#5
Why do anti-semites always hide behind the "atrocities", "war crimes" and "brutal agression" argument? At least the Hezzies say death to Israel in an unvarnished way.
#7
Au contraire. I wouldn't be surprised if she and her ilk preplanned this PR assault on Israel in close coordination with the Hezzies before the kidnapping.
#11
Speaking of 'war crimes' and international law, isn't the NYT, MSM et al due for their Julius Streicher and Hans Fritzsche moment? Or does international law and precedent only apply to Bush & Co. [rhetorical question].
#12
Everyone is going on about 'proportionality' and most will assume that it means the force used by one side is proportionate to the force used by the other.
As far as I can tell it doesn't mean that at all.
Wikipedia sez: Proportionality: The overall destruction expected from the use of force must be outweighed by the good to be achieved.
So what they are really saying is protecting Israelis (Jews) isn't sufficient reason/justification.
BRUSSELS, July 19, 2006 (RFE/RL) -- The European Union's special representative in Afghanistan, the veteran Spanish diplomat Francesc Vendrell, says the true test of the strength of the insurgency in Afghanistan's south will come in the autumn.
The dreaded fall offensive. Then the brutal Afghan winter. Then the dreaded spring offensive.
Briefing journalists at EU headquarters in Brussels today, Vendrell said the Afghan government together with the EU and other foreign supporters has until October or November to persuade a skeptical Afghan public it is able to create security in the country's lawless hinterland.
Get that man some hand lotion!
Vendrell, who has a long history of dealing with Afghanistan, began his briefing by saying that the situation in Afghanistan "has never been good" since the fall of the Taliban regime in 2001. He noted that "summers are always hot" in the country and ascribed much of the recent pessimism associated especially with Afghanistan's south to the heightened sensitivities of Western media and governments.
Outstanding command of the obvious, that's why he's a diplomat ...
Vendrell said the upsurge of fighting that has followed the deployment of thousands of British, Canadian, Dutch, and other troops of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in the provinces of Helmand and Kandahar did not come unexpected. He said ISAF now has until the autumn to show it can defeat the Taliban and create a "political and security space" to allow reconstruction to take place.
After which the brutal Afghan winter will set in.
"We are lucky in the sense that we have an excellent ISAF commander, General David Richards, who is probably one of the best things that has happened to Afghanistan," Vendrell added. "I think that he and we have a strategy to deal with this issue, we will have to see at the end of the year what are the results."
Addressing broader themes, Vendrell said the EU and other foreign donors must contribute more to help train the Afghan police force and help upgrade its often substandard equipment. He said both the lack of proper training and equipment were evident during the recent riots in Kabul.
The typical EU response is to note that they've already given at the office.
Vendrell also commended the removal of the country's conservative chief justice, whose views he described as belonging to "the Paleolithic Age." The EU envoy said his replacement is a "modern and educated" person whose nomination opens up the prospect of progress in improving Afghanistan's justice system.
So he's not completely blind.
The EU envoy appeared to downplay Pakistan's significance in respect of Afghanistan's problems. He said there was "no doubt" that the Taliban can use Pakistani territory, adding though that "whether this is something the Pakistani government can control is another matter."
All true without getting to the heart of it, which is that the Taliban is a Pak-sponsored, Pak-led organization.
Vendrell said Pakistan should do more to rein in the Taliban, but cautioned that excessive pressure could "overburden" Pakistan, which faces growing problems of its own in tribal areas.
Also due to the Talibs.
The EU diplomat also recalled that President Pervez Musharraf is an somewhat ally in the global fight against terrorism, and that he "has been forthcoming on issues regarding Al-Qaeda and also inclined to restrain militant elements in Kashmir. So, we can't overburden Pakistan."
Vendrell dismissed suggestions that Afghanistan itself could be a cause of concern for Pakistan with its possible interference in Baluchistan or elsewhere. He noted Afghanistan in its present state would be "in no position" to foment separatism in Pakistan.
Posted by: Steve White ||
07/20/2006 00:00 ||
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#1
Obvious, but -- the Taliban/ISI/AlQaeda *must* continue demonstrating their big offensive push. As soon as they let up they lose face, without the peepul's faith they have no recruits, hence no jihad, and Allah will turn on them and send them all to have their bellies roasted in Hell. Which means we'll have to listen to an endless stream of this kind of oh-so-clever analysis, darn it!
#3
A complete load of fluffy nothingness from a lifelong parasite, er, diplomat. Hmmm. Note that he doesn't even deign to mention the US one time. Not once.
How can anyone talk about Afghanistan and the Taliban in the present or recent timeframe, at some length, and never, not once, find that the role or efforts of the US there merits even mentioning?
LOL. I guess it's by posing everything from the exalted Vulture Elite view of an irrelevant condescending fuckwit asshole functionary.
July 14, 2006 -- A U.S. general training Afghanistan's army says the task will take at least three more years. General Robert Durbin said about 30,000 soldiers are fully trained and equipped and that the force is growing by about 1,000 a month.
Speaking in Washington on July 13, Durbin did not challenge an Afghan assertion that the planned 70,000-man force may be less than half what's needed.
Posted by: Steve White ||
07/20/2006 00:00 ||
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#1
Get out of there & quit wasting time and money. Apply Agent Orange to all poppies. Any further military strikes should be in Pakland. Nothing under 100 megatons.
#2
Afghanistan is one of the most crippled nations on Earth, and I cannot imagine it being restored to security or economic sustainment in less than two generations.
The best thing that could happen to them would be to have a status of forces agreement with the US to garrison a Corps of US military, accompanied with a "Marshall plan" to reconstruct the country.
But unless the next US president is a total believer in doing something like this, Afghanistan will be a hundred years in recovery.
#4
Iblis: there was a suggestion to both legalize and buy all of the opium produced. While opiates are superb painkillers, there has long been a worldwide shortage of them for legitimate medical use, requiring expensive alternatives.
Having a regular supply of low-cost anesthetic for the third and fourth world would save their medical systems many billions of dollars every year, and ease a lot of needless suffering.
Of course, the US pharma industry would not be happy at all with such a decision.
#6
If it were made legal we could release about 60% of the United States' prison population. We could save ourselves literally billions of dollars by firing thousands upon thousands of suddenly unnecessary police and bureaucrats... especially bureaucrats. We could free up enormous sums of money to fight the War on Terror. We could reduce taxes. Our police could focus on arresting actual criminals like murderers, child molesters, rapists, and burglars.
Afghan President Hamid Karzai condemned as unacceptable on Wednesday the reported torching of the country's flag by militants in a remote southern town near the Pakistan border. Afghan authorities said the militants had come from across the border and entered remote southern town of Garmser in Helmand province on Monday after Taliban had forced out police. They hauled down and torched an Afghan flag atop the district headquarters and hoisted another, apparently that of pro-Taliban Pakistan religious party Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, the Interior Ministry said. A statement from the president's office said the flag had been burnt by "a group of strangers" from across the border.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/20/2006 00:00 ||
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#1
Why doesn't he put his new vice cops on them? Thats what they are for arent they? Or do they just kick in doors looking for girlie mags?
#2
As with the Saudi version, the V&V squad is a jobs program for the uneducated and rural, for whom even something like the US Civilian Conservation Corps of the depression, would be too intellectually challenging. If properly managed, they form a police auxiliary that can help the government in the boondocks.
They don't want them in the cities, however, unless they are focused on counterintelligence against provacateurs and foreign agents.
(Somalinet) Somali interim Prime Minister Ali Mohamed Gedi condemned Islamic Courts on Tuesday afternoon for preparing an attack on the government based Baidoa town in southwest Somalia after its militia moved to Burhakaba town only 60km to Baidoa. In a news conference held in the provincial town of Baidoa today, Prime Minister Gedi accused Islamists in the capital of provoking major conflict with the legal transitional federal government based in Baidoa. He said I want to make clear that foreign insurgents trained in Eritrea stay in Somalia capital Mogadishu to destabilize the situation.
The press conference of Gedi came shortly after hundreds of Islamic militiamen with 25 battle wagons reached Burhakaba district of Bay region on Wednesday. We have received confirmed reports saying that Islamic Courts arrived at Burhakaba district of Bay region which has its local authority formed by Somalia government and the Islamic courts announced to install an Islamic court there and that is an aggression to the region and also means interfering the local authority, Gedi said.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/20/2006 00:00 ||
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who is that? Grace Jones?
