#10
[On this spot at 19:20, Aspissenace had a vowel movement. Rantburg software has cleaned and disinfected the site of the accident. Have a nice day.]
#11
[On this spot at 22:41, hordUpserfepe had a vowel movement. Rantburg software has cleaned and disinfected the site of the accident. Have a nice day.]
From orbat.com - not confirmed yet from any other source
Our trusty correspondent, Mandeep Singh Bajwa, informed us this morning that India has offered to send 120,000 troops to Afghanistan. Naturally we asked Mandeep "are we being used by the Indians in a psyops game to put pressure on Pakistan?" Not that the Government of India knows we exist, but in all the movies about the media the Editor always asks if the paper is being played.
Mandeep's answer, paraphrased, was this: "I don't know at what level the offer has been made, but the Indian Army and Air Force are down to identifying specific units, formations, and squadrons..." - details, as we said, at Long War Journal - "...as well as discussing a specific name for force commander, plus working on the details of pre-deployment training, so this is a lot more elaborate than needed for a psyops game.'
We'd prefer to discuss this after we learn more, rather than waste your time with elaborate theories spun out of nothing ("Orbat.com's military sources say..."). But the following points are immediately apparent.
For the new US administration, this offer would be heaven-sent and just making it would put the US Government in debt to the Indians - "your other friends/allies talked, we walked." The administration could turn around to to its own people, and say: "Americans, you complain we are carrying the Afghan burden by ourselves, now we have a partner."
At Orbat.com we've been constantly talking about the need for more manpower; well, here you have a whacking big increment of manpower. With US/Allied troops it takes one to 75% of what Orbat.com considers a minimum force if Afghanistan is to be won.
In one deft swoop, India forces the Americans to chose Delhi over Islamabad. To the Indians the constant US attempt to "balance" the two countries has been a source of serious blood pressure since the 1940s; obviously if the Americans accept it has to be India First from now on and Pakistan gets marginalized. Moreover, the Indians put America up the creek without the paddle regarding Pakistan: "what is it your so-called ally is doing, compared to what we are willing to do."
The devious cunning of the Indian move becomes more apparent when you consider if the US government refuses, the American people are going to get on the Government's case: "The Indians are offering and you're still sticking with those slimey two-timers the Pakistanis?"
For India, offering a huge contingent takes the pressure off the Indian government to act aggressively against Pakistan. India does not have a launch a single sortie against Pakistan to punish it for acting against India. Indian government can tell its own people: "What good will a pinprick do? The Israelis have been bashing up the Palestinians for two decades, and where are the results? What we are doing is to strike a hard blow at Pakistan without crossing the Pakistan border and getting beat up by everyone for provoking war."
Plus India neatly destroys Pakistan's strategic depth objective. The Indians have been wanting to get into the act in Afghanistan for several years, because they know a Taliban government means more fundamentalist pressure on Pakistan and thereby on India. But the Americans have been refusing India help for fear of offending the Pakistanis. For India to get into Afghanistan in force is to again change the paradigm of Indian-Pakistani relations as happened in 1971 when India split East Bengal from Pakistan. For the last almost 40 years India's efforts to marginalize Pakistan have been stymied. If the US accepts the Indian offer, India gains hugely.
But right now a lot of American decision-makers do not care if Pakistan is offended because they see the latter has no interest in fighting the insurgents or helping the US against the Taliban. Once alternate supply routes are available, US can write off Pakistan and as a consequence, paradoxically, vastly increase its leverage in that country.
As for Pakistani/jihadi retaliation against India or the Indian contingent in Afghanistan, we've said before the Indians don't care. Their point is India is squarely in the sights of the jihadis: India is already under severe, sustained attack and unable to retaliate. As for the security of the Indian troops, that really is the last thing the Indians are concerned about. They want to go to Afghanistan to fight, not to protect their troops against suicide bombers.
Two other minor points in passing. By making this offer, India takes the wind out of Pakistan's sails because the latter has very successful turned the world's attention from the Bombay atrocity to getting the world to stop escalation between India and Pakistan. Every day that goes by, India has less diplomatic/geopolitical freedom to hit Pakistan. But if India has offered several divisions for Afghanistan, obviously the last thing the Indians are thinking of is attacking Pakistan - 3/4th of the Army troops (as opposed to the CI troops) India is earmarking for Afghanistan are from the three strike corps. So India undercuts Pakistani claims that Delhi is preparing to attack.
The second point we find interesting. PRC knows if Pakistan falls to the jihadis, Sinkiang is the next target. By offering to go to Afghanistan, India is directly helping Beijing. Which puts Beijing in a very awkward spot as India is a big rival for influence in Asia. Not only will Indians be helping PRC, if China does send troops to Afghanistan, Delhi will canoodle with Washington without competition from China. The Chinese will have no choice but to join the Afghan venture or lose influence in South and Central Asia, and with Washington.
To sum up: Orbat.com has been second to none in bashing the Government of India as incompetent and impotent. But with this offer, India has overnight changed the rules of game in South/Central Asia and struck a potentially fatal blow at Pakistan. In the end, this could become much, much bigger by an order of magnitude than breaking off East Pakistan in 1971.
Posted by: john frum ||
12/29/2008 12:42 ||
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#6
I love this idea. If the Indians decide to do it, best way to get 120,000 troopers from India to Pakistan is route 60 to Lahore, then follow route 5 all the way to the Khyber Pass. Indian commanders using maps would note that they pass through Gujranwala, Rawalpindi and Peshawar.
Posted by: Steve White ||
12/29/2008 13:09 Comments ||
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#7
Its about time the West and India teamed up against our common enemy Saudi funded Pakistan!!!
#9
I call BS. Not that I want to- but this doesn't pass the smell test:
-No way India would denude their strike forces, especially during heightened tension w/ Pak
-Logistics
-No training w/ NATO, especially as expeditionary forces.
If India wants to develop this capability, we should SHOWER them with training and supplies. But until then...
That's right. This deployment will be practical once India creates a route (via invasion) from India to the Afghan border. I really don't see it happening, especially given current budget realities.
#14
Hell, anytime would be the time for India to bomb Pakistani targets, ZF.
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut ||
12/29/2008 16:13 Comments ||
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#15
It'd sure screw with Pakistan though, wouldn't it. It makes sense in a sort of reverse-psychology way. In fact, I would bet that Pakistan would have to pay way more than India would in the long run, and Indian troops would get some training out of the deal.
#16
Free Radical brings out a main point. India has 130 mega muzzies at home on a potential war path if things go south with Pakistan, which can keep India pretty occupied. Pak knows this and wants to tweak the stick on India to keep her off balance. India would have to neutralize the Pak nukes to do a conventional attack on Pak assets. That is a tall order.
A conventional war could and would probably escalate to a nuclear war, and if that happens all bets are off.
