I've been waiting to hear from a band (non-country) that understands that we're at war. These bubbas obviously get it. 'bout time someone did.
Second, not only do they get the message right... the music's pretty good too. Rock meets rap - not in a weak way - but with the hard edges of both. Good warrior music.
#1
Horse $hit feathers. I'm sure no permission is necessary to wax him. Besides, whoever does gets $25M, which is motivation aplenty to go outside the suggested "need permission first" channel.
#2
"It WAS self-defense! If I hadn't shot him, I'd've been lynched!"
Posted by: Rob Crawford ||
12/20/2006 13:05 Comments ||
Top||
#3
Phrench? Sniper? Afghanistan? Binnie is the cross-hairs? Naw.
Any, ANY, even phrench, non-muslim professional sniper would have taken that shot had it been there. Period. Any noise on the radio, or even complete silence, heh, would have been heard as a 'shoot order'. Heh.
This would constitute the best hit EVER. Killing the caliph-wannabe? Truly, a "Shot heard 'round the world".
Can you imagine how he would be feted and heaped with glory, even secretly and only in his community? He'd never have to buy a drink in public again. Can you say "ROCK STAR"? Are there groupies for snipers? There would be for him.
#7
A documentary says French special forces had Osama bin Laden in their sights twice about three years ago but their U.S. superiors never ordered them to fire.
I call BS too. What specfor group in the world needs orders for them to fire?
"Sir! In my opinion the safety of my command was at stake so we took out the target!"
#9
Absolute BULL. If the French were to come within a country mile of OBL or any other commander they would certainly have surrendered!
Posted by: 49 Pan ||
12/20/2006 14:16 Comments ||
Top||
#10
The French's US Superiors?
C'mon! They don't need anyone to tell them what to do, and certainly - no one is superior to the French!
Posted by: Bobby ||
12/20/2006 14:35 Comments ||
Top||
#11
Check to see if there's been an increased order of laundry detergent at the time this supposedly occurred. I'm sure the phrench would have seriously messed their drawers, being that close to OBL. What a crock of bull.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
12/20/2006 15:37 Comments ||
Top||
#12
Now I can tell you that the "We the French had ... insert_name_of_badguy in ourt sights/a cure for dath and texes/the formula for interplanetary travel but ouder nver came/hard disk crashed/aliens stole the formula is commonplace in French documentaries.
Of course sometimes it is truye. About one time in 100.
#1
Headline: Pro-Jihad Mentality Still Pollutes Southern Afghanistan
What the heck else are pro-Taliban members of the government going to say? You have to remember that a lot of these MP's who supposedly cut their ties to the Taliban, in return for amnesty, are merely biding their time. They haven't turned over a new leaf. Some are angry because Karzai hasn't put together a government in the image of the Taliban. Others are angry because the bennies they got for being Taliban jefes have been cut off. Interview a Taliban supporter, and you will get a laundry list of all the good things that come to mind when you think of the Taliban. Note that the link came from a communist website.
#3
There is an adage in democratic politics: eventually, oppositions win. In Afghanistan, and throughout the Muslim world, most the opposition are the Islamofascists. And once in, democratic politics are over.
Ergo: treat those Islamofascists who serve as the terrorist's rear base, as terrorists. Either force Karzai to liquidate Taleban-Lite or we cease all monetary aid, and revive the carpet-bombing option that we held on 9-11.
Reminder: jihad incitement is practised in mosques all over occupied Iraq and Afghanistan. That nonsense was not allowed in occupied Japan and Germany. So why do we indulge those who want us dead? Because the State Department is polluted with Jimmy Carter's moronic "human rights" based foreign policy, which reduced America to the level of critic of its own foreign allies. The second Carter attacked South Korea, the Norks began tunneling South (fortunately these were discovered). And, when Carter pushed out the Shah of Iran, his senior adviser - Andrew Young - called the Ayatollah Khomeini a "saint." Hitherto, watching American moral disarmament in the background, the Soviets chose to invade Afghanistan. Fortunately, along came Ronald Reagan to undo this mess.
[MENL] -- The United States has ruled out an attack on Somalia to end Al Qaida rule. Officials said the Bush administration has no plans to send U.S. troops to oust the new Al Qaida-aligned regime in Somalia. The regime, known as the Council of Islamic Courts, has defeated the U.S.-backed militia and taken over much of the country. "The Council of Islamic Courts is now controlled by Al Qaida cell individuals, East Africa Al Qaida cell individuals," U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Jendayi Frazer said. "The top layer of the court are extremists. They are terrorists."
But Ms. Frazer ruled out a U.S. military option in Somalia. Instead, the State Department official, responsible for African affairs, called on Somalia's rival factions to negotiate the formation of a stable government.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/20/2006 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[11132 views]
Top|| File under:
#1
Now why would a movement that claims Koranic sanction, share power with seculars and moderate Muslims? Islam and democratic stability are like oil and water.
This guy snuck highly classified documents out of the Archives, hid them under a construction trailer (where anyone could have found them), went back into Archives, retrieved the documents later in the day, and then destroyed them. This is outrageous behavior. And I thought he inadvertantly grabbed some documents and misplaced or destroyed them later accidently. He should have been charged with something far more serious (espionage, spoliation of evidence, who knows?) and received a far stiffer penalty. How come this isn't bigger news? Has he ever been invited to appear on Sunday morning TV to explain himself? Man am I pissed.
Posted by: Tibor ||
12/20/2006 17:30 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[11133 views]
Top|| File under:
#1
Wen Ho Lee got 9 months of solitary just waiting to go to trial. Once again, the principle of one set of rules for members of the 'inner circle' and a separate set of rules for members of the outer circle.
#3
Burglar's complete pre-meditated breech of security procedure and breech of trust by a public servant only raises more concern that Berger has hidden something even something more egregious.
can you imagine what would happen to you or me if we were to lift highly calassified docs??
There has to be more to this assholes theft than his so called cover story. I'm sure he has a load of China money squirreled up his asshole too.
Because Berger is a Democrat and part the Clinton Administration. Whatever he stole was an embarrassment to Bill's legacy. Berger took one for the team. The MSM doesn't want to touch it for fear of causing harm to Bill and, by extension, Hillary.
