Despite mounting pressure that included a bi-partisan letter to President Barack Obama urging him to further support the programs and a high profile speech by Deputy VA Secretary W. Despite mounting pressure that included a bi-partisan letter to President Barack Obama urging him to further support the programs and a high profile speech by Deputy VA Secretary W. Scott Gould about the Obama administrations supposedly strikingly level of commitment to the troops, the stalled Caregiver Act programs have yet to show any signs of being implemented. The Caregiver Act, which the administration trumpeted when President Obama signed it into law nearly a year ago, extends veterans of the War on Terrors benefits and is meant to provide critical support services to those who take care of our nations most severely wounded warriors. The bill, official titled the Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act, includes a stipend to be paid to the primary caregiver, usually a spouse, child, parent, or friend. The program also contains provisions to pay lodging and meals to those caregivers who might accompany injured veterans on trips for VA healthcare evaluations and treatments.
Veterans support groups claimed the program a major step forward and a sign of hope when it was first signed into law on May 5th of last year, but many peoples bright expectation have been tamped into undiluted pessimism as the programs have continued to be stalled for months after the January 30th deadline.
In fact President Obamas recent move to place troops in Libya, and the looming possibility that it might lead to a prolonged and bloody engagement as an occupying force has likely only slowed down the process. Currently one of the aspects clogging the program is that veterans and caregivers from wars other than the War on Terror are clamoring for the provisions to apply to them as well, as are veterans and caregivers of veterans with mesothelioma. The VA has been resistant to include veterans from previous wars and veterans with mesothelioma under the provisions, which has made it difficult to get the programs up and running. But its also unclear whether Obamas actions in Libya are considered to fall under the War on Terror or not, or if the provisions in the Caregiver Act also apply to those veterans who are injured in any future wars.
If the Obama administration wants to live up to its rhetoric that VA and veterans are the presidents top priority then they need to be sure and implement the Caregiver Act programs that they signed into law, and make sure that the benefits extend to at least the soldiers fighting in Obamas engagement in Libya as well.
Posted by: Taylor Dardan ||
04/04/2011 14:24 ||
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Posted by: The Other Beldar ||
04/04/2011 10:05 Comments ||
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#2
For thousands of years, the release of the hell of the battlefield [for which most of the time was standing face to face literally butchering the man in front of you for a hour or more] was the outlets of alcohol, looting, and 'camp followers'. Today those are basically culturally and officially outlawed. So we instead seek psychotropic drugs and counseling administered by accredited professionals. It is the support of the hunting group, which for tens of thousands of years offered the solace of loss and recovery of traumatic shock of things gone wrong, that still provide aid in dealing with it. Society has lost the cultural rituals that used to be practiced to cleanse and to offer atonement for those it asks to provide for its survival and existence. We're too modern to acknowledge that which we still carry with us and instead substitute official and approved measures not as much for the individual but for our own self satisfaction.
#3
An video example telling about one cultural ritual, the Crow Indians' "Warriors Return" ceremony, copied from a display at the Museum of American History in DC on 11 Nov 2004. It'sa 14 MB download.
#5
Get everyone a dog. They are soothing companions and they would drive the muzzies nuts! Personally, I can't see how anyone comes back from combat without needing some major smoothing and re-entry help.
The Legion and VFW are what they are because we know when we go, that the guys (and gals now) there have been there, done that, and importantly, they know what we know. And we know what we need amongst each other.
Its hard to explain in plain words. Sometimes the silence and a look shared between veterans over a glass, speaks more eloquently and truly to the heart than any words a counselor or shrink could utter.
And Steve, as Groucho Marx said Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.
[Tolo News] The UN Chief's envoy to Afghanistan, Staffan De Mistura, strongly criticised the Florida pastor for burning a copy of the Koran which sparked violent demonstrations in Afghanistan.
On Friday, hundreds erupted into the streets in the northern city of Mazar-e-Sharif to protest at the Koran burning in a Florida church.
Some protesters who were reportedly armed killed 7 foreign workers of the UN, that followed strong condemnation by the Afghan government, the UN Secretary General and the US President.
Mr Staffan De Mistura blamed the violence on the Florida pastor, describing the burning of the holy Koran as "insane and totally deprecable gesture by one person".
I don't think we should be blaming any Afghans, we should blame the one who burnt the Koran, he said addressing a news conference in Kabul on Saturday.
Freedom of speech does not mean to offend culture, religion and traditions, he added.
Mr De Mistura reiterated the UN's commitment to continue its assistance to the Afghan people despite the attack on its Mazar office.
"The Secretary General is of the opinion and I am of the same opinion that this should not deter UN presence and activities in this delicate and particularly crucial period, said Mr De Mistura addressing a news conference in Kabul.
The UN has temporarily shifted its staff to Kabul until the office building in Mazar is repaired.
Meanwhile, ...back at the Senate, Odius Sepulcher put forth his proposition... the US commander of Coalition forces in Afghanistan General David Petraeus and Mark Sedwill Nato's senior civilian representative in Afghanistan have also condemned the burning of the holy Koran in Florida.