My best long distance ignorant estimate of what would happen in that case is that Pakistan would cease to exist and India could lose 1/4 to 1/2 the country.
My ignorant assessment is that India is not in a real good position to do anything decisive. What the world needs is to take away or destroy Pak nukes and all the nuclear infrastructure it has. Just who will do that is not yet clear, but that is what needs to be done. A nuke armed Pak and Iran would be a veddy veddy bad thing.
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
12/29/2008 16:44 Comments ||
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#17
Could they double-down and occupy Gaza?
Posted by: Super Hose ||
12/29/2008 16:46 Comments ||
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#18
I suspect the training/interoperability issues are paramount. It is no longer safe for even British troops to fight on the same battle field with us. If India really wanted to make the commitment, they could develop a truly world class military. The boys in Peking would sit up and notice that.
As far as logistics go, a twenty foot container is a twenty foot container. If the Paks don't want to let them through, perhaps the Indians will have to open the route from Lahore to Peshawar to Kabul. That would tighten some turbans.
I'm not so quick to call BS on this. It's a win-win offer for India. If we accept, they move up to the Oz class of ally, and Pakistan takes a big hit. But even if it is declined, which I think much more likely, it still pushes the relationship forward. With Bush, there was little doubt about direction. With The One's coming it is less clear. It would be a good start to keeping things moving and getting his temperature. And just this article has to have heads spinning in Islamabad and Beijing.
#21
Let's not get too carried away about a nuclear exchange between Pakistan and India. Let's be clear, it would be bad and a lot of innocents would suffer and die horribly.
However, neither side has the ability to wipe out the other. Most of the nuclear weapons they have are relatively low yield fission bombs (uranium or plutonium), and they don't have that many. The good ole' ISIS has looked at this and estimates a few dozen for each. That's theoretical and doesn't account for recent manufacturing.
At the same time, it also doesn't account for delivery. A first strike India might deliver most of its bombs, and in that case Pakistan would take a devastating blow. Pakistan's first-strike capability is some less, particularly if the Indians are alert, and their second-strike capability is, I'm guessing (WAG, really) far less.
So I don't see Pakistan being obliterated, and I don't see India losing 1/4 of her people, even if the worst occurs. All that said, I don't want to see it happen at all.
Posted by: Steve White ||
12/29/2008 18:08 Comments ||
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#22
If you all might remember, I proposed just this idea a while back. It is full of WIN for any number of reasons.
First of all, it would unnerve the heck out of the Pak army, and everybody else, that may have fooled itself, yet again, into thinking it could take on the Indian army.
Second, the Pak army would have to split their forces, facing a "second front".
Third, the Indians could choose to position themselves just opposite the most troublesome parts of Pakistan, FATA and NWFP. This would force the Pak army to "invade" and hold those places, right in the bad guys laps.
Fourth, the Indians can just sit there and let the local nutcases charge their lines.
Fifth, it is doing NATO and the US all kinds of favors, for which some kind of remuneration could be expected, and would be in order. Heck, even Israel would be all grins to India for a while over this.
Sixth, it would be serious Vi*gra for their military to force project, and it goes a long way to getting India a UNSC seat, which they are already due.
Seventh, the logistics involved will even give a workout to their navy, cooperating with their army and air forces. That is very valuable experience.
#23
Wel-l-l, does explain some of the rants by Chin Netters this AM. Its not clear at this time iff CHINA + PAKISTAN will accept such a move, espec China which is already concerned about Islamist -led destabilization efforts in its WESTERN-SW CHINA + MONGOLIA + POST-MUMBAI POTENTIAL MIL CONFRONTATION/CONLICT AGZ INDIA AS A CONSEQ OF ANY INDO-PAKI WAR???
E.g. WORLD MIL FORUM [Chinese] + INDIAN DEFENCE FORUM [Indian-S.Asian] > Netters already believe the MUMBAI incident lays the whole of SOUTH/WEST ASIA wide open to US = PRO-US [includ NATO-EU] INFLUENCE + DOMINAT/IMPERIALISM, WHICH THEY DISLIKE ANDOR PROCLAIM TO RESIST BY ANY MEANS.
#27
My best long distance ignorant estimate of what would happen in that case is that Pakistan would cease to exist and India could lose 1/4 to 1/2 the country.
I suspect the numbers would be far smaller than that. Each country might lose in the tens of millions max. But that's it. Both Pakistan and India are pretty big. To completely cover Pakistan with nukes, you'd need 25,000 40 kT nukes. India has a few dozen, at best. Those few dozen nukes would cover slightly more than 0.1% of Pakistan's land mass. Put it this way - to completely destroy Karachi would require 130 40 kT nukes. That's more than double the estimated inventory of Indian nukes. If the Indians managed to muster up the ordnance, the total casualty count from flattening Karachi would only be 16m people.
#30
Most maps I see show Karachi being roughly 14x14 km.
The worst case with all possible suburbs would be 40miles by 15 miles. (doubtful)
so using this calculator and assuming Houston is similar in blast characteristics you see a pretty nasty mess with just one 40kt bomb calc
7 40KT warheads (according to the calculator) would pretty much erase Houston.
Karachi has to be a softer target than Houston excepting its building tend more toward stone and cement than Houston's .... The radioactivity from the bombs would be a huge factor too...
If it is like LA a few more ... but...
you only need to take out a few critical spots and the city falls apart.
#31
Karachi's land area is about 3500 sq km. A 40 kT bomb generates 3rd degree burns at best (for the victims) within a 3 km radius - what you might call the fatality radius. (These burns are likely to be fatal, given that they require immediate hospitalization that is unlikely to be available for tens of thousands at a time). That's roughly 27 sq km of coverage. Divide 3500 by 27 and you get about 130 bombs.
#32
I don't mean to get into the macabre of this discussion, nor am I promoting the use of nukes. I used to work at the Nevada Test Site and I have the utmost awe and respect for these little monsters.
What I meant for Pakistan to cease to exist was to cease to exist as a nation. Targeting key infrastructure, like port facilities, centers of govt, power plants, water and sewerage infrastructure can bring an industrial state to a halt in a very short time. No energy, no transport, no sanitation, no food. 4 Horseman stuff after that.
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
12/29/2008 21:40 Comments ||
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#33
I suppose if we take radiation out of the calculation and make it some kind of acedemic exercise that only takes into account theoretical blast radius and define the objective as every inch of Karachi being in one of said blast radii...
Posted by: Mike N. ||
12/29/2008 21:56 Comments ||
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#34
Targeting key infrastructure...can bring an industrial state to a halt in a very short time.
How much of the Land Of The Pure can be counted as an industrial state? Still, wiping out ports, the center of Islamabad, and the senior officers' cantonments will go a long way to cutting the head of the Pakistani snake. I've no idea whether nuclear bombs would be needed to accomplish that.
