The Hizb-e-Islami Afghanistan (HIA) of Afghanistan's former premier Gulbuddin Hekmatyar has blamed the Northern Alliance (NA) for the suicide attack on the Indian embassy in Kabul last week. In a statement issued on Tuesday, the HIA said the alliance backed such terrorist attacks due to its animosity towards Pakistan. The statement dismissed Afghan President Hamid Karzai's allegations that Pakistan was behind the attack on the Indian embassy. Certain leaders holding positions in Karzai's cabinet belonged to the NA, the statement said, adding that those leaders were persecuting their own countrymen. "Those [NA] people want to create differences between India and Pakistan with such tactics," said the HIA statement issued in Pushto. Leaders of the alliance had killed Afghans along with the Red Army in past, it said, and now they are cohorts of the Americans. The HIA condemned the killing of innocent people in attacks by warring groups, and directed its "mujahideen" to avoid targeting civilians. Hekmatyar is the founder of the , and held the office of from 1993 to 1994 and again in 1996-97.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/16/2008 00:00 ||
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Top|| File under: Hizb-i-Islami-Hekmatyar
#1
I wonder if these guys actually believe the bullshit that comes outta their mouths?
(Xinhua) -- The Sudanese government warned Tuesday that UN peacekeeping work in its strife-torn region of Darfur region would suffer if President Omar al-Bashir were to be indicted for war crimes and arrested by the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Addressing a news conference in Nairobi, Sudanese ambassador to Kenya Majok Guangdong said the evidence by the ICC was false and indicated Sudan could try to halt the court's work through its allies.
"The decision will stall the political process and will not give an opportunity for success to the new AU/UN special envoy for peace in Darfur," Guangdong told journalists in Nairobi.
He said the Sudanese government will go ahead with implementing its joint plans and programs with the UN/AU with regard to the deployment of the hybrid forces and making success the political process in Darfur.
Guangdong said the country did not recognize the jurisdiction of the ICC and would rally support among allies in an attempt to block proceedings, warning that if the ICC pursued the case it could jeopardize relations between Sudan and the UN.
"Sudan is not party to the ICC and did not sign or ratify the Rome Statue, which created the Court, and hence it is not under the jurisdiction of the court," the ambassador told journalists in Nairobi.
"The Sudanese Judiciary is capable and willing to address the situation in Darfur according to the National Investigation Commission on Darfur and the Special Courts that were set up in this regard," he said.
ICC prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo on Monday requested the court at The Hague issue an arrest warrant for President al-Bashir, citing evidence linking the leader to acts of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.
"The decision will have a destructive effect on the humanitarian, political and security situation in Darfur. It encourages the rebel movements to continue and intensify their military operations against the government," Guangdong said.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/16/2008 00:00 ||
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Top|| File under: Govt of Sudan
#1
Yeah, cause he's the only one keeping things "sane" right now.
British lawmakers voted Tuesday to include the military wing of Lebanese-based group Hezbollah to Britain's list of banned terrorist organizations, charging it supported terror activities in Iraq and the Palestinian territories. The action by the House of Commons would make it a crime to join or support the military wing of the radical group, which fought a bloody month-long conflict with Israel two years ago.
Britain's minister in charge of fighting terrorism Tony McNulty charged that the movement was linked to insurgent groups in Iraq that had attacked coalition soldiers. "I can say unequivocally that Hezbollah's military wing is providing active support to Shia militant groups in Iraq," he said.
The ban passed the chamber unopposed. The measure will take effect with the House of Lords expected approval later this week.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown had told lawmakers earlier this month that he wanted to add the military wing of the organization to a list of banned terrorist organizations.
Britain lists 45 groups as banned international terrorist organizations, including al-Qaida and the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK. Hezbollah's external security organization has been listed since 2001.
McNulty insisted that Hezbollah's social and political work in Britain will be unaffected, but the ban will place tight limits on fundraising.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/16/2008 00:00 ||
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Top|| File under: Hezbollah
#1
REDDIT > FORMER IRANIAN PRESIDENT BANI-SADR - TEHRAN RESPONSIBLE FOR LOCKERBIE, NOT LIBYA"!