"I have just released a statement on behalf of Nato and Isaf forces in Afghanistan. In that statement we condemn the action of individual in the United States who burnt a holy Koran, That action was hateful, it was intolerant and it was extremely disrespectful. And again we condemn it in the strongest manner possible," General Petraeus told TOLOnews on Sunday.
Mr Petraeus urged the Afghans to demonstrate calm and do the opposite of what the pastor in the United States has done.
Nato's Senior Civilian Representative Mark Sedwill reinforced what General Petraeus said.
"This was an act of disrespect to the Mohammedan faith, and to all peoples of faith. It does not present the views of peoples or governments of the alliance, we condemn it, our condolences of course goes out to all those who have been hurt in the demonstrations over the past few days," Mr Sedwill said.
Mr Sedwill called on the Afghan people to remember that it was the act of an isolated individual, and the peoples and the governments of the alliance both respect and defend the Mohammedan faith and are in Afghanistan to support a peaceful future for the Afghan people.
Pastor Wayne Sapp burnt a copy of the Koran in Florida on 20 March, under the supervision of Pastor Terry Jones who had last year planned and cancelled a Koran burning ceremony.
Posted by: Fred ||
04/04/2011 00:00 ||
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#1
Americans have too many freedoms! Just ask Mohammed.
Posted by: Ulimp Lover of the Jutes7874 ||
04/04/2011 0:31 Comments ||
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"I have just released a statement on behalf of Nato and Isaf forces in Afghanistan. In that statement we condemn the action of individual in the United States who burnt a holy Koran, That action was hateful, it was intolerant and it was extremely disrespectful. And again we condemn it in the strongest manner possible," General Petraeus told TOLOnews on Sunday. Mr Petraeus urged the Afghans to demonstrate calm and do the opposite of what the pastor in the United States has done.
Urged Afghans to "demonstrate calm"....stopping just short of urging them to refrain from killing one another and UN personnel, which of course a lesser concern than that of Koranm burning, which is much, much, much, more serious than constitutionally protected US flag burning.
Yesterday, the Afghan Police loyal to President Karzai rolled through a nearby city informing everyone via loudspeakers mounted on their Ford Rangers that "rioters would be immediately shot!" (meaning shot or arrested and disappeared within 48 hours) Sort of put a damper on demonstractions in this sector.
#3
Listening to Petraeus' message one could get the impression that he views Jones, an American residing in the US, as an enemy because he exercised his constitutional rights.
Is there any reason why Jones' constitutional rights and freedoms should not be fully protected by the US gov?
Hopefully this won't be seen as a green light for attacks on Jones and/or his congregation by islamofascists inclined to resort to such a response.
BTW, has Petraeus ever condemned the hateful and murderous intolerance of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan "in the strongest manner possible?"
#5
Hopefully this won't be seen as a green light for attacks on Jones and/or his congregation by islamofascists inclined to resort to such a response.
Apparently there is a death fatwa with a (if I recall correctly) US$2.5 million reward on his head, Cluns Unavirong6767. He has a small police guard as a result.
#6
So, who to believe; the UN (ptui), Karzai's brother, or Petraeus.
I believe none of the above.
I DO believe that Afghanistan is the cesspool of 'nations' and should be left to 'work it out among themselves'.
Posted by: Whiskey Mike ||
04/04/2011 4:19 Comments ||
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#7
Whiskey Mike probably represents a lot of Americans now.
This latest atrocity will probably drive the poll numbers of the 'time to leave Afghanistan' opinion into the 60s.
Posted by: Lord Garth ||
04/04/2011 6:16 Comments ||
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#8
A Death Fatwa is a given, but I'm concerned about the tone of the statements by Western military and political leaders (Petraeus, the NATO ambassador, Reid & Graham.)
One could get the impression that they're declaring Jones an 'enemy' and that attacks on him would not lead to a serious punitive reaction by the US as he is 'fair game.'
All of this is done with a 'Wink and Nod' and plausible deniability, of course. Hopefully these leaders don't actually mean to convey this message but they might be misunderstood.
Words mean something, "strongest possible manner" means something.
When leaders in certain islamofascistic hellholes speak about their subjects in this manner said subjects are marked for death.
#9
But, see - they're not barbarians because it's not just any old religion Pastor Jones offended. Those are Allen's words, dictated to Moe in arabic, not written years after Moe's passing and translated from some dead language and then changed again into King James, RSV, New Life, New Hope, New Dope, etc.
It's the only religion. Just like all the others. Why would an all-powerful God present himself in only one form?
Posted by: Bobby ||
04/04/2011 6:36 Comments ||
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Lord Garth, Whiskey Mike's sentiments represent mine. I think Afghanistan is a waste of blood and treasure for us.
Does someone out there think that our mission in Afghanistan will succeed and is worth the tremendous effort? If so, please speak up or post a link.
#11
I think it's hilarious that Pastor Jones is next planning to put Mohammed on trial for all sorts of crimes.
