"...Mr. Karzai acknowledged that there had been no practical outcome from the overtures to Saudi Arabia. “There has been no negotiation and nothing done yet,” he said...."
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
McCain At A "Political Dead End"?
"Senator, what economy are you talking about?" Obama said.
Sensing Obama's advantage, spokesman Bill Burton piled on:
"This is a moment of national crisis, and today's inaction in Congress as well as the angry and hyper-partisan statement released by the McCain campaign are exactly why the American people are disgusted with Washington."
McCain has been routinely wrong-footed on the slumping U.S. economy throughout the campaign, starting last year when he said he was not as up on that subject as he would like to be..."
"...If more Iraqis don't find work soon, people here will pay the cost in blood..."
"...The link between unemployment and bloodshed is in especially sharp focus right now, as the U.S. military prepares to hand authority over the Sons of Iraq to the Iraqi government..."
"Sons of Iraq" Despair At Imminent Takeover By Shiite Government
WaPo, here
"..Across Baghdad, leaders of the groups speak about the transition in similarly apocalyptic terms. Some have left Baghdad, saying they fear that the Iraqi government will conduct mass arrests after the handover. Others are obtaining passports and say they will flee to Syria..." 
US LEADERSHIP CRISIS?
"...None of the country's political leaders could deliver a solution to America's financial crisis. Not President Bush, a discredited lame duck not trusted by his own party. Not Barack Obama or the Democrats' congressional leaders who couldn't deliver a majority. And certainly not John McCain and his congressional colleagues, who persuaded only 30 percent of House Republicans to vote for the package..."
American Diplomats Meet Syrians in Sign of Thaw
In the WSJ, here
"Unfortunately, [the Bush administration's position toward Syria] shifted too late," Mr. Moallem said. "But I hope this shift will have its implications for the future administration."
Monday, September 29, 2008
French Intelligence Services: "Lebanon under tight scrutiny..."
In case you missed this some 3 weeks ago, Le Figaro, here
Après le Pakistan, le Maghreb, l'Afrique, quels sont les nouveaux foyers potentiels d'al-Qaida ? Le "Liban est à surveiller : on assiste à une radicalisation des jeunes sunnites qui ne se sentent plus intégrés dans l'espace national. Ce sera peut-être le cas des Palestiniens quand il n'y aura plus aucune perspective de règlement de paix en Palestine. Je ne pense pas forcément aux Palestiniens de Gaza ou des Territoires occupés, mais les Palestiniens de l'exil. Al-Qaida peut puiser dans les groupes de population qui vont être amenés à se déterritorialiser, à ne plus de reconnaître dans un pays ou un territoire donné, comme les gens qui proviennent de camps de réfugiés ou qui appartiennent à des milieux nomades."
وفي الخارجية الفرنسية لم يعثر أحد على علاقة مباشرة بين الهجومين في دمشق وطرابلس باستثناء أن مجموعة إسلامية سلفية تقف من دون شك وراء الهجومين. والخارجية الفرنسية التي تردد لمن شاء أنها لم تتبلغ بشكل مسبق من دمشق قرار حشد عشرة آلاف جندي سوري على الحدود الشمالية مع لبنان، لا ترى في القرار السوري أي سيناريو للتدخل في منطقة الشمال اللبناني.
ووصف مصدر فرنسي هذا السيناريو بأنه »محض خيال ولا يوجد أي عنصر واقعي يؤيد احتمال تحقق هذا النوع من السيناريوهات، على الرغم من بروز قراءة أمنية فرنسية تعبر عن تشاؤم كبير من »تحول مناطق من الشمال اللبناني إلى بيئة مماثلة لما كان عليه المثلث السني في العراق«.
وقد اضحى الشمال اللبناني مصدر قلق للأجهزة الأمنية الفرنسية، بعد أن أكدت تحقيقات قامت بها استقبال مخيم نهر البارد، لرأسي شبكة إسلامية فرنسية مؤلفة من تسعة نشطاء متهمين بالانتماء إلى »القاعدة«، ستجري محاكمتهم قريبا.
وكان مارك تريديفيك قاضي التحقيق الفرنسي في الملف الاتهامي لهذه الشبكة قد زار بيروت قبل شهور، وقابل في سجن رومية، أحد السجناء الإسلاميين الأساسيين الذي أكد له لقاءه أحد أعضاء الشبكة الإسلامية الفرنسية، كما أكد له خضوع أعضائها لتدريبات عسكرية متقدمة في مخيم تابع للقاعدة في لبنان.
وقال مصدر فرنسي لـ»السفير« إن نقاشا فرنسيا يجري حول احتمالات التدخل عسكريا في منطقة الشمال التي وصفها الرئيس السوري بأنها تشكل خطرا على أمن بلاده. وقال المصدر إنه يجري توصيل رسائل إلى دمشق بأن ذلك اذا حصل »سوف يؤدي إلى إعادة الأوضاع في لبنان إلى نقطة الصفر وإلى انهيار التفاهمات التي رسمت خريطة الطريق نحو تعزيز الاستقرار في لبنان كما أنها ستؤدي إلى تضييع المكاسب الكبيرة التي حققتها دمشق في كسر عزلتها الدبلوماسية«.
