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Area: WoT Operations    Non-WoT    Opinion        Politix   
Ashraf Ghani declared winner of Afghan presidential poll, Abdullah rejects results
Today's Headlines
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Page 2: WoT Background
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Page 1: WoT Operations
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Page 3: Non-WoT
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Page 4: Opinion
2 10:26 Skidmark [2]
1 10:48 Lex [11]
6 16:39 DarthVader [5]
5 13:50 Abu Uluque [7]
6 13:48 swksvolFF [6]
11 17:03 M. Murcek [3]
Page 6: Politix
5 10:59 Frank G [8]
4 18:25 Lex [4]
5 11:14 Dron66046 [2]
7 13:20 Skidmark [10]
10 14:06 Frank G [8]
11 19:03 Besoeker [9]
10 14:43 Raj [6]
Afghanistan
136 Civilians Killed in One Month: Human Rights Commission
[ToloNews] The Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC) on Tuesday said that at least 136 non-combatants were killed in the country as a result of war or other kinds of violence in the past one month.

The human rights
...which are usually open to widely divergent definitions...
commission blamed the Taliban
...the Pashtun equivalent of men...
for 50 percent of the fatalities and said that the Afghan government forces also caused 25 percent of the casualties.

According to the the human rights commission, 69 non-combatants were killed by Taliban attacks, 36 non-combatants were killed during attacks by the Afghan government forces and their foreign counterparts, and another 31 non-combatants were killed in other violence-related incidents.

"The 136 people that we have recorded in the past one month--this figure might be very small and there might be more casualties," said Mohammad Naeem Nazari, the deputy head of the human rights commission.

Meanwhile,
...back at the buffalo wallow, Standing Buffalo watched the circling Commanches and asked himself What would Geronimo do?...
residents in the Maidan Wardak province also raised deep concerns over what they described as the rising number of civilian casualties in the country.

"This is not only an issue in Wardak, we had similar incidents in Nimroz, Kunduz and Paktia provinces too," said Akhtar Mohammad Tahiri, the head of the Maidan Wardak provincial council.

Residents also blasted the warring factions for not addressing the issue of civilian casualties.

"Today, in this so-called democracy, there are four governments in the country: the government of the foreigners, the government of the Taliban and another government that is called the National Unity Government, it is also combined of two governments," said Sayed Rahim Sattar, the head of Maidan Wardak's tribal council.

"Those who say that we are targeted by mistake, at least they should compensate the victims based on their legal and judicial system," said Abdul Baqi Mateen, a resident in Maidan Wardak.
"Give us money"
The Taliban have rejected the human rights commission’s statement about the casualties.
Posted by: trailing wife || 02/19/2020 00:14 || Comments || Link || [8 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Very quiet month for Afghanistan.
Posted by: g(r)omgoru || 02/19/2020 3:15 Comments || Top||

#2  Don't we kill more on our highways here in a month?
Posted by: Procopius2k || 02/19/2020 8:14 Comments || Top||


Ashraf Ghani declared winner of Afghan presidential poll, Abdullah rejects results
[DAWN]

Abdullah does not accept the election result, claims victory

[KhaamaPress] Following the announcement of the final election results by the Independent Election Commission (IEC) that announced Mohammad Ashraf Ghani
...former chancellor of Kabul University, now president of Afghanistan. Before returning to Afghanistan in 2002 he was a scholar of political science and anthropology. He worked at the World Bank working on international development assistance. As Finance Minister of Afghanistan between July 2002 and December 2004, he led Afghanistan's attempted economic recovery until the Karzais stole all the money...
the winner of the 2019 election with the 50.64% votes, Abdullah Abdullah
...the former foreign minister of the Northern Alliance government, advisor to Masood, and candidate for president against both Karzai and Ghani. Dr. Abdullah was born in Kabul and is half Tadjik and half Pashtun. He also held the meaningless salaried sop position as CEO of Afghanistan, while Ghani was president...
appeared in a presser with his allies claiming victory.

