BRITAIN'S Sky News television channel has joined the BBC in refusing to broadcast a Gaza charity appeal, saying it risked the network's objectivity.
The BBC's refusal to air the appeal has further angered pro-Palestinian campaigners who believe the broadcaster was biased towards Israel in its coverage of the Gaza conflict.
But Sky News, the BBC's only domestic rival as a 24-hour television news channel, said that it too felt it could not risk airing the appeal. John Ryley, head of Sky News, said: "The conflict in Gaza forms part of one of the most challenging and contentious stories for any news organisation to cover.
"Our commitment as journalists is to cover all sides of that story with uncompromising objectivity."
The appeal is by the Disasters Emergency Committee, an umbrella group of 13 charities including Oxfam and the British Red Cross, which kicks in with coordinated fundraising after disasters such as the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.
Adrian Wells, Sky News's head of foreign news, said on the channel: "Passions are raised on this story ... and that is part of the backdrop of why we've made the decision we've made."
"We have to, as an international channel, focus on our primary role and that is to report the story and not become the story. There is no question about Sky's commitment to reporting the region."
ITV, Channel 4 and Five, Britain's three other terrestrial television broadcasters beside the BBC, have all aired the appeal.
Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, the leader of the world's Anglicans, has joined government ministers, more than 11,000 viewers and more than 50 lawmakers in calling for the BBC to broadcast the appeal.
#1
Archbishop Wormtongue wants to give money to Hamas? I know we're supposed to love our enemies but I never thought that meant enabling them to commit acts of terrorism.
The eldest son of North Korea's leader Kim Jong-il says he has "no interest" in succeeding his father, South Korea's Yonhap news agency reports. "No one can say for sure and only father will decide," Kim Jong-nam told reporters in Beijing.
Kim Jong-nam reportedly added he had no information about reports his youngest brother Kim Jong-un would get the job. "It is not good to assume and imagine before the decision is made," Kim Jong-nam was quoted as saying by the Associated Press.
Yonhap, citing an unnamed intelligence source, last week named Kim Jong-un as the most likely successor to "Dear Leader" Kim Jong-il. But Japan's Yomiuri newspaper, quoting an unspecified US intelligence report, named Kim Jong-nam as the most likely candidate.
Kim Jong-il, who turns 67 in February, disappeared from public view in 2008, raising health concerns after he failed to make an appearance at a commemorative event in September. It is thought he suffered a stroke in August. This week he met a Chinese envoy in the North Korean capital Pyongyang - his first public appearance in months.
Other figures named as possible successors include the second son, Kim Jong-chol, as well as senior figures from the country's powerful military and its ruling communist party, the Worker's Party of Korea.
Kim Jong-il's late wife, Ko Yong-hi, was the mother of both Kim Jong Chol and Kim Jong-un. Kim Jong-nam was born to the actress Sung Hae-rim, who is also dead.
Posted by: Steve White ||
01/26/2009 00:00 ||
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#1
I wonder if "nam" "un" and "chol" means 1, 2 and 3
#3
OTOH WORLD MIL FORUM > CHINA CROSSES THE "MIDDLE LINE" DEMARCATION AND CLOSES OFF ITS EAST CHINA SEA PINGHU OIL-GAS FIELD FOR PIPELINE DEVELOPMENT [Chinese EEZ, 03/09-09/09+ Months contrux]. JAPAN DEMANDS AN EXPLANATION.
* SAME > CHINA VIEWS CLOSER COOPERATION, INTEGRATION WITH JAPAN AS VITAL FOR ASIA IN RESISTING US AND EUROPE.
Vulnerabilities along the Canadian border are one of more than a half-dozen priorities identified by Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano during her first week, along with cybersecurity and ensuring that federal officials are properly communicating with state and local officials.
Miss Napolitano asked for an oral report by Feb. 10 on current vulnerabilities, the overall strategy to reduce such, a budget and time frame for improving security, and the level of risk that will remain once the programs are completed.
Citing the increasingly sophisticated number of threats to cyberspace, Miss Napolitano asked Friday for a second oral report Feb. 3 on Homeland Security's responsibility for protecting government and private-sector domains, as well as the current relationships with the departments of Defense, Treasury and Energy, and the National Security Agency.
On her first day at the helm of the fledgling agency, less than 24 hours after Barack Obama took the presidential oath of office, the former Arizona governor issued directives to brief her in the coming weeks on state and local intelligence sharing, critical infrastructure protection, risk analysis, state, local and tribal integration, and transportation security.
Miss Napolitano spent her first week meeting with top agency officials. She has asked some - including Deputy Secretary Paul A. Schneider, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner W. Ralph Basham and Coast Guard Commandant Thad Allen - to stay on during the transition period. Separately, Miss Napolitano announced that Mr. Obama will nominate U.N. Assistant Secretary-General Jane Holl Lute to serve as deputy secretary, and she has appointed two of her Arizona aides to Homeland Security posts - Noah Kroloff as chief of staff for policy and Jan Lesher as chief of staff for operations.
During her confirmation hearing with the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, Miss Napolitano said she would increase prosecutions of businesses that hire illegal workers.