#35
I suppose if we take radiation out of the calculation and make it some kind of acedemic exercise that only takes into account theoretical blast radius and define the objective as every inch of Karachi being in one of said blast radii...
I wouldn't call it entirely theoretical given that we have two demonstration projects - from 1945 - of the effects of nukes on a city. The difference is that in Pakistan, most of the structures are, if my recollection from the Marianne Pearl movie is accurate, made of brick rather than the wood used in earthquake-prone Japan. One nuke isn't going to burn down the entire city. And the reality is that the city doesn't actually feed the countryside - it's the countryside that feeds the city. Killing people in the city couldn't possibly cause starvation. If you want to talk about the Four Horsemen, one of them is knocked off, right off the bat.
A suicide car bomb blast near a voter registration site killed 16 people, 14 of them children, and wounded 58 in southeastern Afghanistan on Sunday morning, according to a senior police official and the U.S. military.
Zabiullah Mujahid, a Taliban spokesman speaking by phone from an undisclosed location, said the suicide bombing was carried out by Qari Hameedullah, a Taliban fighter.
Afghan President [Karzai] called the suicide bombing an "un-Islamic act" and said those behind it [who have studied many years in Madrassas and presumably know much more about Islam than Karzai who has a secular education]] "are not aware of the Islamic teachings which outlaw the killing of innocent people.
#2
Afghan President [Karzai] called the suicide bombing an "un-Islamic act" and said those behind it "are not aware of the Islamic teachings which outlaw the killing of innocent people".
I'm sure that when you keep saying that a coupla million times, you may actually come to believe it.
#5
#4 Interesting that the taliwhackers are taking credit for killing innocents. They obviously did not learn a thing in Iraq.
If it' ain't in the Koran, it ain't worth learnin'. You can warp and twist anything Muhamhead said to cover anything you want to do. That's been its major strength in recruiting Arabs, who have a similar philosophy.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
12/29/2008 15:54 Comments ||
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KABUL, Afghanistan -A single-file line of school children walked past a military checkpoint as a bomb-loaded truck veered toward them and exploded, ending the lives of 14 young Afghans in a heartbreaking flash captured by a U.S. military security camera.
The video shot Sunday shows an SUV slowly weaving through sand bag barriers at a military checkpoint just as a line of school children, most wearing white caps, comes into view. They walk along a pathway between the street and a wall, several of them pausing for a few seconds in a group before moving forward again. The vehicle moves toward the security camera while the children walk in the opposite direction, nearly passing the SUV when the footage ends in a fiery blast.
Photos of the bombing's aftermath showed bloodied text books lying on the ground beside small pairs of shoes. Afghan officials said the kids were attending a final day of class for the year to find out whether they would move up to the next grade.
Dr. Abdul Rahman, a doctor at a hospital near the blast, said the children were aged 8 to 10.
In an angry condemnation of the attack, President Hamid Karzai said those that carried it outcannot escape the revenge of Afghans and God's punishment."
Posted by: Steve White ||
12/29/2008 00:00 ||
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#1
President Hamid Karzai said those that carried it out"cannot escape the revenge of Afghans and God's punishment."
Unless, of course, he keeps undermining Coalition forces everytime a sympathizer civilian gets killed.
#2
Friggin' soul-dead barbarians.
If there were any justice in the world, we would select 14 Gitmo detainees, put them against a convenient wall and set off a 2000 lb JDAM six feet in front of their faces. No blindfolds or cigarettes (bad for their health, you know).
#3
It's not really appropriate for a western reader of the headline to refer to these as students - they're just kids. Especially as the word "student" has unfortunate connotations in that part of the world.
#5
This is a bit technical.. but lettuce pray and think on things that are damn, damn difficult:
From Job
7 Aftr teh Ceiling Cat pwnd Job, he startz actin all emo n sais "OMG U tree n00bz wif teh funneh naimz, U hax3d fo shure, unliek tat n00b Job who got pwnd liek teh str8 n00bz.8 So naow yuz all ned tu taek sum cheezburgers n stuff and gib dem two me, but I not lissen to yu cuz yuz st00pid. But I here wut Job say. Mebbe he prey for u. If I feel liek it mabbe den I not pwn yuo. Cuz Job iz all gud n stuff an sai wut troo, not leik yu. LOLZ!"9 Den teh tree d00ds did leik Ceiling Cat say, an he lisen to Job wen he prey n not p0wn thoz n00bs. YAY JOB!
10 Den wen Job dun preying for hims frenz, Ceiling Cat gib Job liek wai moar stuff!!!! SRSLY!!!!11! Ceiling Cat p0wnzors all teh n00bs!!!!11 An all Job's brudders n sissers n stuff caem to hes hows. Dey eated cookies an gib Job mouseh toyz n sparkel wibbunz. Fo reals!
11 Ceiling Cat gib Job eevin moar stuffs dis tiem. He had leik wai maor sheepz n camelz n rhinoceruseses n, leik, sum lolphants tu.12 He gots seven sunz n tree doughterz.13 Job namd doters Jemimah n Keziah n Keren-Hapuch.14 Hims doghters wuz teh pweties kittehs evah!!! Srsly! When him deded, Job gib cheezburgers n stuff tu hes doters, not jus hims sunz.
15 But b4 him dededed Job liv leik wai moar long. He seed hims kittehs hab kittehs an dey hab kittehs an dey hab kittehs, to. Fo reals!16 Den him deded, all veree happi and hes wikserz gray. TEH END! Lolz.
The Ugandan army on Sunday accused Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) rebels of hacking to death 45 people in a church in northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
An aid official sconfirmed Friday's massacre, saying the killings took place in a Catholic church in the Doruma area, around 40 kilometres (25 miles) from the Sudanese border. "There are body parts everywhere. Inside the church, the entrance and in the church compound," the aid official said.
"We got information the rebels cut 45 people into pieces," added army spokesman Captain Chris Magezi. "They were cut with pangas (machetes) and hit with clubs but some luckily managed to escape. Our forces came to know about the killings while pursuing the LRA yesterday (Saturday) and the pursuit is on for the killers."
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#1
The difference between a civilized society and barbarians is clearly on display here. There is no way the barbarian society is "equal" to what we enjoy here in the United States, or even to the "enlightened socialism" of Europe. This is a bit more graphic than most barbarian strikes, but there are plenty of similar actions being staged by islamists, such as the 14 young children killed yesterday in Afghanistan. "Justifying" it by claiming it's a "religious duty" doesn't prevent it from being seen as pure barbarianism. We need to quit playing games and do some serious hurt to all barbarians, everywhere. Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and Hezbollah are carriers of this incidious "disease", and need to be isolated and destroyed as groups, the individual members being separated from civilization. Maybe we could herd them all (or at least what survivors there are after a truly horrendous war to eliminate them) on some island somewhere, without any hope of ever leaving. It's clearly evident now that it's us or them. I don't want to have to spend the rest of my life defending myself against barbarians who have the social skills of a rabid lion. We need to do it now, so both OUR and THEIR children can live in peace. Begin by leaving Israel alone in dealing with their enemies, who are also OUR enemies.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
12/29/2008 16:08 Comments ||
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#1
Ghayasuddin Siddiqui, the head of the Muslim Parliament of Great Britain, told The Times: "This story is very common, unfortunately. We have tried to plug some of the holes in the whole system, but unfortunately our clerics do not live on this planet.
