(SomaliNet) One of the government soldiers in Somalia was on Thursday put to death after he was convicted of deliberately killing a comrade last month, local security official said.
Farhan Abdi Kulmie, blindfolded and chained on both hands and legs was shot dead in public by squad of soldiers.
According to the police spokesman Abdiwahid Mohamed Hussein, the murderer was finished at the former execution ground at the police academy near the port in Mogadishu. Farhan Abdi Kulmie, with blindfolded and chained on both hands and legs was shot dead in public by squad of sorted soldiers.
The execution came when the Somalia military court sentenced Abdi to death penalty after he was found of murder guilty. The government rejected the press to take pictures during the execution.
Meanwhile, one soldier died when grenade explosion targeted the military base of the Somali forces in north of the capital Thursday. Witnesses said unknown gunmen hurled a grenade at government troops around the mother and child SOS hospital. Another soldier was injured in the blast. The attackers escaped unharmed.
Posted by: Fred ||
08/24/2007 00:00 ||
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The number of people applying for asylum in the UK last year dropped by over 2,000 to 23,610, the lowest level since 1993 according to government figures. The drop, which mirrors an 18 percent drop across the European Union as a whole, was welcomed by the government as a success of the countrys stronger border controls. We said we would double resources for immigration policing and last year we delivered record removals of those still in Britain illegallywith one being deported every eight minutes, said Home Office Minister Tony McNulty. He said the government is speeding up plans to tighten border security further, saying that in the next 12 months, a single border force, fingerprint checks for all visa applicants, ID cards for foreign nationals, electronic passenger screening and Australian-style points system would be introduced.
Posted by: Fred ||
08/24/2007 00:00 ||
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#1
No need for the muslims to apply for asylum when they are granted UK passports by divine right.
#1
As various comments at the link note, if Brussels mayor Freddy Thielmans forbids SIOE (Stop Islamisation Of Europe) to demonstrate in sympathy for victims of the 9-11 atrocity, yet allows the AEL (Arab Europe League) to protest Islamophobia and racism in Europe he will have conceded the crucial opening battle of a much larger war.
Muslims protesting Islamophobia and racism in Europe on the day that is emblematic of this world's newfound distrust of all things Islamic represents both monumental hubris and a willing disregard for the innocent life lost in the 9-11 atrocity. By gathering in numbers and not voicing stronger opposition to the terrorism now memorialized by 9-11 but instead demanding even greater sympathy for Muslim causes, the AEL demonstrates distinct approvalif not outright celebrationsuch heinous acts.
Dhimmi Watch quotes from the AEL and its Belgian head, Ahmed Azzuz:
"We want to warn Antwerp's Jewish community in its entirety to be on its guard. The community's support for Israel is no secret," Ahmed Azzuz, head of the AEL in Belgium told the Belgian newspaper La Libre Belgique.
"The AEL calls on the Jewish community in Antwerp to cease its support of, and distance itself from, the state of Israel. If not, attacks in Antwerp are almost unpreventable," Azzuz had earlier told the Belgian Flemish magazine Knack, adding, "Every year, 200 Belgian-Israeli reservists leave for Israel to kill innocent civilians." EMPHASIS ADDED
As always, the "unpreventable" attacks that no individual Muslim or Islamic group is willing to condemn or try and stop. Such a frank message of intimidation and implicit violence mysteriously evokes no government protest or action against Muslim organizations.
How long will it be before similar threats of "unpreventable" attacks are made in America? If and when such threatened attacks occur here, how many milliseconds would elapse before a vigilante backlash took place against American Muslims?
Islam is skating on thin ice at noontime during a hot summer's day.
#2
A good portion of Antwerp's Jewish community are young Israelis, extensions of the family diamond businesses that re-established themselves in Israel following the second world war. It's not just the stereotypically meek ultra-orthodox Jews in old-fashioned black coats and curly sidelocks. As Mr. Azzuz says, several hundred Israeli reservists go to do their reserve service every year... and then they come back, beautifully trained, to their homes in Antwerp.
#3
Belgium is a turd little country that shouldn't even exist. All one has to do is read the crap they get up to to know this. The southern part will be the first place to go islamic in Europe. The AEL and it's member would be tossed out on their ears most places buy they are honored on Brussles.
#4
Freddie Thielmans is as much dhimmi as Bloomburg and Kline in NYC allowing a madrassa in Brooklyn.
Hey, when you pimp for votes, you have to keep a low profile like a rat, snake, or roach. These 3 were all once men, but PC has made pussies out of them.
#1
This douchebag again. He's been around a lot lately...
Mr Clive Stafford Smith said yesterday there was no evidence any suspects were on board these flights when they landed at the Scottish airports - a disclosure which official sources believe undermines the case for a police inquiry.
So I guess that wouldn't make them "rendition flights" then, right? So what's your fucking point, asshole?
But Reprieve said the flights may have carried US personnel implicated in the abuse of prisoners.
Oh. So what if they took Air France home? Or Lufthansa? You gonna go after them?
My big wish is that some day one of these "human rights" lawyers heads down to Guantanamo to see one of their clients and ends up getting his throat cut.
And I'll laugh and laugh and laugh...
#2
"Reprieve" are the same clowns that claimed that Ramstein Airbace in Germany had a secret torture chamber. Check out their smoking gun evidence.
"Shaker Aamer, the third detainee cited in the report, who was also detained in Pakistan, believes that he and 30 other prisoners stopped in Germany and changed planes while being transported from Afghanistan to Guantanamo Bay in February 2002.
The prisoners were blindfolded and shackled, but Shaker Aamer could see underneath his blindfold and hear people talking, Reprieve said."
The Hague police on Thursday announced they had arrested one of the three suspected attackers of Islam critic Ehsan Jami. A police spokeswoman said the arrest could be made thanks to the detailed description Jami gave of the 17-year-old young man.
Jami recently founded a committee for former Muslims, saying it was necessary to overcome what he called "persistent taboos" in Muslim society about leaving the faith. He is also a member of the city council for the Labour Party in Leidschendam-Voorburg near the Hague.
Jami told police the attacker was someone he had seen in his neighbourhood several times in recent months.
Iranian born Jami received extra personal protection early August after being attacked for the third time by Muslim youths. He lives in a secret location and receives police protection around the clock. He has not appeared in public since he was last attacked almost four weeks ago.
The attacks followed after Jami referred to the Muslim Prophet Mohammed as a "horrible man" in several interviews and said he wanted to start a debate about domestic violence and human rights in Islam.
The police said efforts would continue to arrest the other two alleged attackers. In the meantime, police protection for Jami will remain unchanged.
A Muslim charity and the U.S. government will split the costs of photocopying financial and personnel records seized from the charity in a raid last September, a federal judge ruled Thursday. In another compromise, Life for Relief and Development will get a break on the copying costs because the FBI will allow Kinko's to copy the documents in a nonclassified section of the FBI headquarters. Previously, the FBI had insisted on using a copying company with a security clearance, which would charge much higher fees.
Copying only the financial records should cost about $7,200, said Michael Taxay of the U.S. Department of Justice National Security Division in Washington, D.C. Previously, the FBI quoted Life for Relief copying charges of $21,000 to $115,000, depending on how many records were copied.
Agents raided the Southfield offices of Life for Relief on Sept. 18, taking computers and nearly 200 boxes of paper records. Nobody has been arrested or charged with any crime yet. Since then, the FBI has copied and returned the computer files, but not the paper records. Life for Relief argued for their return, saying the charity has not been able to file its tax return, complete audits, manage personnel matters, and perform other functions.
The Justice Department says the FBI continues "a wide-ranging and substantial investigation" and has filed sealed documents with the judge disclosing why it needs the records. "Eleven months is not an extensive period of time given the size and scope of the investigation," Taxay told U.S. District Judge Nancy G. Edmunds Thursday.
#1
"Eleven months is not an extensive period of time given the size and scope of the investigation," Taxay told U.S. District Judge Nancy G. Edmunds Thursday.
