(Sh.M.Network)- The state minister for Somalia's home affairs and national security ministry, Abdi Ali, declared for the first time that that the government doesn't recognize any of the alarming copious of self-declared regional administrations in the country.
Speaking at presser in Mogadishu on Saturday, Mr. Ali stressed that there are no any provincial administrations that Somali government recognizes at the moment since they are not based on the permission or interest of the local people of those regions in Somalia.
At this time, there are more than 10 self-declared states and administrations in Somalia, which some of them claim in theory to be under Somalia's Transitional Federal Government (TFG), and It is not known how this remarks made by the Somali interior ministry would have an impact on the local administrations in the country.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/09/2012 00:00 ||
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Another name and this could be DHS and the Independent States of America.
[Al Ahram] President Omar Hassan al-Bashir Head of the National Congress Party. He came to power in 1989 when he, as a brigadier in the Sudanese army, led a group of officers in a bloodless military coup that ousted the government of Prime Minister Sadiq al-Mahdi and eventually appointed himself president-for-life. He has fallen out with his Islamic mentor, Hasan al-Turabi, tried to impose shariah on the Christian and animist south, resulting in its secessesion, and attempted to Arabize Darfur by unleashing the barbaric Janjaweed on it. Sudan's potential prosperity has been pissed away in warfare that has left as many as 400,000 people dead and 2.5 million displaced. Omar has been indicted for genocide by the International Criminal Court but nothing is expected to come of it. said on Saturday Sudan's next constitution would be "100 percent Islamic" to set an example for neighbouring countries, some of which have seen religious parties gain power after popular uprisings.
The secession of mostly non-Mohammedan South Sudan a year ago sparked predictions that Sudan, which hosted former al Qaeda leader the late Osama bin Laden ... who used to be but now ain't... in the 1990s, would start implementing Islamic law more strictly.
In a speech to leaders of the mystical Islamic Sufi tradition in Khartoum, Bashir suggested Sudan's new, post-secession constitution could help guide the region's political transformation.
"We want to present a constitution that serves as a template to those around us. And our template is clear, a 100 percent Islamic constitution, without communism or secularism or Western (influences)," said Bashir.
"And we tell non-Mohammedans, nothing will preserve your rights except for Islamic sharia because it is just," he said.
Bashir, facing small-scale protests calling for him to step down, said a committee made up of "all parties, religious sects and Sufis" would be set up to draft a constitution.
That appeared to be a move to assuage resentment by other opposition parties - many of which are still dominated by Islamist figures - over Bashir's reluctance to loosen the grip of the ruling National Congress Party.
He did not give a date for the new constitution.
Following the 1989 coup that brought Bashir to power, Sudan introduced laws that took sharia as their main source.
Already, floggings are a common punishment in Sudan for crimes like drinking alcohol and adultery.
Sentences of stoning are rare, although in May a Sudanese woman was sentenced to be buried alive under a pile of rocks for adultery, sparking condemnation from human rights ...which often intentionally defined so widely as to be meaningless... lawyers. Similar sentences in the past have not been carried out.
Bashir has been in power for the last 23 years and is one of Africa's longest-serving leaders. He is wanted by the International Criminal Court ... where Milosevich died of old age before being convicted ... for war crimes in Darfur, charges the government says are politically motivated and baseless.
Sudan's opposition parties have called for strikes, sit-ins and demonstrations to topple Bashir's government, throwing their weight behind recent anti-austerity protests, which have also involved calls for greater freedoms.
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07/09/2012 00:00 ||
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So who does rule Egypy, the Mamluks or the new Pharaohs in the guise of the MB?
Egyptian President Mohammed Mursi's order to reconvene parliament has been rejected by the highest court, which says its ruling that led to the assembly's dissolution is binding.
The speaker of the dissolved house has already responded to Mr Mursi's decree, calling on MPs to meet on Tuesday.
Army units outside parliament have left and some MPs have gone in.
The decision by Mr Mursi, whose Muslim Brotherhood has most seats, sets up a potential showdown with the military.
On the face of it, the court's pronouncement means that President Mursi and the Muslim Brotherhood are on course for a confrontation, both with the military and with the courts. In practice it's not quite so simple.