Posted by: Mark Z ||
12/20/2006 19:05 Comments ||
Top||
#5
Does anyone read "hid them under a construction trailer" and hear a voice in their head screaming "DEAD DROP"? Who knows who could have come along, copied the documents, and replaced them so Burglar could either replace them or destroy them.
Posted by: Rob Crawford ||
12/20/2006 19:06 Comments ||
Top||
#6
"How come this isn't bigger news?"
Covering the story appropriately would expose some unpleasant facts about Democrats and the opponents of the liberation of Iraq.
Might even expose the Clintons for having truly known about, and done nothing about, 9/11.
Posted by: Rob Crawford ||
12/20/2006 19:09 Comments ||
Top||
#7
#5 Does anyone read "hid them under a construction trailer" and hear a voice in their head screaming "DEAD DROP"?
More Like "BRAIN DEAD DROP"!!!!!
Posted by: Janos Hunyadi ||
12/20/2006 19:11 Comments ||
Top||
#8
and was barred from access to classified material for three years.
Three years later he will be gold and can shit-can anything he didnt get the first time.
#10
Reminds me of a commercial for a Comendy Channel REALITY SHOW aftermath > Come, America, come and see WHOM LIED, WHOM CHEATED, WHOM DECEIVED SCHEMED AND MANIPULATED, to themselves, to other playas, and gasp even the audience. HOMER SIMPSON > CAN'T SOMEONE ELSE DO IT [read,SSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHH, CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC,
"the Government"]. THEY-WHOM-MUST-NOT-BE-SEEN/NAMED/HEARD-BUT-MUST-BE-OBEYED - only their clapping hands on a dark balcony may be seen by the Masses. Dare not, not Not NOT N-O-T NNNNNOOOOOOOTTTTTT D *** YOU, KNOW/TOUCH THEM WID A 39-1/2' POLE ala GRINCH.
The innumerable spin-off spin articles are already flooding the wires, lol. Here's the real thing. Novel idea: We should use this a reference and decide for ourselves.
.President Bush on Iraq, Elections and Immigration This 25-minute interview was conducted yesterday in the Oval Office by Washington Post staff writers Peter Baker, Michael A. Fletcher and Michael Abramowitz.
President Bush: Listen, a couple of things before we get going. Obviously, I've been thinking about -- and talking to a lot of people about -- the way forward in Iraq and the way forward in this ideological struggle. I want to share one thought I had with you, and I'm inclined to believe that we do need to increase our troops, the Army, the Marines. And I talked about this to [Defense] Secretary [Robert M.] Gates, and he is going to spend some time talking to the folks in the building, come back with a recommendation to me about how to proceed forward on this idea. I want to give him a little time to get his feet on the ground. And so I'll be addressing this after consultations with him. I just want to share that with you before we get going.
Continued on Page 49
Rep. Ike Skelton (D-Mo.), the incoming chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, questioned the purpose of sending an additional 20,000 U.S. troops into Baghdad, the surge option being mentioned as one strategy change in Iraq being considered by President Bush.
Skelton, in a news conference to outline his strategic priorities for the committee next year, took the time to voice his opposition to the surge proposal and, in so doing, seemed to reflect the position taken by members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. "The time for a troop increase," he said, "was about 3 1/2 years ago, when we initially went into Iraq." Referring to the 2003 suggestion of Gen. Eric K. Shinseki, the Army chief of staff then, that several hundred thousand troops may be needed, Skelton said: "If we had done that, I don't think we would be in the situation we are today."
Outstanding back-seat driving, but you expect that from a Donk.
Skelton said he told Bush "that we should at least begin to do some redeployment right away to show the American people that we are not there forever [and] to show the Iraqi government . . . that the future of Iraq is in the hands of the Iraqis."
#2
in so doing, seemed to reflect the position taken by members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Riiight.
Does Skeltons suggestion of redeployment right away to show the American people square with Marine Corps Gen. Conways statement "We do not believe that just adding numbers for the sake of adding numbers - just thickening the mix - is necessarily the way to go." ?
Ya gotta love the way the WaPo can spin the facts 180 degrees.
#3
....Rep. Skelton, what a shame. Fortunately the CINC gets to make those decisions and is not Constitutionally or in any other way required to listen to your piehole before making the call.
Mike
Posted by: Mike Kozlowski ||
12/20/2006 9:41 Comments ||
Top||
#5
Don't worry. They'll get rid of that nasty Constitution-thingie in their first 100 hours as well as everything else they intend to do to screw this country.
December 13 2006 0030 UTC, Luanda Roads, Angola. Robbers in small boats boarded a ro-ro ship via the anchor chain. They escaped when they realised the crew had detected their presence. The locks on the forepeak store had been forced open. Nothing stolen. Master advised all ships bound for Luanda to maintain a vigilant anti-piracy watch and have all main deck lights on.
December 11 2006 0200 LT, Tema, Ghana. Seven robbers armed with knives boarded a chemical tanker at anchor and tied up the duty AB's legs and hands and kept him at knife point. The robbers entered forecastle store and stole ship's stores and lowered them into a canoe waiting alongside. The AB untied himself and reported to the Duty Officer who raised alarm and informed port control. A patrol boat arrived and searched the surrounding area but could not find the canoe or robbers.
From the Better Late Than Never Desk:
November 1 2006 at km 346 Parana River Anchorage, Argentina. 17 robbers boarded a general cargo ship. They destroyed communication equipment on board, broke into containers and stole electronic and other goods from the vessel. The robbers escaped in a boat. The vessel contacted a naval base which responded by sending three naval cutters. The navy succeeded in intercepting the pirate boat marked "Luchando Voy" bearing no. "M-1085". The robbers were arrested and stolen goods confiscated. Robbers will be prosecuted in a local court.
New York (AP) - In his last press conference of his ten-year post at the helm of the United Nations, Ghanaian diplomat Kofi Annan listed what he feels were his worst moments, as well as the greatest threats facing the world.
He also warned against any kind of military intervention in Iran.
Annan, who on December 31 will end ten years as the Secretary-General of world's most powerful organisation, said it was not hard to identify the worst moment of the past decade.