I don't care if it takes eleven years, but they had better burn these scumbags down. Zakat funds terrorism. Period. There is no way to prevent it except by ending either or both. Islam's religious protections must be stripped away at the soonest possible instant. It makes no pretense of transparency and in light of taqiyya, there can never be any, ever. Through willful deceit and constant perfidy, Islam has painted itself into a moral and ethical corner. We need to brick it up.
US intelligence eavesdrops on thousands of foreign telephone calls on lines that cross through US territory but monitors the calls of fewer than a hundred people in the United States, intelligence chief Mike McConnell has disclosed.
McConnells comments followed passage by the US Congress this month of a law allowing the intelligence agencies to conduct warrantless intercepts of calls between two foreign points. McConnell stressed in an interview with the El Paso Times that intelligence agencies must still obtain court warrants to monitor calls in which at least one of the parties is in the United States. And so if a terrorist calls in and its another terrorist, I think the American public would want us to do surveillance of that US person in this case, he said. So we would just get a warrant and do that. Its a manageable thing. On the US persons side its 100 or less. And then the foreign side, its in the thousands.
The Texas newspaper, which interviewed McConnell last week, posted a transcript on its website on Wednesday. McConnell led the administrations campaign for passage of the new law, which encountered fierce resistance in Congress. He said he acted after a judge on a special court that oversees intelligence surveillance activities ruled that the intelligence agencies had to get warrants to intercept calls between foreign points if they were carried on a US wire. The issue is volume and time, McConnell said. He argued that it takes 200 man-hours to put together a request for a warrant on a single phone number, making it impractical to do for thousands of calls.
Posted by: Fred ||
08/24/2007 00:00 ||
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#2
Great - so the FISA judges are as prone to idiotic, indefensible and dangerous meddling as their colleagues on other courts. I wonder if the "reasoning" that rationalizes a warrant requirement to monitor FOREIGN communications is of the standard used by the SCOTUS to rip the Geneva Conventions to shreds and make up a new meaning for Common Article 3. Collapse of the rule of law is truly scary - from capricious govt. refusal to enforce some laws, to courts' just making shit up and disregarding facts and actual law. We're far from the situation in most systems, but it's still depressing and frightening to behold.
the normal Judge's ego 'requores' 15 minutes of fame like.
then you get a FISA judge like this one here, demanding a warrant on every G'D tap, he wants/ he'll git 20-40 hours or so of fame.
jumping ahead to the all time sucking asshat of fame and attention, Arlen Spector, it's enuff to make a growd up man cry plus you caint git a breath of fresh air anywhars in the room.
Posted by: Red Dawg ||
08/24/2007 5:55 Comments ||
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#4
Amazing how this crap pushed the Echelon program off the radar screen, ain't it?
(CNN) -- Few stories have touched CNN.com users like that of 5-year-old Youssif, an Iraqi boy who had gone out to play on a January day when he was suddenly grabbed by masked men, doused in gas and set on fire. Any human rights groups out there want to comment on this? Any moral equivalencies we need to know about comparing the despicable and intentional acts of these masked animals and the regretable but unintentional acts our soldiers may have been involved in due to the knowing acts of the aforementioned animals? Oh, I see. We'll all have to wait until the memory of this subsides a bit before we get back into that again, eh? I thought so.
CNN.com users responded by the thousands to the story asking how they could help. But there were tricky and difficult issues the family had to suddenly confront, as several aid organizations quickly offered their services.
Specifically, the family had to make a decision on whether to leave their homeland or stay inside Iraq for treatment. If they chose to leave, could they get visas to travel to the United States or leave Iraq safely? Further complicating matters is the fact that few aid organizations remain in Iraq; most moved out months ago due to the constant threat of being targeted.
Leaving one's homeland is never an easy choice to make, even during war. But the family has decided Youssif should seek treatment in the United States.
The Children's Burn Foundation -- a non-profit organization based out of Sherman Oaks, California, that provides support for burn victims locally, nationally and internationally -- has agreed to pay for the transportation for Youssif and his family to come to the United States and to set up a fund so you can donate.
The foundation says it will cover all medical costs -- from surgeries for Youssif to housing costs to any social rehabilitation that might be needed for him. Surgeries will be performed by Dr. Peter Grossman, a plastic surgeon with the affiliated-Grossman Burn Center who is donating his services for Youssif's cause.
Officials are still trying to get the appropriate visas for his travels. Youssif could be in the United States for up to a year for the various treatments he needs. For their part, the DoS has tossed out the idea that they will try to get them their visas before they all grow old and die. This is assuming that the boy and his family aren't all terrorist, of course.
You can make a donation at the foundation's site by clicking here. There's a drop down menu under the "general donation" area that is marked "Youssif's fund."
When informed of the news in Baghdad, Youssif ran around his house, saying, "Daddy, daddy, am I really going to get on a plane?!"
Youssif's father was also cheered by the news. "I feel like I am going to fly from happiness," his father told CNN's Arwa Damon, who reported the story on what happened to Youssif.
Barbara Friedman, executive director of the Children's Burn Foundation, said she and others at the foundation were deeply moved when they first read the piece.
"In terms of a personal reaction, the only thing I could say is it takes your breath away -- because it's just so unfathomable, that that kind of brutality and violence was undertaken in a premeditated way against a defenseless child," she told CNN.com. Yeah, lots of people think just like you. They probably wouldn't if the MSM actually did their job without some kind of agenda.
"From the foundation's perspective, our immediate reaction was: Can we help? How can we help? We want to help. This is what we do."
Many of you had the same reaction. "This kind of thing breaks my heart," wrote CNN.com user Jessica Allen. "To see that smiling adorable face before that day that he was so brutally attacked is enough to make you cry. How could someone do this to anyone, let alone a child?"
Others pleaded for CNN to act. "CNN, if you put this on for us to read, then you should allow us to donate," wrote Brian Quinn.
The story -- published and broadcast on Wednesday -- has been one of the most-read, non-breaking news stories in CNN.com's 13-year history.
"We have been overwhelmed by the outpouring of support for Youssif and his family, and are grateful that the Children's Burn Foundation and the Grossman Burn Center have volunteered to help," said Mitch Gelman, CNN.com's senior vice president and senior executive producer.
"It is heart-warming and restorative to see such generosity and goodness emerging from this truly unspeakable horror."
I suspect there will be several cosmetic surgeries involved. Anyone know how good are they at fixing this kind of stuff nowadays? Any cool new treatments out there?
#2
So -- good on CNN. Don't they just feel soooo good about themselves and this story and it's happy ending, that they, by publishing this story, got help for this young man.
/sarc
Our soldiers have been reporting doing these kind acts of goodness for the last 3-4 years. If CNN and other MSM had "reported" more stories like this one, well, I believe the approval rating of this war and our Pres would be much, much higher.
Plus, Americans, by taking interests in these stories and donating time and money, would feel a part of this war. Marines wouldn't have to hold up signs with "Marines are at war, Americans are at the Mall."
Another example of our MSM not supporting our military -- by not telling these kinds of stories.
CNN finally gets one right, and look at the credit THEY are taking. Selfish of them, it is.
An investigating officer recommended Thursday dismissing all charges against a Marine accused of murdering two girls in an assault that killed 24 civilians in the Iraqi town of Haditha. Lance Cpl. Stephen B. Tatum, 26, is charged with unpremeditated murder of two girls and negligent homicide on suspicion that he unlawfully killed two men, a woman and a boy. He is also accused of assaulting another boy and a girl.
Investigating officer Lt. Col. Paul Ware said the evidence was too weak for a court-martial. Tatum shot and killed civilians, but "he did so because of his training and the circumstances he was placed in, not to exact revenge and commit murder," Ware wrote. "I believe (Lance Cpl.) Tatum's real life experience and training on how to clear a room took over and his body instinctively began firing while his head tried to grasp at what and why he was firing," Ware wrote. "By the time he could recognize that he was shooting at children, his body had already acted.
Ware's recommendation is nonbinding. Lt. Gen. James Mattis, the commanding general overseeing the case, has final say about whether Tatum will be court-martialed.