ووصف مصدر فرنسي هذا السيناريو بأنه »محض خيال ولا يوجد أي عنصر واقعي يؤيد احتمال تحقق هذا النوع من السيناريوهات، على الرغم من بروز قراءة أمنية فرنسية تعبر عن تشاؤم كبير من »تحول مناطق من الشمال اللبناني إلى بيئة مماثلة لما كان عليه المثلث السني في العراق«.
وقد اضحى الشمال اللبناني مصدر قلق للأجهزة الأمنية الفرنسية، بعد أن أكدت تحقيقات قامت بها استقبال مخيم نهر البارد، لرأسي شبكة إسلامية فرنسية مؤلفة من تسعة نشطاء متهمين بالانتماء إلى »القاعدة«، ستجري محاكمتهم قريبا.
وكان مارك تريديفيك قاضي التحقيق الفرنسي في الملف الاتهامي لهذه الشبكة قد زار بيروت قبل شهور، وقابل في سجن رومية، أحد السجناء الإسلاميين الأساسيين الذي أكد له لقاءه أحد أعضاء الشبكة الإسلامية الفرنسية، كما أكد له خضوع أعضائها لتدريبات عسكرية متقدمة في مخيم تابع للقاعدة في لبنان.
وقال مصدر فرنسي لـ»السفير« إن نقاشا فرنسيا يجري حول احتمالات التدخل عسكريا في منطقة الشمال التي وصفها الرئيس السوري بأنها تشكل خطرا على أمن بلاده. وقال المصدر إنه يجري توصيل رسائل إلى دمشق بأن ذلك اذا حصل »سوف يؤدي إلى إعادة الأوضاع في لبنان إلى نقطة الصفر وإلى انهيار التفاهمات التي رسمت خريطة الطريق نحو تعزيز الاستقرار في لبنان كما أنها ستؤدي إلى تضييع المكاسب الكبيرة التي حققتها دمشق في كسر عزلتها الدبلوماسية«.
"Damascus thwarts the rise of an 'Islamist Amarah' near the Iraqi border ..."
Al Akhbar, here
دخلت سوريا مرحلة جديدة وخطيرة من المواجهة مع أعدائها في الداخل والخارج. وستكون هناك بلبلة سياسية وأمنية، وستوزع الاتهامات يميناً ويساراً بشأن المسؤولية وربط كل ذلك بالدور الإقليمي لسوريا، وخصوصاً إزاء لبنان
لم يكن الانفجار الكبير الذي هزّ الضاحية الجنوبية للعاصمة السورية، السبت الماضي، هو الحدث اليتيم خلال الأشهر القليلة الماضية. وإلى جانب اغتيال العميد محمد سليمان، فإن الأنباء تكشّفت عن مواجهات بدأت قبل أسابيع عدة بين القوات السورية العسكرية والأمنية ومجموعات غير صغيرة من الإسلاميين المتطرفين في مناطق تمتد من الحدود مع العراق حتى الحدود مع لبنان شمالاً، مروراً ببعض المدن السورية.
وكشفت مصادر واسعة الاطلاع، أن الرئيس السوري بشار الأسد الذي أعلن أمس أن شمال لبنان تحول إلى قاعدة كبيرة للتطرف تمثّل خطراً على سوريا، كان قد سبق له أن أشار إلى الأمر خلال القمة الرباعية التي جمعته في دمشق مع الرئيس الفرنسي نيكولا ساركوزي وأمير قطر حمد بن خليفة آل ثاني ورئيس الوزراء التركي رجب طيب أردوغان. وهو تحدث أمامهم بتفاصيل، كان قد سمعها رجال أمن من دول عدة، بينها الدول التي شاركت في القمة الرباعية نفسها.
وحسب مصادر تسنى لها الاطلاع على جانب من هذه التفاصيل، فإن الأجهزة الأمنية السورية «رصدت تطوراً خطيراً في تحركات جماعات وصفتها بالتكفيرية في المناطق الحدودية بين سوريا والعراق، وأن بعض المجموعات التي تساعد آخرين في أعمال عسكرية في العراق، ضمت مواطنين من دول عربية إلى جانب مواطنين سوريين، وقد نجح هؤلاء مع الوقت في بناء قواعد لهم داخل سوريا. وعندما أُبعد العشرات من المقاتلين العرب من العراق، انتقل هؤلاء للإقامة في سوريا وفي شمال لبنان. وحصل خلال فترة غير طويلة أن قرر هؤلاء المسارعة إلى تحويل وجودهم من حالة مؤقتة غير معلنة إلى وجود دائم، من خلال وضع مشروع لإعلان إمارة إسلامية في تلك المناطق وتكون صلة وصل مع المجموعات التي تسعى إلى إقامة الأمر نفسه في مناطق من شمال لبنان».
