A much-touted military complex slated to become the main hub for future Afghan security forces is also being looked to as a key proving ground for renewable energy. But two years into its construction, alternative energy plans are running up against the harsh realities of building in a remote setting in a war-torn nation. It took two years to run into the hash harsh realities?
One finding: The 1 MW wind turbine featured in draft blueprints cannot become a reality.
"The roads won't support it. You can't get a crane large enough out there to support it." To build and maintain a wind turbine that size, construction workers would need to employ a 300-ton crane. To keep the turbine running, the massive crane would also need to stay in the country for repairs.
So the Army Corps is working to refocus draft plans to include fewer than two dozen smaller 10-kilowatt wind turbines - though they will not equal the power of the 1 MW wind turbine. Overambitious goals? I wonder where they came from?
Building about 100 10-kilowatt wind turbines to create equivalent power appears to be out of the question due to the difficulty and expense of constructing a large wind farm across such a rugged site.
Other alternative energy plans are also being scrapped after re-evaluating the needs of the Afghan people and the realities of the site. My tax dollars at work. Meanwhile, my grandchildren's future was hocked to bail out banks.
Posted by: Bobby ||
05/12/2011 14:21 ||
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[Tolo News] In an exclusive interview with TOLOnews President Karzai's brother, Mahmoud Karzai, said he was disappointed having supported Karzai during his presidential campaigns for the second term. "Mom always liked him best, you know..."
Mahmoud Karzai, the younger brother of President Karzai, said President Karzai prefers his personal policies and visions over improving living standards of Afghans.
Mahmoud Karzai warned that conditions in Afghanistan have worsened in general.
He said he expected Afghanistan to improve especially in the field of economy, but added that his brother Hamid Maybe I'll join the Taliban Karzai ... A former Baltimore restaurateur, now 12th and current President of Afghanistan, displacing the legitimate president Rabbani in December 2004. He was installed as the dominant political figure after the removal of the Taliban regime in late 2001 in a vain attempt to put a Pashtun face on the successor state to the Taliban. After the 2004 presidential election, he was declared president regardless of what the actual vote count was. He won a second, even more dubious, five-year-term after the 2009 presidential election. His grip on reality has been slipping steadily since around 2007, probably from heavy drug use... has not been interested to bother about these issues.
Mahmoud Karzai said President Karzai should have gathered a group of professionals around him to be able to better advise him.
"Advisors to the President should have much higher knowledge of issues than the President. Unfortunately the President has gathered weak people around him whom I cannot refer to as professional advisors," Mr Mahmoud Karzai said.
He made the comments as the international community and in particular the United States has long been critical of President Karzai's government while billing it weak to sweep corruption out of its system.
"Yes, it is his fault. I think lack of reform, complicated and complexity of laws date back to 30 years ago, but not being on track with the world especially in terms of economy is challenging the country," Mahmoud Karzai said.
Widespread corruption in Afghan system is one of the biggest challenges ahead of good governance in the country, he said. So far the government hasn't been able to properly make use of its moral and material belongings.
"Almost all ministries misuse and sell their properties and lands. They either sell lands or make villas for themselves. Unfortunately nobody thinks of building Afghanistan," he said.
Criticising economic policies of the government Mahmoud Karzai said Afghan government has failed to improve economy and does not seem to have a proper understanding of free market economy.
Posted by: Fred ||
05/12/2011 00:00 ||
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[Asharq al-Aswat] U.N. Secretary-General the ephemeral Ban Ki-moon called on Wednesday for an "immediate, verifiable cease-fire" in Libya where rebels are fighting to end Muammar Qadaffy's 41 years in power.
Ban was speaking in Geneva after talking with Libya's Prime Minister Al-Storied Baghdad ...located along the Tigris River, founded in the 8th century, home of the Abbasid Caliphate... i Ali al-Mahmoudi. There was no immediate direct response from the rebels or government.
Qadaffy's government has made several cease-fire declarations but has continued its attacks on the besieged western city of Misrata and other rebel-held areas.
"He (Mahmoudi) even suggested the Libyan government was willing to have an immediate cease-fire with a monitoring team to be established by the United Nations ...an idea whose time has gone... and the African Union," ...a union consisting of 53 African states, most run by dictators of one flavor or another. The only all-African state not in the AU is Morocco. Established in 2002, the AU is the successor to the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), which was even less successful... Ban told a news conference.
"But first and foremost there should be an end to the fighting in Misrata and elsewhere. Then we will be able to provide humanitarian assistance and in parallel we can continue our political dialogue," Ban added.
Rebels said on Tuesday they made gains by driving back Qadaffy's troops on the eastern and western edges of Misrata and encircling them at the airport.
The rebels also said they had taken the town of Zareek, about 25 km (15 miles) west of Misrata, but no independent verification of their statements was available.
Misrata, besieged by Qadaffy's forces for eight weeks, is the only major city the rebels hold in the west of the country.
NATO ...the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Originally it was a mutual defense pact directed against an expansionist Soviet Union. In later years it evolved into a mechanism for picking the American pocket while criticizing the style of the American pants... launched missile strikes on Tuesday in the Tripoli area on targets that appeared to include Qadaffy's compound, witnesses said. NATO said later it carried out a strike against a government command and control post in the capital.
Posted by: Fred ||
05/12/2011 00:00 ||
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[Iran Press TV] Iran says the best resolution to the Bahrain crisis is the immediate withdrawal of foreign military forces and a dialogue based on honoring popular demands of the people.
"The Bahrain problem does not have a military solution," Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi said in a meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki in Storied Baghdad ...located along the Tigris River, founded in the 8th century, home of the Abbasid Caliphate... on Wednesday.
"The demands of the people of this country (Bahrain), which have been pursued in a peaceful and democratic manner, must receive due consideration," IRNA quoted him as saying.
In a popular revolution, anti-government protesters have been holding peaceful demonstrations across Bahrain since mid-February, calling for an end to the Al Khalifa family rule of over 40 years.