#2
WND > THE REAL REASON FOR BIG BAILOUTS. Newly former POTUS Dubya may and intended only the bailout of the private sector, but new POTUS OBAMA intends to BAILOUT THE GOVT + TRANSFORM THE US GOVT. INTO THE SOLE DOMINATING ENTITY IN AMERICAN LIFE - DITTO FOR THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY VEE ALL OTHER US POL PARTIES???
The United States has deducted 55 million dollars out of the 156 million dollars bill sent by Pakistan for rendering its military services to fight against Taliban and Al-Qaeda in volatile bordering tribal areas adjacent to war-torn Afghanistan. Shaukat Tarin, a financial adviser in the prime minister's office, said the US had "changed the format" for money released under the Coalition Support Fund (CSF) for Islamabad, resulting in a "massive" deduction.
Pakistan, a key US ally in the fight terrorism, has mobilized its more than 100,000 troops in tribal areas to contain Islamic militants launching cross-border attacks on international forces in Afghanistan, and bills US for the expenditure.
The cut in its reimbursements is a setback to the civilian government led by President Asif Ali Zardari, widower of assassinated former Pakistani premier Benazir Bhutto.
Tarin said Islamabad had taken the matter of the deducted money with Washington.
Pakistan joined the US-led international alliance against terrorism after the September 11, 2001 attacks on the US, with Islamabad getting some 297 million dollars every year since 2003, in the form of Foreign Military Grants to quell the Taliban militancy.
But the authorities in Washington have said repeatedly that Islamabad was not doing enough to control Islamic insurgency in its ungoverned tribal region.
The new US government, led by President Barack Obama, has vowed to focus more on Pakistan in its policy to defeat Taliban and al-Qaeda in Afghanistan. In its efforts, the new administration would link Pakistan's aid with the security in the border region in Afghanistan, the White House said in a policy statement last week.
Pakistan, which has recently avoided default by obtaining a 7.6 billion dollar loan package from the IMF, is relying heavily on US to revive its economy.
The US has so far provided between 10 and 11 billion dollars of aid for social development as well as in form of military aid. But Pakistan says it has suffered financial losses many times more than it has collectively received aid from American and its western allies after becoming front line state in the ongoing war against terrorism.
#2
And each time they kill 10 1001000 2000 militants, we should shake our heads and say, "nope, nope, not enough, gotta do more to release the funds, nope, nope ..."
Posted by: Steve White ||
01/26/2009 13:55 Comments ||
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Much to the dismay of Pakistani transportation companies, the U.S. has begun getting supplies via Russian and Central Asian railroads. The inability of the Pakistanis to quickly deal with Taliban and bandit attacks on truck traffic crossing the Afghan border, led NATO and U.S. commanders to order setting up the other routes. So now Pakistan has lost its monopoly on this lucrative business, and many government officials are not happy about it.
Seems like the only way to get them off their asses is to hit them in the wallet.
#7
Considering the number (and high cost) of bribes that had to be handed out in order to move a shipment through Pakistan, it's probably more cost effective going through Russia and Central Asia, even if they still have to pay 'incentives'.
#8
CHINESE MIL FORUM > MUMBAI MYSTERY: THE US GRAND DESIGN ON PAKISTAN AND INDIA [ + CHINA]. MUMBAI as a US Covert Op and marks the beginning of a possible series of POST-MUMBAI NEW US-LED COVOPS AGZ ASIA - TWO RETIRED KGB COLONELS believe the USA = NEW OBAMA ADMIN is prepping for a MAJOR POLICY SHIFT ON PAKISTAN, + FOR OTHER "BIG/MAJOR" REGIONAL [destabilization]OPERATIONS.
* PAKISTANI DEFENCE FORUM > INDIA AS PART OF A "GREATER WEST" + RUSSIA STOPS THE US ROAD IN AFGHANISTAN [c/o Asia Times] + SIKHS HELPING KASHMIRI FREEDOM FIGHTERS?
ALso on PDF > THE NAXAL INSURGENCY IN INDIA/MAOISTS ESCALATING RECRUITMENT OF FEMALES AND YOUNG MINORS [ "Blanks" = easily impressionable] FOR TERRORISM [circa 30% or 15,000 of 50,000 are females and actively participate in insurgent violence/actions agz Civilians + Police forces]???; + A NAXALITE
[ + Maoist] CORRIDOR? Maoist-Naxalite
"Corridor/March to the Sea" dividing most of Eastern India = insurgent troubled regions.
Read, SEA/GULF OF INDIA = CHINA [OTH Chin = PLA influence in TIBET, MYANMAR, BANGLA + SRI LANKA].
POsters - it rmains doubtful iff Paki can unilaterally + successfully eliminate internal STRONGLY-HELD TALIBAN BASTIONS WIDOUT OUTSIDE MILITARY ASSISTANCE.
#9
CHINESE MIL FORUM > MUMBAI MYSTERY: THE US GRAND DESIGN ON PAKISTAN AND INDIA [ + CHINA]. MUMBAI as a US Covert Op and marks the beginning of a possible series of POST-MUMBAI NEW US-LED COVOPS AGZ ASIA - TWO RETIRED KGB COLONELS believe the USA = NEW OBAMA ADMIN is prepping for a MAJOR POLICY SHIFT ON PAKISTAN, + FOR OTHER "BIG/MAJOR" REGIONAL [destabilization]OPERATIONS.
