Afghan officials destroyed more than 40 tons of confiscated narcotics worth an estimated $500 million on Wednesday in a giant bonfire on the outskirts of Kabul. Afghan counter narcotics police have also arrested more than 600 drug traffickers, including 19 government officials, over the last year, said Deputy Interior Ministry Gen. Mohammad Daud Daud. Some 63 traffickers have been given long-term jail sentences for drug smuggling, according to the ministry. "This is a very big achievement, not only for us, but for the international community, too," said Daud.
Afghanistan produces more than 90 percent of the world's opium and heroin. Much of the drugs are thought to be smuggled through Iran and Pakistan to Europe and elsewhere. The international community has pumped hundreds of millions of dollars (euros) into anti-drug campaigns to train police units to destroy laboratories, arrest smugglers and eradicate opium crops, as well as fund projects to help farmers grow legal crops. The country's bumper crop of opium last year -- enough to make about 450 tons of heroin -- has sparked fears Afghanistan is becoming a "narco-state."
The drugs that were burned included 4.1 tons of heroin, 12 tons of opium, and 24 tons of hashish confiscated over the last year. Another 24 tons of chemical ingredients used to make illegal drugs was also destroyed. Daud praised the work of counter narcotics officials, but said much work remains to be done. "We eradicated 15,000 hectares of poppy land this year, which is three times more than last year," he said. "Still we have a long way to go before reaching our goal."
Posted by: Fred ||
07/06/2006 00:00 ||
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#1
Their interpretation of the religion demands an altar offering of 1% of the drugs they harvest, I guess.
Posted by: grb ||
07/06/2006 2:46 Comments ||
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#2
This could be the reason for the booms going off in Kabul. Need to do a whole lot more of this so we can deny the funds flow to the Taliwhackers.
Gunmen in a speedboat tried to attack an oil rig offshore Nigeria's violent Niger Delta overnight, but withdrew after a brief battle with security guards, oil industry sources said. A navy spokesman said one retired naval officer working as a security guard for Nigerian oil firm Conoil was abducted during the failed attack, but he had no further details.
It was not clear if the attackers reached the rig or were intercepted on the way, nor if Nigerian security forces were involved in repelling the raid. "They abducted him because of a misunderstanding over an MOU (memorandum of understanding)," the navy spokesman said. Oil firms in the impoverished Niger Delta often sign MOUs with local communities promising jobs and investments. Attacks on oil facilities or kidnappings of oil workers by groups who accuse companies of not keeping their MOU promises are frequent in the delta. Oil facilities are often protected by both private personnel and Nigerian troops or police.
The target of the failed attack was a rig operated by Transocean for Conoil but the facility was unaffected by the incident, security sources said. They said members of the Sengbama community in Bayelsa state, whose shoreline is closest to the rig, were involved.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/06/2006 00:00 ||
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A previously unseen videotape by one of the four British suicide bombers who attacked London last July has been aired by Al Jazeera television.
Speaking of the attacks which killed 52 people a year ago, the man, identified as Shehzad Tanweer, says: "What have you witnessed now is only the beginning of a string of attacks that will continue and become stronger until you pull your forces out of Afghanistan and Iraq and until you stop your financial and military support to America and Israel."
Tanweer, 22, from the Beeston area of Leeds, exploded his bomb on the underground near Aldgate station, killing seven of the 52 commuters who died on three trains and a bus.
London Assistant Commissioner Andy Hayman said: "We are aware of the tape and this will form part of our investigation.
"There can be no doubt that the release of the video at this time can only cause maximum hurt and distress to the families and friends of those who died on 7/7 and the hundreds of people who were injured in the terrorist attacks.
"We are sure that the overwhelming majority of all communities are united in condemning any attempt to justify last year's terrorist attacks in London.
The tape also featured al-Qaeda's second-in-command, Ayman al-Zawahri.
Al Jazeera said Zawahri praised Tanweer, saying: "He studied physical fitness at university and he had a passion for boxing. Even though he was from a well-off family, his clothes and appearance didn't show that."
Al Jazeera added that al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden had praised the London attack. The video showed a picture of bin Laden but his voice could not be heard.
The video showed masked men apparently conducting scientific experiments in petri dishes and testing a small explosive device in what Jazeera said according to the video was Qaeda's training camps.
The Jazeera voice-over said the video showed the militants had chosen their targets specifically.
The video also showed a group of men firing gunshots into the air after they had apparently heard of the success of the London bombings.
#1
From InstaPundit: Pakistani government sources tell ABC News two key operatives in last year's London bombings, Shehzad Tanweer and Mohammad Saddique Khan, personally met with Ayman al-Zawahiri in the tribal areas sometime in January 2005.
Posted by: ed ||
07/06/2006 21:02 Comments ||
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#5
While conducting the on-site investigation of the terrorist attack at Luxor,the Egyptian mayor told me that the 6 terrorists could not have been "our boys" rather they were Mossad agents trained and sent to destroy Egypt's tourism industry.
Posted by: Frank G ||
07/06/2006 8:24 Comments ||
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#2
They'd feel welcome in Pakistan.
Posted by: ed ||
07/06/2006 8:28 Comments ||
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#3
In fact, ed, I'd suggest they head back there and ASAP. I mean, we all want them to feel comfortable, right?
Posted by: BA ||
07/06/2006 9:15 Comments ||
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#4
But...why? According to Reuters it certainly isn't their fault...
Many in the community blamed UK foreign policy in Iraq for the bombings, which they say were also fuelled by the long-standing alienation of Muslims from society. The cloud of suspicion has yet to lift.
#5
Quite lucky that you're only shunned and not gunned. I think the whole rundown area where you rats holed up needs renewal. Should be burned and raised. Rats are never well liked. Pack it up and slink back to Pakland where you belong.
#6
In bomber's hometown, families still grieve over the senseless deaths and are angered that the sympathy of their Muslims neighbors does not extend beyond their own discomfort of sneers and dirty looks.
#7
I pray the British people get enough of this crap and throw the bums out - one and all. If any sneak back in, decapitate them, and put their heads on pikes around the Tower of London.
Islam is a sickness that needs to be eradicated, just as we eradicated smallpox. The sooner the better.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
07/06/2006 15:34 Comments ||
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#8
Good point, everyone with Islam, line up for your injections.
MP George Galloway has been snubbed from a memorial service to the victims of the July 7 bombings - even though the event is in his constituency. The service being held at 2pm tomorrow (Friday) is at the Altab Ali Park in Whitechapel Road. Both Tower Hamlets mayor Shafiqul Haque and council leader Denise Jones have been invited - but not the MP for the area. The park lies in Mr Galloway's Bethnal Green and Bow constituency. His aides have complained to council chiefs saying they were 'frankly amazed' at the decision.
"I trust this is an oversight and will be immediately rectified," his assistant Rob Hoveman wrote in a letter to Town Hall bosses. "I also trust that he will be invited to speak if speeches are being taken from political representatives." The council was unable to comment.
His dragon-slaying heroics have kept his legend alive through the centuries. But the Church of England is considering rejecting England's patron saint St George on the grounds that his image is too warlike and may offend Muslims.
Clergy have started a campaign to replace George with St Alban, a Christian martyr in Roman Britain. Y'know, it's still not the right image, guys. He died for the Christian faith, after he allowed a priest to escape punishment by changing garments with him. How about Brave Sir Robin?
The scheme, to be considered by the Church's parliament, the General Synod, has met a cautious but sympathetic response from senior bishops.
But it clashes with the increasing popularity of the saint and his flag in England. The World Cup brought out millions of St George crosses as the symbol became increasingly mainstream and less frequently dismissed as a badge favoured only by far-Right political activists.
If St Alban replaced St George, the red cross on a white background would have to be replaced as England's flag by Alban's symbol, a diagonal yellow cross on a blue background that bears a strong similarity to St Andrew's cross, the flag of Scotland. If he became the patron saint, wouldn't that mean they would have to change the UK flag, too?
The proposal has been put forward by the Rev Philip Chester, vicar of St Matthew's, Westminster, who has called the use of St George as patron saint 'dotty'.
His call for a change is based on the lack of firm historical evidence that George - said to be a Roman general from the 4th century AD who was put to death by Emperor Diocletian for professing Christianity - ever existed. He said: 'We are sure St Alban is a real figure. What's more, he lived in this country.' So did St Augustine of Canterbury or St Cuthbert, but I guess that whole evangelizing for Christ thing is completely non-PC. That might mean that you think Christianity is superior, and some Orthodox Reformed Wiccans might be offended by that.
Archdruid Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams indicated support for an upgrade for Alban, although he is said to be cautious about relegation for George. He told the Sunday Times: 'I think St Alban is irreplaceable in the history of English Christianity. Perhaps we ought to raise his profile because it's the beginning of the church in this country with martyrdom, wisdom and courage.'
The image of St George was used to foster patriotism in 1940, when King George VI inaugurated the George Cross for civilian acts of the greatest bravery. The medal bears a depiction of the saint slaying the dragon.
However, George has become unfashionable among all the "right" people politicians and bureaucrats. His saint's day, April 23, has no official celebration in England, and councils have banned the St George flag from their buildings and vehicles during the World Cup. Wait till they get a load of how us Lithuanians depict St George, since we also claim him as a patron saint. He's always in full armor, on his horse, brandishing a weapon, sometimes running over and stabbing the dragon. He either carries his red cross over white banner or it is part of his breastplate. The flag by itself is tame compared to that...and no, Lithuanians don't particularily care who we offend with it.
And don't get us going on the Poles.....
The saint became an English hero during the crusades against the Muslim armies that captured Jerusalem in the 11th century. An apparition of George is said to have appeared to the crusader army at the Battle of Antioch in 1098. His dragon-slaying legend is thought to have begun as an allegory of Diocletian's persecution of Christians.
