CAIRO: Final results on Saturday showed that Islamist parties won nearly three-quarters of the seats in parliament in Egypts first elections since the ouster of authoritarian president Hosni Mubarak, according to election officials and political groups. A coalition led by the fundamentalist Muslim Brotherhood won 47 percent, or 235 seats in the 498-seat parliament. The ultraconservative Al-Nour Party was second with 25 percent, or 125 seats.
The Salifi Al-Nour, which was the biggest surprise of the vote, wants to impose strict Islamic law in Egypt, while the more moderate Brotherhood, the countrys best-known and organized party, has said publicly that it does not seek to force its views about an appropriate Islamic lifestyle on Egyptians.
The two parties are unlikely to join forces because of ideological differences, but both have a long history of charity work in Egypts vast poverty-stricken neighborhoods and villages, giving them a degree of legitimacy and popularity across the country in areas where newer liberal parties have yet to get a foothold.
The liberals who spearheaded the revolt that toppled Mubarak struggled to organize and connect with a broader public in the vote, and did not fair as well as the Islamists. The Egyptian bloc, which is headed by a party founded by Christian telecom tycoon Naguib Sawiris, said it won 9 percent of the seats in parliament. Egypts oldest secular party, the Wafd, also won around 9 percent.
Newer parties, such as the liberal Revolution Continues Party won 2 percent, as did the Islamist Center Party, which had been banned from politics under Mubarak.
The results leave the liberal groups with little ability to maneuver in parliament, unless they choose to mobilize the street in protests or work on key issues with the dominant Islamist groups, said Mohamed Abu-Hamed, the deputy leader of the liberal Free Egyptians Party.
The most important element that led Islamists to win is their use of Islamic language in their outreach, Abu-Hamed told The Associated Press. They pressured peoples religious conscience."
Abu-Hamed vowed that the Egyptian Bloc will take to the streets and hold sit-ins inside parliament if the new legislator passes laws that discriminate against minorities or oversteps its boundaries.
The final tally, which includes at least 15 seats for former regime figures, comes as little surprise since election results had been partially announced throughout the three stages of the vote, which took place over several weeks across the country. Egypts elections commission acknowledged that there were voting irregularities, but the election has been hailed as the countrys freest and fairest vote in living memory.
Posted by: Steve White ||
01/22/2012 00:00 ||
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#1
The Egyptians have voted themselves into slavery
#2
Mikey, that would be probably a better of their fates. The salafists are poised to war with Israel and if they acquire some nukes beforehand that may mean that big toilet called Assuan Dam may get flushed. Disregard the territory of the country, the real country is a narrow strip along the Nile banks.
MB got 47%, and Al-Nour got 25%, but they hate each other's guts. So no coalition there. So MB, for various reasons, will form a government with the small secular parties, giving them more power than Al-Nour, which will get bupkis.
MB is not stupid, and have spent decades working the international route and acting as moderate as possible to avoid getting stepped on. And every time someone in MB would get radical, they would be pushed out or schism, and form a different, radical group outside of MB. Which leaves MB even more moderate.
MB also became popular in Egypt by emphasizing social programs that were desperately needed, which take lots of planning. This means they are more than aware of Egypt's enormous social problems that have to be addressed immediately.
Any Islamist nonsense will have to be back burnered for years because of this.
Meanwhile, Al-Nour as the opposition party, will go far in making themselves obnoxious to the new government. MB will only have limited patience with this until they decide to crack down on Al-Nour's antics.
[Pak Daily Times] A crowd of protesters forced their way inside the local headquarters of Libya's ruling National Transitional Council (NTC) in the eastern city of Benghazi on Saturday, a Rootersnews hound at the scene said. People in Benghazi, the birth-place of the revolt which forced out former leader Muammar Qadaffy ...a reminder that a single man with an idea can change an entire nation, usually for the worse... , have been protesting for weeks to demand the sacking of Qadaffy-era officials and more transparency about how the NTC is spending Libyan assets. The attack underscored growing public discontent over the way Libya's new rulers are running the North African country. On Saturday, hundreds of young men, many maimed from the war, rallied outside the NTC's headquarters. When NTC chairman Abdul Jalil came out to address the crowd, some protesters hurled empty plastic bottles at him, prompting security forces to fire tear gas, the Rootersnews hound said.
"Go away, go away," they chanted as Abdul Jalil spoke. Protesters then threw stones and metal bars at the building, breaking windows, before storming the headquarters. One protester left the building carrying a set of loudspeakers and screaming: "Spoils of war!"