* PAKISTANI DEFENCE FORUM > INDIA AS PART OF A "GREATER WEST" + RUSSIA STOPS THE US ROAD IN AFGHANISTAN [c/o Asia Times] + SIKHS HELPING KASHMIRI FREEDOM FIGHTERS?
ALso on PDF > THE NAXAL INSURGENCY IN INDIA/MAOISTS ESCALATING RECRUITMENT OF FEMALES AND YOUNG MINORS [ "Blanks" = easily impressionable] FOR TERRORISM [circa 30% or 15,000 of 50,000 are females and actively participate in insurgent violence/actions agz Civilians + Police forces]???; + A NAXALITE
[ + Maoist] CORRIDOR? Maoist-Naxalite
"Corridor/March to the Sea" dividing most of Eastern India = insurgent troubled regions.
Read, SEA/GULF OF INDIA = CHINA [OTH Chin = PLA influence in TIBET, MYANMAR, BANGLA + SRI LANKA].
POsters - it rmains doubtful iff Paki can unilaterally + successfully eliminate internal STRONGLY-HELD TALIBAN BASTIONS WIDOUT OUTSIDE MILITARY ASSISTANCE.
A long article that fleshes out the stories we've been reading.
Every night around 8 o'clock, the terrified residents of Swat, a lush and picturesque valley a hundred miles from three of Pakistan's most important cities, crowd around their radios. They know that failure to listen and learn might lead to a lashing - or a beheading. Using a portable radio transmitter, a local Taliban leader, Shah Doran, on most nights outlines newly proscribed "un-Islamic" activities in Swat, like selling DVDs, watching cable television, singing and dancing, criticizing the Taliban, shaving beards and allowing girls to attend school. He also reveals names of people the Taliban have recently killed for violating their decrees - and those they plan to kill.
"They control everything through the radio," said one Swat resident, who declined to give his name for fear the Taliban might kill him. "Everyone waits for the broadcast." Being named in one of the nightly radio broadcasts often leaves just two options: fleeing Swat, or turning up headless and dumped in a village square.
International attention remains fixed on the Taliban's hold on Pakistan's semiautonomous tribal areas, from where they carry out attacks on U.S. forces in Afghanistan. But for Pakistan, the loss of the Swat Valley could prove just as devastating. Unlike the fringe tribal areas, Swat, which has 1.3 million residents, is part of Pakistan proper, within 160 kilometers of Peshawar, Rawalpindi and the capital, Islamabad. After more than a year of fighting, virtually all of it is now under Taliban control, marking the militants' farthest advance eastward into Pakistan's so-called settled areas.
With the increasing consolidation of their power, the Taliban have taken a sizable bite out of the nation. And they are enforcing a strict interpretation of Islam with cruelty, bringing public beheadings, assassinations, social and cultural repression and persecution of women to what was once an independent, relatively secular region, dotted with ski resorts and fruit orchards and known for its dancing girls.
From 2,000 to 4,000 Taliban fighters now roam the Swat Valley, according to interviews with a half-dozen senior Pakistani government, military and political officials. By contrast, the Pakistani military has four brigades with 12,000 to 15,000 men in Swat, officials say. But the soldiers largely stay inside their camps, unwilling to patrol or exert any large presence that might provoke - or discourage - the militants.
When the army does act, its near-total lack of preparedness to fight a counterinsurgency reveals itself. Its usual tactic is to lob artillery shells into a general area, and the results have seemed to hurt civilians more than the militants, residents say. In some parts of Pakistan, civilian militias have risen to fight the Taliban. But in Swat, the Taliban's sweeping takeover amid such a large army presence has convinced many people that the military must be conspiring with the Taliban.
"It's very mysterious how they get so much weapons and support," while nearby districts are comparatively calm, said Muzaffar ul-Mulk Khan, a member of Parliament from Swat, who said his home outside Mingora had recently been destroyed by the Taliban. "We are bewildered by the military. They patrol only in Mingora. In the rest of Swat they sit in their bases. And the militants can kill at will anywhere in Mingora," he said.
#5
My thought exactly, tu. We're told the general way in that part of the world is to back the strong horse or risk the consequences, but if the people actually showed some balls and stood up for their own interests instead of being cowed and bullied by the Meanest Thugs In Town, we wouldn't all have to endure the consequences. If they're not prepared to take a principled stand against the Taliban they are all our enemy.
#6
PAKISTANI DEFENCE FORUM > THE TALIBAN HAVE A HIT LIST.
Posters - Pakistan has likely already lost SWAT, and may lose the NWFP per se to the Talibs.
* ALso, ISRAELI MIL FORUM > PAKISTANI TALIBAN TELL MORE THAN 50 [SWAT Valley]OFFICIALS - COME TO SHARIA COURT [submit to Clerical Law/Rule]OR BE HUNTED DOWN.
DEATH BY SHARIA, DEATH BY DEATH SQUAD, or DEATH BY SHARIA AND DEATH SQUAD.
* STAR TREK > DR.MUDD ["Mudd's Women"] - THE KEY WORD YOU'RE DESCRIBING, MR. SPOCK, IS "DEATH".