All the court did last month was to rule that part of the election for parliament was unconstitutional. It didn't order the dissolution of parliament -- that was done by the military. So President Mursi is not going directly against a court order.
As for the military, they are not acting at the moment as if they are preparing for a showdown with the Brotherhood - rather the opposite. Security outside parliament has been reduced, not increased. So it's still possible this crisis could be resolved without a major confrontation.
However the situation is unclear as Egyptians elected Mr Mursi without a constitution and without his powers being defined. So his powers will be whatever he can grab. That's the explanation for all this. Thanks for asking, BBC...
Of course he does. The only question is whether he'll bow...
Our honourable president still believes in the efficacy of his charm.
CAIRO - President Barack Obama has invited Egypt's newly elected Islamist president, Mohamed Mursi, to visit the United States in September, an Egyptian official said on Sunday, reflecting the new ties Washington is cultivating with the region's Islamists.
So that the Islamists can laugh and wave their shoes at us...
Washington, long wary of Islamists and an ally of ousted President Hosni Mubarak, shifted policy last year to open formal contacts with the terrorist Muslim Brotherhood, the group behind Mursi's win. Mursi formally resigned from the group after his victory.
Mursi's success at the polls mirrors the rising influence of Islamists in countries across the Middle East and North Africa in the wake of revolts and protests against autocratic rulers who have led the region for decades.
"President Obama extended an invitation to President Mursi to visit the United States when he attends the U.N. General Assembly in September," Egyptian aide Yasser Ali said after Mursi met U.S. Deputy Secretary of State William Burns in Cairo.
Burns, who did not mention the invitation at a news conference earlier, pledged U.S. support for Egypt's battered economy and said he welcomed Mursi's promise to uphold international treaties, which include a peace deal with Israel.
So we'll keep feeding them in return for a promise that they won't mess with Israel. How reassuring...
"We have taken careful note and appreciated President Mursi's public statements about a commitment to international obligations and we certainly attach great importance to Egypt's continuing role as a force for peace," Burns said.
Analysts say that one way the United States could influence the direction of policy in Egypt, a nation at the heart of Washington's regional policy since a peace treaty was signed with Israel in 1979, would be through economic support. Washington provides $1.3 billion a year in military aid as well as other assistance and could help mobilize other donors, lenders and investors. Those could prove vital as Egypt tries to stave off a balance of payments and budget crisis.
"The United States is firmly committed to doing everything that we can to support Egypt's economic revival. We understand the challenges that lie ahead and also the president does," Burns told reporters after his two-hour meeting with Mursi.
Burns, whose trip precedes a visit to Egypt on July 14 by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, said he had discussed a $3.2 billion loan package that Cairo has been negotiating with the International Monetary Fund.
"We talked in general terms about the value of moving ahead with the IMF in the interest of Egypt, trying to work out an equitable agreement that addresses Egypt's concerns and needs," he said.
He said the IMF package "can produce not only much needed resources but also sends an important positive signal to investors and donors and Egyptians as they move ahead on economic revival."
Posted by: Steve White ||
07/09/2012 00:00 ||
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the only question is how low he'll bow
Posted by: Frank G ||
07/09/2012 13:55 Comments ||
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(Saba) - The International Islamic Relief Organization (IIRO) called on Wednesday all regional and international organizations to quickly provide relief aid to save millions of Yemenis, affected by unrest in some regions, from poverty, hungry and illness.
"According to UN reports ten million of Yemeni people are suffering from serious malnutrition and food shortages and are now in need of urgent relief assistance especially as more than one million children have become prey to malnutrition," IIRO secretary general Adnan al-Pasha said in a press statement issued today.
Al-Pasha pointed out that according to the reports, half the Yemeni population suffer from potable water shortages as well as poor sewerage systems.
The dramatic situation in Yemeni has also caused great suffering in terms of lack of medical services and medications. Hospitals and dispensaries halted their medical services completely that resulted in large numbers of fatalities.
The reports also showed that half a million Yemeni citizens have abandoned their homes fleeing from unrests and numerous villages have been depopulated altogether, al-Pasha said.