Abdullah Abdullah appeared in a presser late on Tuesday evening claiming victory and said he will establish an inclusive government, earlier his supporters called to announce a parallel government if the election results are announced considering fraudulent votes.

Abdullah asked his supporters to stand against injustice and fraudulent votes.

"The Stability and Insurgence is the winner of the 2019 election and we announce our victory", Abdullah said.

"The fraudsters are the rogues of history and we establish an inclusive government, long live Afghanistan!", said Abdullah in a presser addressing the nation and his supporters.

Abdullah accused the electoral commissioners of the national treason.
More from Khaama Press:
The Taliban group strongly reacted to re-election of Ashraf Ghani as the President of Afghanistan, calling the election process as ‘fake and unlawful’.
Posted by: Fred || 02/19/2020 00:00 || Comments || Link || [7 views] Top|| File under:


Africa North
#GNA ambassador to Malta AlAmin to Al-Sarraj: Your decisions are always late and your foreign minister is a "fool"
[PUBLISH.TWITTER]
Posted by: Fred || 02/19/2020 00:00 || Comments || Link || [2 views] Top|| File under: Arab Spring

#1  he seems like an excitable boy
Posted by: Frank G || 02/19/2020 7:38 Comments || Top||

#2  "..and I fart in your general direction"
Posted by: Mercutio || 02/19/2020 9:13 Comments || Top||


Bangladesh
War criminal Subhan's appeal challenging death penalty dropped
[Dhaka Tribune] The Supreme Court has dropped the appeal filed by war criminal Abdus Subhan challenging his death penalty
from its record after his death.

On Tuesday, the apex court declared the appeal abated after Attorney General Mahbubey Alam along with defence lawyers Advocate Joynal Abedin and Advocate Shishir Monir informed the four-member Appellate Division bench, headed by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain, about the death of Abdus Subhan.

Shishir Monir told the Dhaka Tribune that the order of the Supreme Court denotes that the appeal has no effectiveness at present.

On February 14, war crimes convict Abdus Subhan died of old age complications at Dhaka Medical College and Hospital (DMCH).

The former politician from Pabna was admitted to the hospital from Dhaka Central Jail in Keraniganj on January 24.

On February 18, 2015, the now defunct International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) 2 sentenced Subhan to death for crimes against humanity he had committed during the 1971 Liberation War.

On March 18, 2015, Subhan filed an appeal with the Supreme Court challenging his death sentence
...the barbaric practice of sentencing a murderer to be punished for as long as his/her/its victim is dead...
Law enforcers arrested Subhan on September 20, 2012. The ICT 1 indicted him on December 31, 2013. The case was later shifted to ICT 2 for quick disposal.
Posted by: Fred || 02/19/2020 00:00 || Comments || Link || [5 views] Top|| File under: Govt of Pakistain Proxies


Europe
French President Macron says he will curb the practice of foreign countries sending Muslim clerics and teachers to France
[PUBLISH.TWITTER]
Posted by: Fred || 02/19/2020 00:00 || Comments || Link || [3 views] Top|| File under: Moslem Colonists


French President Emmanuel #Macron accuses #Turkey of supporting extremists inside #France
[PUBLISH.TWITTER]
Posted by: Fred || 02/19/2020 00:00 || Comments || Link || [4 views] Top|| File under: Sublime Porte

#1  Bring in the Russian bombers.
Posted by: Skidmark || 02/19/2020 14:39 Comments || Top||


The Grand Turk
Turkey Court Acquits Rights Defender Kavala in Gezi Park Trial
[AnNahar] A Ottoman Turkish court acquitted leading civil society figures, including rights defender Osman Kavala, on Tuesday in a highly controversial trial over the anti-government "Gezi Park" protests of 2013.

The judge said there was "not enough concrete evidence" that Kavala and the other 15 defendants sought to overthrow the government.