United States President Barack Obama's decision to close the Guantanamo Bay Detention Centre is a mere whitewash, Muhammad Saad, a former inmate, said on Sunday.
Saad said Obama has to apologise to the prisoners, to their families and their societies. "They have to apologise to the Muslim world and a whole generation. That's the least he could do. He should pledge these atrocities will never be repeated and compensate those who suffered any kind of torture."
Maybe you should apply under the TARP program, they have plenty of money ...
Pakistani security officials say ex-inmates are subject to strict police vigilance and most of the more than 60 Pakistanis who have been released are monitored by law enforcement agencies. "They (the Americans) have destroyed so many lives. They have turned intelligent, healthy human beings into vegetables," Saad said.
Posted by: Fred ||
01/26/2009 00:00 ||
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Link ||
[4 views]
Top|| File under: al-Qaeda
#1
ION OBAMA > COUNTERTERROSIM BLOG - ABC NEWS HAS DELCARED THAT ONLY MASSIVE STATE INTERVENTION CAN RESTORE CONSUMER CONFIDENCE IN THE ECONOMY.
#3
They Muslims have to apologise to the Muslim non-muslim world and a whole generation. That's the least he they could do. He Muslims should pledge these atrocities will never be repeated and compensate those who suffered any kind of torture or murder.
#5
Well, T for one that all the "horrors" at Guantanamo didn't repay for Daniael Pearl's beheading and that is only one of the thousands murdres they would have to repay.
#9
They have to apologise to the Muslim world and a whole generation. That's the least he could do. He should pledge these atrocities will never be repeated and compensate those who suffered any kind of torture.
If Ogabe does these things, I suspect his approval rating might tick down just a little.
Protecting our way of life from some knuckle dragging, sociopaths and borderline personalities....maybe even antisocial personality disorder.......
I think the word on the street is that catch and release days are over. Catch em ,question em and kill em....oh and wrap the carcasses in pig hide and spray them with bacon grease.
Posted by: James Carville ||
01/26/2009 15:29 Comments ||
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#11
I fear that BO may be taking these suggestions seriously. Saad said Obama has to apologise to the prisoners, to their families and their societies. "They have to apologise to the Muslim world and a whole generation. That's the least he could do. He should pledge these atrocities will never be repeated and compensate those who suffered any kind of torture."
what's a few more trillion
what does Saad have to say about the released folks that went back to Al Qaeda? Should they apologize and compensate?
Posted by: Jan ||
01/26/2009 19:51 Comments ||
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Hinting that the United States drone attacks in the Tribal Areas would continue as before, US Vice President Joe Biden said the US would act if there was an 'actionable target' in sight.
He said the US was working towards strengthening Pakistan's counterinsurgency capability, but declined to specifically address the issue of drone strikes against suspected Taliban and Al Qaeda targets on the Pakistani side of the Afghan border.
"I cannot speak to any particular attack. I cannot speak to any particular action. It is not appropriate for me to do that," he said in response to a question in the backdrop of Friday's drone strikes on North and South Waziristan, which killed 18 people.
Working: "What we are doing is we are in the process of working with the Pakistanis to help train up the counterinsurgency capability of their military, and we're getting new agreements with them about how to deal with cross-border movements of these folks, so we are making progress," Biden said.
Referring to US President Barack Obama's election campaigning, Biden said the president had "said during his campaign and in the debates that if there is an actionable target, of a high-level Al Qaeda personnel, that he would not hesitate to use action to deal with that".
He, however, praised increased cooperation by Pakistani authorities, calling the coordination 'good news'.
"The good news is that in my last trip - and I have been to Pakistan and that region many times - there is a great deal more cooperation going on now between the Pakistan military in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), Waziristan, North Waziristan - all that area that we hear about being ungovernable," he said.
FATA: But Biden added that the areas had "been ungovernable for the Pakistani government. That's where the bad guys are hiding. That's where the Al Qaeda folks are, and some other malcontents".
Biden also expressed understanding of the fact that FATA had been historically ungoverned.
According to a Pakistani embassy spokesman, agreement of views on coordination of border monitoring, improvement in intelligence-sharing and bolstering the capacity of Pakistani security forces was a continuous process between the coalition partners.
A senior official in Islamabad on Sunday said the drone attacks were counterproductive to Pakistan's efforts aimed at curbing extremism.
On Afghanistan, Biden said the new US administration had inherited a 'real mess'. "What's happened is that because of a failure to provide sufficient resources, economic, political and military, as well as failure to get a coherent policy among our allies, economically and politically, and in terms of military resources, the situation has deteriorated a great deal," he said.
Posted by: Fred ||
01/26/2009 00:00 ||
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[6 views]
Top|| File under: al-Qaeda
#1
See PAKISTANI DEFENCE FORUM > VPOTUS JOE BIDEN: US WILL TO ATTACK PAKISTAN IFF IT HAD EVIDENCE.
And thus the US need to make sure there never is any evidence, espec as per 9-11.
#3
No doubt a great many major crises will face Prsident Obama, JosephM. He's sitting in the big chair now, the one that gets the big problems left after the little chairs deal with the smaller problems. He moved into the house where the buck stops, which no doubt will be a salutary experience.