He called all humanitarian organizations to join the efforts in order to alleviate the suffering of Yemeni people.
IIRO, also International Islamic Relief Organization of Soddy Arabia ...a kingdom taking up the bulk of the Arabian peninsula. Its primary economic activity involves exporting oil and soaking Islamic rubes on the annual hajj pilgrimage. The country supports a large number of princes in whatcha might call princely splendor. When the oil runs out the rest of the world is going to kick sand in their national face... (IIROSA), is a charity based in Saudi Arabia. It is a member of the Conference of Non-Governmental Organizations (conference of NGOs), where it serves on the board. The IIRO is included in a list of some of the UNHCR's major NGO partners.
It is an affiliate of the Mohammedan World League (MWL). It is a member of the International Islamic Council for Da'wa and Relief (IICDR), has observer status at Organization of the Islamic Conference OIC is an international organisation with a permanent delegation to the UN, with 57 member states. It represents all countries with substantial Moslem populations (as opposed to the Arab League, which excludes members not of the Master Race) except those which member countries block from joining. These include India, which has more Mohammedans than does Pakistain, whose membership is vetoed by Pakistain... (OIC), consultative status at United Nations ...An organization originally established to war on dictatorships which was promptly infiltrated by dictatorships and is now held in thrall to dictatorships... Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and links to Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO) among many others.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/09/2012 00:00 ||
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#1
IIROSA has also funded radical Wahhabi efforts around the world, and IIRO's Philippine and Indonesian branches were designated by the U.S. Treasury Department as terrorist entities. IIROSA's involvement in Yemen is not encouraging.
Posted by: American Delight ||
07/09/2012 17:45 Comments ||
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[Yemen Post] A senior Yemeni Defense Ministry official told Yemen Post that reports of a Norwegian attempting to attack Europe or the United States using Yemen as a launch pad is close to a myth and raises questions.
The official said that the evidence brought up so far by international intelligence seems to lack strong concrete evidence. "We can't say that every foreigner living in Yemen is a suspect. That is just unfair. This is currently a mystery but the situation can change," the official said.
Last week, Yemeni intelligence officials denied having information on the Norwegian suspect being strongly involved with al-Qaeda though international media outlets claimed so.
The news start two weeks ago when AP reported that a Norwegian man received terrorist training from al-Qaeda's in Yemen and is awaiting orders to carry out an attack on the West sourcing officials from three European security agencies.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/09/2012 00:00 ||
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#1
US policy failure. Gosh. I wonder if Obama, or Romney, will read this. Romney could use it to clobber Obama except that Bush and McCain have failed just as badly as Obama. It's about damn time somebody in a position of power in this country tells it like it is.
#2
well written summary - but disagree with idea that "leaglization of drugs would be an international disaster". The USA has to legalize some of these drugs ... this drug war has failed. Casualties keep mounting, cartels re-organize and keep producing. The only WINNING outcome is to remove their profit potential.
#3
Did anyone actually read the thing? The whole report blames America for everything. Mexico is just a victim of Uncle Sam - yet again. Funny how many of Mexico's failures can be blamed on us. All of them, pretty much.
#4
The pro-administration mantra of senior officers both active and retired.
Our failure to adequately control cash and guns flowing south into Mexico is a function of inadequate resources and manpower for the Coast Guard, the DEA, and the US Border Patrol and the Customs Service (CBP).
#5
yup. But gromky, I read something else: a recognition that the potential failure of Mexico to set up a functioning, non-corrupt rule of law and a secure day to day life for its citizens poses a massive security threat to the US - a threat that most are not focused on.
The Justice Department on Monday unsealed an indictment charging five individuals allegedly involved in Border Patrol agent Brian Terry's death, and announced a reward of up to $1 million for information leading to the arrest of those suspects still at large.
For the first time, federal officials also revealed that Terry and an elite squad of federal agents initially fired bean bags -- not bullets -- at a heavily armed drug cartel crew in the mountains south of Tucson in December 2011. During the exchange, Terry was shot and killed.
The 11-count indictment, originally handed up by a grand jury in November 2011, implicates five defendants in the killing. A sixth suspect has also been charged in a related incident.