Posted by: Frank G ||
07/20/2006 11:44 Comments ||
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July 20, 2006: Although Saudi Arabia has declared al Qaeda defeated within the kingdom, they continue to seek al Qaeda members. Another reason for this continued interest in al Qaeda is because al Qaeda may be beaten, but not it is eliminated from Saudi Arabia. The government knows this because, using American technology and technical assistance, Saudi Arabia has gained a high degree of control over Internet use within the kingdom. This capability has made it very difficult for al Qaeda members to keep in touch, and enabled the government to track new al Qaeda activity. An unfortunate side effect of this is that the Saudi Internet police have gone after all opponents of the government. Over 2,000 people have been arrested as a result.
This Internet crackdown has given the Saudi al Qaeda encouragement. As a result, al Qaeda has shifted from attacking foreigners in the kingdom, to going after the royal family. Al Qaeda is no longer worried about a revolution, and a secular government replacing the Sauds if there is an uprising. That's because al Qaeda now considers the Saud family "un-Islamic" and no different from a secular government. While the corruption of the Saud family has made them very unpopular, no one but al Qaeda believes the Sauds are a secular government.
What al Qaeda in Saudi Arabia has recognized is that trying to drive foreigners out of the kingdom would cause the economy to collapse, and is very unpopular with Saudis. Moreover, most of those foreigners are Moslems. Al Qaeda, while never hesitant to kill Moslems in the past, has noticed that this has become very unpopular in the Islamic world. This is largely because of the thousands of Iraqi Moslems killed by al Qaeda in the last three years.
So now the Saud family is the principal target for al Qaeda. That's fine in theory, but in practice, the Sauds are the best protected people in Saudi Arabia. Most of the royal bodyguards are Saudis. Loyal and well-paid Saudis, often with tribal and personal links to the royal family. Al Qaeda is going to kill a lot of these bodyguards as they try to get at the thousands of Saudi princes. That will not be popular with many Saudis. For the moment, this is the al Qaeda strategy in Saudi Arabia. Everything else they have tried has failed. The new strategy is high-risk, but al Qaeda has few other options. The Saudi family is at risk, and many Saudis would like a new government. But the smart money is not siding with al Qaeda.
Posted by: Steve ||
07/20/2006 10:25 ||
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#1
This might actually make the Saudi princes rethink their finacial support for these lunatics.
Al
Posted by: Frozen Al ||
07/20/2006 11:58 Comments ||
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#2
Finally, something that Al Qaeda and the US can agree upon: eliminating the Saudi princes. Maybe we can joint venture this project. [/tongue-in-cheek, or not, who knows?]
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
07/20/2006 12:44 Comments ||
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#3
Those princes that support al-Qaeda are the Saudi equivalent of Berkeley moonbats. They are so blind crazy they want all Saud to die, oblivious to the fact that they too are Saud.
Chairman of the National Antiterrorist Committee Nikolay Patrushev announced yesterday that the committee was drafting a resolution on amnesty for participants in illegal armed formations in Chechnya. The draft resolution will soon be sent simultaneously to the presidential administration and State Duma for approval. Duma members are being called in from summer vacation for it. The Kremlin thinks that, after the death of Shamil Basaev, the most authoritative rebel leader, there is a unique opportunity to end the war in Chechnya.
The amnesty of persons who have committed socially dangerous acts in the course of antiterrorist operations in the North Caucasus was discussed by the committee yesterday in a meeting closed to the press. Those citizens of Russia who were deceived by the leaders of armed gangs and lured into criminal activities have a real chance to return to a peaceful life, Patrushev told journalists before the meeting. And those who continue their criminal activities will receive the punishment they deserve. Last Saturday, Patrushev offered the militants to give themselves up by August 1. Gennady Gudkov, member of the State Duma Security Committee, told Kommersant that the amnesty would most likely not apply to members of law enforcement or militants who committed premeditated murder, terrorist acts, kidnapping or violence against members of law enforcement agencies. Deputy speaker of the Duma Alexander Torshin excluded foreigners (that is, suspected mercenaries) and recidivists from the amnesty and noted that this amnesty will probably not differ greatly from previous ones. The authors of the resolution are targeting mainly young rebels who have not been involved in serious crimes.
However, this amnesty may be extended to those who commit especially serous crimes and their accomplices. Prosecutor of Chechnya Valery Kuznetsov told Kommersant that it was possible that the amnesty would apply under certain conditions to those involved in serious crimes according to our information, serious additions have been made to the articles [of the law], which previously were not subject to amnesty.
Continued on Page 49
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Japan and the United States announced a plan to deploy advanced Patriot interceptor missiles at two US bases in southern Japan by the year's end, a news report said Thursday. The two countries announced the plan to deploy Patriot Advanced Capability-3 missiles at the two bases, Kadena Air Base and Kadena Ammunition Storage Area, on Japan's southernmost island of Okinawa by the end of the year, Kyodo News agency reported. Officials have said earlier that the two countries have agreed on the deployment of PAC3, but did not specify other details including location and timetable.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/20/2006 00:00 ||
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#1
Okinawa can't be the only place they're putting them. You'd need missiles on the west coasts of Hokkaido and Honshu to protect the main population centers.
Posted by: Mike ||
07/20/2006 14:15 Comments ||
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It would take an quite a number of Patriot batteries to cover even half of Japan, it's still pretty much a point defense system.
Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, Prime Minister of Spain and Secretary General of the Socialist Party, arrived to power at a time nobody expected, not even inside the Party.
Keen on populist tirades against the United States "Dickhead Bush" and "Ketchup Queen Kerry", his whole campaign did not bring much attention until the moment Al-Qaeda decided to blow up Madrid trains, killing almost 200 people and bringing to an end Spain's membership of the West.
From that moment on, everybody knew nothing would be the same, and Spanish Jews knew there were hard times ahead. Prime Minister Zapatero has not disappointed them.
Although many experts had foretold of the imminent disappearing of European Jews, nobody expected such a virulent explosion of anti-Semitism in Spain, not even under a Leftist government.
The first signal came on Monday, 5 December, when during a dinner with the Benarroch family, Zapatero and wife began claiming what Vidal Quadras, member of the European Parliament, described on the radio as "a tirade of anti-Zionism and anti-Semitism".
By the moment the Benarroch couple had left the table to express their regrets, Zapatero was explaining his lack of surprise about the Holocaust: according to the people present, Zapatero claimed to understand the Nazis.
Closing Hizbullah TV was another mission impossible for the man who understands the Nazis. It took more than a year to definitely close the channel connection to the Hispasat satellite, siphoning Latin America with more than a year of hate and Islamist propaganda.
In a country with the most anti-Catholic government in its whole history but with a multicultural obsession for Islam, A-Manar TV was part of the 'freedom of press.'
The recent clashes with Hizbullah, however, have promoted the longest and hardest diatribes against Israel, forcing Zapatero to loose a cover for what it was long known in Spanish politics: His hate towards Israel, Jews and Zionism.
In the third day of such rants, before a gathering of the Socialist Youth Movement and a day before a demonstration against Israel, Zapatero showed at last his true colours: At the closing of the meeting he let the teenagers take pictures of him wearing a Palestinian kaffiyah.
Although according to Zapatero, Hizbullah and Israel are the same thing, he offers no words of condemnation for the Party of Allah, spending 100 percent of the time explaining, in a rather twisted way, that Israel should let Hizbullah kill Israelis.
Much of the theory belongs to controversial Spanish FM Miguel Angel Moratinos. EU envoy to the Middle East before and sinking in rumours of links to Hamas long before he left, Moratinos arrived to the foreign ministry cleaning the Elcano Institute up, firing the most prestigious experts and bringing in a group of friends of the oppression theory.
Since then, amid support for Castro and Chavez and mysterious support to Bolivia in order to bring Evo Morales to power, the Spanish FM has proved he has nothing to envy in terms of anti-Americanism, but nobody ever expected an explosion of anti-Semitism in Spain this big. It seems once more that the Jews are the canary in the mine, and the United States should take note.
The commotion caused in the Spanish Jewish community seems to be huge, especially taking in count that after some months of anxiety after his election, some Jews were feeling somewhat safe in Spain. Not anymore.
Some people were trying to alert the international community about what was boiling in Spain, but neither the OSCE nor the EUMC ever listened, preferring contacts with anti-Israeli NGOs based on the idea that anti-Semitism has to do with Arabs. Now the Spanish Jews are to pay the price for the international community's inaction, once more.
If the United States does not want to see the American embassy in Madrid full of Jews fleeing Spain, President Bush will do well in isolating Spain in the international arena while pressing, and asking European members to press, the new Socialist government of Spain. The American Rep's belonging to Moratino's Caucus of Friends of Spain should be reminded its elections time too.