The outlawed Jamaatud Dawa organisation has appealed to the United Nations (UN) to lift the ban that the Pakistani government had imposed on it following the Mumbai attacks, a private TV channel reported on Sunday. The channel cited a press release issued by Dawa from Lahore as saying that it had filed an appeal with the UN, saying that it was being treated with injustice and that India had been levelling baseless allegations against it. The statement said the organisation would fight the legal war until the very end. It claimed the organisation had rendered countless humanitarian services, including aid and relief for those affected by the earthquakes and floods in Pakistan. Earlier, a UN spokesman had said that if Dawa made a request in this regard, it would be considered by the UN Security Council, the channel reported.
Posted by: Fred ||
01/26/2009 00:00 ||
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[4 views]
Top|| File under: Lashkar e-Taiba
Taliban -- who control "virtually all of" Swat -- continue to use radio transmitters to terrorise residents and even reveal the names of people they kill or plan to kill, according to a New York Times report published on Sunday.
Policemen are either beheaded or renounce their jobs, the civilian government is ineffective or unresponsive, and the local residents say the military has "willingly allowed the militants to spread terror", it says.
The Pakistani government failed to protect its ally Pir Samiullah -- who led 500 followers to fight the Taliban. They killed him in a gunfight last month, but beheaded his followers until they disclosed the location of his gravesite. "They dug him up and hanged his body in the square," a villager said.
In Mingora, "residents were shocked early this month to find the bullet-ridden body of one of the city's most famous dancing girls splayed on the main square", says the report on the New York Times website. "They shot her to death and dragged her body more than a quarter-mile to the central square."
There are 2,000 to 4,000 Taliban in the Swat Valley, senior officials told the newspaper, and the military has four brigades with 12,000 to 15,000 men.
"But the soldiers largely stay inside their camps, unwilling to patrol or exert any large presence," Swat residents said.
The military also has not raided a village that locals say is the Taliban's headquarters.
But military spokesman Maj Gen Athar Abbas rejected the allegations. He said the military did not have the means to block the Taliban radio transmissions.
"Just because they come out at night and throw down four or five bodies in the square does not mean that militants control anything," he told the NY Times.
Posted by: Fred ||
01/26/2009 00:00 ||
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[6 views]
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#1
Isn't radio of any form unIslamic? As in, if Mohamned didn't have one, we can't have on either? Seems to me, it goes right along with music.
Posted by: Richard of Oregon ||
01/26/2009 1:15 Comments ||
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#2
This connects to the International Herald Tribune article on the same subject. Interesting that the Pakistani newspapers picked it up.
India's Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) is supporting the Balochistan Liberation Army in a move to separate Pakistan's largest province from the federation, a leading Sri Lankan newspaper said on Sunday. "Among its most ambitious operations ... is the move to separate Balochistan province from Pakistan by supporting the Balochistan Liberation Army," Daily Mirror said in an editorial highly critical of the Indian spy agency. RAW is working to destabilise the countries in the region and had also supported the rebel Tamil Tigers in Sri Lanka, the newspaper said, as Colombo recaptures last of the insurgent stronghold in the country. "It certainly is a monumental task for ... anyone in the neighbourhood ... to keep a straight face when talking about [RAW]," it said.
Posted by: Fred ||
01/26/2009 00:00 ||
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Link ||
[4 views]
Top|| File under: Govt of Pakistan
#1
WAFF.com > BALOCHISTAN [Cabinet[ CANCELS 63,000 ACRES LAND ALLOTMENT TO THE PAKISTANI AIR FORCE [ attempt to force LEGAL-IST SELF-SOVEREIGNTY = FUTURE BALOCH INDEPENDENCE?].
Former US President Jimmy Carter said in an interview to NBC that a one-state solution would be a disaster for Israel, and the two-state solution, that everyone supports, is right.
Carter continued to say there is no way to make peace without Hamas' involvement, and that, as someone who has had two opportunities to meet with Hamas heads, he felt the organization could be trusted. Carter added that Hamas was willing to accept any Fateh agreement with Israel that would be approved by a referendum.
#6
here he is 30+ years later, still trying to make up to Iran for daring to violate their territorial integrity.... probably believes he's doing penance.. putz
#8
the two-state solution, that everyone supports
Where do they dream up this crap? Iran and Hamas have always insisted on the one-state solution with the Jews going back to where they came from (i.e., after the Romans dispersed them).
#9
See what you've got to look forward to, Barry. Some senile Georgia peanut farmer trying to make foreign policy behind your back. Zbiggy's probably on the phone to him right now...
#24
Mr. Carter just enjoyed a fawning interview with Jon Stewart on The Daily Show. Did you know that 70% of Palestinians just want to live peacefully with Israel?
Hamas has launched a probe which is expected to be extremely critical of the failures of its military wing during the recent Gaza offensive, the respected Jane's Defence Weekly magazine said Monday.
Hamas does after-action reports?
Citing an unnamed top Hamas military commander, Jane's said a full report due soon would be critical of almost every decision taken by battlefield commanders during the 22-day assault, which ended last week.
The source quoted by Jane's added that cowardly Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal and his followers had effectively pushed for a conflict that it was not ready for.