HMMMM, HMMMM, reminds me of what I told the USDOD-Fed long ago back in the late 1980's > "THE IRANIANS WILL CLAIM THEY DIDN'T DO IT".
#3
Recognizing the enemy and those in league with them is a major step!!!! If Lebanese Hezbollah/Palestinians aided Iraqi insurgents, we should have a legitimate coalition of Britain, UK, French, and Israeli troops, beyond the aid requested from Iraq, Afghanistan, and Lebanon. And if the Iranians did Lockerbie, and Pakistan's AQ Khan supplied Libya with tech as well as Iran and North Korea, we have all the justification we need to go after AQ and the Taliban hiding out across the border or anywhere else they have burrowed in. I can't see how even China and Russia could oppose an official UN resolution to go after them all, not that I think we need world approval to defend ourselves, anyway. Time to take the diplomatic gloves off.
#1
Hey, the Paleos do it regularly and no one cared. It's a little late to try to play that card. Although we're familiar with the game, trying to hold one group responsible and another not.
#3
So a bunch of helicopters arrive, full of apparent NGO folk along with a guy apparently from this Red Cross-affiliated NGO, to pick up hostages from remote and scattered prison camps & move them to another, centralized prison location.
This is not a violation of any of the Geneva Convention - because the Red Cross *exists* to be jailers and transporters of prisoners-of-war and hostages.
Ah! But the man pretending to be a Red Cross prison transporter, acting as a logistical support for a band of terrorists, is actually an agent of the legitimate government of the host country, a soldier out of uniform & acting under a ruse of war. No shots fired, not even any punches thrown.
But this! This! This is a war crime.
So basically, the Red Cross definition of "war crime" is any action which might correct an injustice while acting under a false flag, so long as that false flag has the Red Cross.
Freeing the captives of low-grade narco-terrorists is a *crime*, while habitually supporting and enabling the on-going unlawful imprisonment of said captives is just business as usual.
Why again do I donate money to the Red Cross again?
Posted by: Mitch H. ||
07/16/2008 14:38 Comments ||
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#4
I saw the Communist News Network trying to make a big deal out of this story this morning. We got our guys back. So who cares what the hell CNN thinks. FARC is not guided by the Geneva Convention.
#5
"Why again do I donate money to the Red Cross again?"
You don't (I hope), Mitch - not to the International Red Cross.
The American Red Cross isn't involved in their shenanigans. The American Red Cross responds to American disasters, and - at least in our area - helps people burned out of their homes.
American Red Cross: Good, gets my donations.
International Red Cross: *Spit*
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut ||
07/16/2008 15:42 Comments ||
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#9
Barbara: Of course I don't give money to the ICRC. I'm just paranoid today that the American Red Cross isn't paying dues to Geneva or something like that. Do you have a link guaranteeing that there's a chinese wall between the entities?
Posted by: Mitch H. ||
07/16/2008 15:58 Comments ||
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#11
The Geneva Conventions do not tie the hands of civilized forces to anything like the degree the terrorists and their media whores would like you to believe.
The Colombians were not in violation of the Convention even if did apply to the terrorists.
Anyone who has ever been in the military, or has even seen a reasonable amount of authentic combat video, will know that military medical personnel are permitted to wear the Red Cross as part of their uniforms.
Similarly, the Geneva Conventions specify that unarmed aircraft used for the evacuation of casualties (and the hostages were clearly in need of medical attention) may be marked with the Red Cross. The use of threats, force, or tactical deception to prevent interference with a lawful attempt to evacuate sick or wounded is, itself, perfectly lawful.
The following conditions shall not be considered as depriving a medical unit or establishment of the protection guaranteed by Article 19:
(1) That the personnel of the unit or establishment are armed, and that they use the arms in their own defence, or in that of the wounded and sick in their charge.
(2) That in the absence of armed orderlies, the unit or establishment is protected by a picket or by sentries or by an escort.