وقالت المصادر إن «الجهات المعنية في سوريا جمعت آلاف الصفحات عن هذه المجموعات، واعتقلت العشرات منهم، ومنهم من أوقف في مناطق بعيدة أيضاً، وبعض السوريين المتورطين كانوا قد تلقوا الدعم من جهات في دولة عربية بارزة، وضُبطت مراسلات وعمليات التمويل والتسلح الجارية من أكثر من جانب، وخصوصاً الجانب المتصل بنقل مقاتلين واستعدادات لتنفيذ عمليات أمنية وعسكرية تستهدف مؤسسات مدنية وعسكرية وشخصيات بارزة في سوريا. وفي ضوء ذلك نُفذت عمليات دهم، دارت خلالها مواجهات أدت إلى خسائر في صفوف القوى الأمنية والعسكرية السورية إلى جانب تلك المجموعات».
وأضافت المصادر أن «المواجهة مع هذه المجموعات تطورت في الآونة الأخيرة إلى حدود قيام الجهات السورية المعنية بحملة واسعة قاسية أدت إلى إحباط ما كان مخططاً له، وحصلت عمليات فرار لبعض المجموعات باتجاه مناطق أخرى، واعتُقل كثيرون من أفرادها». وحسب المصادر، فإن «ما تجمّع لدى القيادة السورية أظهر وجود روابط متعددة بين هذه المجموعات وأخرى موجودة في شمال لبنان وحتى في مناطق أخرى من العالم العربي». ونقلت المصادر عن مسؤول أمني سوري رفيع المستوى «أن جهات في السعودية لم تكن بعيدة عما يجري، وأن عواصم غربية باتت على علم بهذه التفاصيل».
لم يكن الانفجار الكبير الذي هزّ الضاحية الجنوبية للعاصمة السورية، السبت الماضي، هو الحدث اليتيم خلال الأشهر القليلة الماضية. وإلى جانب اغتيال العميد محمد سليمان، فإن الأنباء تكشّفت عن مواجهات بدأت قبل أسابيع عدة بين القوات السورية العسكرية والأمنية ومجموعات غير صغيرة من الإسلاميين المتطرفين في مناطق تمتد من الحدود مع العراق حتى الحدود مع لبنان شمالاً، مروراً ببعض المدن السورية.
وكشفت مصادر واسعة الاطلاع، أن الرئيس السوري بشار الأسد الذي أعلن أمس أن شمال لبنان تحول إلى قاعدة كبيرة للتطرف تمثّل خطراً على سوريا، كان قد سبق له أن أشار إلى الأمر خلال القمة الرباعية التي جمعته في دمشق مع الرئيس الفرنسي نيكولا ساركوزي وأمير قطر حمد بن خليفة آل ثاني ورئيس الوزراء التركي رجب طيب أردوغان. وهو تحدث أمامهم بتفاصيل، كان قد سمعها رجال أمن من دول عدة، بينها الدول التي شاركت في القمة الرباعية نفسها.
وحسب مصادر تسنى لها الاطلاع على جانب من هذه التفاصيل، فإن الأجهزة الأمنية السورية «رصدت تطوراً خطيراً في تحركات جماعات وصفتها بالتكفيرية في المناطق الحدودية بين سوريا والعراق، وأن بعض المجموعات التي تساعد آخرين في أعمال عسكرية في العراق، ضمت مواطنين من دول عربية إلى جانب مواطنين سوريين، وقد نجح هؤلاء مع الوقت في بناء قواعد لهم داخل سوريا. وعندما أُبعد العشرات من المقاتلين العرب من العراق، انتقل هؤلاء للإقامة في سوريا وفي شمال لبنان. وحصل خلال فترة غير طويلة أن قرر هؤلاء المسارعة إلى تحويل وجودهم من حالة مؤقتة غير معلنة إلى وجود دائم، من خلال وضع مشروع لإعلان إمارة إسلامية في تلك المناطق وتكون صلة وصل مع المجموعات التي تسعى إلى إقامة الأمر نفسه في مناطق من شمال لبنان».
وقالت المصادر إن «الجهات المعنية في سوريا جمعت آلاف الصفحات عن هذه المجموعات، واعتقلت العشرات منهم، ومنهم من أوقف في مناطق بعيدة أيضاً، وبعض السوريين المتورطين كانوا قد تلقوا الدعم من جهات في دولة عربية بارزة، وضُبطت مراسلات وعمليات التمويل والتسلح الجارية من أكثر من جانب، وخصوصاً الجانب المتصل بنقل مقاتلين واستعدادات لتنفيذ عمليات أمنية وعسكرية تستهدف مؤسسات مدنية وعسكرية وشخصيات بارزة في سوريا. وفي ضوء ذلك نُفذت عمليات دهم، دارت خلالها مواجهات أدت إلى خسائر في صفوف القوى الأمنية والعسكرية السورية إلى جانب تلك المجموعات».