Alban was martyred in 304 AD on the site of St Albans abbey in the Hertfordshire city that now bears his name. A Roman army officer, he was said to have converted after sheltering a Christian.
Here's what the Catholic Forum has to say about the legend of St George: "A dragon lived in a lake near Silena, Libya. Whole armies had gone up against this fierce creature, and had gone down in painful defeat. The monster ate two sheep each day; when mutton was scarce, lots were drawn in local villages, and maidens were substituted for sheep. Into this country came Saint George. Hearing the story on a day when a princess was to be eaten, he crossed himself, rode to battle against the serpent, and killed it with a single blow with his lance. George then held forth with a magnificent sermon, and converted the locals. Given a large reward by the king, George distributed it to the poor, then rode away." Yep, nothing honorable in that legend. Nope, not a thing.
#3
This is the exact kind of stuff that depresses me and convince me there's no more of the famed RB Will-To-Live among a large part of Europe.
If we rewrite our History and our very own symbols to please people who are not only hostile, but oppress "us" unbelievers whenever possible, what is our colelctive future? I mean, what's the point of submitting already, to people who are clearly inferior both materially (civilization achievements) and spiritually (I do think christian values and their reformation & enlightenement version are way better than sharia...)? When will we stop seeing ourselves as guilty people who must attone for their sins (thanks to marxism and its assault on western civilization)?
And you, good yeoman,
Whose limbs were made in England, show us here
The mettle of your pasture; let us swear
That you are worth your breeding; which I doubt not;
For there is none of you so mean and base,
That hath not noble lustre in your eyes.
I see you stand like greyhounds in the slips,
Straining upon the start. The game's afoot:
Follow your spirit, and upon this charge
Cry 'God for Harry, England, and Saint George Albans!'
Far more stirring. If you want to go to war for a train station.
#5
Another missive from Daily Mail Island. Move along please.
Posted by: Howard UK ||
07/06/2006 10:23 Comments ||
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#6
They want to do away with St. George because the dragon complained.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/06/2006 10:38 Comments ||
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#7
If St Alban replaced St George, the red cross on a white background would have to be replaced as England's flag by Alban's symbol, a diagonal yellow cross on a blue background...
Yellow stripes? Perfect.
#10
Richard the Lionheart? The one who nearly bankrupted England to ransom him from that charming Kurd, Saladin? The one so unequipped to rule his kingdom that he didn't even speak the language, but only his mother's French? Out of the frying pan, into the fire, I should think.
#11
Okay, so it was a fable, who gives a shit. It's the symbolism that's important. Good triumphing over evil, courage against grave odds, etc. I.E. - St. Patrick supposedly drove pagan beliefs out of Ireland w/snakes as the symbolism. Maybe they should have a referendum and let the British citizens decide. I've always been kind of partial to St. Michael, St. Sebastian, or Maximillian Kolb.
#13
I've always been kind of partial to St. Michael, St. Sebastian, or Maximillian Kolb.
I think that St. George is perfect for England, and should be left alone. I think all the Church of England "priests" who are afraid to "offend" muslims should be dismissed, stripped of any trappings of office, and deported to Zimbabwe. It's time for Britain to stand up and decide if they're going to be a free people or a satrapy of Saudi Arabia. You don't have long to make up your minds.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
07/06/2006 15:47 Comments ||
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#14
Actually, the Poles aren't that bad.
The Belorussians are the real nutcases (stole our emblem, claim we are part of their territory even though there was never a Grand Duchy of Belorussia as far as I recall, and basically hijack train passengers on the Vilnius-to-Warsaw route by charging them about $30 each to pass through a tiny sliver of Belorussia, among other things.)
It's ok, though. They keep claiming everything their neighbors have is originally theirs, so it's not like they're singling us out. ;)
#18
Lets not forget it was a Polish General who engineered the defeat of the Turks at Vienna in 1452.
And also lets not forget the Spanish Brigade sent to Afghanistan was the St.James Apostella Brigade......that particular St. James got his title for beating the Moors, at the Plain of Stars.(Apostella).
I think we should offend the hell out of them. Call em names, spray pork fat on their dead, raise pigs in their back yard and have large numbers of nubile women run around naked in the streets.....did I mention giving away free beer?
They think we are infidels no matter what we do. We could all be Trappist monks or Carmelites and they would still want to kill us just because we are western and mostly Christian and mainly cause we are not muslim.
Those psychopaths are offended by everything we do........including breathe and they are only appeased when we bleed.
Time for everyone to wake up to the bell and realize we are in a war of cultural survival and there is no peaceful coexistence with them. IT is, sad to say, US or THEM........take your pick, I like Western culture, no matter how flawed it is, compared to the mentally suffocating, repressive, women hating, alternative.
#20
Steve, yeah, forgot about that! My bad. But recently it's been the Belorussians who have been the major pains in the ass.
Just remember, any time the Poles get outta line, we can always remind them that John Paul II was half Lithuanian, and that's obviously where he got all his smarts. ;)
A MUSLIM fanatic caused outrage yesterday by admitting he wouldnt tip off cops about another 7/7 suicide attack. Anjem Choudary also claimed oppressed Muslims had a right to defend themselves using whatever means.
Choudary, 38, right-hand man of exiled hate preacher Omar Bakri, repeatedly refused to condemn the 7/7 bombers at a press conference on the eve of the anniversary of the London blasts. But when asked if he would inform the police of another suicide mission he said in Walthamstow, East London: No I wouldnt. I dont think Muslims can co-operate with police.
Then Choudary warned Britain faced CIVIL WAR with its 1.6million-strong Muslim community. He said: We are reaching a situation where the Muslim community is increasingly under siege. Im afraid of a Bosnia or Kosovo-style reality here in Great Britain. Choudarys rant came a day after he was fined for organising protests over cartoons about the prophet Mohammed.
#4
Im afraid of a Bosnia or Kosovo-style reality here in Great Britain.
Well, he shouldn't, they were both great victories for islam, thanks to the West in general and an oral-sex afficionado and his wise advisers in particular... so much than in fact, according to René Marchand, a writer about the islam challenge to France, the openly acknowledged (by an algerian fundie who told him that) plan of its muslim takeover follows the same lines.
#5
anon5089: "...so much than in fact, according to René Marchand, a writer about the islam challenge to France, the openly acknowledged (by an algerian fundie who told him that) plan of its muslim takeover follows the same lines."
Do you think you could re-word this into something coherent?
#6
Ok, I'll try, remember english is not my native language : René Marchand is a guy who wrote two books on islam, and in the late 1990's he met with an algerian islamist in Paris, fighting against the Algiers junta, who told him what was the (pre 9/11) "plan" for the takeover of France : nothing fancy...
First have nature takes it course, and have as many muslims come there as possible, having them retaining their islamic identity by networking the community and enforcing it (scarves, food, etc, etc,...) while doing guerilla "lawfare" against the authorities, then "massify" them (IE make them a separate entity within France) by committing terror and forcing the french authorities and population to react (think Algeria independence war, this was the same strategy to detach the muslims from the french).
Then, there would be a takeover of that community by the islamists, and there would be a "cat and mouse" game with the authorities, bad cop (terror)/good cop ("moderate muslims"), to have separate laws and sovereignty for muslims, up to the point of having "leopard skin spots" islamic communities in France where muslim rule themselves, as protestant "safe areas" during religious wars.
From there, over the course of time, theses leopard spots would expand and merge, thanks to continouus immigration and demographic growth, to finally take over what would left of France when they're strong enough.
All this would be made in a global muslim insurgency climate, with the by-then islamic Algeria acting as a sponsor and safe territoy, and with the muslim communities "protected" from the french by the "international community" à la Bosnia or Kosovo. Money and volunteers would of course flow from the oumma.
#7
Btw, the important point in that "plan" is demography (wait until critical mass is attained), and the "subversion of the world order" to tie the hands of the french, kinda like Israel is supposed to be bound by rules its ennemies are not even asked to follow.
#8
The important assumption of the plan is that the Islamists and their children would not be assimilated into the larger community and could maintain their seperate identity and nurse their grievances. They were accomodated by the Europeans.
#9
which is supposedly one of the main point in the cultural aspect of the Eurabia agenda, if Bat Ye'or is correct, the european Enlightened Elites having renounced to assimilate the migrants and even to promote their culture. Petrodollars are that good.
#10
And how in hell do you assimilate people who are teached they're superior, when your own self-image is disastrous? How do you assimilate such people to a civilization which longs for death itself? Maybe europeans are evil racist, maybe they're ordinary people not far removed from the americans (though immigration would be much less of a cultural habit, I dunno), what do you think?
#11
I think the mistakes were made 40 years ago when the arabs and turks were first admitted but not absorbed and assimilated. The Euros are not so much evil racists as the victims of bad decisions uncorrected on a timely basis. I thimk you are right to identify the lack of self respect among Europeans as the factor that makes it difficult to see a civil way out of this.
#12
Plus, about 49% of the US electorate voted for people who wish to follow Europe's example. Not good. I don't think you're safe enough to take comfort in our problems, we're in the same boat.
Again, I think Europe is the prize, the USA are the ennemy (if the jihadis had they way, we'd be colonized and assimilated into the oumma, you'd be nuked), so we should be much more concerned, but ultimately, you will be the next ones.
#14
This f**kin' clown needs to be exiled immediately , like the chump before him. His vective is dangerous. Give him a ride back home. No parachute provided. These people need to be removed. Permanently.
#15
I don't think you're safe enough to take comfort in our problems, we're in the same boat.
(if the jihadis had they way, we'd be colonized and assimilated into the oumma, you'd be nuked), so we should be much more concerned, but ultimately, you will be the next ones
I doubt anyone here takes comfort in Old Europe's problems, but we do resent the Old European's superior airs.