There is another relevant section CNN did not bother to look up:
Article 37 -- Prohibition of perfidy
1. It is prohibited to kill, injure or capture an adversary by resort to perfidy. Acts inviting the confidence of an adversary to lead him to believe that he is entitled to, or is obliged to accord, protection under the rules of international law applicable in armed conflict, with intent to betray that confidence, shall constitute perfidy. The following acts are examples of perfidy:
(a) the feigning of an intent to negotiate under a flag of truce or of a surrender;
(b) the feigning of an incapacitation by wounds or sickness;
(c) the feigning of civilian, non-combatant status; and
(d) the feigning of protected status by the use of signs, emblems or uniforms of the United Nations or of neutral or other States not Parties to the conflict.
2. Ruses of war are not prohibited. Such ruses are acts which are intended to mislead an adversary or to induce him to act recklessly but which infringe no rule of international law applicable in armed conflict and which are not perfidious because they do not invite the confidence of an adversary with respect to protection under that law. The following are examples of such ruses: the use of camouflage, decoys, mock operations and misinformation.
The medics in the rescue force were not feigning their Red Cross status, the evacuation helicopter was not feigning its right to show the Red Cross. The other ruses are not prohibited.
The rough disguise of the helicopter as a civilian aircraft does not violate section 1(a) because the objective of the ruse was clearly not to gain the "protection of international law" (ie, keep the terrorists from shooting at it) but to mislead the terrorists into believing that it was part of a friendly force; that is, a lawful ruse de guerre.
#12
Goddamned Lawyers and CNN.
The thing to remember here is that they used the Red Cross symbols to AVOID killing people. The paleostains use the red crescent trucks to run guns, smuggle murderers, launch attacks.
#14
Not around here, bj. They won't permanently support you, but people burned out of their homes (who want the help - those with insurance usually refuse, & some people move in with relatives) get vouchers for several nights in a motel and help replacing basic clothing, medicines, glasses, and the like.
I support the Sallies, too, since they provide disaster relief and also work with the homeless, but in this area it's the Red Cross who handles the burned-out homes.
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut ||
07/16/2008 18:38 Comments ||
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Seven soldiers were killed yesterday by an explosion of ammunition in the war-ravaged southern Russian province of Chechnya, Russian news agencies reported, citing the defence ministry. "Today at 5:15 pm (1315 GMT)... an uncontrolled explosion occurred as ammunition was being transferred from a tank into a vehicle" near the town of Shali, a defence ministry statement was quoted as saying. "Seven servicemen were killed and six were injured," the statement added.
Prosecutors have opened an inquiry into the explosion and Defence Minister Anatoly Serdyukov dispatched a special investigative commission to look into the incident, the reports said.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/16/2008 00:00 ||
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Top|| File under: Chechen Republic of Ichkeria
Dozens of inmates convicted of terrorism offences will be released after serving half their sentences under rules introduced by the Government. Those released early are likely to include family members who knew about the July 21 bombings but failed to tell the police and others who helped the bombers escape.
One radical cleric, Abdullah el-Faisal, who influenced both the July 7 and July 21 bombers, has already been released, deported back to his native Jamaica, and is now preaching in South Africa.
The most recent Criminal Justice Act brought in rules which mean prisoners serving determinate sentences are automatically eligible for release midway through their jail terms. No exemption has been made for those who have committed terrorism offences, although the early release does not apply to those who are serving life sentences or remain a danger to the public.
Two convicted terrorists have been released under a separate "end of custody licence scheme," which allows inmates to be released three weeks before the halfway point of their sentence in order to free up jail space.
This article starring:
Abdullah el-Faisal
Posted by: ed ||
07/16/2008 16:03 ||
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#1
...which allows inmates to be released three weeks before the halfway point of their sentence in order to free up jail space.
I suppose you could let them out to free up space.
You could also shoot them...
The radical Muslim cleric Sheikh Imam Fawaz Jneid is claiming 55,000 euros in damages from far-right Freedom Party MP Geert Wilders for allegedly damaging his reputation in a controversial anti-Koran film.
