KABUL - President Hamid Karzai presented the outgoing commander of the US-led coalition with Afghanistans highest honour on Saturday in recognition of his work in the post-Taleban nation. Karzai presented Lieutenant General Karl Eikenberry with the Ghazi Amanullah Khan medal the day before the commander is due to leave the country at the end of his tour of duty.
Eikenberry assumed command of the coalition in May 2005. Since October last year he has been in command of about 12,000 US troops after about 11,000 came under the control of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force. He has been nominated for the position of deputy chairman of NATO military committee in Brussels.
Posted by: Steve White ||
01/21/2007 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[2 views]
Top|| File under:
#1
We need a pic of the medal. I'm hopin' for sprockets.
Mogadishu 20, Jan.07 ( Sh.M.Network) A large number of Ethiopian and government troops have gone to Goobo, a settlement in central Somalia where tribal militias fought last week.
The troops accompanied by armored vehicles reached the settlement on late Friday afternoon to arbitrate the tribes in the area and position government forces in Dhusomareeb and Guruel in Galgaudud province, central Somalia. The government said it intended to avert another tribal bloodshed in central Somalia.
By ensuring that they'll be the only ones who cause any blood shedding.
Witnesses have told Shabelle by phone on Saturday that Ethiopian and government troops could be seen patrolling the settlement where the tribes skirmished days ago. More than 10 people have died in the fight since it began a week ago.
The tribal elders in the area were planning to meet today to resolve and finalize the feuds and conflicts between the two tribes.
Posted by: Steve White ||
01/21/2007 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[2 views]
Top|| File under:
(SomaliNet) Somalis interim Prime Minister Ali Mohammed Gedi Saturday has gone to the Sudanese capital of Khartoum for talks with the officials of that country over the current political crisis in Somalia. His visit to Khartoum came after receiving an invitation from President Omar Hassan Al-Bashir. Several ministers were accompanying Mr. Gedi for his trip to Sudan.
He is due to brief to president Al-Bashir about the political events relating to the African Union plans of peace keeping deployment in Somalia at the end of this month.
He'll also pick up his laundry, some cash, new weapons and get a couple of good meals in ...
Abdirahman Dinari, the government spokesman told the local media that the premiers visit to Khartoum is not related to any talks between the ousted Islamists and the transitional federal government.
There is continuing international pressure on the transitional federal government to enter talks with moderate Islamists like Sheik Sharif Sheik Ahmed, the leader of the faded out Islamic Courts Union. Sheik Ahmed, who is reportedly in Nairobi, Kenya since he got his ass handed to him in battle with the Aethiops, is believed to a key actor that can play a positive role in seeking solution for the current problem in Somalia.
"Oh yasss! He's very positive he can help!"
Unnamed senior members of Islamist Courts, which once controlled most south of Somalia, are reported to be remaining in Sana, Yemeni capital in an attempt to engage dialogue with the Somalia government.
And to pick up their laundry, some cash, new weapons and get a couple of good meals ...
Posted by: Steve White ||
01/21/2007 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[3 views]
Top|| File under:
#1
"Abdirahman Dinari, the government spokesman told the local media that the premiers visit to Khartoum is not related to any talks between the ousted Islamists and the transitional federal government."
And then his lips fell off.
(SomaliNet) The Kenyan government Saturday has extradited dozens of Islamist prisons to the transitional federal government in Somalia it was a response to early TFG demand that all Islamists held in Kenya be transported to Somalia. Reports say that Kenyan airplane carrying around 40 Islamists has landed at the main Mogadishu airport on Saturday where they were handed over to the Ethiopia-Somalia forces in the capital.
"We certainly don't want 'em! They're yours!"
Abdirahman Dinari, the government spokesman confirmed the news of handing over the members of ousted Islamic Courts Union to the government later Saturday. They were about 30 Islamist prisons including key officers who were brought in Mogadishu and extradited to the security forces, Dinari told the local media. He declined to give details about the exiled Islamists saying the government will soon release a report about their exact number, ranks and names.
"I can say no more!"
Some reports say that all the extradited Islamists were in handcuffs and masked when they were being taking off the plane.
Gitmo style! Where's Amnesia International?
It is not known yet where they were taken and being held but it is confirmed that they are in Mogadishu.
Posted by: Steve White ||
01/21/2007 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[2 views]
Top|| File under:
#1
He declined to give details about the exiled Islamists saying the government will soon release a report about their exact number, ranks and names.
There were none. Zero, zilch, nada, nothing. There were none. If you think that there were any, then you were wrong and we don't know what happenened to them. There were none. We know nothing.
#3
Make 'em swim back, accompanied by a Kenyan navy patrol boat. Somali waters are teeming with very hungry sharks, including hammerheads, black-tip, an occasional Great White, and about 40 other species. Maybe some of 'em will even make it...
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
01/21/2007 12:02 Comments ||
Top||
LONDON: Abu Hamza faces having his home seized after judges ruled he must repay his £1.1mn legal aid bill. The hook-handed cleric, who is serving a seven-year jail term, claimed he could not afford to pay for his defence at his trial for soliciting murder last year.
But investigators from the Legal Services Commission, which administers legal aid, uncovered evidence proving he was a shrewd wheelerdealer in the property market. On Friday, he was ordered to pay the full bill after the Old Bailey heard he had given false information about his financial situation.
The court heard that Hamza, 48, used a right-to-buy scheme to get a council flat in Hammersmith, West London, for £75,000 and sold it several years later for £228,000. A few weeks after that, he paid £220,000 for a 1930s semi in Greenford, West London, which has since risen in value to around £280,000.
Hamza, appearing by video link from prison, claimed his sister Ola Kamel Mostafa, who lives in Egypt, had bought and sold the properties and he did not profit from the sales. But Lord Justice Hughes said: The account that the defendant has given me simply isnt true. He has provided inadequate and indeed false information.
Accordingly I make an order for the recovery of defence costs in the sum of the full cost of representation. The order means that the Legal Services Commission will be able to apply to seize the house in Greenford.
Louis Weston, for the commission, had asked to recover costs, as submitted by Hamzas solicitors, of £1,088,944. Legal aid is not a gift for a defendant with means or a defendant who has hidden assets, he told the court. There is clear evidence that the defendant purchased a council property of which he was the tenant from the local authority. He applies three years later to the Land Registry to register a transfer of the property to his son.
It is sold by his son in September 2004 to a third party.
The proceeds of the sale are used to purchase another property in October 2004 for £220,000 and this property was put into the name of the defendants. It is the hiding of the asset that we set out to investigate.
#2
Sting him for every single day's cost at his Belmarsh Bed and Breakfast, last I heard was about K4 Sterling per month. I do not want my tax bucks keeping this scum.
Charge the relatives for the cost of a length of rope, and be done with it.
British soldiers fighting the Taliban in Afghanistan have had dozens of urgent requests for operational equipment turned down on cost grounds, it can be revealed.