The two men in custody are Manuel Osario Arellanes -- who was wounded in the foot the night of the firefight -- and his brother Rito. Rito, who was arrested two nights before the Terry shooting, allegedly helped provide weapons to the criminal gang used in the shooting. All six men named in the indictment are either related or friends.
The other four are believed to be hiding out in Mexico, and the U.S. is now offering a reward of up to $1 million for information leading to their arrest. Funny Mr. Holder isn't asking for their extradition. Perhaps he doesn't want to hear what the Mexican government has to say to him about F & F.
The names of the four suspects were revealed Monday, and their pictures released, to the public. Police in the U.S. and in Mexico are cooperating and under intense pressure to find them.
The FBI says it has been actively searching for the outstanding fugitives.
#2
The BORTAC team encountered not one or two smugglers but a team of eight. Four are in custody, one is under surveillance in the rugged terrain of the Pajarita Wilderness area east of the small ranch town of Ruby, and three others are missing. The captured smugglers had AK-47s and backpacks filled with ammunition, food and radios. There are rumors that three of the captured four are members of the Mexican military, but that is unconfirmed. Yet, it would not be the first time Mexican police and military have been apprehended smuggling drugs into the United States.
#3
"For the first time, federal officials also revealed that Terry and an elite squad of federal agents initially fired bean bags..."
Horsepucky. That has been known since day uno.
BEIRUT - Syria's navy fired live missiles from ships and helicopters over the weekend, state media said on Sunday, in an exercise aiming at showcasing its ability to "defend Syria's shores against any possible aggression".
Not sure what this is about. The Israelis don't need to put a gunboat off the shores of Syria to gobsmack Pencilneck; the Turks have a real air force; the rebels don't have any off-shore assets, and Cyprus, last I checked, isn't invading...
Syrian television aired video of a variety of missiles being fired from launchers on land and from ships and showed the Syrian Defence Minister Dawud Abdallah Rahijia in attendance.
"Naval Forces conducted an operational live fire exercise on Saturday, using missiles launched from the sea and coast, helicopters and missile boats, simulating a scenario of repelling a sudden attack from the sea," Syrian news agency SANA said, adding manoeuvres would continue for several days.
Posted by: Steve White ||
07/09/2012 00:00 ||
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#1
Not sure what this is about. The Israelis don't need to put a gunboat off the shores of Syria to gobsmack Pencilneck; the Turks have a real air force; the rebels don't have any off-shore assets, and Cyprus, last I checked, isn't invading...
It's that Iranian influence. They just like to shoot off lots of missiles. Makes'm feel...manly.
[An Nahar] Army Commander General Jean Qahwaji expressed hope on Saturday that the perpetrators behind the liquidation attempt against opposition MP Butros Harb may be found, reported the pan-Arab daily al-Hayat on Sunday.
Informed sources revealed that fingerprints at the scene of the failed liquidation attempt have been lifted, saying that they belong to the individual who sought to place an bomb in elevator shaft of the building where the politician's office is located.
The fingerprints have been lifted off the toolkit that the criminal left behind when he was discovered by residents in the building while he was still setting the device.
The daily added that not all of the telecom data in the incident have been handed over to the security forces.
Telecommunications Minister Nicolas Sehnaoui had informed Harb on Saturday that he will hand over the complete data to the security forces in line with the rules set by the judicial authority.
He informed the MP that he will propose the matter at cabinet during its session at the Baabda Palace on Monday.
Security forces said the information was incomplete over the failure of delivering the security agencies what is known as the international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI), reported the daily An Nahar on Saturday.
A high-ranking security authority stressed to the daily in remarks published on Sunday the need for the Telecommunications Ministry to hand over the complete data.
"This step should be complete before Monday otherwise the cabinet would be forced to take measures that would help rectify the situation," it said.
Harb stressed on Saturday that he will delay briefing the public about the details on the liquidation attempt against him.
He made his remarks after holding talks with Qahwaji on the investigations in the murder attempt on Saturday.
"The information obtained by the security agencies gives us hope that we're on the right track to reveal the identities of the offenders," the politician said.