They dont understand. For them, controlling the sexuality of the woman is far more important than justice, so we have this problem.
I am stunned by the admission. Therapy starts with admission.
#4
Islam traditionally allows husbands to take up to four wives at a time
This has become a huge problem as young Muslim women travel and attend school in the west (or what remains of it) and learn that women in the west are not subjected to such slavery.
#8
I hadn't heard this.
"On December 15, 2008, Drescher announced on Larry King Live that she is actively lobbying to be appointed to serve the remainder of Hillary Clinton's Senate term."
Posted by: Deacon Blues ||
12/29/2008 15:10 Comments ||
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#9
Why is that surprising, Deacon? Isn't NY a nanny state?
An arsonist threw a Molotov cocktail against one of Chicago's oldest synagogues early today, and police are treating the incident as a hate crime.
The firebomb was thrown against the wall of Temple Sholom, 3480 N. Lake Shore Dr., by someone who drove up about 2 a.m., police said, citing a witness account. It self-extinguished and caused minimal damage, according to police spokesman Officer Daniel O'Brien. "The offender drove off and made a derogatory statement, an anti-Semitic slur," O'Brien said, citing the witness account.
The suspect was described as a man in his late 20s who fled in a black, two-door car, police said. The vehicle sped away south on inner Lake Shore Drive.
Temple Sholom was founded in 1867, making it one of Chicago's oldest synagogues, according to its Web site.
The incident took place several days after Israel launched an air assault in Gaza in response to Hamas firing rockets into Israel. Jay Tcath, senior vice president of the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago said it was hard to avoid "the likely connection" between the arson at the temple and what has been happening in Gaza. "Though no suspects have been apprehended and it's premature to unequivocally connect what is happening with this incident, it's hard to avoid the likely connection," Tcath said.
Lonnie Nasatir, regional director for the Anti-Defamation League in the upper Midwest region, said the incident is cause for vigilance. "All reports indicate right now it's being investigated as a hate crime, that the temple was purposely targeted. We are hoping that it's just one incident and that there are not further copycat incidents in the future. We don't know if it has any correlation with what is happening in Gaza."
Posted by: Steve White ||
12/29/2008 14:09 ||
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#1
This sort of crap is to be expected whenever Israel does something. So why didn't the synagogue hire a few armed night watchmen?
Me, I would have loved a happy ending, like "Molotov cocktail throwing man burned to death after being shot by security guard and dropping bomb."
#2
Like churches everywhere, Anonymoose, this synagogue no doubt has many more projects needing money than they have funds. I am equally certain the congregation hires off-duty policemen to stand guard during the high holiday services, when people could be hurt by vicious idiots. Buildings are replaceable, and anyway the damage is covered by insurance -- which I'm sure will go up as a result of this incident, essentially a tax on being Jewish -- but congregants are not.
MOHMAND AGENCY: At least four Taliban were injured in the Sindukhel area of Lakroo tehsil in firing by security forces, while unidentified armed men also made a foiled bid to blow up a bridge near Ghazi Baig.
Separately, nine security personnel were injured when their truck plunged into a ravine. The injured were shifted to the Combined Military Hospital in Peshawar.
Posted by: Steve White ||
12/29/2008 00:00 ||
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MIRANSHAH: The Taliban on Sunday killed three men on suspicion they were spying for the United States in various areas of North Waziristan Agency. A body was found near Sargardan chowk, west of Miranshah Bazaar. A note found on the body said the man was a US spy and a cassette in which he made the confession would be publicised soon.
Two more bodies were found near Khesu Khel Pul, 24 kilometres east of Mirali tehsil of Miranshah. A similar note, proclaiming they were US spies, was found on the two bodies as well. The note said those spying for the US forces would be treated in a similar manner.
Posted by: Steve White ||
12/29/2008 00:00 ||
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#3
yes, but our real spies are the one that 'caught' him.
Posted by: Abu do you love ||
12/29/2008 15:10 Comments ||
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#4
These morons believe we still use human spies. They have no idea that we've found a way to get goats and sheep to spy for us, especially those that have been "mistreated" by the Taliban. I understand that 40,000 bats are also being trained to keep track of Taliban fighters. The snakes, however, are proving much harder to train than we expected - something about "professional courtesy".
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
12/29/2008 16:15 Comments ||
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#5
I think they are killing everyone on Waziristan that is on the L&L Bean mailing list. Hopefully Victoria Secret will keep theirs quiet.
Posted by: Super Hose ||
12/29/2008 16:53 Comments ||
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QUETTA: A pipeline supplying gas from Pirkoh wells to Sui plant was blown up in the Pirkoh area of Dera Bugti districts Sui tehsil on Sunday, area police officials said. Unidentified men planted the bomb near the 16-inch pipeline, and the explosion destroyed a portion of the pipeline. Pakistan Petroleum Limited sources said that a team of engineers had been sent to the site in order to repair the damaged pipeline.
Seperately, the railway track linking Quetta with other parts of the country was blown up and a Karachi to Quetta train was damaged in the Dasht area on Sunday, police and railway officials said. They said that no one was injured in the explosion.
Posted by: Steve White ||
12/29/2008 00:00 ||
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MINGORA: Thirty-four people, including four children, were killed and more than a dozen injured in an attack which police have described as a suicide bombing at a polling station set up for a by-election in Bunir district of NWFP on Sunday. Bunir lies on the edge of Swat valley.
Police said the bomber targeted the polling station set up at a primary school with an explosives-laden car when people were casting their vote in the by-election for the constituency NA-28. The seat fell vacant when Awami National Party (ANP) parliamentarian Abdul Matin Khan passed away. News agencies said four children and two policemen were among the dead. The school building collapsed.
Swat-based Taliban have claimed responsibility and warned of more attacks, with their spokesman saying the polling station had been targeted to avenge the killing of six Taliban by Bunir locals.
Officials said the ballot was suspended following the bombing.
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani have condemned the attack, and ordered an investigation.
Attaboy, Gomez, investigate that one. Sure beats doing anything about it.
Posted by: Steve White ||
12/29/2008 00:00 ||
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#1
ahhh the joys of Islamic democracy... one man one vote or optional car bomb.
