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Arab Coalition Intercepts 2 Houthi Missiles, 12 Drones
Today's Headlines
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Page 6: Politix
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Afghanistan
Blinken Proposes New Steps to Peace, Keeps May 1st Pullout Option
[ToloNews] US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in a letter to President 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...
seen by TOLOnews put forth suggestions to the Afghan government to accelerate the grinding of the peace processor, including convening a UN-facilitated conference with international stakeholders, proposals to facilitate discussion between the two sides to form a negotiated settlement and ceasefire, a meeting in The Sick Man of Europe Turkey
...Qatar's satrapy in Asia Minor...
between both sides to finalize a peace agreement, and a revised proposal for a 90-day reduction in violence. However,
a woman is only as old as she admits...
along with these proposals, Blinken made clear that the United States is considering all options regarding Afghanistan, including the May 1st deadline for full withdrawal.

This letter is reportedly similar to one shared with the chairman of the High Council for National Reconciliation, 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...
First, Blinken suggests that the UN should convene a meeting of foreign ministers and envoys from Russia, China, Pakistain, Iran, India and the US to discuss a unified approach to supporting peace in Afghanistan.

Second, US envoy Zalmay Khalilzad should share with President Ghani and the Taliban
...Arabic for students...
leaders written proposals "aimed at accelerating discussions on a negotiated settlement and ceasefire. "These proposals reflect some of the ideas included in the roadmap for the grinding of the peace processor," Blinken wrote. On this point, Blinken elaborated: "In sharing these documents, we do not intend to dictate terms to the parties.... Rather the documents will enable the Islamic Theocratic Republic and the Taliban to move urgently to the tasks of developing a) the foundational principles that will guide Afghanistan’s future constitutional and governing arrangements b) a roadmap to a new, inclusive government and c) the terms of a permanent and comprehensive ceasefire."

Third, Blinken says Turkey will be asked to host a senior-level meeting of both sides in the coming weeks to finalize a peace agreement. Blinken urges Ghani or his "authoritative designees" to attend the meeting.

Blinken, in his fourth point, says the US has prepared a revised proposal for a 90-day reduction in violence, "which is intended to prevent a spring offensive by the Taliban and to coincide with our diplomatic efforts to support a political settlement between the two parties." He asked President Ghani to "positively consider" the proposal for the reduction in violence.

Following his outline of these suggested steps, President Ghani said in the letter that the United States has not ruled out any option regarding Afghanistan:

"I must also make clear to you Mr. President, that as our policy process continues in Washington, The United States has not ruled out any option. We are considering the full withdrawal of our forces by May 1st, as we consider other options," he writes.

Further, Blinken writes that even with the continuation of the US financial assistance to Afghan forces after an American withdrawal, he is "concerned that the security situation will worsen and that the Taliban could make rapid territorial gains" and that he shares this so that President Ghani "understands the urgency of my tone regarding the collective work outlined in this letter."
Posted by: trailing wife || 03/08/2021 00:00 || Comments || Link || [3 views] Top|| File under: Taliban


Details of Proposed Draft for Afghan Peace
[ToloNews] TOLOnews has seen a proposed draft plan for Afghan peace that was recently shared with politicians and outlines a roadmap toward an end to the violence and a structure for a future government.

The guiding principles for Afghanistan's future, the structure of a transitional government, and a political roadmap for a lasting ceasefire are the three significant elements of the draft.

The draft states that when the term of a proposed transitional government ends, the future leader of Afghanistan will be elected through a popular vote.
Continued on Page 49
Posted by: trailing wife || 03/08/2021 00:00 || Comments || Link || [3 views] Top|| File under: Taliban


Africa North
Dbeibeh Surprises Libyans with Expanded National Unity Govt
[ENGLISH.AAWSAT] Prime Minister-designate Abdulhamid Dbeibeh surprised Libyans with his announcement of an expanded national unity government.

In remarks late on Friday, he said the cabinet will be comprised of 35 ministers.

The lineup will be presented to parliament on Monday for a vote. The legislature will meet in the central city of Sirte.

The cabinet will be formed of 27 minister who will hold portfolios and six ministers of state.