Protesters also damaged a vehicle used by Abdul Jalil.
Many of those who fought in the nine-month civil war that ended with the capture and killing of Qadaffy in October are unhappy with cash compensations promised by the government, saying it does not cover their basic needs. The NTC is grappling with a range of problems including efforts to disband dozens of powerful militias that effectively control the country. Security officials want to integrate them into the military and police forces, but militia chiefs have shown little interest in surrendering their arms.
Posted by: Fred ||
01/22/2012 00:00 ||
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#1
One dictator is bad. 1000 would be dictators is worse.
Rooters - Hundreds of Libyan Islamists rallied on Friday to demand that Mohammedan sharia law inspire legislation in what organizers called a response to the emergence of secular political parties after the fall of Muammar Qadaffy ...The late megalomaniac dictator of Libya, admired everywhere for his garish costumes, funny hats, harem of cutie bodyguards, and incoherent ravings. As far as is known, he is the only person who's ever declared jihad on Switzerland... 's dictatorship last year.
Assembled by Islamist political and religious groups, mostly young and bearded men holding up copies of the Koran demonstrated in squares in the capital Tripoli, the eastern city of Benghazi and in Sabha in the southern desert.
In Tripoli's Algeria Square, Islamists burned copies of the Green Book, Qadaffy's eccentric handbook on politics, economics and everyday life, to underline that the Koran should be the country's main source of legislation.
[Nigerian Tribune] FOLLOWING the multiple blasts that occured in Kano on Friday leading to the death of scores of people, President Goodluck Jonathan ... 14th President of Nigeria. He was Governor of Bayelsa State from 9 December 2005 to 28 May 2007, and was sworn in as Vice President on 29 May 2007. Jonathan is a member of the ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP). He is a lover of nifty hats, which makes him easily recognizable unless someone else in the room is wearing a neat chapeau... has vowed to go after the perpetrators and bring them speedily to justice.
In a reaction to the incident through a statement issued in Abuja on Saturday by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, the president also condoled the media for the loss of Channels Television news hound, Enenche Akogwu, in the incident.
"As a responsible government, we will not fold our hands and watch enemies of democracy, for that is what these mindless killers are, perpetrate unprecedented evil in our land," he said.
While he re-assured Nigerians, the international community and members of the Fourth Estate of the Realm that all those involved in that dastardly act would be made to face the full wrath of the law, he expressed his condolences to all victims, including the management and staff of Channels Television whose employee he said was reportedly shot and killed while on duty during the exchange of fire between men and officers of the Nigeria Police and the cut-throats at the Farm Centre Police Station, Kano.
President Jonathan, who said he was greatly saddened by the incident which led to the loss of lives of innocent Nigerians, pledged to get to the root of the incident while assuring all Nigerians, that "those behind these acts of terrorism would be made to face the full wrath of the law."
Posted by: Fred ||
01/22/2012 00:00 ||
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[Yemen Post] Yemeni outgoing President President-for-Life Ali Abdullah Saleh ... Saleh initially took power as a strongman of North Yemen in 1977, when disco was in flower, but he didn't invite Donna Summer to the inauguration and Blondie couldn't make it... will go on a trip targeting some countries including the United States of America, La Belle France Press (FP) reported on Saturday.
FP has quoted Sultan al-Barakani, a leading figures in Saleh's General People Congress party (GPC), as saying:" Saleh will pay a visit to Ethiopia, Oman, and US respectively,"
Al-Barakni said Saleh will be to US for further medical treatment for his wounds sustained in an liquidation attempt at the Presidential Palace early in January. He did not put a timeframe for Saleh's trip. However, nothing needs reforming like other people's bad habits... he took pains to emphasize the President will come back home after the tour.
Veteran Saleh has announced his intentions to go for US in December, but he said he would go there to give way for the new government to prepare the upcoming Presidential elections due to take place on February 21.
Separately, Yemeni Parliament passed on Saturday the controversial immunity law draft that protects Saleh and his aides from any legal prosecution. Yemen Parliament has for long been merely a tool at Saleh's disposal as his party (GPC) has overwhelming majority.
Posted by: Fred ||
01/22/2012 00:00 ||
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[Bangla Daily Star] After the army announced foiling a "coup attempt" to overthrow the government, a number of foreign newspapers have reported that India played an important role in unearthing the plot.
The Daily Mail has reported that a "tip-off from India" helped Bangladesh Army pre-empt the conspirators.