وأضافت المصادر أن «المواجهة مع هذه المجموعات تطورت في الآونة الأخيرة إلى حدود قيام الجهات السورية المعنية بحملة واسعة قاسية أدت إلى إحباط ما كان مخططاً له، وحصلت عمليات فرار لبعض المجموعات باتجاه مناطق أخرى، واعتُقل كثيرون من أفرادها». وحسب المصادر، فإن «ما تجمّع لدى القيادة السورية أظهر وجود روابط متعددة بين هذه المجموعات وأخرى موجودة في شمال لبنان وحتى في مناطق أخرى من العالم العربي». ونقلت المصادر عن مسؤول أمني سوري رفيع المستوى «أن جهات في السعودية لم تكن بعيدة عما يجري، وأن عواصم غربية باتت على علم بهذه التفاصيل».
US 'War on Terror' Has Not Weakened al Qaeda... while a solid 30% believe it 'strenghtened it'...
WPR poll , here, Via Nukes&Spook,
"...An average of only 22 percent of the people surveyed believed that Osama bin Laden's terrorist network has been weakened, according to the poll. Another 29 percent didn't think that al Qaida has been hurt, while another 30 percent said al Qaida has actually been strengthened.
In another finding, respondents in Egypt and Pakistan _ key allies in the administration's counter-terrorism campaign _ had either mixed or positive views of al Qaida, outnumbering those who had negative views..."
In another finding, respondents in Egypt and Pakistan _ key allies in the administration's counter-terrorism campaign _ had either mixed or positive views of al Qaida, outnumbering those who had negative views..."
"We are unlikely to repeat another Iraq or Afghanistan anytime soon – that is, forced regime change followed by nation-building under fire"
DOD, here
We are unlikely to repeat another Iraq or Afghanistan anytime soon – that is, forced regime change followed by nation-building under fire.
We are unlikely to repeat another Iraq or Afghanistan anytime soon – that is, forced regime change followed by nation-building under fire.
The 2006 Lebanon Campaign and the Future of Warfare: Implications for Army and Defense Policy
SSI's (Carlisle) newest study, "The 2006 Lebanon Campaign and the Future of Warfare: Implications for Army and Defense Policy", here
"Many now see future warfare as a matter of nonstate actors employing irregular methods against Western states. This expectation has given rise to a range of sweeping proposals for transforming the U.S. military to meet such threats. In this context, Hezbollah’s 2006 campaign in southern Lebanon has been receiving increasing attention as a prominent recent example of a nonstate actor fighting a Westernized state. In particular, critics of irregular-warfare transformation often cite the 2006 case as evidence that non-state actors can nevertheless wage conventional warfare in state-like ways. This monograph assesses this claim via a detailed analysis of Hezbollah’s military behavior, coupled with deductive inference from observable Hezbollah behavior in the field to findings for their larger strategic intent for the campaign." 
Olmert: "if Israel wants Peace, it must quit East Jerusalem and Golan..."
"...These comments were the clearest sign to date of Olmert's willingness to meet key Palestinian demands in peace talks.
With regard to the Syria track, Olmert added that a future peace agreement required a pullout from the Golan Heights, an area under Israeli control since the 1967 Six-Day War.
"First and foremost, we must make a decision. I'd like to see if there is one serious person in the State of Israel who believes it is possible to make peace with the Syrians without eventually giving up the Golan Heights."
With regard to the Syria track, Olmert added that a future peace agreement required a pullout from the Golan Heights, an area under Israeli control since the 1967 Six-Day War.
"First and foremost, we must make a decision. I'd like to see if there is one serious person in the State of Israel who believes it is possible to make peace with the Syrians without eventually giving up the Golan Heights."
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Paris to Washington: "We need Syria in Lebanon...and we know what we're talking about..."
وتفيد المعلومات المشتركة بأن القمة الرباعية التي عقدت في العاصمة السورية، يومي 4 و5 أيلول الجاري، وحضرها الرئيس الفرنسي نيكولا ساركوزي ورئيس الوزراء التركي رجب طيب أردوغان وأمير قطر حمد بن جاسم آل ثاني، قد «أعطت الضوء الأخضر للرئيس السوري كي يتصرف بما يراه مناسباً لمواجهة تداعيات بروز الحالة السلفية الجهادية والأصولية في شمال لبنان».
وكشفت المعلومات عن أن التفويض الذي أعطي للسوريين في هذا المجال جاء بعد رصد أجهزة الاستخبارات العاملة في لبنان وجود نواة خلايا لهذه التنظيمات، بعضها مرتبط بتنظيم القاعدة، ويعمل عناصرها المتعددو الجنسية، الذين جاء بعضهم من العراق، على إيجاد قواعد ومراكز لهم في مناطق عكار أولاً، والضنية والمنية وطرابلس ثانياً،».
أوضح زوار العاصمة السورية لـ«الأخبار» أن الأسد أبلغ الحاضرين في القمة أخطار «مشكلة التطرف والقوى السلفية التي تتحرك في شمال لبنان»، متحدثاً عن «دول تدعم هذه القوى رسمياً»، وأنه توافق معهم على إعطاء مهلة لا تتجاوز أسبوعين لاتخاذ الجهات اللبنانية خطوات لمعالجتها، وهذا ما تبدّى بوضوح في المصالحة الطرابلسية التي شارك فيها بكل ثقله النائب سعد الحريري، بعد أقل من 48 ساعة من انتهاء أعمال القمة».