Demands by officers for attack weapons and vital tools, as well as night-vision equipment and thermal-imaging devices used to distinguish friend from foe, have all been refused by the Ministry of Defence.
The revelation has sparked accusations that Tony Blair has reneged on promises he made to British troops just four months ago, when he pledged that commanders would be supplied with whatever they needed to "get the job done".
The Sunday Telegraph has learned that all four of the Army's mine protected vehicles (MPVs), used to extract injured troops from minefields in Afghanistan, have broken down. Officers have also complained that the shortage of Chinook helicopters, first raised by senior officers last summer, was still a fundamental problem for commanders in Helmand province, where 4,500 British troops are fighting the Taliban.
During an interview on British Armed Forces Radio last October, the Prime Minister said: "If commanders on the ground want more equipment armoured vehicles, for example, more helicopters that will be provided. Whatever package they want, we will do."
Mr Blair went further in a newspaper article, stating: "[British forces] will get, I promise, whatever frontline commanders tell us they need to complete their job." But MPs and senior officers accused the Prime Minister of betraying Britain's armed forces.
Liam Fox, the Tory shadow defence spokesman, said: "This shows every promise made by Tony Blair to our troops was utterly untrue. This is a complete betrayal by this Government of all of those who risk life and limb for this country's security. It will disgust the British people that Blair's spin so callously puts our frontline troops at risk." Just a week ago this newspaper disclosed that the first official report into the war in Afghanistan stated that commanders had insufficient troops and too few helicopters and that the mission was lacking political direction.
Commanders regard the MPV as one of the most vital pieces of equipment in Afghanistan, where more than 10 million mines lie primed after 20 years of war. Since last June two servicemen have been killed in mine explosions and three have been seriously injured.
One source revealed that the farthest the MPVs have travelled outside Camp Bastion in Helmand was just one mile. Another officer said that troops from Estonia and Denmark who were working alongside the Royal Marines were better equipped and had more reliable armoured vehicles than did British troops.
#1
The epitome of "penny wise, pound foolish". There's only one reason to have a military, and that's to protect the citizens of a nation. The only way a military can do that is to have the personnel, equipment, and procedures that guarantee success. The Brits need to expel the EU, deport all non-citizens, and cut the welfare state, so they can build up their armed forces for the long struggle against islaminutz. Anything else will guarantee failure and loss of liberty to every British subject. I pray there's someone in Britain intelligent enough to understand that, but I haven't seen any signs of it in the last five years.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
01/21/2007 12:28 Comments ||
Top||
#2
This along with the proposed cuts in the British Navy makes it very clear that the Brit political class is unwilling to do the basic things necessary to sustain a Brit presence in the WoT. Whether that's because (other than Tony) they find the whole idea of a WoT laughable, whether they've got their heads in the PC sand, or whether they're just hoping that the alligator eats them last isn't clear to me.
But after Tony steps down, don't be surprised if the Brits pull out of the fight in the WoT near completely. Gordie Brown certainly doesn't have his heart in it.
Posted by: Steve White ||
01/21/2007 12:30 Comments ||
Top||
#3
A vision of things to come for US troops once Democratic congress gets into stride.
#4
Though it would cost the British commander his job, he should officially notify the American commander that because of equipment shortages, his force is unable to continue to press the battle against the enemy, and in a given time they must withdraw.
If Blair did nothing then, they he would order the withdraw, and once his forces were in a safe location, he could offer his resignation if requested.
A Muslim woman police officer has sparked a new debate by refusing to shake hands with Britain's most senior police chief for religious reasons. The incident happened at a passing-out parade where Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Ian Blair was inspecting a line-up of 200 recruits.
In addition to refusing a traditional congratulatory handshake from Sir Ian, the WPC - who wore a traditional Muslim hijab headscarf - also declined to be photographed with him as she did not want the picture used for 'propaganda purposes'. The woman had earlier insisted that it was contrary to her religious teaching for her to touch a man.
Now The Mail on Sunday has learned that her gesture has sparked top-level discussions at Scotland Yard. Some officers argue that her attitude towards men might impede her ability to detain offenders. However, it is clear that she is happy to come into contact with men, just not shake their hand or kiss them.
An inquiry has now been launched and the unidentified WPC - described as 'a non-Asian Muslim' - could face the sack if it is considered that her strict religious beliefs prevent her performing as an effective police officer.
However, senior commanders are worried that dismissing her would deepen the atmosphere of mistrust between the police and the Muslim community.
#1
despite a vigorous recruitment campaign, there are still only around 300 Muslims among the Met's 35,000 officers and fewer than 20 are women.
You should thank gawd for that small blessing.
#2
"She also said she did not want her picture taken with the commissioner because they would only use it for propaganda.
Put that wimman-cop on duty in a muslim neighbourhod, I'm absolutely sure she will of course favors and enforces the british rule of law over her religious beliefs and won't have divided loyalties. Nope, nope, nope.
#3
"She also said she did not want her picture taken with the commissioner because they would only use it for propaganda.
Put that she-police officer on duty in a muslim neighbourhod, I'm absolutely sure she will of course favors and enforces the british rule of law over her religious beliefs and won't have divided loyalties. Nope, nope, nope.
#5
Actually, she was correct, but used the wrong word.
Instead of "propaganda", she should have said that "the picture will just be used to imply that Muslim women support this politician."
(As an aside, I wonder how female Rantburgers would feel if asked to have their picture taken shaking the hand of Bill Clinton, for use in Hillary's campaign, to show that Bill has still "got it with the ladies.")
#6
If it is contrary to her religion to 'touch a man' how the hell is she going to enforce the law?
"Sir will you get in the back of the police car? I wouldn't want to sic CAIR (or the british equivalent) on you now...."
And its obvious where her loyalties lie. She is imcapable of dispensing justice fairly. Will she judge people according to Islamic law?
"Sorry lady but since you can't produce 4 male muslim witnesses I refuse to take your rape report. In fact I'm going to arrest you for prostitution! Besides is that an elbow I see? You were obviously asking for it!"
#10
"Sorry, ma'am, but it's required that you treat all members of the public with respect and toleration, ACCORDING TO OUR CUSTOMS. If you cannot, then you cannot perform this job. Why not take up cab driving? Oh, sorry..."
Posted by: Rob Crawford ||
01/21/2007 10:36 Comments ||
Top||
#11
*need coffee*
Posted by: Frank G ||
01/21/2007 11:22 Comments ||
Top||
#12
Talk about excessive accomodation; is she only going to arrest female culprits? Cops get spat on. Would she let the perp go in order to do her prescribed 7 washings? More politically correct madness.
Muslims are the bottom of the immigrant barrel. They come here demanding shariah privilege, while aspiring to be taxi drivers.
#13
#5 'moose: "(As an aside, I wonder how female Rantburgers would feel if asked to have their picture taken shaking the hand of Bill Clinton, for use in Hillary's campaign, to show that Bill has still "got it with the ladies.")"
If Bill Clinton got within 10 feet of me, I'd call the cops. I don't associate with perverts.
