US President George W Bush has arrived in Afghanistan on a surprise visit, his last before stepping down in January. Mr Bush addressed US troops at Bagram air base before leaving for talks with his Afghan counterpart, Hamid Karzai. He said Afghanistan was a "dramatically different country than it was eight years ago", when US-led forces invaded.
President Bush was met at Bagram air base, north of Kabul, early on Sunday by Gen David McKiernan, the US commander of Nato-led troops in Afghanistan. He was then led into a giant white tent, where hundreds of US troops greeted him with cheers as he thanked them for serving.
"I am confident we will succeed in Afghanistan because our cause is just," he said in a speech. "Afghanistan is a dramatically different country than it was eight years ago," he added. "We are making hopeful gains."
Mr Bush said he recognised that more troops were needed in the country and that he supported President-elect Barack Obama's pledge to increase numbers. He also said it was important to continue working with Pakistan so that pressure was kept on militants based along its border with Afghanistan. "If Pakistan is a place from which people feel comfortable attacking infrastructure, citizens, troops, it's going to make it difficult to succeed in Afghanistan," he said. "The more we can get Pakistan and Afghanistan to co-operate, the easier it will be to enforce that part of the border regions."
Speaking on Air Force One en route to Afghanistan, Mr Bush told reporters that his country's goal there was similar to the one in Iraq - to let the new democracy develop its institutions so that it could survive on its own. "The degree of difficulty is high. It's hard. Nevertheless the mission is essential," he said. "We cannot… achieve our objective of removing the safe havens, kicking out the Taleban, and say: 'OK, now let's leave'," he added.
While visiting Baghdad on Saturday, Mr Bush said the war in Iraq was not yet over and that much work still needed to be done there. "The work hasn't been easy but it's been necessary for American security, Iraqi hope and world peace," he said during talks with President Jalal Talabani.
The Iraqi leader called Mr Bush "a great friend for the Iraqi people, who helped us liberate our country".
Later, Mr Bush signed a security pact with Prime Minister Maliki which calls for US troops to be withdrawn from Iraq by the end of 2011. They are first to withdraw from Iraqi cities by June next year.
The BBC's Sarah Morris in Washington says the presidential trip to Iraq and Afghanistan was planned with meticulous secrecy. The accompanying journalists were asked to tell no-one other than a superior and their spouse. The White House even published a false schedule of events.
Posted by: Steve White ||
12/15/2008 00:00 ||
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The Bush administration will mount a last-ditch push this week to muster international backing for a relatively small U.N. peacekeeping mission in Somalia, in an effort to help stem piracy and prevent the resurgence of Islamist militants in the lawless East African nation... That one's lost. The Somalis couldn't put together an actual government, so the Islamic Courts are coming back. The way to handle it is to recognize Puntland and Somaliland, which are better at being nations than Somalia, to clean up the pirates regardless of any hindrance or help from Mogadishu, and to send an expeditionary force to throw them out again about six months after they've taken power. Then leave. Wait until they come back plus six months and do it again. They're obviously easier to throw out than to keep out.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/15/2008 00:00 ||
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Top|| File under: Islamic Courts
#1
Fred's right. Recognize Somaliland and Puntland and most of the piracy problem goes away. Although it still may persist in the rest of Somalia on a lesser scale.
That won't happen because as usual the United Nations is in the way of this solution.
Historical note: Somalia is a creation of the United Nations.
#3
Puntland is no prize and I'm not sure it could survive as a nation. Somaliland, the former Brit colony, has more of a chance if it can keep the tribal/ethnic thing under control.
Posted by: Steve White ||
12/15/2008 15:18 Comments ||
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#4
Actually, most of the pirates are from Puntland, not the southern portion of Somalia. Somaliland has the most stable goverment, and should be recognized as an independent nation. The other two portions of Somalia could be bombed off the face of the Earth, and the only notice the rest of the world would have of it is that things got better in the world for some reason.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
12/15/2008 18:34 Comments ||
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#5
"Somaliland, the former Brit colony, has more of a chance if it can keep the tribal/ethnic thing under control."
This is Africa we're talking about here, Dr. Steve.
GFL with that one....
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut ||
12/15/2008 19:00 Comments ||
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Somalia's president announced Sunday he was sacking the cabinet but the premier rejected the move as unlawful and an attempt to scupper ongoing peace efforts with the Islamist-led opposition. "As of now, I have sacked the prime minister and his current government and I will nominate a new prime minister within days," President Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmad told reporters.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/15/2008 00:00 ||
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Outlawed Islamist outfit Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) has sent leaflets and a CD to Thakurgaon Krishak League leader Advocate Mojibar Rahman by mail. Advocate Mojibar, who received a parcel of the leaflets and CD yesterday, handed over them to the police immediately.
In the leaflet, JMB criticised democracy, secularism, nationalism, socialism and capitalism and the judicial system. It also called on the people to participate in Jehad to establish Islamic rule.
The JMB also said the media presents their activities in a distorted way.