#1
I believe that shoot and no shoot in war belongs to the authority of higher being. If there is no way to exhume a body and no way to CSI this,there is no case. I do think something very wrong was done.
Yes, and you know what it was? It was "insurgents" (otherwise known as 'bloodthirsty moon-god death cultist pieces of shit') firing from residential areas and rooftops of homes, knowing there were women and children inside and that the American forces would retaliate.
Given the same situation, in the same circumstances, I doubt anyone here would have reacted any differently. Clear the men. Leave them alone.
#4
Ala Mark Levin, how about a Rantburg Surge? Contact John Murtha 202-225-2065. Ask John Murtha when the Congressman intends to either apologize or resign. Be respectful. Go!
#5
This whole situation was a joke from the get-go. Just like Abu Ghraib. Just like Lt Pantano. We can police our own. Pay the locals their blood money and move on. Yes, I'm cynical, & no, I don't care. I'm sick of media stoking a burn pit until it turns into a full fledged forest fire. Pathetic western elitist muslim-apologists performing corporal mortification on themselves for having to come to grips w/the realities of war...while our enemies laugh at us. I contemplate "all enemies foreign and domestic" more & more each day........
#6
terrorists hiding behind women and children with these so called civilians protecting and giving them a place to hide.
I hate that this gives our guys a momment of hesitation that they may be slammed with a war crime, this really sucks.
There was a chapter in Lone Survivor about this very thing, which ended up getting them killed.
Posted by: Jan from work ||
08/24/2007 9:16 Comments ||
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#7
I do hope this has repercussions for those who decided to proceed with this case against all common sense. It was so obviously a propaganda attempt by the enemy to win in the court what had been lost on the battlefield.
Dear Broadhead6, the political battlefield here at home is being reshaped even as we type... and every month there are fewer "journalists" receiving paychecks as the profitability of the MSM continues ever deeper into the red resulting from the work of their poison-tipped pens. They have been creating their own doom, as have the ever more despised "anti-war" members of both houses of Congress. The latest Rasmussen poll puts Congress' approval rating at the lowest since the that question was first asked in the early 1970s.
#8
Dear Broadhead6, the political battlefield here at home is being reshaped even as we type... and every month there are fewer "journalists" receiving paychecks as the profitability of the MSM continues ever deeper
No problem. The MSM will be funded either by billionaires with axes to grind and selfguilt complexes or by our friends teh Saudis.
Solution is when people no longer trust teh medias even for learning the day's date.
#11
I called Murtha's office today. I asked if he was going to issue an apology to the troops he slandered. The phone girl said he doesn't have a statement as the case is ongoing. I pointed out that didn't stop him from the slander a couple of months ago. She said she'd pass it on.
#13
Many Senators and Representative accept e-mails from anybody, but there are a select few that only accept e-mail from their constituents. The short list is Pelosi, Murtha, and (Majority Whip?)Steny Hoyer.
So I have (in the past) written all of them letters complaining about how they speak for all the people, but only listen to a tiny fraction. I never get a response, of course, because it's six weeks later by the time the mail has been de-anthraxed, etc.
It does, however, make me feel ever-so-slightly better.
Posted by: Bobby ||
08/24/2007 16:20 Comments ||
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#14
You can't even rely on the MSM news accounts to decently wipe your arse.
#15
#11: I called Murtha's office today. I asked if he was going to issue an apology to the troops he slandered. The phone girl said he doesn't have a statement as the case is ongoing. I pointed out that didn't stop him from the slander a couple of months ago. She said she'd pass it on.
Sorry, you wasted a phone call, her job is to NOT "pass it on" to make the complaints vanish, if she did "Pass it on" she'd be fired.
Posted by: Redneck Jim ||
08/24/2007 17:57 Comments ||
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#16
If Pelosi and her gang had an OUNCE of decency they would censure that dingbat Murtha for wrongly accusing our Marines. But I know better.
#17
So you live in a state not affected by illegal aliens, or so you think. Did you know that they count illegal aliens in the census? Well they do and these numbers are put towards how the population is apportioned for seats in Congress.
so if the illegals are in their jurisdiction they could call 'their' congress critters, but we can't?!
I was shocked to learn that illegals are counted in deciding how many seats for that state. It should be citizens.
Posted by: Jan ||
08/24/2007 22:42 Comments ||
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The first sign of serious tension between Gordon Brown and President George W Bush over Iraq have emerged as a senior US general said the withdrawal of British troops was creating a security crisis in the south of the country.
Gen Jack Keane, who is close to the White House and was the architect of the American troop "surge" in Baghdad this year, said the policy was helping to turn Basra into a city of "gangland warfare". "I think what has happened is that they [the insurgents] know British numbers are going down and see the character of operations is changing," he told The Daily Telegraph. They sense it and have got the momentum going. That's what's happening. There is a power play but they know no one is going to interfere with them."
The remarks represent the first public questioning of British strategy by a senior US military official since Mr Brown became Prime Minister at the end of June.
Gen Keane said the situation had deteriorated to the point where military commanders had even considered using US forces to reinforce the dwindling British presence. Privately, some US and British commanders believe that by backing the phased withdrawal and hinting that Afghanistan is a higher priority, Mr Brown is buoying up the morale of insurgents.
The Ministry of Defence said there were problems in Basra but claimed that the ability of Iraq's own security forces to confront them was improving.
Liam Fox, the shadow defence secretary, accused Mr Brown of ignoring the Iraq issue while soldiers were dying. He said: ''Our forces deserve clear political leadership, which is singularly lacking at present while our troops are toiling in a very deadly and difficult situation.''
The number of British troops in Iraq has fallen from 7,200 at the start of this year to 5,500. This will drop to 5,000 by the beginning of next month.
Posted by: lotp ||
08/24/2007 00:00 ||
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#1
More shame for England. And no alternative government on offer. We will live to regret this time for generations to come.
A witness on Thursday accused Chemical Ali, Saddam Husseins most notorious hatchet man, of killing her sons by throwing them out of a helicopter during the crushing of an Iraqi Shiite rebellion. The mother, giving testimony in the trial of 15 Saddam aides accused of crimes against humanity over the brutal repression of the 1991 rebellion in southern Iraq, vented her fury against Ali Hassan al-Majid, widely known as Chemical Ali. Speaking from behind a curtain to protect her identity, the woman accused Saddams army of arresting her family members and later said Majid himself had killed her two sons. The army detained my two sons, my brother and my niece on March 3, 1991, she told the court on the third day of the trial. Nine days later, my brother and niece were released and they told me that Ali Hasan al-Majid had executed my two sons by throwing them out of a helicopter into the Gulf.
Posted by: Fred ||
08/24/2007 00:00 ||
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#2
Nine days later, my brother and niece were released and they told me that Ali Hasan al-Majid had executed my two sons by throwing them out of a helicopter into the Gulf.
Tonight's Episode: Jooo Hunt Gone Bad...
PCHRs preliminary investigation indicates that at approximately 00:00 on Sunday, 19 August 2007, armed Palestinian groups deployed in the village of El-Fokhar southeast of Khan Yunis after news spread of the infiltration of special Israeli forces in the area. An exchange of fire took place between these groups due to a mix up, with the groups suspecting each other to be the infiltrating force. It became clear afterwards that no Israeli forces infiltrated into the area of the clash. Three residents of El-Fokhari were injured in the clash:
Abdallah Sami El-Omur (22), injured by a bullet in the right hand.
Reyad Khader El-Omur (21), injured by a bullet in the right leg.
Sari Ali El-Omur (22), injured by a bullet in the left leg. Disappointing. No foot shots. But the "hat trick" for the El-Omur family!
The injured were taken to the European Hospital in Khan Yunis for treatment, where their injuries were listed as moderate. It hurts when I do this.
Well ,then don't do that.
PCHR is concerned over this incident that constitutes a continuation of security chaos in the OPT. The Centre calls upon the PNA, represented by the Attorney-General, to investigate the incident and prosecute the perpetrators. Aw, c'mon guys, cut em a break. They thought it was Jooos. At least they meant well
Looks like Hamas got it all under control...