The March 14 opposition coalition has held the government responsible for the liquidation bid on Harb for withholding the telecom data to uncover similar plots.
Harb escaped an liquidation bid on Thursday after residents of a building in which his office is located in the Beirut district of Badaro discovered individuals trying to booby-trap the elevator.
A string of high-level liquidations struck Leb between 2004 and 2008, targeting political, media and security figures who vocally opposed the Syrian government, including former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri who was killed in a powerful car boom blast in February 2005.
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07/09/2012 00:00 ||
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[An Nahar] About 20 gunnies enter a dilapidated barn in northeastern Leb, preparing to sneak across the border and fight alongside their Syrian "brothers" against the regime in Damascus. ...Home to a staggering array of terrorist organizations... The young men decide to rest briefly at the farm near Al-Qaa in the Bekaa Valley, their arms and baggage placed against a wall.
The volunteers aim is to join the rebel Free Syrian Army (FSA), which is made up mostly of Syrian army deserters.
Reclining on mattresses on the ground, they dip bread into tins of sardines or tuna, their evening meal.
"We will cross the border to go to Idlib (in northwest Syria). The FSA is trying to retake the city and needs all the help it can get. Let's go for it," says Abdel Hakim.
Like his comrades, the young man from the Baalbek region has dropped everything to go fight in Syria. For security reasons, they choose not to reveal their full identities.
"I worked in a mobile phone shop and with my savings I bought an old Kalashnikov on the black market and 10 magazines," Bilal says with a grin.
"This is the first time I leave Leb and it's to fight in Syria. I'm afraid when I see the images on TV but I'm prepared to die if God wills. For my family, it would be an honor if I became a martyr of the Syrian revolution," Bilal says.
"They are our brothers. We must rush to their help," he says.
"I live in a village controlled by Hizbullah. There, everyone supports President (Bashar) Assad and if you say otherwise you can get into a lot of trouble," Bilal says.
He says the authorities in Leb have sided with Assad's regime.
"Leb plays an important role in what is happening in Syria. It closes its border and pursues those who support the FSA, while Shiite forces of Evil cross freely to fight alongside the regime. It's time to balance things out."
The most outwardly religious of the group, Osama Salem, spells out his goal.
"We are going to Syria to carry out jihad (holy war) with our Syrian brothers and overthrow the tyrant Assad ... Since the international community has chosen to do nothing ... it must be Mohammedans themselves who solve the problem."
He fingers his prayer beads while listening to the Koran on his mobile.
"You tell me that it's Al-Qaeda or Islamic fundamentalist groups fighting in Syria ... If they are, it's only your (the West's) fault for allowing Bashir al-Assad to stay in power by killing people," he says, stroking his beard.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/09/2012 00:00 ||
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[An Nahar] Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri Second son of Rafik Hariri, the Leb PM who was assassinated in 2005. He has was prime minister in his own right from 2009 through early 2011. He was born in Riyadh to an Iraqi mother and graduated from Georgetown University. He managed his father's business interests in Riyadh until his father's liquidation. When his father died he inherited a fortune of some $4.1 billion, which won't do him much good if Hizbullah has him bumped off, too. slammed on Sunday the government for its "total disrespect of the lives of our citizens and our illusory sovereignty" given the recent unrest in northern Leb.
He said via Twitter: "The Lebanese are not surprised their government doesn't care if our citizens are killed and illusory sovereignty violated by Syrian regime."
"The killing of two Lebanese citizens and injuring of ten others by Syrian regime forces in North Leb yesterday is unacceptable," he stressed.
"The silence of the Lebanese government is even more unacceptable," he said.
"The least any government should do is lodge a protest with the regime's ambassador in Leb, if not the Arab League ...an organization of Arabic-speaking states with 22 member countries and four observers. The League tries to achieve Arab consensus on issues, which usually leaves them doing nothing but a bit of grimacing and mustache cursing... and United Nations ...aka the Oyster Bay Chowder and Marching Society... ," stated the former premier.
"In fact all Lebanese know this government was appointed to facilitate such crimes to begin with," Hariri noted.