"The worst moment, of course, was the Iraq war which as an organisation we couldn't stop," Annan said. "I really did everything I can to try to see if we can stop it. The other really painful one was the loss of our colleagues in Baghdad which was a very painful thing for all of us and for me personally."
Annan was referring to the truck bomb that killed the UN's special representative in Iraq, Sergio Vieira de Mello and at least 16 others on August 19, 2003. "They were not just colleagues, they were true friends. And I think nothing had hit me as much as almost the loss of my twin sister," Annan said.
Continued on Page 49
#1
Annan, who on December 31 will end ten years as the Secretary-General of world's most Pathetic, corrupt, and useless powerful organisation,
Fixed that for ya! said it was not hard to identify the worst moment of the past decade.
So very many to choose from....
The other really painful one was the loss of our colleagues in Baghdad which was a very painful thing for all of us and for me personally."
But I'm sure he can console himself with the fact that Sammy's not dead [yet]. Too bad about his sons. And of course the profits from Oil-for-food.
#5
The useless POS is headed for Geneva. I believe his kid is holed up there already. Probably a gift pad reward for his service to the umma. And, he can walk in and check on his secret accounts personally.
SAMARRA, Iraq, Dec. 18, 2006 Members of the largely Shiite Iraqi National Police made a clothing donation to the Sunni-dominated Red Crescent, Dec. 12. In a show of good faith, the predominantly Shiite national police force presented the Red Crescent, an organization similar to the Red Cross, with three truckloads of clothing to be distributed among the nearly 1,500 displaced Sunni Muslims living in the Samarra area.
Meant as a way to promote positive relations between the two factions, the national police were pleased to help, said one Shiite police officer. Doing something like this will help these families, said the police officer, who wished to remain anonymous.
Sgt. 1st Class Edward Rodriguez, 402nd Civil Affairs Battalion, said this was the first time in the Samarra area that a gesture of this scale has been made.
They (Iraqi National Police) wanted to do something for the families and we had this extra clothing, Rodriguez said. So they asked us if they could donate these clothes as a sign of support. We hope this is a positive step towards helping the differences between the Iraqi people.
With about 40 boxes of clothing donated for the nearly 1,500 refugees, Rodriguez said he believed the operation would have an impact. It made a difference, he said. The director of the Red Crescent was pleased; not only because she received clothing to help the displaced people, more importantly she was pleased because it was the Shiites showing a sense of unity between the two Muslim factions.
The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Or something like that.
Posted by: Bobby ||
12/20/2006 06:31 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[11131 views]
Top|| File under:
#2
"...either with the help of a mysterious Western private security firm that appeared at the station on Sunday, or with the complicity of the Iraqi police."
The The Chicago way Yeah right this crook sounds more like Mayor Richard Daley then Al Capone.
As 2007 approaches, one of the more contentious issues in Iraq looks likely to come to the fore: the status of the oil-rich city of Kirkuk. Upon completion of the normalization process, which has seen thousands of Kurds return to the city and it surroundings, a census and referendum is to take place sometime in 2007 to determine whether or not Kirkuk will be assimilated into the semi-autonomous Kurdish region.
However, as Iraq prepares itself for what is expected to be a difficult and sensitive process, the recommendations by the U.S. Iraq Study Group and increased warnings by Turkey to postpone the referendum have alarmed Kurdish leaders. Kurdish officials have recently issued warnings that any postponement of the referendum could plunge the relatively peaceful Kurdish north into chaos.
The Iraq Study Group described the Kirkuk situation as a "powder keg" and recommended that the referendum planned for 2007 be delayed. Kurdish leaders reacted angrily and assailed the group's recommendation, calling it an affront to Iraq's sovereignty, particularly since the Kirkuk referendum is enshrined in the constitution
Iraqi President Jalal Talabani directly referred to this incident when reacting to the Iraq Study Group report. "We smell in this report the attitude of James Baker in the aftermath of the war in Kuwait," he said, referring to the U.S. decision not to assist the Kurds during the rebellion nor to overthrow Hussein when Baker was secretary of state under former President George Bush.
Turkey has repeatedly expressed its unease over the Iraqi Kurds' bid to annex Kirkuk, which the Turks believe could form the foundation for a strong economy that could eventually fund the Iraqi Kurds' bid to establish an independent Kurdish state. Ankara fears that a Kurdish state would become a focal point of Kurdish nationalism and incite its own Kurdish population to seek autonomy.
Secession by the Kurds would present a disastrous scenario that could ignite a regional conflict. Iraq's fragmentation would greatly increase the likelihood of Turkish military intervention, not only to prevent its own Kurdish population from seceding, but also to protect northern Iraq's Turkoman population, who are ethnic Turks.
#2
Kirkuk shall belong to the Kurds. You will not for forsake them Three times. They are owed land via UN resolution (whatever that means anymore). So, there is the monkey in the wrench.
#3
Surely the Turks know better than to intervene militarily when the US has boots on the ground. We'd be forced to take a hand in things if that happened (hopefully, if there's any logic at all in the world, on the side of the Kurds).
The Turks may have a reputation for toughness, but I don't think they're anywhere close to the US Army and Marines, especially battle-hardened troops we have there.
#4
We owe the Kurds the right to live peacefully. The Kurds have demonstrated they can conduct affairs in a prosperous manner. These f**kin' Turks shit on us in 2003. I would tell them that if any of their soldiers are seen in kurdish territory we (US) will specifically see that they do not return.
BAGHDAD - Prosecutors in Saddam Husseins trial for genocide against ethnic Kurds showed graphic footage on Tuesday of dead civilians, including infants, allegedly killed in chemical attacks on their villages.
Chief prosecutor Munqith Al Faroon also showed the court a memo that praised a Dutch businessman who was convicted in December 2005 for supplying Baghdad with banned chemical weapons that were used in the offensive that prosecutors say killed more than 180,000 Kurds.
Faroon, attempting to implicate Saddam and his six co- defendants for the Anfal (Spoils of War) campaign, showed the court an internal memo that praised Dutch businessman Frans van Anraat for his role in providing banned weapons. After he was granted Iraqi citizenship on personal orders by Saddam, van Anraat fled Iraq after the dictator was toppled and in December 2005 was convicted and sentenced to 15 years in prison after being found guilty of complicity in war crimes.
Rat bastard. He should burn in hell next to Sammy.