Hillary should be more concerned about what Billy got from the "ladies" and if she can catch it.
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut ||
01/21/2007 11:47 Comments ||
Top||
#14
This catmeat needs to shut up and do as she is told.
#16
Instead of "propaganda", she should have said that "the picture will just be used to imply that Muslim women support this politician."
Perhaps. But he was there in an official capacity as a Metro Police Commisioner.
As an aside, I wonder how female Rantburgers would feel if asked to have their picture taken shaking the hand of Bill Clinton, for use in Hillary's campaign, to show that Bill has still "got it with the ladies."
Moose, this was an official function. A more appropriate comparison would be a retirement ceremony, or (gasp) a graduation ceremony like - the one in the article!!!
You do know the difference between an official function and a campaign, right, Professor?
#17
Anonymoose: At an official or non-official ceremony, I'd shake Bill's hand, and then, in full earshot of the mikes/cell phones/video cameras, ask him why he repeatedly humiliated his wife by cheating on her and why he hasn't made amends to the women he has disgraced. My 15 minutes of fame on YouTube.
#18
The pictures aren't for his campaign, but as a souvenier for the participants. The most photogenic will be sent out along with the group shot of the graduates for the press release about the graduation. Fire the bint; she went in to posture and demand accomodation -- the gentle jihad -- not to do a job that desperately needs to be done in fairness to all.
As for Mr. Clinton, I'd accept his congratulations, then excuse myself as soon as polite to wash my hand with hospital soap, were I not wearing gloves. *shrug* Everybody knows politicians go to these things, and nobody believes the other participants are there because they love him. On the other hand, would a soldier in uniform at an official function have refused to shake Mr. Clinton's hand when he was serving as Commander in Chief? In such situations one acts respectfully toward the uniform regardless of the man wearing it, as Pappy points out.
#19
I would not shake Clinton's hand. He took every opportunity to snub and belittle the Military. I wouldn't walk across the street to piss on him if he were on fire.
Posted by: Deacon Blues ||
01/21/2007 18:42 Comments ||
Top||
#20
But would you walk across the street for a ringside seat, #19 DB? ;-p
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut ||
01/21/2007 18:53 Comments ||
Top||
#21
Muslim excuses! What is the BIG picture behind the religion teaching? It's to protect women from sexual misconduct, but not shaking hands is totally a childish excuse!
#22
TW- had an opportunity to attend a Slick Willie visit aboard a CV while still ACDU; decided that was a good time to get my dirty laundry into the bin instead.
#23
Ok, so she let her prejudice call the tune at something that is personal(?) A passing out parade is a public affair, as far as I recall. She dont want a passing out parade, well, don't join the services.
My prejudices says get her, her hijab and her whole sorry tribe, get them out of here.
#24
In June 2005 Sir Ian was judged to have 'hung out to dry' three white detectives - who were accused of rudely mispronouncing "Shi'ites' - to prove his anti-racist credentials.
OK, Class, let's go over this one more time! Shi'a-ism is NOT a race, it is a "religion", and a sorry one at that. Actually, if truth be told, it's a political movement, bent on taking over the world. Now, to the blackboard for ya, and you must write "Islam is NOT a race" 500 times!
And, what the heck is a "passing-out parade"? I'm sure it's a "British thing", but I thought that TW would need to pull out the fainting couch for the poor dear after reading just the first paragraph, LOL!
Posted by: BA ||
01/21/2007 21:04 Comments ||
Top||
#25
decided that was a good time to get my dirty laundry into the bin instead.
A graceful way to avoid being unprofessionaly rude, USN, ret. You're a credit to your service.
BA, thank you for the best laugh I've had today. Thank goodness the fainting couch was near at hand for me to fall back upon as my knees buckled. They were passing out the graduation certificates and awards, silly!
NEW YORK - Australia's foreign minister on Friday criticized lawyers representing the only Australian inmate at the U.S. military base in Guantanamo Bay for disputing his report that the man is healthy. David Hicks' Pentagon-appointed lawyer, Maj. Michael Mori, has repeatedly said his client is suffering from severe depression after being incarcerated for five years without a trial.
Five years? Yup, I'd be depressed too. Wouldn't change anything.
"I think it is preposterous that I should be attacked for explaining ... that in the last week or so somebody visiting him spoke to him and he seemed to be in good health," Foreign Minister Alexander Downer told reporters in New York.
Downer was quoted Thursday as saying that Hicks met recently with an unidentified foreign citizen. "There was no suggestion that he was suffering from mental illness, though no doubt he doesn't like being in Guantanamo Bay," Downer told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. radio. Hick's legal team has been reported as saying that the visitor was a U.S. consular official with no special medical or psychiatric qualifications.
Downer also said Friday that Hicks, 31, will face new charges to replace previous charges of attempted murder, conspiracy to commit war crimes and aiding the enemy. Hicks was originally selected to face a U.S. military tribunal but his case was thrown into limbo in June when the U.S. Supreme Court declared the tribunals illegal. Australian officials say they have received assurances that Hicks will be among the first to be charged and tried under a revised military tribunal system approved by Congress last year.
Posted by: Steve White ||
01/21/2007 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[2 views]
Top|| File under:
#2
Throw the damned lawyer in the same cage with Hicks, and push both of them off the back of a US destroyer somewhere around the Puerto Rico Trench. Solves all the problems Hicks and his cohorts.
The United States has done far more than necessary for the Gitmo detainees than the Geneva Accords require. Any lawyer, including any MILITARY lawyer, that doesn't understand that doesn't deserve to be allowed to "practice". Malfeasance is malfeasance, regardless of the perpetrator. I'm getting damned sick and tired of all the bullsh$$ about Guantanamo. Some peoples' lives should be made severely uncomfortable over this crap.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
01/21/2007 12:41 Comments ||
Top||
#3
Unfortunately, OP, the LLL and the Tranzis around the world have made Gitmo another front on the WoT, in an attempt to break the will of the US Govt to fight the WoT. We have made the mistake of bending over backwards in treating this scum of the earth humanely. No matter how much we do, it will be wrong or never enough. We need to have a prisoner ship steaming around with the hard cases. Then military court marshals, convictions, then trailing chum aft of the fantail. We will NEVER appease our enemies, foreign or domestic. So we might as well do the right thing.
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
01/21/2007 16:52 Comments ||
Top||
French philosophy teacher Robert Redeker said on Saturday he would stop teaching in schools in the wake of death threats made against him last year by Muslim extremists after he published an attack on Islam. Redeker told France Info radio station that he would instead take up a job in France's CNRS national science research institute.
Redeker, 52, received several death threats by e-mail after publishing a virulent attack on Islam in a column for Le Figaro newspaper last September. In the article, the high-school teacher called the Koran a book of "incredible violence", described Prophet Mohammad as a "merciless warlord, a looter, a butcher of Jews and a polygamist" and said Islam "exalts violence and hate."