"India has helped Bangladesh avert what could have been reminiscent of bloody military takeover in the wake of the country's founding father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, 36 years ago," the British newspaper wrote on Friday.
"Sources said a reported tip-off from India helped the army pre-empt the bid by middle-ranking serving officers with active support from retired army men.
"It is believed that New Delhi alerted the Hasina government, which enabled the Bangladesh army to trace the plotters by tracking the cell phone call records."
A report of Bangla daily Anandabazar Patrika said "Indian intelligence also played a role in foiling the military coup".
Indian cantonments have been warned and intelligence has been instructed to closely monitor the situation so that "its ripples do not affect India", the Indian newspaper reported on Friday.
It said that the Indian government believes "the objective of the failed military coup was New Delhi".
"The military coup sought to thwart the friendship created between India and Bangladesh since the Hasina government came to power," the news item said.
The daily said Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has "decided to provide all forms of assistance in case of efforts to remove Sheikh Hasina from power through any undemocratic process".
Intelligence reports from both countries pointed out that Hizb ut-Tahrir Bangladesh, Jamaat-e-Islami ...The Islamic Society, founded in 1941 in Lahore by Maulana Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi, aka The Great Apostosizer. The Jamaat opposed the independence of Bangladesh but has operated an independent branch there since 1975. It close ties with international Mohammedan groups such as the Moslem Brotherhood. The Jamaat's objectives are the establishment of a pure Islamic state, governed by Sharia law. It is distinguished by its xenophobia, and its opposition to Westernization, capitalism, socialism, secularism, and liberalist social mores... and BNP has been working together in this regard, it read.
Intelligence officials have also indicated that some extreme fundamentalists were planted in the army during the BNP-led four-party alliance government for "special reasons", Anandabazar Patrika said.
"Former Prime Minister's son Tarique Rahman ...the elder son of former President of Bangladesh Ziaur Rahman Bir Uttam, and Khaleda Zia, former Prime Minister of Bangladesh. He is the Senior Vice Chairperson of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). His nickname is Pino. There are allegations that Pino took a rakeoff from every foreign investment into the country while Mom was in office... 's name has also emerged as the head of the entire incident."
India Today, a weekly news magazine, also reported about Tarique Rahman's possible link to the plot.
"Investigations point towards former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia Three-term PM of Bangla, widow of deceased dictator Ziaur Rahman, head of the Bangla Nationalist Party, an apparent magnet for corruption ... 's exiled son Tareque [Tarique] Rahman's role in trying to trigger a mutiny within the army with an aim to remove its top brass and the government that wants better ties with India," it reported yesterday.
The Indian magazine reported that the rebels circulated notes among fellow officials describing the Hasina government as "Indian agent" and claiming that "senior army officers are on India's payrolls and New Delhi wants to convert Bangladesh into a protectorate".
English daily Times of India on Friday reported that "Indian agencies have had inputs about a possible coup in Bangladesh for the past few days".
In another report yesterday, the Indian newspaper said the "failed military coup may have been more serious that what has emerged in public".
Posted by: Fred ||
01/22/2012 00:00 ||
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[Bangla Daily Star] Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said gone are the days when coming to power was possible through unconstitutional means.
Exchanging views at the Gono Bhaban with leaders of Noakhali district Awami League, she asserted the recent anti-government plot unearthed by the army was meant to protect the anti-liberation forces and obstruct the ongoing war crimes trial.
At different programmes, two ministers and an opposition leader also have come up with their reaction to the putsch that, according to an army statement, has been foiled successfully.
On Thursday, at an unprecedented presser, a military front man announced a group of religious fanatics, comprising mid-ranking officers and their retired colleagues, was involved in a "coup attempt" to topple the government.
The prime minister said elections are the only way to change a democratic government and any short cut to power is a thing of the past.
She and her party always believe that only the people can decide who will run the country, said Hasina, also the ruling Awami League president. The government is making stronger the Election Commission and the polls held during its tenure were free, fair and peaceful.
The premier called upon the opposition leader, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia Three-term PM of Bangla, widow of deceased dictator Ziaur Rahman, head of the Bangla Nationalist Party, an apparent magnet for corruption ... , to join parliament sessions and air grievances against the government.
"She had threatened that we wouldn't be in power after December [last year]. We can now understand what their speeches and statements really meant if we analyse those," she said without mentioning the main opposition BNP or its chief.
Sheikh Hasina thanked the army for its timely move that, she said, had saved the security force and the nation.