The cleric was shown in Wilders' film 'Fitna'. The 17-minute film features verses of the Koran against images of terrorist attacks.
Wilders, quoted by Radio Netherlands says Jneid's claim "is the world upside down."
Posted by: ed ||
07/16/2008 15:20 ||
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A few miles from the Vatican, Najat Hadi kept house with her husband, his other wife and their assorted children, an unhappy home with a hateful woman 10 years her junior and a cruel spouse who left her with a jagged scar peeking from her collar. Finally, she says, her Egyptian-born husband, who worked in Rome making pizzas, beat her so badly that she left him. But he kept her children.
Thousands of polygamous marriages like Hadi's have sprung up throughout Italy as a byproduct of a fast-paced and voluminous immigration by Muslims to this Roman Catholic country.
Despite the obvious culture clash, Italian authorities largely turn a blind eye, leaving women in a murky semi-clandestine world with few rights and no recourse when things go especially badly, as they did in Hadi's case.
"It is absurd that in a civilized country like Italy, so little is acknowledged about this," said Souad Sbai, a Moroccan-born Italian lawmaker who has emerged as a one-woman champion of female Muslim immigrants here.
Italy is one of several European nations faced with the issue of polygamy. In Britain and Spain, where large Muslim communities have also settled, some officials favor recognizing polygamous marriage as a way to ensure the wives' access to pensions, medical care and other state benefits.
But Sbai, who has lived 27 of her 47 years in Italy, thinks that misguided attempts at cultural sensitivity backfire when customs that stray into illegality are tolerated. Italian law sanctions marriage between a single man and a single woman only. Sbai estimates that there are 14,000 polygamous families in Italy; others put the number even higher. Many take advantage of the so-called orfi marriage, a less formal union performed by an imam, that does not carry the same social or legal standing as regular marriage.
Posted by: ed ||
07/16/2008 15:12 ||
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#1
Well just how big is the Mormon community over there?
Ooooooh...I should read the story first.
The Investigative Project on Terrorism (www.investigativeproject.org) exclusively reveals today that a major international interfaith conference set to start Wednesday in Madrid was organized by an alleged associate of a senior Al Qaeda financier and vocal supporter of Palestinian suicide bombings - Abdullah al-Turki. The conference is sponsored by the Muslim World League (MWL), which al-Turki heads.
In 1999, al-Turki is alleged to have been a partner in a Madrid construction project with a senior Al Qaeda financier. Profits from that deal were routed to Al Qaeda cells, according to allegations in WTC Properties v. Al Baraka et. al. Al-Turki's partner was Muhammed Galeb Kalaje Zouaydi, described in the litigation as "a high level al Qaeda financier" and a brother in law of Osama bin Laden. Spanish authorities arrested Zouaydi in 2002 for financing al Qaeda operations in Europe.
In the week following the 9/11 attacks, al-Turki told a radio interviewer that U.S. policy was responsible for the attacks and called Israel "the mother of terrorism." Later that year, at the National Press Club, al-Turki stated that Palestinian suicide bombers had no alternative to killing civilians.
This week's gathering is expected to attract dozens of American-based Muslims, including Sayyed Syeed and Ingrid Mattson from the Islamic Society of North America, Ibrahim Hooper, Nihad Awad from the Council on American-Islamic Relations, as well as six U.S. rabbis, including Marc Schneier of the Foundation for Ethnic Understanding and Steven Jacobs of Los Angeles. In addition, John Esposito, director of Georgetown University's Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding is among a few American academics invited to attend.
U.S. Rep. Sue Myrick (R-NC), who founded the bipartisan Congressional Anti-Terrorism Caucus, stated, "...I fail to understand how the goals of this conference can be achieved when the man running this summit is a suspected financier of terrorism...Call me old fashion, but actions always speak louder than words."
Posted by: Fred ||
07/16/2008 00:00 ||
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Top|| File under: al-Qaeda
#1
Typical Muzz useless propaganda shit. Can we spare a single JDAM to attend ?