He supplied our institutions ... with rare and banned chemical weapons, read the memo dated 1992 which circulated inside the presidents office.
Posted by: Steve White ||
12/20/2006 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[11130 views]
Top|| File under:
#1
Not surprising. Both the Netherlands and especially Belgium have long been sources for black-market arms and war materiel. During the Iran-Iraq war, the Iranians were getting Dutch-made NVGs and radios via Rotterdam.
BAGHDAD, Iraq A court saw chilling videos of gassed children lying in a field and villagers fleeing clouds of white smoke as prosecutors argued Tuesday that Saddam Hussein and his regime had used chemical weapons against the Kurds of northern Iraq in the late 1980s.
"These children are the saboteurs that the defendants talk about," prosecutor Munqith al-Faroon said sarcastically as the footage showed scores of dead children on the ground, partially covered by blankets.
He was referring to the defense argument that Saddam and his co-defendants were fighting Kurdish insurgents during the 1987-88 military offensive that was codenamed Operation Anfal.
Saddam and six former members of his regime have pleaded innocent to charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity for their roles in the operation, in which an estimated 180,000 Kurds have been killed. Saddam and one defendant have pleaded innocent to the additional charge of genocide.
"This is the result of the chemical attacks," the prosecutor shouted in the courtroom, referring to the dead children.
Al-Faroon did not reveal the source of the grainy videos with distorted sound. A timecode under the images showed the clips were at various times in 1987 and 1988.
One video showed a thick white smoke cloud that emerged after a loud explosion as warplanes bombed a green mountainous region. The camera then showed villagers fleeing with their donkeys as houses in the background went up in flame. "These images are meant to show the court all the aspects of Saddam's military offensive," al-Faroon said. "They include video clips of the chemical attacks, families escaping, warplanes bombing their villages and the camps were they were held in."
The court adjourned the trial to Wednesday.
If Saddam and the other defendants are convicted, all seven could be condemned to death. Saddam has already been convicted and sentenced to death for the killing of nearly 150 people in the town of Dujail after a 1982 attempt to assassinate him. His lawyers have appealed that trial's verdict and sentence, and the appeals court is expected to rule next month.
Iraqi officials have suggested that Saddam's prosecution on genocide charges would be halted if the appeals court upholds the death sentence of the first trial.
Good. Screw the circus, no matter how satisfying, and jerk this chicken's neck. We'll deal with the fallout and move along.
BAGHDAD - The holy city of Najaf, seat of Iraqs most powerful Shia clerics and scene of an uprising against US troops after Saddam Husseins fall, will be officially handed over to Iraqi control on Wednesday.
The province of Najaf is the third of Iraqs 18 provinces to be transferred from the US-led occupying forces to Iraqi security forces. British forces handed over Muthanna province in July and Dhi Qar in September, both in the relatively calm Shia south of the country.
Question: three provinces, all in the south, will be under Iraqi control -- what about the Kurdish north? Are we maintaining security control there or do the Kurds handle this? If so, that's six provinces, not three, under local control.
Posted by: Steve White ||
12/20/2006 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[11132 views]
Top|| File under:
WASHINGTON - US costs for the Iraq war will exceed $110 billion this fiscal year, approaching the record reached in the prior fiscal year, a top White House official said on Tuesday. That number will end up being low, White House budget director Rob Portman said.
Iraq war spending hit an all-time high of $120 billion in fiscal year 2006 that ended on Sept. 30. Some media reports have said the war costs for 2007 could total around $170 billion. But Portman declined to give a precise figure.
The White House is scheduled to unveil its 2008 spending blueprint in early February. Along with the spending plan, the administration will offer a fresh request for money for the war and will provide updated forecasts for the budget deficit. Portman said that with the unveiling of the budget for 2008, the administration will provide more information than we have in the past on estimates for future war spending.
Portman declined to comment on the costs that would be involved if 20,000 additional troops are sent to Iraq in the near future. Media reports have said that option is under consideration by President George W. Bush, who will unveil an overhauled strategy for the war early in the new year.
Posted by: Steve White ||
12/20/2006 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[11129 views]
Top|| File under:
#1
This is going to be interesting. As the truth of required level of spending is revealed, the Dems will have to take a stand. Will they agree that defense budget should go back to 8-9% GDP where it belongs ? Agreeing to this will cause severe constipation to Pelosi, Reid, etc. because it will stop them from freely spending on health care, education, and other pet projects. This will cause a lot of sparklers to go off fersure.
#2
SO35; No it won't: the percentages will be played when convienient, raw dollars when not. Don't expect the MSM to be smart enough to keep up with the spin. and then there will be the inflation / cost of living thingy tossed in just to keep the issue murky to partly cloudy.
AMMAN - Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert paid a surprise visit to Jordan Tuesday for talks with King Abdullah II on ways to reactivate peace talks with the Palestinians, the royal court said.
Might as well go to Amman, he's sure not very useful at home.
A court statement said the monarch had also offered to host a meeting in Amman between Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas and Hamas prime minister Ismail Haniya to defuse escalating tensions between their rival factions.
His majesty had talks with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert who paid a two-hour visit to Jordan and the king also phoned Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas, the statement said. Olmert, it added, travelled to Jordan at the request of the king as part of efforts he is undertaking to revive the peace process between the Palestinians and the Israelis.
The monarch in his telephone call updated Abbas on the talks and discussed ways to defuse tensions in the Palestinian territories. The king briefed president Abbas on the nature of his talks with Olmert and they agreed to continue coordinating with the Palestinian national authority to discuss all the means that can reactivate the peace process, it said. All options are open, including hosting a meeting in Amman between (Abbas) .. and Haniya to discuss possible means of defusing the political tension between Fatah and Hamas, the Jordanian monarch told Abbas.
Posted by: Steve White ||
12/20/2006 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[11134 views]
Top|| File under:
#1
Abdullah told Olmert that Jordan doesn't want them either.
[MENL] -- Israel's intelligence community has determined that the nation's deterrence has been damaged. Officials said the intelligence community has concluded that the military's poor performance in the 2006 war against Lebanon eroded Israeli deterrence. They said the military's failure to defeat Hizbullah has encouraged Iran and Syrian President Bashar Assad to prepare for another conflict with the Jewish state.