The interesting part will be the sentencing. Personally, I think that Jones should wax poetic:
"In the name of the peoples with one God, who follow the covenant with Adam, Mohammed is condemned to Hell. And in the name of the peoples with one God, who follow the covenant with Noah, Mohammed is condemned to Hell. And in the name of the peoples with one God, who follow the covenant with Abraham, Mohammed is condemned to Hell.
"Let all who kneel in Sajdah and pray to God know that because of Mohammed, their prayers instead go to Hell and the mouth of the unclean one. Let them know that because of this, the Muslim is cursed to live a life of misery, poverty, failure, and despair, because they do not worship God, but evil and death.
"That all those who worship God, and even the atheist, may trod on the backs of the Muslim who follows Mohammed, because their prayers are not heard in Heaven. That even the unclean beast is more beloved in Heaven than the Muslim who follows Mohammed.
"As evidence of this, the Muslim that takes up arms will always fail, and remain in the pit of despair and damnation. But the Muslim who forgets Mohammed, and prays only to God, living in peace with all mankind, enjoys the blessing of heaven and prospers.
"Yet for diverting the belief in God of Muslims from Heaven to Hell, Mohammed lives in the arms of Satan, forever damned and in agony, despised of God, in darkness. And once again his sentence is affirmed by men.
"Those that protest this sentence, and commit further acts of violence and hate, let them know that they do not worship God, but instead worship the damned Mohammed, death and Satan in Hell, where they seek to cast their own souls."
#12
Mr Staffan De Mistura blamed the violence on the Florida pastor, describing the burning of the holy Koran as "insane and totally deprecable gesture by one person".
B.S.
Unless we are going to get serious about the war in Afghanistan, we should get out. Getting serious to me means something like Sherman's march to the sea or the campaign through the Pacific islands or Truman's decision to use the bomb during WWII.
Mazar-e-Sharif is a Pashtun enclave in Tajik/Uzbek territory. It was also a Taliban stronghold before the 2001 campaign. I am sure the Taliban were involved in the riots and yes, I am sure the burning was just an excuse for the riots.
Al
Posted by: Frozen Al ||
04/04/2011 11:16 Comments ||
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#15
The burning story almost got no play in the press. It was stupid ass Karzai that decided to make a stink of it - inflamed the nutters to kill all those people over it.
#16
Mazar-e-Sharif is a Pashtun enclave in Tajik/Uzbek territory.
I did wonder if this is a Pashtun or Afghan phenomenon, Frozen Al. Could that be why the Swedish and German bases were left strictly alone, or is that because they might actually defend themselves? Ordering Ghurka guards not to shoot the attackers, forsooth! I hope they take a firm position on that, going forward.
#17
How dispiriting to see, once again, the footage of theocratic rage in Kandahar and Mazar-i-Sharif. The same old dreary formula: self-righteous frenzy married to a neurotic need to take offense; the easy resort to indiscriminate violence and cruelty; the promulgation of makeshift fatwas by mullahs on the make; those writhing mustaches framing crude slogans of piety and hatred, and yelling for death as if on first-name terms with the Almighty. The spilling of blood and the spoliation of propertyall for nothing, and ostensibly "provoked" by the corny, brainless antics of a devout American nonentity, notice of whose mere existence is beneath the dignity of any thinking person.
From Christopher Hitchens @ Slate.com
Posted by: regular joe ||
04/04/2011 13:22 Comments ||
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Of course the UN does. It's a feeble superfluous organisation that folds at the first sign of bullying.
The people to blame? That's the people who killed, not the person they said inspired them. If we're going to be consistent why isn't their normal actions always blamed on the Koran Hate-manual, as they themselves say they are following his words?
#20
I do not believe Petraeus has gone native on us. He's just playing to mob that surrounds him. I would have preferred the old line "this is not helpful" but these nuts don't get subtlety.
Posted by: regular joe ||
04/04/2011 14:29 Comments ||
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The problem is that 'going native' is the official policy in Afghanistan sanctioned by the military and political elites in pretty much all western nations.
COIN implies that western troops and western nations in Afghanistan have entered a contest where the competitor is the Taliban the judge is the native population and the prize is the native population's goodwill.
We, the West are literally submitting, ourselves to the judgment of the Afghan people. Thus we are in effect accepting their dominance.
The problem is that by and large the Afghans are adherents of a political ideology that is hostile to western values, and also aggressive and expansionist. They want Danegeld (reconstruction aid) and ideological submission in the West.
The military is in a conundrum. So far they've resorted to telling polite lies to the Afghans. But these lies are exposed by the likes of Jones, Wilders, South Park etc.
To make COIN if Afghanistan succeed the West must submit to Sharia in earnest, and that implies that COIN if Afghanistan is a certain failure.
All of this started well before Obama (see this for example), IMO the rot set in when "Infinite Justice" was turned into "Enduring Freedom."
Bush clung to a post-modern pacifistic worldview when confronted with an act of total war. That didn't make him a bad person, but it was dangerously naive.