Kavala, who spent more than 800 days in pre-trial detention and faced a life sentence if convicted, became a symbol of what critics say is a crackdown on The Sick Man of Europe Turkey
Continued on Page 49
Posted by: trailing wife || 02/19/2020 00:54 || Comments || Link || [8 views] Top|| File under: Sublime Porte


Iraq
Iraq|i government may officially announce #Sistani's death within the coming few hours or days
[PUBLISH.TWITTER]
Posted by: Fred || 02/19/2020 00:00 || Comments || Link || [1 views] Top|| File under: Govt of Iraq

#1  "I'm not dead yet!"
"Yes you are!"
"I feeel happy!"
Posted by: Frank G || 02/19/2020 7:31 Comments || Top||

#2  unclear on the background - lede sounds like the gov't is facilitating said demise.
Posted by: Mercutio || 02/19/2020 9:13 Comments || Top||

#3  He's gone to live at the bottom of a well until he's needed for the final conflagration.
Posted by: jpal || 02/19/2020 9:32 Comments || Top||

#4  I didn't realize he was still alive.
Posted by: Glenmore || 02/19/2020 10:57 Comments || Top||

#5  It would be good to be not there when he does exit.
Posted by: 3dc || 02/19/2020 11:03 Comments || Top||

#6  Yeah, he was the only 'sort-of' reasonable Shiite religious leader in Iraq.

As 3dc says, would not want to be in the area when the retributions start.
Posted by: Mullah Richard || 02/19/2020 13:42 Comments || Top||


Israel-Palestine-Jordan
After 3 days without rockets, Israel ends ‘sanctions’ on Gaza
...only until the latest hudna ends.
[IsraelTimes] Fishing zone extended back to 15 miles, 2,000 additional travel permits to be offered to Paleostinian businessmen in the Strip, despite ongoing balloon-borne explosive attacks.

Israel on Tuesday announced it planned to extend Gazoo
...Hellhole adjunct to Israel and Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, inhabited by Gazooks. The place was acquired in the wake of the 1967 War and then presented to Paleostinian control in 2006 by Ariel Sharon, who had entered his dotage. It is currently ruled with an iron fist by Hamaswith about the living conditions you'd expect. It periodically attacks the Hated Zionist Entity whenever Iran needs a ruckus created or the hard boyz get bored, getting thumped by the IDF in return. The ruling turbans then wave the bloody shirt and holler loudly about oppression and disproportionate response...
’s fishing zone back to 15 nautical miles and increase the number of travel permits from the Strip to 2,000, following three days of relative calm in the coastal enclave, Israel’s military liaison to the Paleostinians said.
Continued on Page 49
Posted by: trailing wife || 02/19/2020 01:50 || Comments || Link || [4 views] Top|| File under: Hamas

#1  Basic classical conditioning. Let's hope it takes. Until Abdul forgets.
Posted by: Dron66046 || 02/19/2020 2:10 Comments || Top||

#2  Rockets in 5 .. 4 .. 3
Posted by: g(r)omgoru || 02/19/2020 3:14 Comments || Top||

#3  So they can bring more rockets.
Posted by: Woodrow || 02/19/2020 18:43 Comments || Top||


Israel rolls out new wartime plan to reform armed forces
[DEFENSENEWS] Israel has announced a new multiyear plan to restructure its armed forces to face existing and potential future adversaries for decades.

The plan, called "Tnufa" in Hebrew and "Momentum" in English, has been a priority for Lt.-Gen. Aviv Kochavi, the Israel Defense Forces’ chief of the General Staff, over the last year. The plan envisions fighting a multi-front war and harnessing the latest technologies to bring the most effective firepower from the largest number of different units to the forefront of the battlefield.

Momentum also seeks to shorten the time of a conflict while achieving more success on the battlefield and lessening the impact of war on civilians. Forces will be streamlined with the goal of a "swift and massive use of force against enemy systems," the IDF said during a briefing about the plan.

The Institute for National Security Studies at Tel Aviv University had noted in the summer of 2019 that political upheaval in Israel may "delay and limit the plan’s launch." The country currently lacks a government after two elections failed to bring a majority for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition.

But concerns about the need to confront a complex Iranian adversary drove the plan through bureaucratic hurdles toward a January announcement that Defense Minister Naftali Bennett had approved it. It was officially rolled out in a briefing on Feb. 13.