On March 14, Soddy Arabia and the United Arab Emirates deployed police and military forces in the kingdom following a plea by the Manama regime to help crush the nationwide protests there.
"The deployment of foreign forces has not helped resolve the problem, rather, it has made matters more complicated," Salehi said.
According to local sources, scores of people have been killed and hundreds have been tossed in the calaboose so far during the government clampdown on peaceful demonstrations, with foreign troops further contributing to the intensifying violence.
Maliki, for his part, backed a Bahraini dialogue and agreed with the need to pay more attention to popular demands as a way out of the crisis in the Persian Gulf island.
"If the situation in Bahrain is not wisely and tactfully managed, it could face an indefinite and unpleasant outcome," the Iraqi premier said.
Posted by: Fred ||
05/12/2011 00:00 ||
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#1
Meanwhile ...
* PEOPLE'S DAILY FORUM > IRANIAN ARMY TO TEST GROUND FORCES' MOBILITY [+ flexibility] IN MASSIVE EXERCISE. Week-long "JAFAR TAYYAR(AS)" MilEx.
* DEFENCE.PK/FORUMS > [Ahmadinejad]IRAN WARNS US AGZ EXTENDING WAR INTO PAKISTAN.
[Arab News] Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al-Asheikh on Tuesday emphasized the need to obey rulers, saying it would strengthen unity and stability and ensure protection for people's honor and properties.
Delivering a lecture at the girls' section of Taibah University in Madinah, he said: "Islam has honored women and respected her as mother, daughter and sister, and gave her rights."
He continued: "Islam also protected her honor as she is not allowed to travel alone and mix with men. She is also given the right to own her wealth and prevented men from causing any harm to her."
The mufti spoke against anti-government protests. "Obeying rulers brings it fruits in terms of unity of people and positions, frightening the enemy," he said, and urged Mohammedans to abide by the Qur'an and Sunnah.
He cautioned Saudis against following the examples of other societies, adding that it would create disturbances, discord and dissension in the country.
He said demonstrations and protests would not bring any good, rather it would cause destruction to properties and violation of honor. "Islam has nothing to do with such activities," he added.
The mufti advised girl students to fear God in their public and private affairs, perform prayers regularly and learn the Qur'an. He praised the university for holding such lecture programs to enlighten its students.
Sheikh Saleh Al-Fowzan, a member of the Council of Senior Islamic Scholars, also gave a lecture "On the stand of Mohammedans toward sedition and terrorism." He urged the girls students to learn more about Islam and its teachings in the light of the Qur'an and Sunnah.
Dr. Jawaher Makhdoum, Dr. Adari Al-Baeejan, and Dr. Reem Al-Harbi, undersecretary for the deanship for student affairs, also spoke during the seminar highlighting the security and peace that prevail in the Kingdom.
Posted by: Fred ||
05/12/2011 00:00 ||
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#1
Does the Sheikh have any comments to explain why some 60 Moslem countries are almost totally autocracies and dictatorships and WHY most are backward economic bungholes which cant manufacture even their own ball point pens?
And why is it the Moslem just cant seem to find his "respect" in the rest of the modern world? Its all the fault of the Jewwzzz. Right? Who DOES respect the Arab? Would YOU like to be an Arab and live like an Arab, and imbibe the nectar of their culture?
Go ask your sister or your mother what she thinks of Arab Culture? And how many of your friends are friendly Palestinians and when is the last time you invited any of them over for dinner?
And if I get to go to the sink-trap for my comments why do you post pictures that show witless dick-nosed Arabs with bad teeth? Could it possibly be true you feel the same way I do about the Moslem culture? No?
You respect Moslems (in principle)? Tell me true. If you stepped in some Arab would you stop and wipe it off your shoe with a stick? So would I. Have a nice day.
Posted by: de Medici3489 ||
05/12/2011 7:16 Comments ||
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#2
Well, that witless dick-nosed Arab with bad teeth is the Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al-Asheikh (Plaque Be Upon His teeth).
#3
Actually, de Medici, I have known and worked with some Arabs who were intelligent and civilized people. And I have never personally known or worked with any who fit your stereotype. Admittedly, my sampling demographic is quite small, and like most stereotypes, yours contains a lot of truth. But my colleagues don't deserve to be lumped with Mo Atta any more than I deserve to be lumped with Tim McVeigh.
cant manufacture even their own ball point pens
Maybe not, but they can make a good enough quill pen.
[Al Jazeera] Colombian FARC guerrillas may have tried to assassinate rivals of Hugo Chavez, the president of Venezuela, and trained his supporters in urban warfare, according to a report examining documents seized from a rebel camp.
The study of the files, obtained during a 2008 raid inside Ecuador, also showed that the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia FARC or FARC-EP, is either a Marxist-Leninist revolutionary guerrilla organization or a narco mob based in Colombia. It claims to represent the rural poor in a struggle against Colombia's wealthier classes, and opposes United States influence in Colombia, neo-imperialism, monopolization of natural resources by multinational corporations, and the usual raft of complaints. It funds itself principally through ransom kidnappings, taxation of the drug trade, extortion, shakedowns, and donations. It has lately begun calling itself Bolivarian and is greatly admired by Venezuela's President-for-Life Chavez, who seemingly fantasizes about living in the woods and kidnapping people himself. He provides FARC with safe areas along the border. (FARC) contributed some $400,000 to the election campaign of Rafael Correa, the president of Ecuador.
Venezuela's embassy in London questioned the authenticity of the documents published by the British-based International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), calling them a "dodgy dossier" that could be exploited to sabotage warming ties between the ideologically-opposed neighbours.
Correa dismissed the IISS findings as "absolutely false".
Accusations have been swirling since Colombian authorities captured computer hard drives belonging to Raul Reyes, a FARC leader, after he and other rebels were killed in an air raid three years ago.