In the first week of this month, a newspaper agent in Thakurgaon also received a similar parcel. Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Thakurgaon Police Station said that they launched an investigation into it.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/15/2008 00:00 ||
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A man wanted by Interpol for terrorist offences has been advising Scotland Yard, it has been reported. Mohamed Ali Harrath had helped the Metropolitan Police - the UK's biggest force - on countering Muslim extremism, according to the Times.
Tunisian-born Mr Harrath, 45, is listed as wanted on the Interpol website.
Interpol is the world's largest international police organisation. The site lists his categories of offences as counterfeiting, forgery, crimes involving the use of weapons, explosives and terrorism.
The Interpol website reveals that an arrest warrant for Mr Harrath was issued by Tunisia.
The Times reported that Mr Harrath had been appointed by Scotland Yard as an adviser to its Muslim Contact Unit on preventing terrorism. Mr Harrath is reportedly the chief executive of the broadcaster the Islam Channel, based in London.
The Met refused to comment on the story on Sunday night.
#3
His qualifications sound impeccable. Now arrest him! It might be good to review Scotland Yard's background checking process. Looks a little loose.
Posted by: Richard of Oregon ||
12/15/2008 12:20 Comments ||
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#4
Can't tell from this article if he is some double agent or is too good at his advice and busted some Tunisians, but I finally get the mohamed cat cartoon - it would be as if 3/4 of Christians were named Jesus H. (last name).
#10
When the NUKE-WMD MUSHROON CLOUD goes up over BUckingham Palace and wipes out most or all of the Brit Royal family, etal. SCOTLAND YARD + MoD + MI5/MI6 etc. will know immediately whom NOT to suspect???
Gordon Brown confronted Pakistan yesterday on its record of exporting terrorism, disclosing that three quarters of serious plots investigated in the UK were connected to the country.
The prime minister arrived in Islamabad to announce that British police want to interview the surviving suspect in the Mumbai terror attacks as part of broader inquiries into the extremist group blamed for the atrocity, Lashkar-e-Taiba.
In private talks, he also questioned Pakistan's president, Ali Asif Zardari, over what action could be taken to eradicate training camps in Pakistan through which potential British suicide bombers have passed. Brown offered British assistance in tracing and shutting them down.
"Three quarters of the most serious plots investigated by the British authorities have links to al-Qaida in Pakistan. Our aim must be to work together to do everything in our power to cut off terrorism," the prime minister told a press conference in Islamabad.
In return he offered a new pact between the two countries to combat terrorism "to make sure terrorists are denied any safe haven in Pakistan". It would involve British help to Pakistan with training in bomb disposal, airport security, anti-car bomb measures and a £6m package to counteract radicalisation and bolster democratic institutions in return for co-operation in the investigation.
The 7/7 bomber Mohammed Sidique Khan is among the terrorism suspects known to have travelled to Pakistan. Brown has spoken repeatedly in recent days of wanting to break a "chain of terror" leading from the region back to Europe.
Brown also held talks with the Indian prime minister, Mahoman Singh, and Afghan president, Hamid Karzai, on Friday and Saturday. The Indian government is concerned that while Pakistan has clamped down on Lashkar-e-Taiba in response to international outrage, in the past its action has fizzled out once international attention has faded.
Brown also passed on concerns from Karzai over terrorists infiltrating Afghanistan via the Pakistani border. The deaths of four Royal Marines last week, three in an incident involving a child bomber, has ensured Afghanistan cast a longer shadow than expected over the trip.
Brown said British police could attempt to pursue suspects in Pakistan as a result of their developing inquiries, adding he had asked the president if he would be prepared to allow that. Zardari however gave no guarantees yesterday.
Zardari insisted at a press conference in Islamabad yesterday that his government was co-operating with the investigation into the Mumbai attacks adding: "Terrorism and extremism is a common problem which requires collaborative efforts. Problems are not specific to one country."
Posted by: Fred ||
12/15/2008 00:00 ||
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Top|| File under: Govt of Pakistan
#1
Might be a good move for Brown to stop importing
Pak terrorists - I'm sure there will be a few
among the 5000 halal "butchers" he's bringing
in, along with family members.
#2
I see there is a customary bribe/handout of about $9M usd to get an ounce of halfhearted help.
I'm sure that will go directly to "counteract radicalisation and bolster democratic institutions".
Wouldn't Wakiland have a stake in this anyway? Why do the Brits need to fork over a bunch of money " in return for co-operation in the investigation"?. I have made up my mind about pakistan, I think the worlds leaders are not far behind.
#3
There are alot of UK born pakistanis in the UK who are unemployed most by choice and the rest in the drugs trade/Prison who consider themselves muslims first and foremost but blame racism in the uk for being marginlised.These are easy meat for the radicals who like the IRA preyed on unemployed/impressionable youngsters to carry out the dirty wpork!!!!
You will never see Saeed,Bakri,Bin Laden and co blowing themselves up for the cause!!!
#4
Terror is a feeling - why not ask France to stop exporting smug; Dammit Ireland, stop exporting your Blarney! What is being sent from pak is a concrete ideologue with written goals and objectives.