The Sepharad story is clearly over, but nobody expected it would be by accident. If you are thinking about visiting Spain, think it twice. You may not leave easily. I guess Generalissimo Francisco Franco is no longer dead, and now calls his fascism "socialism".
#1
so are our own leftists. It's amazing to me how many of these people have oozed out of the ground. It's shocking, really. Our own leftists code it in words like "Israelies", zionists, neocons, etc. But they've been getting more and more bold and its really troubling.
#2
The socialist international is pulling all the strings, need news call the norks, next day huo, day after use the un to make your case. There is one party behind it all...the socialist international. bank it.
#4
When the Moors institure sharia (rhymes with diharrea) law in Spain, old Jose will be the first nuts the Lions of IslamTM cut. He obviously is not a student of history.
#6
The Spanish expelled the Moors and Jews at the same time, 1492. The unusual historical act is the kowtowing to the muzzies. Jew hating has been a sport since the inquisition.
#7
in defense of the Socialist International, both Amir Peretz, the current Defense Minister of Israel, and Tony Blair, are members of the SI. Blame Zapatero on Zapatero, not on the SI.
#8
Socialism is a lesser form of the communist cancer that killed 300 million plus in the 20th century. Leftism is the movement of choice of the modern Jew haters. It's not even thinly hidden anymore. It's Universal amongst the Tranzis.
This is no surpise. I spit on you Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero.
#10
Spain has been conquered by the muslims before..711 a body of five thousand saracens effected a landing on the coast of Spain and entrenched themselves strongly near the Rock of Gilbraltar. These were soon followed by other troops until a considerable Moslem army was collected on the Spanish shores. The feeble resistance made to this descent was a fatal omen for the empire of the Visigoths. This once brave and hardy tribe of Germans had lost, during a long peace, the valour and endurance to which they owed the rich provinces of Spain; and amidst the pleasures of that luxurious country, had grown so unaccustomed to the use of arms, that it was long before they could be roused to meet the foe...the rest of of course is history...sound familiar anyone ?
Full Islam-fellatio mode for Zappy
Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero has come under criticism for posing with a Palestinian scarf on his shoulders after accusing Israel of using force "abusively" to defend itself, press reports said on Thursday.
Zapatero commented on the Middle East conflict at an international Socialist youth festival in Alicante, which was attended by more than 3 000 people including Palestinians and Israelis on Wednesday. The premier condemned both the kidnappings of Israeli soldiers and the use of "abusive force which does not allow innocent human beings to defend themselves". "we are their moral betters - we would never defend ourselves!"
A Palestinian participant placed the traditional Palestinian scarf, or kaffiyeh, on Zapatero's shoulders to be photographed with him.
Gustavo de Aristegui, spokesperson for the opposition conservative Popular Party (PP), called the photo "unfortunate" in the present Middle East situation. Sources of Zapatero's Socialist Party said he had not sought to be photographed in that way. Aristegui accused the government of anti-Semitism and of applying a "double standard" in the Middle East.
Foreign minister Miguel Angel Moratinos rejected such charges, stressing that Spain had clearly condemned the attacks of Hamas and Hezbollah against Israel as well as the latter's "disproportionate" use of force. "disproportinate" = "any"
"It is one thing to say the Israeli response has been disproportionate - a criterion that we share - and a very different thing to adopt Manichean positions in a conflict which is very complex and not a story of good and bad guys," the conservative daily El Mundo said in an editorial.
"Got that?"
Spain has evacuated more than 600 people from Lebanon within five days.
Posted by: Frank G ||
07/20/2006 10:45 ||
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Will someone please use the kaffiyeh to choke this chicken?
Posted by: Tibor ||
07/20/2006 11:32 Comments ||
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#4
Zapatero is disgusting; he embodies the eurabia trend in all its progressiveness glory.
Stopping the fight against ETA, allowing homosexual marriages, actively championing pro-islam dhimmitude (cf. his "al andalous alliance of civilizations"), implementing *massive* naturalization of illegals, fighting aggressively against the Catholic Church to impose french type "secularism" (IE antichristian worldview), imposing a State-enforced PC view of the civil war, complete with rewriting History, etc, etc...
That guy is so much on the other side it can't even be said he's a tool.
#5
So A5089 when do his totally incompatible positions "allowing homosexual marriages, actively championing pro-islam dhimmitude (cf. his "al andalous alliance of civilizations"), "
#6
So Spain takes the side of death-cult gun-sexer moongod-worshipping Abu Musab Al-Zarquawi poster hanging homicidal maniacs? Surprise meter still registering zero. After all, the pussies tucked their tail between their legs and ran after the Madrid train bombings.
#14
1492 is notable for three events involving Spain. Sending Chris on his voyage to the west, the expulsion of the Moors [muzzies], and the expulsion of the Jews [from whom they had obtained money to do the first two]. No one expects the Spanish Inquisition!
#15
Spain has been conquered by the muslims before..711 a body of five thousand saracens effected a landing on the coast of Spain and entrenched themselves strongly near the Rock of Gilbraltar. These were soon followed by other troops until a considerable Moslem army was collected on the Spanish shores. The feeble resistance made to this descent was a fatal omen for the empire of the Visigoths. This once brave and hardy tribe of Germans had lost, during a long peace, the valour and endurance to which they owed the rich provinces of Spain; and amidst the pleasures of that luxurious country, had grown so unaccustomed to the use of arms, that it was long before they could be roused to meet the foe...the rest of of course is history...sound familiar anyone ?
The United States said on Wednesday that Turkey has the right to defend itself against mounting violence by Kurdish rebels, a day after Ankara accused Washington of applying double standards to the region. But Washington repeated US opposition to unilateral Turkish action in neighbouring northern Iraq against bases belonging to the separatist Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). PKK militants are blamed for the deaths of 15 members of the security forces in southeast Turkey last week.
"Turkey, like every country, has a right and an obligation to defend itself and its people," the US said in a statement issued by its embassy in Ankara. It followed harsh remarks on Tuesday by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who said that US support for Israeli offensives against militants in Lebanon and the Gaza Strip while it opposed Turkish action in Kurdish-populated northern Iraq constituted double standards.
Like Ankara, Washington considers the PKK a "terrorist" organisation and has pledged support for Turkish efforts to combat the Kurdish separatist group. "Terrorism is terrorism everywhere," Erdogan said. "It is not possible to agree with a mentality that tolerates country A and displays a different attitude when it comes to country B."
Posted by: Fred ||
07/20/2006 00:00 ||
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Turkey has apparently moved a few hundred thousand men in its eastern provinces, and could be poised to make a cross-border move into the Kurdish areas of Iraq.
#4
Since we 'found' Turkish SF types in Kurdish Iraq some time ago, and then they followed it up with massive acceptance of that idiot Valley of Wolves movie and Metal Storm book (after we pushed for Turkish membership in the EU and all) I've decided the Turk is not our friend.
The Turk is a Jerk.
If the Iraqi War fails and we go to Plan B=Kurdistan I'm ready to hack out a chunk of Turkey to give the Kurds and call it 4th ID Province.
A Norwegian newspaper is reporting that several agents of the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) have been present and operating in Norway, in an effort to spirit Mullah Krekar out of the country. Newspaper Stavanger Aftenblad has reported that the US government tried to spirit Krekar out of Norway three years ago. The newspaper said it had information showing that several CIA agents were in Norway in the summer of 2003, including two wanted in Italy for the kidnapping of Egyptian Abu Omar in Milan.
"Missed him by that much!"
Aftenbladet reported that the secret CIA plan was to kidnap Krekar as well. Krekar's Norwegian attorney Brynjar Meling told the newspaper Saturday that Krekar feared a kidnapping, and that he'd be sent to the US. Meling said Krekar avoided being alone and asked for police protection in the spring of 2003.
Norwegian authorities have begun forcibly deporting around 400 refugees from northern Iraq whose applications for asylum were rejected. Mullah Krekar, however, continues to remain in Norway until Iraq guarantees he won't be executed upon return. The Norwegian authorities, however, won't deport any persons who face a death penalty in their homeland. The authorities also want guarantees that Krekar will be treated in accordance with the European convention on human rights. Negotiations between Norway and Iraq are being handled through the Norwegian Foreign Ministry, but a spokesman told newspaper Aftenposten on Wednesday that there's nothing new regarding Krekar's deportation.