Ronald K. Noble, the secretary general of Internpol, said in 2008 that Interpol's team of forensic experts discovered 'no evidence of modification, alteration, addition or deletion' in the user files of any of the seized hardware.
"Based on our careful and comprehensive forensic examination of each of the eight seized FARC computer exhibits and on consideration of all the evidence reviewed by our experts, Interpol concludes that there was no tampering with any data on the computer exhibits following their seizure on 1 March 2008 by Colombian authorities," Noble said.
'Authentic confirmation'
"A lot of this material has been travelling through the public domain one way or another over the last years but the utility of this dossier is it provides authentic confirmation from the FARC perspective," the IISS' Nigel Inkster told the Rooters news agency.
Colombia turned over the complete files to the IISS, an independent think tank, for study after they were confirmed to be genuine by Interpol.
The 2008 attack triggered a diplomatic dispute between Alvaro Uribe's conservative government in Colombia and both Ecuador and Venezuela, which escalated when Uribe confronted Chavez with what he said was evidence that Caracas had harboured and supported rebels.
Ties have improved dramatically since the election of Juan Manuel Santos, Colombia's new president, last August.
Venezuela has always disputed the alleged contents of the files seized in the raid. On Tuesday, its embassy in London said there was "serious doubt on the authenticity and validity of the information".
"This could become part of an aggressive propaganda tool against Venezuela to undermine progress in the region, precisely at a time when relations between Venezuela and Colombia have reached a level of stable cooperation and friendly dialogue," the embassy said in a statement.
According to the archives, the FARC responded to requests from Venezuela's intelligence services to provide urban warfare training to pro-Chavez groups when the socialist leader was feeling vulnerable following a brief 2002 coup.
"The archive offers tantalising but ultimately unproven suggestions that FARC may have undertaken liquidations of Chavez's political opponents," Inkster said in a presentation.
Complex ties
The documents also show Ecuador's Correa receiving campaign cash from the leftist rebels, although this did not necessarily translate into government favours after he was elected, the report said.
Correa adamantly denied receiving money from the guerrillas.
"I have never in my life met anyone from the FARC, and would never have accepted even 20 cents from an organisation like that," Correa told news hounds on Tuesday.
Colombia's government said it would not comment on the new study. "[Relations with Venezuela] are very good and the position of the Santos government is to strengthen them even more," vice president Angelino Garzon told Colombian radio.
The files reveal a complex relationship between Chavez and the FARC, with the charismatic Venezuelan supremo sometimes making promises to the group and then not following through.
According to the documents, Chavez met in person several times with leading FARC members.
The FARC is at its weakest in decades following the deaths of top commanders and desertions, prompted by a government crackdown aided by billions of dollars in US support.
But the rebels remain powerful in some areas of Colombia, helped by their involvement in the lucrative drug trade, kidnappings for ransom, and alliances with other gangs.
Posted by: Fred ||
05/12/2011 00:00 ||
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[Dawn] Pakistain's opposition leader Nawaz Sharif ... served two non-consecutive terms as prime minister, heads the Pakistain Müslim League (Nawaz). Noted for his spectacular corruption, the 1998 Pak nuclear test, border war with India, and for being tossed by General Musharraf... on Wednesday demanded a full independent investigation over the late Osama bin Laden's ... who has left the building... presence in the country, rejecting the government's internal military probe.
"We completely reject the prime minister's committee. It is powerless and cannot investigate the matter in depth," he told a news conference shortly after returning to Pakistain from medical treatment in Perfidious Albion.
Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on Monday announced that a lieutenant general would head an inquiry "to get to the bottom of how, when and why" bin Laden had been hiding in the garrison town where he was killed by US forces.
US President Barack B.O. Obama has pressed Pakistain to probe how bin Laden managed to live for years under the nose of its military, saying he must have been supported by locals.
Paks have been outraged at the perceived impunity of the US raid, while asking whether their military was too incompetent to know bin Laden was living close to a major forces academy, or, worse, conspired to protect him.
Sharif, considered the most popular politician in Pakistain, called for the government to establish a revised commission within three days headed by the country's top judge and not the military.
"This commission should ascertain the full facts of Osama bin Laden's presence and the American operation in Pakistain," he said.
Posted by: Fred ||
05/12/2011 00:00 ||
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[Dawn] With normality slowly returning to Darra Adamkhel, the illicit arms trade at the old bazaar is picking up with every passing day.
Sitting in his shop in the bazaar a trader, Asmatullah, told this correspondent that business in the arms market was returning to `normal` after it mostly remained suspended since 2007 in the wake of military operation against the krazed killers.
"Every shot had gun sex in the local bazaar means that a weapon has been sold after proper check," said Asmatullah. These days the passengers crossing Darra Adamkhel on Kohat-Beautiful Downtown Peshawar road often hear gunshots after every few seconds, which is a proof that gun manufacturing and selling has been picking up and people are less afraid of Islamic fascistinow.
Used to hearing sounds of heavy artillery firing at the hideouts of Islamic fascistiand blowing up of government buildings such as schools the rustics now say that influential harbourers of Islamic fascistihave left the area and their presence in bazaar is almost negligible.
Earlier, armed masked Islamic fascistiwould patrol the bazaar and even kill local people on suspicion.
Few years ago, the local craftsmen would prohibit people from taking snapshots and making movies of their arms shops and factories because the TTP had declared weapons business haram (un-Islamic). But now the arms traders are cheerful and welcome the visitors for window shopping as usual.
A bearded shopkeeper in the arms bazaar said that the Darra rustics faced the bad days being stuck between the army and Islamic fascistibecause they would patronise all sorts of crimes such as gambling, kidnapping for ransom, highway robberies and providing shelter to criminals from settled areas of the country.
During the past few years, the government forcefully checked all the illegal practices, but gave a sort of freedom to arms manufacturing. The government also employed local craftsmen at Pakistain Ordnance Factories, Wah, which they could not continue due to low salary.