Why would that bother Khaled, he's safely in Damascus ...
The report will highlight the losses of interior minister Said Siam and around 50 of Hamas's top explosives experts as among the most significant.
Hamas's military wing, the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, and intelligence department have admitted shortcomings in how they responded to Israeli attacks, Jane's added, which Palestinian officials say killed over 1,300 people.
The Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades said last week that it lost only 48 fighters during Israel's Operation Cast Lead, although Israel has reported killing more than 500 Hamas members.
Maybe the unaccounted Ezzedines just quit paying their dues ...
Heavy criticism has been levelled at Ezzedine al-Qassam commanders who unilaterally declared an end to the truce with Israel on December 19, even though conflict preparations such as building a new safe communications network were incomplete, Jane's said. The investigation will also reportedly look at why fighters were unable to achieve many of their defensive aims.
London-based Jane's highlighted the failure to defend the Tel al-Hawa neighbourhood and the weak response to Israeli naval forces.
The news came as European Union (EU) aid commissioner Louis Michel toured war-torn Gaza, labelling conditions "abominable" and saying that its "terrorist" Hamas rulers bear responsibility for the fighting.
1. Tough to shoot Jooooos while hiding under your bed.
2. Unlike the locals, Joooooos shoot back.
3. Shooting at feet tough habit to break.
4. Wasted lots of ammo at weddings and funerals.
5. Tough to aim weapon while dressed in wife's burkha.
#4
The report will highlight the losses of interior minister Said Siam and around 50 of Hamas's top explosives experts as among the most significant.
They dont call these things Post Mortem reports for nuthin.
#5
1. The rank and file figured that, since all the big boys were hiding out, that was the best thing to do.
2. The Gaza/Egypt tunnels are not properly reinforced, and collapse on the dummies hiding in them when Israel bombs them.
3. "Spray and pray" doesn't work as well as trained targeting.
4. Israel figured out that Hamass was more interested in fighting Fatalh than fighting the Jooooos, and set them up.
5. You can't control ANYTHING unless you control the air.
6. The average Israeli has about ten times the training as the average Hamass troop, and they learn to use live ammo during training.
7. Hamass will not learn from its mistakes.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
01/26/2009 16:28 Comments ||
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#6
1) The Joooosss eventually get sick and tired of being rocketed.
2) When they do they will come and kick your ass
3) Hiding in another country and yelling "Go get 'em guys" does not constitute leadership.
4) Neither crapping your pants while crouching behind the women and kids.
FILTHY ZIONIST BEASTS!!!
In addition to infantry, armor and intelligence units, the Israel Defense Forces has also deployed eight Eland antelope to further secure Israel's tense northern border against Hezbollah. The antelope have been stationed in the zone between the security fence and the international border to clear problematic foliage that distorts views of the Lebanese side and within which Hezbollah guerillas could hide.
The animals, each weighing in at over 500 kilograms, are known for their sharp incisors and fondness for eating vegetation. Hailing from eastern Africa, the animals were first brought to Israel more than 30 years ago as part of a project to raise them at local zoos before sending them to Europe.
Israel's defense establishment has apparently caught onto the beasts' impressive ability to quickly chew through large quantities, as well as the low cost of looking after them and their environmental-friendliness.
Hagai Ilan, of the Israel Nature and National Parks Protection Authority, said the ability of the antelope was already known but it took around a decade until extra antelope were produced in captivity for the idea to come up to bring them to IDF bases to clear the weeds that grow every two years. "They eat huge quantities of weeds, they are the D9 of weeds," Ilan said, referring to the massive bulldozers the IDF uses to clear enemy territory. "They clean problematic areas, open trails and a view and prevent fires."
This is not the first time that the IDF has augmented its forces with animals. In addition to the army's elite canine unit, Oketz, IDF infantry units have also used llamas to transport supplies into Lebanon.
#1
Plus if the Paleo nuts blow these up, PETA and other assorted leftists will for once possibly oppose the paleos. (Jews?...OK, elands?...now this is war!)
Posted by: Fred ||
01/26/2009 12:46 Comments ||
Top||
#6
Quite civilized actually.
Recipes » Eland steak with apples Serves four.
Take
0.75 kg eland steak, 2 cooking apples,
20 gr brown sugar, 25 gr butter,
olive oil, 25 ml lime juice,
a dash of brown rum, and freshly ground black pepper.
Peel and slice the apples.
Sprinkle the slices of apple with brown sugar, then place them in a pan.
Gently soften them in butter.
Keep the apples warm while the steaks are seasoned and fried until pink.
Once they are pink, take the eland steaks out of the pan and keep them warm. In the meantime cool the pan with lime juice and rum.
This sauce is first poured onto the plate.
The meat is then carefully arranged on the sauce and covered with slices of apple.
Delicious potato croquettes are served with this.
Five Iranian parliament members intend to visit the Gaza Strip to congratulate the Palestinians on their resistance against the "Zionist offensive." this is meant to be a slap at Egypt and the Saudis
The Iranian lawmakers will tour parts of Gaza to evaluate the damage sustained during Israel's three-week-long Operation cast Lead. Iranian parliament member Mahmoud Ahmadi said the group also plans to meet with Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, whom Ahmadi called "the legitimate Prime Minister of Palestine." and this is to give the finger to Abbas, the UN and the EU
Another lawmaker said Tehran's foreign ministry is trying to expedite the visa process, so they can enter Gaza via Egypt.