#6
Gordon is worried because he knows like us that the youngsters in the muslim community are being radicalised by too many Wahabbi style imans UK and US are permitting to allow in the west!.Saudi is at the source of this ideology Pakistan,Iraq and Afghanistan are just the battle grounds!Much like shia terrorism is sponsored by Iran!!!!Both saudi and Iran are at the heart of the islamist ideology just different strains-same goals!!!!.Ask any pakistani what has Saudi brought to Pakistan-Maddrasses,Tailban,AlQ etc.Even Le T are inspired by the Wahabbis.Why do we let it continue without tackling the source- Religious Establishments in Saudi and Iran!!!!
India denied on Sunday its warplanes had violated Pakistani airspace. "The Indian Air Force denies any such violation of airspace," IAF spokesman Wing Commander Mahesh Upasani told Reuters, describing Pakistani accusations as an attempt to divert "the attention of the people towards something which has not happened". Pakistan said on Saturday that Indian warplanes had violated its airspace but said this was 'inadvertent' and there was no cause for alarm about an escalation of tension between the nuclear-armed neighbours. In response to India's denial on Sunday, the PAF said it stood by its statement. "Our stance is the same. There's no change in it," spokesman Humayun Viqas said.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/15/2008 00:00 ||
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A former member of the Provincial Assembly in Pakistan's NWFP has slammed anti-terror operation as a conspiracy against ethnic Pashtuns. "Genocide of Pakhtuns (Pashtuns) in the name of terrorism and Talibanization is a conspiracy, and the community should realize it forthwith to protect its entity," the official News International quoted Zargul Khan on Sunday.
The twice-elected ex-MPA made the comments in a press conference in Oghi, a district of the North-West Frontier Province, on Saturday.
Khan said the provincial government led by Awami National Party (ANP) had disappointed supporters by not honoring its 'pro-Pashtuns agenda'. "The ruling ANP has ignored its own constitution to protect and fight for the rights of Pashtuns and it has indulged in the politics of compromises to prolong its rule," he alleged.
He urged the ANP to investigate the killing of the Pashtuns, as the tribes were being pitted against each other "at the behest of some elements," the daily said. He said residents of Hazara division were deprived of their basic rights as a result of the Pakistan Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) project, which earns 365 billions Rupees (USD 467 million) annually from the division.
Thousands of locals were displaced by project and later deprived of their fair share in compensations and were living in 'miserable' conditions, he added.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/15/2008 00:00 ||
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#1
but terrorism is genocide against the rest of us.
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown pledged Sunday to help Pakistan "break the chain of terror" after holding talks with President Asif Ali Zardari on security in the wake of the Mumbai attacks. Brown's visit to Islamabad was the last leg of a tour of South Asia aimed at calming tensions between nuclear-armed Pakistan and India.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/15/2008 00:00 ||
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Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) spokesman Maulvi Omar on Sunday claimed responsibility for the recent attacks on NATO supplies. Talking over telephone with reporters, Omar said the arson attacks on NATO supplies in Peshawar and Khyber Agency were a reaction to the United States drone attacks in the Tribal Areas. Attacks on NATO shipments would increase if the US troops did not halt attacks in the Tribal Areas, he said, adding the TTP would cut the supply routes to NATO and international forces stationed in Afghanistan.NATO has started looking for alternatives to the main supply route through Pakistan after the Taliban torched some 300 trucks laden with supplies, including military vehicles, in five attacks in the last week alone.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/15/2008 00:00 ||
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#1
Ahhhh, the SIEGE/FALL OF DETROIT = GREAT LAKES OWG FREE TRADE ZONE - the Blue-coated Americans versus the OWG REDCOATS. ALL WE'RE MISSING IS CHIEFS PONTIAC, TECUMSEH, + BLACK HAWK, + SANTEE SIOUX [Minnesota Uprisng???
#2
PAKISTANI DEFENCE FORUM > PAKISTANI TRANSPORT WORKERS UNION VOWS TO STOP PROVIDING MILITARY SUPPLIES TO NATO TROOPS, as long as NATO continues to launch anti-Taliban/Militant air strikes inside Pakistan.
The Jamaatud Dawa cannot use the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to overturn the sanctions imposed on it or the crackdown against it, say legal experts.
Jamaatud Dawa chief Hafiz Muhammad Saeed had claimed that the organisation would seek the arbitration of the ICJ after the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) placed sanctions on them. Saeed's son, Talha Saeed, also said that a legal challenge would be made in the ICJ against the crackdown, adding that there was no moral or legal justification for the sanctions. Legal experts told Daily Times that the ICJ could only entertain states, adding that individuals; non governmental organisations; parts of a federal state; corporations; UN organs; and self-determination groups were excluded from direct participation in cases.
However, a state may bring a case against another state in a situation where 'diplomatic protection' is brought into question, on behalf of one of its nationals or corporations, they said.
In line: Constitutional law expert SM Zafar said that as the crackdown against the organisation was in accordance with a resolution of the UNSC, no court could be moved to take action. He said that the only way to overturn the council's decision was a lengthy procedure in which they may request the UNSC to de-list them. He also said that this was the only way and no other legal forum was available, including the ICJ.