The ensuing threats forced Redeker, who had taught in the southern French city of Toulouse, to live in hiding with armed police protection. Earlier this month, a source close to a police investigation into the affair said a man had been arrested in Morocco on suspicion of inciting others to kill Redeker. In October, a young Muslim was arrested in Orleans, southwest of Paris, on suspicion of e-mailing death threats to the teacher.
Redeker said he had met French Education Minister Gilles de Robien to discuss the job at the CNRS institute and that he had no regrets over the article. "I do not think you can regret something which was written with complete honesty and sincerity," he told France Info.
France's top politicians and the head of the French Muslim Council have all denounced the death threats. French intellectuals were initially wary of the fact that Redeker's article echoed far-right statements, but have since rallied to his cause in defence of the freedom of speech.
Chancellor Angela Merkel heads for Russia on Sunday for talks with President Vladimir Putin that come amid a push to reinvigorate the Mideast peace process and questions of Europe's dependence on Russian natural gas and oil. Merkel spokesman Ulrich Wilhelm said before the trip that the Mideast peace process would be a major topic of the talks with Putin. "The situation in the Middle East and the revival of the Quartet will certainly be an important topic," Wilhelm said.
The one-day trip comes after calls last week by US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to "re-energize" the involvement of the "Quartet" of the EU, Russia, the UN and the US in Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts. Germany currently holds the EU's rotating presidency.
Posted by: Fred ||
01/21/2007 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[2 views]
Top|| File under:
#1
Everybody thinks Mideast "peace" is their business.
PRAGUE, Czech Republic (AP) - The United States has asked the Czech Republic to host a radar base that would be part of a global missile defense system, the prime minister announced.
Washington declined comment on Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek's statement. But the U.S. has been negotiating with Poland and the Czech Republic, both former communist states now in NATO, as it explores setting up missile defense sites in Eastern Europe.
Topolanek said his government would name a committee in the next week to consider the U.S. request and a decision could take several months. Czech opposition parties have spoken against the defense system, and the premier's governing coalition does not have enough parliament votes to pass measures on its own.
Topolanek said that if the Czech Republic approves the U.S. request, some 200 American specialists would be deployed here and the base would become operational in 2011. "We are convinced that a possible deployment of the radar station on our territory is in our interest," he said. "It will increase security of the Czech Republic and Europe."
The Czech Republic, anyways.
The U.S. request that the Czech Republic host only an X-band radar facility could indicate Washington is considering putting launchers for anti-missile missiles in Poland. Czech authorities refused to comment on Poland's possible role. Topolanek said only that he would discuss the issue with his Polish counterpart, Jaroslaw Kaczynski.
In Moscow, Andrei Kokoshin, the former Russian Security Council chief who now heads parliament's committee for ties with former Soviet bloc nations, warned that Czech approval of the plan would "not pass without consequences." Russian lawmakers dealing with security issues "will recommend taking retaliatory measures" that would "help maintain strategic stability and ensure the national security of Russia and our friends and allies," Kokoshin was quoted as telling the Interfax news agency.
A State Department spokesman, Edgar Vasquez, told The Associated Press he could not confirm that the Czechs had been asked to host the radar site and Poles the missile interceptors. He only repeated that negotiations were under way. "Depending on the result of the discussions, the U.S. will seek to field a limited number of ground-based missile defense silo launchers, with their associated interceptors, similar to those currently fielded at Fort Greely, Alaska, and to deploy an X-band radar for midcourse tracking and discrimination of ballistic missile threats out of the Middle East," he said.
Posted by: Steve White ||
01/21/2007 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[3 views]
Top|| File under:
#1
Why would we want missile defense in Poland? Are we still trying to protect Europe?
If its for possible threats against the U.S. from the Middle East, wouldn't Israel or ships in the Atlantic make more sense?
Help me out Rantburgers, what am I missing?
Posted by: Mike N. ||
01/21/2007 4:22 Comments ||
Top||
#3
Though they could protect Europe, they sound more like a boost-phase weapon, which have to be close to the source, (i.e., Iran). The Atlantic is too far away, while the Persian Gulf is the wrong direction (unless you go waaaay inside). If, Pooty-poot would let us put weapons on the Caspian Sea, that would be ideal...
#4
I agree with Jackel. Even Germany is now within reach of Iran's missiles, from what i am able to understand. Defence against Russian ambitions would be secondary. Or course, Prime Minister Putin would prefer that his legitimate prey not be able to defend against his best customer's toys.
#5
I think the entire idea is to protect US interests in Europe, including NATO and US forces in Germany, Italy, Great Britain, and elsewhere. We want to be able to stop any Iranian missile attack, and it's also a sneaky way to protect ourselves against military blackmail and even a possible attack by Russia. I'd like to see a similar group of sites in Central Asia (India, Thailand), sub-Saharan Africa (Ethiopia? Malawi?), and just to make EVERYBODY angry, in Brazil and Hawaii.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
01/21/2007 12:55 Comments ||
Top||
#6
Jackal has the main point. It is another means to detect Iranian missiles in the boost phase, which is the next best thing to hitting them on the ground. PootyPoot is so intent on playing his KGB/USSR act redux that he cannot see the danger of Iran if/when it turns on his country.
Of course the best solution is to take out the MMs and their Dinnerjacket, after their issuing of innumerable death threats to the US and Israel, but that is a topic for another posing, along with lots of beer.
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
01/21/2007 14:37 Comments ||
Top||
#7
"Posting" PIMF.
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
01/21/2007 14:38 Comments ||
Top||
#8
Out here o'er WESTPAC, US SPACE LASER TESTING still goes on - the energy streams is getting longer and thicker, i.e. are improving and improvin'. STEYN/LAVROZOV/OTHER > gener, unless Russian demographics turns around, reverting back to Soviet Totalitarianism = USSR isn't likely to save Russia despite temp improvements. CHRISTIAN, trad EURO/WEST CENTRIC RUSSIA > become MOSTLY MUSLIM, CHINA/ASIA-CENTRIC. Short of forcibly keeping his own nation hostage, Putin has to convince Russians to stay and have sex.
#9
And considering the levels of crime, drugs, alcoholism, the decaying infrastructure, and the rotten attitude towards women by Russian men, lots of luck with that desired baby boom. Plus, the life expectancy of Russian men is now down to 59, so even if Russia had Social Security, the average Russian male would not live long enough to collect. Also, lots of middle-aged men in Russia do not have the skills to compete in an open economy, so they do not have the income for families. That is one point that has been driving the Russian mail-order bride boom : lots of middle-aged American men have the money for a family, plus the wife gets to come to the US. So what you get is a lot of mediocre looking middle aged US men with really hot younger Russian wives. And until Putin or his successor can turn all of the above around, the demographic falloff will continue.
Berlin, Jan. 20 German television station Channel 1 abruptly cancelled a documentary it had prepared on Irans nuclear pursuit. The program was set to air Thursday night. No explanation was given as to why it was unexpectedly cancelled.
A host of German investigators were expected to appear on the show to give an account of Tehrans sensitive nuclear activities.