An ordinary arms manufacturer can make a pistol in two days and earn at least Rs1,000. However, The didactic However... experienced people making automatic guns such a replica of Kalashnikov earn from Rs3,000 to Rs4,000 per weapon.
The establishment of arms showroom near the bazaar by the authorities to attract foreign visitors and buyers was liked by the local rustics, but growing acts of militancy jeopardised the project.
However, The didactic However... some companies are exporting shotguns under the watch of authorities in an attempt to curb smuggling and provide alternative legal business to the Darra arms manufacturers. Majority of the operators of arms and ammunition factories and artisans belongs to Punjab whose number is now growing, as they have started coming back after a marked improvement in the security situation in the area.
Posted by: Fred ||
05/12/2011 00:00 ||
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[Dawn] Six ministers belonging to the PPP have accused the JUI-F, their coalition partner in the government, of supporting the Taliban and promoting terrorism.
Not a wise choice, in retrospect. But given that the Taliban were a pet project of President Ten Percent's assassinated wife, how could they say no?
They walked out of the provincial assembly on Tuesday and urged the chief minister to expel JUI-F ministers from the cabinet.
Soon after the proceedings started, Minister for Communications and PPP's Deputy Parliamentary Leader Mir Sadiq Umrani rose up and said the JUI-F was spreading terrorism and setting up and running seminaries with government funds.
He said whoever criticised JUI-F ministers was either eliminated or humiliated.
Mr Umrani also said JUI-F ministers used 60 per cent of the development budget.
He announced that he was walking out of the house. He was supported by ministers Mir Ali Madad Jhattak, Agha Irfan Karim, Ali Changazi, Younus Malizai and George Jaffar.
Talking to news hounds outside the house, he criticised the JUI-F for supporting bully boyz and called upon the chief minister to expel ministers belonging to the party from his cabinet.
None of the ministers who remained in the house went out to persuade the PPP ministers to end the walkout.
Meanwhile, ...back at the bake sale, Umberto's Mom's cannoli were a big hit... a number of ministers criticised the Wapda management for not providing electricity transformers and poles to farmers for tubewells although the required amount of money had been deposited in Wapda accounts.
The ministers said that in open market, the price of a transformer was Rs300,000, but Wapda officials were charging Rs700,000 and the price of a power pole was Rs10,000 while Wapda was demanding Rs70,000.
Chief Minister Nawab Raisani assured the house that he would take up the matter with Wapda high-ups to resolve the issue.
Posted by: Fred ||
05/12/2011 00:00 ||
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Asharq Al-Awsat -- "They have killed Hamza's father! They have killed Hamza's father!" These were the screams that greeted the first Pak official to enter the Abbottabad compound following the US raid which resulted in the death of Al Qaeda chief the late Osama bin Laden ... who is no longer with us, and won't be again... . The Pak official, who spoke to Asharq Al-Awsat on the condition of anonymity, said that he entered the Bin Laden compound at approximately 1:45 am on 2 May 2011, with analysts believing that the US raid took place sometime between midnight and 1:30 am local time.
The Pak official, who works for the local government administration in Abbottabad, was the first government official on the scene following the US raid, and he told Asharq Al-Awsat that "initially, I had no idea who Hamza's father was." It was later revealed, of course, that Hamza's father was none other than one of the world's most wanted figures, Al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden. Bin Laden, along with his son Hamza, were killed in the US raid, along with a number of other figures.
The Pak official told Asharq Al-Awsat that he is not a fluent Arabic speaker, and was therefore unable to communicate effectively with the Arabic-speaking people in the compound; however he did say that he was able to understand the woman's screams that Hamza's father had been killed.
The Pak official revealed that upon entering the Abbottabad compound, the first woman that he encountered was an injured Pashtu woman, who informed him that some "foreigners" had entered the compound and killed her husband. He said "it became apparent that this woman was the wife of Arshad Khan, Osama bin Laden's host."
He added "this Pak woman told me that the foreigners had killed some of the Arabs [staying in the compound], and that their bodies were on the third floor...and so I went to the third floor."
He told Asharq Al-Awsat that "on the third floor, I met an injured Arab woman who screamed 'they have killed Hamza's father' and she later revealed that this was Osama bin Laden."
Describing his feelings once hearing that the world's most wanted terrorist had been living in the same village as him, the Pak official said that he was "shocked."
He added that this woman was the Yemeni wife of Osama bin Laden, later revealed to be Amal Ahmed Abdel Fatteh al-Sada, who was reported to have been shot in the leg during the US Navy Seal's raid on the compound.
Amal al-Sada was later taken into custody by Pak authorities, along two other wives of the former Al Qaeda leader. The latest reports indicate that Islamabad may be willing to allow US Sherlocks to question Bin Laden's wives.
US President Barack B.O. Obama described the US raid as being "the longest 40 minutes of my life." In an interview with CBS' "60 Minutes" Obama said that "we knew as events unfolded what was happening in and around the compound, but we could not get information clearly about what was happening inside the compound." He added "I mean, we could not say definitively that Bin Laden was there. Had he not been there, there would have been some significant consequences...obviously, we're going into the sovereign territory of another country and landing helicopters and conducting a military operation."
As for the question of releasing the photos of Bin Laden after he had been killed, US President Barack Obama revealed "we discussed this internally. Keep in mind that we are absolutely certain that was him. We've done DNA sampling and testing. And so there is no doubt that we killed Osama bin Laden. It is important for us to make sure that very graphic photos of somebody who was shot in the head are not floating round as an incitement to additional violence or as a propaganda tool."
He added "you know, that's not who we are...we don't trot out this stuff as trophies...the fact of the matter is this was somebody who was deserving of the justice that he received, and I think Americans and people around the world are glad that he's gone."