Three people were killed and another seven injured on Saturday as shells and Rocket Propelled Grenades landed on the northern area of Wadi Khaled from the Syrian side of the border.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/09/2012 00:00 ||
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(SANA)- Hereditary President-for-Life Bashir Pencilneck al-Assad Oppressor of the Syrians and the Lebs... stressed in part 3 of the interview he recently gave to the Cumhurieyt Turkish daily that the crisis in Syria is mostly external and the evidence of that is the presence of Arab and krazed killer Islamist beturbanned goons now fighting in Syria as well as the advanced weapons that are being smuggled across the border and the flow of money from the outside.
Journalist: You are trying to distinguish between the Turkish government and the Turkish people, but there are different opinions in Turkey about what is happening in Syria. There are those who believe that the Syrian regime is making mistakes, killing tens of innocent people and children daily. What are your comments on that, and what is the truth about the relationship between President Bashir al-Assad and the Syrian people?
President al-Assad: In order to verify the facts, let's take real examples of what is happening in our region. One of the best examples is your direct neighbor, the Shah of Iran. He used to have a very strong state, a very strong army, very strong intelligence services, international support, and of course, unlimited regional support. Was he able to stand in the face of the people? Naturally, he was unable to do that. If I were in that position, I wouldn't have been able to do that. You are talking about fifteen months, not two or three weeks, or even a month. All the betting and wagering has fallen. It is absolutely clear now that the largest part of the crisis is driven from the outside, and the evidence is the existence of Arab fighters and krazed killer and Islamist fighters fighting in Syria now. Moreover, there is the sophisticated weapons being smuggled through the borders, and the money being sent from abroad. This has actually changed the convictions of many people inside Syria, both among the opposition and the supporters of the government. The Syrians are defending their country now. The revolution cannot be a revolution of gangs. It should be a revolution of the people; and no one can suppress the revolution of the people. Now, you are in Syria, and you can go and walk about anywhere in order to see whether there is a revolution or not. We are seeking and killing Death Eaters and defending ourselves. They are perpetrating massacres against civilians, and it is our duty to defend civilians. It is our duty as a state. What would you do, as Turks, when you are killed? Don't you defend yourselves? Don't you justify all your military operations in northern Iraq and in Turkey under the title of fighting terrorism? Do we say that the Turkish state is killing its people in this case? These are double standards, and this is political hypocrisy which we do not accept.
Journalist: Do you regret that you suppressed the first peaceful demonstrations last year?
President al-Assad: There is a certain margin of error, of course, in every action. This is self evident. We are humans, and we might err or do the right thing. But we should distinguish between the mistakes made inside Syria and the foreign factors. The plot against Syria went through three stages. In the first stage, there were demonstrations, and a large part of these demonstrations was paid for. At the beginning of the crisis, a demonstrator used to be paid ten dollars. Now, they are paid fifty or a hundred dollars depending on the region. But they expected that a real revolution could come out of these demonstrations, peaceful demonstrations like those which happened in Egypt and Tunisia. Until last Ramadan, they failed in that stage. After that, they started to plan for creating certain regions in Syria dominated completely by armed gangs, like what happened in Benghazi in Libya. The army fought this attempt which lasted until last March, when they failed in the second stage. Then they shifted focus to individual liquidations, committing massacres against civilians, in addition to attacking state institutions with bombs. In other words, it would be naive to say that those demonstrations were peaceful. They were not exactly like that. At any rate, demonstrations still happen from time to time but in smaller numbers, and mostly they are paid for.
Journalist: The UN Human Rights Council, in its most recent report, held the Syrian army responsible for the largest part of the bloody events taking place in Syria. How do you comment on that?
President al-Assad: All of us know that the international institutions are dominated by the American administration and the west in general; and it would be stupid to consider what these international organizations say a point of reference about reality. They only express the balance of international powers; and the objective in the end is to put more pressure on Syria, and the more they fail in implementing their plans, the more pressure they put on Syria. But as long as we are doing the right thing, we will never succumb to international organizations or to anyone else.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/09/2012 00:00 ||
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#1
Whatever one might say about this guy's attitude towards human rights, he appears to be a pretty sharp cookie, if this article is in fact a verbatim transcript of the interview.