إلا أن مصادر سياسية مطّلعة أفادت بأن الانتشار العسكري السوري قرب الحدود الشمالية يعود إلى سبب إضافي يتعلق بحماية المجال الحيوي للقاعدة العسكرية الروسية في مرفأ طرطوس، والتي يمثّل وجود عناصر مسلحة مناوئة للنظام في سوريا، ومتحالفة ومموّلة من قوى إقليمية تدور في فلك الإدارة الأميركية، تهديداً مباشراً لها، دفع السوريين والأوروبيين معاً، للتحرك سريعاً من أجل درئه قبل استفحال خطره
وكشفت المعلومات عن أن التفويض الذي أعطي للسوريين في هذا المجال جاء بعد رصد أجهزة الاستخبارات العاملة في لبنان وجود نواة خلايا لهذه التنظيمات، بعضها مرتبط بتنظيم القاعدة، ويعمل عناصرها المتعددو الجنسية، الذين جاء بعضهم من العراق، على إيجاد قواعد ومراكز لهم في مناطق عكار أولاً، والضنية والمنية وطرابلس ثانياً،».
أوضح زوار العاصمة السورية لـ«الأخبار» أن الأسد أبلغ الحاضرين في القمة أخطار «مشكلة التطرف والقوى السلفية التي تتحرك في شمال لبنان»، متحدثاً عن «دول تدعم هذه القوى رسمياً»، وأنه توافق معهم على إعطاء مهلة لا تتجاوز أسبوعين لاتخاذ الجهات اللبنانية خطوات لمعالجتها، وهذا ما تبدّى بوضوح في المصالحة الطرابلسية التي شارك فيها بكل ثقله النائب سعد الحريري، بعد أقل من 48 ساعة من انتهاء أعمال القمة».
إلا أن مصادر سياسية مطّلعة أفادت بأن الانتشار العسكري السوري قرب الحدود الشمالية يعود إلى سبب إضافي يتعلق بحماية المجال الحيوي للقاعدة العسكرية الروسية في مرفأ طرطوس، والتي يمثّل وجود عناصر مسلحة مناوئة للنظام في سوريا، ومتحالفة ومموّلة من قوى إقليمية تدور في فلك الإدارة الأميركية، تهديداً مباشراً لها، دفع السوريين والأوروبيين معاً، للتحرك سريعاً من أجل درئه قبل استفحال خطره
وللمناسبة، أعادت المصادر السياسية نفسها التذكير بما شدد عليه ساركوزي في القمة، عندما قال: «نحن بحاجة إلى سوريا في لبنان ومع إيران، والولايات المتحدة تعرف الدور الكبير الذي تقوم به سوريا في هذا الإطار، ونحن نتحدث في هذا الموضوع. وفرنسا تؤدي دوراً لكي تفتتح عصر السياسة المنفتحة مع سوريا»؛ مشيراً إلى أن «الأميركيين يعرفون أننا هنا، وما هي الشروط التي تجمعنا، وبماذا نتكلم، وحول ما نتكلم».
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Zakaria: "Palin's choice, is a 'fundamentally irresponsible' one ..."
Fareed Zakaria, Newsweek, here
"...But the more Palin talks, the more we see that it may not be sexism but common sense that's causing the McCain campaign to treat her like a time bomb.....In these times, for John McCain to have chosen this person to be his running mate is fundamentally irresponsible. McCain says that he always puts country first. In this important case, it is simply not true..."
"...Jihadis in the Lebanese city of Tripoli, launched a series of attacks against the Syria ..."
The Observer, here
"....The bomb attack comes days after Syria dispatched troops to the Lebanese border in an operation initially described as an anti-smuggling effort, but actually intended, according to senior Lebanese military and intelligence officials, to strike against Sunni militants infiltrating Syria and launching attacks against the regime...Several Lebanese political figures expressed fears that yesterday's attack, as well as the unpublicised attacks on Syrian positions by suspected Lebanese militants, could give Damascus an excuse to send its military into northern Lebanon."
Spec-Ops raids into Pakistan halted
".....a U.S. government official closely involved with policy in the Afghanistan-Pakistan region said the military had underestimated the Pakistani response and was reconsidering its options......The raid represented “a strategic miscalculation,” the U.S. government official said. “We did not fully appreciate the vehemence of the Pakistani response,” which included the Pakistan government’s implication that it was willing to cut the coalition’s supply lines through Pakistan. “I don’t think we really believed it was going to go to that level,” the government official said..."
Ryan Crocker: " Americans Need To Have "A Sense Of Strategic Patience" About Iraq.."
"....However, he warned, those gains could be in jeopardy if U.S. interest in the country is allowed to flag. "So I think what Americans need going forward is a sense of strategic patience," he said. "If we decide we are tired of it, if we decide we don't want to do it anymore and that it is time to turn our attention to other things, this could all go the other way," Crocker warned. "And it is certainly my sense as someone who has served in the Middle East for the better part of three decades, that you would pay a major long-term price."He suggested it could be seen as a repeat of the U.S. withdrawal from Lebanon in the early 1980s, a move that led countries like Iran and Syria to draw assumptions about U.S. lack of resolve and to embrace an attitude of defiance. "These kinds of actions have profound and very far-reaching consequences,"
Democrats shelved a resolution calling to a 'naval blockade' of Iran because "it could provoke another war"..