Gaza Ma'an Gaza's municipality workers have been striking for two weeks in protest against the non-receipt of their salaries. In consequence, rubbish is piled high in the streets. On Friday, the Gazan population began to burn their rubbish. Suha Arafat got paid last week. Did you?
Local residents of Gaza complained of rubbish blockading the homes of people all over the strip. Now the thick smoke from the rubbish is blacking-out the sky. Might be a good time for a sewage flood...
In addition, Gaza is at threat from Israeli attacks and is experiencing frequent electricity outages. Geez, everything happens to them...
A woman in Gaza, Om Abdullah, described the stench created by the burning rubbish around her home last night, "this pollution is making my children sick," she said. "My youngest children were sent to the children's clinic several times as their chests inflamed from the smoke." She also said that her family are also suffering from water shortages. Ismail Haniyeh feels your pain I'm sure...
A Gazan supermarket owner, Abu Muhammad, said "life in Gaza during this summer was almost impossible due to blackouts for several days, and in my home there was not even a drop of water." A young man, Wisam, said "human beings cannot spend hours in this heat without even taking one shower a day." Awwwwwww, that's...too bad.
Ma'an attempted to speak to paediatricians in Gaza to find out the impact of the burning rubbish on children's health. The doctors apologized and said they were unavailable for interview due to an overwhelming number of patients needing treatment. So I guess from this we could imply that sucking in trash fire smoke can't be good for kids?
#1
A young man, Wisam, said "human beings cannot spend hours in this heat without even taking one shower a day."
Suck it up, Wisam. The prophet (bees pee upon him) probably didn't take a shower in his entire life. So you are just emulating him, like you should.
#5
The Jooo Macro used to be F11, but now we have a perl script that automatically inserts it into each story.
As for the sewage flood putting out the garbage fires, what a special effects dream! Just the thing for my screenplay "Escape From Gaza". Anyone know what Snake Plissken is up to these days?
Posted by: Unineting Prince of the Faith4345 ||
08/24/2007 14:31 Comments ||
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#8
I thought that it was reported here the other day that public workers WERE being paid, but had to stay home, I'm so confused. But the bottom line is, the garbage is still piling up in Gaza AND there is still trash in the streets.....(bring on the sh!t tsunami)
#13
Steve, look up. Rantburg is run by PHP, not Perl. With Perl, you could get a soothing haiku with every story.
Posted by: Eric Jablow ||
08/24/2007 22:04 Comments ||
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#14
Steve, look up. Rantburg is run by PHP...
I wasn't refering to the 'burg, where we know it's all about joos, Jooos, Joooos I tell you! but to whatever meme-spewing systems these media hacks compose their drivel on. Probably WinCE, because that is what it makes me do!
GAZA - Hamas said on Thursday its elite Executive Force, which helped the Islamist group seize control of the Gaza Strip in June, will become the territorys main police force. The announcement was largely a sham symbolic because the 6,000-man Executive Force has been carrying out day-to-day policing duties since the group routed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbass secular Fatah forces.
The official police force in Gaza, loyal to Fatah, has refused to work under the Islamists.
Taher al-Nono, a spokesman for Haniyehs administration, said the bulk of the Executive Force would become policemen. They will be dispersed in various roles, including launching rockets at the Zionists anti-drug, beating up on Fatah criminal investigation and collecting ammo for the widows traffic control, to get those departments running again after the old policemen were killed refused to return to their jobs, Nono said. He said a few hundred men would remain as a separate force.
But seriously, folks. Isn't it just plain hilarious watching Hamas use typically craptacular methods to win the hearts and minds of their fellow Muslims? Could it happen to more deserving people? Could I give a flying rat's ass?
Palestinians prefer the Western-backed government of Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salaam Fayad over the ousted Hamas government, although residents of the Gaza Strip believe their security has improved since Hamas seized control of the area, according to a poll released Thursday.
The survey by the Palestinian Jerusalem Media and Communications Center, an independent and respected polling firm, was the first since Hamas took over Gaza in five days of bloody fighting in June. Following the takeover, PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas threw Hamas out of the unity government with his Fatah Party and formed his new Cabinet based in the West Bank. Hamas, which continues to control Gaza, refuses to recognize the new government.
47 percent said the Fayad government is performing better than the previous Hamas-led Cabinet led by Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh. In comparison, 24 percent favored Haniyeh's government, while 23 percent said there was no difference between the two governments.
In the new poll, 47 percent said the Fayad government is performing better than the previous Hamas-led Cabinet led by Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh. In comparison, 24 percent favored Haniyeh's government, while 23 percent said there was no difference between the two governments. Six percent did not answer.
Even in Hamas's Gaza stronghold, 47 percent of respondents said they think the Fayad government is performing better than Haniyeh's government, compared with 31 percent who say Fayyad is worse.
Still, Gaza residents say their security situation has improved since Hamas took power. The group has pledged to restore law and order to the chaotic area, banning public displays of weapons. According to the poll, 44 percent of Gaza respondents said their personal security has improved, while 31 percent said it has become worse.
However, with Gaza facing isolation and economic hardship, 45 percent of Gazans say the general situation has worsened, while 34 percent say it is better. More than 61 percent of Palestinians oppose the reported Israeli offer of an exchange of territories in a peace agreement, while 38 percent support the idea, the poll found. Israeli media reports say Israelis have proposed the swap in recent negotiations. Almost 82 percent of those questioned oppose the proposal's premise that Israel would get control of West Bank land where Jewish settlements are located.
The poll indicated diminished support for Hamas, which trounced Fatah in January 2006 legislative elections.
When asked which party they support, 34 percent of the respondents said Fatah and 21 percent said Hamas. The same question before Hamas takeover in June brought Fatah 33 percent and Hamas 29 percent. If presidential elections were held today, Abbas would get 20 percent of the vote, Haniyeh 18 percent and Marwan Barghouti - a Fatah leader imprisoned by Israel - would get 16 percent.
The question did not take into account the possibility that Abbas or Barghouti might pull out of such a race to back the other in a showdown with Hamas. The poll questioned 1,200 people in the Gaza Strip and West Bank and had a margin of error of 3 percentage points.
Posted by: Fred ||
08/24/2007 00:00 ||
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Top|| File under: Palestinian Authority
#1
According to the poll, 44 percent of Gaza respondents said their personal security has improved, while 31 percent said it has become worse.
However, with Gaza facing isolation and economic hardship, 45 percent of Gazans say the general situation has worsened, while 34 percent say it is better.
#2
Riiight . . . they support it now. Now that they've seen just how much life sucks when it's run by people who think they know what Allah wants.
But I'd bet my life's savings that after a year of a Western-backed government's rule, once the internal fighting has died down, they'll happily elect anyone who promises to bring a Massive Jihad of Resistance and Revenge(C) against Israel.
Posted by: The Doctor ||
08/24/2007 9:06 Comments ||
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Britain this week refused entry visas to a team of Palestinian soccer players who were scheduled to play exhibition games across the UK. The decision came days before the Palestinian Under-19 team was due to arrive for a three-week tournament, with the opening game against Chester City set for next Thursday. Other games were scheduled against Tranmere Rovers on September 4 and Blackburn Rovers on September 8.
The players were told the visas were blocked because of a perceived risk they would not return home to Gaza, the BBC reported.
The team's visa applications were rejected "after every member failed to meet entry criteria."
According to the British Consulate in Jerusalem, the team's visa applications were rejected "after every member failed to meet entry criteria," the report stated.
The ban has been criticized by War On Want, a charity based in London that is under investigation by the UK Charity Commission for allegedly violating its charity status for political campaigning. It was "hypocrisy" for the UK to deny entry to the Palestinian team but to allow the Israeli national squad entry to play England in London on September 8 in a Euro 2008 qualifier, War on Want said. "The refusal stands in marked contrast to the welcome given the Israeli national team, due to play England at Wembley on 8 September. This is despite calls for that match to be canceled in protest of continuing Israeli assaults on Palestinian towns, including the bombing of the national football stadium," said the charity.