Posted by: Abu do you love ||
12/29/2008 15:13 Comments ||
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A suicide bomber on a bicycle blew himself up Sunday amid a crowd of demonstrators in northern Iraq [Mosul] who were protesting Israel's air strikes on Gaza, killing one demonstrator and wounding 16 others, Iraqi police said.
#11
I'll go with Apostate, itsa IBR (Involuntary Boomer Reflex). It really does not matter who the poor targeted schmucks are... "Allan will sort'em out."
#2
1) Is it possible the finger was severed by an M-16 round or shrapnal knocked loose by one (say, and AK-47 trigger guard)?
2) If it was an intentional execution, why would hostile witnesses have been left to tell the story? In fact, why all the theatrics - just claim hostile fire and drop a JDAM into the place.
Posted by: Frank G ||
12/29/2008 14:26 Comments ||
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#4
damn - I gotta refresh more often.
Posted by: Frank G ||
12/29/2008 14:27 Comments ||
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#5
This is "Operation Red Herring". This previously undisclosed operation was designed to identify every member of the media that is working for the other side. If we ever get political leadership that isn't in debt to the "news" media, they will be prosecuted for giving aid and comfort to our enemies. See No News is just the first to take the bait.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
12/29/2008 16:20 Comments ||
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#6
so, Peter Arnett got rehired?
Michael Ware is the new Peter Arnett. Like Arnett, Ware is Australian.
#7
It's certainly possible that the man was executed but I would think that the probability was low. If an asassination was intended, a sniper rifle was probably the way to go. Assembling a group of witnesses seems unlikely as the American military is not looking for that type of reputation at this point in the Iraq war. I'm sure they can hardly wait to blow Dodge.
It is interesting that there doesn't seem to much of a claim that the dearly departed was a peaceful gentleman.
To me this looks like either a misunderstanding or a case where CNN is headlining a story of dubious origin because it agees with their template. Certainly there have been American attrocities in the Iraq war as there are in many wars (demonstrably the Iran Iraq War,) but CNN's credulous acceptence of this family's assertions makes me suspicious of the incident. Veracity is not a quality that I personally associate with Arab culture. I don't particularly care if that offends people.
Posted by: Super Hose ||
12/29/2008 16:44 Comments ||
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#8
And these were simple farmers. Just look at their house.
Posted by: ed ||
12/29/2008 16:58 Comments ||
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#9
Grizzled War Correspondent would know where Arneett is drinking reside.
ANKARA: Turkish fighter jets bombed Kurdish guerrilla targets in northern Iraq on Saturday and Sunday, Turkish Army sources said. Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) targets in the Hakurke region of northern Iraq were hit on Saturday night and several other targets near the Iraqi-Turkish border were bombed on Sunday afternoon, the sources said.
The strikes in a mountainous border area claimed no civilian casualties, said Lieutenant Colonel Ihsan Kamal, commander of the border guards operation room in Iraqs largely autonomous Kurdistan region. This is becoming routine, Turkish warplanes targeting the border area. We are not worried about civilian casualties because these areas are deserted, he said.
But he added he had no idea of PKK casualties.
Posted by: Steve White ||
12/29/2008 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[1 views]
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#3
Take a Hawiian Vacation? Hope the situation Changes before he takes the Oath?
Posted by: Deacon Blues ||
12/29/2008 15:14 Comments ||
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#4
well, Obama cant do anything till Jan 20. At that time he will meet with his advisers and sell out the only free democracy in the region to a group of despotic thugs thereby firmly grasping defeat from the jaws of victory.
we can only pray that it is too late.
Posted by: Abu do you love ||
12/29/2008 15:16 Comments ||
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Posted by: ed ||
12/29/2008 16:16 Comments ||
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#8
It's aggrevating that those who complain about America's overabundance of influence refuse to take constructive action on their won. Let Hugo Chavez take a crack at making a Middle East peace initiative.
Posted by: Super Hose ||
12/29/2008 16:23 Comments ||
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#9
Take credit when the Israelis time their ceasefire to his inauguration.
Posted by: regular joe ||
12/29/2008 16:24 Comments ||
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#10
I think it comes down to a choice of surfing or snorkeling. It really depends on wave conditions.
#17
Didn't he say he is "observing" the situation? You see, he's fully engaged, he's present!
He may even contemplate about departing a speech to both parties, where then they would be so taken aback by his oratory that they would ovate "O-bam-a, O-bam-a!" for hours and engage in cycles of violence no more.
Tehran: Iranian hardline clerics are signing up volunteers to fight Israel amid continued deadly air strikes on the Gaza Strip, the Fars news agency reported on Monday.
Fars said the Combatant Clergy Society on Monday activated its website www.rohaniatmobarez.com to register volunteers "to fight against the Zionist regime in either the military, financial or propaganda fields."
The news agency reported that more than 1,100 people so far had registered for military service against Israel.
All sorts of opportunities, but I favor the garbage scow in the Arabian Sea ...
The clerics' move came a day after Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khomenei issued a religious decree to Muslims around the world, ordering them to defend Palestinians in Gaza. Khomenei said on Sunday that whoever was killed in the fight to defend Palestinians was "considered a martyr". Excuse me? Wouldn't that be considered a declaration of war on Israel by Iran?
#6
CNN this AM > Israel proclaims to be in a state of "ALL-OUT WAR" AGZ HAMAS vee GAZA, whereas HIZBULLAG LDR NASRALLAH has reportedly ordered the Hizzies Hezzies Huzzies, etal. to "PREPARE FOR WAR" AGZ ISRAEL, INCLUD TO DEFEND LEBANON WID ARMS FROM ISRAELI MIL MOVES???
WOUNDED Palestinians finally passed through the Rafah crossing into Egypt on Monday as medical aid went in the other direction to the devastated Gaza Strip. Nine patients, some in critical condition, crossed at the only Gaza exit point which does not lead to Israel and around 30 wounded Palestinians in all were expected to enter Egypt on yesterday, security officials said.
Egyptian lorries loaded with medication moved in early afternoon into the neutral zone of the Rafah terminal to allow the transfer of their cargoes onto Palestinian vehicles.
Earlier, an Egyptian security official said the Rafah crossing point would remain closed on Monday, a day after a policeman died from being hit by Palestinian gunfire. "The Rafah crossing is closed and will only be opened to allow the wounded through,'' a security official said.
Egypt accused Hamas on Sunday of preventing hundreds of Palestinians injured from leaving the Gaza Strip although ambulances were waiting for them on the Egyptian side of the frontier. Egyptian authorities had opened the Rafah border point on Saturday on the first day of the massive Israeli air operation against the Hamas movement, which controls the impoverished Palestinian territory.
#1
Earlier, an Egyptian security official said the Rafah crossing point would remain closed on Monday, a day after a policeman died from being hit by Palestinian gunfire.
#3
Egyptian lorries loaded with medication moved in early afternoon into the neutral zone of the Rafah terminal to allow the transfer of their cargoes onto Palestinian vehicles.