However the successful completion of the US raid has also had "significant consequences" upon the relationship between Washington and Islamabad, with Pakistain accusing the US of breaching its illusory sovereignty, and many in the West speculating that Pakistain's Inter-Service Intelligence agency [ISI] may have known Bin Laden's location.
White House front man Jay Carney said that "the United States and Pakistain have an important, complicated relationship" although he acknowledged that "the cooperation that we've had with Pakistain has been important for years now in our fight against terrorist and terrorists." He added "more beturbanned goons have been killed on Pak soil because of that cooperation than anywhere else in the world, and that's important to note."
Pak Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani agreed that Bin Laden's death was "indeed justice done" but stressed that any future US unilateral actions in his country would be met with "full force."
He said "it is disingenuous for anyone to blame Pakistain or state institutions of Pakistain, including the ISI and the armed forces, for being in cahoots with Al Qaeda." He added that any future US unilateral action "runs the inherent risk of serious consequences" and that "Pakistain reserves the right to retaliate with full force." Gilani, in statements to the Pakistain parliament, also stressed that "no one should underestimate the resolve and capability of our nation and armed forces to defend our sacred homeland."
White House front man Jay Carney said that the United States does not apologize for its actions but that Washington's relationship with Pakistain "is too important to walk away from."
Posted by: Fred ||
05/12/2011 00:00 ||
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#1
HAMZA BIN LADEN repor escaped the raid - iff he did, IMO he will attempt to take bloody revenge for Osama + continue the waging of violent Jihad.
Iff Hamza believes that his father was betrayed by his allies widin the PAK GOVT, he could either seek refuge in a sympathetic Muslim Govt-State, e.g. Clan Relations in Saudi Arabia; OR HE MAY NOT TRUST ANYONE ANYMORE, FAMILY ANDOR MUSLIM, + SEEK REFUGE IN A NON-MUSLIM COUNTRY, + START PLANNING HIS REVENGE FROM THERE.
For now, though, Hamza is still young + has many years to go.
#2
NEWS KERALA > [Senior Afghan INTEL Official]REPORT: OSAMA WASN'T SHOT DEAD, BUT BLEW HIMSELF UP [self-suicide]TO AVOID CAPTURE BY US FORCES!?
VERSUS
* DEFENCE.PK/FORUMS > [Video] DID CNN'S CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR KNOW HERE BIN LADEN WAS HIDING BACK IN 2008?
While Amanpour was appearing on the "REAL TIME WID BILL MAHER" SHOW, descibing one of her sources in US INTEL as indic to her in confidence that Osama was living comfortably in a Villa = Mansion in Pakistan???
OTOH, BY EXTENSION DID US INTEL KNOW WHERE OSAMA WAS HIDING IN PAK BACK IN 2008, as inferred from Amanpour's statement???
#3
Bin Laden compound at approximately 1:45 am on 2 May 2011, with analysts believing that the US raid took place sometime between midnight and 1:30 am local time."
Absolutely perfect timing by the "Pak official." He made absolutely certain that the Marines were long gone before poking his nose in. And thus, he still has his nose. His mama didn't raise no fool.
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut ||
05/12/2011 19:59 Comments ||
Top||
[Tolo News] US Senator John I was in Vietnam, you know Kerry Senator-for-Life from Massachussetts, the Senate's current foreign policy expert, filling the vacated wingtips of Joe Biden... is to visit Pakistain amid frosty relations between the two countries, reports say.
John Kerry is to visit Pakistain this week to meet Pak officials in a bid to resolve many serious issues.
"There are some serious questions, obviously, there are some serious issues that that we've just got to find a way to resolve together," he has told news hounds.
The visit is planned after the recent raid on Bin Laden compound further strained ties between the two countries.
Mr Kerry has said he expects to see "all the main players", reports say.
He is expected to also visit Afghanistan after meeting Pak officials.
Meanwhile, ...back at the Alamo, Davey was counting their remaining cannon balls and not liking the results... chairing the third in a series of hearings on Afghanistan and Pakistain Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman John Kerry said now we are focusing on the path the B.O. regime needs to take in order to hand over security responsibility to Afghan cops by 2014.
"the late Osama bin Laden's ... who has won the race to that place where we all eventually end up... death was more than a critical triumph in our fight against terrorism. It provides a potentially game-changing opportunity to build momentum for a political solution in Afghanistan that could bring greater stability to the region and bring our troops home," he said during the hearing on Afghanistan and Pakistain.
The killing of Bin Laden in Abbottabad near Islamabad raised a lot of tough questions against Pakistain.
It was widely expected that Pakistain should explain why the al-Qaeda leader could live in comfort in the garrison twon of Abbottabad near the capital.
Both the Afghanistan's Caped President and experts here believed killing of Bin Laden on Pak territory was a strong evidence that terrorist sanctuaries existed in Pakistain.
Experts accused Pakistain of harbouring Osma Bin Laden for so many years.
However, The emphatic However... in a recent address to Pakistain's parliament, Pak Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani ... Pakistain's erstwhile current prime minister, whose occasional feats of mental gymnastics can be awe-inspiring ... , rejected all allegations that the killing showed his country's incompetence or complicity in helping Bin Laden to live a covert life.
Mr Gilani described the accusations against his country and the ISI as "absurd".
What was viewed as the United States mistrust towards Pakistain was the fact the Pak officials had not been informed of the raid in advance.
US officials said they did not keep Pakistain informed in advance over fears that the misson would be jeopardised.
A newly published report by the New York Times ...which still proudly displays Walter Duranty's Pulitzer prize... even wrote that President Barack B.O. Obama had emphasised that the Bin Laden compound raid team be well-prepared and large enough to fight its way out if challenged by Pak forces.
President B.O. had previously urged Pakistain to investigate how the al-Qaeda leader could live in the garrison city of Abbottabad undetected and to find out if any officials knew of his whereabouts.
Posted by: Fred ||
05/12/2011 00:00 ||
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#1
That should fix it.