Posted by: Fred ||
08/24/2007 00:00 ||
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Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas has recently made it clear that he does not intend to run for another term, PA officials here said Thursday. Abbas, who was elected in January 2005 in the first presidential election in the PA following the death of his predecessor, Yasser Arafat, prefers to retire and devote more time to his family, the officials told The Jerusalem Post.
"I doubt if the president will run for another term," said one aide. "He has hinted more than once that he is tired and wants to relax."
They also pointed out that the 73-year-old Abbas, who has devoted more than half of his life to "serving the Palestinian cause," believes that he and other old timers in the PLO should step aside and pave the way for younger leaders to emerge.
Abbas, according to some of his aides, is planning to call early elections within the next six months. "I doubt if the president will run for another term," said one aide. "He has hinted more than once that he is tired and wants to relax."
Abbas's status within his own Fatah faction has been dealt a severe blow following Hamas's violent takeover of the Gaza Strip last June. Many Fatah leaders and activists have openly blamed him for the Hamas "coup," saying it was Abbas's conciliatory approach toward Hamas increased the Islamist movement's appetite.
Posted by: Fred ||
08/24/2007 00:00 ||
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#1
He's this nice little villa on the shore of lake Geneva.
Posted by: Fred ||
08/24/2007 00:00 ||
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#1
Unfortunately, IDF doesn't have enough Arrows. Arrow is very expensive, and Israel's attempt to defry some of the costs by selling Arrows to India was blocked by our dear friends---mustn't interfere with Patriot sales.
#2
Especially since the US has already paid $2 billion for Arrow for Israelis and still pays 50% for more systems. How much have Israelis contributed? BTW, where are the missiles built, using whose technology?
Posted by: ed ||
08/24/2007 7:31 Comments ||
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#3
Perhaps the most annoying part of this is that Israel seems to make no effort to use counter missile fire, but wants to fight purely defense. The Syrians are probably terribly weak in their own anti-missiles defenses and damage control, and if the Israelis used appropriate retaliation, they would think twice.
For example, let it be known that if attacked, they would strongly target all the assets of the Alawite Shiites, the 10% minority ruling tribe. They would be thrilled with Assad for that.
But Israel's policy seems to be "nothing, or massive nuclear attack", which is downright stupid.
#7
US paid for research BA, and has full access to the tech. Which is a huge benefit to USA, because none of your firms haven't come with anything even close. Let me give you a hint: how do you distinguish between first rate & seconf rate USA high tech companies?
Posted by: Mike N. ||
08/24/2007 16:29 Comments ||
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#10
Let's see what army-technology.com has to say. Boeing is responsible for production of approximately 50% of the missile components in the US, including the electronics section, booster motorcase and missile canister.
Boeing also co-ordinates the production of Arrow missile components being manufactured by more than 150 American companies, including ATK (first and second stage rocket motor cases and first stage nozzle).
BTW, the seeker is built by Raytheon. You know the folks who build the Patriots and Standard missiles. The dual seeker looks to be lifted from Standard-IIIB (10 years old).
Doesn't leave a whole lot for the Israelis to do. But wait: The first stage booster is manufactured by Israel
The warhead is a high explosive directed blast fragmentation warhead developed by Rafael,
So do stuff the interceptor with rocket fuel and explosives and call it a day.
The fundamental problem of Arrow is that is uses a blast fragmentation warhead (Like Patroit I & 2). In Gulf War I, it was found that the warhead must be destroyed, else it will land and explode somewhere. US TBM projects like THAAD or Standard SM-3 are more ambitious, designed to intercept 5000km range missiles in the exoatmosphere. All US ATBM designs use hit to kill.
Another note is Arrow is sized to intercept 1000km range missiles (i.e. fired from Iran). Syrian missiles (e.g. Iskander, 280km range) are much more efficiently intercepted by PAC-III.
Not only did the US pay for the R&D and builds most of it, but still pays for Israeli acquisition of it. Not much of a deal for the US. Any data can be aquired for less than $2 billion, of which did not come from the $2.4 yearly US-Israeli military aid, but special and separate appropriations from Congress. BTW, have the Israelis sold the tech to China yet, like they did with Patriot only a year after the US gave it to the Israelis?
Posted by: ed ||
08/24/2007 17:20 Comments ||
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#11
In February 2003, IAI signed an agreement with Boeing to establish the production infrastructure to manufacture components of the Arrow missile in the US.
[that is, the money actually goes to american companies] Boeing will be responsible for the production of approximately 50% of the missile components in the US. Boeing will produce various missile components and co-ordinate the production of existing Arrow missile components already being manufactured by more than 150 American companies. IAI will be responsible for integration and final assembly of the missile in Israel.
The system's development is jointly funded by the United States and Israel. Since 1988, the United States has provided Israel with more than $628 million in grants for research and development of the Arrow through the defense budget. When fully deployed, Israel will have paid for 60% of the program, which is ultimately expected to cost about $1 billion.
The Elta Green Pine early warning and fire control radar for the Arrow system. The radar can detect targets at ranges up to about 500km and is able to track targets at speeds over 3,000m/s.
The Arrow Weapon System features a state-of-the-art EL/M2080 L-band radar, Green Pine
[without which it's just an expensive Scud], based on the decades of experience in developing technological solutions for early warning and fire control defense systems.
The Elta Electronic Industries subsidiary of IAI Electronic Group developed the Green Pine early warning and fire control radar for the Arrow system. The radar carries the designation EL/M-2090 and includes the trailer mounted radar and antenna array, the power generator, a cooling system and a radar control centre.
Green Pine is an electronically scanned, solid state, phased array radar operating at L-band in the range 500MHz to 1,000MHz, and was developed from the Elta Music phased array radar. The radar operates in search, detection, tracking and missile guidance modes simultaneously.
BTW, have the Israelis sold the tech to China yet, like they did with Patriot only a year after the US gave it to the Israelis?
Seems to be an article of faith with you people---exactly the same way your EUro cousins believe that we deprived Palestinians of their land.
#13
You know TW, now then I think of it---it's kind of funny. Americans, of certain type, endlessly complain that their government f*cks them over. However, exactly the same people rise in wrath then I say that USG has been f*cking Israel over for 30 years. Maybe I should start addressing them in Spanish?
#14
When fully deployed, Israel will have paid for 60% of the program, which is ultimately expected to cost about $1 billion.
Ah, no. The US has already paid for about $2 billion. The crux of funding is:
http://multinationalmonitor.org/hyper/issues/1988/04/mm0488_06.html There have been a few disagreements, however. Israel felt betrayed when Washington offered direct financing for only 50 percent of the ATBM project, with the further stipulation that at least 10 percent of the remainder had to be Israeli money, rather than recycled U.S. aid. Israel had expected all costs to be picked up by Washington, either directly or indirectly.
That's only a 10% Israeli money requirement.
According to a 1993 General Accounting Office (GAO) report, the United States had paid $553.4 million of the Arrow project's $579.5 million cost as of the end of fiscal year 1995
That's 95.5% US funding till 1995.
US funding includes 50% of the $1.6 billion R&D funded by extradinary Congressional grants plus the yearly military aid to Israel. The total R&D phase has cost the US taxpayer $1.3 billion. Israel picked up the tab for the Green Pine radar (and fire control as far as I know).
1.3/1.6 = 81% directly traceable to the US. Green Pine dev and components sourced from the US is unknown.
Congratulations on the Green Pine. The US used L band radar in WW2 and has progressed several generations to X-band for the ABM role, though I do give credit for the phased array, a miniature of that in US service in the mid 1970s (e.g. Cobra Dane early warning). Israel has already sold it to India. Any doubt it would have been sold to China if the US did not threaten consequences?
Since 1988, the United States has provided Israel with about $1 billion in grants for research and development of the Arrow anti-missile missile (Global Security Newswire,
March 15, 2002).