Dbeibeh vowed that the ministers will prioritize the improvement of services provided to the people, the unification of state institutions and holding elections.

The PM has until March 19 to receive the parliament’s vote of confidence before embarking on the most challenging part of his mission, which is unifying institutions and leading the transitional phase until the December 24 elections are held.

Dbeibeh has divided the cabinet into seven sovereign and 14 service portfolios and six state ministers.

The lineup confirmed a previous Asharq al-Awsat report that said Khaled Mazen would be appointed interior minister. Government of National Accord (GNA) Interior Minister Fathi Bashagha would no longer retain his post, despite the support he had received from Washington and Ankara.

He also named Lamia Bosidera, as foreign minister.

Dbeibeh will act as defense minister, similar to his predecessor GNA chief Fayez al-Sarraj.

Posted by: Fred || 03/08/2021 00:00 || Comments || Link || [3 views] Top|| File under: Arab Spring


Arabia
Analysts, Officials Call on Biden to Increase Pressure on Houthis
[PUBLISH.TWITTER]
Posted by: Fred || 03/08/2021 00:00 || Comments || Link || [3 views] Top|| File under: Houthis

#1  stay the fuck out of it
Posted by: Chris || 03/08/2021 10:05 Comments || Top||


Europe
Swiss voters okay ban on face coverings in public, including burqas and niqabs
Voter message sent.
[IsraelTimes] After referendum, authorities have two years to draw up legislation; exceptions expected to be made for COVID face masks.

Swiss voters narrowly approved on Sunday a proposal to ban face coverings, both the niqabs and burqas worn by a few Moslem women in the country and the ski masks and bandannas used by protesters.

The measure will outlaw covering one’s face in public places like restaurants, sports stadiums, public transportation, or simply walking in the street. It foresees exceptions at religious sites and for security or health reasons, such as the face masks people wear to protect against COVID-19, as well as for traditional Carnival celebrations. Authorities have two years to draw up detailed legislation.

Two Swiss cantons, or states, Ticino and St. Gallen, already have similar legislation that foresees fines for transgressions. National legislation will put Switzerland
...home of the Helvetians, famous for cheese, watches, yodeling, and William Tell...
in line with countries such as Belgium and La Belle France that have already enacted similar measures.

The Swiss government had opposed the measure as excessive, arguing that full-face coverings are a "marginal phenomenon." It argued that the ban could harm tourism — most Moslem women who wear such veils in Switzerland are visitors from well-heeled Persian Gulf states, who are often drawn to Swiss lakeside cities.

Experts estimate that, at most, a few dozen Moslem women wear full-face coverings in the country of 8.5 million people.

Supporters of the proposal, which came to a vote five years after it was launched, argued that the full-face coverings symbolize the repression of women and said the measure is needed to uphold a basic principle that faces should be shown in a free society like Switzerland’s.

In the end, 51.2 percent of voters supported the plan. There were majorities against it in six of Switzerland’s 26 cantons — among them those that include the country’s three biggest cities, Zurich, Geneva, and Basel, and the capital, Bern. SRF public television reported that voters in several popular tourist destinations including Interlaken, Lucerne, and Zermatt rejected it.

Backers included the nationalist Swiss People’s Party, which is the strongest in parliament. The committee that launched the proposal is led by a politician from the party, Walter Wobmann, and also initiated a ban on the construction of new minarets that voters approved in 2009.

A coalition of left-leaning parties that opposes the proposal put up signs ahead of the referendum that read: "Absurd. Useless. Islamophobic."

Wobmann told SRF that the initiative addressed both "a symbol of a completely different system of values... extremely radical Islam" and security against "hooligans." He said that "this has nothing to do with symbolic politics."