Posted by: Steve White ||
01/21/2007 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[2 views]
Top|| File under:
#1
The programs on "Zionist brutality in occupied Palestine" will, however, be run as planned.
#2
As I recall from the run-up to the Iraq invasion, German Intelligence and media seem to have a pretty clear picture of what the real story is - even if thay insist that nothing be done about it. It's the German public and pols that seem to be in willfully blind.
Delegations from Pakistan, Afghanistan and the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) participated in the 21st meeting of a subcommittee on border security in Landi Kotal on Saturday, to discuss ways of improving cooperation for security on the Pak-Afghan Border.
Posted by: Fred ||
01/21/2007 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[2 views]
Top|| File under:
Tribal Taliban commander Baitullah Mehsud has said this years spring offensive in Afghanistan will be even bloodier than last year. The mujahideen (holy warriors) will give a tougher fight this year than last year, he told Daily Times at a secret location in South Waziristan, after taking this correspondent on a tour of Kot Kalay, where an airstrike on an alleged militant training camp killed eight people on Tuesday. I hate to be the one to notice the inconvenient, but the Paks have been forever and a day maintaining the fiction that the Talibs are an Afghan phenomenon and an Afghan problem. Their nifty treaty in Wazoo constrains the local turbans from crossing the border to kill people in a sovreign neighboring country. Yet Baitullah remains blissfully unaware of any constraints on his violent impulses and purports to speak for all the Taliban.
More than 4,000 people were killed in last years Taliban-linked insurgency in Afghanistan. Around 1,000 were civilians, more than 100 coalition soldiers and the rest were said to be insurgents. That's 2900 dead turbans to 100 dead good guys, which is a 29:1 kill ratio. They'd really be well advised to go into a different line of work. They obviously don't have any aptitude for warfare, despite their fearsome grimaces and their habit of waving guns.
This years spring offensive will be fought harder than before as we want to build on last years successes, said Baitullah, who struck a peace deal with the government in February 2005. Such as they were. They seem to have been mainly in the press, rather than on the battlefield.
Baitullah vowed to avenge Tuesdays airstrike. They launch airstrikes on us and we respond with suicide attack, he said amidst dozens of armed militants who were guarding him. More than 40 army recruits were killed in a suicide attack at Darrgai on November 8, following an airstrike on a madrassa in Bajaur on October 30 in which 83 people were killed.
Posted by: Fred ||
01/21/2007 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[2 views]
Top|| File under:
#1
'Baitullah vowed to avenge Tuesdays airstrike. They launch airstrikes on us and we respond with suicide attack,' Yeah go ahead, we get to reuse our weapon delivery system.
#2
If it gets any more bloody for the Taliban, they will be re-enacting Napoleon's retreat from Moscow. Kamikazees aside, what military tactics have the Taliban demonstrated any mastery of? They are desperate enough to be attacking in the winter, when all of our technological advantages come into play; they have lost at least 2900 troops in no win situations, without even taking and holding a single town; and they are facing ever-improving local troops in the form of the Afghan Army. About the only thing the Taliban has going for it is the high number of dirt-stupid Paki teenagers they can pay/brainwash/recruit into their cannon fodder units.
The Taliban on Saturday rejected claims made by a captured spokesman that Taliban chief Mullah Omar was in Quetta under Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) protection, stressing that the man did not know the movements military secrets.
The Taliban also rubbished statements by Doctor Mohammad Hanif, (whose real name is Abdul Haq Haqiq) that the group was being aided by Pakistans ISI agency and that it was operating suicide training camps in Pakistan. Hanif, 26, made the claims during a videotaped interrogation released by Afghan intelligence last Wednesday, following his arrest two days earlier while allegedly crossing from Pakistan into the Afghan province of Nangarhar. A Taliban statement posted on its website said that Hanif neither held a sufficiently senior position nor had been with the group long enough to know its military secrets.
These claims have no basis and no proof, said a Dari language version of the statement from Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan media committee." "Doctor Hanif wasnt with the Taliban for long enough to know about the location of Amir-ul-Momineen (the Leader of Muslims). He is not old enough to know about Amir-ul-Momineen or to know about the Taliban military secrets.
While the Taliban statement did not say where Mullah Omar was, it did go on to deny reports that its leaders had ordered the killing of Mullah Dadullah, the movements top commander in southern Afghanistan. Afghan officials had said that Hanif was found with documents alleging Dadullahs involvement in the killing last month of Mullah Akhtar Mohammad Osmani, a close associate of Omar and Osama Bin Laden, in an air strike by foreign forces in the southern province of Helmand. The Taliban statement described Dadullah as an obedient and loyal fighter. It is clear that he (Hanif) has been interrogated under pressure or things have been added to what he has said, the statement said. Pakistan has also rejected Hanifs claims as absurd.
Posted by: Fred ||
01/21/2007 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[2 views]
Top|| File under:
#1
If you don't know where he is, how do you know where he's not?
Posted by: Bobby ||
01/21/2007 11:49 Comments ||
Top||
Even as the Hurriyat team visiting Pakistan met president Pervez Musharraf and made appropriate 'peace noises', the main driver of terror in Jammu & Kashmir, Lashkar-e-Taiba, made it clear that it was not prepared to buy the argument that dialogue could replace guns. In an indication that it did not set much store from attempts at normalcy being mounted by Hurriyat, which has often been seen to be more than receptive to signals from Islamabad, LeT boss Hafiz Saeed said: "It is a historical fact that nations have always achieved their independence through sacrifices on the battlefront."
Promising to continue militancy in the Valley, he told a gathering after Friday prayers in Lahore that jehadis will "fully support the legitimate struggle for freedom of the Kashmiri people". This made it quite apparent that whatever the Hurriyet may say, the jehadis continue to see Kashmir as a religious and political cause that they are bent on achieving.
Saeed's statements were timed to offset, and even counter, the late-evening meeting of the moderate faction of Hurriyat with Musharraf. Contrary to Hurriyat's stand and the statements of Musharraf that elements hostile to the peace process should be discouraged and firmly dealt with, the LeT chief said the Kashmir issue cannot be resolved through back-channel diplomacy. The LeT founder warned Musharraf "to desist from stabbing the Kashmiris in the back in exchange of better relations with India".
Posted by: Fred ||
01/21/2007 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[2 views]
Top|| File under:
KATHMANDU - The US ambassador to Nepal has charged that Maoists are trying to keep sophisticated weapons despite their pledge to hand them over to the United Nations, newspaper reports said Saturday. Under a peace deal reached between the government and the Maoists, the Communist ex-rebels are to hand in their weapons to the UN for lockup.
The comments came just days after the United Nations and the Maoists announced the process of registering Maoists had begun in two main cantonments in south west Nepal. However, neither the UN nor the Maoists have disclosed the types and number of weapons being registered.
"What's this?"
"It's a sword."
"You call that a weapon?"
"Hey, it's made of steel!"
"Oh, okay, sorry, we'll put it down as a 'sophisticated weapon.' Next!"