#22
I think Petraeus sees the writing on the wall. He is on his way out and he is trying to make it easier for his boys and girls on the ground to ride things out until they are pulled out.
[Tolo News] The neighbouring countries send mines to Afghanistan, MDC mine clearance agency in Kabul said on Sunday on the occation of International Mine Awareness Day.
At a ceremony on the occasion of the international day for mine awareness, Head of the MDC urged the Afghan government to prevent the flow of mines from the neighbouring countries.
Mohammad Shahab Hakimi, Head of the MDC, said Afghanistan is the victim of its neighbours' policties.
MDC said 80% of land mines in Afghanistan have been cleared and the rest will be cleared in the next four years.
"There are many countrie in the region who make millions of mines including to defend their own countries, including Russia, China, Iran, Pakistain and India," Mr Shahab said.
Meanwhile, ...back at the bunker, his Excellency called a meeting. It was to be their last... the Afghan Economy Minister Abdul Haid Arghandiwal who was also present at the ceremony said the neighbouring countries must not be allowed to plot conspiracies against Afghanistan.
"The only way to prevent neighbours' conspiracies is for the Afghans to united and understand their responsibilities," Mr Arghandiwal said.
Around fifty people, nearly 60% of them children, were victimised each month over the past one year, MDC said.
Currently Improvised Explosive Devices are used by gunnies to target Afghan and foreign forces in different parts of the country, but civilians are often the main victims.
Posted by: Fred ||
04/04/2011 00:00 ||
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"LANDMINES, THE GIFT THAT KEEPS ON GIVING"
versus
* RUSSIA TODAY > THE TALIBAN LAYS A MINE UNDER THE CAUCASUS | IFF THE US WITHDRAWS FROM AFGHANISTAN, AL QAEDA WILL TURN ITS ATTENTION TO RUSSIA, [UNO-Internat]CONTROL OF THE ISLMAIC NUCLEAR CLUB WILL BE LOST.
ARTIC:
> The attention of Osama + Boyz, etal. in Radical Islam was temporarily diverted when former POTUS Dubya invaded Saddam-led Iraq, + when US-NATO sent troops into Afghanistan = AFPAK to search for OBL + engage Taliban.
> PERT = anticipates that POTUS OBAMA may accelerate unilateral withdrawal of US Milfors from Afghanistan to facilitate his poten re-elction in 2012 US Elex. A WEAK OR TOTAL US WITHDRAWAL FROM AFGHAN = AFPAK REGION WILL INSPIRE + EMPOWER RADICAL ISLAMIST MILTERRS TO BEGIN ATTACKS AGZ RUSSIA.
[Tolo News] The Afghan Attorney General's Office is unable to sue some deputy ministers accused of graft, Deputy Attorney General said on Sunday.
Deputy Attorney General Rahmatullah Nazari and Head of the High Office of Oversight and Anti-Corruption Azizullah Ludin were summoned by the Afghan parliament's central oversight commission on Sunday.
Mr Nazari told politicians that some deputy ministers accused of corruption have been sentenced to 5 years in prison, but the Attorney Office cannot get them placed in durance vile because they are powerful.
Mr Azizullah Ludin said there are graft cases of 136 million dollars in which high-ranking government officials and cabinet ministers are involved.
Meanwhile, ...back at the palazzo, Count Guido had escaped from his bonds... some parliamentarians accuse the Attorney General's Office of ignoring some of the cases they receive.
"We wanted to make sure what the Attorney General's Office is doing is based on the Afghan constitution," an Afghan MP, Mohammad Ali Alizada, said.
The Attorney General's Office said the cases filed are related to ministers, deputy ministers, ambassadors and directors.
It has dealt with 220 cases of graft, the Deputy Attorney General added.
According to Mr Ludin, corruption has increased in the national population statistics department, passport office and traffic police.
He said if the governmental instituions are not cleared of corruption, then it would be difficult to succeed in the fight against corrution in Afghanistan.
Posted by: Fred ||
04/04/2011 00:00 ||
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In view of the events of recent days, we feel it is important on behalf of ISAF and NATO members in Afghanistan to reiterate our condemnation of any disrespect to the Holy Qur'an and the Muslim faith. We condemn, in particular, the action of an individual in the United States who recently burned the Holy Qur'an. No mention of the legality of the act, or of Freedom of Speech as an innate human right, nor of the duty of the military to protect the US from foreign enemies.
We also offer condolences to the families of all those injured and killed in violence which occurred in the wake of the burning of the Holy Qur'an. That's a mighty 'wake' reaching across continents. Also the 'condolences' are offered not only to the victims' families but also to those who were injured or killed in self defense because they were part of an islamofascistic mob.
We further hope the Afghan people understand that the actions of a small number of individuals, who have been extremely disrespectful to the Holy Qur'an, are not representative of any of the countries of the international community who are in Afghanistan to surrender to help the Afghan people. The net result of ISAF and 'Enduring Freedom' is that the Afghans are imposing their will on the West not vice versa. Per Clausewitz that means the West has been defeated by the Afghans.