Voters had their say on two other issues Sunday. They clearly rejected a proposed voluntary "e-ID" to improve the security of online transactions — an idea that ran afoul of privacy advocates, as it would have been issued by private companies — and narrowly approved a free-trade deal with Indonesia.
Posted by: trailing wife || 03/08/2021 00:00 || Comments || Link || [4 views] Top|| File under: Devout Moslems

#1  Swiss peasants -- gotta love 'em!
I was reading a military history book and it had an anecdote about the Swiss. When the Swiss pike phalanxes rewrote military doctrine by smashing the neighboring late feudal armies (mounted knights versus really long spears *snicker*) the Swiss called a large meeting of the Cantons. The urban Cantons, such as Zurich and Berne, had merchants salivating at the thought of conquering the neighbors, " ♫ Onwards Greater Switzerland ♫ !", naturally they would rule the new country. The mountain and forest Cantons declined being spearfodder for the urban elites and the rest was history.
Swiss grassroots democracy -- gotta love it.
Posted by: magpie || 03/08/2021 13:39 Comments || Top||


India-Pakistan
Terror at Israel Embassy: Iran’s Quds force used local module to plant bomb
Looking forward to the arrests...
[OneIndia] The Indian investigating agencies have learnt that the Quds force of Iran
...a theocratic Shiite state divided among the Medes, the Persians, and the (Arab) Elamites. Formerly a fairly civilized nation ruled by a Shah, it became a victim of Islamic revolution in 1979. The nation is today noted for spontaneously taking over other countries' embassies, maintaining whorehouses run by clergymen, involvement in international drug trafficking, and financing sock puppet militias to extend the regime's influence. The word Iran is a cognate form of Aryan. The abbreviation IRGC is the same idea as Stürmabteilung (or SA). The term Supreme Guide is a the modern version form of either Duce or Führer or maybe both. They hate Jews Zionists Jews. Their economy is based on the production of oil and vitriol...
was behind the terror plot at the Israel Embassy in Delhi in January.

The agencies have also found that a local module was used to plant the bomb. Investigators say that the bomb was a low intensity one and this clearly suggests that the group did not want any casualty. Further, Iran also did not want to rub a friendly nation like India the wrong way. It was clearly aimed at sending a message to Israel, officials tell OneIndia.

The Israel Embassy blast case was handed over to the National Investigation Agency last month.

While several leads have emerged from the investigation into the low intensity blast that took place outside the Israel Embassy in New Delhi, there are more pointers towards an Iran angle.

While there is nothing conclusive as yet owing to the false flags, officials in New Delhi say that the probe into the Iran angle is on and some of the leads are pretty strong.

After observing the CCTV footage, the cops found that the two suspects were getting off a cab moments before the blast. The cab driver has been identified and was questioned by the Delhi Police.
Posted by: trailing wife || 03/08/2021 00:00 || Comments || Link || [3 views] Top|| File under: Govt of Iran Proxies


Iraq
Pope meets father of drowned Syrian refugee boy
[IsraelTimes] Pope Francis
...Argentine liberation theologist, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio. He was elected pope in 2013. Rather than setting up shop in Avignon, where he belongs, the first Jesuit Pope chose to reside in the Domus Sanctae Marthae guesthouse instead of the papal apartments. He is big on climate change, against consumerism, and in favor of throwing a blanket over homosexual activity within the clergy. He's not real sure about the Resurrection, about Christ's divinity, and a few other things that would have gotten him burned at the stake a few hundred years ago, but he's hot for a certain South American Earth Mother Goddess...
has met with the father of a Alan Kurdi, a 3-year old Syrian boy who drowned crossing the Mediterranean Sea, and whose image drew global attention to the plight of refugees fleeing to Europe.
It’s inconvenient to remember that little Alan drowned, along with his mother and four year old brother, because his greedy father decided to give up a perfectly satisfactory asylum situation in Turkey for illegal migration during the roughest weather of 2015 to the gold-laden streets of Angela Merkel’s Germany in an unseaworthy boat. Dad’s been making bank off the emotions evoked by the pathetic photo of his drowned son’s body on a beach ever since, so at least someone in the family is happy instead of dead.
Following a Mass on Sunday in the Iraqi city of Irbil, Francis met with Abdullah Kurdi and spent a long time with him, the Vatican says.
One wants to think well of him, being as he’s the head of a major world church and all, but he makes it really hard.
Through an interpreter, the pope listened to Kurdi’s story and expressed sympathy for the loss of his family. Abdullah thanked the pope for his words.