Krekar, the former head of guerrilla group Ansar al-Islam in Iraq, has claimed all along that his life is in danger back in Iraq, even though he traveled back and forth several times on his own before the Norwegians charged him with asylum violations. Around 400 other Iraqis who have lost their bid for asylum in Norway now face forced deportation. Three Iraqis were sent back to Erbil in northern Iraq last week, reported Aftenposten. A few others have returned voluntarily. The cases of another few hundred Iraqi Kurds are expected to be decided this fall, after they were granted residence permission for a year last autumn by the former leadership of Norway's immigration agency UDI. Among them was Krekar's mother-in-law. The residence permission was granted in defiance of government directives, and led to a political controversy that resulted in a major shake-up at UDI and reprimands of UDI officials.
#2
Now that Iraq is getting back on its feet, it would be a superb idea for them to consider having a small contingent of external spies. That is, agents who travel to other countries to project Iraqi foreign policy.
Like sewing this guy's testicles in his mouth before putting two rounds through his forehead.
#3
But that's impossible! It will be far to costly. Our economy will callapse. Who will package and box the kippers? New York will have to shut down......
India's Internet service providers have simply blocked users from looking at entire domains such as blogspot.com.
India has banned access to 17 Internet Web sites and blogs it says preach messages of religious hatred, an official said on Wednesday. But in scrambling to obey the order some of India's Internet service providers have simply blocked users from looking at entire domains such as blogspot.com -- and the thousands of blogs, or online web journals, hosted there.
The government said it had written to ISPs, which it licences, with a list of sites to blocked in the interest of Indian security on July 13, two days after seven bombs killed more than 180 people on the Mumbai train network. But Gulshan Rai, director of the Ministry of Communication's Indian Computer Emergency Response Team, said the ban order was not a specific response to the attack. "These blogs are pitting Muslim against non-Muslim," he said.
Bloggers have reacted with outrage at what they say is an erosion of free speech, as well as bafflement at the sometimes surprising choice of sites included in the ban. "If this isn't censorship, I don't know what is", wrote blogger Neha Viswanathan at www.withinandwithout.com. Several of the blogs, like exposingtheleft.blogspot.com, contain conservative American commentaries on the Middle East and the "war on terror", of a kind unlikely to stand out from thousands of others on the Internet. At least two took passing swipes at Islam in posts referring to suspicions that Muslim extremists may have carried out bombings in India, but there appeared to be little which could worry those charged with looking after India's security.
Bloggers were quick to post simple methods for skirting the ban, including accessing some banned sites through pkblogs.com, a site designed for people whose blog is "blocked in India, Pakistan, Iran or China". And with the banned Web sites' addresses splashed on newspaper front pages, many pointed out that the ban would have the opposite effect to the one intended. "The ban is just bringing more attention to these sites which can be accessed anyway," Delhi-based blogger Shivam Vij (www.shivamvij.com) told Reuters. "Before they would have had a very small readership -- most of these sites most of us hadn't even heard of. There is no proven evidence of these Web sites provoking violence, it's just paranoia."
Internet service provider Spectranet confirmed that it had received the government order last week but had only been able to follow the ban by blocking entire domains. Its technicians were working on a more precise block that would only restrict access to the 17 banned sites. "We have a hell of a task on our hands," said B. C. Jain, Spectranet's Chief Operating Officer.
#1
On a related matter, it was said by a rightwing but usually well-informed and accurate "insiders" information letter ("Faits et documents") that France used the "Emeraude" plan during the ramadan riots, which consists of monitoring and redirecting internet traffic on "sensitive" sites; several well known Islamophobic(Tm) french websites were unreachable from french ISP during that time. If you can't cure the disease, break the thermometer.
#3
As skilled as India is with IT, I think that this is a hasty solution while they are developing a long term solution. Hasty because they though the fanatics were planning something big, and soon.
KATHMANDU - Nepals government plans to hold its last elections to a body to redraft the constitution before the end of next April, the countrys premier said in a letter to the United Nations released on Wednesday. As we plan to hold the election to the constituent assembly by the end of the current Nepali year (mid-April 2007), I would be grateful if you could start extending the necessary support of the United Nations, Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala said in a letter to UN Secretary General Kofi Annan sent on July 3.
The letter marks the first time the government has publicly given a time-frame for the constituent assembly elections. The staging of the ballot is a key demand of Maoist rebels, who Wednesday pledged to continue observing a truce with the Himalayan nations recently reinstated government.
Until the time is right for them to seize power and kill the opposition. They're Maoists after all.
Koirala listed five points on which they would like UN assistance, including monitoring of the combatants of the Maoists and decommissioning of their arms and monitoring that the army stays in barracks and remains neutral.
How about keeping the Maoist thugs neutral?
In addition, Nepal requested continued human rights abuse monitoring by the UN and urged it to observe the election to the constituent assembly.
Posted by: Steve White ||
07/20/2006 00:00 ||
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The government has taken 156 FM radio stations off the air to stop the spread of religious extremism and anti-state sentiments, notably among Pashtun tribes near the Afghan border, a spokesman for the regulator said on Wednesday. The raids have been conducted by the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulating Authority (PEMRA), working in tandem with local officials in the semi-autonomous tribal areas during the last six months. "Our regulations do not extend to the tribal areas. But we are coordinating with local authorities and police to jam or shut down these illegal stations," a spokesman for PEMRA said. He said 94 stations had been operating illegally, and had been transmitting their own religious and political views. "The rest of the stations were closed down by the local authorities after they got complaints some were fanning sectarian hatred and anti-state feelings," he said.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/20/2006 00:00 ||
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Binny doin' the news desk and the Mad Doctor is the roving reporter.
Any openings for Air(head) America?
Posted by: Captain America ||
07/20/2006 6:06 Comments ||
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Jeez Captain!! Don't give the Air folks any ideas! They might realize that these new celebs would be better than their existing ones (actually, a radio call-in hog-calling contest I heard in western Iowa once was better, but I digress).
Posted by: Mullah Richard ||
07/20/2006 10:07 Comments ||
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Bad idea, just shutting them down. Instead, replace them on the bandwidth with government approved programming, and much stronger signals. This both gets the message out, and blocks other pirate signals.
Lashkar Islami chief Mangal Bagh Afridi, late on Tuesday threatened to incite violent protests, possibly even seeking the help of Afghanistan, unless the Khyber Agency political administration dropped demands for his surrender. Afridi broadcast the comments on his FM radio station, saying: It has now become difficult for us to remain peaceful.
He was responding to Mondays demands by Khyber Agency Political Agent Dr Tashfeen that the Zakhakhel tribe handover Afridi within one week, or else face punitive measures, including the suspension of government incentives. Dr Tashfeen had also warned that Bara bazaar would again face closure unless the activities of Lashkar Islami were curtailed. Afridi, however, remained defiant, saying: I assure you that unlike Waziristan, our armed struggle would go beyond the frontiers of the tribal territory.
He also warned that the agencys elected parliamentarians would be the first to pay the price for not standing up to the excesses of the authorities. If you cannot make a government servant (political agent) abide by the constitution and (yet) have accepted him as the ruler of the agency, then you (parliamentarians) have no right to represent us in the assembly.
Political authorities were swift to respond to Afridis warning, dispatching paramilitary forces on Wednesday to guard the residence of Maulana Khalil Rehman, the Khyber Agencys representative in the National Assembly. Rehman said that Lashkar Islamis drift towards violence would do nothing to resolve the situation. He noted that the group wanted him to pursue their agenda, something he said was not feasible since he represented the entire area. My moderate attitudes towards the conflict (has) made them hostile to me, he claimed. He also advised the authorities not to enforce the closure of places of business, since this would punish ordinary tribesmen, not Afridi.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/20/2006 00:00 ||
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After declaring a tough stance against Pakistan in the wake of the Mumbai serial blasts, the Indian establishment is now in a dilemma over what punitive steps to take against Pakistan. Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh has made the job more complex after his return from the G-8 meeting. Although Dr Singh has said that there is a need to reflect on relations with Pakistan, he has made it amply clear to his officials that he does not want permanent hostility, a source told Daily Times on Wednesday. Therefore, while a repeat of Operation Parakaram in 2001, when India deployed thousands of troops along the LoC and western border, is being ruled out, Indian officials are considering a series of diplomatic and political responses to convey an anti-terrorism message with full force and full determination, the source added.
The source said the first step being deliberated is to review the policy of supporting President General Pervez Musharraf, who was seen as the best bet for peace by a sizable section within the government. Security advisers are now asking the government to pay attention towards the exiled political leadership of Pakistan, the source said, adding that the advisers are betting more on PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif than the vocal pro-India leader Benazir Bhutto.