Exiled Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal is ready to sign a truce over Gaza if Israel agrees to a ceasefire and lifts its blockade, the foreign ministry said here on Monday.
Which is what they were demanding before: Israel opens the border and doesn't shoot, whereas the various Paleo splinter factions, none 'controlled' by Hamas, continue to fire rockets at Sderot.
"The Hamas leader said he was ready to sign such a deal in a place chosen by the parties by mutual consent" in a phone call to Senegalese President Abdoullaye Wade late Sunday, the ministry said.
According to the ministry Wade offered a proposal for an "immediate way out of the crisis."
"It is about getting a definite truce between Hamas and Israel by signing an accord that would oblige Hamas to observe an immediate ceasefire in exchange for an Israeli immediate ceasefire accompanied by a total lifting of the blockade of the Gaza strip," it said.
On Saturday Israel unleashed a massive bombardment on Hamas targets in Gaza, that has reportedly killed more than 310 Palestinians and wounded more than 1,400 others. In retaliation Meshaal on Saturday called for a new intifada against Israel, including a return to suicide missions.
Wade spoke with Meshaal at 2100 GMT on Sunday in his capacity as the president of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC), the ministry here said late Sunday
Posted by: Fred ||
12/29/2008 11:04 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[1 views]
Top|| File under: Hamas
#1
Make him move back to Gaza as part of the deal. See what he says then.
#4
Senegal? Senegal??? Since when are they the official mouthpiece of the Hamas leadership? And why should anyone believe anything they have to say anyhow?
The Israel Air Force used a new bunker-buster missile that it received recently from the United States in strikes against Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip on Saturday, The Jerusalem Post learned on Sunday. The missile, called GBU-39, was developed in recent years by the US as a small-diameter bomb for low-cost, high-precision and low collateral damage strikes.
Israel received approval from Congress to purchase 1,000 units in September and defense officials said on Sunday that the first shipment had arrived earlier this month and was used successfully in penetrating underground Kassam launchers in the Gaza Strip during the heavy aerial bombardment of Hamas infrastructure on Saturday. It was also used in Sunday's bombing of tunnels in Rafah.
The GPS-guided GBU-39 is said to be one of the most accurate bombs in the world. The 113-kg. bomb has the same penetration capabilities as a normal 900-kg. bomb, although it has only 22.7 kg. of explosives. At just 1.75 meters long, its small size increases the number of bombs an aircraft can carry and the number of targets it can attack in a sortie.
Tests conducted in the US have proven that the bomb is capable of penetrating at least 90 cm. of steel-reinforced concrete. The GBU-39 can be used in adverse weather conditions and has a standoff range of more than 110 km. due to pop-out wings.
Also Sunday, Military Intelligence's Psychological Warfare Department broke into radio broadcasts in Gaza and warned Palestinian civilians not to cooperate with Hamas terrorist activity.
Palestinians reported that they received phone calls to their cellular phones and landlines from the IDF. The phone call, the Palestinians said, conveyed a recorded message ordering the immediate evacuation of homes that were next to Hamas infrastructure or being used by the terrorist organization.
On Sunday, head of the Gaza Coordination and Liaison Administration Col. Moshe Levy was interviewed by several Arab news outlets during which he stressed that Israel was not against the Palestinian public in Gaza but was operating against Hamas.
Defense officials said Sunday that Israel would, however, not hesitate to target the homes of civilians who protected Hamas terrorists throughout the operation. "We will go after every Hamas operative, no matter where he is," one official said. "We urge the Palestinians not to cooperate with terrorists."
Wut?
No, you mean who, perhaps.
Who then?
Perhaps you mean who now?
Who now?
I am Angelas Ashes, I am a Smart Bomb.
Scram.
Perhaps you mean leave, or begone?
Leave! Begone!
As you will, however, do watch out for Cleopatra.
Cleopatra?
Yes.
Who is this Cleopatra?
The Not-So-Smart But Bigger Bomb.
#4
I'm sure they have his cell phone number, bradeous. They seem to have everyone else's, after all... and they probably can easily run a trace on the location of his cell phone, too. Even through the bedding and the skirts.
#6
Wasting too much money to destroy the no good shits. You got to blow the barbarians with what they understand. Condemn the population who hides the terrorists. Before strike, Israel calls the stupid to get the hell out of there. I do not know why Israel does so. No wonder Israel is still fighting the barbarians without an end to it. I do not know who the stupid tells Israel to restrain. Man, blow the hell out of those who harm you if you want to survive and Israel has what it takes to do so. Sir, I have the highest education, I am an atheist or agnostic but I learned the very basic that the free spirit of Judaism is the salvation of human kind. You have to protect it no matter what it takes.
#8
and they probably can easily run a trace on the location of his cell phone, too. Even through the bedding and the skirts.
In that case TW I think they would be better to call him every single night - once at 10PM and at 2AM and again at 4AM. If they can get a fix on him each time and tell him where he is each time it'll drive him and his security detail completely bonkers. And Israel wouldn't have to violate Lebanese airspace to do it. (Except once or twice to buzz his residence and make him mess himself - just to drive the point home....). Keep him alive and in charge but drive him nuts - he'll start making mistakes.
IAF planes targeted a guest palace used by the Hamas government and the house next to Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh's home in a refugee camp next to Gaza City early Monday morning.
Haniyeh was not home, as Hamas leaders have gone into hiding.
Haniyeh was not home, as Hamas leaders have gone into hiding.
The question is now, whose bed is he under or skirt is he behind. And if the latter, what is the probability that the skirt belongs to some guy from Hamass.
#7
I'm pretty sure that what Israel was after was the command bunker under the "guest palace", where Haniyeh and all his "guests" gathered as soon as the bombs started falling. Ishmail "Chicken Little" Haniyeh is "too important" to be killed, like the Hamass cannon fodder.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
12/29/2008 16:46 Comments ||
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IAF aircraft bombed the Islamic University and government compound in Gaza City early Monday morning, both centers of Hamas power. Witnesses saw fire and smoke at the university, counting six separate air strikes there just after midnight.
Israel Radio reported that two laboratories in the university were targeted. The IDF said the buildings were used to store rockets and explosives.
#2
Two laboratories in the university, which served as research and development centers for Hamas's military wing, were targeted. The development of explosives, IDF sources said, was done under the auspices of university lecturers. Officials said that the explosives developed and manufactured in the labs were used to make sophisticated explosive devices and mortars used against Israel. Many Hamas officials graduated from the university.
University buildings, they said, were also used for meetings of senior Hamas officials and that rockets and explosives were stored in the buildings. IDF sources said that the strike was approved together with the long list of targets that the cabinet had approved last week.
"This is a strategic blow to Hamas," one official explained. "It is a blow to their development capability and will make it more difficult for them to manufacture explosives and new Kassam rockets."