The Maoists are trying to buy primitive and handmade weapons from India (on the) black market to put them in the UN containers and retain the sophisticated weapons, Kathmandu Post quoted Ambassador James F Moriarty as saying.
'cause they're thinking they're going to need them in the near future ...
Moriarty also said the Maoists had recruited a large number of fighters in November to inflate the number of Maoist fighters. Probably they didnt have 35,000 fighters and probably because they wanted to keep part of their ex-guerrillas out of the cantonments, The Post quoted him as saying. Moriarty, who has been a fierce critic of the Maoists, has asked the UN to make sure that real weapons and real Maoist combatants are in the cantonments.
The UN has declined to give the exact number and types of weapons the Maoists are handing in, saying the Maoists were sensitive about the issue.
Oh, you think?
The Maoists have also prevented the media from recording the event.
Let the Ghurkas and the RAB have ten minutes with these guys ...
The Maoists are currently confined to sev main cantonments and 21 satellite camps located across Nepal. Although the Maoists previously claimed there were 35,000 fighters, the figure is widely disputed by experts in the Nepalese capital.
Posted by: Steve White ||
01/21/2007 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[3 views]
Top|| File under:
The political followers of Iraq's radical Shia cleric, Moqtada Sadr, say they are ending a two-month boycott of Iraq's parliament and government. The boycott was imposed as a protest over a planned meeting between Iraq's prime minister and President Bush.
Correspondents say the move signifies an easing of tensions among Shia groups in Iraq's government.
The anti-US group, a key member of PM Nouri Maliki's coalition, has 32 MPs in the 275-seat parliament. The Mehdi Army, the Shia militia loyal to Moqtada Sadr, has fought sporadic battles with the US since 2003 and has been identified as a disruptive force within Iraq by Washington.
#1
elections are over til the next round, assholes
Posted by: Frank G ||
01/21/2007 9:23 Comments ||
Top||
#2
Way too predictable. Every time the heat gets turned up Tater decides to play nice. He knows full well the new strategy will not tolerate his bs. So he'll attempt to play us for fools... again. Hopefully this time we don't engage him in a game of tiddlywinks. Hopefully this time the JDAM targeting system is set to "ugly". That should find him without a problem.
#4
Where can I find a good summary of the major players in the Shiite camp, and what sorts of relationships we're cultivating with them? I'd guess that our best approach to disassembling Saudi-controlled Arabia uses Shiite proxies, who for political reasons won't be friendly but also won't be terribly unfriendly.
Posted by: James ||
01/21/2007 19:08 Comments ||
Top||
#5
James, have you looked through the information in Thugburg as a first step? Page 1 in the far right column above the Sinktrap link. Beyond that I'd suggest some of the bloggers coming out of Iraq, and the blogs of Roggio and Yon and Totten, who've gone over there to report. At least some of them can be clicked through from Fred's Links list, below the sinktrap.
Senior Fatah official Muhammad Dahlan chastised the Palestinian groups who fire rockets at Israel, Army Radio reported. In an interview to Palestinian television, Dahlan called firing rockets from civilian homes a "cowardly act, that irresponsibly exposes Palestinian children and property to the occupier's cannons and guns."
Posted by: Fred ||
01/21/2007 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[2 views]
Top|| File under:
#4
He got the cease and desist letter from Hizb'Allah. They have exclusive Caliphate wide IP protection on the rocket from civilian homes tactic until 2015.
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip - Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh said on Saturday that his Hamas group would be willing to accept a temporary Palestinian state in the West Bank, Gaza and east Jerusalem in exchange for a 10-year hudna truce with Israel.
To be violated at a time and place of his choosing.
His comments, reiterating Hamas policy for the moment, came as ineffectual Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas was to meet Hamas supreme leader Khaled Mashaal in Syria to coordinate strategy discuss ways to form a coalition government and end international sanctions on the Palestinians.
Haniyehs proposal has previously been rejected by Israel and the international community, which demand that Hamas recognize Israels right to exist and renounce violence.
Which they won't ever do.
We are with liberating any inch of Palestine, he said in a televised address. But we will not close the door for the next generation, because the weak dont always stay weak, and the strong wont stay strong.
Though I'm comfortably certain that Paleos will remain Paleos.
Posted by: Steve White ||
01/21/2007 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[2 views]
Top|| File under:
#1
But we will not close the door for the next generation, because the weak dont always stay weak, and the strong wont stay strong.
Translation: We reserve our allen-given right to break the agreement, and our word, just as soon as Iran delivers to us our first nuclear bomb.....
Bonus Question: Name one agreement, just one, the Palieo's made with Israel which they kept.
Let's forget trying to give a state to abuncha psychopathic murderers, drive them by force to Jordan or Egypt and force UN approval for Israel to annex the insane joke that has become "Palestine."
#5
Lest we fergit, in 1967 JORDAN = ARAB LEAGUE? was per se responsible for the welfare and quality-of-life for Muslim citizens-residents in Muslim-held Jerusalem. BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU ASK FOR, HANIYEH, YOU JUST MIGHT GET IT - WITNESS LEBANON-SYRIA vv RADICAL IRAN.
Ghana's Minister of Food and Agriculture Ernest Debrah toured various sections of the Biotechnology Institute of the Ministry of Agriculture Jihad in Karaj on Saturday.
The African minister lauded the research activities underway at the Biotechnology Institute and urged the need for further cooperation with it to enter into more common research projects.
He urged the need for cooperation between the Biotechnology Institute of Iran's Ministry of Agriculture Jihad and Ghana's agriculture sector, given that it will raise the level of agricultural products of his country.
The Biotechnology Institute of the Ministry of Agriculture Jihad along with the Institute for Research, Production and Treatment of Sapling and Seeds were established in 2000.
At present it includes five research departments involved in various agricultural projects.
Ministry of Agriculture Jihad established a representative office in Ghana in 1988, which provides African countries with friendly assistance in rural agricultural industries and construction of mosques.
#1
Ministry of Agriculture Jihad established a representative office in Ghana in 1988, which provides African countries with friendly assistance in rural agricultural industries and construction of mosques.
nice the way that snuck in there, huh?
Posted by: Frank G ||
01/21/2007 9:39 Comments ||
Top||
#2
It's sort of the same way our government hides food stamps and school lunch programs in the farm bill.
Irans top nuclear negotiator has declared that the nations armed forces are ready to face any threat to its nuclear installations, local media reported Saturday, amid speculation Washington may be planning a military strike. The Islamic republics armed forces are completely ready to confront any probable threats by the enemies, Ali Larijani was quoted as saying Thursday after meeting top clerics in the religious center of Qom. However, he downplayed the possibility of Iranian nuclear facilities being hit, insisting: Our enemies do not have such power. Our enemies have waged a psychological war in order to make us retreat from our nuclear positions.
It is the second time this week that officials involved in the Islamic republics nuclear programme have sought to dismiss the likelihood of a military strike against atomic installations. Earlier this week, Mohammad Saeedi, deputy head of Irans Atomic Energy Organization, said a military strike was highly unlikely, but that Tehran had nevertheless taken the necessary precautions.