The source said the most important punitive step India could take against Pakistan is increasing engagement in Afghanistan and Central Asian countries. India is thinking not only of increasing its military strength to neutralise Pakistans strategic depth in the region, but also increasing financial assistance and indulge in other social activities in countries surrounding Pakistan. A move is also being made to increase the staff strength at the Indian consulate in Jalalabad, the source added. Islamabad has accused the consulate in Jalalabad of subversive activities in Balochistan and undue interference in the political affairs of the Northern Areas. The source said that this step would force Pakistan to retain and increase its military presence along the 2,500-kilometre Afghan border. He added that Indian officials believed that Pakistan had earlier decided to withdraw troops from the border to press them into action in Balochistan.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/20/2006 00:00 ||
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#1
Looks like a windfall for Foster Brooks Bughti.
The Indian government actually repealed quite effective anti-terrorism legislation under pressure from its muslim votors.
They just banned blogs and web sites deemed to be anti-muslim. How bizarre is that?
One cabinet minister interrupted the home minister's report on the bombings to make the allegation that hindus might be behind the attack. They are all looking at their voting base, calculating that hindus are not sufficiently outraged to vote in concert, but muslim voters are seething and need to be placated.
Posted by: john ||
07/20/2006 17:50 Comments ||
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Posted by: ed ||
07/20/2006 08:28 ||
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"The bombing attacks increasingly target radical Shia militias, mainly those loyal to Muqtada al Sadr."
This raises an eyebrow. Terrorist types almost never go after other terrorist types. They go after soft targets. Who *does* go after terrorist types are anti-terrorists, such as "Phoenix program"-type operatives.
Right now Sadr is an agent for Iran. He and his people are in their pocket, and working against Iraq. However, Sadr himself is an imbecile, an incompetent whose greatest skill is exposing his people, and exposing his Iranian backers, and getting them killed. The best kind of enemy to have.
In turn, this leads me to suspect that much of the "sectarian" violence is actually anti-terrorist forces selectively hunting down and killing batches of disloyals and fifth columnists, or even active terrorist clans.
Their only response is to do what typically terrorists do: try to attack soft targets. This keeps the cockroaches in the limelight and makes the government far less likely to want to "make a deal" with them. Which of course weak governments are always wanting to do.
BAGHDAD - Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri Al Maliki said on Wednesday he was looking for ways to end the presence in his country of the Iranian opposition group, the Peoples Mujahedeen of Iran.
The presence in the country of this organization violates the constitution, he told a press conference, accusing the organization of interfering in Irans internal affairs. This organization has been behaving as though it is an Iraqi organization, he added, emphasizing that it is labeled as a terrorist organization in the United States and the European Union.
Maliki said the cabinet decided at a meeting Wednesday to restrict the movements of PMOI members to their base at Camp Ashraf, near the Iranian border, and to prevent them from contacting government officials. The government will also form a committee to decide whether to allow them to remain in Iraq or find a country to exile them to.
That's going to be hard since no one in their right mind is going to want them.
Iran has publicly complained about the continuing presence of the PMOI across its border.
Under the former Iraqi regime of Saddam Hussein, the PMOI was supplied with weapons and tanks and periodically carried out armed incursions against Iran as well as helped Iraqi forces put down rebellious Shiites in 1991. US forces confiscated the organizations weapons following the March 2003 US-led invasion, taking away some 300 tanks, many of which were subsequently given to the Iraqi armed forces. The estimated 3,000 PMOI members are now under a kind of US-supervised house arrest at Camp Ashraf, which is mainly for their protection against hostile population on both sides of the border.
No one likes them and they aren't even Paleostinians.
The groups activities are supported by its political wing, the National Council of Resistance in Iran (NCRI) which has offices in France and Germany and carries out lobbying efforts against the Iranian government. While the PMOI is characterized as a terrorist group by the United States and EU, it has many supporters in the US Congress and British parliament.
We can stop that now.
Posted by: Steve White ||
07/20/2006 00:00 ||
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they aren't even Paleostinians
Hummm..... there's an entity country that would take them.
...OK, get the picture? It shows Israeli children at the northern border town of Kiryat Shmona gleefully scribbling target hate messages aimed at Hizbollah and the Lebanese on missiles destined for firing into Lebanon...
...But Israeli blogger Lisa got the story behind the picture from the photographer who took the shot and confirmed it with another journalist who was present.
And guess what, it was a set-up by foreign journalists.
This is an extract from the online conversation with Lisa about what she found, which the Sandmonkey posted:
...kids were in bomb shelters for days. city is a ghost town...only poor people stayed...a new army unit arrived, kids were bored, went out with parents to look...there were TWELVE photographers there and they egged the kids on...the kids are low class, not educated, have never met a Lebanese, just want to live their lives, don't understand why Lebanon attacked their home, etc...
...the photographers told them "hey, your cousins in america will see you!"...mostly foreign photographers...so the kids, who were bored and restless and had been cooped up in bomb shelters for 5 days, took the felt markers and drew messages to nasrallah...there were no cries of hatred toward lebanese...and a big problem is that the israeli tv does not show dead Lebanese. it shows destroyed buildings, but not dead bodies. so no one has a face of the dead in their minds. too aware of our own suffering, etc...
#1
Lisa is being a little over-sensitive. If it's OK for Hezbollah kids to show up with bomb belts, it's perfectly fine for Israeli kids to scribble messages to the other side. This passage just reeks of Lisa's hyper-sensitivity: a big problem is that the israeli tv does not show dead Lebanese. it shows destroyed buildings, but not dead bodies. so no one has a face of the dead in their minds. too aware of our own suffering, etc... My view is that Israeli TV isn't showing these pictures in order to deprive its viewers of the opportunity to gloat. Which is what I would do if I saw them. I'd want to see rivers of blood on the other side's streets.
WASHINGTON - The tentative date for U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's visit to the region is this Sunday, sources in Washington said yesterday. However, they added, her departure could be delayed if the situation warrants it. The Bush administration is apparently sticking to its decision to allow Israel to complete its military operation before the international community imposes a cease-fire, and Danny Ayalon, Israel's ambassador to the United States, told the media yesterday that the time is not yet ripe for Rice's visit.
Rice, whose intent to come sometime soon was confirmed by the Sate Department on Monday, will visit both Beirut and Jerusalem. She also plans to meet - in a four-way summit - with the foreign ministers of the Arab states that oppose Hezbollah's attacks on Israe, primarily Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia. The venue for that four-way summit is not definite, but may be Cairo.
However, the U.S. has yet to formulate its position on the various ideas that have been broached for ending the fighting. In particular, it has not yet decided whether to support the stationing of an international force on the Israeli-Lebanese border.
#1
If her hair's dry. They can begin initial discussions about setting a date for a formal meeting, at which they'll dicusss convening a committee to explore who should attend the UN's idiot thing. Why, 3 or 4 months from now, the US and Israel might even be ready to begin discussions with representatives of the Vulture Elite on the shape of the table.
#8
Exactly mcsegeek1. The only thing she needs to say is that the United States fully supports Israel's right to secure the safety of her people in any way she sees fit.
Posted by: Scott R ||
07/20/2006 22:00 Comments ||
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VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. (AP) -- The Air Force successfully launched an unarmed intercontinental ballistic missile early Thursday. The Minuteman III dummy warheads were fired at 3:14 a.m. and traveled about 4,200 miles before hitting a water target in the Marshall Islands.
Standard test, they pull a Minuteman out of a silo at random, bring it to Vandenburg, and fire it downrange just to make sure it still works. They used to have the crew that maintains that silo and control center load and fire it to check their training as well.
The launch was delayed by a day because of a power outage at a radar facility that handles flights in and out of Southern California. The purpose is to test the defense system's reliability and accuracy.
Technically, I'd call Minuteman an offensive system, but that's just me.
Earlier this month, North Korea shook up the world by firing several missiles into the Sea of Japan, including a failed long-range missile.
I see the press is trying to make a link
The North Korean launch raised questions about the readiness of the U.S. missile defense system, which includes interceptors housed in underground silos in California and Alaska.
It's likely the US ABM people were tracking the Minuteman warheads to check their sensors and refine some data. They use the same range.
Posted by: Steve ||
07/20/2006 09:16 ||
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It successfully landed in the water directly beneath the hull of a North Korean vessel carrying ballistic missile parts.
#2
Now I'm not saying that this test wasn't scheduled a looong time ago, but it does have that certain "Yo Kimmy!, that's how you do it! ring to it, doesn't it? ;)
Cue Juche and spittle in 5..4...3
Posted by: Tony (UK) ||
07/20/2006 18:11 Comments ||
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July 20, 2006: The government gave security forces "shoot-to-kill" orders. This allows police and troops at check points to open fire at vehicles that do not stop when ordered to. This is to protect police from suicide bombers, or simply stop LTTE gunmen trying to attack, or simply trying to blow past a roadblock. Police have also been ordered to arrest members of LTTE dissident factions, if caught with weapons. This is in response to continued LTTE charges that the army is supplying LTTE dissidents with weapons.