Looks like another serious setback for Gaza's Space Program...
In the first 36 hours after the Israeli offensive against Gaza started, Hamas militants fired only 150 rockets, some with a range of about 22 miles, toward Israeli towns. That is below their capacity of up to 200 a day, an estimate by Israeli military sources. "They are keeping their heads down," says a senior military intelligence officer. "Their accuracy is very low right now because of the dense aerial presence by Israeli planes. They know that the chances that they are being spotted by Israel surveillance and intelligence forces is very high." The officer adds, "The clear skies above the Gaza strip did not helped them also."
The clear skies have also afforded ordinary Israeli citizens a chance to watch the onslaught and applaud. At noon Sunday two Israeli Apache combat helicopters hovered in the air two miles east of Sderot, an Israeli town less than four miles from the border with the Hamas-ruled Gaza strip. Below the choppers, a dozen Israeli spectators perched on a hilltop watched with anticipation. A minute went by and the first Apache fired a Hellfire missile, which went rumbling into the Palestinian side of the border. A few seconds later the crowd broke into cheers at the resulting sight: somewhere between the Jibalya refugee camp and the outskirts of Gaza city a ball of heavy black smoke was rising.
Then the second Apache moved forward and two minutes later it shot another hellfire missile. Another ball of smoke, smaller but just as black, rose half a mile north of the first target. Later on, the spectators listened to radio reports that Israeli helicopters had attacked Qassam launchers, the weapons that Hamas militants have been using to terrorizing Israeli towns along the Gaza strip. The choppers attacked immediately militants had fired a Qassam towards the town of Netivot, six miles east of the Gaza strip. Hamas claims that the attacks have killed nearly 300 people over the course of two days.
The attacks on Gaza have won widespread approval among Israelis and have rubbed off on politicians hoping to win big in elections scheduled for early February 2009. In a concrete, bunker-like hall in Sderot, one of those hopeful politicians, the Israeli foreign minister Tzipi Livni, came by on Sunday afternoon to show solidarity with the residents of the area as well as to address a few dozen foreign diplomats brave enough to come to a community under threat of Qassam rockets. "Now we need your support to increase international pressure on Hamas. Enough is enough."
The locals need no convincing. Itay Avni, 32, who lives in the nearby Kibbutz of Nir-Am (population 400) is overjoyed at the Israeli assault on Gaza. He was among the crowd watching the Apaches launch their missiles. "Yesterday more then a hundred people from all around were here on this hilltop enjoying to the scene of dozens of aerial raids on Hamas military targets inside the Gaza strip," he says. "If I had open an ice-cream stand here I would have made a lot money." He adds, "Exaltation is the word to describe my feelings. At last, after eight years of defense alerts and hundreds of mortar shells, of Qassam rockets fired at our Kibbutz and the area, there is finally some retaliation. People are here to see it happening for real." Nevertheless, the people of the kibbutz are taking precautions. Students and all families with small children have left, moving to live with relatives further north in Israel.
Meanwhile, Israeli ground forces seemed to be mobilizing for a fight. Two hours before the Apaches opened fire, some seven Merkava tanks gathered 10 miles north of the hilltop, right next to Erez crossing to the Gaza strip. They were part of a full battalion of 35 tanks, ready to penetrate the northern part of the Gaza strip as part of a ground operation. The soldiers were waiting orders.
#4
"Yesterday more then a hundred people from all around were here on this hilltop enjoying to the scene of dozens of aerial raids on Hamas military targets inside the Gaza strip," he says. "If I had open an ice-cream stand here I would have made a lot money."
#7
Its the playoffs. Israel has been sort of hanging around. Now they have a spot in the playoffs. First they are up against Hamas in an away game. It will be a blow-out. Then they go up against Hezbollah, who have a bye week, in another away game (much like the Colts will have two successive away games). Then if Iran or Syria or even the PLA decide to enter they have another away game to earn the Sand Cup. The Israel passing game and especially the deep kicking game will be overpowering to anyone who tries to stop them. And in some instances they will use their smash-mouth ground game and just punch holes in any defense up the middle. There is no stopping them - heavy air assaults, deep post patterns with little hitches here and there. Keeps the other guys off the field and the only sign of life is in London, Paris and Berlin where their fans and the supporting media will try to blame the Israel's for being too patient, too aggressive and too good at what they do. They will also complain that since Israel always wins it is someone else's time to win.
Posted by: Jack is Back! ||
12/29/2008 12:41 Comments ||
Top||
#1
The Pals may see a decline in their media and academic support as collapsing oil prices reduce the flow of gifts, grants, fellowships, inflated speaking fees, and other bribes to western professors, media personalities, peace activists, and other prostitutes.
#2
AC, excellent! I just wish there were plenty of bridges to sell to Soddys to reduce their truckloads of cash even further. Do we have some glitzy but not particularly functional (without a very thick RTFM) weapon systems?
#6
I want calm in Gaza. But I understand it's going to take a little longer for the Israelis to achieve it. As soon as all the Hamassholes are room temp, we'll have calm. So chill and wait for the calm.
#8
Could the rockets flying out of Gaza a result of the lowering/dropping of oil prices ?? Would this be a way to get them to increase again ?? I see that oil is up to over $40 bbl this am??
Posted by: Tom- Pa ||
12/29/2008 9:43 Comments ||
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#9
Wake me when they get that agitated about dead and dying Jews as a result of Hamas/Fatah/Hizbullah/insert-your-local-crazy-Muslim -group-here activity, and I might actually give a damn.
#10
So where are the calls for the end to the violence in Sderot - where Hamas and its surrogates have been firing rockets at civilians continually for _years_.
I guess they don't matter since they're Jooos right?
#11
The U.S. ambassador to the U.N., Zalmay Khalilzad, supported Israel's contention that it was up to Hamas to stop the violence. "Israel has the right to self defense and nothing in this press statement should be read as anything but that," Khalilzad said.
That, my dears, does not sound like the US is calling upon Israel to stop attacking the Gaza Strip. I didn't bother reading further into the article to see who else is not calling for an end to Israeli attacks. I'm afraid CNN is reporting from their imaginary world again.
#12
Halo?
Is dis Calm?
Hai hai Calm how are u 2 day?
Good, good.
Look Calm,
We got bsns here
You got fat or uncle ina can?
Sory Calm Ima mistaked...
Whooopsie.. sorrry thar Calm...
#13
Angry protests also took place in several cities around the world on Sunday against Israel after its air strikes in Gaza killed at least 270 people and wounded hundreds more. In London, hundreds of demonstrators battled riot police in an attempt to enter the Israeli Embassy, according to media reports.
Yeah, I think I know the kinda "calm" they want...
Terrified prisoners fled a Gaza City jail bombed by Israeli warplanes on Sunday, their faces white with dust and red with blood as they stumbled over huge piles of rubble.