To a question, he said that Pakistan would not be able to take the case before the ICJ, adding that the only way that would have been possible was if any member from the UN had vetoed the resolution.
Another expert, AK Dogar, said that the jamaat could not bring the case before the ICJ, and if it wanted to challenge the actions of the Pakistan government, they would have to go through the high courts and Supreme Court. He said that if the organisation challenged the government's actions in the ICJ, the countries sovereignty would be questioned. However, he claimed, the government had used illegal means to detain the outfit's leaders. He said that the government was supposed to issue detention orders prior to the detention, but in this case the orders were issued days after the arrests and detention, which is against the fundamental rights granted to every citizen in the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/15/2008 00:00 ||
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Top|| File under: Lashkar e-Taiba
British Forces will leave Iraq by the end of next July under a humiliating proposal that lumps the once-valued deployment with five smaller contingents, including those of Romania, El Salvador and Estonia.
Even as President Bush paid a surprise farewell visit to Baghdad yesterday to celebrate the passage of a bilateral accord with Iraq, Britain faced being only a part of a shared military pact after negotiators ran out of time to seal country-specific deals. Under the US-Iraq status of forces agreement, drawn up after nine months of heated negotiation, US forces will leave within three years. The deal for Britain and the others was described by Muwafaq al-Rubaie, Iraqs National Security Adviser, as a mini-agreement for the six entities.
The proposed legislation states that all duties performed by the contingents, which include 42 Australian officers and 200 troops from 15 Nato countries, as well as the larger British presence, must stop by the end of May. There will be two months grace for the forces to leave Iraq by July 31, Fawzi Hariri, the Iraqi Industry Minister, said. There was no way we could have done a security agreement to the same level of detail that we had with the Americans in such a short period.
The Iraqi Government has the option to ask certain elements to remain beyond July to help with specific tasks, such as training the small Iraqi Navy. We believe this is a workable document and we discussed it at the Cabinet level, Mr Hariri told The Times.
Ministers vote on the deal tomorrow. If passed, it will go before the Iraqi parliament later in the week.
Grouping Britain with contingents such as Estonia, which has only 36 soldiers in Iraq, and El Salvador, with a mere 200, is a far cry from the start of the invasion when British Forces were second in importance only to those of the US. However, the pact will provide much needed legal cover for 4,100 British troops, largely based in southern Iraq, beyond the end of the year when the UN mandate authorising the presence of all foreign forces expires.
Posted by: Steve White ||
12/15/2008 00:00 ||
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Posted by: Yosemite Sam ||
12/15/2008 12:15 Comments ||
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#6
Humiliating? That's a little excessive. It would be humiliating if they had set out to conquer Iraq and take home plunder, but were driven out from the country by the natives. As it is, they performed well both during the invasion and the occupation, and no longer have to pour British taxpayer funds down the drain in Iraq. We, on the other hand, have to feed a few hundred billion more dollars into Iraq for the next several years. The Brits should count themselves lucky - Uncle Sam will have to swallow the entire crap sandwich by his lonesome.
#7
The reality is that neither Britain nor anyone else in the West--including the U.S.--can afford to indulge in the kind of "regime change" Iraq received. Next time, it won't be a case of "depose the tyrant and install new and good government," it will be "blow them to Hell and let the few starving survivors weep, wail and gnash their teeth in the rubble prior to their inevitable deaths from radiation."
To be blunt, the latter actually sends a much stronger message than the former. One example of that and there won't be a need for a second.
#8
Amen and Amen! Well said Jolutch. Unfortunately the model was constructed after WWII, Germany and Japan. "Nation building" is a costly undertaking indeed but what a wonderful method for creating the legitimacy of human needs based 'feel good' and diplomatic generosity.
#9
While I agree we can't afford it anymore, nation building worked well post WWII. It seems the target, muslim nations, are incompatible with western civilization and hence the nation building is wasted on them.
Oh well, they had their chance.
Why are there no muslims on Star Trek? It's based in the future.
#10
ION TOPIX > SOME US TROOPS WILL STAY IN [select] IRAQI CITIES.
Reminds me of NOSTRADAMUS > British Cdr-Gen. "China" Gordon versus "the Mahdi" in SIEGE/BATTLE OF KHARTOUM. Lest we fergit, IT WAS GORDON'S CHOPPED OFF HEAD WHICH FINALLY ENDED UP ON THE END OF A LONG POLE, IN DISPLAY BEFORE THE MAHDI'S ARMIES.
Again, MUSLIM/ISLAMIST MIL HISTORY > more likely than not, the Islamists will return to refight the Battle/War for Iraq, where their mil history suggests they'll end up kicking and beheading Enemy = US-Western Infidel hinies all over the place in "second-time around" new victory???
#11
How well would nation building have worked in Germany if Nazism was encouraged, even enshrined in the constitution? Until our leaders are willing to confront islam is the problem, all we are doing is building exquisite, extremely expensive castles in the sand.