Senior AL leaders including Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury, Syed Ashraful Islam, Obaidul Quader, Mahbubul Alam Hanif, among others, were present at the meet.
Also yesterday, talking to journalists after a programme at the city's Judicial Administration Training Institute, Law Minister Shafique Ahmed said any civilian linked to the overthrow plot would face trial for sedition according to the constitutional provisions.
Another cabinet member, Abul Maal Abdul Muhith, said there might have been foreign hands in the anti-government plan.
Bangladesh Army is more careful now after making the plot public for the first time, he said, adding there was no need of Indian assistance to this end.
Posted by: Fred ||
01/22/2012 00:00 ||
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Two Transportation Security Administration officers who admitted stealing $40,000 from luggage at a New York City airport are going to jail. Surprise, surprise.
The Queens district attorney's office says 44-year-old Coumar Persad and 31-year-old Davon Webb were sentenced Tuesday to six months in jail But 3 years in jail if you try to check a firearm you think you are legally carrying. How long a sentence if you steal $40 grand in the parking lot, and AREN'T in TSA?
and five years' probation. Both had pleaded guilty to grand larceny, obstructing governmental administration and official misconduct.
#2
Who checks $40 grand in luggage??? I agree, Glenmore, they have more to fear than jail...and hope there was some follow up on the owner of the luggage.
#6
If you are caught boarding a plane with $40 Grand you would automatically be assumed to be a drug dealer or mule - and the 40G confiscated for the next TSA party.
[Pak Daily Times] Al Qaeda no longer possesses the ability to put up a command-and-control structure to launch a 9/11-type strike, Remind me why that is, Leon, and who the people are who, over the past ten years, have made this happen...
but the US still needs to go after the outfit and maintain the "pressure" on it, said US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta. ...current SecDef, previously Director of the Central Intelligence Agency. Panetta served as President Bill Clinton's White House Chief of Staff from 1994 to 1997 and was a member of the United States House of Representatives from 1977 to 1993.... "It doesn't have the ability to put command and control together to make the kind of plans for the kind of attacks we saw on 9/11," Panetta said at the Naval Air Station Patuxent River in Maryland.
"Al Qaeda, the enemy that attacked this country on 9/11, that made the war on terrorism something that all of us were committed to fight - we have significantly impacted on Al Qaeda. Its leadership is decimated," Panetta said.
Noting that the US had successfully gone after the Al Qaeda leadership, not only the late Osama bin Laden ... who has left the building... but other top commanders as well, the defence secretary emphasised the need to continue that pressure. "We need to keep going after them wherever they go, whether it's Yemen or Somalia or North Africa.
We need to continue the pressure on them. But we are... we are working to significantly weaken their capability. We've been good at it," he said. In Libya, Panetta said, the US had a successful NATO ...the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. A collection of multinational and multilingual and multicultural armed forces, all of differing capabilities, working toward a common goal by pulling in different directions... mission that helped bring down Muammar Qadaffy ...a proud Arab institution for 42 years, now among the dear departed, though not the dearest... and return Libya to its people.
Posted by: Fred ||
01/22/2012 00:00 ||
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#1
Does that mean we can shut down the TSA?
Posted by: Rambler in Virginia ||
01/22/2012 0:14 Comments ||
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#2
Unfortunately, I think Leon is being premature.
#7
If nobody does, He's a winner because he called it.
If somebody else does, he's a winner because he's talking about ALQ not unnamed agencies.
If ALQ does, well, he's positioned to have had a 66.6% likelyhood of being correct.
#9
Panetta seems overconfident. I wouldn't think that it would be hard to infiltrate our border and conduct a campaign of random IED attacks. Demonstrably, the Iranians have the ability to conduct assassinations in our country.
I would think that the factoring hindering many of these attacks is not our omniscience, but rather the general worldwide belief that we are willing to go anywhere to kill those responsible and whack any immediate relations that are sleeping in the same house. The idea that the US is a Paper Tiger was ended in Fallujah in house to house fighting.
Posted by: Super Hose ||
01/22/2012 13:55 Comments ||
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[Pak Daily Times] All Pakistain Moslem League (APML) President Pervez Perv Musharraf ... former dictator of Pakistain, who was less dictatorial and corrupt than any Pak civilian government to date ... says he doesn't want to return to Pakistain with the help of any foreign power, army or the ISI.
He was addressing a seminar titled 'Pakistain First', organised under the aegis of the Pakistain Ex-Servicemen Society.