Posted by: Fornerly Dan ||
05/12/2011 6:52 Comments ||
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[Arab News] Under pressure from fellow UN member states, Syria dropped plans to run for a seat on the top UN human rights ...which often intentionally defined so widely as to be meaningless... body and allowed Kuwait to replace it as a candidate, UN diplomats said on Tuesday.
Several UN diplomats told Rooters on condition of anonymity that Kuwait had confirmed to Western officials that it planned to declare its candidacy for a spot on the 47-nation Human Rights Council in the Asian category.
They said Syria planned to trade candidacies with Kuwait, which was slated to run for the rights council in 2013, and drop out of the 2011 race for one of the four spots available to Asian countries. Other Asian candidates running this year are India, Indonesia and the Philippines.
There was no immediate confirmation from Syrian officials. Syria's UN Ambassador Bashar Ja'afari, asked by Rooters if 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... had agreed to trade places with Kuwait and postpone its candidacy until 2013, said there was "so far nothing."
One diplomat told Rooters that an "Asian group meeting will have to be called to confirm these changes." Other envoys said the Asian voting group, which includes Asia and the Middle East, would meet to discuss the issue on Wednesday.
Another Western diplomat said Syria's withdrawal from the 2011 race and Kuwait's candidacy was "great news."
The 192-nation UN General Assembly will hold its annual elections for one third of the seats on the Geneva-based Human Rights Council on May 20.
Posted by: Fred ||
05/12/2011 00:00 ||
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BAGHDAD / Aswat al-Iraq: The Iraqi Parliamentary Security and Defence Commission decided to form a committee that will follow-up on the U.S. forces' withdrawal.
Another committee! By gum that'll sort out the whole problem!
In a statement, as received by Aswat al-Iraq, the Commission added that the committee will follow-up on the Iraqi-U.S. agreement, and will cooperate with Iraqi authorities to complete the withdrawal process from the country.
U.S. combat forces withdrew from Iraq last August, according to the security agreement between the two sides in 2008. All U.S. non-combat" forces are expected to withdraw by the end of this year.
Posted by: Steve White ||
05/12/2011 00:00 ||
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BAGHDAD / Aswat al-Iraq: Iraqi Parliament Speaker Usama Nujeifi said during his meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salihi that both countries "are connected historically, geographically, and with good relations."
"It is important to enhance relations between the two countries on basis of trust, mutual respect for sovereignty and joint interests," a statement released by Nujeifi's office noted.
"Iran can play an important role in the stability and peace of the region," the statement added.
"Both sides discussed the situation in the region, enhancing parliamentary relations between the two countries, and activating joint committee to solve pending question, particularly the division of waters and borders", the statement noted.
Posted by: Steve White ||
05/12/2011 00:00 ||
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[Ma'an] Hamas, always the voice of sweet reason, will accept a Paleostinian state on the 1967 borders, but will maintain its refusal to recognize Israel, party leader Mahmoud Al-Zahhar said Wednesday.
Speaking with Ma'an radio, the official said that Hamas was ready to recognize a Paleostinian state "on any part of Paleostine," for the first time publicly steering away from prior Hamas demands that the modern Paleostinian state must be established "from the [Jordan] river to the [Mediterranean] sea."
Az-Zahhar also said, however, that a formal recognition of Israel would "cancel the right of the next generations to liberate the lands."
It's a hudna, not peace. Following the Prophet Mohammed's example, hudnas may not last longer than ten years, and must be broken as soon as the Muslim party is able to continue the war to victory. However, given that Israel is the other party, that last bit may well extend until the sun burns out.
The Hamas leader said that recognizing Israel would jeopardize the right of return for Paleostinian refugees who have been exiled from the land since 1948 when Israel was recognized by the United Nations. ...Parkinson's Law on an international scale...
If only Paleostinians in the West Bank and Gazoo are considered citizens of a Paleostinian state, he continued, "what will be the fate of the five million Paleostinians in the diaspora?"
At the same time, the Hamas leader confirmed the decision reached with Fatah to maintain the truce with Israel, calling the move "part of the resistance, not a cancellation," and noting that "truce is not peace."
The comments came as Paleostinians and the international community await details of a unity agreement signed by Hamas and its former rival Fatah. The deal, signed in Cairo on May 4, paved the way for the creation of a unity government that will see the Hamas-led government in Gazoo and the Fatah-led cabinet in the West Bank dissolved and replaced by a single cabinet of independent technocrats.
The new body will set a path to elections within the year, as committees established by the deal work to unify the Paleostinian security forces in the two territories and set a government platform which will include the reconstruction of Gazoo.
Already, officials announced that a deal had been made which will see the release of political prisoners from both areas within the week.
Posted by: Fred ||
05/12/2011 00:00 ||
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Indonesian police have detained a junior high school student for allegedly making a book bomb.
The 14-year-old boy, identified as Feby Yulianda, told the police he was inspired to make the bomb after reading a book promoting jihad. On Thursday the local police chief said, "Before he made the bomb, Feby read a 444-page about jihad."
The book is called Mengungkap Berita Besar dalam Kitab Suci (Revealing Big Messages in the Holy Bible) and was written by Abdul Wahab.
Feby experimented with electronics from a PlayStation, which were duct taped inside the book he used to make the bomb. "There were no explosive materials or batteries which could trigger explosion," the police chief said.
Feby kept the device on the rooftop of his house but it was found by his father, Imron Joni who reported it to the police.
Police chief Chaerul said, "We checked the book and found PlayStation circuits and wires," adding that the police have not yet concluded if Feby did it "for fun" or if he was taught by somebody else.
Feby's school principal, Anelisa Risa, said that he was a good student and that he seemed "normal."
"His hobby is playing football and we didn't know that Feby made a bomb. We knew about it after reading the newspaper," she said. According to her, Feby is a brilliant student but he does not like reading.
Feby's father, Imron, said he still could not believe that his son had made a book bomb. He said, "My son hates reading so I can't believe that he made a bomb because he's inspired by a book."