Posted by: ed ||
12/15/2008 21:22 Comments ||
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US plans to keep support troops in Iraqi cities beyond a June 2009 pullback target date were cited by a Shiite party on Sunday as proof of Washington's intention to cheat on a landmark security deal with Baghdad. The top US commander in Iraq, General Raymond Odierno, said on Saturday that troops would remain in Iraqi cities in a support and training role even after the June 30 target date for the withdrawal of combat troops set by a security agreement signed last month.
The Shiite movement of Muqtada Sadr, which strongly opposed the agreement, said Odierno's remarks showed that Washington had no intention of sticking by any of the deadlines set in the deal.
"As we predicted, the comments fly in the face of the security agreement," the head of the movement's political bureau, Liwaa Sumeissim, told AFP in the central shrine city of Najaf. "When we rejected the agreement, we did so because we were totally convinced that the US side would never feel bound by it, particularly when it conflicted with motives that brought them here.
"We do not believe the US administration feels bound by the agreement and we are convinced it will find any pretext to keep its troops" beyond the December 2011 deadline set for a full withdrawal, Sumeissim said.
Last month's deal set June 30 next year as the deadline for "the withdrawal of combat forces from the cities, villages, and localities."
Posted by: Fred ||
12/15/2008 00:00 ||
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Top|| File under: Mahdi Army
#1
What was the 'proof' again?
I read it twice and still missed anything that sounded proofy.
An international conference on jihad that took place in Jerusalem on Sunday highlighted what hawkish scholars on Islam described as "real disputes" about the nature of the problem. The event also inspired the controversial Dutch legislator Geert Wilders to plan a European follow-up in the coming months. "It's time for such an event in the Netherlands," the far-right Wilders said on the terrace of Jerusalem's Begin Center, where the event was held. "But the cost of security would be much higher in Holland than in Israel."
Wilders - the only one of the six speakers to receive a standing ovation from the 600 people in the audience - told his listeners that "as the terrorist attacks in Mumbai proved, there's no moderate Islam," and it is time for the West to realize it is "in a conflict with the Muslim faith at large." He sided with scholars like Haifa University's David Bukay, who averred that "moderate Islam" does not exist and that the Koran could not be reformed or modernized.
But American scholar and activist Daniel Pipes disagreed. Quoting Egyptian philosopher Hassan Hanafi, Pipes said the Koran "is like a supermarket where one takes what one wants and leaves the rest." This freedom of selection, he argued, provides a means for reshaping Islam.
Pipes opined that those who regard Islam rather than jihad as the enemy fail to realize that a change has occurred over the past few years: Although moderate Muslims are still a small force, they are stronger than they were two years ago. "Millions took to the streets to protest Turkey's Islamist ruling party, the AKP," he said when asked to name examples. And "hundreds of thousands demonstrated in Pakistan" following the murder of prime ministerial candidate (and former premier) Benazir Bhutto last year.
Nonetheless, Pipes said he supported more determined Western military action against radical Islam as a means of fostering this change. He also advocated "crushing the Palestinians' hope for eliminating Israel" and opposed the creation of a Palestinian state and the ongoing peace talks.
Duke University's Prof. John Lewis, pointing out that Turkey and Pakistan are not Arab countries, suggested that the fight against jihad needs to focus on non-Arab Muslim nations like Indonesia, whose populations "do not share the jihadists' apocalyptic practice of Islam."
Wilders' short movie "Fitna" also received its first Israeli screening at the event, which was organized by MK Aryeh Eldad of the Hatikva Party. The film consists mainly of Muslim hate sermons and gory images from jihad-inspired attacks, and due to the death threats he has received since its release in February, Wilders is now constantly accompanied by bodyguards.
#1
the Koran "is like a supermarket where one takes what one wants and leaves the rest." This freedom of selection, he argued, provides a means for reshaping Islam
Yeah. But always for the good? I say BS. Under stress, Islam will just go into remission.
#2
Islam is the rastionalization religion, any thing is allowed in the name of allah (murder,lying,cheating,stealing,kidnapping).
What an attractive Ideolgy to do what ever you want for your own benefit all in the name of allah.
#6
I think both are correct, in a way. Islam is the problem but polarizing a billion people against us creates a bigger problem. Reshaping the religion buys time, in hope they will eventually see the irrationality and incompatibility of jihad and survival--kind of like cooking the frog slowly so it doesn't hop out of the pan.
#8
Pipes opined that those who regard Islam rather than jihad as the enemy fail to realize that a change has occurred over the past few years: Although moderate Muslims are still a small force, they are stronger than they were two years ago. "Millions took to the streets to protest Turkey's Islamist ruling party, the AKP," he said when asked to name examples. And "hundreds of thousands demonstrated in Pakistan" following the murder of prime ministerial candidate (and former premier) Benazir Bhutto last year.
Both rather weak examples; they're more political than 'religious'.
#9
Pappy that's the problem. ISLAM is both political and religious. You can't have one without the other.
The interesting statement is "...moderate Muslims are still a small force..."