The Kurdi family, which hails from Kobane in Syria, took the route of many Syrian and other migrants colonists in 2015 by sea in a small boat from The Sick Man of Europe Turkey
...Qatar's satrapy in Asia Minor...
heading for Greece. When their boat capsized, Alan Kurdi, one of his brothers and his mother perished. The image of Alan’s body, washed up on Ottoman Turkish shores, came to symbolize the perilous journey to Europa
...the land mass occupying the space between the English Channel and the Urals, also known as Moslem Lebensraum...
and drew international condemnation. The father now runs a charity in Irbil.
Posted by: trailing wife || 03/08/2021 00:00 || Comments || Link || [7 views] Top|| File under: Human Trafficking

#1  Was that where the photographer moved the body to get a better shot?
Posted by: Grunter || 03/08/2021 17:08 Comments || Top||


One Christian Family Remains in Iraq’s Nasiriyah
[PUBLISH.TWITTER]
Posted by: Fred || 03/08/2021 00:00 || Comments || Link || [3 views] Top|| File under: Devout Moslems


US Says Will Do What's Necessary to Defend Itself after Attack in Iraq
[PUBLISH.TWITTER] We just don't wanna hurt nobody.
Posted by: Fred || 03/08/2021 00:00 || Comments || Link || [2 views] Top|| File under: Govt of Iran Proxies

#1  No honeymoon at all.
Posted by: M. Murcek || 03/08/2021 8:30 Comments || Top||

#2  "Will Do What's Necessary to Defend Itself after Attack in Iraq"

As soon as we can figure out what the %&#&(@$ it might be. Various factions in the administration are having at each other as we speak.
Posted by: Tom || 03/08/2021 11:44 Comments || Top||

#3  Send pallets of cash 'cause that worked so well before.
Posted by: Mullah Richard || 03/08/2021 14:13 Comments || Top||

#4  $6 billion buys a lot of mortars and rockets. Thanks Joe, Barack and Valerie!
Posted by: Clease Angairt6503 || 03/08/2021 20:00 Comments || Top||


Israel-Palestine-Jordan
Hamas Sees Polls as Opportunity to Mend Inter-Palestinian Ties
[PUBLISH.TWITTER]
Posted by: Fred || 03/08/2021 00:00 || Comments || Link || [2 views] Top|| File under: Hamas

#1  Someone is joking, right? Checks to see if it is the Bee™.
Posted by: magpie || 03/08/2021 11:45 Comments || Top||


Fatah Warns al-Qudwa against Fielding Separate List in Palestinian Elections
[PUBLISH.TWITTER]
Posted by: Fred || 03/08/2021 00:00 || Comments || Link || [3 views] Top|| File under: Fatah


Washington Supports 2-State Solution, to Renew Diplomatic Relations with Palestinians
[PUBLISH.TWITTER]
Posted by: Fred || 03/08/2021 00:00 || Comments || Link || [3 views] Top|| File under: PLO


Abbas Battles Fatah Party Discord ahead of Palestinian Elections
[PUBLISH.TWITTER]
Posted by: Fred || 03/08/2021 00:00 || Comments || Link || [5 views] Top|| File under:


Syria-Lebanon-Iran
US extends national emergency on Iran, in effect since 1995, by another year
[IsraelTimes] Biden cites ’unusual and extraordinary threat’ posed by Tehran, in decision to uphold order.

US President Joe Foreign Policy Whiz Kid Biden
...Candidate for president in 2020. I'm not working for you. Don't be such a horse's ass....
on Friday extended the country’s state of emergency with regard to Iran
...a theocratic Shiite state divided among the Medes, the Persians, and the (Arab) Elamites. Formerly a fairly civilized nation ruled by a Shah, it became a victim of Islamic revolution in 1979. The nation is today noted for spontaneously taking over other countries' embassies, maintaining whorehouses run by clergymen, involvement in international drug trafficking, and financing sock puppet militias to extend the regime's influence. The word Iran is a cognate form of Aryan. The abbreviation IRGC is the same idea as Stürmabteilung (or SA). The term Supreme Guide is a the modern version form of either Duce or Führer or maybe both. They hate Jews Zionists Jews. Their economy is based on the production of oil and vitriol...
by another year.