#2
And this is in contrast to the borderline retarded commentary from the father (Mustafa Tlass) of the personal friend of his (Manaf Tlass) who was under house arrest until he departed for Turkey:
Tlass attempted to create a reputation for himself as a man of culture, and emerged as an important patron of Syrian literature. He published several books of his own, and started a publishing house, Tlass Books, which has been internationally criticized[9] for publishing anti-Semitic materials. In 1983, Tlass wrote and published The Matzah of Zion, a treatment of the Damascus affair of 1840 that repeats the ancient "blood libel", that Jews use the blood of murdered non-Jews in religious rituals such as baking Matza bread. Tlass has re-printed the book several times, and stands by its conclusions.
In 1998, Syrian Defense Minister Mustafa Tlass boasted to al Bayan newspaper that he was the one who gave the green light to "the resistance" in Lebanon to attack and kill US marines and French soldiers, but that he prevented attacks on the Italian soldiers of the multi-national force "because he was in love with the Italian actress Gina Lollobrigida." [10] Mustafa Tlass had also allegedly boasted to the National Assembly about atrocities committed against Israelis who fell captive in the Yom Kippur war. "I gave the Medal of the Republic's Hero, to a soldier from Aleppo, who killed 28 Jewish soldiers. He did not use the military weapon to kill them but utilized the ax to decapitate them. He then devoured the neck of one of them and ate it in front of the people. I am proud of his courage and bravery, for he actually killed by himself 28 Jews by count and cash." [11]
There are three missing Israeli soldiers in the Bekaa valley since the June 1982 war in Lebanon. Tlass allegedly told a Saudi magazine: "We sent Israel the bones of dogs, and Israel may protest as much as it likes." [12]
During his career, Tlass also became known for colorful language. In 1991, when Syria was participating on the Coalition side in the Gulf War, Tlass stated that he felt "an overwhelming joy" when Saddam Hussein sent SCUD-missiles towards Israel. In 1999, Tlass caused a minor uproar in Arab political circles, when he denounced Palestinian leader Yassir Arafat as "the son of sixty thousand dogs and sixty thousand whores". Earlier, in 1986, he had called Arafat an "idiot" and a "puppet of the Americans".[citation needed] The long-standing conflict between the Assad regime and the Palestine Liberation Organization would not end until after Hafez Assad's death in 2000.
In an interview which aired Russia Today TV on June 8, 2009 (as translated by MEMRI), Tlass claimed that Actress Gina Lollobrigida had once told him that he was the "one love in my life." He also claimed that Lady Diana wrote him letters that "were full of love and appreciation." He also claimed that Prince Charles has given him a submachine gun as a gift.[13]
(SANA)- Hereditary President-for-Life Bashir Pencilneck al-Assad Before going into the family business Pencilneck was an eye doctor... said in part 4 of an interview he gave to a Turkish daily that no matter how more intensified the sanctions could get Syria's stances will not change.
Journalist: As a result of the crisis in the relations between Syrian and Turkey, the Turkish government is trying, through loyal mass media, to exploit the PKK issue in order to incite the Turkish people against Syria and say that Syria is using the crisis between Syria and Turkey to support the PKK which escalated its military operations recently. It says that Syria has allowed the PKK to operate on Syrian territories close to Turkish borders.
President Assad: This is not true. Perhaps those thinking this way are used to treachery. They think that others are as treacherous as they are. As far as we are concerned, treachery is alien to us. But when you have turbulences in your country, your priorities become different. You focus on certain issues, and consequently you become unable to control things completely and certain groups could move more freely than they used to in normal situations. If we have become unable, in certain situations, to protect some Syrians, is it reasonable to hold us responsible for protecting the Turks? Is that logical? I think, if there is a security failure in Turkey now, then it is caused by the policies of the Turkish government. But it wants to blame others for this. As I said at the beginning of this interview, when I have a certain security failure, it will reflect on you, and vice versa. Even if we wanted to help you in these circumstances, it would be very difficult to offer real assistance because of the problems we are facing.