In the WashingtonTimes, here
"...Even though the document would not be a law but a "statement of policy" aimed at preventing Tehran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, the Democratic leadership is worried that it could be viewed by the Bush administration as a green light to use military force against Iran, officials said..
The draft has divided congressional Democrats, some of whom are torn between their support for Israel and concern about Iran's behavior on one hand, and potentially helping to provoke hostilities with Iran on the other. It has also prompted aggressive lobbying against the document by Iranian-American groups. "The division among Democrats is an indication of how the mood on Capitol Hill has changed," said Trita Parsi, president of the National Iranian American Council. "
Saudi King Abdullah wants to bring prices down to ensure long-term demand, but other OPEC ministers disagree
"...It's all part of an elaborate dance that goes on continually at OPEC's biggest producer. While the cartel may set production quotas for each member, the Saudis and a few other top suppliers frequently exceed those limits in order to meet world demand. And these days, the dance looks more like a tug-of-war, as the Saudis and their allies in the organization seek to contain crude prices while Iran and others want to keep them as high as possible. Saudi relations with OPEC "depend on where prices are; when prices are too high [the Saudis] side with consumers," says Vera de Ladoucette, senior director of consultancy Cambridge Energy Research Associates in Paris..."
'Secret' negotiations with the Taliban: the help of the Saudi Arabian and British intelligence services ... towards a "deal"
In the Observer, here, via WarinContext.
"....His mission: to talk to the Taliban leadership about a possible peace deal.......The backing given by the West to these talks is a measure of how badly things have gone wrong in Afghanistan, and how far Western governments are prepared to go to stabilise a deteriorating situation which is costing more in men, money and political capital than they ever imagined. The equally worrying situation in Pakistan, where the Taliban are largely based and where a separate but related insurgency has broken out, has given the initiative a new urgency...."
March14 website: "Damascus bombing was performed by Iraqi suicide bomber with links to al-Qaeda"
"...Well-informed Syrian sources told NOW Lebanon on Saturday that the Damascus bombing was performed by an Iraqi suicide bomber who belonged to al-Qaeda. The sources added that the bomber had recently entered Syria and had been in communication with al-Qaeda members in the country.."
Saturday, September 27, 2008
US official to AlHayat: "Contrary to what Paris said, Washington did not give a green light to a detente with Syria...are they 'naive'? ..we'll see"
وعن تحرك الرئيس الفرنسي نيكولا ساركوزي الى سورية، قال المسؤول: «الادارة الاميركية بخلاف ما قاله الفرنسيون، لم تعطِ أي ضوء أخضر للانفتاح الفرنسي على سورية، لكن الفرنسيين انشأوا أمراً واقعاً. وفي الماضي عملت الولايات المتحدة في شكل جيد مع فرنسا حول لبنان... ما قام به وزراء خارجية ألمانيا واسبانيا وايطاليا بتوجيه رسالة الى دمشق حول لبنان كان نهجاً اكثر ايجابية. والفرنسيون قالوا لنا ان ما يبدو لنا انفتاحاً غير مشروط على بشار الاسد هو ليس الواقع وان عيونهم مفتوحة وهم مدركون ما يقوم به بشار الأسد فلنرَ!».
وأضاف المسؤول: «إقامة علاقات ديبلومــاسية بين بلدين هو رمز مهم في العلاقة بينـــهما، ولكن بالنسبة لسورية ولبنان عدم وجود سفير سوري في لبنان ليـــس المـــشكلة الاولوية، والانفــــتاح الكبير على بشــــار الأسد نتيـــجة إرساله سفيراً الى بيروت، خطأ».
وزاد المسؤول الاميركي: «فرنسا تجري هذا التقارب مع سورية، واسرائيل لها مفاوضات مع سورية، وهناك تساؤل وجدال في الولايات المتحدة حول هذا الموضوع، والى أي مدى سيحمي هدفنا ومصالحنا في لبنان وإذا كانت مصالح فرنسا في لبنان متطابقة مع اهتماماتنا وأهدافنا - ومصالحنا بالدرجة الاولى سيادة لبنان واستقلاله - واذا كان (الفرنسيون) فعلاً سيستخدمون حوارهم مع سورية من أجل حماية لبنان، والفرنسيون يقولون لنا انهم ليسوا ساذجين ويعرفون بشار الأسد وحوارهم معه لمساعدة لبنان... هل هذا صحيح؟ سنرى».
وأضاف المسؤول: «إقامة علاقات ديبلومــاسية بين بلدين هو رمز مهم في العلاقة بينـــهما، ولكن بالنسبة لسورية ولبنان عدم وجود سفير سوري في لبنان ليـــس المـــشكلة الاولوية، والانفــــتاح الكبير على بشــــار الأسد نتيـــجة إرساله سفيراً الى بيروت، خطأ».