Islam may nuke the USA, but they will cease to exist when they do. Old Europe may hope the exchange happens before they are absorbed into the Umma - an example of feeding the crocodile hoping to be eaten last.
#17
I don't think I would want my son to fight for Europe. One reason Europe is the way it is now is 50 years of living in an artificial socialist utopia, in peace guaranteed by someone else - the USA.
Now we hear "Thanks for nothing." Their choices are to find their own spines, or to bow their necks to the scimitar.
#18
They'll figure it out, but they'll need our help by the time they do. If this is an even numbered day, I'd probably help, except for France, but next year I'll be checking to see if its modulus 3. They just don't learn or show any positive direction of growth. It's very discouraging, especially whey you know, just from the folks who visit here, there's lots of folks over there pulling their hair out about the way things are being done. Sad.
#19
I hope they do. As far as helping them goes, umless they figure it out soon, I believe we will be too busy fighting for our own and our children's lives to worry about them.
BBC Northern Ireland last night apologised after leading Radio Ulster presenter Gerry Anderson told his listeners he wanted George Bush "to rot in hell". The Radio Ulster host was presenting his morning show yesterday - July 4, US Independence Day - when he said it was also the American President's birthday.
After telling his listeners Mr Bush had just turned 60, he added: "May I say I hope you rot in hell".
Ironically, the popular presenter and Belfast Telegraph columnist got the birth date wrong - the current President celebrates his birthday tomorrow, July 6.
The US consulate described Mr Anderson's remarks as "regrettable" but spokesman Peter McKittrick diplomatically added: "Freedom of speech was one of the many values that all Americans were celebrating yesterday."
Luckily for us, we won our war for independence, so the opinion of Britain's government radio station can be given the same consideration we give other government propaganda mills, like KCNA.
Mr Anderson was yesterday unavailable for comment but a BBC spokesman said: "We apologise for any offence caused."
And may all your pustules burst, covering you from head to toe in stinking yellow and red ooze. And my apologies if that causes you any offense, Anus.
One Radio Ulster listener, who contacted the Belfast Telegraph, said: "I couldn't believe what I was hearing, especially on Independence Day"...
--------------------- The Brits Speak
#1
Never apologize for saying what you really believe. Besides, its good for the rest of us to see you for what you really are. And if you don't care a farthing about Bush, why should you care what we think about you?
#3
I love the "We apologise for any offence caused." Not "We apologise for the inappropriate statement," of course. They're just sorry some people got upset.
#4
I think you owe the KCNA an apology there. They would have wished him the same thing, but put it far more poetically.....ie., "May he burn in an eternal sea of fire", that kind of thing. Mr Anderson's comment is rather boring by comparison.
The extremist Muslim who organised the infamous protests against the publication of cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed has escaped with a fine of just £500. Firebrand solicitor Anjem Choudary, 39, was the ringleader of the march outside the Danish Embassy in London last February. But today it emerged that he had been fined just £500 for failing to give police the required six days notice of the protests. The maximum fine he could have received was £1,000 and last night Choudary's paltry punishment provoked fury.
Andrew Dismore, Labour MP for Hendon in North London said: 'He should have been given the maximum sentence possible. '£500 is a ridiculously small sum given this man's appalling track record. But the real issue is why the Crown Prosecution Service and the police have chosen to prosecute him on such a minor charge. We were promised much more than that after these protests. It will have cost more to bring the case to court that he has been fined and I'm sure he will now go around crowing that he has beaten the system.'
Richard Barnes, who leads the Tories on the Metropolitan Police Authority, said: 'This matter has been treated in a half hearted way from the start. It has cost a fortune and now appears to have been a complete waste of time.'
Continued on Page 49
#1
I wonder how many muslims will be attending the public memorial service for the victims of the bombings in Regent's Park? You'll count them on one hand - but should someone draw a silly pic of thenir God in a Danish paper then they're out in their thousands. What a nice bunch of people.
Posted by: Howard UK ||
07/06/2006 4:04 Comments ||
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#2
Great graphic btw... :)
Posted by: Howard UK ||
07/06/2006 4:05 Comments ||
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Special to World Tribune.com
EAST-ASIA-INTEL.COM
North Korea and Venezuela are discussing a strategic alliance motivated by a common goal expanding anti-American forces.
During Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez's meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il in late July, the two countries are also expected to craft an oil-for-arms deal.
Venezuela's leader is most likely to fly to Pyongyang at the end of July on the occasion of his planned trip to Russia on July 25. Chavez told reporters that he plans to discuss science and technology cooperation with the North.
Analysts in Seoul say Kim and Chavez would mainly discuss forming a "strategic alliance" against the United States.
Ties between the two nations have been warming. Last September, Yang Hyoung-Sup, deputy head of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly, traveled to Venezuela, followed by an economic delegation's visit in November led by Trade Minister Rim Kyong-Man.
Venezuela set up its first-ever permanent ambassadorial post in Pyongyang in April, 32 years after bilateral ties were forged in 1974.
Venezuela's Foreign Ministry delegation traveled to the North in May. "North Korea is expected to establish its embassy in Venezuela in the near future," a diplomatic source said.
Chavez, who has promised a socialist revolution to end poverty in his country, is forging alliances with such U.S. foes as Cuba, Iran, North Korea and some African countries.
Since Chavez took office, the leftist government has been working to move away from the U.S. "shadow" and sell its oil in exchange for a military build up. Chavez was first elected president in 1998 and was re-elected in 2000.
Chavez claimed in September 2005 that the United States was preparing to attack North Korea, Iran and Venezuela. He has aggressively supported Iran's efforts to develop nuclear technology and has helped undermine the U.S. embargo of Cuba by increasing trade and providing oil to the communist island on favorable terms.
During the planned summit, Venezuela, the world's fifth-largest oil-rich country, is expected to offer energy resources to North Korea, which suffers from energy shortages after the United States halted heavy oil supplies following the North's admission of nuclear weapons programs.
In return, North Korea can offer conventional weapons and missiles to Venezuela, which is looking to fortify its military power.
"ABC News no longer has any regularly accredited correspondents in Moscow," confided a Russian government source to NewsMax.
For the first time since the U.S. television networks originally opened Moscow bureaus in the early 1960s, one of the majors has been forced to pack its bags.
In an unprecedented move, the Russian government has officially closed down ABC News operations in Moscow.
The departure, which sources say dates back to January, 2006, ended months of negotiations between ABC News President David Westin and senior staff members of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Putin was reported to have been "incensed" at a Ted Koppel "Nightline" interview with Chechen rebel leader Shamil Basayev last July.
Putin had repeatedly called Basyaev public enemy No. 1, and Basyaev has been dubbed Russia's Osama bin Laden.
Basayev has figured in numerous terrorist attacks, including several in Moscow, killing or wounding hundreds of women and children.
Koppel's personal attempts to provide Putin with equal time on the ABC TV network were brushed aside by Russian officials as "too little, too late."
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov had referred to ABC personnel unofficially as "persona non grata."
Besides being "annoyed" with Koppel, members of Putin's staff expressed "frustration" in their dealings with Westin.
"He [Westin] needs to first apologize to the Russian people, then resign," said a senior Putin staffer.
It was unclear just how far the Russians were willing to go when the "conflict" erupted in August 2005.
With positions so far apart, it was not surprising that the Putin administration eventually carried through on its threats.
What is surprising is the lack of support for ABC News from officials at the other Western networks.
NBC, CBS, Fox, CNN, and BBC all continue to conduct business as usual.
Not only has ABC stood alone, the White House, say State Department sources, would not intervene because the issue "is between ABC and the Russian government."
With no presence in Moscow, ABC relies on bureaus in Germany and London for coverage, using material gathered by Associated Press TV.
It neither has access to any original material, nor does it have any independent access to Russian officials.
It has become a sort of "non-entity," claims one Russian official. All of this coming as the ratings between the three broadcast networks continues to tighten.
It also puts David Westin and Co. in a serious bind as he tries to cope with the insertion of Charlie Gibson into World News Tonight and a revitalized CBS News priming to welcome Katie Couric in September.
But all is not lost.
ABC has been granted special temporary visas to cover the G-8 Summit later this month in St. Petersburg.
"But after [the summit] is over, [ABC news personnel] all must again leave," professed the exasperated Russian official. I don't see this as muzzling a free press, as much as punishing terrorist sympathizers. Looks like a loss for moral relativism.
#6
Hmmm...maybe ol' Pooty-Poot's not a total bastard after all. If he sends a couple of CNN asshats to Siberia, I'll put him on my Christmas card list.
Posted by: Ricky bin Ricardo (Abu Babaloo) ||
07/06/2006 22:39 Comments ||
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Russian President Vladimir Putin rounded on Britain and other states Wednesday for granting political asylum to people considered terrorists by the Russian legal system in a speech calling for rapid extradition procedures. It is hard for us to understand how it is that people accused of terrorism are not extradited but are instead given political asylum, Putin said in an address to a conference of European prosecutors held under Russias chairmanship of the Council of Europe. Prosecutors should come up with unified, equal standards for extradition, Putin said.
I'd say Poot's got a pretty good point there. A bad guy's a bad guy, whether Vanessa Redgrave puts him up or not...
Putin did not specifically name Britain, but his comments left little doubt that he had in mind London, which has granted political asylum to Akhmed Zakayev, a member of the Chechen rebel movement, and Boris Berezovsky, a tycoon who has said he wants to overthrow Putin by force. Britain has consistently told Russia that extradition decisions fall under the authority of the court system and that accusations against terror suspects must be backed up by hard evidence which British courts say Russia has failed so far to provide.
If there are any blanks we will fill them, Russias Prosecutor General Yury Chaika told reporters on the sidelines of the conference in reference to the Russian legal case for the extradition of Zakayev and Berezovsky. We are setting up a working group that will be ready by the end of July, Chaika said. In his speech at the conference, Chaika said: In agreement with our British colleagues we have decided... to resolve problems linked to extradition to Russia.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/06/2006 00:00 ||
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Would've been great if they hit their own capital.