Posted by: Fred ||
01/21/2007 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[7 views]
Top|| File under:
#1
A strike against, deeply dug in and protected, nuclear installations would be rank stupidity. A strike against infrastructure, though totally un PC, is another business entirely.
#2
can't spin the centrifuges with hamsters. Knock out the power and all work stops
Posted by: Frank G ||
01/21/2007 9:42 Comments ||
Top||
#3
Everything is technique. How long would the Iranians hold out if their most heavily defended installation, buried deeply underground under a huge amount of reinforced concrete, was suddenly and dramatically annihilated?
Our space shuttle could deploy a guided, rocket-assisted, satellite-sized meteor. With a low earth orbit payload of over 26 tons, made from advanced materials, it would leave nothing but a crater.
We wouldn't have to say anything, and our space shuttle could have landed days before the projectile went on its final descent. To make things even more enigmatic, we could cover it in a radar dispersing material, so that neither Russia nor China would even see it.
It would be a "God Strike". It would end any resistance on their part as much as did the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, but at a fraction of the cost in both money and lives.
#5
Our space shuttle could deploy a guided, rocket-assisted, satellite-sized meteor. With a low earth orbit payload of over 26 tons, made from advanced materials, it would leave nothing but a crater.
LOL! Sure, why not. It should also have terminal homing capability and be able to broadcast "Ina Gotta Vita" in 9 languages.
#6
I was thinking more like Ozzy Osborne's "Mama, I'm coming home"
Posted by: Frank G ||
01/21/2007 12:59 Comments ||
Top||
#7
Shipman: Here is a good FAS article that goes into detail about the drawbacks of bunker buster nukes:
http://www.fas.org/faspir/2001/v54n1/weapons.htm
What I propose burrows far deeper and creates no fallout. It could be slapped together easily with fairly off-the-shelf JDAM-like guidance attached to what amounts to a big hunk of advanced ceramic, which you use so that it doesn't burn up as much before impact. I'd throw on an engine to give it even more speed.
So, it works better than a nuke, and if we have a space shuttle ready for a routine mission, we could ship one up in a few weeks. With a thin anti-radar tent or coating around it, it would stay invisible until used.
#8
Anonymous, I agree totally with your suggestion, but I think you dropped a couple of zeroes - that should 2600 tons. That much tonnage, if sent on a looping (slingshot) orbit around the moon, would trigger every fault within 500 miles, and Iran would be too busy just trying to survive to even complain.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
01/21/2007 17:59 Comments ||
Top||
#9
Hell why not, I think the idea of throwing an engine on it is a good idea. It should be a light-weight Ion-Fusion Job able to to propell this at about 98,000 MPH which will give it an EarthSide energy-field of about 10^5 boom.
#10
Old Patriot: According to the Space Shuttle Wiki, the LEO payload max is 53,700 lb, which is .85 ton greater than 26 tons. So you figure with a 1 ton engine, and another ton of fuel, along with other stuff you might be talking about a 23 or 24 ton projectile.
It uses thrusters for several orbits to stabilize it in a stable orbit, leaving you periodic windows in which you can activate its main engine to guide it on down at a tremendous speed.
Unlike a meteor of this size that would probably fragment in the atmosphere, this would make it to the surface.
Max dimensions of the projectile with fuel tank and engine that would fit in their cargo bay would be about a 4m diameter and a length of as much as 15m. Bay dimensions are 4.6m x 18.3m.
Granted a rail gun firing a "rod from god" would work much better, entering the atmosphere at a much higher rate of speed and having a steeper angle of descent, but I think this man-made meteor might do the trick.
#11
Great idea 'moose. Too bad our politicians regard war as a public relations exercise, or it would actually have a chance of being used. Assuming it could pass muster in Congress. And in the UNSC. And the administration could withstand the pressure from the "no-artificial-meteors-for-oil" crowd.
American contingency planning for military action against Irans nuclear programme was going beyond limited strikes to effectively unleash war against that country, a former US intelligence analyst said on Friday. Talking to the Middle East Policy Council, a Washington-based think tank, Wayne White, a top Middle East analyst for the State Departments bureau of intelligence and research until March 2005, said: I have seen some of the planning . . . Youre not talking about a surgical strike . . . Youre talking about a war against Iran.
He went on to say that Were not talking about just surgical strikes against an array of targets inside Iran. Were talking about clearing a path to the targets by taking out much of the Iranian Air Force, Kilo submarines, anti-ship missiles that could target commerce or US warships in the Gulf, and maybe even Irans ballistic missile capability.
Even more worrying, White said, were the consequences of a US or Israeli attack against Irans nuclear infrastructure, which would prompt vigorous Iranian retaliation, worse than the ongoing civil war in Iraq, which was so far being confined to that country.
While President George W Bush has pledged commitment to seeking a diplomatic solution to the standoff, he has kept the military option on the table, with recent rhetoric, plus tougher financial sanctions and actions against Iranian involvement in Iraq reviving speculation in Washington about a possible US attack on Tehran. The US and many of its Gulf allies have expressed growing concern about Irans rising influence in the region and the prospect of it acquiring a nuclear weapon.
However, Middle East expert Kenneth Katzman argued that Irans ascendancy is not only manageable but reversible provided that one understood the Islamic republics many vulnerabilities. Katzman, of the Library of Congress Congressional Research Service, stressed that Tehrans leadership had convinced many experts that Iran was a great nation verging on superpower status. But in reality, he said, the country remained very weak . . . (and) meets almost no known criteria to be considered a great nation.
The economy, he pointed out, continued to be mismanaged and was quite primitive, exporting almost nothing but oil. Also, Katzman noted that Irans oil production capacity was fast declining and, in terms of conventional military power, Iran was a virtual non-entity. He said that Washington should, therefore, not go out of its way to accommodate Iran since the country was in no position to hurt the US, adding that at some point, it might be useful to call that bluff. But Katzman cautioned against early confrontation with Iran, saying that if there were a grand bargain that met both countries interests, that should be pursued.
Posted by: Fred ||
01/21/2007 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[6 views]
Top|| File under:
#1
Blast them, making sure to position the liberal elements for takeover and conservative elements for immolation.
#2
"grand bargain"? Bullshit. Iran needs to pay full price for the events of '79 right through to today.
One of my beliefs on how Bush operates is that he keeps score and he makes it personal. His people are getting chewed up by Iranian schemes and the bill is coming due.
Such a clever man he is, to be sure. Has he seen the plans for our invasion of Canada, too? And the conquest of Wales? Our military is ready for whatever might need to be done! Mr. Pruitt, the country was awfully lucky that you were there to offset such idiocy, back when you and he were employed in a similar capacity.
#6
Iranians are well aware that the Ayatollah class is looting the national treasury. Rid Iran of that class's power base and cultural centers - like Qom - and the people will turn on the wannabe Arabs.