White House hopeful Barack Obama laid the groundwork for a vital trip abroad yesterday, vowing to shift the "single-minded" US focus from Iraq to Al Qaeda lairs in Pakistan and Afghanistan.
As a furious debate on war strategy raged between the Democrat and his Republican foe John McCain, Obama planned a major speech in Washington and in-depth television interviews to bolster his commander-in-chief credentials.
Obama is expected in Europe and the Middle East next week, and is also due to embark soon on heavily guarded missions to Afghanistan and Iraq, details of which have not been released for security reasons.
Obama, a long-time opponent of the Iraq war, slammed President George W Bush, and McCain, who he said had misunderstood the prime challenge to US security. "As should have been apparent to President Bush and Senator McCain - the central front in the war on terror is not Iraq, and it never was. Al Qaeda has an expanding base in Pakistan that is probably no farther from their old Afghan sanctuary than a train ride from Washington to Philadelphia," Obama said.
He has proposed adding two US combat brigades, about 9,000 troops, to the 36,000 troops already in Afghanistan and said this would be made possible by a drawdown of troops from Iraq.
McCain immediately and scathingly accused Obama of adopting a closed mind on the twin US wars, before even leaving the US. "In my experience, fact-finding missions usually work best the other way around: first you assess the facts on the ground, then you present a new strategy."
Posted by: Fred ||
07/16/2008 00:00 ||
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#1
So he is in favor of invading a sovereign country which is at least nominally an ally. Yet he will talk without preconditions to a sworn enemy.
How can anybody with a brain cell even consider voting for this fool?
Posted by: Rambler in California ||
07/16/2008 0:45 Comments ||
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#2
WORLDNEWS > US BOOSTS MILITARY TIES WITH VIETNAM, LAOS, AND CAMBODIA.
VLADVEDEV = ROMULAN's ala STAR TREK:NG Episode > "EXPANSION OF THE FEDERATION [US OWG-NWO] EVERYWHERE".
The Kazakhs, Taijiks, Azeris, and Armenians are prob all wetting themselves on the possible RUSSO-CHIN RESPONSE???
#3
Answer Rambler - Poll on this morning's radio said 56% of Americans believe BO has the foreign policy credentials to be president. Only 72% said McCain has the chops.
Posted by: Bobby ||
07/16/2008 6:02 Comments ||
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#5
Got to br elected first 'Bro' Talk is cheap.
Frankly, with Hillary looking to Knife him in the back at first possibility, I think (Hope) his chances are piss poor.
We really need the option "None of the above".
Posted by: Redneck Jim ||
07/16/2008 15:40 Comments ||
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Swat-based Taliban said on Tuesday that talks with the NWFP government would be resumed only after the release of their colleagues and withdrawal of cases against them. Taliban spokesman Muslim Khan told journalists that the provincial government should release 40 detained militants, a promise made in the peace agreement. He said their agreement with the government remains intact, while only negotiations have been postponed. Also on Tuesday, unidentified armed men kidnapped two policemen in the Guli Bagh area of Swat. Khwazakhel Police Station In-charge Yousaf Ali Khan told Daily Times that the two constables had been deployed at the Penham Institute, but were kidnapped by hooded men from a nearby market. Meanwhile, dozens of armed men shot dead a civilian in the Dagai area of Kabal tehsil. The armed men opened fire at Faridoon in front of his house. He died on the spot, while his neighbour Obaidullah sustained injuries, police said.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/16/2008 00:00 ||
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Top|| File under: Taliban
#1
And a pony!
Posted by: Whiskey Mike ||
07/16/2008 6:37 Comments ||
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Pakistan will not allow any country to threaten its sovereignty, said Rehman Malik, adviser to the prime minister on interior, while addressing reporters upon his arrival at Heathrow Airport on Tuesday, according to APP.
Malik said Pakistani security forces were in full control of areas in Hangu district, adding that security forces had launched an operation in Zargari, Naryab, and Tora Warai to track down militants.
Malik is on a four-day official visit to the United Kingdom (UK) to discuss the repatriation of Pakistani nationals held in the UK for anti-state activities and for providing financial support to terrorist networks.