#8
Like most other crises in the world today brought to you courtesy of the United Nations. Nah, I think it stems from shipping billions of dollars to Jihadi oil pumpers and being willing to put up with the consequences.
[The Nation (Nairobi)] A former Somali Defence minister has been sworn in as the president of the newly created semi-autonomous region of Jubaland.
Prof Mohamed Abdi Gandhi was sworn in at a meeting of Somalis in Nairobi. The longtime anthropology professor in La Belle France will be in charge of the area near the border between Kenya and Somalia.
The region includes the three sub-regions of Lower Juba, Middle Juba and Gedo and is estimated to have a population of 1.3 million.
The appointment followed a week-long conference that brought together representatives of the civil society, Somali youth, elders and members of the Transitional Federal Government.
Prof Gandhi had been spearheading the breakaway. But an official in charge of organising the conference said participants decided to elect Prof Gandhi because "he is the face of Jubaland in the eyes of the international community".
The official, who requested anonymity because he is not the official front man, said: "Panellists viewed Prof Mohamed Gandhi as a punctual and flexible person. They thought it wise to have him lead them."
Prior to the swearing in, Prof Gandhi had indicated he would love "to liberate Jubaland from Islamic exemplars".
The idea to create an autonomous region near the Kenyan border is hinged on the reason that it will prevent the movement of al Shabaab Death Eaters within the region.
As the conference ended on Sunday, it was not clear whether the Kenyan Government supported the election but recent WikiLeaks revelations showed that the country supported the creation of an autonomous region near its border with Somalia to prevent the flow of illegal arms.
The meeting had been opposed by both Ethiopia and Djibouti, who argue that creating autonomies in the war-torn country could inspire further insurgency by other regions or degrade the gains made by the TFG.
The official said the election of the president was only the initial stage of making Jubaland autonomous. The region will have to create a parliament and the president will appoint the cabinet.
Posted by: Fred ||
04/04/2011 00:00 ||
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Hard to keep track of all these countrylets that are springing up in Somalia.
[Arab News] A British delegation arrived in Benghazi late Saturday to contact Libyan anti-government fighters.
A front man for the fighters, Mustafa Gheriani, on Sunday confirmed the presence of the British group in the country's second largest city, but was tight-lipped on the reason for the visit. "It's a delegation," said Gheriani, front man for Transitional National Council, adding however that the British delegation was meeting with the TNC on Sunday.
In London, a spokesperson for the Foreign Office confirmed the visit. "A further diplomatic team led by Christopher Prentice arrived in Benghazi on April 2 to engage with key figures including the Interim National Council.
"It will build on the work of the previous team and seek to establish further information about the INC, its aims and more broadly what is happening in Libya," the spokesperson said.
Meanwhile, ...back at the barn, Bossy had come up with a new idea... warplanes flew over Brega on Sunday as the fighters battled with loyalist troops for control of the east Libyan oil town. Near the eastern gate of Brega aircraft and the thud of kabooms and machine-gun fire could be heard.
Comments from volunteer fighters suggested that better trained anti-Qadaffy army units continue to battle government forces around the town's university 15 km to the west, without any clear outcome.
Posted by: Fred ||
04/04/2011 00:00 ||
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Gulf Arab monarchies including Saudi Arabia denounced Iran's "flagrant interference" in regional affairs and said Tehran was destabilising their countries, at a ministerial meeting overnight Saturday.
In addition to Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Kuwait, the GCC groups Oman, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates said in a statement they were "deeply worried about continuing Iranian meddling" in their region by plotting against GCC countries' national security and fanning sedition and religious disputes among their citizens. Get rid of all the radical Imams and anyone who can replace them and the problem will go away after the furor dies down. They are just using Islam as a tool to control people. Better yet, the children need to be taught to think independently at a young age, and not imbued with a sense of submission and hopelessness. The internet may be able to help accomplish this in stages.
* FREEREPUBLIC > IRANIAN PRESIDENT AHMADINEJAD CALLS ON RIVAL SAUDI ARABIA TO WITHDRAW TROOPS FROM BAHRAIN.
ARTIC > MOUD = has criticized POTUS BAMMER + ADMIN [Presidency] as "DISGRACEFUL" + WORSE THAN THE ADMIN OF EX-POTUS DUBYA.
Looks like Moud is gong to be joining Louis Farrakhan + New Black Panthers in NOT getting any Party invites to the White House this year???
* SAME > [FarsiNews] AHMADINEJAD PREDICTS EMBARRASSING [humiliating] END FOR OBAMA.
* FARSI NEWS > [Supreme Cleric-Leader Ayatollah K.] LEADER: THESE REGIONAL UPRISINGS ARE A "FRUIT OF THE IRANIAN ISLAMIC REVOLUTION".