Since December, growing violence has left nearly 900 dead. While both sides say they are maintaining the ceasefire, peace talks are on hold, and the LTTE is using force to try and keep army patrols from observing rebel activities. The rebels are believed to be drilling their troops in tactics to be used during a resumption of large scale warfare.
Posted by: Steve ||
07/20/2006 10:11 ||
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Kofi should be in jail. It infuriates me that a man who is personally responsible for the greatest humanitarian scam in recorded history has not been held to account for the untold misery and suffering he has promoted through his greed and corruption. When I see Kofi I see children forced into prostitution for scraps of bread. He represents the closest thing to hate I allow myself to indulge in. Every single newspaper editor who has not called this man to account should go to bed at night ashamed of their failure to stand up and condemn this one individual in charge of providing comfort to the worlds most desperate citizens and instead stuffs the pockets of corrupt, evil, selfish pigs with billions that could be used to ease the suffering that we can not even imagine.
Kofi is corrupt and evil. But that he remains able to show his face in a civilized public is the greatest shame of our time.
#3
Kofi getting all pissy and "demanding" shit is a comedy classic. It's like watching George Jefferson try to go toe to toe with Weezy.
It's one of the few reasons to keep him around.
#4
Israel should really show Kofi what an excessive use of force looks like. Maybe we could lend some B-52s to get it started with an ARCLIGHT Special. Gotta do something with all those dumb bombs. They're just taking up valuable warehouse space.
TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has written to German Chancellor Angela Merkel, the ISNA students news agency reported on Wednesday, but the contents of his letter were not immediately clear. A German diplomat confirmed the report but the Iranian Foreign Ministry was not immediately available to comment on the contents of the letter to one of Iran's leading trade partners.
Germany's relations with Ahmadinejad have been complicated by his denial of the Holocaust in which six million Jews were killed. Germany joined the United States, Britain, France, China and Russia in backing a package of incentives that would offer technical and commercial incentives to Iran if Tehran were to halt uranium enrichment. However, Iran did not reply to the package quickly enough to head off calls for action at the Security Council. Tehran says it hopes to reply by August 22. There was no hint of whether Iran's stance would be reflected in Ahmadinejad's reply to Merkel.
Posted by: Steve White ||
07/20/2006 00:00 ||
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Maybe he's jealous that Bush got touchy-feely with Angela, LOL.
Posted by: Captain America ||
07/20/2006 6:13 Comments ||
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Probably an invitation to convert like he sent to President Bush, as required by tradition before he can wage a proper war against Germany. Did anyone notice if he sent such a thing to Prime Minister Olmert?
Posted by: Steve White ||
07/20/2006 11:06 Comments ||
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#13
"They got little hands, little eyes
They walk around tellin' great big lies
They got little noses and tiny little teeth
They wear platform shoes on their nasty little feet
Well, I don't want no short people
Don't want no short people
Don't want no short people
'Round here"
Posted by: Steve ||
07/20/2006 12:06 Comments ||
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He's probably not the negotiating kind if he has to stand on a stool to prop up his confidence. I'd even call this a dangerous sign. I saw the thread concerning him possibly being a victim of molestation as a child. In a society that emphasizes pride and symbolism so much, maybe this is the problem instead, or in addition . . . . :-(
#19
OT : I've seen a similar pic of schroeder interviewed on a tv show, while actually standing on a stool to be of the same size as the interviewer. Hillarious pic, and it showed his vanity very well, IMHO.
As for ahmajinedad, he is an hateful midget, and he's butt-ugly too. No wonder he's got issues.
Syria informed the United Nations that one of its key negotiators trying to defuse the conflict between Israel and Lebanon, Terje Roed-Larsen, would not be welcome in Damascus, Syria's UN ambassador confirmed Wednesday. Ambassador Bashar Jaafari said the Syrian government also made clear that Secretary-General Kofi Annan's special political adviser, Vijay Nambiar, who is leading the three-member UN team, would be welcome along with UN Mideast envoy Alvaro de Soto. He said Syria "reserved its right" to deal with Roed-Larsen as it wants. Roed-Larsen, who is Annan's top envoy on Syria-Lebanon issues, overstepped his mandate in dealing with implementation of a September 2004 resolution, Jaafari said. The resolution called for Syria's withdrawal from Lebanon, the Lebanese government's assertion of authority throughout the country, and the disarming and disbanding of all militias, including Hezbollah which still controls southern Lebanon.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/20/2006 00:00 ||
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Well, here is one thing the US, Israel, and Syria can agree upon. Perhaps this is a sign of progress.
Posted by: Eric Jablow ||
07/20/2006 0:36 Comments ||
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BEIRUT, Lebanon (AP) - The United States ramped up its evacuation of citizens from Lebanon on after a slow start as a luxury cruise ship carrying 1,000 Americans arrived in Cyprus early Thursday, a week after the Israeli bombardment began.
The Orient Queen reached Cyprus' port of Larnaca after a nine-hour journey, completing the first in a massive relay to evacuate thousands of U.S. citizens from war-ton Lebanon. The eight-deck cruise liner's voyage was the first mass U.S. exodus from Lebanon since Israeli airstrikes started more than a week ago. The Orient Queen was just one among dozens of cruise ships taking part in the evacuation of thousands of foreigners from Lebanon.
The Americans departed two days after the first Europeans left on ships, and thousands more Europeans continued to stream out by sea Wednesday.
Amid complaints the U.S. effort had lagged, American officials made clear that fears about Americans traveling on roads in Beirut, especially at night, and on roads to Syria had led to some of the delays. The U.S. ambassador said Tuesday that an orderly and safe evacuation had been a first priority.
Which takes time to do, but critics think everything can be done in five minutes.
The Europeans faced some of the same difficulties: the airport closed by Israeli strikes and concerns about the safety of roads to Syria. But it was clear U.S. officials feared any large evacuation effort moving Americans might be targeted by Hezbollah or other hostile groups.
Gee, anyone think the Hezzies would do such a dastardly thing? Bueller?
U.S. Ambassador Jeffrey D. Feltman, waving on the dock as the ship pulled out, said the evacuation would quickly swell to up to 2,000 Americans a day, both by sea and by helicopter. "We expect this to go on for the next week until every American who has asked us for help to leave, gets to leave," Feltman told The Associated Press.
Around 8,000 of the 25,000 Americans in Lebanon have asked to be evacuated.
Military helicopters flew 200 Americans from the hilltop U.S. Embassy to Larnaca. Chinook helicopters were taking over the task, capable of carrying 60 people each, twice as many as the Sea Stallions that have been ferrying out Americans since Sunday. A Navy task force of nine ships, seven of which were en route late Wednesday, will help with the evacuation. Two more passenger ships chartered by the Navy - the Rahman and the Vittoria M - were due to arrive on Friday, giving U.S. authorities the ability to take a total of 2,700 passengers daily, according to the Navy's Sealift Command spokesman Tim Boulay. He said they were seeking more ships.
Posted by: Steve White ||
07/20/2006 00:00 ||
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I'm sure we'll hear more choice whining from the evacuees as they return home.
The UN Security Council should consider a resolution calling for a lasting cease-fire in the Middle East, the release of abducted Israeli soldiers and the possibility of a peacekeeping force, France proposed late on Tuesday. In a list of suggestions that could be included in a resolution, France's UN ambassador, Jean-Marc de la Sabliere, said the 15-member council should adopt "at the appropriate moment" a measure for a "sustainable solution to the crisis." De la Sabliere, in a paper circulated to council members, suggested work could begin "in the coming days" following a briefing on Thursday by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan on a mission he sent to the Middle East. In an indirect reference to Hizbollah militants, de la Sabliere said any resolution could call for the "disarming and disbanding of all militia in Lebanon" so the Beirut government could assert authority over all its territory.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/20/2006 00:00 ||
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Is this what Al-Shiraq and his Saudi pal came up with ? Just another crock of dogshit. Nothing useful.
#2
In an indirect reference to Hizbollah militants, de la Sabliere said any resolution could call for the "disarming and disbanding of all militia in Lebanon" so the Beirut government could assert authority over all its territory.
Been there, done that. Didn't work then, won't work now. Shoulda done it when you had the chance. Maybe next time you'll pay better attention.
What do you mean, when we had a chance ? Do you remember Lebanon was all but occupied by Syria until it was forced to evacuate the country in 2005, under international (mostly US and French) pressure, in the wake of Rafic Hariri's assassination ?