It spun out of control seconds after it was launched and the North Koreans never had operational control of the missile, the official said. It failed so quickly, the official added, that the United States was never able to ascertain in what direction it was headed.
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
07/06/2006 21:43 Comments ||
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#5
Follow other thread for a map of a 45 degree inclination launch: Build-up to the Taepo-dong-2C/3 Satellite Launch Attempt If it is launched to place a satellite into earth orbit it will fly due east at approximately 41 degrees inclination out of the Musudan-ri (No-dong/Taepo-dong) launch site. The trajectory ground track would head east and south towards the mid pacific equatorial crossing of roughly 180-160 degrees West or 180-200 degrees east. This is based on the Taepo-dong-1 three stage launch precursor experience. This would, however, place the vehicle's trajectory nowhere near Alaska or California ABM facilities but closer to the Hawaiian Islands and Kwajalein Atoll.
Posted by: ed ||
07/06/2006 21:58 Comments ||
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#6
This sounds a lot like my first scratch built rocket launch when I was 10.
Japan's defense chief said Thursday that Tokyo wants to speed up efforts to establish a missile defense shield with the United States to guard against the threat posed by North Korea. "In addition to building monitoring radar networks, we would like to cooperate with the United States and put our joint missile interception into shape as quickly as possible," Defense Chief Fukushiro Nukaga told a parliamentary committee in the wake of North Korea's missile tests on Wednesday.
The United States and Japan have been working to jointly develop a missile defense system and last month agreed to expand their cooperation on a joint ballistic missile defense shield, committing themselves to joint production of interceptor missiles. The two governments also agreed to deploy advanced Patriot interceptor missiles on American bases in Japan for the first time.
Japan plans to deploy its own PAC-3 missiles by March 2007 and SM-3 missiles by March 2008, according to the Defense Agency.
Nukaga's comments Thursday came as he explained to the lower house national security committee the measures Tokyo was taking against Pyongyang in response to its missile tests. On Wednesday, Tokyo barred North Korean officials from entering Japan, suspended all chartered flights between the two countries, and banned a North Korean trade ship from docking in Japan for six months. Japan also sought condemnation of the missile launches in an emergency U.N. Security Council meeting. (AP)
Posted by: Steve ||
07/06/2006 14:59 ||
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#1
And to think, just a few years ago Japan was talking about ditching the U.S. for a greater integration with China.
#2
I imagine that despite the photo-op at Graceland, the Japanese PM spend 99% of his time discussing specs on getting this missile shield up yesterday.
#3
Nothing like a little more incentive from Kimmie to motivate the Japanese. In addition to our kinetic killers, how about investing in the high powered laser systems ? You have hundreds of tonnes of plutonium, would you be interested in developing some advanced thermonuclear designs ? I'm sure you could afford it, and it's time you took over your own defenses again. A few timely moves on your behalf would cause Kimmie to choke on his caviar and the Chicoms would start being much more careful in thier overt actions in the East China Sea.
Via StrategyPage commenter. Excerpt:
This may also indicate that the launch vehicle may not be using large base fins as illustrated below but instead is using gimbals mounted vernier thrust chambers for steering like the No-dong-B uses. This would place this booster in the Russian SS-7/R-16, ICBM design technology category. In retrospect, this appears to have been the real purpose of the North Korean so-called self-imposed testing moratorium in order to buy time to develop this better performance launch vehicle design and with no intentions of doing otherwise. The moratorium was a successful shell game on the World stage with all of its implications.
Posted by: ed ||
07/06/2006 08:15 ||
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#1
The third missile launch, which occured at 4:01 PM, was either a Taepo-dong-2A or 2B and or 2C/3 configuration that failed between 30 and 60 seconds of launch according to initial reports. Indications are that the telemetry was lost between 50-52 seconds perhaps due to its break-up or possibly sea impact. According to DoD, sources and White House National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley, based on telemetry, it failed between 35-40-42 seconds into the launch over the Musudan-ri (No-dong-A/Taepo-dong-2) launch infrastructure since it only for burned 42 seconds. . . . This launch failure is indicative of a characteristic maxQ maximum dynamic pressure failure mid-air tilting over folding break-up taking several seconds of in flight catastrophic disassembly. Speculating a little further, it would appear to be a possible propulsion clustering and or Vernier steering control authority, guidance loss of control failure by the first stage which should have burned between 112-120-130 seconds depending on which configuration was launched as the final design.
A part of me is in geek heaven reading stuff like that!
I wonder if it wasn't an airframe failure because the structure wasn't strong enough to take the aerodynamic stress at Max-Q. That open truss interstage looks awfully flimsy in the diagram.
Posted by: Mike ||
07/06/2006 15:21 Comments ||
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#2
He confirms the speculation here about the propellants and the cluster induced vibration...
it would appear to be a possible propulsion clustering
and are evenly divided between highly toxic, corrosive, hypergolic UDMH (Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine) and IRFNA (Inhibited Red Fuming Nitric Acid) propellants
Posted by: john ||
07/06/2006 19:52 Comments ||
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North Korea is one of the most repressive and least transparent nations in the world. It has no free press, a paranoid dictator in Kim Jong Il and is difficult for foreign intelligence agencies to penetrate--even South Koreans stand out among their half-starved cousins to the north. But as a humanitarian disaster as well as a belligerent on the world stage, North Korea is the subject of intense observation. We thought it would be useful to highlight some sources on the Web that provide insights into what is happening, what might be done to prevent a tragic outcome and what might be driving the North Koreans to provoke a confrontation that on its face looks unwinnable for Kim Jong Il. At just 3% of its gross national product, South Korea's defense budget alone is larger than North Korea's entire economy. And belligerence by the North is likely to give the U.S. a stronger constellation of allies, force Japan to bolster its defenses and perhaps spur South Koreans to elect a more tough minded government next year. Kim's aggressive behavior is already starting to alienate Russia, which recently participated in a joint naval exercise with Japan and South Korea.
The "North Korean Zone" offers a round up of the latest news including links to news articles, as well as analysis and radio and TV broadcasts that are beamed into North Korea. The site also welcomes photos and comments from anyone who has visited the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and information on key events in North Korea in recent years, including the massive explosion in Ryongchon two years ago that destroyed a train station not long after Kim Jong Il passed through it.
There's lots more linkage in the main article. North Korea Zone looks to be the most comprehensive of the lot, and its blog appears to be updated several times a week. Fred, please consider adding a link to NKZ on the right side rail.
Posted by: Mike ||
07/06/2006 07:33 ||
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Taiwan plans to test-fire a missile capable of hitting China, alarming the island's main ally, the United States, a cable news network said on Thursday.
The Hsiung Feng III, developed by Taiwan's Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology, has a range of 600 km (360 miles) and is accurate to within half a meter, the online edition of cable news network ETTV (http://www.ettoday.com) said, quoting unnamed military sources.
That range would put areas along China's coast from Fuzhou in Fujian Province to Nan'ao in Guangdong within striking distance of the missile, the Web site said.
A defense ministry spokesman declined to comment on the report when reached by telephone. A spokeswoman for China's Foreign Ministry also declined to comment.
China, which has claimed sovereignty over Taiwan since their split in 1949 at the end of the Chinese civil war, has deployed nearly 800 short-range ballistic missiles aimed at the self-ruled island in case it formally declares independence.
Taiwan successfully test-fired the missile last year, local media have reported, and the Web site said the next test was planned for September.
#4
Do we have to remind Beijing that Tokyo has a fully functional satellite program and nuclear power industry? Do we need to remind them that Japan's smaller population base provided sufficient manpower and capability to keep themselves occupying the prosperous portion of the Chinese mainland [and it took the American's war effort to get them out]? You think one day, the minds in Beijing will understand that the US was just as much their protector as a competitor? Keep playing that inscrutable game and they will.
#6
Bravo to the Taiwanese. It will be hilarious to see the mainlanders talk out of both sides of their mouths saying that Taiwan should be defenseless on one hand, but that it's perfectly fine for the Norks to fire missiles off like fireworks on the other.
Of course, they and the wormy worms of Russia will have no problem being utterly two-faced, being so practiced at it.
Discreetly, the US is laughing about this, because they can now act pious and very modestly deplore what the Taiwanese are doing, in China and Russia's face.
#7
Knowing that Koizumi (sp?) went to Graceland last week, anyone wanna open the pot that he (in full-haired glory) will be announcing "testing" plans soon, too? Ya know, in honor of "the King?"
Posted by: BA ||
07/06/2006 13:59 Comments ||
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#8
Do we have to remind Beijing that Tokyo has a fully functional satellite program and nuclear power industry?
UN Security Council members Wednesday united in deploring North Korea's missile launches, but divisions emerged over how best to censure Pyonyang over its actions. At an emergency council meeting, Japan's UN ambassador Kenzo Oshima pushed for a swift and strongly worded resolution condemning the missile tests, while Russia and China urged a more cautious approach. "We hope that the response of the council will be swift, strong and resolute," Oshima, flanked by the US and British ambassadors, told reporters after the meeting.
Oshima said Japan would present a draft resolution for expert-level consideration later in the day. Tokyo has slammed the North Korean launches and threatened "stern measures," including possible economic sanctions against Pyongyang.
While 13 of the 15 Security Council members spoke in favour of a resolution Wednesday, two permanent members, Russia and China, said they would prefer the council's reaction to take the form of a non-binding presidential statement. Warning against "whipping up emotions too much," Russian ambassador Vitaly Churkin said the council should keep its focus on the resumption of six-party talks on North Korea's nuclear program. "I think we should be clear headed," said Churkin, who all but ruled out any possibility of a resolution that contained punitive measures against Pyongyang. "In the discussion today, I didn't hear the word 'sanctions,' and I frankly do not expect that anybody will be proposing any sanctions," he said.