* SAME > [Union of Islamic Students Associations, Europe] MUSLIM STUDENTS IN EUROPE IN LETTER TO OBAMA: WORLS IS NOT CONTROLLED BY THE US ANYMORE. The "Islamic Awkening" is a fact + a fruit [inspiration] of the 1979 Iranian Revolution which successfully overthrew the the US proxy the Shah of Iran + Regime, "Islamic Awakening" is spreading throughout the entire World.
IIUC ARTIC = the US = US-ALLIES will NOT be able to stop the "Islamic Awakening" [Jihad + triumph of Islam]???
* TOPIX > IRAN: BAHRAIN + GCC MUST RESPECT SHIA RIGHTS. Pro-Sunni Royals + Regime, + espec Saudi Arabia.
[Arab News] The six-member Gulf Cooperation Council on Sunday urged Yemen's government and opposition to sit down for talks in a bid to overcome more than two months of deadly violence amid a brutal crackdown on anti-government protests.
"The GCC calls on all parties in Yemen to return to national dialogue," GCC Secretary-General Abdullatif Al-Zayani said at an emergency meeting of the GCC foreign ministers. "We respect the Yemeni people's will and choices that would ensure the country's unity, security and stability," the GCC said.
The ministers also agreed to contact with the Yemeni government and opposition to reach a consensus.
The meeting also called on Iran to refrain from hostile remarks against its Arab neighbors and stop meddling in the internal affairs of the GCC countries. According to sources, Iran was the focus of discussions at the meeting.
The meeting chaired by Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al-Nahyan of the United Arab Emirates, expressed the GCC's concern over the hidden agenda of Tehran and lambasted the statements made by an influential Iranian parliamentary panel that called for the withdrawal of Gulf forces from Bahrain.
The meeting emphasized that the GCC countries sent their joint Peninsula Shield forces to Bahrain on the request of Manama, adding that the Iranian statement was a flagrant intervention in the internal affairs of GCC states. It also praised the reforms introduced by Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa.
"The ministers also expressed concerns over Iran fueling tensions in the region and failing to respect the norms of good relations as in the case of Kuwait where a spy cell has been uncovered," said a GCC official after the meeting on the conditions of anonymity.
He said that Kuwait or possibly other countries are considering "to expel an unspecified number of Iranian diplomats for alleged links to the spy ring" working for Tehran, reportedly ever since the invasion of Iraq in 2003.
The GCC meeting condemned Iran's interference in the internal affairs of Kuwait, in reference to the Iranian spy issue. A Kuwaiti court has passed a death sentence on three members of the spy ring, to which Tehran has so far denied any links.
"We support all the measures taken by Kuwait to safeguard its national security," the meeting said.
Besides Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal, the ministerial meeting was attended by a large number of top-ranking GCC officials. Prominent among them are Kuwaiti Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Dr. Mohammed Al-Sabah Al-Salim Al-Sabah, Bahraini Foreign Minister Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmad bin Muhammad Al Khalifa, Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Hamad bin Jasim Al-Thani and Omani Minister of Foreign Affairs Yousef bin Alawi bin Abdullah.
The GCC ministers also reviewed the situation in the war-torn Libya, where attacks have been intensified and where warplanes flew over Brega on Sunday as rebels fought troops loyal to Muammar Qadaffy for control of the east Libyan oil town. "But, the focus was Iranian interference in the Gulf countries", said Al-Zayani.
The GCC chief called on Iran to commit itself to the basic principles of promoting good neighborly ties and non-interference in the internal affairs, settlement of disputes through peaceful means and refrain from using or threatening its neighbors.
Meanwhile, ...back at the Esquimeau village our hero was receiving a quick lesson in aeronautics:... Tehran said tensions between Iran and the GCC countries are the result of a Western and Zionist conspiracy. "Sowing discord between Islamic countries, especially between Iran and the countries of the region, is a Western and Zionist conspiracy," Iranian Foreign Ministry front man Ramin Mehmanparast said.
"We advise regional governments to heed the demands of their people in order to stop such conspiracies," he said, while insisting that "unity" among Mohammedans was the key issue for Iran. Relations between Iran and its neighbors have been strained in recent weeks, as Tehran insists on supporting the uprisings in the Arab world.
"The stance of the Islamic Theocratic Republic of Iran is to support popular movements, halt repression and acts of violence, and interference of foreigners in the region," Mehmanparast said.
Posted by: Fred ||
04/04/2011 00:00 ||
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[Iran Press TV] Foreign Office officials are to sit down for talks with Scottish police and prosecutors to discuss the possibility of an interview with Libyan defector Musa Kusa.
The talks scheduled to be held in London with the presence of representatives from the Crown Office and Dumfries and Galloway Police will center on access to Kusa as part of the ongoing probe into the 1988 Lockerbie bombing.
Earlier this week, the Crown Office asked for an interview with Libyan dictator Muammar Qadaffy's former intelligence chief and Foreign Minister about the bombing of Pan American flight 103 over the Scottish city of Lockerbie, which killed 270 people.
"I can confirm that representatives of the Crown Office and Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary have been in close contact with FCO officials over recent days and will be meeting with them on Monday to discuss the situation concerning Mr Musa Kusa further," a Crown Office front man said.