Then there is procurement. US extraordinary funding for almost all the first battery and second batteries. Only half of the third battery price ($81.6M extraordinary funding) has been approved by Congress. Most of the rest will be paid with regular US mil aid (assuming Congress doesn't pony up even more money).
To give you a feeling for the extraordinary US aid (in addition to yearly military aid). This is several years old: In addition to the foreign assistance, the
United States has provided Israel with $625
million to develop and deploythe Arrow anti-
missile missile (an ongoing project), $1.3
billion to develop theLavi aircraft (cancelled),
$200 million to develop the Merkava tank
(operative), $130 million to develop the high
energy laser anti-missile system (ongoing),
and other military projects. In FY2000 the
United States provided Israel an additional
$1.2 billion to fund the Wye agreement, and in
FY2002 the United States provided an
additional $200 million in anti-terror
assistance.
So tell me again how the US is screwring Israel? That or buy a clue. I'm sure the US taxpayer will fund that too.
Posted by: ed ||
08/24/2007 22:26 Comments ||
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#15
USA also provided (approx) a trillion in military aid to its various Islamic allies. That doesn't include 300 billion spent on bringing democracy to Iraq. But, for some reason---you expect a lot more from Israel than from your other allies.
So tell me again how the US is screwring Israel?
Sinai (twice), Judea & Samaria. Lavi. Sabotaging Israel's trade with China*. Training Paleo terrorists. The recent Lebanese war. Forcing Israel to finance Paleo terrorism. Interfering in Israel's internal politics.
*I don't mention the accusations of Israel's floging US tech to China because none ever came from official sources---who can't afford to make statements they can't substantiate.
China's Missile Imports and Assistance From Israel
China's missile-related imports and assistance from Israel have been a subject of particular concern in the United States because of worries that Israel may be providing China with "back door" access to controlled, sensitive US technology. For example, in the early 1990s, reports surfaced that Israel had secretly transferred information on the US Patriot missile system to China, in violation of Israel's promise to the United States not to transfer the Patriot technology to any third country. Although both China and Israel denied the allegations, US government sources concluded that it was almost certain that a transfer of technology (though not physical equipment) had taken place.
China is reportedly using the Patriot technology to improve its surface-to-air missile (SAM) systems and to develop countermeasures against the Patriot for its ballistic and cruise missiles; reports also indicated that China intended to sell these SAMs and enhanced missiles to other countries, possibly including Iran. Reports suggested various Israeli motives for the transfer: some suggested that Israel had traded Patriot information for information on China's missiles; others asserted that Israel's transfer of Patriot technology was intended to encourage China to curtail its sales of ballistic missiles to countries in the Middle East such as Syria and Iran.
In addition to the alleged Patriot technology transfer, Israel has allegedly supplied China with cruise missile technology, including sensitive US technology. Specifically, Israel is allegedly assisting China with the development of its YF-12A, YJ-62, and YJ-92 cruise missiles.
...
Since the cancellation of the Phalcon radar deal, Israel has assisted China in other areas including the development of the HQ-9/FT-2000, a surface-to-air missile, which would possibly use U.S. seeker technology. It has also assisted China in the area of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV). In July 2002, China deployed Israeli "Harpy" anti-radar drones in military exercises in Fujian Province.
...
An Israeli official, electing to remain anonymous, suggested that Israel would continue to sell to China military equipment available on the global arms market.
Posted by: ed ||
08/24/2007 22:41 Comments ||
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#17
Our tech Eddy, not your---we're not your slaves yet.
#18
Yours as a thief would claim.
Arrow 80-90% paid by US.
Lavi 90% paid by US. Sold to Cina. Now J-10.
Patriot 100% paid by US. Data sold to China. Countermeasures incorporated into ballistic missiles, some aimed at israel.
Python-3 direct copy of AIM-9L. Entire manufacturing line sold to China as PL-9.
Want more?
Posted by: ed ||
08/24/2007 23:00 Comments ||
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#19
Of course, the easy way to solve the problem of America butting in on internal Israel policy or Israeli foreign military actions would be to simply tell the U.S. to go away.
maybe I should address them in Spanish
Maybe you should sponge Spanish tax dollars instead.
Posted by: Mike N. ||
08/24/2007 23:38 Comments ||
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Hamas supremo Khaled Meshaal said efforts to end the bitter feud with Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas were deadlocked because of Israeli and US meddling, and insisted his men would stay in control of Gaza. And he warned in an interview with AFP that despite renewed efforts to forge peace between Israel and the Palestinians, resistance remained the only option for Hamas, whose charter calls for the destruction of the Jewish state.
Mediation efforts are at an impasse because they have shut all doors and rejected Palestinian and other Arab mediation, Meshaal said in a telephone interview from Syria.
Mediation efforts are at an impasse because they (Abbass Fatah faction) have shut all the doors and rejected Palestinian and other Arab mediation, including initiatives by some Fatah officials, Meshaal said in a telephone interview from Syria. Israeli and American interference is responsible for blocking the reconciliation, he said.
Fierce rivalry between Hamas and Abbass secular Fatah boiled over into deadly fighting which saw the Islamist movement seize control of the Gaza Strip in mid-June, effectively splitting the Palestinians into two separate entities. The Western-backed Abbas sacked the Hamas-led government in the wake of the takeover and has since repeatedly said he is steadfastly opposed to any dialogue with Hamas until it returns the Gaza Strip to his authority. But Meshaal said: We have not taken Gaza in order to give it back to them... We have defended our legitimacy against warlords who were preparing a coup with the help of the Americans and the Israelis.
Posted by: Fred ||
08/24/2007 00:00 ||
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#1
is Meshaal still hiding in Damascus? Why doesn't he return in glory to his lil bit o' hell, Gaza?
Can you say "coward"? I knew ya could.
Posted by: Frank G ||
08/24/2007 7:11 Comments ||
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#2
resistance remained the only option for Hamas, whose charter calls for the destruction of the Jewish state.
Well, doesn't that have "Crush me like a bug" written all over it! Hard to live with neighbors who are determined to kill you.
For a quarter of a century, the regime established by Khomeini has been labelled a mullahrchy, a theocracy dominated by the Shiite clergy.
Now, however, those familiar with the Iranian situation know that a majority of Shiite clerics never converted to Khomeinism and did not endorse the Islamic Republic. In the past few years, especially since the election of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as President in 2005, those mullahs who had converted to Khomeinism have lost some of their power privileges.
Today, it is safe to say that the dominant force within the ruling establishment in Tehran is the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). This is, perhaps, one reason the Bush administration in Washington is mulling the possibility of declaring the IRGC a terrorist organisation.
Were this to happen, the US would be labelling as terrorist the principal force that ensures the survival of the Islamic Republic.
The trouble, however, is that the IRGC is not a monolith, and to label all of its as terrorist may make it difficult to make deals with parts of it when, and if, an opportunity arises.
Any analysis of the IRGC must take into account a number of facts.
First, the IRGC is not a revolutionary army in the sense that the ALN was in Algeria or the Vietcong in Vietnam. Those two were born during the so-called revolutionary wars in which they became key players.
The IRGC was created after the Khomeinist revolution had succeeded.
This fact is of crucial importance.
Those who joined the IRCG came from all sorts of backgrounds. The majority were opportunists who wanted to jump on the bandwagon. By joining the IRGC, an individual would not only obtain revolutionary credentials, often on fictitious grounds, but would also secure a well-paid job, at a time that economic collapse made jobs rare.
Joining the IRGC enabled many who had cooperated with the ancien regime to re-write their CVs and obtain a new revolutionary virginity, so to speak.
Membership of the IRGC ensured access to rare goods and services, from colour television sets to more decent housing.
As the years went by, IRGC membership provided a fast track to social, political and economic success. Today, more than half Ahmadinejads Cabinet ministers are members of the IRCG, as is the president himself. IRCG members hold nearly a third of seats in the Islamic Consultative Assembly (Majlis), the ersatz parliament Khomeini created in 1979. Twenty of Irans 30 provinces have governors from the IRGC.