#7
They'd have to get permission from Israel or Egypt to go through a border crossing, wouldn't they? That's not something I'd give great odds for success.
Asharq Al-Awsat- The Hamas movement has criticized global efforts aiming to develop mechanisms to prevent it smuggling weapons into the Gaza Strip.
Ahmed Yusuf, an adviser to Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, described these attempts as "mere rhetoric". He told Asharq Al-Awsat, "The resistance, with its weapons, is a legitimate right and it will continue to provide weapons by any means in order to continue the act of resistance." He added, "Whether there are tunnels or not, the resistance will get weapons one way or another".
In response, the Palestinian Authority (PA) stated that it supported any efforts towards depriving Israel of pretexts to launch an offensive against Gaza again.
Agriculture Minister Mahmoud al Habbash told Asharq Al-Awsat: "We stand by all efforts that involve protecting the Gaza Strip. Israel uses a number of excuses to attack Gaza, including the presence of weapons and rockets, and we want to eradicate these pretexts."
Al Habbash hinted that the PA will take part in any international efforts to prevent the smuggling of weapons into Gaza. He said, "Gaza is part of the PA's territories and the PA cannot abandon it."
Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni has tried to put more pressure on Hamas by involving powerful states in the plan to combat and prevent the smuggling of weapons to Hamas.
On January 16, Livni signed a memorandum of understanding with former US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to restrict the flow of weapons to the Gaza Strip. She stated that memorandum of understanding was equivalent to an agreement between key international players to take a series of measures to stop the flow of weapons into the Gaza Strip, indicating the main supplier of these weapons is Iran.
Moreover, PLO secretary Yasser Abed Rabbo stated to Asharq Al-Awsat that Hamas is advancing a regional conspiracy to turn Gaza into a separate entity cut off from the West Bank, and to set it up as a dark emirate supported by Iran.
He said that Hamas had shifted the aim of its rifle barrels from Israel to Fatah members, and turned mosques, schools and hospitals into interrogation centers for torturing Fatah members.
Posted by: Fred ||
01/26/2009 00:00 ||
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#3
He said that Hamas had shifted the aim of its rifle barrels from Israel to Fatah members, and turned mosques, schools and hospitals into interrogation centers for torturing Fatah members.
Yep. Jooooos are gone. Gotta remember where you hid your uniform and look fearsome for the locals.
#5
the resistance will get weapons one way or another. They can always sharpen the handles of their spoons against rocks. If they have spoons.
Posted by Glenmore
beware the ninja spork
Posted by: Frank G ||
01/26/2009 19:31 Comments ||
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Hamas officials in Cairo on Sunday proposed a year-long truce with Israel and an opening of the crossings into the Gaza Strip, in the latest round of diplomatic meetings to build on a fragile ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
Hamas official Ayman Taha told reporters in Cairo that his delegation was briefed by the Egyptians on an Israeli proposal for a year-and-a-half long truce with only partial opening of the border, which they rejected.
Instead, Taha said the group made a counter-offer of a year with open borders, which they now must discuss with their leadership in Damascus. "We will study the matter again and it will be brought back to the Egyptians," he told MENA, the official Egyptian news agency, without elaborating on the other provisions of the possible deal. Hamas has said in the past that it will only maintain a truce if Israel ends its blockade of the Gaza Strip and opens the crossings.
Israel's top negotiator on Gaza, Amos Gilad, was also in Cairo on Thursday for talks.
Israel and Hamas are engaged in indirect talks to build on a fragile ceasefire in the Gaza Strip after a 22-day Israeli assault, which killed some 1,300 Palestinians. The Hamas discussions with Egyptian intelligence chief Omar Suleiman included the nature and length of the truce, a system to monitor the border crossings and how reconstruction would be carried out, said Taha. "We are ready for any help in this issue (of reconstruction), but we are not willing to make it a political issue or use it for blackmail," he told MENA.
First estimates show Gaza suffered about $2 billion in damages during the Israeli airstrikes and ensuing ground offensive. Israel and the US have opposed reconstruction funds for Gaza going to Hamas.
The issue of a new system to monitor the border crossings is key to preserving the ceasefire, and Israel, the United States and Egypt are trying to work out security arrangements to ensure Hamas does not smuggle weapons into the strip before any opening. Taha told journalists after the talks that the militant group was open to Turkish observers being part of the monitoring system, alongside the Europeans stipulated in a 2005 agreement on the border crossings.
That agreement, supported by Egypt and Israel, also stated that the borders should be controlled by members of Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas' presidential guard.
Taha said while the Palestinians monitoring the border could be members of Abbas' security forces, they had to be from the Gaza Strip.
Regarding the issue of Israeli soldier Sgt Gilad Schalit, kidnapped by Hamas in 2006, Taha said it would only be discussed as part of a prisoner swap and had no bearing on truce discussions.
Posted by: Fred ||
01/26/2009 00:00 ||
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[2 views]
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#1
so, that's what they think it will take to rearm.
