in principle to launch terror attacks inside Israel. That's because revenge is one of the bedrock principles of Islam...
Meanwhile, Yasser Arafat has given the Palestinian talks team a green light to resume talks with Israeli representatives on civilian, security-related and political issues, a senior source in Arafat's headquarters said last night. "We're involved! See? Yasser's leading! Really he is!"
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
07/28/2002 08:48 am ||
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Israeli Foreign Affairs Minister Shimon Peres, meanwhile, voiced doubts about Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's ability to make peace with the Palestinians, according to an interview to be published Monday. In response to a statement that "many Israelis doubt whether Ariel Sharon could be a partner for peace," Peres told the German weekly Der Spiegel: "Me too, I have my doubts." But "as long as I feel able to change something and balance (the situation), I will stay" in the Sharon government, he said. "Thanks for yore support!"
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
07/28/2002 08:48 am ||
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Peres's quotation is an answer in search of a question. Before the question can be framed, Peres needs to identify what he means by "Peace" and then he may be able to identify either:
a. why he'll remain in a coalition government, or
b. take Labour out of the coalition and try to win a national election.
Otherwise, Likud is going to whip Labour in any election due to the "lesser of two evils" prospect for most Israelis who see Labour as having a history of accomodating terrorist demands and coddling Arafat's thugs.
Posted by: Tom Roberts ||
07/28/2002 9:00 Comments ||
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Jewish settlers shot dead a Palestinian girl while attacking homes in the West Bank city of Hebron on Sunday after the funeral of an Israeli soldier killed in a roadside ambush, Palestinian witnesses said. Eight-year-old Neveen Jamjoum was shot while sitting just inside the doorway of her house, her mother said. Palestinian medical sources said nine Palestinians were wounded by gunfire. An Israeli police spokesman said there had been violent confrontations between settlers and Israeli security forces, but that he had no information about any gunfire. Some 400 settlers live in a heavily-guarded enclaves in Hebron, home to some 100,000 Palestinians. Stupid clots. Guess they've been living among the Paleos long enough to become like them. Unlike the Paleo administration, the Israeli security forces tried to control them. I expect the Israelis will find the people responsible and jug them, rather than giving them medals and putting their faces on posters...
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
07/28/2002 08:48 am ||
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LGF sez the Pals were throwing rocks at the funeral procession.
The Israel Defense Forces captured a Palestinian woman Sunday afternoon near the West Bank town of Jenin. According to the army, the woman said that she was intending to carry out a suicide bombing in Israel. Just take her out to the middle of a field and let her rip...
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
07/28/2002 08:48 am ||
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At least four transmigrants near the Central Kalimantan town of Sampit have been beheaded over the past 11 days, police said Sunday, sparking fears of a new wave of ethnic killings. Kalimantan is also known as Borneo. This gets better...
State news agency Antara quoted local police chief Denny Putro as saying two men were found decapitated in Kelampan village on July 18. On July 23 and 26, two more mutilated victims were found in Pasir Putih village. Several parts of their bodies were found separately in a nearby swamp. That's pretty thoroughly dead...
All four victims were settlers from East Javaâs Madura island. Thousands of Madurese began arriving in Kalimantan four decades ago under the governmentâs controversial transmigration scheme to reduce overcrowding in Java. Transmigrants were given land, houses, food allowances and subsidies, much to the anger of Kalimantanâs indigenous Dayak residents. Hey, good idea! Take a whole bunch of civilized Javanese and move them to live among the Dayaks, who used to practice head-hunting, cannibalism and human sacrifice until fairly recently. Give the Javanese money, land, food, all the things the Dayaks don't have. Whaddya think happened next?
Tensions between the Dayaks and Madurese have often boiled over and resulted in bloody clashes. Last year Sampit was the scene of horrendous massacres in which at least 450 people were slaughtered. Many of the victims were beheaded and mutilated. Tens of thousands of Madurese subsequently fled Kalimantan. Thereby showing good sense on their part...
Police are investigating the latest killings and searching for five suspects. Putro said the killers might have been hoping to spark another mass exodus, thereby enabling locals to seize the transmigrantsâ land and properties. Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant.
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
07/28/2002 10:05 am ||
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A flurry of telephone calls threatening the destruction of all U.S. embassies in Islamic nations within a week has prompted the State Department to alert all overseas diplomatic posts. The caller identified himself as the spokesman or interpreter for Osama Bin Laden. Bush administration officials said they could not authenticate the calls to The Associated Press, CNN and other news organizations over a few hours' span Thursday, but that all such reports are taken seriously. The U.S. embassies and consulates already are in a watchful mode. The caller to the AP said he was with Bin Laden on the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan. Asked if he really was speaking for the Saudi expatriate, the caller replied, "Muslims don't lie." Whereupon the AP guy squirted coffee out his nose and hung up on him..
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
07/28/2002 09:00 am ||
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Was the AP guy James Bradley? Or did he make the call?
Posted by: Richard A. Heddleson ||
07/28/2002 16:12 Comments ||
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Two senior U.S. intelligence officials said yesterday that there are growing signs that suggest Osama bin Laden is dead. The two officials - one from the FBI, the other from the CIA, both speaking on the condition of anonymity - stressed that neither knew of any concrete evidence. But they said several indications, some of which they would not discuss, seem to point to the likelihood of bin Laden's death. The officials disclosed for the first time, for example, that U.S. forces captured members of bin Laden's personal security force. Those members are among the prisoners being held as "enemy combatants" in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and have been interrogated. "Some of the people we know were involved in that security force we know have been captured," the FBI official said. "One could - as one example - conclude that if his security was captured, there is a possibility that he has been killed." Yeah, but I wouldn't call that conclusive. Hopeful, but not conclusive...
Agents have gleaned some information from the members of the security detail, the FBI official said, even though those members, along with most of the prisoners in Cuba, are skilled in counter-interrogation techniques. None of the security force members is an Afghan. "Bin Laden didn't really trust the Afghanis," the FBI official said. "When it came to his personal security force, they were all Arabs." Oh, doesn't that come as a surprise? Nobody trusts Afghans, not even Afghans...
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
07/28/2002 09:16 am ||
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A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