He said polls should be held under the army, adding that the interim government should be set up as early as possible.
He said that no one could stop him from coming back to Pakistain.
"The people have been fed up with both political parties and they are looking for a third power. I want to provide them the same third power, for which they are waiting. Cases were made against me on political grounds," he said.
The former president said he had strengthened the Strategic Planning Division and the missile system as an army chief, besides upgrading the three armed forces and bringing JF-17 Thunders for the air force.
Musharraf said he had given top priority to the defence of the country, which would always remain on the top. He said the elements working to weaken the military and the ISI are foes of the country.
On the occasion, Ex-Servicemen Society President Air Commodore (r) Farooq Ahmed said it was Pervez Musharraf's constitutional right to return to the country. He said the government is responsible for providing him security, as he was a former head of the state.
As many as 168 retired officers of the three services including former chairman joint chiefs of staff committee General (r) Muhammad Aziz.
Posted by: Fred ||
01/22/2012 00:00 ||
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Shahbaz Bhatti killed by Sipah Sahaba
Quoted in Mashriq Interior Minister Rehman Malik stated that federal minorities minister Christian Shahbaz Bhatt was assassinated in Islamabad - in the aftermath of Salmaan Taseer's murder - by Sipah Shaba, a banned terrorist organisation which is fighting the banning order in the court and is free to operate in the interim. (As the country moves in favour of terrorism, Nawaz League is already covering its flanks through an informal alliance with Sipah Sahaba in South Punjab.)
Muslim eunuchs will have funeral
Daily Express reported one Mufti Abdul Qayyum as saying that eunuchs or khwaja sara people have the religious right to have their janaza prayer read. The paper reported that 95 of the eunuchs dressed as girls because of fashion while society at large said that they were well behaved as citizens. They paid their house rent on time and showed more responsibility than men.
Lal Masjid and prostitute of Islamabad
Writing in Jang Hamid Mir recalled that Musharraf had ordered the assault on Lal Masjid after the Lal Masjid students stormed the den of prostitution in Islamabad in the name of Islam. The den was being run by Auntie Shameem. The attack was not liked by Musharraf's favourite minister who got him to order the assault on Lal Masjid.
Terrorist Dr Arshad finally arrested
PhD offered by the psychology department, no doubt, in a dual program with industrial management for those more technically oriented.
Reported in Jinnah the Al Qaeda-linked terrorist Dr Arshad who had killed an MI major and four other officials near Chakwal was finally captured from North Waziristan the agency where most terrorists are being sheltered by Pakistan. Along with him his fellow terrorist Muhkam Khan and his wife were also arrested and taken to an unknown place.
Ace spy advises ace columnist
Writing in Jang famous columnist Haroon Rashid stated that he was advised by world famous ISI chief General Hameed Gul in 1996 to go meet Hafeezullah Niazi the cousin and party organiser of Imran Khan. But Hafeezullah's habit was to think aloud, which was also his personality flaw. Haroon Rasheed admitted that he was of changeable nature and could have abandoned Niazi's friendship but was advised by his spiritual guide of Gujjar Khan (Dr Rafeeq Akhtar) to stick to him (Niazi) but not to share power with Imran Khan.
No doubt that made more sense in Urdu...
Astrologers' predictions for 2012
Daily Pakistan quoted astrologers saying that Zardari will remain president through 2012 but for Gilani the first three months of 2012 were crucial. Imran Khan will change the style of politics but Nawaz Sharif and Pervez Musharraf had no longer any place on Pakistani political scene. The next elections would be free and fair. The good phase of Pakistan had already begun from 15 Nov 2011. The new year could the Year of Judicial Martial Law.
Anchor abused by Imran fans
Writing in Jang anchor Saleem Safi stated that he was worried that newcomers to Tehreek Insaf might drain the party of its revolutionary zeal and this question he posed to Imran Khan pointing to the neglect of certain earlier loyalists of the party who were now eclipsed. After that he received abuses through facebook.
Support to democracy 76 percent
Reported in Jang 76 Pakistanis favoured democracy while 51 percent thought Pakistan was fighting America's war. Nearly 80 percent expressed pride in being Pakistanis.
Lal Masjid rides again!
Reported in Jinnah the famous Lal Masjid which unleashed the Taliban war in 2007 was being revived at another place in Islamabad instead of its earlier one which was illegal. Maulana Abdul Aziz announced that Jamia Hafza (seminary's name) would now be constructed on H/11 of Islamabad in 2.5 acres gifted by the government and will be five storeys high. He said construction had already started. (This will mollify Al Qaeda and Taliban and lead to peace.)