"Israel's military deterrence was damaged in the war," Mossad director Meir Dagan said. "As a result, Assad's self-confidence grew. They are prepared to take more risks than in the past."
On Monday, Dagan's testimony to the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee marked the first time that a senior Israeli official reported a decline in deterrence. Over the last few months, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and his aides have asserted that Israel defeated Hizbullah and bolstered deterrence.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/20/2006 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[11132 views]
Top|| File under:
#1
Don't know what their report actually said, but I would say that the extremely poor performance of the miltary and civilian leadership has caused danger to all Israelis by emboldening the Muzzies beyond any point in the last 50 years. Once again, actions have consequences.
#2
The diplomatic phrase is probably 'mutual respect', but deterrence is based on fear - fear of the consequences. Remove that fear and you don't have jack. Israel will be paying a high price for Olmert's lameness and inability to act.
Six Palestinians were killed and dozens injured as the cease-fire between Hamas and Fatah in the Gaza Strip collapsed Tuesday, less than 48 hours after it went into effect. Another cease-fire agreement was announced late Tuesday, this time under the auspices of Egyptian mediators. According to the new deal, Hamas and Fatah agreed to withdraw all their gunmen from the streets and to release all those who were kidnapped from both sides. The new cease-fire is to take effect overnight Tuesday
Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas called off a planned visit to the Gaza Strip because of the renewed clashes, his aides told The Jerusalem Post. Both Abbas and Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas called on the warring parties to halt the fighting immediately.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/20/2006 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[11130 views]
Top|| File under:
#1
This one oughta be good for about 5 minutes +4.9 minutes.
#6
Well, last year I went as Global Warming which is damn scary, but this Halloween I'm either going to be a Powerful Islamic Court or a Collapsing Palestinian Ceasefire. I will be guided by someone in a Threatened Stability getup.
Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa canceled Tuesday a plan for an emergency meeting to resolve violence between Palestinians factions, citing meditation efforts to end the bloody rift. Moussa, who had called for the emergency meeting of Arab foreign ministers on Monday, said he shelved the plans after conferring with President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority. Abbas "told me that there are meditations by some Arab states which may lead to a result and progress in (solving) the Palestinian crisis," Moussa told reporters before leaving for a separate mission in Lebanon. "In view of this conversation, it has been concluded that the meeting should be postponed to give the mediation a chance," he said.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/20/2006 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[11137 views]
Top|| File under:
#1
In view of this conversation, it has been concluded that the meeting should be postponed to give the mediation a chance," he said.
Lets have a meeting to discuss the meeting to talk about the meeting which was a direct result of the previous meeting and then they'll discuss the agenda for the next meeting , whilst considering an itinary for the next 50 years
hehe , we all know how good these chaps are at mediating and finding a common ground , building a better life for their people :P
#2
I think a Palestinian Medication Meeting is a great idea. My personal recomendation is thorazine in the water supply. Gotta do something to chill 'em out, 'cause those Paleos is wack!
Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh said Tuesday in a televised speech that after an independent Palestinian state were established within the 1967 borders, Hamas would be prepared to honor a hudna (cease-fire) with Israel of anywhere from 10 to 20 years, Channel 2 reported.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/20/2006 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[11133 views]
Top|| File under:
#1
Gee. A lot has happened in the last 10 years. I wonder what would happen in the next 10.
#2
The famous hudna, namely, the Treaty of Hudaybiyya, was for 10 years (of course Mohamet broke the treaty in its 2nd year)and thus a lot of sources say that 10 is the longest that can be offered
Thus Haniyeh is on thin theological ground in offering up to 20. Somebody might assasinate him for that.
#3
I don't think one can "honour" a hudna. It's a one-sided respite to be ended at the whim of the declarer. "Ceasefire" doesn't exist in the vocab. That would be "run away and rearm".
#4
..People in Hell would be prepared to accept ice water. They ain't gonna get that, either.
Mike
Posted by: Mike Kozlowski ||
12/20/2006 10:34 Comments ||
Top||
#5
The '67 borders, eh? The reason those borders are no longer in place is because someone started a war and that someone lost. As a general rule of thumb, losers don't have much say in determining borders after a conflict. Sorry.
In a greeting to the world's Christians for the coming new year, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said he expects both Jesus and the Shiite messianic figure, Imam Mahdi, to return and "wipe away oppression."
"I wish all the Christians a very happy new year and I wish to ask them a question as well," said Ahmadinejad, according to an Iranian Student News Agency report cited by YnetNews.com
"My one question from the Christians is: What would Jesus do if he were present in the world today? What would he do before some of the oppressive powers of the world who are in fact residing in Christian countries? Which powers would he revive and which of them would he destroy?" asked the Iranian leader.
"If Jesus were present today, who would be facing him and who would be following him?"
Ahmadinejad then made a connection between Jesus and the Imam Mahdi, believed by Shiites to have disappeared as a child in A.D. 941. When the Mahdi returns, they contend, he will reign on earth for seven years before bringing about a final judgment and the end of the world. See this nice take on islamic eschatology, and how the mahdi and the muslim Jesus (who among his first acts will destroy Christianity and convert the whooe world into muslimland) fit into an interpretation of the Apocalypse.
"All I want to say is that the age of hardship, threat and spite will come to an end someday and, God willing, Jesus would return to the world along with the emergence of the descendant of the Islam's holy prophet, Imam Mahdi, and wipe away every tinge of oppression, pain and agony from the face of the world," Ahmadinejad said.
Ahmadinejad has been urging Iranians to prepare for the coming of the Mahdi by turning the country into a powerful and advanced Islamic society and by avoiding the corruption and excesses of the West.
He sees his main mission, as he recounted in a Nov. 16, 2005, speech in Tehran, as to "pave the path for the glorious reappearance of Imam Mahdi, may Allah hasten his reappearance."
With Iran's continued development of nuclear technology in defiance of the West, some analysts fear Ahmadinejad's intent is to trigger the kind of global conflagration he envisions will set the stage for the end of the world.
Ahmadinejad hosted a conference last week examining whether the Nazi genocide took place, drawing Holocaust deniers from around the world. The Iranian president has described the Holocaust as a "myth" and called for Israel to be wiped off the map.