How many times have we been told that jihadis were a small, no tiny, no infitesimally pint sized portion of the Umma. Maybe not so much after all, hmmmm?
#10
The fellow who Pipes quoted is a professor who teaches at various institutions.
He was the primary author of a tractate called something like "What Unites Us" or "A Word in Common Between Us" which was sent to the Christian community and signed by a bunch of similarly minded folk.
It's probably true that Hassan Hanafi is a 'moderate muslim'. However, its also almost totally meaningless.
These 'moderate muslim' scholarly types have almost no impact in the arabic, urdu, turkish speaking muslim world and are powerless to influence Jihadic Muslims.
#13
Pappy that's the problem. ISLAM is both political and religious. You can't have one without the other.
I realize that.
However, both examples Pipes recited really have little if any any religious basis. Turks went after the AKP because it was attempting to abrogate what Ataturk established; it was more nationalism than anything.
Pakistanis? From what I gather it was more blame on the then-existing government than any religious group.
The Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas which controls the Gaza Strip said on Sunday that a troubled Cairo-brokered truce with Israel will not be renewed when it runs out later this week. But a spokesman for outgoing Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert insisted his government remained keen to see the six-month-old truce extended beyond Thursday. They're rested, they're rearmed, they're refreshed and ready to go.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/15/2008 00:00 ||
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Former IDF chief of staff Moshe Ya'alon on Sunday criticized recent calls to broker the release of abducted Israel Defense Forces soldier Gilad Shalit "at any price", saying such calls were not appropriate, adding that previous prisoner exchanges encouraged additional kidnappings.
Ya'alon explained his hesitance to comment on the matter by saying that in past prisoner exchanges "we have backed ourselves into a corner, where every deal we make encourages kidnappings. In addition, those murderers who we release, go on to murder more Israelis."
Ya'alon told Army Radio the issue of returning Shalit "must remain above politics, and I am wary of making statements on the issue."
Ya'alon's added that he agreed with Kadima Chair Tzipi Livni, who caught fire last Thursday for saying it isn't possible to bring every IDF soldier home.
Livni on Friday clarified her remarks, saying she meant that freeing Gilad Shalit was not a question of political will. "It sounded as if the question of freeing Gilad Shalit depends on whether we want to [do so] or not. Absolutely not... I want to clarify that the question is whether it is possible or not," said Livni, speaking to Israel Radio."
The foreign minister, who is also the Kadima chairwoman, insisted that she wants every Israel Defense Forces soldier to return home.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/15/2008 00:00 ||
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Top|| File under: Hamas
#1
There must be some dynamic there that doesn't translate well to our society.
If the wanted a prisoner swap for the kid, I'd tell them to 'pick one'.
But alas, they have already set the precedent, and when you look at it objectively, I guess one Israeli is worth about 1200 Paleostains.
#2
You know, they need to work this math differently for it to be effective. Instead of releasing 225 Paleo prisoners for one Israeli, they need to say they'll KILL 225 Paleos--and feed the remains to pigs--if the Israeli isn't released. What's more, if another Israeli is kidnapped, the price goes up to 450 Paleo dead. Do that and I guarantee they'll stop kidnapping Israelis. These people understand force; in fact, it's about the only thing they DO understand.
Oh, THIS will help
JERUSALEM (AFP) -- Israel's prison authority is planning to free 227 Palestinian prisoners on Monday, the authority said on Sunday. Of those to be released, 209 hail from the West Bank and 18 from the Gaza Strip, it said in a statement.
Initially planned for last week, the move is going ahead after a special government committee approved the list of those set for release. None of the prisoners is accused of involvement in deadly attacks on Israelis.
So tag and release the small fry and see where they go ...
Israel's cabinet last month approved the release as a gesture to Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas and it was initially due to take place to mark the Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha last week. Olmert told Abbas at their last meeting in November of his plan to release 250 prisoners, but a government committee last Sunday approved a list of only 230 names.
The committee decided on the list according to criteria which rule out freeing prisoners who belong to radical groups such as Hamas, the Islamist movement that rules the Gaza Strip, or those implicated in deadly attacks.
In August, Israel freed 198 Palestinian prisoners but more than 11,000 Palestinians are still held in its jails. I'm going to watch a vampire movie. Anyone want to join in?
(Xinhua) -- Lebanon's Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah received an honorary doctorate from an Iranian university in Isfahan, the semi-official Fars news agency reported on Sunday.
"Iran's support was always the main factor in the victories and it always will be."
Nasrallah was granted the degree "in the field of political science, as a part of the events to mark the university's 300th birthday," the report said.
The degree was received by an envoy in Nasrallah's absence.
Nasrallah thanked Iran, in a statement read at the ceremony, for "25 years of support and aid for the Hezbollah organization and its warriors in southern Lebanon," adding that his group had won "two big triumphs" against "the most equipped armed forces in the region," referring implicitly to Israel.
He also stressed in the statement that "Iran's support was always the main factor in the victories and it always will be."
Posted by: Fred ||
12/15/2008 00:00 ||
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"Nuclear umbrella? We scoff! Haw haw!"