Imran Khan and Prof Rafeeq Akhtar
Writing in Jang Haroon Rasheed stated that Imran Khan's spiritual journey was not guided by Prof Rafeeq Akhtar of Gujjar Khan but Imran did spend a lot of time with him discussing the Quran. At one time he sat with him from 11pm at night till nearly 4am in the morning asking questions of the great spiritual guide about the issue of evolution. Imran Khan is not the pupil of Prof Rafeeq Akhtar; he is the pupil of Allama Iqbal and late Mian Bashir the clairvoyant. Before these two, he was the pupil of his mother. From his father Imran Khan learnt self-respect.
Prof Rafeeq Akhtar predicts Imran's success
According to Haroon Rasheed writing in Jang Spiritual guide Prof Rafeeq Akhtar rang him from Sialkot to say that Allah will push people towards Imran Khan and bring them to Tehreek Insaf (ghair-ghair kay). When Allah draws a circle around people it is permanent and strong.
Dr Sher Afgan rejects Tehreek Insaf
Quoted in Jinnah the politician from Mianwali Dr Sher Afgan reacted to the rumours that he was making ready to join Imran Khan's Tehreek Insaf and said that he would be the last person to join. He asked the rumour-mongering press: whoever is shoving him into Insaf should fear God (Khuda ka khauf karain.)
Hamza sees Jewish Lobby behind Imran
Because there are so many Jewish Pakistanis nowadays...
Quoted in Jinnah PMLN leader Hamza Shahbaz Sharif stated that Jewish Lobby was getting active in Lahore behind Imran Khan (possibly hinting that Jemima was a Jew although she was Christian.) He said that tsunami was not going to deceive the people of Punjab who were loyal to PMLN.
When Imran Khan ousted cousin Majid Khan
Famous columnist Haroon Rasheed wrote in Jang that when Imran Khan's cousin and Insaf leader Hafeezullah Niazi invited him to Lahore he at once got into someone's car and reached there to ask whether he (Niazi) will get a ministry if Imran got to be the ruler of Pakistan. Niazi replied that Imran Khan was a different kind of person. When he became captain of the Pakistani cricket team the first thing he did was to sack his first cousin Majid Khan from the team. Niazi said that to gain popularity among the masses Imran Khan will hang him after coming to power (phansi par char-hai ga.)
America's Silk Road conspiracy
Writing in Jang Nusrat Mirza disclosed that America was planning a Silk Road that will hurt Pakistan by linking Far East and South Asia with Central Asia aimed at bestowing economic benefits to America. The Central Asian states were weak but full of natural resources which America will obtain. This was mooted at the Istanbul Conference on Afghanistan. Under the plan roads will be built and railways will laid through Pakistan to the Afghan border at Termez thus reducing 'cowboy' America's dependence on Pakistan.
That probably did not make more sense in the original Urdu
Imran chancellor of Bradford University
Writing in Jang famous journalist Haroon Rasheed stated that Imran Khan was being asked by Bradford University in the UK to become its chancellor which Pakistan was reluctant to become because he had no time. Later when he got to know that there was no activity involved he consented. Imran Khan was now much tamed although in the past he had beaten up (dhunnai) two journalists for being too cheeky.
Maariv reports this morning that today's edition of the Sunday Times (UK) revealed that Israel advised US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Martin E. Dempsey during his visit this weekend that Israel will not ask for the permission of the US to attack Iran and will only give America a 12 hour warning before the attack.
According to the report, Prime Minister Netanyahu doesn't trust President Obama and is concerned that Mr. Obama would do everything in his power to prevent an attack if he knew about it in advance - this out of concern that oil prices would spike during an election year.
The Sunday Times further reports that an Israeli security source told the Sunday Times that Israel was shocked when it learned that the US-Israel security exercise that had been planned for two years was postponed by the U.S.
#1
12 Hours? Plenty of time for Bambi to alert the MSM and his goat loving Muzzie friends. Recommend Israel go radio-silent and let Bambi figure it out from the smoke and skyward debris plumes.
#2
"Israel to give US 12 hour warning before attack Iran"
That's what they want us to believe. ;-p
Posted by: Barbara ||
01/22/2012 11:02 Comments ||
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#3
"12 hours" is relative.
Israel is smart enough to look for, or arrange, a clear Iranian casus belli. They would set this up so that some Iranian military unit would fire active weaponry at *someone*, so that Iran would have officially "caused" the war.