"The Zionist regime will be wiped out soon the same way the Soviet Union was, and humanity will achieve freedom." he said.
Last month, he said he believes the world is rapidly becoming "Ahmadinejadized," with global leaders following in his footsteps.
"I have traveled to all the continents except for one, and I know what is going on out there. Everybody is eager to hear the Iranian people's message," the Aftab-Yazd newspaper quoted the president as saying, according to Agence France-Presse. "The world is rapidly becoming Ahmadinejadized."
The hardliner said Iran's "two big missions are constructing the country and introducing a model for humanity."
#1
I thought Muslims considered Jesus a mortal prophet, not any kind of deity. Doesn't that make talk of Jesus returning at the end of the world heresy for a Muslim?
#3
I thought Muslims considered Jesus a mortal prophet, not any kind of deity. Doesn't that make talk of Jesus returning at the end of the world heresy for a Muslim?
Actually, the Koran itself acknowledges the Virgin Birth and DOES assign to Jesus the role of leading the Angelic armies to retake the earth from evil.
#9
#3: "the role of leading the Angelic armies to retake the earth from evil"
They're gonna come kill the jihadis and leftists?
Can they please step it up?
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut ||
12/20/2006 18:50 Comments ||
Top||
#10
He sees his main mission, as he recounted in a Nov. 16, 2005, speech in Tehran, as to "pave the path for the glorious reappearance of Imam Mahdi, may Allah hasten his reappearance."
He needs to get together with Benjamin Creme and get their stories straight. They can't both be right.
Hmmmm, maybe they could have a Steel Cage Imam Mahdi Smackdown to decide who's the real Mahdi.
Just a few years ago, this snow-swept central Alaskan post lay dormant, closed through the Base Realignment and Closure process. But today its up and running again at full speed, serving as the epicenter of the United States Ground-Based Midcourse Defense program.
Eleven ground-based interceptor missiles buried in underground silos here represent a key part of a multi-layered defense system designed to protect the United States from a ballistic missile attack. These interceptors, and two more at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., would destroy incoming missiles at the midcourse phase, outside the earths atmosphere.
In the event of an attack, members of the Alaska Army National Guards 49th Missile Defense Battalion based here would use sophisticated surveillance and radar systems to track the missile through its initial boost phase, explained Maj. Joe Miley, the units operations officer. If the missile reached the midcourse phase, the Alaska Guardsmen would await the order to engage it.
On order, they would fire an interceptor at the incoming missile. The force of the collision --the equivalent of two refrigerators slamming into each other at 15,000 mph -- would destroy the target before it reentered the atmosphere, Miley said.
Miley noted that the National Guard is perfectly suited to perform such an important mission.
The National Guard has traditionally done homeland defense, he said, citing National Guard history dating back 370 years to the Minutemen in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. And this is the epitome of homeland defense.
Here at what Miley called the strategic sweet spot for missile defense, almost 200 Alaska Guardsmen who came from around the country to serve in the 49th Missile Defense Battalion take that calling pretty seriously.
The unit is a cross-section of America, at one time representing 46 states and territories, and all its members applied for three-year, Active Guard and Reserve assignments with the program, Miley explained.
Getting accepted into the program is tough, but passing the extensive training required is even tougher, Miley said. Applicants go through nine to 14 weeks of air defense training at Fort Bliss, Texas; a nine-week Ground Missile Defense operator course in Colorado Springs, Colo., then four more weeks of unit training in Colorado Springs before taking a certification test.
We hire the best and put them through a rigorous training program, Miley said. To pass the GMD operator course, for example, students have to score 90 percent or better.
You have to be an A student or you cant do GMD, Miley said. The way we conduct our training, you basically have to get everything right to progress to the next level, so theres no room for error. We have very high standards.
Thats a good thing, he said, in light of the responsibility they shoulder every day. Whether theyre providing security at the 800-acre missile defense complex here or manning fire direction center in what Miley called the tank turret of missile defense, theyre on the front lines of homeland defense.
Regular exercises keep troops here at the top of their game.
They say you fight as you train, and we train extensively to make sure were on our toes, said Sgt. Seth Paul, a former Illinois Guardsmen who joined the Alaska Guard here two years ago.
The Guardsmen just wrapped up exercise Vigilant Shield, with scenarios that called on them to respond. Training exercises are successful because youre up all the time, running missions, but at the same time, theyre reassuring, Paul said. We do things almost ad nauseum, but the bottom line is that you can never be too prepared.
That message got reinforced this summer when North Korea announced plans to launch an intercontinental ballistic missile.
We were on high alert, and we were ready for it, Miley said. All the crews had done thousands of hours of simulations, on top of their training, and they were ready to act if it had turned out to be a threat.
Sgt. Anthony Montoya, a communications operator in the fire direction center that received initial confirmation of the North Korean test, said he and his unit were ready to respond.
Im ready to do my mission, he said. I feel confident in my training, in the system, the crew, and that everyone will make the right decision and do what theyre supposed to do.
Montoya, formerly from the New Mexico Guard, said he jumped at the chance to join the 49th Missile Defense Battalion and get involved in what he called the next step up for air defense.
Its great to be part of such technology and to serve your country in such a different kind of way, he said. This isnt a job; its a mission.
Paul agreed that the opportunity to work with cutting-edge technology also attracted him to the job. We have systems here that they dont have anywhere else, he said. Its a good learning experience, and were doing something no one else does.
And theyre doing it in conditions not found anywhere else in the U.S. military. Winter weather here in the shadow of the magestic Alaska Range can be brutal, with temperatures dipping to 60 degrees below zero and winds howling at more than 60 mph. The troops here just got issued the Armys new Extended Cold Weather System and call it a godsend in keeping them warm and dry during foot patrols and range operations.
Even when the weather eases up, the troops here face interesting workday challenges. Roaming foxes or moose frequently set off heat-detection sensors along the complexs fence line perimeter. Fort Greelys remote location, 100 miles southeast of Fairbanks, makes tiny Delta Junction, population 840, the closest big city short of a two-hour drive.