Continued on Page 49
Posted by: Fred ||
07/06/2006 00:00 ||
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#1
Helen, get me my flaming letter stationary at once.
Posted by: Captain America ||
07/06/2006 0:49 Comments ||
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#2
Anyone else feel the tepid breath of a strongly worded rebuke?
Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, Nato secretary-general, wants member states to consider seriously a recently issued 10,000-page report I wouldn't even consider picking it up
that concluded that such a system would be feasible for Europe and added that the dangers posed by Pyongyang and Tehran were increasing. But not as quickly as NATO's estimate of Ronald Reagan's IQ.
"We need to have an active debate within the alliance on missile defence to ensure that we have a common view and a common way forward," said his spokesman. No, Jaap, you don't need an active debate. You need missiles. Yesterday.
This week, the 26 Nato ambassadors met to condemn North Korea's missile tests. They are soon likely to discuss the conclusions of the report, commissioned by a Nato summit in 2002. Only four years to get the report done -- how's that Rapid Reaction Force coming, by the way?
Several European governments hope they can get protection in return for agreeing to base anti-missile interceptors, vital for the working of the system, on their territories. Thanks so much.
But Nato officials believe that a Europe-wide system could complement the US's own military defence, and worry that the unity of the alliance could be fatally undermined if some but not all of the members were protected. Ve are all in this together, nein?
The Euros and Canadians couldn't be bothered with all this silly 'Star Wars' missile defense until the NKors started banging their spoons on their high chairs. Now they're scurrying to get into Dubya's good graces.
Posted by: Matt ||
07/06/2006 20:56 ||
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The arrest of top military intelligence officials in Italy in connection with the abduction of a terrorist suspect is a major defeat for moderate Islam, according to the leader of the Confederation of Moroccans in Italy. "The arrest of the operations director of SISMI Marco Mancini and Gen. Gustavo Pignero in the investigation on [the alleged CIA kidnapping in Milan of an] Egyptian imam, Abu Omar, is perceived by Muslim moderates like ourselves as a major defeat," Souad Sbai told Adnkronos International (AKI) on Thursday, a day after the arrests took place.
"The fight against Islamic fundamentalists in Italy will now be much more cautious," said Sbai, who is also a member of a government-appointed advisory body on Muslim affairs in Rome, the Consulta.
Muslim cleric Abu Omar, a terror suspect, is believed to have been abducted by CIA agents in a street in Milan on 17 February, 2003. Prosecutors allege Omar was subsequently flown, via Italian and German military bases, to Egypt, and once there, tortured.
Milan prosecutors accuse SISMI of having cooperated in Omar's kidnapping, which was allegedly part of a clandestine 'extraordinary rendition' operation - a practice Washington admits it has used to capture and deport foreign terror suspects, often to countries where they could face torture. General Pignero was in 2003 the boss of Mancini, who is today SISMI's number two under chief Nicolo Pollari.
"The victories of SISMI under the management of Nicolo Pollari in the fight against terrorism had encouraged us a lot as many Muslims whose fundamentalism scared the community were arrested and expelled," said Sbai.
Sbai in particular fears the arrest will damage progress made in Italian mosques where moderates prevail: "In this way all the people like Abu Omar will feel the urge to come to Italy."
"The imams who had been inciting fundamentalism will return to preach," she said. "After this arrest moderate Muslims are afraid. They know that for Islamic militants this is a great victory. Now many extremists who left Italy will be encouraged to return to their mosques. For people like us who fight against fundamentalism in our communities this is a great defeat."
#1
Next time just let a contract with the boys from Sicily. They've got expertise in these matters.
Posted by: Steve ||
07/06/2006 9:13 Comments ||
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#2
Moderate muslims are on the defense, not just in Italy but in almost all the Western world.
One of the dirty secrets of these moderate muslims is that they know their only hope is for the infidels to beat their enemy (since they are too weak to do it themselves)
The Department of Defense announced today that the American Forces Network (AFN) will cease broadcasting play-by-play sports on radio later this summer. The decision to discontinue live play-by-play sports on radio was based upon a series of Department of Defense worldwide audience surveys of military members and civilian employees stationed overseas, which showed the preference of viewers to watch sports, rather than just listen to them. The impact of live sports on overseas local affiliate radio schedules was also factored into the decision.
AFN audiences prefer to watch the greater variety of sports on television rather than listen to them on the radio, said Mr. Robert Matheson, director of broadcasting at the AFN Broadcast Center in Riverside, Calif. When radio sports coverage comes on, most listeners tune out. Our mission is better served when the largest possible audience tunes in to non-sports programming and spends more time listening."
AFN radio play-by-play sports broadcasts were, as recently as 10 years ago, broadly listened to. Since then, AFN television sports coverage has expanded exponentially. More and more sports fans have been turning to AFN television for the greater variety of sports, Matheson observed. We used to air only one or two TV games a week. Now, since the introduction of AFN-sports and recently AFN-xtra, our multiple AFN television services, including AFN-prime, carry nearly 80 events a week."
Most play-by-play sports on AFN Radio ended with the conclusion of the NBA Championships. Some motor sports programming will remain on AFN radio's schedule in order to complete their seasons, with the September 9 NASCAR Nextel Cup race from Richmond International Raceway scheduled to be the final AFN radio sports play-by-play broadcast. "We signed agreements with the Motor Racing Network and the Indy Racing League before reassessing our approach to radio sports," Matheson said. "We'll honor those agreements."
A former Blackwater USA employee was charged with trying to extort $1 million from the security company by threatening to leak information about four contractors killed in Iraq.
Laura Holdren-Nowacki, 35, of Moyock, was charged Monday with one count of extortion, Camden County Sheriff Tony Perry said. She was released on a $15,000 unsecured bond and has a court appearance Friday.
Perry said Holdren-Nowacki, a former fleet vehicle manager for Blackwater, threatened to release documents about the contractors' deaths to the media, members of Congress and family members of the dead men. She wanted executives to pay her $1 million in exchange for her silence, the sheriff said.
"She didn't have any information," Perry said. "She was trying to make Blackwater think she had sensitive, pertinent documents and important information that would hurt them."
Holdren-Nowacki said the extortion allegations are untrue. She also said she has information related to the deaths of four security guards working under contract with Blackwater who were killed in Fallujah, Iraq, in May 2004.
After their deaths, the Blackwater contractors' bodies were mutilated, and the charred remains were strung up on a bridge. The men's families have sued Blackwater, alleging that the contractors weren't properly equipped or trained for their mission.
"I will be more than happy to talk to media after my court appearance on Friday," Holdren-Nowacki said. "I've got a lot to say, and some of it will be of interest to the family members of the contractors who died."
Her employment with Blackwater ended in April. Associate counsel Andy Howell declined to say whether Holdren-Nowacki had quit or was fired.
Blackwater provides security for State Department officials in Iraq, trains military units from around the world, and does work for corporate clients.
SEATTLE (Reuters) - The U.S. Army filed three charges on Wednesday against an officer who refused to fight in Iraq due to objections over the legality of the war. First Lt. Ehren Watada, who supporters say is the first commissioned U.S. officer to publicly refuse to serve in Iraq and face a military court, remained at Fort Lewis base in Washington state when his unit shipped out to Iraq on June 22.
In a statement, the Army said it had charged Watada, 28, with missing movement, contempt toward officials and conduct unbecoming an officer. "Officers are held to a high moral and legal standard. Acts contrary to this standard may be tried by court-martial," said the Army statement. If found guilty of all charges, Watada could face several years in confinement, dishonorable discharge and forfeiture of pay, according to the Army. The missing movement charge carries the heaviest punishment of confinement of up to two years.
Watada's lawyer said he expected the missing movement charge, but was somewhat surprised by the decision to charge the officer with contempt toward officials and conduct unbecoming an officer, because it raises free speech issues. "What he said about the war and the way the war began and the misrepresentations by the Bush administration are all true. Not only does he have a right to make those statements, he has an obligation to make those statements," said Eric Seitz, Watada's Honolulu-based attorney.
Off to a good start in screwing his client. Let's make sure we have a jury of junior line officers who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Posted by: Steve White ||
07/06/2006 00:07 ||
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#1
What he said about the war and the way the war began and the misrepresentations by the Bush administration are all true.
And of course you will provide credible evidence right? Because in a court you have to prove your case and provide evidents more credible then 'Well Cindy Sheehan and Ted Kennedy said so'....
#2
This slug needs to be found quilty, serve his time, and be removed from the military with a dishonorable discharge. He can address his free speech issues when he enters politics, like Kerry. I was against going into Iraq, but when Bush gave Saddam 48 hours, the die was cast. And the only answer is to win, totally.
Posted by: Captain America ||
07/06/2006 0:50 Comments ||
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#4
Anyone here with military experience want to address the free speech issue? Sounds like the civilian shyster has no clue about what you can and cannot say while on active duty.
#5
Again - Army 1LT (O-2) is a bit below the pay grade that makes decisions about when and against whom the United States of America commits its military forces.
Some day, if he was elected President (and Commander in Chief) - then his thoughts would matter. Fat chance - let's see what he thinks when he is not even eligible to vote any more!
#6
The lawyer is a dick. First off, you idiot, today's military is voluntary. Get it. You're not drafted. You volunteer. Second, what's the first thing that comes to your military where you here the word military or Army--that's right, Boom! War and all that nasty blow up stuff. Convict this clown, send him to Leavenworth and be done with it.
#8
Iff the Army or USDOD paid for any education beyond post-secondary, he can and prob will be demanded to pay the $$$ back. The Army-DOD do want the bestest and smartest for the all-volunteer armed forces, as you realize you are also being paid = subsidized to put yourself in harm's way.