IRGC members have also started capturing key posts in the diplomatic service. Today, for the first time, the Islamic Republics ambassadors in such important places as the United Nations in New York and embassies in a dozen Western capitals are members of the IRGC.
More importantly, perhaps, the IRGC acts as a business conglomerate with interests in many sectors of the economy. By some accounts, the IRGC is Irans third corporation after the National Iranian Oil Company and the Imam Reza Foundation in Mashhad.
In 2004, a Tehran University study, estimated the annual turnover of IRGC businesses at $12 billion. The privatisation package prepared by Ahmadinejad is likely to increase the IRGCs economic clout. Almost all of the public sector companies marked for privatisation, at a total value of $18 billion, are likely to end up in IRGC hands or its individual commanders.
The IRGC also controls the lucrative business of exporting the revolution estimated to be worth $1.2 billion a year. It finances branches of the Hezballah movement in at least 20 countries, including some in Europe, and provides money, arms and training for radical groups with leftist backgrounds. In recent years it has emerged as a major backer of the armed wing of the Palestinian Hamas and both Shiite and Sunni armed groups in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan.
The Islamic Republic is believed to have invested some $20 billion in Lebanon since 1983. In most cases, the Lebanese branch of the Hezballah nominally in control. But a closer examination reveals that in most cases the Lebanese companies are fronts for Iranian concerns controlled by the IRGC. Hezballahs business empire, the source of much of its power in Lebanon, is like a house of cards that could collapse with an adverse breeze from Tehran.
The crown jewel of the IRGCs business empire is the Islamic Republics nuclear programme that has cost the nation over $10 billion so far. This is part of a broader scheme of arms purchases and manufacture, accounting for almost 11 per cent of the annual national budget.
For all that, IRGC is more of a franchise chain than a corporation controlled by a board of directors. This is why a more sophisticated approach may be needed in dealing with it.
The IRGC is divided into five commands, each of which has a direct line to the Supreme Guide Ali Khamenehi, a mid-ranking mullah, himself one of the earliest members of the force in 1980.
To minimise the risk of coup detat, IRGCs senior officers of are not allowed to engage in sustained communication with one another on sensitive subjects.
Of the five commands in question, two could be regarded asterrorist according to the US State Departments definition that, needless to say, is rejected by the Islamic Republic.
One, which includes the so-called Jerusalem (Quds) Corps, is in charge of exporting the revolution. Apart from Hezballah and Hamas it runs a number of radical groups across the globe.
The second command that could be targeted deals with internal repression. It operates through several auxiliary forces, including the notorious Karbala brigades charged with crushing popular revolts in Tehran. Many Iranians see these as instruments of terror.
The IRGCs officers corps, including those in retirement, numbers around 55,000 and is as divided on domestic and foreign policies as the rest of the society.
Some IRGC former commanders who did not share the Islamic Republics goals have already defected to the United States. Hundreds of others have gone into low-profile exile, mostly as businessmen in The United Arab Emirates, Malaysia and Turkey. An unknown number were purged because they refused to kill anti-regime demonstrators in Iranian cities.
Many prominent IRGC commanders may be regarded as businessmen first and military leaders second. Usually, they have a brother or a cousin in Europe or Canada to look after their business interests and keep a channel open to small and big Satans in case the regime falls.
A few IRGC commanders, including some at the top, do not seek major military conflict with the United States that could wreck their business empires without offering victory on the battlefield.
There is no guarantee that, in case of a major war, all parts of the IRGC would show the same degree of commitment to the Islamic Republic. IRGC commanders may be prepared to kill unarmed Iranians or hire Lebanese, Palestinian and Iraqi radicals to kill others. But it is not certain they would be prepared to die for Ahmadinejads glory.
These concerns persuaded Khamenehi to announce a Defence Planning Commission last year, controlled by his office.
A blanket labelling of the IRGC, as opposed to targeting elements of it that do mischief against the Iranian people and others in the region and beyond, could prove counterproductive.
It could unite a deeply fractious force by leaving it no door through which some of its members could walk out of the dangerous situation they have helped create. And not all members of the Schutzstaffel were part of the Allgemeine-SS, which did not prevent the US from hanging a lot of the Waffen-SS with little remorse.
Lebanon's Democratic Gathering parliament bloc leader MP Walid Jumblatt declared Wednesday that the March 14 majority alliance would elect a new president by simple majority at any venue outside parliament and rejected the principle of choosing a head of state by consensus. Jumblatt, in an interview with the youth supplement of the daily an-Nahar to be published Thursday said "We will elect a president for the republic from the March 14 ranks by simple majority and in any venue outside parliament because the constitution permits this after the 14th of October." Excerpts of the interview were distributed by the state-run National News Agency (NNA).
He stressed on rejecting a new head of state by consensus saying: "If we accept the principle of consensus with the other side, which I term the foe that doesn't believe in the principles of the Cedars Revolution, we would waste the sacrifices of all our martyrs."
He accused Hezbollah of seeking to establish "a mini state" through purchasing property by "Iranian backing."
"They want to establish political, military and economic control over the nation," Jumblatt said of Hezbollah.
He said the "great battle" would be fought over choosing the team of Lebanese judges to the international tribunal that would try suspects in the 2005 killing of ex-Premier Rafik Hariri and related crimes. He accused Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri of becoming a "mail box for (Hezbollah leader) Hassan Nasrallah."
"Unfortunately Berri has finished himself with his own hands," he added.
The pro-Syrian opposition has been calling for convening the parliament and electing the president with 2 third majority. Their demand for the 2 third majority is to control the outcome of the elections and this is why they want to agree on a president by consensus before heading to the parliament on September 25, the date set by Speaker Berri. The idea is if no agreement is reached on a president by consensus, the opposition MPs will not show up at the parliament on September 25 and no election could take place because of lack of a quorum.
Posted by: Fred ||
08/24/2007 00:00 ||
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Top|| File under: Hezbollah
#1
I think he meant "male box"
Posted by: Frank G ||
08/24/2007 7:14 Comments ||
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House Speaker Nabih Berri on Thursday lashed out at rival Democratic Gathering leader MP Walid Jumblatt for accusing him of becoming a "mail box" for Hezbollah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah. "The parliament speaker has the honor to be a mail box for the resistance that he was the first to establish," Berri said in a statement released by his office.
The statement said Jumblatt's attack of the "parliament speaker is aimed at forcing him (Berri) to relinquish all positive initiatives and his incessant efforts to unify ranks which you constantly reject."
Jumblatt on Wednesday accused Berri of becoming a "mail box for Hassan Nasrallah." "Unfortunately Berri has finished himself with his own hands," Jumblatt said in an interview with the youth supplement of the daily An Nahar. Excerpts of the interview were distributed by the state-run National News Agency (NNA).
In 2005 Jumblatt was the leading supporter of Berri to be the speaker of the parliament and lobbied hard for him. Jumblatt lost faith in Berri after the resignation of the Shiite ministers from the cabinet. Jumblatt saw Berri transformed from being the leader of the Amal movement to becoming the rubber stamp of Hezbollah. Berri refused to convene the parliament ever since the Shiite Ministers resigned, despite pressure from several groups.
Berri's credibility suffered greatly during his November 2006 trip to Iran. He was asked right after the resignation of the Shiite ministers from the cabinet " if the cabinet was still constitutional " He responded by saying " of course it is " . He later , reportedly after pressure from Syria and Iran , retracted the statement and said the cabinet was unconstitutional .
Posted by: Fred ||
08/24/2007 00:00 ||
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Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guards are using front groups to beat UN sanctions and acquire weapons and material for Tehrans nuclear programme, an exiled opponent of the Iranian government said on Wednesday.
Alireza Jafarzadeh, who accurately disclosed important details about Irans nuclear programme in 2002, called for tighter UN curbs and swift US action to rein in the elite corps. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has been, consistently over the past few months, violating the United Nations resolutions 1737 and 1747, using different ways to evade the sanctions and import goods and material, Jafarzadeh said at a news conference in Washington.