And Fort Greely itself, mothballed in 2002, is still working to catch up with the 49th Missile Defense Battalions quality-of-life needs. The post exchange and commissary have expanded, and a new European-inspired coffee bar has become a popular gathering place for troops seeking refuge from the cold. This place has made an amazing progression since 2003, Miley said. It has truly come along.
Meanwhile, the 49th Missile Defense Battalions mission here also continues to grow, incorporating new technology as its developed.
We have a system capability, and were enhancing it, explained Brig. Gen. Tom Katkus, the Alaska Guards assistant adjutant general for missile defense. Its the idea of flying the plane and building it at the same time.
Troops here say its exciting to be a part of that growth, and the sky-high retention rates reflect their enthusiasm. Unlike typical active-Army units, where troops frequently move on to new assignments, soldiers here can reapply for their positions and even build a career, Katkus said.
This brings stability to the mission, minimizing disruption while building cohesive, experienced crews accustomed to working together. They become a real team, committed to working together to carry out their mission, Katkus said.
Paul called the opportunity to conduct an important, real-world mission every day the most gratifying part of the job. Our homeland is one of the most important things to us, because our families are here, he said. By being here, I can contribute to preventing something that could be catastrophic in nature. What Im doing here could be helping other people.
What the military does around the world is important, Paul concluded. But its especially important right here, in our homeland. Thats why we want to be here.
A Danish art group that pokes fun at world leaders targeted Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Wednesday by placing an advertisement in a Tehran newspaper with an insulting hidden message.
Beneath a picture of the president, a series of apparently sympathetic statements were arranged such as "Support his fight against Bush" and "Iran has the right to produce nuclear energy". The advert was attributed to "Danes for World Peace".
However, the first letters of each phrase, when read from top to bottom, spell out "S-W-I-N-E".
The English-language Tehran Times, the conservative daily that printed the half-page advert, had apparently not detected the hidden message. But its impact is likely to be limited as the paper has a circulation of only a few thousand.
"We thought we would poke fun at Ahmadinejad because we don't think he's very liberal or sensitive," said Jan Egesborg, a member of the art group Surrend.
"We think he represents an extreme ideology," he told Reuters.
Ahmadinejad has been condemned in the West for comments doubting the veracity of the Holocaust and calling for Israel to be "wiped off the map".
Previous targets of the group, which has no political affiliations, include Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko and Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe.
Egesborg, 44, who teaches at the Danish School of Fine Art, said: "We did it to cause a reaction. There is a young population there (in Iran) which wants more liberalisation. Hopefully they will be inspired," he said. "It's nothing against the country or the people, it's (against) the person in power."
In its stunt against Lukashenko, Surrend erected posters at the Belarus-Poland border with pictures of the president accompanied by captions that included: "You control the sun, the moon and the corruption."
#1
Um...Ahmadey, little buddy...there's being able to enrich uranium, there's being able to load that enriched uranium into a reactor and get it hot enough to power steam turbines to make electricity, and then there's having this thing called the bomb.
Now, if we're real lucky, and not abysmally stupid, you might just get the chance to see the bomb in action up cloase ad personal - for all of a few seconds until your eyes explode, your face burns off, and your clothes ignite in the flash and fireball.
Or maybe we won't bother and you'll get to see the effects of a daisycutter or fuel-air explosive (that's an FAE to you) up close and personal.
I really, really hope you get the chance to see either one 'cause that's where you're heading if you keep this shit up.
#2
FREEREPUBLIC.com > ISRAEL, USA, + BRITAIN will VANISH vv DIVINE PROMISE [= God's Will?]. Many Netters are still arguing that Radical Iran is already a Nuke Power when it purchased SILKWORMS [and SSSSHHHHHHHH TACTICAL?WARHEADS] + other DUAL-USE/CAPABLE weapons from China, etal. In addition, some claim via MSM that Iran de facto detonated a nuke back in 1999 during the Clinton admin. In any case, Moud is making Bolton-USA's case for UNSC-led mil action as he continues to threaten the de facto existence of various/
multiple UNO Member Nations. Lest we fergit, RUSSIA's own 'Perts claim that at current rates Moud = Radical Iran will be self-sufficient next by END-OF-SPRING = BEFORE SUMMER 2007 for the production of materials as per BOTH domestic energy + nuke weapons.
Iran demanded Tuesday that the UN Security Council condemn what it said was Israel's clandestine development and possession of nuclear weapons and "compel" it to abandon nuclear arms and place all its nuclear facilities under UN inspection.
If Israel refuses to comply, Iran said the council must take "resolute action" under Chapter 7 of the UN Charter, which authorizes a range of measures from diplomatic and economic sanctions to military action.
Iran insists its own nuclear program is purely peaceful to develop nuclear energy, but the United States and many European nations believe Tehran's real aim in enriching uranium is to produce nuclear weapons. The Security Council is currently debating a resolution that would impose sanctions on Iran for refusing to suspend its enrichment program.
Iran's UN Ambassador, Javad Zarif, said in identical letters to the council and the secretary-general that the council's actions would show whether it was acting under the UN Charter or as "a tool" for a few permanent members who have encouraged Israel "to persist in its lawless behavior with impunity."
The reference appeared aimed at the United States, Israel's closest ally, which would almost certainly veto any council resolution on Israel's nuclear program.
Zarif said Israel was the only obstacle to establishing a nuclear weapons-free zone in the Middle East.
"Peace and stability cannot be achieved in the Middle East while the massive Israeli nuclear arsenal continues to threaten the region and beyond," he said.
Zarif said Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's recent comments in a German television interview constituted not only a public admission of the country's nuclear weapons but a public boast of how dangerous they are.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/20/2006 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[11134 views]
Top|| File under:
#1
WND.com > Moud believes both JESUS + MAHDI will come.
#3
You gotta admit: Iran's a wonder to watch as they pluck world diplomacy like so many strings on a harp. They have a point though - the US can't claim the moral high ground if we're not willing to apply it objectively. Israel should be compelled to join the NPT (though I don't think we made India join it and we just did a landmark deal with them). Fact is, we're hypocrites. And let's just own up to it instead of waxing poetic about wanting to defend freedom/liberate the oppressed/whatever. 'Cause 'the oppressed' aint buying it and it just undermines what we're trying to do, which is push back the tide.