#9
Free Speech? ROTFLMAO. He better get a new lawyer fast. He is in the military he has less than zero. Goes the totally voluntary service. Have a nice day.
#10
His lawyer will start calling him a political prisoner in 5....4....3.....
(BTW, you military types...There's no rank given for Eric Seitz. Wouldn't normal procedure be for him to have a JAG type defending him, even if the JAG guy thinks he's a pathetic puke? How often are civilian lawyers used in a military court?)
#11
Blondie,
FWIW - when I was in, Conventional Wisdom was that the FIRST thing you wanted to do when in trouble was call a civilian lawyer, the reasoning being that the JAG types were'nt interested in defending you all that well. After 20 years in the USAF - and attending a few CM's - I can tell you that with the exception of a VERY view high-priced attorneys, the overwhelming majority of civilian lawyers get their asses handed to them in a military courtroom, the Lynndie England case being a particularly good example. Mr Watada is most likely about to discover this at close range.
Mike
Posted by: Mike Kozlowski ||
07/06/2006 7:30 Comments ||
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#12
As I remember his beef's with Iraq, but not with Afghanistan.
So send him to Afghanistan. Let him run a one man observation post on the Pakistan border. His lawyer can go too, to keep him company and make sure his free speech rights are protected.
#14
"Anyone here with military experience want to address the free speech issue?"
-He can say to other mil types he disagrees w/the war, etc. He can even say it to subordinates though that would be tacky and unprofessional but not against the UCMJ per say. Senior officers will prolly raise their eyebrows & shrug it off to him being one of the few libz on the officer side of the house but that's about it. He is not supposed to make any statements wrt policy to the msm or officially. What he cannot do is disparage/defame the Pres or congress openly - though we did do that when Clinton was c-n-c all the time - though that was done amongst our peers and not to any press types.
Yeah, I remember the poor Marine that had to stand and take it from Man-whore Kerry at his phoney Wendy's photo-op in the '04 campaign.
Even the Pythons, who are mostly Moonbats, made fun of this attitude:
(Superimposed Caption on Screen : 'AND NOW . . . UNOCCUPIED BRITAIN I970'
Cut to colonel's office. Colonel is seated at desk.)
Colonel: Come in, what do you want?
(Private Watkins enters and salutes.)
Watkins: I'd like to leave the army please, sir.
Colonel: Good heavens man, why?
Watkins: It's dangerous.
Colonel: What?
Watkins: There are people with guns out there, sir.
Colonel: What?
Watkins: Real guns, sir. Not toy ones, sir. Proper ones, sir. They've all got 'em. All of 'em, sir. And some of 'em have got tanks.
Colonel: Watkins, they are on our side.
Watkins: And grenades, sir. And machine guns, sir. So I'd like to leave, sir, before I get killed, please.
Colonel: Watkins, you've only been in the army a day.
Watkins: I know sir but people get killed, properly dead, sir, no barley cross fingers, sir. A bloke was telling me, if you're in the army and there's a war you have to go and fight.
Colonel: That's true.
Watkins: Well I mean, blimey, I mean if it was a big war somebody could be hurt.
Colonel: Watkins why did you join the army?
Watkins: For the water-skiing and for the travel, sir. And not for the killing, sir. I asked them to put it on my form, sir - no killing.
Colonel: Watkins are you a pacifist?
Watkins: No sir, l'm not a pacifist, sir. I'm a coward.
Colonel: That's a very silly line. Sit down.
Watkins: Yes sir. Silly, sir. (sits in corner)
Colonel: Awfully bad.
http://orangecow.org/pythonet/sketches/racket.htm
Posted by: Ernest Brown ||
07/06/2006 9:16 Comments ||
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#16
According to the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ):
"ART. 88. CONTEMPT TOWARD OFFICIALS
Any commissioned officer who uses contemptuous words against the President, the Vice President, Congress, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of a military department, the Secretary of Transportation, or the Governor or legislature of any State, Territory, Commonwealth, or possession in which he is on duty or present shall be punished as a court-martial may direct. "
So much for the "free speech" defense. The rules are different for members of the military, especially for officers.
#17
Anyone here with military experience want to address the free speech issue?
We had free speech? Who knew?
Posted by: Steve ||
07/06/2006 9:17 Comments ||
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#18
1 - There is no free speech, assembly, etc in military service. Even SCOTUS [well at least up till now] has recognized the need for good order and discipline required for the military in the real world. Further the Constitution specifically gives the military law making authority specifically to Congress [Art. 1, Section 8]* which allows it to be outside the normal civilian protections. That law is Title 10 U.S.C.
2 - Hell go to the United States Disciplinary Barracks (USDB) pictured here on Fort Leavenworth not the Federal Prison in the city of Leavenworth shown in an above comment.
3 - Unless he elects to take trial by judge only, his court martial will have his peers and given the amount of rotation through the theaters, it will most likely be composed of veterans of both Iraq and Afghanistan.
4 - Hell join Captain [doctor] Yolanda Huett-Vaughn who played the same cards in 1991. And we all remember her [well the neo-marxist do as one of their idols in the never ending war against the system(tm)]. Court martialed and time turner at the USDB. Maybe this time the politicians will let the little shrub serve his full time.
* the founding fathers memory of Oliver Cromwells rule convinced them that military law, funding , and the appointment of officers [President nominates, but Congress approves] should be kept in the legislative branch.
#20
Eric Seitz' primary practice is Civil Rights. That night explain the free speech defense. I did,however, find a news article that describes Seitz as specializing in military Cases.
#21
...the President, the Vice President, Congress, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of a military department, the Secretary of Transportation...
Transportation??
...or the Governor or legislature of any State, Territory, Commonwealth, or possession in which he is on duty or present...
So it's all right to say bad things about your home state's governor, but not the governor of the state you're in? And it's OK to totally dis the Secretary of Veterans Affairs?
...the overwhelming majority of civilian lawyers get their asses handed to them in a military courtroom...
#22
Big Chicken Dinner, busted in rank to slick sleeve and thrown out after a few months at the USDB.
THis guy (at 28 he's not a kid) just ruined his life - BCD = felon = no voting, no rights, no firearms, etc. His lawyer better get a clue about the UCMJ.
#24
They should make this guy document every reason why he does not support our actions in Iraq, and counter his 'facts' as they come forward. The whole Bush lied and no WMDs arguments would be exposed as anti-republican press overbite.
Maybe, just maybe a few of the ever declining left will turn right. It's worth the courtroom time. It's also a good idea to reinforce the idea that the press doesn't know what the military knows, so the press should be ignored.
Another nail in the MSM cofin.
The UCMJ (according to my JAG buddies who could be bullshitting me) won't allow for a commissioned officer to be busted to private. He prolly won't get a BCD either. Most likely (just my myopic predictions here) he'll get thrown out on either a general discharge or OTH (Other Than Honorable) - one notch less than the Big Chickie. Not that I'm against this pussy getting six, six, and a kick.
Personally, I think he should be tried, convicted, shot & then dumped unceremoniously into an unmarked grave - like any coward. Shit, none of us is jumping up for joy about going back to Iraq or Afghanistan, we just go do our job and hope to bring all our lads home in one piece. This guy's a f*cking Shirker whose already gotten too much press.
#26
#21 Transportation? Angie, that may be because the US Coast Guard falls under the Department of Transportation. Look for an update to the list to include Secretary of Homeland Security.
#27
If this guy was so much against our actions in Iraq why didn't he resign his commission? He had three years to do it.
Posted by: Scott R ||
07/06/2006 13:58 Comments ||
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#28
I am in Iraq and came out of retirement after almost six years to go down range with the new Iraqi Army.
Whereas my feelings are he should be shot, the charges they have hung out there give him little wiggle room and it is of course a done deal as to his quilt. His name was on the manifest when his 1SG called it and he wasn't there....
My feeling is he won't do anytime at all...he will be a disgusting coward that happens to be a convicted felon....I hope all his talk show appointments pay back all his school.
I have a number of 18 and 19 studs who have earned their CIB/CMB/CABs that will be more than willing to speak about his "leadership" qualities....
#29
I disagree. I think the guy is being used as a useful tool by the left. The defense is bogus - but they will milk it for all the publicity they can get about the good looking soldier with a conscience. They are hoping he goes to jail as they can continue to publicize his plight. Problem for him, though, is that one day the war will be over and he'll remain in his cell as well as be branded a coward and traitor for life.
I'd feel sorry for him, but only becaue life is hard, but it's harder when you are stupid.
#30
have a nice time wherever you end up, asshole. you can bet your last dollar that even if you were allowed to go to your war of choice, those who were 'lucky' enough to serve under you would be undermining you and 'work accidents' would be commonplace. your grenade might even explode in your tent ( or wherever) while you were polishing it. when you signed up, you left a lot of things behind, including the freedom of speech. if you want any sort of defense, get another mouthpiece who can maybe get a deal cut. not offering any odds, however, you are an example in the making.
#31
I think this guys had this planned from the moment he went in. He comes from a liberal family, he joined after the war was on and he certainly knew he could be called up to fight.
He wants to make a PR splash and thinks this is the way to do it. I hope they lock his ass up for several years. Give him something to think about.
#32
Several comments:
This guy is toast. He was ordered to ship out, and he failed to show. They can also decide, after 30 days, that he's a deserter, or hang another 20-30 charges on him.
Secondly, the Bill of Rights overrides the Congress. Every person in the military has exactly the same rights as any other citizen. The Supremes have decreed, however, that those rights must be exercised with care, falling within the " faith and good order" of the military. That means you cannot march in a protest parade in uniform, you cannot make statemenst that are detrimental to the faith and good order of the military, etc., and you cannot decide upon yourself to disobey lawful, legitimate orders for movement. He has two choices: go, or resign. He did neither. He's toast.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
07/06/2006 17:17 Comments ||
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#33
Read his old man in Hawaii was an active anti-war 'person' during Vietnam time. This dudes enlistment seems like a setup from family moonbattery.