TEHRAN, Iran Iran has received a new shipment of nuclear fuel from Russia for its first nuclear power plant, the official IRNA news agency reported Wednesday, a key step following the plants recent startup. Hamid Khadem Qaemi, spokesman for Irans nuclear agency, said Russia delivered a total of 33 tons (30 metric tons) by plane over the last week for Bushehr. The amount is meant for the plants second year of operation, IRNA quoted Qaemi as saying.
Assuming they can clear the Stuxnet II virus...
Iran last year said that the much-delayed operation of the plant was to begin last December. Russia had already delivered 90 tons (82 metric tons) in eight shipments in 2007 and 2008, sufficient for a one-year consumption in Bushehrs 1,000 megawatt light-water reactor.
But in February, Russia ordered that fuel be removed because of concerns that metal particles might be contaminating fuel assemblies; reloading began in April.
On Tuesday, Atomstroyexport, the Russian state company that built Bushehr, said the first reactor at the plant had gone into operation after a self-sustained fission reaction began Sunday.
Posted by: Steve White ||
05/12/2011 00:00 ||
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#1
Iran is oper Busheshr at "low/minimum" power or conduct of operations, which in turn tells me that it may be waiting to see how the "Jasmine" uprisings in the ME + North Africa will turn out - WID RADICAL ISLAM IN POSITION TO TAKEOVER OR DOMINATE THE GOVTS OF A HOST OF "MODERATE" MUSLIM STATES, + BY EXTENS ANY PERTINENT CIVILIAN NUCPROGS, IRAN COULD USE THESE AS JUSTIFICATION FOR ITS NUCPROGS OPER AT HIGHER CAPACITIES THAN CURRENT.
Once the MilTerr Groups go nuclear, Shia Iran can then claim it M-U-S-T procure or dev its own potent NucWeapons in response to POSSIBLE SUNNI NUCLEAR TERRORISM AGZ IT + SHIA ISLAM???
#5
So whatever happened to all the indigenously refined uranium? Do they still have it? Did they trade it to Russia to get all this fuel from them? Why do they need 123 tons of fuel all in one shot? seems to me that's more than enough to make lots of bombs with if they just decide to shut down the plant and not return it.
[Arab News] The US is edging closer to calling for an end to the long rule of the Assad family in Syria. B.O. regime officials say the first step would be to declare for the first time that President-for-Life 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... has forfeited his legitimacy to rule.
That would be a shift from US statements demanding that Assad stop a brutal crackdown on peaceful protesters. Those stopped short of saying he had to go.
On Tuesday, more tanks and troops rolled into southern villages Tuesday near the heart of Syria's anti-government uprising, with activists saying the regime has isolated parts of the country. A human rights ...which are usually open to widely divergent definitions... group reported that more than 750 people have been killed in a crackdown on seven weeks of unrest.
The military has been sealing off various areas of Syria and conducting house-to-house raids in search for people whose names are on wanted lists, with many fleeing cities and towns for fear of detention by the regime of President Bashir al-Assad, activists say.
Intense military operations have taken place in the 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... suburb of Maadamiyeh, which has been sealed off for days, said human rights activist Mustafa Osso. He said communications have been cut and checkpoints were preventing anyone from entering or leaving the area.
"Maadamiyeh is isolated from the rest of the world," Osso said.
The army also was conducting operations in the coastal city of Banias, the central city of Homs and the northern city of Deir el-Zor, Osso said.
"Any area where there are demonstrations, the government is sending the army," he said.
Another activist said troops backed by tanks entered southern villages near Daraa, the city where the uprising began in mid-March. Heavy gunfire was heard when the troops entered Inkhil, Dael, Jassem, Sanamein and Nawa after midnight, but it was not clear if there were casualties, according to the activist, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of government reprisals.
Thousands of Syrians have been jugged in the past two months, including about 9,000 who are still in jug, said Ammar Qurabi, who heads the National Organization for Human Rights in Syria.
Qurabi told The News Agency that Dare Not be Named that the group has documented the deaths of 757 people.
The corpse count has increased as authorities intensify their crackdown on the uprising, which poses the most serious challenge yet to the Assad family's 40-year rule in Syria.
Assad has said Syria was immune from the pro-democracy movements sweeping the Arab world that ousted leaders in Tunisia and Egypt. Protests of his rule, however, have spread rapidly across the country of 23 million people.
Posted by: Fred ||
05/12/2011 00:00 ||
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#1
Slow dance music.
To the tune of" Every single Syrian killed is a Moslem and none of them were your friends."
Posted by: de Medici3489 ||
05/12/2011 6:58 Comments ||
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#2
More meaningless drivel from an administration that is destroying America every day. Obama has lost his "right to rule". He violated his Oath.
[Al Jazeera] A statement purporting to come from a son of the late Osama bin Laden He's dead, Jim! has questioned the legitimacy of the al-Qaeda leader's killing.
That's nice, dear. Your father is still dead.
The statement, published by the New York Times ...which still proudly displays Walter Duranty's Pulitzer prize... and attributed to Omar bin Laden, bin Laden's fourth eldest son, said the al-Qaeda chief's children reserved the right to take legal action in the United States and
internationally to determine the true fate of their vanished father.
"We are not convinced on the available evidence in the absence of dead body, photographs, and video evidence that our natural father is dead," the statement read, adding that the family was seeking "conclusive evidence" confirming bin Laden's death.
Obama announced bin Laden was killed in a raid by US forces on a compound in the Pak town of Abbottabad. His body was quickly buried at sea, according to the US. Obama has vetoed the release of photos of bin Laden's body.
The statement from the family continued, saying that if bin Laden was indeed dead, "then we are just in questioning as per media reports... why an unarmed man was not placed in durance vile and tried in a court of law so that truth is revealed to the people of the world".