#7
SPACEWAR.com > ONLY RUSSIA CAN SAVE WORLD FROM [ISRAEL-IRAN?] NUCLEAR HOLOCAUST. Jewish World Congress Ldr KANTOR indics that IRAN needs two yarns [2008-2009] to have both nukes + effective missle delivery systems.
Also from SPACEWAR > RUSSIA CAN PLAY ITS TOPOL-M TRUMP CARD, while JANES.com > DRAGON'S TEETH - China developing new, better missles ala anti-US ASSASSINS'S MACE.
The five veto-wielding members of the UN Security Council reached a deal Tuesday on confronting Iran's suspect nuclear program, setting the stage for the first action by the powerful UN body over fears that Teheran wants a nuclear weapon. The 15 members of the council planned to meet later to approve the statement, which was expected to demand that Iran abandon uranium enrichment, the process that can lead to a nuclear weapon.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/20/2006 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[11136 views]
Top|| File under:
1. Watering down the res to highly targeted, limited sanctions. Which is still good, IMO, it sets a stake in the ground, but the Russians and Chinese did stop stronger sanctions.
2. Chinese want 2012 olympics to go well. They really dont want to be embarrassed supporting the holocaust deniers.
3. Russia still wants influence in Europe, and France and Germany seem to be royally pissed at Iran, who did after all embarrass them in the negotiations.
#4
Let's say you did something bad. What would make you not do it again?
Losing TV privileges on Saturdays and having to cook your own dinner?
Getting your ass whooped so that for days, just sitting reminds you not to do it again?
These sanctions are a gnat on the body of a behemoth. Iran'll say ouch and go on its merry way.
Cat Stevens is back. Well, his name now is Yusuf Islam, and well call him that, but old habits are hard to break, and you know, he was our Cat for a long, long time. Friedman must have hit his head falling off the meterite at mecca
Last night he returned to the U.S. and the stage, playing a nice long set at the Allen Room at Jazz at Lincoln Center for invited guests including rocker Patti Smith and a heavy mix of folks from the media like the New York Times pop critic Jon Pareles, filmmaker Albert Maysles, rock impresario David Spero and writer Daphne Merkin. The show, taped for KCRW-FM, was interspersed with a conversation with that radio stations Nic Harcourt.
But you know, it wasnt until after the mesmerizing, emotional show that I got to ask Yusuf a tough question: Does he regret denouncing author Salman Rushdie and appearing to endorse the fatwa, or death sentence, leveled at him by Ayatollah Khomeini? You mean calling for Rushdie's murder because he wrote a book?
I never said it, he replied, smiling. Bullshit
He used his two index fingers to show polar opposites. We were just poles apart. he said of Rushdie. We disagreed. But I never said such a thing. Most in the know Americans will be wondering how this Muslim terrorist funding (Hamas) dirtbag got let back in the country. Who knows maybe the INS thought he was a Mexican.
It was 17 years ago, he said, shaking his head. Rushdie had criticized the Muslim religion in his book, "The Satanic Verses. Many in Iran considered it blasphemy. Yusuf said to me, All we want is peace. Well, it was a heady time. All we want is peace. Guess that explains 9-11
What is missing from this story is how CAIR claimed it was racist not to let him in the country the first time. Hello his mom is Swede and his Dad Greek!
CAIR and Stevens claiming victimhood in order to promote Islam as the world religion.
#8
CAT STEVENS - isn't he supposed to be dead like JACK KERVORKIAN,etc. Sounds like INTEL has le' issues serieuse wid their PYWAR Sections. HOW CAN WE WIN THE WAR?
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.
[MENL] -- The United States has ruled out an attack on Somalia to end Al Qaida rule. Officials said the Bush administration has no plans to send U.S. troops to oust the new Al Qaida-aligned regime in Somalia. The regime, known as the Council of Islamic Courts, has defeated the U.S.-backed militia and taken over much of the country. "The Council of Islamic Courts is now controlled by Al Qaida cell individuals, East Africa Al Qaida cell individuals," U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Jendayi Frazer said. "The top layer of the court are extremists. They are terrorists."
December 13 2006 0030 UTC, Luanda Roads, Angola. Robbers in small boats boarded a ro-ro ship via the anchor chain. They escaped when they realised the crew had detected their presence. The locks on the forepeak store had been forced open. Nothing stolen. Master advised all ships bound for Luanda to maintain a vigilant anti-piracy watch and have all main deck lights on.
New York (AP) - In his last press conference of his ten-year post at the helm of the United Nations, Ghanaian diplomat Kofi Annan listed what he feels were his worst moments, as well as the greatest threats facing the world.
BAGHDAD - Prosecutors in Saddam Husseins trial for genocide against ethnic Kurds showed graphic footage on Tuesday of dead civilians, including infants, allegedly killed in chemical attacks on their villages.
BAGHDAD, Iraq A court saw chilling videos of gassed children lying in a field and villagers fleeing clouds of white smoke as prosecutors argued Tuesday that Saddam Hussein and his regime had used chemical weapons against the Kurds of northern Iraq in the late 1980s.
WASHINGTON - US costs for the Iraq war will exceed $110 billion this fiscal year, approaching the record reached in the prior fiscal year, a top White House official said on Tuesday. That number will end up being low, White House budget director Rob Portman said.
AMMAN - Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert paid a surprise visit to Jordan Tuesday for talks with King Abdullah II on ways to reactivate peace talks with the Palestinians, the royal court said.
[MENL] -- Israel's intelligence community has determined that the nation's deterrence has been damaged. Officials said the intelligence community has concluded that the military's poor performance in the 2006 war against Lebanon eroded Israeli deterrence. They said the military's failure to defeat Hizbullah has encouraged Iran and Syrian President Bashar Assad to prepare for another conflict with the Jewish state.
Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa canceled Tuesday a plan for an emergency meeting to resolve violence between Palestinians factions, citing meditation efforts to end the bloody rift. Moussa, who had called for the emergency meeting of Arab foreign ministers on Monday, said he shelved the plans after conferring with President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority. Abbas "told me that there are meditations by some Arab states which may lead to a result and progress in (solving) the Palestinian crisis," Moussa told reporters before leaving for a separate mission in Lebanon. "In view of this conversation, it has been concluded that the meeting should be postponed to give the mediation a chance," he said.