IDF front man Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus said the military built Momentum based on the last plan, called Gideon, which was announced in 2015. Having shrunk some land forces units and made them more efficient, the idea now is to address new challenges in the strategic and tactical environment. Israel wants to "extend drastically the gap in capabilities between us and our adversaries in the framework of available resources," the IDF said. The emphasis is on being "multidimensional" and "multi-force," combining all arms of the naval, land, air, cyber and intelligence forces.

"We face various terror armies," Conricus said, including organizations that combine both holy warrior and holy warrior qualities, behaving like armies. This includes both Paleostinian-based Hamas, a regional Iranian catspaw, and Islamic Jihad
...created after many members of the Egyptian Moslem Brotherhood decided the organization was becoming too moderate. Operations were conducted out of Egypt until 1981 when the group was exiled after the assassination of President Anwar Sadat. They worked out of Gaza until they were exiled to Lebanon in 1987, where they clove tightly to Hezbollah. In 1989 they moved to Damascus, where they remain a subsidiary of Hezbollah...
as well as Leb-based Hezbollah. The challenge in battling such organizations is that it’s difficult to determine who is a combatant because members assimilate into urban environments and civilian areas.

Posted by: Fred || 02/19/2020 00:00 || Comments || Link || [5 views] Top|| File under: Govt of Iran Proxies


Olde Tyme Religion
The Middle East is a top priority for Pope Francis, says top #Vatican diplomat Yoannis Lahzi Gaid of Egypt
[PUBLISH.TWITTER]
Posted by: Fred || 02/19/2020 00:00 || Comments || Link || [2 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Going to focus on converting the heathen, is he?
Posted by: SteveS || 02/19/2020 0:35 Comments || Top||

#2  Going to focus on converting the heathen

Yes. Mecca beckons.
A medium term personal project of Bergoglio's but he still has time.
Posted by: Lex || 02/19/2020 0:44 Comments || Top||

#3  YOU do not know anything. Stay out of my way. You are not a Leader, A Pope, or of GOD.

Posted by: newc || 02/19/2020 1:43 Comments || Top||

#4  Bert the Gigolo's continuing mission to gain more territory, even if it's just empty land; and to get muzz to reduce numbers of coptic christians maybe ? More like a corporate war I think.
Posted by: Dron66046 || 02/19/2020 1:53 Comments || Top||

#5  Der Judennnnnnnnnn
Posted by: g(r)omgoru || 02/19/2020 3:16 Comments || Top||

#6  Deus Vult?
Posted by: Bob Grorong1136 || 02/19/2020 6:33 Comments || Top||


Syria-Lebanon-Iran
Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah is being mocked online by Lebanese people, after calling for a boycott of American goods
[PUBLISH.TWITTER]
Posted by: Fred || 02/19/2020 00:00 || Comments || Link || [12 views] Top|| File under: Hezbollah


Turkey will not withdraw from military posts despite encirclement by Syrian Army: #Erdogan
[PUBLISH.TWITTER]
Posted by: Fred || 02/19/2020 00:00 || Comments || Link || [7 views] Top|| File under: Sublime Porte

#1  Channeling Hitler and the Nazi 6th Army?
Posted by: Mercutio || 02/19/2020 7:16 Comments || Top||

#2  Syria should remove this infection
Posted by: Frank G || 02/19/2020 7:20 Comments || Top||

#3  "We've been looking for the enemy for some time now. We've finally found him. We're surrounded. That simplifies things." Chesty Puller - USMC

Unfortunately for the Turks, they don't have the same front line personnel or leadership Chesty had.
Posted by: Mullah Richard || 02/19/2020 8:52 Comments || Top||

#4  Don't think of it as being outnumbered and surrounded.

