[Ulf] Buck is reluctant to speak about his successes, but says he correctly predicted an actress from a popular German soap-opera was going to write a book, and says a stockbroker has been using his services for over two years.
That ain't nothin'. I can do that, too. It only works with women, though. But I do bosoms, too, and sometimes thighs. Wonder if Ulf can top that?
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
07/10/2002 01:31 pm ||
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Steven den Beste on the neato-keeno fortifications the Swiss relied upon to keep the Germans from overrunning them...
You cannot defend a nation with concrete. You can only defend a nation with men. The fortifications described in this article are no more dangerous than the ones faced by the Americans at Omaha Beach, and in fact are much less dangerous than the ones the Japanese had laced Iwo with; yet both of those fell.
Switzerland wasn't saved by concrete. It was saved by what Americans call a well-armed militia.
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
07/10/2002 02:10 pm ||
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Yep. I like the Swiss. A nation of snipers is my kinda people (and the fondue is great).
Posted by: Bellicose Kat ||
07/10/2002 17:25 Comments ||
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He may not have drained a swamp, but President George W. Bush at least pulled the plug on some very old bathwater with his June 24 policy speech on the Middle East. This becomes increasingly evident as the Israel/Palestine issue disappears from the headlines of the Western media. Yasser Arafat, and the terrorist organizations working among the Palestinians within Gaza and the West Bank, have lost their purchase on international public opinion. This is because Mr. Bush has succeeded in delegitimizing them...
Now Mr. Arafat, who used the Oslo accords in 1993 to get himself back into the middle of things, when he and his Palestine Liberation Organization had been effectively exiled and sidelined in Tunis, is trying at the ripe old age of 73 to perform the same trick again. He spontaneously declared his support for Mr. Bush's initiative, whatever it was; he has been telling every visitor who will listen that the suicide bombers have been trained and sent by the ayatollahs of Iran; that they are financed and supported from Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Sudan; that something must be done about all those Hezbollah terrorists in Lebanon and Syria. In other words, ratting on his allies in the hope of switching sides.
There's a lot of thought and a lot of political guile that's gone into formulating this policy shift. If Bush can pull it off â and there are no guarantees, but it's looking better all the time â I'll be waiting to hear all the partisans dwelling on his "lack of intellect" apologizing. I'll be waiting, but I won't hear anything.
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
07/10/2002 07:41 pm ||
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Prominent cleric and prayer leader of Isfahan, Jalaledine Taheri, has resigned over the "chaotic situation" in the country, the reformist Nourooz paper reported Wednesday. Ayatollah Taheri, who said he cannot "tolerate the chaos any more" and the "generalised corruption at all levels" of religious power in Iran, also expressed his support for dissident cleric Hossein Ali Montazeri, the disgraced former successor of Imam Ruhollah Khomeini. The cleric, whose letter was published in Wednesday's reformist press, justified his resignation by listing "deception, unemployment, inflation, the daily rising of prices, the diabolic gap between the rich and poor, bribery, the cheating, the growing drug consumption, the incompetence of authorities and the failure of the political structure" of the regime as the reason for stepping down. Other than that, things are fine. Taheri's actually been chased off the podium by hard-liner bully boys...
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
07/10/2002 08:44 am ||
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You may well be right that he's been chased off. I still see it as a good sign that he did that rant (even if the mainstream press there didn't print it). That will get around.
I don't expect a revolution next week or even this year, but I also wouldn't be very surprised if things went past the tipping point faster than I expect them to. [That last disclaimer was just to cover me rear in case it does happen next week. ;) ]
Posted by: Kat ||
07/10/2002 14:15 Comments ||
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I think it's a real good sign that he ranted. And what I was referring to wasn't that he was being chased out of office by the bully boys, but that on previous occasions they have attacked the lectern with sticks and steel pipes, and literally caused him to take to his heels.
I don't think Iran's going to come around in the next couple weeks -- the demonstrations these demonstrations were commemorating were larger. But it takes more than one swing of the axe to chop down a tree, and Taheri and yesterday's demonstration were two swings in two days.
And I think that when the theocracy collapses it's going to take about as long as it took the Taliban to get out of town. I'm already dusting off my look of stunned surprise...
Posted by: Fred ||
07/10/2002 14:43 Comments ||
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A provincial weekly in Iran's northeastern holy city of Mashhad is facing legal charges for having published the picture of a statue of Reza Shah, founder of the Pahlavi dynasty and father of Iran's last Shah. Staffers of the Hemat weekly which belongs to the Mashhad municipality were summoned before a local court Sunday, the reformist Nourooz paper reported Monday, adding that they were also accused of publishing "untrue articles." Interesting that they'd bother printing the picture at all. Sounds like they're trying to push the boundaries and went a little too far. Either that, or they're reminding people you don't have to be a pious holy man with a turban to be a ruler and that some of the old days were good old days.
