Of course. The Afghan war was fought against the hosts of Al Qaeda. After that, we stayed on to help the Afghan people transition from the 10th century toward something that could live with the modern world, the alternative being turning the Pashtun half of the country to rubble. As can be seen with the Libyan adventure, we no longer bother with that kind of thing. So President Karzai has cause to rejoice about his country's future.
[DAWN] Expressing "extreme anger" toward the US government, Afghanistan's Caped PresidentHamid 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... said in an interview with the Washington Post that the war in Afghanistan was not fought with his country's interests in mind.
"Afghans died in a war that's not ours," Karzai said in the interview published on Sunday, just a month before an election to pick his successor.
He was quoted as saying he was certain the 12-year-old war, America's longest and launched after the attacks of Sept 11, 2001, was "for the US security and for the Western interest."
Karzai's refusal to sign a security deal with Washington that would permit foreign troops to stay in Afghanistan beyond this year has frustrated the White House, and President Barack Obama Jedi mind meld... has told the Pentagon to prepare for the possibility that no US troops will be left in Afghanistan after 2014.
Obama told Karzai in a phone call on Tuesday he had given the order to the Pentagon.
The phone call was the first substantive discussion between the two leaders since June.
But staking out a new position, the White House said in a statement it would leave open the possibility of concluding the bilateral security agreement later this year.
"It's good for them to sign it with my successor," Karzai told the Post.
He has insisted the United States must jump-start peace talks with Taliban Death Eaters and end raids and strikes on Afghan homes before he signs the deal.
The 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 cut of the American pants... -led force in Afghanistan has a current strength of more than 52,000 soldiers, including 33,600 US troops.
More than 3,400 coalition forces have been killed in the fight against the Taliban, including more than 2,300 US troops.
While Afghanistan's police and army are seen as having made big strides in their ability to fight bad boys, doubts remain about whether they can keep a still-potent Taliban at bay, especially in remote areas.
In the interview, the Afghan leader said he was deeply troubled by the war's casualties, including those in US military operations, and felt betrayed by what he described as an insufficient US focus on going after Taliban sanctuaries in Pakistain rather than in Afghan villages.
Civilian casualties in Afghanistan dissipated his country's"common cause" with the United States, Karzai told the newspaper.
Criticising his US allies was the only way to secure a response by Washington to his concerns, he added.
The Post said Karzai told his interviewers as he escorted them out of his office on Saturday night: "To the American people, give them my best wishes and my gratitude.
To the US government, give them my anger, my extreme anger."
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03/04/2014 00:00 ||
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[Al Ahram] Libyan authorities vowed Monday to pursue a democratic transition in the face of mounting lawlessness after two MPs were shot when protesters stormed the country's transitional parliament.
The two General National Congress members were shot and maimed Sunday as armed protesters stormed their building in Tripoli ...a confusing city, one end of which is located in Lebanon and the other end of which is the capital of Libya. Its chief distinction is being mentioned in the Marine Hymn... . In separate violence, a French engineer was killed in the restive eastern city of Benghazi.
"I assure you we are committed to the path of the February 17 revolution and to pursue the democratic process," GNC president Nuri Abu Sahmein said, referring to the uprising that ended Moamer Qadaffy's four-decade rule.
Speaking on television, Abu Sahmein said the attack was a "flagrant aggression on the seat of legitimate illusory sovereignty," and urged former rebels who ousted Qadaffy to protect state institutions.
On Monday, ex-rebels equipped with pick-up trucks mounted with anti-aircraft guns were posted around the GNC building, where at least five burnt-out cars testified to the previous day's violence.
Abu Sahmein said the GNC -- Libya's highest political authority -- was examining a roadmap for the handover of power "as quickly as possible" to an elected body.
The GNC was elected in July 2012 to an 18-month mandate but it stirred popular anger by extending from early February until end of December.
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03/04/2014 00:00 ||
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[Al Ahram] Authorities mount international campaign to reassure tourists that Red Sea and Sinai beach resorts are safe, following the 16 February bombing of a tourist bus in South Sinai that killed four
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03/04/2014 00:00 ||
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#1
Maybe some Liberals will try it. Good Luck to them. Visit Egypt. Yeah, that should do it.
#4
Rode a cab to McCarran once and passed the Luxor on the way. "I wonder if your razor blades stay sharper while you are there?" I pondered aloud. The cabbie laughed...
Posted by: M. Murcek ||
03/04/2014 10:47 Comments ||
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#5
'See Naples Luxor and die' has a certain ring to it, doesn't it?
[Libya Herald] Female pupils in Sirte are to wear mandatory hijabs under an order issued by the town's Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs office.
Primary and secondary school students are obliged, under the new ruling, to wear the Islamic jalabia and a scarf covering their hair. News agency Al-Wasat reported that the decision was made under pressure from Ansar Al-Sharia which, it claimed, had influence within Sirte's education authority.
The ruling has provoked mixed reactions on social media networks with some welcoming the move and others claiming it is the first step in turning Libya into a more Islamic state. Some criticised the move as restricting women's freedom, pointing out that such freedom was one of the principal goals of the 17 February Revolution.