It is correct that Lebanese alone could not have done it. Heck, they didn't even have a government they could call their own. This comment is directed at all the players involved, including western countries. Hezballah was a huge threat, and something should have been done with it, but nothing substantial ever was. Just complaining. Hopefully this kind of thing won't happen again. Not in Lebanon, not anywhere. What exactly to do? I don't know. But I'm sure all the powers involved could have come together to stop it, which includes the UN (if we could get it to function), European governments, the US, and heaven forbid even Israel. The whole situation was so messed up with all the rivalries, pride, cross-purposes, hatred, fears, unstable governments, tip-toeing, etc. that it was doomed to fail and nothing should have been agreed to in the first place. Now that Lebanon has some kind of government of its own, it stands a chance, but only if it invites the Israelis in and works with them. Really, they're good people, but deep unfounded hatreds passed down from generation to generation by weak governments are keeping people from seeing clearly. By not working with the Israelis, this is what happens. War is not deciding what is "most good", but what is "least bad", and accepting it. Getting rid of Hezballah is a good thing, but any way you do it is going to hurt to some degree or another. This is the price the world has to pay. I mean the world, not just Lebanon. After this is over, perhaps it will spawn a new way of thinking that disposes with pride and is quicker to call on others for help. And others will be quicker to help, and not play overly complicated, pointless diplomatic games.
Something like that, anyway! Hope it's food for thought. What are your thoughts about this?
#5
de la Sabliere said any resolution could call for the "disarming and disbanding of all militia in Lebanon
Already done, asshole. Call it UNSC resolution 1559
Posted by: Captain America ||
07/20/2006 6:16 Comments ||
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Hopefully this kind of thing won't happen again. Not in Lebanon, not anywhere.
I would love to share your optimism, but that is unlikely. As the old Romans used to say: "repetitio est mater studiorum", but then, even that is not certain. People and polities alike are repeating the same patterns, yet expecting different results, instead of learning from their actions in logical and constructive fashion.
The hope amongst western leaders is that Israel will create a sort of "fait accompli" in the area, expending its blood and treasure, so direct western involvement was not and is not necessary. Time will probably show that is not to be the case, and mayhaps much sooner rather than later. Iran will try to open a 4th front through Syria, because there does not seem to be any real deterent except for Israeli military might, from their point of view. Their goal is not a defeat of Israel--at least not at this stage--but a spread of chaos. And they would fight for this disorder to the last Syrian, in the same way as they are now willing to expend fully their Hezbully drones.
I am not telling anything that is not known to western governments, everybody figured the stratagem by now. But everybody is content with finger pointing.
I know it sounds cynical, and it is possible that a smallest provocation from Iranians that would happen outside strictly Lebanon's theatre would bring the needed response, but I don't see signs that would indicate this would be the case.
The world will let Israels slough through it alone until it would be apparent that everyones's interest are threatened. Sort of 1 minute to midnight approach...
... like watching remotely a runaway train and not blowing the track somewhere in the country to stop it because someone there may get upset it wrecked their cattle guard fences and rather let it crash into the terminal, hoping that it will stop there.
#7
"De la Sabliere, in a paper circulated to council members, suggested work could begin "in the coming days" following a briefing on Thursday by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan on a mission he sent to the Middle East."
I, for one, welcome this valuable French contribution. I suggest that the UNSC first hear the report from Annan. Then they take the weekend to reflect on that. Then they should discuss the ideas France has raised. Then they should form a committee to discuss a draft resolution based on the French proposals.
#10
..722 AD: Abd ar-Rahman now commenced his momentous march into France, in the hope of carrying the banner of the prophet to the very shores of the Baltic...the flourishing towns of southern and central France ...were transformed to smoking heaps. Charles Martel silently collected in Belgium and Germany the elements of resistance to the dreaded inundation...the iron hand of the Germans turned the fortune of the day. When darkness arrived, an immense number of Saracen bodies, among which was that of Abd ar Rahman himself convered the plain...God willing we will again meet the Arabs on the field of Europe...and slaughter them once again..
Major powers began work on Tuesday on a UN Security Council resolution that would demand Iran suspend uranium enrichment as well as temporarily halt construction on a reactor that can produce plutonium. The draft under consideration is an updated version of one introduced by the United States, Britain and France in early May but never adopted. It includes threats of sanctions to curb Iran's nuclear programme, which the West fears is a prelude to bomb making. The text will also set a date, not yet determined but possibly within 30 days, for Iran to comply, according to one Western participant in the closed-door talks.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/20/2006 00:00 ||
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It would be interesting to know the extent to which the war in Lebanon is depleting resources from this effort versus the extent towhich the war is providing cover so that progress can take place more rapidly.
BEIRUT: A Hizbullah official said on Wednesday that the party is "setting long-term strategies for a long-term battle."
"Despite all the Israeli aggressions, the resistance is still in an excellent condition," Mahmoud Qmati, vice president of Hizbullah's politburo, said after a meeting between his group and the Syrian Social Nationalist Party. "Destruction will not lead to the weakening of the resistance; we still have a lot to do and there will be some surprises."
Conversely, Prime Minister Fouad Siniora and other top officials continued efforts on Wednesday to find possible means to end the Israeli offensive. Siniora met with US Ambassador Jeffrey Feltman, French Ambassador Bernard Emie and British Ambassador James Watt and discussed ways of resolving the ever escalating situation.
Meanwhile, Speaker Nabih Berri held the United States responsible for the Israeli offensive, adding that "like usual, the United Nations kneels down before Israel." In a statement issued Wednesday, Berri said: "They [the US] said they were keen on Lebanon's security; so instead of providing ships to evacuate foreigners, they could have worked to reach a cease-fire. Israel is an exception and is allowed to disregard international resolutions and standards. This war is against humanity and we hold the five permanent members of the Security Council, in particular the US, responsible. The Lebanese people should be united; otherwise, the country will be erased from history."
Posted by: Fred ||
07/20/2006 00:00 ||
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First defeat, then surrender, but never again a hudna.
Prime Minister Fouad Siniora brought together foreign diplomats, members of the Lebanese Cabinet, representatives of the United Nations in Lebanon and other organizations Wednesday to deliver a speech in which he called upon the international community to work for an immediate cease-fire. The premier asked friends and countries to extend "urgent humanitarian international assistance" to Lebanon, adding that the country would "spare no avenue to make Israel compensate for the barbaric destruction it has inflicted and continues to inflict" upon Lebanon.
US Ambassador Jeffrey Feltman told The Daily Star after the speech that he "will convey the premier's wishes directly to Washington." Feltman, who said that Siniora's speech was "articulate and touching," added that "everyone is concerned for the humanitarian situation in Lebanon." Despite the fact that Washington has not backed an immediate cease-fire in Lebanon, Feltman said: "All of us want to see an implementation of an immediate cease-fire."
This following is the address to the diplomatic corps delivered by Siniora:
"I have convened the diplomatic corps in Lebanon today to launch an urgent appeal to the international community for an immediate humanitarian cease-fire and assistance to my war-ravaged country.
"You are all aware that seven continuous days of an escalating Israeli onslaught on Lebanon have resulted in immeasurable loss. The toll in terms of human life has reached tragic proportions: over 1,000 wounded and 300 killed so far; over half-a-million people have been displaced; in some areas, the hospitals have been crippled and are unable to cope with the casualties; there are shortages of food and medical supplies; homes, factories and warehouses have been completely destroyed; UN facilities in Maroun al-Ras and Naqoura have just been shelled, so have army barracks and posts of the Joint Security Forces; a Civil Defense unit has been wiped out and foreigners are being evacuated.
"As I speak, the trauma, the desperation, the grief and the daily massacres and destruction go on and on. The country has been torn to shreds.
"Is the value of human life in Lebanon less than that of the citizens of other countries? Can the international community stand by while such callous retribution by Israel is inflicted on us?
"Will you allow innocent civilians, churches, mosques, orphanages, medical supplies escorted by the Red Cross, people seeking shelter or fleeing their homes and villages to be the casualties of this ugly war?
"Is this what the international community calls self-defense?
"Is this the price we pay for aspiring to build our democratic institutions? Is this the message to send to the country of diversity, freedom and tolerance?
"Only last year, the Lebanese filled the streets with hope and with red, green and white banners shouting out: Lebanon deserves life!
"What kind of life is being offered to us now?
"I will tell you what kind: a life of destruction, despair, displacement, dispossession, and death.
"What kind of future can stem from the rubble?
"A future of fear, frustration, despair, financial ruin and fanaticism.