Sources said a three-member delegation comprising Rehman Malik, Interior Ministry Additional Secretary Zafeer Abbasi and Immigration and Passports Director General Wajid Bokhari will meet UK Interior Minister Jacqui Smith and UK Foreign Secretary David Milliband to discuss the issue.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/16/2008 00:00 ||
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Top|| File under: Govt of Pakistan
#3
On second thought, maybe ARCLIGHT strikes are too slow for "progress" in I-slam-a-bad, and we may need to do something a bit more destructive. Anybody got a small asteroid we can use to target the place? Something in the order of 250M cubed, with a specific gravity of about 11? Warn the neighbors (well, India and Afghanistan, anyway) about the potential to release stress in any fault within 500 miles. We can blame it all on Allan.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
07/16/2008 15:57 Comments ||
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A 15-member grand peace jirga in Hangu asked the Hangu district administration on Tuesday to ceasefire and release Taliban prisoners to pave the way for an agreement with the militants. The jirga met Taliban leaders and discussed various options for reaching an agreement with the government. Jirga member Mufti Kifayatullah told journalists that the Taliban would abide by the jirga's decision. Local officials said Member of National Assembly (MNA) Pir Haidar Ali Shah, Member of NWFP Assembly (MPA) Mufti Syed Janan and Hangu Nazim Haji Khan Afzal Aurakzai had left for Peshawar to meet NWFP Chief Minister Ameer Haider Khan Hoti to discuss conditions for a peace accord with the Taliban. Meanwhile, sources said hundreds of people staged a rally in support of peace in the Mohammad Khwaja area. The sources said protesters asked the government not to conduct a military operation and ensure safety of people's life and property.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/16/2008 00:00 ||
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The Foreign Office (FO) on Tuesday rejected the "baseless" allegations levelled against Pakistan's intelligence agencies and armed forces by Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai and the Afghan cabinet for carrying out terrorist attacks. "Such baseless accusations serve no purpose other than vitiating bilateral atmosphere and creating an artificial crisis in Pak-Afghan relations," the FO said in a statement. The Afghan cabinet on Monday announced that it would boycott all the upcoming meetings with Pakistan unless "bilateral trust" was restored. The FO statement said, "Regretfully the decision of the Afghan cabinet to suspend important bilateral meetings on such flimsy grounds ignores the importance of economic co-operation to the improvement in the living conditions of the Afghani people that has implications for the overall security situation as well," APP reported. The statement said the abiding interests of Pak-Afghan relations and the need for credible partnership in the common struggle against terrorism should transcend short-term political expediencies. The statement added that Pakistan hopes that Afghanistan will "do some rethinking" and desist from such provocative statements.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/16/2008 00:00 ||
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Top|| File under: Govt of Pakistan
#1
Ah, the outright denial technique.
That only works for a little while though.
#2
The Afghan government could drive the ISI crackers by stating that since these fighters are not Afghans, then it cannot be assumed they are Muslims, either.
So they will be buried in Christian graveyards.
You can bet the Pak government would lose its marbles about them "burying Pakistani Muslims" in an infidel graveyard.
The United States needs to focus on Afghanistan to curb a spurt in attacks by the Taliban as Pakistan has done enough to counter terrorism and extremism by breaking militant networks operating on its soil, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has said.
"We have got Al Qaeda on the run. To a great extent we have broken many networks in Pakistan and we have banned many organisations in Pakistan. What they (the US) need to concentrate on, in my opinion, is Afghanistan," Qureshi said.
"Afghanistan should acknowledge that there have been serious failings on their side and they need to improve an effort, they need to improve the Afghan government on their side," Qureshi said in an interview with Al Jazeera news channel in Washington.
Successes: Replying to a question about the US asking Pakistan to do more to counter the activities of Taliban and Al Qaeda militants, Qureshi said: "I think they (the US) should also recognise the successes that we have made. They should also realise the people that we have apprehended."