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
07/10/2002 09:28 am ||
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Deputy Chief of Operations at the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Ahn Ki-seok announced new rules of engagement (ROE) had been sent to naval vessels, Tuesday, with regard to North Korean violations of the Northern Limit Line. ROK Naval ships can now fire a warning shot from a safe distance without issuing an audio warning, nor engaging in blocking maneuvers. Previously the ROE consisted of an audio warning, threatening maneuvers, blocking maneuvers, a warning shot and then engagement with weapons. The new ROKN ROE, however contradicts President Kim Dae-jung's order issued before the June 1999 West Sea clash, which states that South Korean vessels should not open fire first. Instead they should wait until they have a few dead guys? That's kinda hard on the dead guys, isn't it?
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
07/10/2002 09:07 am ||
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Jammu and Kashmirâs main militant group pledged that its Pakistan-based leader would eventually return to the Indian zone, after a local separatist leader dared him to come back. Hizbul Mujahedin said Syed Salahudin, who has led the group from Pakistani-administered Kashmir since 1994, was staying away from the Indian zone as âpart of the organisationâs strategy.â Yeah. He doesn't want to get shot. That'd be bad for the organization...
âWhenever he (Salahudin) will think it proper, he will return and fight alongside other companions engaged in the struggle,â Saif-ul-Islam, Hizbulâs chief commander in Jammu and Kashmir, said. âNo power on earth would stop his return on that day,â Islam said of Salahudin. "The Duce: Calm, resolute, unstoppable..."
Islam was reacting to remarks by Sajjad Lone, the son of slain separatist leader Abdul Gani Lone, who asked Salahudin to return to Kashmir and lead the campaign against elections due by mid-October. The statement came after the United Jihad Council called on separatists on the Indian side to campaign harder against the polls. "You want us to campaign harder? Why'n't you get outta yer air-conditioned office and help?"
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
07/10/2002 09:27 am ||
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The Chak Jhumra police on Tuesday made 30 arrests, including the Pesh Imam of the mosque in village Barnala involved in the stoning to death of Zahid Shah, accused of blasphemy. More than 150 policemen, including commandos of Elite Force, participated in an overnight operation on Monday. During the action, the police faced no resistance, but, after the arrests, more than a hundred villagers surrounded the Chak Jhumra police station and chanted slogans against the police. The area leaders of Tehrik-i-Khatam-i-Nabuwat led the protesters. They dispersed after assurance from the station house officer (SHO) that the arrested people would not be mistreat, and the innocent would be released after interrogation. That sheds a little bit of light on the incident. The Tehrik-i-Khatam-i-Nabuwat is a movement that specializes in oppressing members of the Qadiani heresy, which is outlawed in Pakistan. The disagreement makes about as much sense to Westerners as the Homoousian Controversy, but to the locals it represents ample grounds for forming mobs and killing people. Of couse, most other things do, too. I'd guess that the late Zahid Shah was accused of being an Ahmadi.
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
07/10/2002 12:19 pm ||
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Yup. That's a pretty good way to end up being stoned by hysterical fanatics in Pakland and a few other countries.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/10/2002 14:30 Comments ||
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Accusations by U.S. senators that Lebanon harbored extremists' training camps were a "cheap" bid to whip up U.S. votes with anti-terror rhetoric, a government minister said on Wednesday. Senate Intelligence Committee chief Bob Graham said the U.S. war on terror could extend to Hezbollah, which he called "the most vicious and effective terrorist organization in the world." Lebanese Information Minister Ghazi al-Aridi dismissed Graham's comments as baseless, and said they seemed intended for the ears of U.S. voters ahead of mid-term elections in November. "He never raised the issue here, nor spoke about it," Aridi told Reuters. "This is a cheap campaign orchestrated at our expense." "Y'see, what matters isn't what's actually happening. What matters is why he said what he said. That has nothin' to do with whether or not Beqaa Valley is full of gunnies and thugs, or Hezbollah's a loose cannon terror organization dedicated to mindless violence..."
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
07/10/2002 08:30 am ||
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The Kuwaiti minister of state for foreign affairs Khaled al-Jarullah said on Tuesday said that a Kuwaiti Islamist recently held in Syria was released. Al-Jarullah added that the Kuwaiti citizen is Jaber al-Jalahema. Five years ago al-Jalahema was an activist in what is called in Kuwait "al-Mujahedin group." They are Islamists who do not perform any political activity but continuously volunteer to go to places like Afghanistan, Bosnia and Chechenya. Uh... Guys? This is kinda hard to explain, I guess, but going off to fight in civil wars in other people's countries really is "political activity."