Executive Order 12957, first approved in 1995, has been renewed periodically since. It had been set to expire on March 15.

Announcing the move, Biden — who is seeking to reenter the nuclear deal between Iran and world powers — said the Islamic Theocratic Republic poses an "unusual and extraordinary threat" to the US.

"The actions and policies of the Government of Iran — including its proliferation and development of missiles and other asymmetric and conventional weapons capabilities, its network and campaign of regional aggression, its support for terrorist groups, and the malign activities of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and its surrogates — continue to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States," the president said in a White House statement.

"For these reasons, the national emergency declared on March 15, 1995, must continue in effect beyond March 15, 2021."
Posted by: trailing wife || 03/08/2021 00:00 || Comments || Link || [2 views] Top|| File under: Govt of Iran

#1  Cover for letting Iran run wild, or is Joey disappointing the Deep State too?
Posted by: M. Murcek || 03/08/2021 6:34 Comments || Top||

#2  Cover for kickbacks to TBG from the $6B payment to the mullahs.

Where's Hunter? Where's his bag?
Posted by: Ebboluter Wholuper7037 || 03/08/2021 6:44 Comments || Top||

#3  Iran and the Deep State will both run wild.

Joe says a lot of things, but I've yet to see him actually do anything. The bureaucrats can safely ignore him, and they do.
Posted by: Tom || 03/08/2021 11:45 Comments || Top||


Residents of Syria’s Azaz say that the decision by the Interim and Salvation Governments to use the Turkish lira as official currency has had negative consequences
[PUBLISH.TWITTER]
Posted by: Fred || 03/08/2021 00:00 || Comments || Link || [4 views] Top|| File under: Sublime Porte


Iran rattles saber toward Europe
[PUBLISH.TWITTER]
Posted by: Fred || 03/08/2021 00:00 || Comments || Link || [4 views] Top|| File under: Govt of Iran



Who's in the News
18[untagged]
5Govt of Iran
4Sublime Porte
3Taliban
3Houthis
2TTP
2Antifa/BLM
2Devout Moslems
2Govt of Iran Proxies
2Govt of Syria
1Human Trafficking
1Muslim Brotherhood
1Pirates
1PLO
1Hamas
1Fatah
1Arab Spring

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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.
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Two weeks of WOT
Mon 2021-03-08
  Arab Coalition Intercepts 2 Houthi Missiles, 12 Drones
Sun 2021-03-07
  Gov. Abbott Deploys Texas National Guard, State Troopers to Counter Biden's ‘Open Border Policies'
Sat 2021-03-06
  More ballistic missile strikes on other oil markets now in northern Syria, this time near al-Bab
Fri 2021-03-05
  VP vote needed just to get House Covid-19 bill heard on Senate Floor!
Thu 2021-03-04
  an 8.0 Ouch with some 7.3's and tsunami ?
Wed 2021-03-03
  Rockets hit air base in Iraq hosting American troops, US forces say
Tue 2021-03-02
  Israel sentences senior PFLP member to two years in prison
Mon 2021-03-01
  Portland protesters smash businesses as locals scream at them to 'go home'
Sun 2021-02-28
  Trump Speech in Orlando -- LIVE
Sat 2021-02-27
  Algerian anti-government protesters hit the streets after year-long hiatus
Fri 2021-02-26
  Hamburg Customs Seizes Over 16 Tonnes of Cocaine From Paraguay in Europe's Biggest Haul
Thu 2021-02-25
  Police detain Al-Shabaab and ISIS terrorists in Turkey's capital Ankara
Wed 2021-02-24
  El Chapo's wife, Emma Coronel Aispuro, arrested on drug trafficking charges
Tue 2021-02-23
  Cleverness: U.S. Says Will Hold Iran 'Responsible' in Iraq but Won't 'Lash Out'
Mon 2021-02-22
  'Inexplicable': Alito and Thomas Dissent as Supreme Court Strikes Down Pennsylvania Election Lawsuit

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