Tehran says its uranium enrichment has no military purposes as Washington vows to equip Israel with a 'nuclear umbrella' against Iran. "In the modern-day world, nuclear program is no longer a defensive measure aimed at protecting the national security of different countries," said the Head of the Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, Alaeddin Boroujerdi on Sunday.
According to officials speaking on condition of anonymity, the US President-elect Barack Obama has reportedly offered Israel a nuclear deterrent apparatus to protect it against what the sources claimed to be 'an Iranian attack'.
The proposed 'nuclear umbrella for Israel' has raised speculation that Obama may have forgotten the promises he made during his campaign and decided to focus more on how to fulfill an "unshakable commitment to Tel Aviv".
"Obama, who promised change, must realize that the US cannot continue with its old policies in the Middle East," Al Qadwa told Gulf News. "[Obama] should at this stage think about how to rescue millions of people in Gaza from the inhumane Israeli siege," he added.
Boroujerdi criticized Obama for backtracking on promises of 'change' and following the Bush administration's example in the Middle East. "From the very beginning, we knew that Obama would fail to live up to his promises of changing Washington's policy for the better," said the Iranian parliamentarian. "There is little hope - if none at all - that Obama would be capable of forcing a substantial policy change in Washington," he added.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/15/2008 00:00 ||
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Top|| File under: Govt of Iran
#1
Iran's ruling clerics might see it as their "religious duty" to nuke Israel once they have the capability. Any retaliation would be part of what they might consider a national "martyrdom operation".
Threats of massive retaliation might not mean much to them.
#4
A nuclear retaliation policy has to be straightforward, and in this case, in two parts.
Part one is that if Iran attacks Israel with nuclear weapons, that the entire nation will be "sterilized" with neutron weapons.
Part two, just as important, is that if this happens, Iran will become the new Jewish nation, being given as reparations to Jews, to do with as they see fit. All mosques and other traces of Islam will be razed.
#5
A 'nuclear umbrella' huh hmmm. So when Obama said A nuclear armed Iran would be a game changer. It wasnt just an empty platitude after all. What he really meant was a Containment Policy. With Biden advising him on all things foreign Im shocked I tells ya shocked!
#6
The Iranian Mullah's (not necessarily the Iranian _people_) would welcome a nuclear retaliation - it'll bring the 12th Iman out of his hidey-hole. Haven't they stated that they wanted to 'wipe Israel off the map' time and time again?
But somehow I doubt that Obama would follow up on his commitment - he would rather bown down to the 'United Nations' to resolve the 'misunderstanding'. After all its 'above his pay grade'....
#7
...the US President-elect Barack Obama has reportedly offered Israel a nuclear deterrent apparatus to protect it against what the sources claimed to be 'an Iranian attack'.
I thought Barry said it didn't work? Changed his mind maybe?
#9
Were Israel under the American nuclear umbrella, would President-elect Obama expect Israel to give up her own nuclear weapons? That would indeed be a game changer.
#11
2008-2012/2016 POST DUBYA PERIOD > "IRAN VERSUS ISRAEL" is now mostly a SIDESHOW/FRONT for Radical Islam. FOCII > Iran's utility is to keep the US = US-ALLIES contained for time being WHILE IRAN PCORRECTLY BUT STEADILY NUCLEARIZES, ETC + WHILE ISLAMIST MILITANTS RAMPAGE THROUGHOUT ASIA AND AFRICA, ETC. ESPEC AS PER THE DESTABILIZATION AND BREAK UP AMAP ASAP ALAP OF THE COLD WAR NUCLEAR STATES OF ASIA [Russ, China, India]. Even iff Iran is de facto invaded and militarily occupied as per Saddamist Iraq in 2003, including POST-INVAS ANTI-US INSURGENCY, the Militants will still have potent opportunity and access to [anti-US/Imperialist/
OWG-NWO]NUKE-WMD TECHS, NEW MANPOWER, $$$ SOURCES, etc.
Radical Islam must gener ensure that IRAN CONTINUES ITS NUCLEARIZATION VENTURES IN PARALLEL WID ISLAMIST-LED DESTABILZ = "JIHAD" AGZ LARGE AREAS/REGIONS OF ASIA AND AFRICA, NO MATTER THE POLICIES PER SE 2008-12/2016 OF THE USA [includ Allies + UNO-UNSC].
The Militants don't have to care about DETROIT'S PROBS = US FINANCIAL CRISIS/US-GLOBAL RECESSION BECUZ THEY DON'T HAVE MANY VEHICLES ANYWAY, + DON'T DEPEND ON SAME TO FIGHT ANYWAY.
Former US President Jimmy Carter met with the exiled leader of the Palestinian resistance group Hamas for the second time this year on Sunday. The meeting in Damascus is part of Carter's regional discussions on Middle East conflicts which has seen the former US leader meet with a wide variety of regional powerbrokers.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/15/2008 00:00 ||
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#1
The scary part about this is that the O-cult might listen to him.