وزاد المسؤول الاميركي: «فرنسا تجري هذا التقارب مع سورية، واسرائيل لها مفاوضات مع سورية، وهناك تساؤل وجدال في الولايات المتحدة حول هذا الموضوع، والى أي مدى سيحمي هدفنا ومصالحنا في لبنان وإذا كانت مصالح فرنسا في لبنان متطابقة مع اهتماماتنا وأهدافنا - ومصالحنا بالدرجة الاولى سيادة لبنان واستقلاله - واذا كان (الفرنسيون) فعلاً سيستخدمون حوارهم مع سورية من أجل حماية لبنان، والفرنسيون يقولون لنا انهم ليسوا ساذجين ويعرفون بشار الأسد وحوارهم معه لمساعدة لبنان... هل هذا صحيح؟ سنرى».
EuCom to Israel: "Calm down; behave. We’re doing all we can to strengthen your defenses, because we don’t want you rushing into the military option"
In the ArmyTimes, here
A U.S. government source said the X-band deployment and other bilateral alliance-bolstering activities send parallel messages: “First, we want to put Iran on notice that we’re bolstering our capabilities throughout the region, and especially in Israel. But just as important, we’re telling the Israelis, ‘Calm down; behave. We’re doing all we can to stand by your side and strengthen defenses, because at this time, we don’t want you rushing into the military option.’”
"...Raghida, this is going to have to be the last question..."
Sec. Rice Interviewed by a frustrated Raghida Dergham, here:
QUESTION: There is – people are saying that you lost Iran because there is no great option and that you also lost Lebanon because, practically, it’s – you know, Hezbollah won, they have the military power, it’s practically a base for the Iranians in Lebanon. Do you want to refute that?
SECRETARY RICE: Of course.
(...)
QUESTION: Even with Hezbollah keeping its arms and being a very, you know, determined and a very big power in the country?
SECRETARY RICE: Well, let’s remember –
QUESTION: With its arms –
SECRETARY RICE: – Hezbollah has been there for a while. This is a not a phenomenon of 2008. But the President has emphasized – President Sleiman has emphasized within the national dialogue the arms have to belong to the state. And so they are in a process to make certain that arms belong to the state.
QUESTION: With its arms –
SECRETARY RICE: – Hezbollah has been there for a while. This is a not a phenomenon of 2008. But the President has emphasized – President Sleiman has emphasized within the national dialogue the arms have to belong to the state. And so they are in a process to make certain that arms belong to the state.
QUESTION: Why did you subcontract the relationship to – with Syria to President Sarkozy of France?
SECRETARY RICE: We haven’t subcontracted anything. We’ve been in very close contact with the French. And look, the Syrians – we and the Syrians do have contact. We have a Chargé in Damascus who continues the contacts. We have diplomatic relations with Syria. I’ve met with Foreign Minister Mualem before.
QUESTION: Recently?
SECRETARY RICE: No, no, no, during the neighbors conference when we were in Sharm el-Sheikh. Look, the relationship with Syria very much turns on how things are going. We’re not –
QUESTION: Where?
SECRETARY RICE: Well, it is true that foreign fighters are down. The number of foreign fighters crossing into Iraq is down. Now, I think that is really because it’s not really all that fruitful to be a foreign fighter in Iraq any longer, because through coalition efforts and the efforts of the Iraqis themselves, the security situation in Iraq has stabilized. It’s fragile, but it’s stabilized. It is true that Syria and Israel are in – in direct discussions, something that we’ve supported. We were the ones who invited Syria to the Annapolis conference. So France should have discussions with Syria. We have them when they are appropriate.
SECRETARY RICE: No, no, no, during the neighbors conference when we were in Sharm el-Sheikh. Look, the relationship with Syria very much turns on how things are going. We’re not –
QUESTION: Where?
SECRETARY RICE: Well, it is true that foreign fighters are down. The number of foreign fighters crossing into Iraq is down. Now, I think that is really because it’s not really all that fruitful to be a foreign fighter in Iraq any longer, because through coalition efforts and the efforts of the Iraqis themselves, the security situation in Iraq has stabilized. It’s fragile, but it’s stabilized. It is true that Syria and Israel are in – in direct discussions, something that we’ve supported. We were the ones who invited Syria to the Annapolis conference. So France should have discussions with Syria. We have them when they are appropriate.
QUESTION: When is that? When –
MR. MCCORMACK: Raghida, this is going to have to be the last question..."
MR. MCCORMACK: Raghida, this is going to have to be the last question..."
"...The Marines went in Lebanon in 1982, before McCain came to Congress...."
Matt Yglesias, here
".......McCain seriously misstated his vote concerning the marines in Lebanon. He said that when he went into Congress in 1983, he voted against deploying them in Beirut. The Marines went in Lebanon in 1982, before McCain came to Congress. The vote came up a year into their deployment, when the Marines had already suffered 54 casualties. What McCain voted against was a measure to invoke the War Powers Act and to authorize the deployment of U.S. Marines in Lebanon for an additional 18 months. The measure passed 270-161, with 26 other Republicans (including McCain) and 134 Democrats voting against it...."