So who should Iran, or a reasonable facsimile thereof, attack? US forces? Saudi Arabia, Qatar or the UAE? Volgograd? Some unconventional, if ineffective, attack in Israel?
And how should it be done? A few SHAHAB-3 missiles ineffectively fired at a carrier group, Riyadh, or even Mecca? (snicker). Anti-ship missiles fired at Russian ships in the Baltic?
Multiple bomb attacks that damage conveniently empty buildings?
Lots of possibilities. But the end result would be Israel calling Hillary at 3am to say, Iran has launched military/missile attacks, so we are "counterattacking" ASAP. This is your "12 hour notice".
"You may want to first give a call to Moscow and Riyadh."
#5
Not that big of a deal. As Hebrew is read from right to left, they'll just give 12 hours warning the day after the attack.
Posted by: M. Murcek ||
01/22/2012 13:42 Comments ||
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#6
You know, what with time zones and AM and PM, it's easy to get mixed up.
SHIT! I thought you meant this afternoon. Oh, well, they can probably hear the explosions.
Posted by: Richard Aubrey ||
01/22/2012 13:44 Comments ||
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#7
ROFL, Richard. :-D
Damn fine idea, CF.
Posted by: Barbara ||
01/22/2012 13:47 Comments ||
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#8
CF for good idea of the day.
Posted by: Water Modem ||
01/22/2012 13:56 Comments ||
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#9
Maariv reports this morning that todays edition of the Sunday Times (UK) revealed
No actual sources mentioned. Given that Israel previously has stated it will not warn the U.S. ahead of time, this feels an awful lot like when Thomas Friedman of the New York
Times tried to create peace negotiations between Israel and
Saudi Arabia based on something said in passing over dinner.
#10
CF wins the nefarious idea of the day, and Murcek wins the snark award.
Posted by: Steve White ||
01/22/2012 14:05 Comments ||
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#11
Obean: "You said that you would attack after 12 hours, and I went to the trouble of alerting my buddies in the MSM and mobilizing a bunch of assets so that Iran would know what was going on. Now you're still here unfortunately, and I look like even more of a corrupt idiot than before, if that is even possible. What gives?"
Bibi: "We changed our mind. Certainly you can relate to that."
#16
IMO iff Israel = Netanyahu doesn't really trust the Bammer as alleged, then there is no reason for Israel to give the US 12 hours advance notice of attack.
Notice to the Bammer that an attack agz Iran is underway will suffice.
RAMALLAH, West Bank Palestinian officials say that they will resume their effort to gain U.N. membership, and that they could launch a nonviolent third intifada because they see no chance of reaching a peace deal with the current Israeli government.
The Palestinians had put their U.N. bid on hold to participate in informal Jordanian-sponsored talks with Israel that began at the beginning of the year in Amman.
The Middle East Quartet the United States, the European Union, the United Nations and Russia had urged the parties to submit proposals on borders and security by Jan. 26, with the goal of reaching an agreement by the end of 2012.
But with that proposals deadline approaching, officials here said Thursday that they do not expect any breakthroughs.
We hear from our Jordanian friends that things are not going well, said Sabri Saidam, deputy speaker of the Fatah Council and an adviser to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.
Mr. Saidam and other Palestinian officials told The Washington Times that, barring a last-minute development Thursday, the U.N. campaign would begin anew.
A return to the U.N. would rile the U.S., which has vowed to veto the Palestinian application for membership in the Security Council. The U.S. was spared the headache of a veto in September because the Palestinians failed to gain a nine-vote majority. We got 8 3/4, Mr. Saidam said.
The entire U.N. campaign has attained great symbolism here. A giant blue chair bearing the words Palestines Right: Full Membership in the United Nations still sits in Ramallahs central square.
The Palestinians began the campaign after bolting short-lived U.S.-sponsored peace talks in September 2010, when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus government did not extend a 10-month freeze on Jewish settlements in the West Bank. Palestinians say they will not restart formal direct talks unless Israel freezes settlement activity and agrees to President Obamas formulation that any two-state solution be based on Israels pre-1967 frontiers conditions Mr. Netanyahu has refused.
But the U.N. campaign is just one aspect of what many Palestinian officials describe as the South Africanization of their struggle an approach that seeks to isolate Israel diplomatically while engaging in mass nonviolent protests.
We can learn from the South African struggle against apartheid that international activism works, said Nabeel Shaath, Fatahs commissioner for international relations. You dont really have to shoot in order to get your rights.