Across the territory, grieving families pitched traditional mourning tents of green tarp outside the homes. Yet the rows of chairs inside these tents remained largely empty, as residents cowered indoors for fear of new Israeli strikes. Plumes of gray smoke rising into the sky marked the site of the latest Israeli attacks.
Even for war-weary Gazans, who've lived through countless Israeli incursions, air attacks and months of bitter Palestinian infighting, the latest surprise Israeli air offensive was unusually traumatic. In all, more than 290 people most of them Hamas policemen, but also 20 children were killed in some 300 Israeli air attacks over two days.
On Saturday, shortly after Israel unleashed the deadliest-ever offensive against Hamas and its rocket squads, hospital morgues quickly overflowed. In the initial chaos, the dead were wrapped in blankets and lined up on the ground, as frantic relatives searched for their loved ones.
On Sunday, 25 unclaimed bodies still lay in the morgue of Gaza's largest hospital, Shifa, their faces disfigured beyond identification. In the southern town of Rafah, residents held a mass funeral for 14 people, including two brothers, and a father and son, all of them members of the Hamas security forces.
#1
On Sunday, 25 unclaimed bodies still lay in the morgue of Gaza's largest hospital
Hmm. Nobody wants them. Aren't good Muslims supposed to bury their dead? I don't know if it's true, but it seems that someone who had no respect in the Muslim community would either be left for the dogs to dispose of or shoved in a mass grave.
#5
Stop the precision crap and bomb Gaza back to a hunter/gatherer society. Leave nothing standing but rubble, and bounce the rubble two or three times. Egypt will open its borders for the "poor" palestinians, and Gaza will be empty. Annex it to Israel, and begin redevelopment. Then start on the West Bank. When Hezbullocks attacks Israel, begin by nuking everything just north of the Litani, Israel's new border to the north. Before Jordan and Egypt can mount an offensive, put a little bug in their ear that there's an even larger nuke surprise aimed at their capital cities, and that the Aswan Dam is a "legitimate target". Syria has too many internal problems right now to do much, and Iran can only fire rockets, for which there should be a nuke reply.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
12/29/2008 17:02 Comments ||
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#6
Aswan IS a legitimate target - it supplies power to military bases.
Terrorists Suspected separatist rebels have shot dead three soldiers and two civilians in Thailand's jihad insurgency-hit far south, police said on Monday.
Troops were inspecting a road to a school in Narathiwat - one of three southern Muslim-majority provinces beset by jihad unrest - when dozens of terrorists insurgents opened fire early on Monday, killing two soldiers. The attackers fled the scene after a 10-minute gun battle, police said, and about 300 security officials were deployed to hunt for the rebels.
Later in the neighbouring province of Yala, another army convoy was ambushed by terrorists suspected militants, with one soldier killed and three injured. Also in Yala on Sunday, an informant for the military was shot dead, while in a separate attack the same evening a local government employee was shot and killed in front of his house, police said.
Five members of the Sri Lanka's Civil Defense Force (CDF) were killed in a suicide blast in Sri Lanka at a church outside the capital of Colombo Sunday morning, police said. Eight other CDF officers and two civilians were wounded, police said.
Nobody immediately claimed responsibility for the blast, but police suspect the bomber was a member of the Tamil Tiger rebels. There was no immediate response from the Tamil Tiger rebels to the incident, which, police said, occurred at St. Anne's Church in the Colombo suburb of Wattala, located on a roadway to the country's only international airport about 15 kilometers (9 miles) north of the capital.
The attack happened during a weekly festival that usually draws a large crowd shopping for vegetables and household goods.
The suicide bomber walked into an area where CDF officers were stationed and detonated his explosives, police said. Investigators suspect the bomber targeted the area because 150 police officers who help patrol the road to the airport are billeted there.
The Sunni militant group, Jundallah, has claimed responsibility for a suicide attack that targeted the elite Revolutionary Guards in Iran on Sunday.
Operation Lemony Snickett continues ...
In a message released on the Arab satellite network al-Arabiya, Jundallah said a suicide bomber from the group had struck an office of the Revolutionary Guards in the southeastern province of Sistan. The suicide bomber, Abdel Gharuf al Raidi, reportedly blew himself up during a meeting of senior leaders in the area of Sirwan.
Jundallah, or Soldiers of God, is also known as the Iranian People's Resistance Movement. It is an insurgent Sunni Islamic organisation based in Balochistan fighting for what it claims are the rights of Sunni Muslims in Iran. The group has been blamed for various offences and kidnappings in southeastern Iran on the border of Pakistan.
Last week, The Tehran Times newspaper cited the city's deputy police chief Ahmad Reza Radan who claimed police had delivered a "deadly blow" against the militant group led by Abdolmalek Rigi. He said during three operations police had killed Abdolmalek's brother and his deputy as well as 19 others.
Jundullah is reported to have killed 16 police officers they kidnapped in Iran in June.
Mohammad Reza Arian, an Iranian military official with the rank of colonel, has defected to Turkey. Colonel Arian also succeeded in bringing out his wife and two daughters during his escape operation. This brings the number of senior Iranian military officials who have defected to Turkey over the last number of years to two. The first was General Ali Reza Asgari, who was considered to be the father of Hezbollah. He escaped to Turkey via Syria in early 2007.
Posted by: mhw ||
12/29/2008 09:26 ||
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Link ||
[2 views]
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#1
So long!
Farewell!
Auf Wiedersehen!
Good bye!
Your due, your due...
Yep, you and you and you...
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.
MOHMAND AGENCY: At least four Taliban were injured in the Sindukhel area of Lakroo tehsil in firing by security forces, while unidentified armed men also made a foiled bid to blow up a bridge near Ghazi Baig. 
MIRANSHAH: The Taliban on Sunday killed three men on suspicion they were spying for the United States in various areas of North Waziristan Agency. A body was found near Sargardan chowk, west of Miranshah Bazaar. A note found on the body said the man was a US spy and a cassette in which he made the confession would be publicised soon. 
MINGORA: Thirty-four people, including four children, were killed and more than a dozen injured in an attack which police have described as a suicide bombing at a polling station set up for a by-election in Bunir district of NWFP on Sunday. Bunir lies on the edge of Swat valley. 
ANKARA: Turkish fighter jets bombed Kurdish guerrilla targets in northern Iraq on Saturday and Sunday, Turkish Army sources said. Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) targets in the Hakurke region of northern Iraq were hit on Saturday night and several other targets near the Iraqi-Turkish border were bombed on Sunday afternoon, the sources said. 
The Israel Air Force used a new bunker-buster missile that it received recently from the United States in strikes against Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip on Saturday, The Jerusalem Post learned on Sunday. The missile, called GBU-39, was developed in recent years by the US as a small-diameter bomb for low-cost, high-precision and low collateral damage strikes. 