Posted by: Richard of Oregon ||
01/26/2009 1:17 Comments ||
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#2
Up to 2 billion now? Are ya listening Arab "brothers"?
Give til it hurts...
Police chief Gen. Ashraf Rifi said Sunday he was hopeful that the international tribunal to try suspects in the 2005 assassination of ex-Premier Rafik Hariri would uncover the criminals. "I hope the international tribunal would uncover and prosecute the criminals," Rifi said during a ceremony to mark the first anniversary of Maj. Wissam Eid's assassination.
He said the reason why police "are being targeted is to prevent us from developing security capabilities."
Rifi believed there was a link between the bombing that targeted Eid and a similar one directed against the Lebanese army.
Posted by: Fred ||
01/26/2009 00:00 ||
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#1
Yeah, it's only been four years. Hopefully they won't be dead from old age when you get around to busting them.
Hizbullah's International Relations Official Nawaf al-Mossawi said the party would work on gradually absorbing Lebanese political forces within the framework of the resistance. He affirmed that the Hizbullah today is more solid in arms and strength. Following his meeting Sunday with the Cuban Communist Party Deputy Head of Foreign Relations Governor Oscar Martinez, Mosawai said: "Every attempt to deprive a people from arming, and resisting is a full partnership with the aggression."
"Today more than ever, we are holding to our resistance arms and are strengthening them. Moreover, we are gradually working on absorbing Lebanese political forces within the framework of the resistance," Mossawi said.
"The failure of the Israeli aggression in eliminating the resistance and the Palestinian cause is similar to the failure of the U.S. invasion of the region through its Israeli ally and Arab tools," he said.
He added that the time of the resistance as the sole method is on the rise.
"The true American image is not that of the U.S. presidential inauguration, but in the savage Israeli aggression. Once again the naïve humanitarian and civilized claim (of the west) is exposed, as western governments have exposed their complicity and partnership in killing the Palestinian people," Mossawi said.
He went on to add that those that conspired against Gaza are known although they remain silent. Saying that paying money to Gaza won't clean anyone's hands from Palestinian blood.
Posted by: Fred ||
01/26/2009 00:00 ||
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[4 views]
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#1
Ah, "absorbtuion". Is that what they're calling it now? Better to be the absorber then the absorbee. Healthier too, I'm thinking...
#2
"Today more than ever, we are holding to our resistance arms and are strengthening them. Moreover, we are gradually working on absorbing Lebanese political forces within the framework of the resistance new Persian Empire," Mossawi said.
Hundreds of Iranians rallied in front of the French embassy on Sunday to protest at the European Union's likely removal of Iran's exiled armed opposition from its list of terror groups.
The demonstrators shouted "Death to (Nicolas) Sarkozy" and "Europe be ashamed, leave the hypocrites" -- a term Iran uses to describe its main opposition, the People's Mujahedeen of Iran (PMOI).
The EU is expected to strike PMOI off its list of terror groups on Monday, ending a long legal battle. "Europeans must be aware of the consequences of such a decision in relations with Iran," said Mojtaba Keshani, a mid-ranking cleric addressing the crowd.
Posted by: Fred ||
01/26/2009 00:00 ||
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#1
It makes me a bit queasy whenever I actually agree with the Iranians viewpoint.
#3
Cojones? LH, Im going to have to respectfully disagree on that assessment. In fact, its another example of how Euroweenies always look to avoid any direct confrontation. Of course, they cant legally or gulp morally fund an Islamic/Marxist terrorist death Cult with Western blood up to their shoulders now can they. But hey change the name get an up to date mission statement and presto all they have to do is pay a legitimate Resistance Group to do all the heavy lifting? Ummmm didnt work so swell in 98 when Clinton funneled cash to al-Dawa through the SCIRI. But at least they can say they are doing something.
#4
Im not as down on the MEK as you are. They havent actually attacked civies in years, unlike Hamas and Hezbo. If Yassir can be an ex-terr, why cant MEK? And they actually are willing to fight the mullahs.
Theyre not Islamist of course, they are Marxists. And yeah, sometimes Marxists can be useful, esp in parts of the ME were they can be used against the Islamists. I mean I wouldnt count on them, but its not like theres lots of good options.
This is mainly about how much are the Euros willing to defer to Iran, more than anything practical. TO take them off the list is to give Iran the middle finger. Its odd seeing the Euros do that.
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.
United States President Barack Obama's decision to close the Guantanamo Bay Detention Centre is a mere whitewash, Muhammad Saad, a former inmate, said on Sunday.
Hinting that the United States drone attacks in the Tribal Areas would continue as before, US Vice President Joe Biden said the US would act if there was an 'actionable target' in sight.
Taliban -- who control "virtually all of" Swat -- continue to use radio transmitters to terrorise residents and even reveal the names of people they kill or plan to kill, according to a New York Times report published on Sunday.
Hizbullah's International Relations Official Nawaf al-Mossawi said the party would work on gradually absorbing Lebanese political forces within the framework of the resistance. He affirmed that the Hizbullah today is more solid in arms and strength. Following his meeting Sunday with the Cuban Communist Party Deputy Head of Foreign Relations Governor Oscar Martinez, Mosawai said: "Every attempt to deprive a people from arming, and resisting is a full partnership with the aggression."