"If he has been summarily executed then, we question the propriety of such liquidation where not only international law has been blatantly violated but USA has set a very different example whereby right to have a fair trial, and presumption of innocence until proven guilty by a court of law, has been sacrificed."
The statement said bin Laden's "sudden and unwitnessed burial at sea has deprived the family of performing religious rights of a Mohammedan man".
Photo evidence
Questions have multiplied since the White House said the al-Qaeda leader was unarmed when US helicopter-borne commandos raided the villa where he was hiding.
Some in the US senate have said that they too need to see photographic proof to confirm that bin Laden was truly dead.
US senators serving on the Senate Intelligence Committee and the Senate Armed Services Committee will be able to see post-mortem photos of bin Laden by making a special appointment with the CIA, according to reports.
Three Republican senators, including Saxby Chambliss, vice chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, initially claimed to have seen the photos last week, before acknowledging they were likely duped by photoshopped fakes.
The statement from bin Laden's family made sure to distance his son from the al-Qaeda leader's ideology, saying: "In making this statement, we want to remind the world that Omar Ossam Binladin [sic], the fourth-born son of our father, always disagreed with our father regarding any violence and always sent messages to our father, that he must change his ways and that no civilians should be attacked under any circumstances".
The statement added that it was "unworthy" of US special forces to shoot unarmed female members of the Bin Laden family.
It also urged the government of Pakistain "to release and hand over all minors of the family and [ensure] all the family members are reunited at one place and are repatriated to their country of origin".
It ended by calling for a response from the US within 30 days. Failure to answer the family's questions would result in their seeking redress with bodies such as the UN or the International Criminal Court, ... where Milosevich died of old age before being convicted ... it said.
Posted by: Fred ||
05/12/2011 00:00 ||
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#3
Sorry BOY but your father's summarily execution was in full accordance to international law and he Geneva Convention.
He was an illegal combatant. He was without all honor, hiding being civilian clothing and among a civilian population without any uniform or badge to declare his position as a combatant. He was a coward and thoroughly dishonorable in his cold-blooded and pre-meditated murder of 3,000 innocent civilians, some of whom (BTW) were muslims.
As such he does not enjoy the protections of the Geneva Convention or International law. He could be killed on sight, like any rabid animal or vermin. (Apologies to any and all rabid animals and vermin who might be rightfully offended by the comparison)
#4
The Law of Outlawry - a 8th century remedy for terrorists trying to establish an 8th century religious dictatorship (courtesy Wikipedia): In historical legal systems, an outlaw is a person declared as outside the protection of the law. In pre-modern societies, this takes the burden of active persecution of a criminal from the authorities. Instead, the criminal is withdrawn all legal protection, so that anyone is legally empowered to persecute or kill them. Outlawry was thus one of the harshest penalties in the legal system, since the outlaw had only himself to protect himself, but it also required no enforcement on the part of the justice system.
#6
When considering the evil Bin Laden spawn, we need to ask: WWMD? (What Would Magua Do)
"When the Grey Hair is dead, Magua will eat his heart. Before he dies, Magua will put his children under the knife, so the Grey Hair will know his seed is wiped out forever."
-- Last of the Mohicans
Posted by: regular joe ||
05/12/2011 14:51 Comments ||
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#7
Perhaps we should invite him to come to the US and file his charges. And when he does arrest him on 3,000 counts of accessory to capital pre-meditated murder.
My guess is that he was involved in some way - even if its as an accessory after the fact.
Arrest, hell. Just send him to sleep with the fishes Daddy. He and his family are oxygen thieves.
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut ||
05/12/2011 20:02 Comments ||
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#9
Like all radical islamics and so called imams, he is playing for the sympathy card. If we had leadership worth beans, we would be warning him to watch his 3 6 9 12 high and low---you never know.
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
05/12/2011 20:36 Comments ||
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#10
Leon Klinghoffer could not be reached for comment.
Meet Sheikh Abdelbari Zamzami who just made necrophilia halal.
Don't you wish you lived under sharia law?
More here: Zemzami justifies his ruling by means of analogy: Since a good Muslim couple will meet again in Heaven, and since death does not alter the marital contract (in his opinion) it is not a hindrance to the husbands desire to have sexual intercourse with the corpse of his (freshly) deceased wife"
#4
Sheikh Abdul-Bari Zamzami (b. 1943 in Tanger, Moroccois) is a member of Moroccan Religious Scholars League. He studied jurisprudence at the hands of his father, the sheikh Muhammad Zamzami.
In 1976, he moved to Casablanca where he became the khatib (a person who delivers the sermon (khutba) of the Yusufi Mosque, the Muhammadi Mosque and other mosques. He is one of the founding members of the International Union of Muslim Scholars. As of 2009, he is the khatib of famous Al-Hamra Mosque in the old Casablanca.
#6
If I ran a funeral parlor, I'd start stringing up barbed wire and buying big mean dogs...
Do the practicioners of this "faith" actually step back and look at the manifest looniness of their religious leaders?
Apparently not.
Posted by: Bill Clinton ||
05/12/2011 13:43 Comments ||
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#7
I notice that the ruling does not give the wife the choice of sexual intercourse with the deceased husband (ignoring for the moment the practical issue).
Seems sexist.
However, if the husband died as a martyr for Allah (which Sheikh Zamzami probably hopes, he is enjoying sex with heavenly beings soon after death so the wife's relations with the husband at that point would get in the way I suppose.
Posted by: Lord Garth ||
05/12/2011 14:52 Comments ||
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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.
One finding: The 1 MW wind turbine featured in draft blueprints cannot become a reality. 
the ephemeral Ban Ki-moon
Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al-Asheikh
Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia
Nawaz Sharif
BAGHDAD / Aswat al-Iraq: The Iraqi Parliamentary Security and Defence Commission decided to form a committee that will follow-up on the U.S. forces' withdrawal. 
The statement added that it was "unworthy" of US special forces to shoot unarmed female members of the Bin Laden family.