A bitter, year-long feud that has shaken Al Qaeda's ideological pillars grew even sharper last month. A former associate of Ayman al-Zawahiri accused him of working for Sudanese intelligence, wearing "women's garments" to flee Afghanistan, and spreading an incorrect Islamic theory of jihad.
Mr. Zawahiri "is only good at fleeing, inciting, collecting donations, and talking to the media," wrote Sayyed Imam al-Sharif in his latest attack on Al Qaeda's No. 2.
Sayyed Imam, serving a life sentence in Egypt, is an esteemed theoretician of jihad whose ideas helped shape Al Qaeda's ideology. But now he's decrying its stock in trade -- mass murder -- in a clash that is an example of how some once-fierce zealots of violent jihad are having second thoughts. "It is really an argument about ... what means are militarily effective and Islamically legitimate," says William McCants, a Washington area-based analyst of militant Islamism. Imam, he adds, is saying that only "a guerrilla war conducted against enemy soldiers" is permitted.
Imam's prison writings were preceded by a series of books and commentaries from imprisoned members of Islamic Group, a group that waged a guerrilla war against the Egyptian government in the 1990s. Their so-called "revisions" renounced violence and some put forward ideas on how to peacefully create an Islamic society.
Terrorism experts disagree on the impact that Imam's scathing critiques of Zawahiri and Al Qaeda will have on the global jihadi movement, particularly since he writes from prison where he is believed subject to influence from Egyptian and US intelligence agencies.
But his writings have put Zawahiri on the defensive. And they come amid other pressures, including the disabling of several Al Qaeda-linked online forums -- presumably by Western and Middle Eastern intelligence agencies -- and an intensification of US military activity in Pakistan's tribal areas, where Zawahiri and Osama bin Laden are believed to be hiding.
"One shouldn't overestimate the impact of this [ideological feud] in the overall war on terror, but it is definitely going to divert some of Zawahiri's creative energy away from operations," says Thomas Hegghammer, a fellow in Harvard Kennedy School's international security program. "Zawahiri's support among jihadis is still strong, but he is losing the media battle to convince the public that Al Qaeda is winning," adds Mr. McCants, who monitors Al Qaeda Web activity at jihadica.com. "That, coupled with the US Predators attacks in Pakistan, put him under tremendous pressure."
Bruce Hoffman, a professor of security studies at Georgetown University and author of "Inside Terrorism," says he does not believe that Imam's writings are going to have a huge adverse impact on Al Qaeda's hard-core followers. If you are a hard-line militant, "are you going to listen to an elderly, geriatric guy in an Egyptian prison?" Mr. Hoffman asks. "It's not as if Zawahiri himself changed his mind."
Far more problematic for Al Qaeda, Hoffman says, is the sabotage of its online forums, some of which have not been working since September. As the principle means of communicating with followers and potential recruits, their loss "has been a serious blow," Hoffman says.
Imam, also known as Dr. Fadl, was a close ally of Zawahiri when Imam led Egypt's Islamic Jihad in the 1980s. His reputation as a top jihadi ideologue rested on his books, particularly his 1994 "A Compendium for the Pursuit of Divine Knowledge." But Imam and Zawahiri disagreed about many things and grew estranged. When Imam stepped down as Islamic Jihad leader in 1993, Zawahiri took his place. Though Al Qaeda cited Imam's writings, he never joined the group.
In Nov. 2007, Imam released "Rationalizing Jihad in Egypt and the World," a book that refuted Al Qaeda's terrorist tactics and ideology and was especially critical of Zawahiri.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/15/2008 00:00 ||
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Top|| File under: al-Qaeda
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.
US President George W Bush has arrived in Afghanistan on a surprise visit, his last before stepping down in January. Mr Bush addressed US troops at Bagram air base before leaving for talks with his Afghan counterpart, Hamid Karzai. He said Afghanistan was a "dramatically different country than it was eight years ago", when US-led forces invaded.
Somalia's president announced Sunday he was sacking the cabinet but the premier rejected the move as unlawful and an attempt to scupper ongoing peace efforts with the Islamist-led opposition. "As of now, I have sacked the prime minister and his current government and I will nominate a new prime minister within days," President Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmad told reporters.
Outlawed Islamist outfit Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) has sent leaflets and a CD to Thakurgaon Krishak League leader Advocate Mojibar Rahman by mail. Advocate Mojibar, who received a parcel of the leaflets and CD yesterday, handed over them to the police immediately. 
The Jamaatud Dawa cannot use the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to overturn the sanctions imposed on it or the crackdown against it, say legal experts. 
Former IDF chief of staff Moshe Ya'alon on Sunday criticized recent calls to broker the release of abducted Israel Defense Forces soldier Gilad Shalit "at any price", saying such calls were not appropriate, adding that previous prisoner exchanges encouraged additional kidnappings. 
A bitter, year-long feud that has shaken Al Qaeda's ideological pillars grew even sharper last month. A former associate of Ayman al-Zawahiri accused him of working for Sudanese intelligence, wearing "women's garments" to flee Afghanistan, and spreading an incorrect Islamic theory of jihad. 