Think of it as a target rich environment.
Posted by: DarthVader || 02/19/2020 10:42 Comments || Top||

#5  Withdraw? Bah! Not when we have finally achieved interior mobility.
Posted by: SteveS || 02/19/2020 11:00 Comments || Top||

#6  Well rounded logistics chain.
Posted by: Skidmark || 02/19/2020 13:12 Comments || Top||


Russia accuses US of arming forces to attack Turkish troops in Syria
[PUBLISH.TWITTER]
Posted by: Fred || 02/19/2020 00:00 || Comments || Link || [6 views] Top|| File under: Sublime Porte

#1  I would certainly hope so
Posted by: Sock Puppet of Doom || 02/19/2020 13:55 Comments || Top||

#2  I forget.
Isn't Russia bombing those Turk forces in Syria?
Posted by: Skidmark || 02/19/2020 14:39 Comments || Top||

#3  I believe they are, but it's no good when we do it.
Posted by: Thing From Snowy Mountain || 02/19/2020 16:07 Comments || Top||

#4  Is this how Russians ask if they can go along too?
Posted by: swksvolFF || 02/19/2020 16:29 Comments || Top||

#5  Isn't Russia bombing those Turk forces in Syria?

I asked Lieutenant Minderbinder about this and he said they are doing it on our behalf. He assures me it's all part of the Syndicate and says not to worry.
Posted by: SteveS || 02/19/2020 17:03 Comments || Top||


After Suleimani: Iran's scramble to recover from general's death
[THEGUARDIAN] From the bunkers of south Beirut to the battlefields of northern Syria and the combustible streets of Iraq, the loss of Suleimani and his entourage has derailed much of Iran’s momentum in the region and exposed to rare vulnerability the opaque Quds Force it has used to project its influence over two decades.

The liquidation has also shone a light on the complicated relationship between the Iranian leadership and the Iraqi government, senior members of which have scrambled ever since to resurrect Suleimani’s core regional projects located as far away as the Lebanese capital and Damascus. The reckoning started as soon as the dead were buried.

As well as soul searching about how best to regroup, there have been recriminations about how Suleimani and his entourage were able to be killed in the first place.
Continued on Page 49
Posted by: Fred || 02/19/2020 00:00 || Comments || Link || [11 views] Top|| File under: Govt of Iran



Who's in the News
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4Islamic State
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3Arab Spring
2al-Shabaab (AQ)
2Govt of Iran
2Govt of Iran Proxies
2Hezbollah
2al-Nusra
1Moslem Colonists
1Govt of Pakistain Proxies
1Govt of Sudan
1Hamas

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Meet the Mods
In no particular order...
Steve White
Seafarious
tu3031
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trailing wife
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Glenmore
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Two weeks of WOT
Wed 2020-02-19
  Ashraf Ghani declared winner of Afghan presidential poll, Abdullah rejects results
Tue 2020-02-18
  LNA claims to destroy Turkish arms ship in Tripoli harbor.
Mon 2020-02-17
  24 Killed In Brutal Terror Attack On Burkina Faso Church; Local Pastor Targeted
Sun 2020-02-16
  Switzerland Thwarts Major Islamic State Terror Attack
Sat 2020-02-15
  Six Cartel Kidnappers Busted with Mexican Border City Victim in Trunk
Fri 2020-02-14
  US navy ship seizes 150 Iranian-manufactured anti-tank guided missiles after boarding a vessel in the Arabian Sea
Thu 2020-02-13
  Hafiz Saeed sentenced to five-and-a-half years in prison for terror financing
Wed 2020-02-12
  Sudan will hand over Omar al-Bashir to the International Criminal Court
Tue 2020-02-11
  Russians bomb a joint Turkish & Jihadi column
Mon 2020-02-10
  Ehsanullah Ehsan sends greetings from Turkey, thumbs nose
Sun 2020-02-09
  Multiple US troops killed during shootout in eastern Afghanistan
Sat 2020-02-08
  Khalid Haqqani and Qari Saifullah banged in Kabul
Fri 2020-02-07
  Syria says its troops enter the strategic city of Saraqib in Idlib and begins ‘combing’ its neighborhoods
Thu 2020-02-06
  Hazim Al-Halafi, a senior commander of Saraya Al-Salam dead
Wed 2020-02-05
  Trump acquitted by Senate on articles of impeachment for abuse of power


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