Noting that there had been an increase in militant attacks across Afghanistan and not just in areas bordering Pakistan, he said this trend "cannot be blamed on Pakistan".
"It is very easy to pass the buck. It has to be ownership. What we are not shy of is, if there is a failing on our part, we are willing to look at things and improve upon our strategy," he said.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/16/2008 00:00 ||
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Top|| File under: Govt of Pakistan
#1
You have Al Qaeda on the run? Have you told them yet?
Posted by: Richard of Oregon ||
07/16/2008 13:31 Comments ||
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Tribal elders in the North Waziristan Agency warned on Tuesday that tribesmen were ready to defend their country against a possible invasion by foreign troops. "More than three million tribesmen would fight along the Pakistani security forces if foreign troops enter the Tribal Areas," said Malik Afzal Khan. The warning followed reports that a large number of United States and NATO troops were assembling in areas surrounding Pakistan's Tribal Areas.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/16/2008 00:00 ||
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#1
It would be funny as hell to see the Royal Mounted Wazir Tribesmen charging the plains of Khost on their goats.
(PTI) Pakistani Taliban, holding 29 officials and troops hostage, today demanded the government end military operations in the troubled northwest Hangu district and release seven militants arrested from the area.
The Taliban conveyed their demands during talks with a tribal 'jirga' or council led by parliamentarian Pir Haider Ali Shah.
The militants also released a local government official they had abducted last week, but were still holding another 29 officials and security personnel they had taken hostage on Friday during a foray into Doaba town in Hangu district of North West Frontier Province (NWFP).
The Doaba area has witnessed heightened tension between the Taliban and security forces after seven militants were arrested during a sweep on Thursday.
The Taliban had besieged the Doaba police station demanding the release of their arrested colleagues. The militants withdrew after the army was deployed in the area but took 29 hostages before leaving Doaba.
Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan spokesman Maulvi Omar said the militants would not attack government troops if the authorities do not take action any against them.
Omar also rejected Premier Yousuf Raza Gilani's statement about the presence of foreign elements in the tribal areas.
He said the Taliban would be the first line of defence if US or NATO forces from Afghanistan carry out any attack on Pakistani territory.
The Taliban would turn the tribal areas into a "graveyard" for the US-led coalition forces, he said.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/16/2008 00:00 ||
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#1
Demand?
Are they in any position to demand anything?
There is a lot of demanding that goes on in that part of the world.
(Xinhua) -- Israel has allowed more goods into Gaza from Monday through three commercial crossings it partly reopened as part of an Egyptian-brokered ceasefire, Hamas government said on Tuesday.
The new goods to enter included construction materials and fuel, said the ministry of economy in the deposed Hamas government.
Through the main crossing at Karni, 158 truckloads of goods such as food, clothes, stones and gravels, weighing 11 tons, entered into Gaza City. Eighty-six truckloads also entered into Gaza via Sofa crossing, eight of which carrying concrete and lime cement.
During the closure of the crossings as part of Israel's sanctions against Hamas, the construction materials were barred from going to Gaza. Only reduced amounts of basic food products and medicine were allowed into Gaza before the ceasefire that Hamas and Israel reached took effect on June 19.
The blockade on the Gaza Strip was imposed when Hamas ousted President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah movement and routed his forces in deadly fighting last year.
But the ministry said Israel did not commit itself to increase the amounts of goods into Gaza. Though the ban on some materials was lifted, their amounts sent to Gaza are still reduced, the ministry added.
The ceasefire deal ended cross-border attacks between Hamas and Israel but the Islamic movement accuses the Jewish state of not lifting the sanctions properly.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/16/2008 00:00 ||
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#1
Properly?
As in, give us more stuff.
We need
We need
Israel formally pardoned a high-profile Lebanese prisoner on Tuesday to set in motion the process of a prisoner swap with Hezbollah expected to get under way today.
Hours after Israel's cabinet gave its final approval, President Shimon Peres said he had used his powers under the law to pardon Samir Qantar, whose freedom Hezbollah sought in exchange for the release of two Israeli soldiers held since 2006.