Kusa reportedly arrived in Britain on Wednesday as part of an operation by the MI6 and is now being questioned by MI5 officers. He was Qadaffy's intelligence chief from 1994 to 2009 and a senior intelligence officer when the Lockerbie attacks took place.
Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond earlier said they have "every reason" to think Kusa can "shed light on the Lockerbie atrocity and the circumstances that led up to it".
Kusa is also believed to have had a key role in securing last year's release of Libyan Abdel Baset al-Meghrahi who was serving a life sentence in a Scottish prison.
No, he didn't have a key role, the Scots are the ones who turned Al-Meghrahi free, they are the ones with the key role.
Al-Meghrahi is the only person convicted over the atrocity.
This article starring:
Abdel Baset al-Meghrahi
Posted by: Fred ||
04/04/2011 00:00 ||
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#1
they have "every reason" to think Kusa can "shed light on the Lockerbie atrocity
So is talking to Kusa better in some way than talking to the guy that actually did it, who if I'm not mistaken, is back in Libya for some reason?
#3
I keep thinking of g(r)omgoru's translation of the Syrian/Palestinian insult word koussa. How that poor man made it up to such a rarefied level with such a handicap is a tribute to some extraordinary ability or talent.
#1
The reasoning: The attorney general forcefully blamed Congress for compelling the Justice Department to make this decision by interfering for political gamesmanship.
#4
It was the Democratic-led House and Democratic-led Senate that stopped him. Seems like Chuckles the Mouth, senior Senator from New York, didn't like the idea either.
Posted by: Steve White ||
04/04/2011 18:23 Comments ||
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#5
The US Constitution + other Fed laws apply only to US Citizens, legal Permanent Residents, + other US Nationals, and AFAIK there has yet been no formal US national electoral vote nor any proposed US Constitutional amendment, etc. to apply same to all non-US, AS PER SO-CALLED "GLOBALISM".
Despite clear evidence that his actions have led to multiple murders and widespread violence in the Middle East, controversial Florida pastor Terry Jones has vowed to step up his provocative campaign against Islam.
The radical pastor said that he was considering putting Islamic prophet Mohammed 'on trial' for his next 'day of judgement' publicity stunt. His last, in which he oversaw the burning of a copy of the Koran after a six-hour mock trial, has been directly responsible for a wave of violence that began last night and has left 30 people dead and more than 150 injured.
The defiant stance has led General Petraeus, the head of NATO forces in Afghanistan, to join international condemnation of pastor Jones.
The General urged Afghans to understand only a small number of people had been disrespectful to the Koran and Islam. He said: 'We condemn, in particular, the action of an individual in the United States who recently burned the Holy Koran.
'We also offer condolences to the families of all those injured and killed in violence which occurred in the wake of the burning of the Holy Koran.'
The call comes after a third day of violence in Afghanistan saw at least ten deaths, 78 injured and at least 17 arrests as protesters clash with security forces in Kandahar.
There were also reports of attempted suicide attacks on a U.S. military base in Kabul, but these were not directly linked to Mr Jones's actions.
The vilified pastor remains unrepentant about his actions, and has even hinted that he will take his provocative stance further. He said in an interview: 'It is definitely a consideration to stage a trial on the life of Mohammed in the future.'
Such a move would trigger further violent protests in the Muslim world - even in more moderate Islamic states. By a bunch of folks with nothing better to do than getting into an "I'm holier than thou" pissing contest and trying to prove it by killing the guy next to them. Or, better yet, secure a place in heaven for themselves and their "loved" ones through some "heroic" act of jihad.
Go read the article. Too complicated to cut-n-paste it all and there are a bunch of related images.
#2
I expect the usual suspects to demand the removal of Dante's Inferno from the public bookshelves soon as well with it's depiction both Mohammed--the founder of Islam--and his cousin and son-in-law Ali as sowers of religious divisiveness. [Circle 8, subcircles 7-10, cantos 24-30]. Dante creates a vicious composite portrait of the two holy men, with Mohammed's body split from groin to chin and Ali's face cleft from top to bottom (Inf. 28.22-33).
#5
#4 Be a good trick gettin' the evil old bastard on the stand to face his accusers.
Mohammed or Jones?
Jones at least has a (off-center, granted) moral center. And a point to be made (clumsily). Piss Christ. Ants on Jezus. Burned bibles. Ms. Palin nailed to the cross. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre(?) used as a dunny. Monks, priests, churchgoers slaughtered on a daily basis. The whole My Way or the Graveyard way of Islam.
Fact is, Jones did a thing I would never have done -- but only because you simply do not burn books. Period. But he never killed anyone. And he is not responsible for their deaths. That responsibility lies at the feet of Religion of Peace.
#8
Criticizing historical figures by holding mock trials is not unusual or novel.
They're furious because Dhimmis aren't supposed to discuss Islam or Mohammed at all, let alone voice any criticism.
#10
Florida is not Afghanistan. Petraeus has gone off the Reservation. While his pain about the murders is understandable, he needs reminding that our land is the home of the Free and the Brave. Not the pussified and the silent.