Iran has both a professional military and Basiji fanatics. The former could and would crush the latter, given an opportunity. Iraq wasn't occupied after GW1, so I wouldn't make much of the lack of occupation forces in the theater.
As for the recent arrests of Iranian agents in Mosul - which is populated mostly by Sunni Arabs and Kurds - is one of many proofs that Ayatollah money is being used to kill US troops. We have the pretext; let's have the war. But, launch it secretly, Reagan style. Force a fait accompli on both the enemy and the Dems.
#7
Okay, I'll bite Maw, what are the consequences iff Radical Iran is allowed to remain a principal = predomin sponsor of Terror. * FOX NEWS WATCH > JIM PINKERTON ]paraphrased]to NW Panel = "A Nuclear/WMD attack agz America is coming, and WE [FOX PANEL? USA?] ALL KNOW ITS COMING". FOX NW PANEL ALL UNANIMOUSLY AGREED.
Iran's outspoken president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad appears to be under pressure from the highest authorities in Iran to end his involvement in its nuclear programme, a sign that his political capital is declining as his country comes under increasing international pressure.
Just one month after the UNSC imposed sanctions on Iran to curb its nuclear programme, two hard-line newspapers, including one owned by the supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, called on the president to stay out of all matters nuclear. ht shines for all
DAMASCUS, Jan 20, 2007 (AFP) - Syrian President Bashar Al Assad pledged on Saturday to work with the Iraqi authorities to wipe out terrorism, on the final day of a landmark visit by Iraqi counterpart Jalal Talabani.
The two heads of state, whose countries only restored relations in November after a 26-year rupture, held frank, sincere and positive discussions on the situation both in Iraq and the region, the official SANA news agency said. In a joint statement issued as Talabani wrapped up the first visit to Syria by an Iraqi head of state in three decades, the two leaders condemned all forms of terrorism plaguing the Iraqi people and their institutions, infrastructure and security service.
And that's all Talabani is going to get out of him.
Assad joined Talabani in expressing readiness to work together and do everything possible to eradicate terrorism. He expressed his support for the political process under way in Iraq... and the efforts being made by the Iraqi government to achieve national reconcilation and stability.
Laid it on thick, didn't he.
Posted by: Steve White ||
01/21/2007 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[8 views]
Top|| File under:
TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran has complained to U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon about the arrest by U.S. troop of five Iranian diplomats, who Washington says were helping militants in Iraq, state television reported on Saturday. "Iran officially complained, by sending a letter to the U.N. Secretary-General, about America's abduction of Iranian diplomats in Arbil," state television said.
The letter said the arrests were illegal and called for a response from the U.N. Security Council. "The Islamic Republic of Iran holds America responsible for the consequences of this act and demands the immediate release of the consulate officers," the letter read, according to the television station.
And who would know more about holding diplomats than the Iranians?
Iran's official news agency IRNA quoted the Iranian ambassador to Baghdad, Hassan Kazemi Qomi, as saying the Iraqi government had given assurances that the five diplomats would be released this week.
Once the probes have been inserted and calibrated ...
Posted by: Steve White ||
01/21/2007 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[6 views]
Top|| File under:
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.
Mogadishu 20, Jan.07 ( Sh.M.Network) A large number of Ethiopian and government troops have gone to Goobo, a settlement in central Somalia where tribal militias fought last week.
(SomaliNet) The Kenyan government Saturday has extradited dozens of Islamist prisons to the transitional federal government in Somalia it was a response to early TFG demand that all Islamists held in Kenya be transported to Somalia. Reports say that Kenyan airplane carrying around 40 Islamists has landed at the main Mogadishu airport on Saturday where they were handed over to the Ethiopia-Somalia forces in the capital. 
LONDON: Abu Hamza faces having his home seized after judges ruled he must repay his £1.1mn legal aid bill. The hook-handed cleric, who is serving a seven-year jail term, claimed he could not afford to pay for his defence at his trial for soliciting murder last year. 
NEW YORK - Australia's foreign minister on Friday criticized lawyers representing the only Australian inmate at the U.S. military base in Guantanamo Bay for disputing his report that the man is healthy. David Hicks' Pentagon-appointed lawyer, Maj. Michael Mori, has repeatedly said his client is suffering from severe depression after being incarcerated for five years without a trial.
PRAGUE, Czech Republic (AP) - The United States has asked the Czech Republic to host a radar base that would be part of a global missile defense system, the prime minister announced. 
Tribal Taliban commander Baitullah Mehsud has said this years spring offensive in Afghanistan will be even bloodier than last year. The mujahideen (holy warriors) will give a tougher fight this year than last year, he told Daily Times at a secret location in South Waziristan, after taking this correspondent on a tour of Kot Kalay, where an airstrike on an alleged militant training camp killed eight people on Tuesday.
The Taliban on Saturday rejected claims made by a captured spokesman that Taliban chief Mullah Omar was in Quetta under Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) protection, stressing that the man did not know the movements military secrets. 
Even as the Hurriyat team visiting Pakistan met president Pervez Musharraf and made appropriate 'peace noises', the main driver of terror in Jammu & Kashmir, Lashkar-e-Taiba, made it clear that it was not prepared to buy the argument that dialogue could replace guns. In an indication that it did not set much store from attempts at normalcy being mounted by Hurriyat, which has often been seen to be more than receptive to signals from Islamabad, LeT boss Hafiz Saeed said: "It is a historical fact that nations have always achieved their independence through sacrifices on the battlefront." 
KATHMANDU - The US ambassador to Nepal has charged that Maoists are trying to keep sophisticated weapons despite their pledge to hand them over to the United Nations, newspaper reports said Saturday. Under a peace deal reached between the government and the Maoists, the Communist ex-rebels are to hand in their weapons to the UN for lockup.
The political followers of Iraq's radical Shia cleric, Moqtada Sadr, say they are ending a two-month boycott of Iraq's parliament and government. The boycott was imposed as a protest over a planned meeting between Iraq's prime minister and President Bush. 
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip - Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh said on Saturday that his Hamas group would be willing to accept a temporary Palestinian state in the West Bank, Gaza and east Jerusalem in exchange for a 10-year 
American contingency planning for military action against Irans nuclear programme was going beyond limited strikes to effectively unleash war against that country, a former US intelligence analyst said on Friday. Talking to the Middle East Policy Council, a Washington-based think tank, Wayne White, a top Middle East analyst for the State Departments bureau of intelligence and research until March 2005, said: I have seen some of the planning . . . Youre not talking about a surgical strike . . . Youre talking about a war against Iran.
DAMASCUS, Jan 20, 2007 (AFP) - Syrian President Bashar Al Assad pledged on Saturday to work with the Iraqi authorities to wipe out terrorism, on the final day of a landmark visit by Iraqi counterpart Jalal Talabani.
TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran has complained to U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon about the arrest by U.S. troop of five Iranian diplomats, who Washington says were helping militants in Iraq, state television reported on Saturday. "Iran officially complained, by sending a letter to the U.N. Secretary-General, about America's abduction of Iranian diplomats in Arbil," state television said.