Jafarzadeh provided names and details of 15 firms he said were operating as fronts for the Revolutionary Guards and its affiliates.
Jafarzadeh, who provided names and details of 15 firms he said were operating as fronts for the Revolutionary Guards and its affiliates, said the UN sanctions did not cover all of the firms that were abetting Irans nuclear drive. This is alarming because we have seen an upsurge of activities of the Iranian regime in regards to a whole host of rogue activities - both stepping up their engagement in terrorism in Iraq, but specifically on the weapons of mass destruction (and) the nuclear weapons programme, he said.
US needs to take action: Jafarzadeh said his information came from Iran-based members of the Peoples Mujahideen Organization of Iran, which seeks to topple Irans government and is on the US list of extremist organizations. Now a Washington consultant, he served as congressional liaison and spokesperson in the United States for the exiled National Council of Resistance of Iran for 12 years until 2003.
A staunch critic of Tehran, he has been vilified by Iran and pro-government groups. The list identified Toseeh Silo Co. and Sazeh Pardaz Co. of Iran as primary builders of Irans Natanz nuclear site. Jafarzadeh listed some prominent firms as front companies for the Revolutionary Guards and said other firms, including Iranian-owned companies in Dubai and Italy, played roles in Irans clandestine nuclear and weapons programmes. A lot of these organizations need to be added, not only to the United Nations Security Council Resolutions ... but, specifically, the United States needs to take action, he said.
Posted by: Fred ||
08/24/2007 00:00 ||
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At the urging of the American Library Associations Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF), a scholarly book pulped by its British publisher is maintaining a safe haven in U.S. libraries. Alms for Jihad was the target of a potential libel suit in England by Sheikh Khalid bin Mahfouz, whose charitable activities have reportedly been linked to terrorist activities, as conveyed in the book. In response, publisher Cambridge University Press (CUP) pulped its unsold copies of the book, put it out of print, asked libraries to pull it, and agreed to pay damages. CUP also issued a stunning public apology on its web site in which it characterized the "serious and defamatory allegations" against Mahfouz in Alms for Jihad as "manifestly false."
In a statement released last week, the OIF recommended libraries resist Cambridges request. Libraries "are under no legal obligation to return or destroy the book," said OIF deputy director Deborah Caldwell-Stone. "Libraries are considered to hold title to the individual copy or copies. Given the intense interest in the book, and the desire of readers to learn about the controversy firsthand, we recommend that U.S. libraries keep the book available for their users."
As of mid-August, Alms for Jihad was not available through Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, or Alibris. (About 1500 copies of the book were sold worldwide.) Libraries suddenly have an incredibly rare book in their stacks; a WorldCat search finds the book at nearly 300 libraries. Rather than discard the book, many libraries are safeguarding it, keeping it on hold, at the reserves desk. "I have recalled the copy of this title in order to place it in our Rare Books collection, where it may be read by anyone but not borrowed," said Dona Straley, Middle East Studies librarian at Ohio State University's Ackerman Library. "Several of my colleagues at other institutions have reported their copies as missing." That may be the case at University of North Carolina's Davis Library, whose catalog reveals that Alms for Jihad is "in search," meaning "someone has gone to the shelf to look for the book and not found it," said reference librarian Carol Tobin.
These sorts of measures may eventually be less necessary, because the authors hope to republish Alms for Jihad in the U.S. Co-author Robert O. Collins, a professor at University of California Santa Barbara, told LJ that he and co-author J. Millard Burr, a former state department employee, are currently negotiating with CUP for a rights reversion. The authors have had several offers from U.S. publishers.
"We stand by what we wrote and refused to be a party to the settlement," Collins said. "As soon as CUP received notice, they decided to settle as rapidly as possible despite our vigorous defense. CUP did not want to embark on a long and expensive suit which they could not win under English libel law." Indeed, libel laws in England are far more favorable to plaintiffs than those in the U.S.
Collins said he is confident Alms for Jihad will be republished in the U.S., where Mahfouz's charges would have little chance of succeeding in court. "In reality, the few passages referring to Mahfouz are trivial when compared to the enormous amount of information in the book that is in demand," Collins noted, adding that he has received calls from booksellers offering as much as $500 for copies.
#1
Sickening spineless Cambridge. At least Philby, Burgess, et al. believed in Communism. And at least the prior generation were genuine Nazi sympathizers/erstwhile collaborators. Now it is just KY for the musselmen.
#2
I am actually surprised the ALA is supporting this. Generally, they've supported our enemies, whether Red or Green.
Posted by: Gary and the Samoyeds ||
08/24/2007 9:13 Comments ||
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#3
Actually, it's probably their idea of a bit of fun. They'll watch the book get checked out never to be seen again and pat themselves on the back for helping their muzz brothers and sisters out...
Posted by: M. Murcek ||
08/24/2007 10:21 Comments ||
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#4
"Hi, we're Americans! Brit law don't mean squat to us!"
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.
(SomaliNet) One of the government soldiers in Somalia was on Thursday put to death after he was convicted of deliberately killing a comrade last month, local security official said. 
A witness on Thursday accused Chemical Ali, Saddam Husseins most notorious hatchet man, of killing her sons by throwing them out of a helicopter during the crushing of an Iraqi Shiite rebellion. The mother, giving testimony in the trial of 15 Saddam aides accused of crimes against humanity over the brutal repression of the 1991 rebellion in southern Iraq, vented her fury against Ali Hassan al-Majid, widely known as Chemical Ali. Speaking from behind a curtain to protect her identity, the woman accused Saddams army of arresting her family members and later said Majid himself had killed her two sons. The army detained my two sons, my brother and my niece on March 3, 1991, she told the court on the third day of the trial. Nine days later, my brother and niece were released and they told me that Ali Hasan al-Majid had executed my two sons by throwing them out of a helicopter into the Gulf.
GAZA - Hamas said on Thursday its elite Executive Force, which helped the Islamist group seize control of the Gaza Strip in June, will become the territorys main police force. The announcement was largely 
Palestinians prefer the Western-backed government of Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salaam Fayad over the ousted Hamas government, although residents of the Gaza Strip believe their security has improved since Hamas seized control of the area, according to a poll released Thursday. 
Britain this week refused entry visas to a team of Palestinian soccer players who were scheduled to play exhibition games across the UK. The decision came days before the Palestinian Under-19 team was due to arrive for a three-week tournament, with the opening game against Chester City set for next Thursday. Other games were scheduled against Tranmere Rovers on September 4 and Blackburn Rovers on September 8. 
Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas has recently made it clear that he does not intend to run for another term, PA officials here said Thursday. Abbas, who was elected in January 2005 in the first presidential election in the PA following the death of his predecessor, Yasser Arafat, prefers to retire and devote more time to his family, the officials told The Jerusalem Post. 
Hamas supremo Khaled Meshaal said efforts to end the bitter feud with Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas were deadlocked because of Israeli and US meddling, and insisted his men would stay in control of Gaza. And he warned in an interview with AFP that despite renewed efforts to forge peace between Israel and the Palestinians, resistance remained the only option for Hamas, whose charter calls for the destruction of the Jewish state. 
Lebanon's Democratic Gathering parliament bloc leader MP Walid Jumblatt declared Wednesday that the March 14 majority alliance would elect a new president by simple majority at any venue outside parliament and rejected the principle of choosing a head of state by consensus. Jumblatt, in an interview with the youth supplement of the daily an-Nahar to be published Thursday said "We will elect a president for the republic from the March 14 ranks by simple majority and in any venue outside parliament because the constitution permits this after the 14th of October." Excerpts of the interview were distributed by the state-run National News Agency (NNA).
House Speaker Nabih Berri on Thursday lashed out at rival Democratic Gathering leader MP Walid Jumblatt for accusing him of becoming a "mail box" for Hezbollah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah. "The parliament speaker has the honor to be a mail box for the resistance that he was the first to establish," Berri said in a statement released by his office.
Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guards are using front groups to beat UN sanctions and acquire weapons and material for Tehrans nuclear programme, an exiled opponent of the Iranian government said on Wednesday. 