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
07/10/2002 11:09 am ||
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A leading member of al-Qaeda in Yemen detained by Yemeni authorities has fled the prison where he is being held, Alwahadawi newspaper reported last week. Another detainee of al-Qaeda, arrested following the September 11 attacks, escaped last Saturday from a prison in Aden. Sources didnât mention the identity of the escapee, but said heâs a dangerous element originally from the governorate of Shabwa. He has been reportedly arrested after returning from Afghanistan, where he was a field commander of al-Qaeda. According to some reports, officials in charge of the prison and Adenâs security officials are currently under interrogation. Bet that hurts!
President Ali Abdulah Saleh has warned tribal leaders of providing shelter to suspected al-Qaeda elements. He also warned them of helping kidnappers of foreigners or those blasting oil pipelines, adding that there wonât be any leniency towards persons involved in such incidents. "I'm warning you guys. Don't make me come down there...!"
President Saleh also called on al-Qaeda members Mohammed al-Ahdal and Ali Qaed Senyen al-Harethi, to give themselves in to the authorities. Both men are suspected to be hiding somewhere in Mareb. Yemeni authorities have been hunting down for these two suspects for months now, but to no avail. Yemen is also keen to deny that itâs a shelter for Islamist extremists. Western diplomats in Sanaâa say that the majority of the Islamic militants in Yemen returned from Afghanistan after the defeat of the former USSR in that middle Asian country. Where they're now living in retirement?
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
07/10/2002 08:03 pm ||
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Yemen army deputy chief of staff brigadier Ali Mohammed Salah, was wounded in his shoulder when his helicopter came under fire last Thursday while flying over al-Marfadh village, 180 km from Sanaâa. In retaliation, troopers from the military forces stationed in the Jawf region supported by artillery units from the Republican Guard shelled the Marfadh village where culprits were believed to be hiding. No injuries have been reported yet. "Our motto: Shoot first and investigate later..."
Tribal sources said that sheikhs of Dhuhin and al-Asharef belonging to Marfadh village have given in a number of their sons as hostages to the authorities until perpetrators are found, however officials refused this proposal. "No, thank you. We'd rather have the shooters' heads on platters..."
Sheikhs of Jawf seek to broker a deal to stop military operations that may lead to an all-out war in the region. The area presently enjoys a relative calmness after the halt of artillery shelling that lasted for three hours. "The shelling's stopped, Fatima!"
"Yes, Mahmoud. It's relatively calm, isn't it?"
A tribal sheikh of Jawf denied any link between the detention of MP sheikh al-Ukaimi at the military prison in Sanaâa two weeks ago and the attack on the helicopter. "Hell, no! No connection at all! That boy thought it was a vulture, and just let fly...!"
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
07/10/2002 08:23 pm ||
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The Quartet is meeting to try and reconcile the (vast) differences in their approach to the Middle East and Yasser's still trying to bargain, even though he has nothing left with which to bargain. It's not a pretty picture...
Foreign Minister Shimon Peres is meeting for a second day Tuesday with Palestinian Cabinet ministers. The talks, stalled for months, were launched ahead of a meeting in New York next week of the "Quartet" officials from the United States, Russia, European Union and United Nations who are trying to bring an end to the conflict. Also ahead of the meeting, Arafat sent a letter to the Quartet members assuring them of his commitment to reform the Palestinian Authority's security, financial and judicial sectors. Any time now... Note that after a period of calm, where the gunnies have been rendered impotent, they're making every effort to have shooting and explosions going on while they're talking.
He told reporters in Ramallah that for the reforms to be continued, "there must be an Israeli action in return lifting the curfew and stopping the collective punishment for the Palestinians."
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
07/10/2002 08:30 am ||
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Israeli daily Maariv has released a detailed report delineating the involvement of senior members of the PA in acts of corruption and squandering of public funds. The information was reportedly obtained from PA documents seized during the Israeli armyâs incursion into the West Bank in April. PA officials? Squander money? Impossible. Say it ain't so!
While Palestinian officials label the report âIsraeli propagandaâ See? That explains it all.
the documents reportedly tell of a $1.5 million villa in Jericho constructed by Palestinian Legislative Council Speaker Ahmad Qurei' (Abu-Ala), using public funds, as well as a $100,000 grant awarded to the deputy to Information Minister Yasir Abd-Rabbuh for the construction of his private residence. Abu Alaa was being talked up as a possible successor to Whatsisname just a couple days ago. A million and a half buys a pretty nice little shack to hang out in when not leading the impoverished masses against the Hated Zionist Enemyâ¢...
The report reveals that former minister Nabil Amroâs son received a $50,000 wedding gift from the PA. That, and some sheets and towels and a toaster. Get 'em started in life right, y'know?