Mr. Shaath said it was absolutely a mistake for Palestinians to militarize the second intifada the 2000-2005 uprising that claimed about 4,000 Palestinian and 1,000 Israeli lives amid suicide bombings and Israeli military strikes.
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01/22/2012 00:00 ||
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[An Nahar] Opposition Syrian National Council leaders on Saturday pressed the Arab League ...an organization of Arabic-speaking states with 22 member countries and four observers. The League tries to achieve Arab consensus on issues, which usually leaves them doing nothing but a bit of grimacing and mustache cursing... to turn the Syria crisis over to the U.N., but the League looked set to extend its own mission criticized for its failure to stem 10 months of killing.
SNC chief Burhan Ghaliun met Arab League head Nabil al-Arabi in Cairo and lobbied against the extension of the League's peace mission, SNC spokeswoman Basma Qadmani said.
The SNC wants "the transfer of the Syria file to the U.N. Security Council," front man Mohammed Sermini told Agence La Belle France Presse in Cairo earlier, accusing the Damascus ...Home to a staggering array of terrorist organizations... regime of "committing genocide and crimes against humanity."
But the vaporous Arab League is expected to extend its mission, even boosting the number of observers deployed, after foreign ministers hear on Sunday a report on the mission's first month of work.
The report will be delivered by the mission's chief, General Mohammed Ahmed Mustafa al-Dabi of Sudan, who believes his mandate needs to be strengthened, not scrapped, a League official said.
Deputy Chief of operations, Ali Jarush, said Dabi is satisfied with the achievements of the operation so far and that "everything indicates that the observer mission in Syria will be extended by a month."
"Dabi sees that in the last phase the necessary thrust (of the operation) was achieved after more monitors were deployed and fanned across 20 areas and after they were provided with equipment and logistics which they previously lacked, he said
But the SNC charged that Dabi's report may not accurately reflect the situation in Syria.
The report should make a clear difference between the victim and executioner," Sermini said, adding that "leaks" indicate that the report says monitors are unable to determine who is doing the killing.
With officials headed for a weekend of meetings in the Egyptian capital, the killing in Syria continued on Saturday.
Qatar has proposed that Arab troops be deployed in Syria to "stop the killing," but the proposal was vehemently rejected by Damascus and apparently by many Arab countries, as well, because they do not want the conflict "internationalized," diplomats said.
Syria's state Ath-Thawra daily on Saturday accused Qatar of being a "tool" of the United States that is trying to bring down the Hereditary President-for-Life Bashir Pencilneck al-Assad Sonny, disguised as Fredo, trying to be Mike... 's regime on orders from Washington.
"It is clear that Qatar ... is trying to distance itself from Arab League and the report" that is expected to call for its renewal, the paper alleged.
Human Rights Watch ... dedicated to bitching about human rights violations around the world... on Friday urged the League "to publicly recognize that Syria has not respected the League's plan and work with the Security Council to increase pressure on the authorities and effectively curtail the use of fire power."
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01/22/2012 00:00 ||
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Remember, these are the smartest people in the room. So no doubt they can tell us why they reopened the Damascus embassy in the first place.
The United States is preparing to shut down its embassy in Damascus ...Home to a staggering array of terrorist organizations... and evacuate all American personnel from Syria by the end of the month amid a rapidly deteriorating security situation in the country, The Washington Post quoted senior B.O. regime officials as saying on Friday.
According to the report, a US official said that Washington has "no choice" but to close down the Damascus embassy unless Syrian Hereditary President-for-Life Bashir Pencilneck al-Assad Leveler of Latakia... agrees to provide enhanced protection.
"The security situation across Syria, which is deteriorating with each day that Assad clings to power, demonstrates further that Assad is losing control of the country and reinforces our point that Assad has lost all legitimacy," the official was quoted as saying.
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
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[Pak Daily Times] A crowd of protesters forced their way inside the local headquarters of Libya's ruling National Transitional Council (NTC) in the eastern city of Benghazi on Saturday, a 
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Al Qaeda no longer possesses the ability to put up a command-and-control structure to launch a 9/11-type strike, 
Pervez 
Shahbaz Bhatti killed by Sipah Sahaba
RAMALLAH, West Bank Palestinian officials say that they will resume their effort to gain U.N. membership, and that they could launch a nonviolent third intifada because they see no chance of reaching a peace deal with the current Israeli government.
Hereditary President-for-Life Bashir 
Hereditary President-for-Life Bashir 