July 6, 2006: The long rumored, but much denied, deal for Indian to lease one, or two, Russian Akula II class nuclear attack subs, is hot news once more. That's because one of the Akula II subs, the Nerpa, was recently launched at the Russian Pacific shipyards. The Nerpa will be completed and undergo sea trials next year. In 2002, the stories began to appear, that India was leasing one, or two, Russian nuclear attack submarines (SSN). Eventually, both India and Russia denied the deal, which was promptly renamed as "a secret deal." The term of the lease was said to be ten years.
The Akula II class boat, which was being built in a yard near the Chinese border, was 85 percent complete in 2004, and, at the time, it was said that the boat would be turned over to India in 2007. In the meantime, Indian submariners are supposed to be undergoing training, in secret. There have been stories of Indian sailors spotted at Russian naval bases. Construction of new Akula II subs was stalled, in the 1990s, for lack of cash, and the story was that the Indians are now supplying the cash to complete construction.
Russia introduced the Akula class subs in 1984, and has continued building them and upgrading the design. The 10,600 ton Akula II is considered roughly equivalent to the 6,900 ton American Los Angeles class (which first appeared in the 1970s). There are ten Akulas in service, and six more under construction.
Continued on Page 49
Posted by: Steve ||
07/06/2006 10:49 ||
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#1
It's a nuke boat, and the Russians don't have a good record building them. Unless you like glowing in the dark.
I'd bet on a Chinese arranged accident before the boat reaches Indian waters.
#3
In the US Navy, submariners get "sub pay". In the Russian Navy they call it "childlessness pay".
One story I heard was that the hookers wouldn't have anything to do with the Russian (Soviet at the time) sub sailors - they were all bald, and the hookers assumed they had some kind of disease.
#4
The Akula is one of the best boats the Russians have built. It's not quite up to LA (688) Class, but far superior to anything else in use outside the United States. If it transits submerged, the Chinese won't even know it. Of course, we will, and we'll probably follow it all the way to port...
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
07/06/2006 18:20 Comments ||
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#5
PS: Remember, too, that the current batch of US submarines, the 724-Class, is at least 30% better (quieter, longer-ranged, better-armed, etc.) than the 688-Class, which the Akula ALMOST equals.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
07/06/2006 18:21 Comments ||
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#6
The real Indian SSN (the ATV project) is being constructed by the Indian heavy engineering firm Larsen and Toubro at its Hazira shipyard.
This web page has two very interesting photos with technology being developed for the Indian boat.
The first looks suspiciously like a launch tube for a ballistic missile.
The second is a sign above the shed door that says "Sagarika".
Sagarika is the Indian long range land attack cruise missile project.
A high-stakes battle affecting the fortunes of the U.S. defense and electronics industries will intensify later this month.
Negotiators from the Armed Services committees of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives are scheduled later in July to begin conference talks on the fiscal 2007 defense authorization bill.
At issue is whether defense manufacturers can buy certain metals, such as titanium and zirconium, from foreign contractors, or if they must rely solely on domestic suppliers for the in-demand products, CongressDaily reported Wednesday.
Worried industry trade groups, whose member companies have long been able to circumvent a law requiring the content of specialty metals be 100 percent domestically produced, have been gearing up lobbying campaigns aimed at ensuring any conference agreement will not change the status quo.
Their activism has been prompted partly by the U.S. Department of Defense, which began stepping up enforcement of the law in the last year despite past indifference toward industry infractions involving minor equipment parts, CongressDaily said.
The White House has threatened to veto a defense authorization bill that contains language now in the House of Representatives version, which administration officials argue would strengthen the 1973 domestic-source law known as the Berry Amendment, the report said.
The House provisions also leave open the possibility of expanding the list of protected specialty metals by establishing a Strategic Materials Review Board in the Pentagon, which would be able to add materials to the list.
But the House insists its provision merely clarifies and enforces existing law and would not adversely affect the military. "The House is committed to protecting our industrial base and identifying and protecting those items critical to national security," a House committee aide told CongressDaily.
The Senate inserted language in its version of the bill that would exempt certain commercial items, including electronics, from the law.
July 6, 2006: The U.S. Navy has puts its first ray-gun equipped fighters into service. OK, that's a slight exaggeration, but does accurately describe the new APG-79 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar being installed in carrier based F-18Fs. AESA systems consist of thousands of tiny radars that can be independently aimed in different directions. This makes it possible, for a sufficiently powerful AESA radar, to focus enough energy to damage aircraft or missiles. The U.S. has already been doing this with the high-powered microwave (HPM) effects generated by similar AESA radars used in F14, F35 and F22 aircraft.
AESA type radars have been around a long time, popular mainly for their ability deal with lots of targets simultaneously. But AESA is also able to focus a concentrated beam of radio energy that could scramble electronic components of a distant target. Sort of like the EMP (Electromagnetic Pulse) put out by nuclear weapons. AESA has demonstrated that it can disable missiles and aircraft. Ballistic missiles are another story, as they are sturdier (to handle re-entry stress) and have fewer electronics to mess with.
In addition to AESA radars installed in newly built F-18s, over a hundred older F-18s will have the APG-79 radar installed. It will take about seven years to get some 400 AESA equipped F-18Fs into service. While the main reason for using AESA is to better track separate targets simultaneously, and with better accuracy, the navy, like the air force, is intent on improving and exploiting the ray-gun aspect of this radar as well.
Posted by: Steve ||
07/06/2006 10:33 ||
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Posted by: Captain America ||
07/06/2006 18:40 Comments ||
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#7
Better than that, SPOD, at Mach 3, and the optional kit for the F-22, where the jihadis literally never see the popcorn being dropped off. I understand the veggie trays are an expensive option too.
Posted by: BA ||
07/06/2006 23:27 Comments ||
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Iran said on Wednesday crucial talks between the European Union and Iran on incentives aimed at ending a nuclear stand-off have been postponed for a week, giving no immediate official reason for the delay. "The meeting has changed to the next week. They (the Iranian delegation) will not come (to Brussels) today," a senior Iranian nuclear official who requested anonymity told Reuters. Iran's Fars news agency reported that Larijani had cancelled his trip to Belgium "for some reasons" and that the meeting could be rescheduled in coming days.
The office of EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana, whose had been due to meet Iranian nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani, could not immediately confirm when the meeting, set by Western powers as a deadline for Iran's response, would take place. Solana spoke by telephone with Larijani on Wednesday, an EU official said.
Iran had said it needs more time to reply to the incentives offer, adding to longstanding Western suspicions that it has been playing for time in the stand-off. But an analyst in Tehran said a visit to the European Parliament in Strasbourg on the same day by the leader of the outlawed National Council of Resistance of Iran, regarded by the government as a terrorist group, appeared to be the reason. Maryam Rajavi, who is based in France and whose organisation is the political wing of the outlawed Peoples Mujahideen armed group, was invited to the legislature by a cross-party group of EU lawmakers who call themselves "Friends of a Free Iran". "One might think that this didn't please the Iranians, but it could also be a welcome pretext for the Iranians," the analyst said, who asked not to be identified.
Diplomats said divisions in the U.N. Security Council over what action to take on Iran meant there had been little chance of responding either at the Brussels meeting or before a July 15 summit of G8 leading industrialised nations in Russia.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/06/2006 00:00 ||
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#1
Oh dear, was it the tea?
Posted by: Captain America ||
07/06/2006 0:51 Comments ||
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#2
giving no immediate official reason for the delay
Update: The official reason for the delay is to buy time to enrich a bit more uranium.
Posted by: grb ||
07/06/2006 2:51 Comments ||
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#3
The 12th Imam must've come out of the well and saw his shadow...
#5
We knew there would be no negotiating with you. Unfortunately, we wasted time and went thru the motions anyway to be PC. Yes, it gave you more time. But, it gave us more time to manufacture the 5 kt. warheads for Tridents that we'll eventually use on you.
#6
it gave us more time to manufacture the 5 kt. warheads for Tridents that we'll eventually use on you.
The smallest US warhead is a 10kt artillery shell for 175mm howitzers. Anything on a Tomahawk would be from 75Kt to 1Mt. Tridents are equipped with 10/12 1Mt Mk-24-type thermonuclear warheads. Currently the largest weapon in the US inventory is a 10Mt air-dropped City-crusher that is (supposedly) not deployed.
Iran would probably be greeted first and foremost with tactical, conventional weapons from B-1, B-52, and B-2 bombers, tactical Navy and Air Force fighters, submarine- and warship-launched Tomahawk conventional weapons, and Naval gunfire. The US wouldn't use nukes unless things got totally out of hand, or the Iranians managed to sink a Nimitz-class carrier. If that happened, all bets are off.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
07/06/2006 18:29 Comments ||
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#7
Do the EUros just enjoy being the Iranians butt boys? I'm trying really hard to understand these Euro folks motivation, but it completely baffles me.
Posted by: ed ||
07/06/2006 18:47 Comments ||
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#8
I agree OP. And I doubt a Nimitz can be dispatched without nukes.
What this really means is that the Euros will have been made to undeniably look like saps by the UN (Russia & China) and Iran. The up shot of the Korea fiasco will be that Japan and the US will be made to look weak, if not saps by the UN (Russia & China). The UN is going to be the big loser this summer. Bush needs to nominate a new UN ambassador. He may not. or he may nominate Bolton plus, whomever that might be. Or he might submit Bolton for confirmation again leaving the post open till the Senate votes. It's going to be interesting. And interesting to watch the new SecGen selection. I'm not certain that post will be filled either. Especially with all the major contributors looking like weak, dumb saps.