Journalist: What do you mean by "assistance" in this respect?
President Assad: I mean, if we wanted to assist you on the PKK issue or on any other issue, we wouldn't have been able to do so because we have our own problems. In order to be able to protect you or assist you, I need to protect myself first. Is it reasonable that I protect you when I am not able to protect myself completely yet.
Journalist: But the other side is saying that they are not asking for your assistance. They say that you are sending these people.
President Assad: First, where is the evidence? Second, the PKK has been fighting Turkey for decades; consequently, they don't need us to send them to do this. When relations between us and Turkish military and security institutions were good, the PKK used to conduct operations. The only difference is that when you have a neighboring arena with chaos in it, movement becomes easier. This is self- evident.
Journalist: What is your perception for the Kurdish issue, from the regional perspective?
President Assad: There is no doubt that this is a complicated region characterized by great cultural diversity. Each cultural component needs to feel that they have a real and significant existence. This is a healthy and natural thing. The problem is that during the past decades there were those who have been exploiting these components for political objectives. They placed these components in opposition with the national interest. Now, we have to think that the ethnic, religious and cultural diversity of the nation is a point of strength. But it is not allowed for these components to seek separation. On the other hand, the state should not feel that such components are agents of failure or fear. They should be agents of richness. These are general principles.
Journalist: On the medium or long term, do you see the possibility of creating a Kurdish state in the region?
President Assad: No, this amounts to separation. I said that no one accepts separation.
Journalist: Whether in Iraq or Syria?
President Assad: In such a case, there would be tens of states, not only a Kurdish state. Then, every sect, religion or nationality will seek an independent state. I don't think that our nations feel that they have an interest in this division. We have lived with each other for thousands of years in this region, and there were no problems. These problems evolved recently after colonial powers started interfering, from Lawrence of Arabia up till now. If we develop a full consciousness that we must live with each other, the borders drawn by colonial powers will diminish; and maybe in larger countries, such borders will no longer be important. Now we live in our existing states. Maybe, in the future we'll unite in larger countries, countries which embrace all these cultures on an equal basis.
Journalist: As a result of the crisis existing between the two countries, movement has stopped completely on the Syrian-Turkish borders; and people on both sides of the borders are suffering from economic, social and psychological crises. What is your opinion of this?
President Assad: This is true, because these borders have turned into venues for smuggling weapons and Islamic fascistito Syria. We talked for years about turning these borders into frontiers of development. But development and terrorism can never meet.
Journalist: There have been numerous decisions imposing sanctions on Syria, powerful decisions which have had a real impact on the Syrian street. Until when can you stand fast in the face of these decisions which have started to make a negative and dangerous impact on Syrians?
President Assad: As long as we have rights, as long as we have dignity and as long as we are patriots, these sanctions will never change our positions no matter how powerful they are. The question is not that of selling our principles for money, food or foreign aid. Otherwise, we should justify the position of everyone who sold his honor for money. This is absolutely unacceptable for us in Syria from the perspective of principles and moral values.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/09/2012 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
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Top|| File under: Govt of Syria
#2
Hillary is becoming more vocal in her rhetoric.
I believe she has very little support at the UN. Russia and China seem to view her as irrelevant.
Turkeys Erdogan would love to start something but the Turkish people will have none of it. The Arab world also doesn't want a new Ottoman empire. In this part of the world democracy is not likely to work. Dictator style of leadership seems to be the way. The Saudi certainly don't want democracy as an example. Remove Assad and the Muslim brotherhood will appear. They would be the only ones that could hold that country together with fear and brute force because of their countries cultural diversity. Change flags and leadership but Syria will be much less than what it had been. They will have their external enemies to fight to divert attention, I wounder who that might be.
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Moreover, there is the sophisticated weapons being smuggled through the borders, and the money being sent from abroad. This has actually changed the convictions of many people inside Syria, both among the opposition and the supporters of the government. The Syrians are defending their country now. The revolution cannot be a revolution of gangs. It should be a revolution of the people; and no one can suppress the revolution of the people. Now, you are in Syria, and you can go and walk about anywhere in order to see whether there is a revolution or not. We are seeking and killing 
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