It's always first the Menshaviks, but then the Bolsheviks sweep all in blood before them.
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03/04/2014 00:00 ||
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[DAWN] Chief of his own faction of the Jamaat Ulema-e-Islam ...the political wing of the Pak Taliban... (JUI-S), Maulana Samiul Haq ...the Godfather of the Taliban, leader of his own faction of the JUI. Known as Mullah Sandwich for his habit of having two young boys at a time... , who also head the Taliban negotiating committee said on Monday that the list of prisoners whom the Taliban want freed had been received and would soon be discussed, DawnNews reported.
Talking to media persons in the federal capital, Sami said the Taliban's announcement of a one-month cease fire should be taken as a blessing and all women, children and elderly in government captivity should be released.
He said the whole nation was united for peace talks and that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif ... served two non-consecutive terms as prime minister, heads the Pakistain Moslem League (Nawaz). Noted for his spectacular corruption, the 1998 Pak nuclear test, border war with India, and for being tossed by General Musharraf... had shown political maturity over the issue. He also said that the government's negotiating committee had made efforts to end the deadlock existing between the government and the Taliban mediating committees.
He said the Taliban's condemnation of today's attack in Islamabad was a welcome gesture, adding that the approach of the group was also commendable.
Sami said public sentiment was taken into consideration by deciding to hold talks and these negotiations should reach their logical conclusion.
Maulana Sami also said that every attack should not be attributed to the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistain (TTP), adding that the outlawed myrmidon organization would have to dissociate itself from all terror attacks taking place in the country.
He also said that enemies of the country would keep carrying out attacks to derail the negotiations and peace talks would have to be protected against internal and external conspiracies.
Sami said following the 9/11 attacks the decisions of a dictator had brought destruction to the country.
He further said that even the parliament had demanded a review of the enslaving policies.
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03/04/2014 00:00 ||
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[DAWN] Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif ... served two non-consecutive terms as prime minister, heads the Pakistain Moslem League (Nawaz). Noted for his spectacular corruption, the 1998 Pak nuclear test, border war with India, and for being tossed by General Musharraf... was heading a high-level meeting with military officials on Monday to review the prevailing security situation in the country, DawnNews reported.
The meeting was being attended by Army Chief General Raheel Sharif, Director General Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Zaheer ul Islam, Chief of General Staff Lt Gen Ishfaq Nadeem Ahmad, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar and Defence Minister Khawaja Asif.
The meeting discussed strategies relating to peace talks with Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistain as well as today's incident at the court.
The army chief briefed the prime minister on the military's stance on talks with the TTP. The goals achieved in North Wazoo were also discussed.
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03/04/2014 00:00 ||
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[DAWN] Imran Khan ... aka Taliban Khan, who is the lightweight's lightweight... , chief of the Pakistain Tehrik-e-Insaf ...a political party in Pakistan. PTI was founded by former Pakistani cricket captain and philanthropist Imran Khan. The party's slogan is Justice, Humanity and Self Esteem, each of which is open to widely divergent interpretations.... , said on Monday that some elements, including the United States, were against peace in the country and an operation in Wazoo region was not in favour of Pakistain, DawnNews reported.
He also called on the government to identify those behind anti-state conspiracies, adding that enemies of Pakistain were sheltering those behind attacks such as the one carried out in Islamabad today.
Talking about a full-fledged operation in North Waziristan tribal region, Khan said it was not in Pakistain's favour and action should be taken only against those forces of Evil who did not want to carry out peace talks.
He also said that an operation in Wazrisitan would greatly damage the country.
The Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistain has announced a one-month ceasefire which was followed by the government's statement that it would halt air strikes conducted against forces of Evil and their hideouts.
The developments took place after a deadlock was reached between government and Taliban negotiators.
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[DAWN] The krazed killer groups not ready to come to the negotiations table would be facing Imran Khan ... aka Taliban Khan, who is the lightweight's lightweight... in a shootout if one goes by the Pakistain Tehrik-e-Insaf ...a political party in Pakistan. PTI was founded by former Pakistani cricket captain and philanthropist Imran Khan. The party's slogan is Justice, Humanity and Self Esteem, each of which is open to widely divergent interpretations.... chairman's statement given at a party function here on Sunday.
"If the Taliban groups not in favour of talks continue their terror hits to derail the grinding of the peace processor, they'll find me armed standing by the armed forces," he told the maiden meeting of the PTI Punjab Council here.
Reiterating his opposition to army operation in North Wazoo, he said it would badly hurt 700,000 innocent rustics, expressing fear that the victims would also take up arms and become Taliban.
Mr Khan denied the impression that the statement in support of the operation had been given to keep the PTI's popularity intact. "I'm not after vote bank rather I take decisions by my conscience."
He said the PTI was the first to promote dialogue with the Taliban and the ceasefire announced by the Taliban vindicated the party's stance that dialogue should be the first option.
The party never asked that those who wanted any lenience for those who wanted to rule the country at gunpoint but it did propose to isolate those who wanted to talk from those who didn't, he said.
"I'd be ready to counter those who would dare to implement Islam at gunpoint," Mr Khan said.