#9
Well,yes, we find that our current warheads, even the smallest, are too large to use in a tactical environment. We need very low yield nukes for ground penetration to smash underground works with shock waves, but not cause large surface radiation emissions. These are being developed. Strangely, it's almost more difficult to build a small one vs. a large one. Delivery from a parabolic trajectory allows sufficient penetration before detonation.
Iran is due to start rationing fuel in September in a move that risks provoking social discontent. While Iran is a major oil producer, its refineries have a capacity of just 40 million litres of petrol a day: demand is close to 70 million litres. The shortfall is imported at great cost to the government because it is sold at heavily subsidised prices to the consumer. Much is then smuggled to Iran's neighbours where petrol prices are far higher, costing the Iranian government more than £542 million a year.
The thirst for petrol has been compounded by a big boom in car sales. Iran has turned into a regional car-making hub with foreign firms such as Peugeot, Hyundai and Renault signing production deals in the Islamic Republic. These were originally seen as export ventures, but Iran's soaring earnings from oil sales and a growing culture of cheap loans means Iranians are buying more cars. Demand for petrol is growing at 11 per cent a year.
Parliament has now slashed the budget for petrol imports, which means the government has either to raise prices or ration petrol: both are unpopular moves. Officials favour halting petrol imports and introducing rationing. It is feared that price increases , the alternative, could stoke inflation which is already running at 12.1 per cent. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has estimated that without rationing, Iran would need to spend £2.7 billion to import enough extra fuel to keep pace with demand. But the defiant president is also keen to show the world that Iran can survive without imported petrol in the event of sanctions over Tehran's nuclear programme.
Continued on Page 49
#1
I'm no geopolitical genius, but maybe instead of bombing their nuclear shit, we should take out a couple of refineries. That would really make em squeal.
#4
Not only their refineries, but their export capabilities, too. Take our Khark Island and the ports at Abadan, Bandar Abbas, Bushehr, and Jask. Attack oil pipelines, drilling rigs, maintenance teams, and any other large gatherings of seething persians. Use firebombs, so the destruction will melt down any infrastructure in the immediate vacinity, and be impossible to stop.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
07/06/2006 18:38 Comments ||
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#5
No need to take out export capacity. Gasoline will do the trick, not crude.
I'm getting the feeling the U. S. Navy may start to get as much attention in our conflicts as the Army has for the last 4 years.
#1
Another in the series of translations with analysis by the prolific Ray Robison, the former member of the CIA-directed Iraq Survey Group. He's really getting his teeth into the treasure trove of raw documents released by the DoD... and I find it facinating that FoxNews is publicizing his results as fast as he releases them. (Does that Saudi prince who not long ago bought a large chunk of Fox shares fondly imagine this will direct our attention away from Saudi Arabia's complicity in the terror war?)
#2
I think FOX is trying to refute all the Donk's accusations and the treasonous amongst us, like the NYT's. None of the MSM picks up on this stuff and it appears some have tried their darndest to keep this stuff from surfacing. Kudo's to FOX, Saudis included, if they have helped the cause.
Can a jet fuel/hydrocarbon fire collapse a steel structure? An experiment...[apparently done back in 2005 but just discovered by our part of the blogosphere]
I set up the following experiment using steel rabbit fencing as the steel structure supporting a heavy cement block.
Note, this fencing is easily bendable, has no significant rigidity, and was not reinforced in any way. The fencing was bent into an outer square and an inner rectangle (the core)...
what follows are images of a kerosene fire in a bucket; a cinderblock on the rabbit fencing, etc. with incisive narrative to 'prove' that the collapse of the WTCenter wasn't due to the jets hitting it so obviously it was a Bush plot
#2
The holes punched by the planes giving a draft, and all of that fuel (jet fuel, paper, etc.) above the holes, turned the towers into something pretty close to blast furnaces. Remember the smoke turning from black to greyish white? That's the signature of a very hot fire. Remember that it took several days for the fire to go out? This 'experiment' is laughable.
#5
The XXXXX DU Twin Tower Chicken Coop Experiment!
I think we should encourage him to build a chicken coop about 100 stories high and then invite some islamo types to fly into it to prove his thesis. oh yea.. we insist he stand on top during the testing phase.
#9
Jim: Not quite correct. There was an inner core to the building which had the elevator shafts, stairwells, and utilities, which was built using conventional skyscraper construction.
There's a long and very detailed pdf-format report on the construction of the two buildings and the causes of the collapse here.
Posted by: Mike ||
07/06/2006 7:45 Comments ||
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#10
Next up? I'ma gonna go fly a balsa-wood airplane into Stone Mountain (GA) to "prove" the Pentagon was also blown up by Rove/Halliburton because the resulting hole in Stone Mountain is smaller than the wingspan of my balsa wood "747". Good gawd, these'n guys obviously aren't engineers, are they, much less "smart" by any stretch of the imagination.
Posted by: BA ||
07/06/2006 9:28 Comments ||
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#11
100,000 lbs of jetfuel atomized across 3 floors of the world trade center.
A bucket of kerosene under a piece of chicken wire.
#18
115. Please tell me you're joking.
This is the kind of thing that gives DU a moonbat image.
He he.
Btw, note that my own 9/11 conspiracy theories lean more toward state involment by Iran, Iraq, ISI, plus bosnian, sudanese, possibly russian, rogue elements,... and potential cover-ups of that extra dimension for political/PC reasons.
But I'm only half-remembering things written by commenters here, now and then, plus a few half understood articles linked by by John or DD.
Like the promised JFM article on the socialist link to 11M, this is something I'd like to see clarified by actually knowledgeable persons in original op pieces.
#23
Apparently there is such a thing as the "Journal of 9/11 Studies." which is edited by a physics prof at BYU and a ME prof from Clemson. The studies are all wacko conspiracy stuff.
Remarkably, their June 2006 edition just came out:
http://www.journalof911studies.com/.
My guess is that these are two adjunct profs looking to get a big fat grant from the Arab world but they may simply be infected with BDS.
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.
Afghan officials destroyed more than 40 tons of confiscated narcotics worth an estimated $500 million on Wednesday in a giant bonfire on the outskirts of Kabul. Afghan counter narcotics police have also arrested more than 600 drug traffickers, including 19 government officials, over the last year, said Deputy Interior Ministry Gen. Mohammad Daud Daud. Some 63 traffickers have been given long-term jail sentences for drug smuggling, according to the ministry. "This is a very big achievement, not only for us, but for the international community, too," said Daud. 
Gunmen in a speedboat tried to attack an oil rig offshore Nigeria's violent Niger Delta overnight, but withdrew after a brief battle with security guards, oil industry sources said. A navy spokesman said one retired naval officer working as a security guard for Nigerian oil firm Conoil was abducted during the failed attack, but he had no further details. 
MP 
His dragon-slaying heroics have kept his legend alive through the centuries. But the Church of England is considering rejecting England's patron saint St George on the grounds that his image is too warlike and may offend Muslims.
BBC Northern Ireland last night apologised after leading Radio Ulster presenter Gerry Anderson told his listeners he wanted George Bush "to rot in hell". The Radio Ulster host was presenting his morning show yesterday - July 4, US Independence Day - when he said it was also the American President's birthday.
The extremist Muslim who organised the infamous protests against the publication of cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed has escaped with a fine of just £500. Firebrand solicitor Anjem Choudary, 39, was the ringleader of the march outside the Danish Embassy in London last February. But today it emerged that he had been fined just £500 for failing to give police the required six days notice of the protests. The maximum fine he could have received was £1,000 and last night Choudary's paltry punishment provoked fury. 
Russian President Vladimir Putin rounded on Britain and other states Wednesday for granting political asylum to people considered terrorists by the Russian legal system in a speech calling for rapid extradition procedures. It is hard for us to understand how it is that people accused of terrorism are not extradited but are instead given political asylum, Putin said in an address to a conference of European prosecutors held under Russias chairmanship of the Council of Europe. Prosecutors should come up with unified, equal standards for extradition, Putin said. 
UN Security Council members Wednesday united in deploring North Korea's missile launches, but divisions emerged over how best to censure Pyonyang over its actions. At an emergency council meeting, Japan's UN ambassador 
Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, Nato secretary-general, wants member states to consider seriously a recently issued 10,000-page report 
The Department of Defense announced today that the American Forces Network (AFN) will cease broadcasting play-by-play sports on radio later this summer. The decision to discontinue live play-by-play sports on radio was based upon a series of Department of Defense worldwide audience surveys of military members and civilian employees stationed overseas, which showed the preference of viewers to watch sports, rather than just listen to them. The impact of live sports on overseas local affiliate radio schedules was also factored into the decision.
SEATTLE (Reuters) - The U.S. Army filed three charges on Wednesday against an officer who refused to fight in Iraq due to objections over the legality of the war. First Lt. Ehren Watada, who supporters say is the first commissioned U.S. officer to publicly refuse to serve in Iraq and face a military court, remained at Fort Lewis base in Washington state when his unit shipped out to Iraq on June 22.
Iran said on Wednesday crucial talks between the European Union and Iran on incentives aimed at ending a nuclear stand-off have been postponed for a week, giving no immediate official reason for the delay. "The meeting has changed to the next week. They (the Iranian delegation) will not come (to Brussels) today," a senior Iranian nuclear official who requested anonymity told Reuters. Iran's Fars news agency reported that Larijani had cancelled his trip to Belgium "for some reasons" and that the meeting could be rescheduled in coming days.
Iran is due to start rationing fuel in September in a move that risks provoking social discontent. While Iran is a major oil producer, its refineries have a capacity of just 40 million litres of petrol a day: demand is close to 70 million litres. The shortfall is imported at great cost to the government because it is sold at heavily subsidised prices to the consumer. Much is then smuggled to Iran's neighbours where petrol prices are far higher, costing the Iranian government more than £542 million a year. 