Another generous grant, which followed no formal procedures of approval, was a double living stipend arranged for Palestinian Planning Minister Nabil Shaâathâs son, during his studies in France. Well, it's pretty expensive living in France. The price of hookers has gone up like you wouldn't believe...
Public funds are also violated by the Palestinian police who extort $50 per month in protection money from Hebron merchants, while in Tulkarm a businessman was required to pay the intelligence apparatuses a $100,000 ransom for his brotherâs release from prison, having been accused of collaboration with Israel. If the local merchants don't pay off the coppers, who will? What else are they there for, anyway?
Other allegations of corruption taking place under the PA relate to Jericho, where a gasoline station owner had to allow PA security forces unlimited fuel at no cost, while through bribes and forgery, the PA seized lands owned by the Orthodox Church in Bethlehem. Trifles. Mere trifles. "One or two rotten apples," y'know...
A deputy of Abu-Ala is quoted by Maariv as accusing âKey officials in the PA suffer from a lack of credibility and talent⊠There is an unnecessary multiplicity of ministries, appointments of relatives, waste, monopolies, bribery, thefts of equipment and money and hidden unemployment." Bet he's looking forward to a new career in the food service industry, assuming his family can raise the ransom...
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
07/10/2002 09:51 am ||
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in the West Bank, an undercover Israeli military unit arrested Nizar Zaydan, a top Tanzim militant, early Wednesday. The unit stormed into Bir Naballah, in Ramallah area. The special unit apprehended the 38-year-old Zaydan, wanted by Israeli security forces, and drove off in a civilian car, witnesses said. I think they're grabbing them as soon as they're promoted to the big leagues now...
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
07/10/2002 09:56 am ||
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Nine people, including five children, were killed and two others injured when they were attacked overnight by a group of armed assailants in Tiaret, in western Algeria, security officials said on Wednesday. It will never stop in Algeria, will it?
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
07/10/2002 11:15 am ||
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The Free Aceh Movement (GAM) has denied a report that claims it was in cahoots with Osama bin Ladenâs Al-Qaeda terrorist network. A spokesman for GAMâs exiled leaders in Sweden, Zaini Abdullah, on Wednesday told Kyodo News the source of the report presumably came from the Indonesian government, which wants to discredit the separatist group. âWe know nothing about Al-Qaeda and we have never had any contact with Al-Qaeda because GAM is not fighting for an Islamic state but for independence," he said. From what I've read on them, they emphasize the Islamic character of their rebellion. It this an indication this is not a good time to be an Islamist?
He was referring to a CNN news item that cited an intelligence report revealing that bin Laden wanted to relocate Al-Qaedaâs main base from Afghanistan to Aceh in 2000. "That was a fake report made by the Indonesian government as a [form of] propaganda to label us as a terrorist group," said Abdullah. The CNN report said an Indonesian man, Agus Dwikarna, had guided Al-Qaeda members during a visit to Aceh in 2000. It could be an effort by the Indonesian government to smear GAM with the bin Laden brush. My guess would be that they scouted and either decided against it or put it on the back burner. I have a hard time visualizing Binny and his Arabs riding their camels to hot 'n' steamy Sumatra.
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
07/10/2002 07:10 pm ||
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A recording posted on an Islamist Web site claims to be from Abu-Leith al-Libi -- the same name as a man who was once al Qaeda's spokesman, but who has not been heard from since before the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. The speaker claims bin Laden, Ayman al-Zawahiri, Mullah Mohammed Omar and Sulaiman abu Ghaith are alive and in good health, and said that the organization has regrouped and will expand its war to include assassinations and attacks on "the enemy's weak infrastructure." My guess would be that it's regrouped â outside Pakland at least â into itty-bitty one- and two-man "cells." Any idiot can plan and execute assassinations and "attacks on the infrastructure." All it takes is a gun or a grenade and the willingness to blow pizza parlors and the occasional bridge. What they're promising is not only mindless violence, but pointless violence that'll give them no military advantage and will make the civilized world stop being civilized enough to hunt them down and kill them like dogs. I guess that since they're all ready being hunted, they figure "what've we got to lose?"
Late last month, an audiotape from Abu Ghaith hinted at the release of a new bin Laden videotape, saying he "will soon appear on television screens." So far he hasn't shown...
But in that audiotape, which was played on the Qatar-based Al Jazeera TV network, Abu Ghaith never mentions a date for the bin Laden tape's release. In a reference to possible future attacks by al Qaeda on U.S. targets, it said that "Americans should fasten their safety belts." Abu Gheith has warned of the death of up to 4 million Americans, including 1 million children, through the use of chemical and biological weapons. If that were to occur, you can say goodbye to political correctitude â and also to a large proportion of the Islamic world. I'm sure we'll feel really bad about it afterward...
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
07/10/2002 08:32 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.