Posted by: Fi ||
04/04/2011 22:31 Comments ||
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[Ma'an] Hamas, always the voice of sweet reason, on Sunday denied media reports that its Damascus ...The City of Jasmin is the oldest continuously-inhabited city in the world. It has not always been inhabited by the same set of fascisti... -based leader Khaled Mashal criticized recent remarks by Sheikh Yusuf Al-Qaradawi on the situation in Syria.
Al-Qaradawi, head of the International Union of Mohammedan Scholars, called on Sunni Mohammedans to rebel against the ruling Ba'ath regime.
Several Arabic-language media outlets reported that Mashal criticized Al-Qaradawi's comments.
The Hamas leader was quoted as saying "I call upon Sheikh Qaradawi to make his judgments out of conscience and to free himself from the pressures exerted on him by certain sides he believes to be trustworthy."
Further, Mashal was reported as saying that Sunni leaders in the Arab world had abandoned the Paleostinian people, and that Syrian President Bashar Al-Asad was the only Arab leader to offer Hamas shelter. According to reports, Mashal reproached Qaradawi, and said his remarks against religious unity in Syria hurt Paleostinians and served only Israel.
In a statement issued Sunday, Hamas denied that Mashal addressed the situation in Syria or criticized Qaradawi.
"We definitely deny the claims by some electronic websites about our politburo chief addressing the current events in Syria, especially Sheikh Yusuf Al-Qaradawi's remarks," the statement said.
In earlier statements, the Islamist movement has said it sympathizes with Syria's people and government because both "have stood by the Paleostinian people and resistance and have always been steadfast before all pressures."
Posted by: Fred ||
04/04/2011 00:00 ||
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The U.S. has quietly frozen weapon shipments to Lebanon's armed forces following the collapse of the country's pro-Western government in January, underlining growing concerns about Hezbollah's role there.
The suspension, part of a broader review of U.S. security assistance to Lebanon, offers a cautionary tale about the uncertain course of secular revolts sweeping the Middle East, and Washington's limited ability to influence them.
Syrian hereditary President Bashir Pencilneck al-Assad One of the last of the old-fashioned hereditary iron-fisted fascist dictators. Before going into the family business Pencilneck was an eye doctor. Also head of Syria's Baath Party, an old-fashioned fascist operation that's seldom described as one in the press... has received messages from Iraq and Turkey that support him against conspiracies targeting the country's stability.
Abdul Rahim al-Zuhairi, an advisor to Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, and member of the Iraqi parliament, met Assad on Sunday and stressed that the Iraqi government stands by Syria.
Both sides touched on the recent events in Syria and the measures being taken to overcome this stage on the official and popular levels.
Meanwhile, ...back at the palazzo, Count Guido had escaped from his bonds... Turkey has said that it will not accept any attempt at destabilizing Syria and underlined that it cares for security, stability and prosperity of the Syrian people as much as it does for its own people.
"Turkey can in no way accept, at this critical and sensitive time, any attempt that may lead to destabilizing Syria or harm the will of reforms in this friendly and brotherly country," front man of the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Saturday.
The front man reiterated Ankara's strong support to what President Assad has offered in terms of political, social and economic reforms, expressing full confidence that the Syrian leadership has a pioneering role in this regard.
"It is evident that Syria will set the reforms in motion soon to meet the aspirations of the Syrian people," the statement concluded.
Syrian officials have condemned dissident rallies against the government as part of an enemy plot to divide Syrians and denounced attempts to sow sedition and target the coexistence among Syrian people.
Posted by: Fred ||
04/04/2011 00:00 ||
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[Iran Press TV] Iran's diminutive PresidentMahmoud Short Round Ahmadinejad has highlighted the importance of naming the current Iranian calendar year as "The Year of Economic Jihad."
Ahmadinejad said on Sunday that economic jihad should be realized in every aspect of all Iranian's lives, the president's official website reported.
He also urged cabinet ministers and all Iranian officials to try their best to expedite Iran's economic growth in the year 1390 (started on March 21, 2011).
The president noted that despite tough sanctions on the country's energy sector, the Islamic Theocratic Republic witnessed a considerable growth in various fields in the previous year.
Ahmadinejad described the government's subsidy reform plan as one of the most important achievements in the previous year, vowing that the government would tackle economic problems such as housing, unemployment and improve the banking system through the plan.
According to the president, the initiative will lead to a better distribution of wealth among the public.
The Leader of the Islamic theocracy Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has named the new Iranian Year "The Year of Economic Jihad," calling for concerted efforts by the Medes and the Persians and officials to prepare the grounds for a decade of economic growth.
Posted by: Fred ||
04/04/2011 00:00 ||
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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.
The six-member Gulf Cooperation Council on Sunday urged Yemen's government and opposition to sit down for talks in a bid to overcome more than two months of deadly violence amid a brutal crackdown on anti-government protests.
hereditary President Bashir 
Mahmoud 