"Let me assure you that we shall spare no avenue to make Israel compensate the Lebanese people for the barbaric destruction it has inflicted and continues to inflict upon us, knowing full well that human life is irreplaceable.
"You want to support the government of Lebanon? Let me tell you, ladies and gentlemen, no government can survive on the ruins of a nation.
"On behalf of the people of Lebanon, from Beirut, Baalbek and Byblos, to Tyre Sidon and Qana, to each and every one of the 21 villages at the Southern border, declared a no-go zone by Israel, to Tripoli and Zahle, to every other town, I call upon you all to respond immediately without reservation or hesitation to this appeal for an immediate cease-fire and lifting of the siege, and provide urgent international humanitarian assistance to our war-stricken country.
"I would also like to thank the international organizations and the friendly countries that have already extended their valued help.
"I would like to thank all those who are also preparing to do so.
"The Israeli war machines continue to inflict destruction and killing without any hesitation.
"Excellencies, we the Lebanese want life. We have chosen life. We refuse to die.
"Our choice is clear.
"We have survived wars and destruction over the ages. We shall do so again.
"I hope you will not let us down this time. Thank you."
Posted by: Fred ||
07/20/2006 00:00 ||
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As long as tools such as Lahoud and Siniora are in power, Leb's lost at sea.
Feltman's quote, "All of us want to see an implementation of an immediate cease-fire." is out of line and he should be bitch-slapped for it. Listen, dude, you do not make US Foreign Policy - and your statement does not reflect the policy of the man who does.
#3
I wonder how they were able to fare with, what?, 18 years of full-blown civil war rife with massacres of civilians, kidnappings, ethnic cleasing before it got fashionable, foreign interventions, infighting, etc, etc,..., since they're apparently brought to the brink of despair by less than a week of targeted aerial bombings.
Not to say that this isn't painful for the average lebaneses, of course, and I really regret they have to pay for hezbollah/syria/iran's acts of war, but as the "apocalyptical destruction", this really needs a sense of SCALE, IMHO.
Anyway, go back to the roots of all this, and you'll find yasser arafat, that egyptian terrorist mandated by his brothers to destroy Israel. All theses decades lost and the destruction of that country can be traced back to him, with the syrian baathist and the ayatollahs coming in to loot what they can.
#5
The Lebanese play to play, not to win. That's all very well when the only ones who suffer are within their boundaries, but when it affects the neighbors they are entitled to take a hand in the proceedings. In the meantime, those Lebanese who prefer to live more responsibly will continue to add to the Lebanese diaspora, continuing the post-Ottoman trend. Arafat merely took advantage of a pre-existing condition.
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July 14, 2006 -- A U.S. general training Afghanistan's army says the task will take at least three more years. General Robert Durbin said about 30,000 soldiers are fully trained and equipped and that the force is growing by about 1,000 a month.
(Somalinet) Somali interim Prime Minister Ali Mohamed Gedi condemned Islamic Courts on Tuesday afternoon for preparing an attack on the government based Baidoa town in southwest Somalia after its militia moved to Burhakaba town only 60km to Baidoa. In a news conference held in the provincial town of Baidoa today, Prime Minister Gedi accused Islamists in the capital of provoking major conflict with the legal transitional federal government based in Baidoa. He said I want to make clear that foreign insurgents trained in Eritrea stay in Somalia capital Mogadishu to destabilize the situation. 
Chairman of the National Antiterrorist Committee Nikolay Patrushev announced yesterday that the committee was drafting a resolution on amnesty for participants in illegal armed formations in Chechnya. The draft resolution will soon be sent simultaneously to the presidential administration and State Duma for approval. Duma members are being called in from summer vacation for it. The Kremlin thinks that, after the death of Shamil Basaev, the most authoritative rebel leader, there is a unique opportunity to end the war in Chechnya. 
The United States said on Wednesday that Turkey has the right to defend itself against mounting violence by Kurdish rebels, a day after Ankara accused Washington of applying double standards to the region. But Washington repeated US opposition to unilateral Turkish action in neighbouring northern Iraq against bases belonging to the separatist Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). PKK militants are blamed for the deaths of 15 members of the security forces in southeast Turkey last week.
A Norwegian newspaper is reporting that several agents of the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) have been present and operating in Norway, in an effort to spirit Mullah Krekar out of the country. Newspaper Stavanger Aftenblad has reported that the US government tried to spirit Krekar out of Norway three years ago. The newspaper said it had information showing that several CIA agents were in Norway in the summer of 2003, including two wanted in Italy for the kidnapping of Egyptian Abu Omar in Milan.
Norwegian authorities have begun forcibly deporting around 400 refugees from northern Iraq whose applications for asylum were rejected. Mullah Krekar, however, continues to remain in Norway until Iraq guarantees he won't be executed upon return. The Norwegian authorities, however, won't deport any persons who face a death penalty in their homeland. The authorities also want guarantees that Krekar will be treated in accordance with the European convention on human rights. Negotiations between Norway and Iraq are being handled through the Norwegian Foreign Ministry, but a spokesman told newspaper Aftenposten on Wednesday that there's nothing new regarding Krekar's deportation.
KATHMANDU - Nepals government plans to hold 
The government has taken 156 FM radio stations off the air to stop the spread of religious extremism and anti-state sentiments, notably among Pashtun tribes near the Afghan border, a spokesman for the regulator said on Wednesday. The raids have been conducted by the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulating Authority (PEMRA), working in tandem with local officials in the semi-autonomous tribal areas during the last six months. "Our regulations do not extend to the tribal areas. But we are coordinating with local authorities and police to jam or shut down these illegal stations," a spokesman for PEMRA said. He said 94 stations had been operating illegally, and had been transmitting their own religious and political views. "The rest of the stations were closed down by the local authorities after they got complaints some were fanning sectarian hatred and anti-state feelings," he said.
After declaring a tough stance against Pakistan in the wake of the Mumbai serial blasts, the Indian establishment is now in a dilemma over what punitive steps to take against Pakistan. Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh has made the job more complex after his return from the G-8 meeting. Although Dr Singh has said that there is a need to reflect on relations with Pakistan, he has made it amply clear to his officials that he does not want permanent hostility, a source told Daily Times on Wednesday. Therefore, while a repeat of Operation Parakaram in 2001, when India deployed thousands of troops along the LoC and western border, is being ruled out, Indian officials are considering a series of diplomatic and political responses to convey an anti-terrorism message with full force and full determination, the source added. 
BAGHDAD - Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri Al Maliki said on Wednesday he was looking for ways to end the presence in his country of the Iranian opposition group, the Peoples Mujahedeen of Iran.
WASHINGTON - The tentative date for U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's visit to the region is this Sunday, sources in Washington said yesterday. However, they added, her departure could be delayed if the situation warrants it. The Bush administration is apparently sticking to its decision to allow Israel to complete its military operation before the international community imposes a cease-fire, and Danny Ayalon, Israel's ambassador to the United States, told the media yesterday that the time is not yet ripe for Rice's visit. 
TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has written to German Chancellor Angela Merkel, the ISNA students news agency reported on Wednesday, but the contents of his letter were not immediately clear. A German diplomat confirmed the report but the Iranian Foreign Ministry was not immediately available to comment on the contents of the letter to one of Iran's leading trade partners.
Syria informed the United Nations that one of its key negotiators trying to defuse the conflict between Israel and Lebanon, Terje Roed-Larsen, would not be welcome in Damascus, Syria's UN ambassador confirmed Wednesday. Ambassador Bashar Jaafari said the Syrian government also made clear that Secretary-General Kofi Annan's special political adviser, Vijay Nambiar, who is leading the three-member UN team, would be welcome along with UN Mideast envoy Alvaro de Soto. He said Syria "reserved its right" to deal with Roed-Larsen as it wants. Roed-Larsen, who is Annan's top envoy on Syria-Lebanon issues, overstepped his mandate in dealing with implementation of a September 2004 resolution, Jaafari said. The resolution called for Syria's withdrawal from Lebanon, the Lebanese government's assertion of authority throughout the country, and the disarming and disbanding of all militias, including Hezbollah which still controls southern Lebanon.
Major powers began work on Tuesday on a UN Security Council resolution that would demand Iran suspend uranium enrichment as well as temporarily halt construction on a reactor that can produce plutonium. The draft under consideration is an updated version of one introduced by the United States, Britain and France in early May but never adopted. It includes threats of sanctions to curb Iran's nuclear programme, which the West fears is a prelude to bomb making. The text will also set a date, not yet determined but possibly within 30 days, for Iran to comply, according to one Western participant in the closed-door talks.
Prime Minister 