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03/04/2014 00:00 ||
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[Al Ahram] Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday arrived at the White House to meet US President Barack Obama over the future of the peace process with the Palestinians. Obama is expected to press Netanyahu to accept a framework for extending the negotiations beyond a late April deadline, although the Israeli leader has pledged to resist any pressure.
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[Al Ahram] UN chief Ban stressed Monday the urgency of relaunching the Syrian peace process, urging Damascus in particular to return to Geneva with a more "constructive position." "The only way to end the crisis is through a negotiated solution," he told reporters on the sidelines of the UN Human Rights Council, adding: "We are determined to bring the parties back to the table here in Geneva."
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[An Nahar] The Phalange Party The Kataeb (Phalange) party was founded by Pierre Gemayel in 1936, who modeled the party after Spanish and Italian Fascist parties he had observed as an Olympic athlete during the 1936 Summer Olympics held in Berlin, then Nazi Germany. The movement's uniforms originally included brown shirts and members used the Nazi salute. Despite the party's uniform, its strong sense of nationalism and dedication to a single charismatic leader, the Lebanese Kataeb was not and never became a fascist party nor did it espouse a totalitarian ideology. on Monday announced that it will not provide a political cover for Hizbullah ...Party of God, a Leb militia inspired, founded, funded and directed by Iran. Hizbullah refers to itself as The Resistance and purports to defend Leb against Israel, with whom it has started and lost one disastrous war to date, though it did claim victory... 's military intervention in Syria or for its weapons even if that threatened the collapse of Prime Minister Tammam Salam's cabinet that was formed after an 11-month deadlock.
"This resistance has lost its legitimacy and half the Lebanese have major questions over it and therefore there is no consensus over the resistance. Nothing can be imposed on half the Lebanese in the cabinet," MP Sami Gemayel, the party's central committee coordinator, said at a presser.
"We won't give any legitimacy to the entity of this resistance through the tripartite (army-people-resistance) equation which allows all the Lebanese to take up arms in all circumstances," Gemayel stressed.
He said his party was hoping the cabinet would endorse the "common points" and put the controversial ones aside. "We joined the cabinet in this spirit," Gemayel noted.
"We want to delegitimize Hizbullah's fighting in Syria and its possession or arms during this period or else our participation in cabinet would be at the expense of the constant principles as we would be subjecting the entire Lebanese people to bombings," he added.
He called on the cabinet to endorse "the content of the Baabda Declaration because that would protect the Lebanese from bombings."
"It is impossible to cover up for the principle of no state; let the government collapse and we would go to a caretaker cabinet," Gemayel threatened.
"We are avoiding overbidding but the principles do not change and will not change and from now on we won't accept that the state give legitimacy to these arms or to the fighting of Hizbullah or any other group in Syria," he underlined.
Gemayel added: "From now on, no ministerial policy statement will legitimize the use of arms in Leb if we are present in cabinet."
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[An Nahar] Lebanese Forces A Christian political party founded by Bashir Gemayel, who was then bumped off when he was elected president of Leb... leader Samir Geagea ... Geagea was imprisoned by the Syrians and their puppets for 11 years in a dungeon in the third basement level of the Lebanese Ministry of Defense. He was released after the Cedar Revolution in 2005 ... defended President Michel Suleiman ...before assuming office as President, he held the position of commander of the Leb Armed Forces. That was after the previous commander, the loathesome Emile Lahoud, took office as president in November of 1998. Likely the next president of Leb will be whoever's commander of the armed forces, too... against Hizbullah ...Party of God, a Leb militia inspired, founded, funded and directed by Iran. Hizbullah refers to itself as The Resistance and purports to defend Leb against Israel, with whom it has started and lost one disastrous war to date, though it did claim victory... 's harsh rhetoric, saying the Lebanese are fed up with the party's practices, which contradict the authorities of the state institutions.
Geagea told al-Mustaqbal ... the Future Movement, political party led by Saad Hariri... newspaper published on Monday that Suleiman "said what he had to say last Friday on our behalf."
His remarks "reflect the viewpoint of the majority of the Lebanese who are fed up with Hizbullah's behavior and practices at the strategic, military, security, political and media levels," the LF chief said.
"I salute him," he added.
The tension between Suleiman and Hizbullah reached unprecedented levels over the weekend when the president said Lebanese parties should not hold onto inflexible equations that hinder the adoption of the new government's policy statement.
His remark at the Holy Spirit University of Kaslik drew a sharp retort from Hizbullah, which said the president needed "specialized care."
Their dispute lies on the deadlock reached by the members of the committee tasked with drafting the policy statement on whether to include a clause on the resistance in the blueprint.
Geagea reiterated in his interview with al-Mustaqbal that Hizbullah considers the supreme leader of Iran as the head of the Lebanese state.
It believes that "our situation in Leb should be a copycat of Iran," he said about the Shiite party.
"Hizbullah considered the president's move as a rebellion, that's why it had to make the crucial remarks against him," he said.
Hizbullah does not recognize the legitimate Lebanese institutions and seeks to "undermine them when they try to practice their authorities," he added.
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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.
Nawaz Sharif
Wazoo
Samir Geagea