Mr. Peres said he had "made this difficult decision" despite what he called "unbearable pain." He insisted "this decision in no way constitutes forgiveness" for Qantar, who had been jailed for life for an attack in which two children and three other Israelis died in 1979. Officials said the Cabinet voted 22-3 to ratify the exchange. "This is not a happy day for any of us, to release murderers such as these. But we have a moral and soulful obligation to bring our soldiers home," Mr. Peres said before the vote.
Actually, you don't. Hezbollah has a moral and soulful obligation to refrain from kidnapping, which is whatcha might call an unlawful policy. Having indulged in it, it's incumbent on them to return those they kidnapped and make restitution. It is incumbent upon the Israeli government to ensure there are no more kidnappings -- by making the consequences of such a crime more costly that the successful execution of it.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/16/2008 00:00 ||
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#1
the moral obligation is to their soldiers, not to Hezbollah.
The soldiers are both dead, by the way. May He who makes peace in Heaven, send peace to those who mourn for them.
As for inflicting pain on Hezbollah, this clears to the deck to some degree. Israel's direct option in Lebanon are rather limited - but I think Israel is looking past Hezbollah to their sponsors, and this is one step in making an attack on those sponsors easier.
#4
the moral obligation is to their soldiers, not to Hezbollah.
I'm sure that the very last thing the two soldiers would have wanted was for their lifeless corpses to be used by their government to grant Hezbollah a stupendous humiliation of Israel.
TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) -- First Solar Inc. [that is a real profit making investor owned company] said Wednesday it has begun building [that's right - not a lab project, not a demo, a real producing facility] the first rooftop solar system in a plan by Southern California Edison to [eventually] add 250 megawatts of solar power capacity to large commercial rooftops in Southern California.
Southern California Edison's overall [10 year] plan calls for the 250 megawatts to be installed over the next five years in what would be the largest rooftop solar project proposed by a U.S. utility.
First Solar began work on the initial 2 megawatt project July 14. The panels will be connected to California's power grid in September.
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It is true that this is done because SoCal gets a tax credit; however, the FSLR thin film technology could get less expensive with economies of scale. I don't know if there is a good estimate of the total flat roof space available in the Southwest but I'd guess it would be enough for over a few gigawatts of capacity that could be installed without any loss of ag land.
#3
The bottom line for solar is marginal use. And while that doesn't sound like much, it is. Marginal use is the most expensive part of energy use, and even though it doesn't do much on the surface, it has a major impact.
For example, just a black water tank on a roof will pre-heat softened water prior to it going into the water heater. This boost of between 20-30 degrees is marginal, but it saves a LOT of energy, by the water heater only having to raise its temperature by 20 degrees instead of between 40-50 degrees.
If roof solar panels are used just to blow hot air out of a roof crawlspace, they will reduce the temp in there from maybe 150 degrees to only 110. In turn, this reduces the load on the main a/c by a huge amount when electricity is most expensive.
Marginal matters big time. In the southwest, just these two things would take hundreds of dollars off your electricity bill every year.
#4
Moose, Here in Perth (similar climate to LA) rooftop solar hot water will heat water enough for domestic use 8 or 9 months of the year. Even in the middle of winter, a sunny day will give you enough hot water for a shower.
However, solar hot water is still more expensive than gas over 20 years. The comparison is actually worse than that because electricity is used for auxiliary heating in the winter and is about 3 times more expensive than gas for heating.
Of course that doesn't stop the government throwing huge subsidies at solar hot water.
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.
A few miles from the Vatican, Najat Hadi kept house with her husband, his other wife and their assorted children, an unhappy home with a hateful woman 10 years her junior and a cruel spouse who left her with a jagged scar peeking from her collar. Finally, she says, her Egyptian-born husband, who worked in Rome making pizzas, beat her so badly that she left him. But he kept her children.
White House hopeful Barack Obama laid the groundwork for a vital trip abroad yesterday, vowing to shift the "single-minded" US focus from Iraq to Al Qaeda lairs in Pakistan and Afghanistan.