Car bomb near Syrian security base kills 17
"...No group claimed responsibility for the attack, in which a suicide bomber has not been ruled out, but the interior minister's remarks appeared to indicate that Syrian investigators suspect Muslim militants were involved..."
The Telegraph adds this,
"...It is not yet clear whether the bomb was directed at the security installation, the airport or at Shia pilgrims flocking to the Sit Zeinab shrine...."
Friday, September 26, 2008
Muravchic (AEI): "....McCain Will Bomb Iran..."
".....I would have to take Muravchik’s prediction seriously given his long-time perch at AEI, McCain’s favorite foreign-policy think tank, and his long association with some of McCain’s closest advisers, including Robert Kagan with whom he has worked since their Central America days. (Incidentally, Kagan, as well as Abrams, may be vying for the National Security Advisor post in any McCain administration.) Of course, bombing Iran has been a devout and explicit wish on Muravchik’s part for nearly two years if not more, so this may be an example of wishful thinking, but I can’t help but believe his associations give him some real insight on this question. Kagan, however, has supported unconditional talks with Iran if for no other reason than to strengthen the case for eventual military action...."
MEPGS: "It too cute by half to think that the Israelis are going to try to present a new Administration with an "Iran-strike" fait accompli,"
"....career officials are increasingly stepping in to conduct day-to-day foreign policy. Nowhere is this more evident than in the conduct of Middle East policy. On issues ranging from Iraq to Lebanon, veteran US officials are, in the words of one senior State Department official "...trying to leave things [for the next Administration] in as good a state as possible."US officials are also extremely pleased with the Iraqi parliament's decision to proceed with elections next year. Although four of Iraq's fourteen provinces will not participate, formerly insurgent Sunnis will be fully represented [hotly disputed Kirkuk and the three Kurdish provinces will hopefully hold elections at a later date]. Meanwhile, US officials have achieved some success in getting moderate Sunni Arab states to support the Shia-led Iraqi government. "We have repeatedly told them that if they don't want Iranian influence to grow in Iraq, then they need to start treating the Maliki government, not as Shia but as Arab," says one State Department official.....
This joint statement also praised the political process in Lebanon that has followed the so-called "Doha Agreement", which broke Lebanon's political and sectarian deadlock in May. US officials believe that Doha, in the words of one State Department insider "...launched a new dynamic for Lebanon." There is no doubt it led to the election of Michel Sleiman as President. And with his election, US officials began to shift the emphasis of their support to him from the so-called "March 14" coalition which led the successful effort to oust Syrian troops from Lebanon. Sleiman, as former commander of the Lebanese Armed Forces ("LAF"), is seen as a natural link to the one "national institution" which officials are placing their hopes upon. Central to this effort is the supply of new military equipment. As one State Department official put it, "The days of providing the LAF with things like night vision equipment are over. We have to give them something lethal, to be quite honest." As previously reported [Survey May 18, 2008], the Administration is planning to provide attack helicopters to the LAF. State Department officials had hoped to have a package ready in time for President Sleiman's White House visit yesterday, but were unable to meet the deadline due to bureaucratic tie-ups. However, other officials have made it clear that certain political considerations also had to be taken into account, notably the reaction of Israel. Mid-level US officials took advantage of previously scheduled talks in Israel to deliver a message designed to allay Israeli concerns that military equipment intended for the LAF could wind up in Hezbollah's possession. "I think the Israelis appreciate that we have a new, constructive policy towards the Lebanese government," said one State Department official this week. And while they make it clear that there is no expectation that the LAF could ever be built into a force strong enough to challenge Hezbollah, it could, in the words of this official, "Give the Lebanese the confidence so they just don't completely `roll over' for Hezbollah.
What the Europeans had in mind was to attempt some "pre-planning" in the event of an agreement between the parties. "We know we are going to wind up paying much of the bill," says one European diplomat. "So we thought we could do some advance work in anticipation of a happy ending." Specifically, they urged the US to support consideration of issues like compensation for Palestinian refugees; composition of international peace keepers; even a European role in guaranteeing access to Jerusalem's holy places. The Administration's reaction? "They hated it," said one European diplomat. Assistant Secretary of State David Welch told his European counterparts it was not the right time ["Never is for us," sniffed one European diplomat]. In fact, Welch and his colleagues considered the European initiative "unhelpful in the extreme."
With a military option all but ruled out, and absent some unexpected action by Secretary Rice US
analysts believe, as one veteran says "the pace, determination and movement" of Iran's leadership will increase over the coming months. While some still speculate about unilateral military action by Israel after the November elections [And the Israelis are quick to point out they suffered no "blowback" form their strike at Syria's nuclear site], most analysts consider it unlikely. "It too cute by half to think that the Israelis are going to try to present a new Administration with such a fait accompli," says one veteran observer. More likely, say a number of analysts, Jerusalem will hold out hope, in the words of one Capitol Hill source, "The next President will make a dramatic diplomatic move towards Iran. After all, neither Obama nor McCain is likely to relish the prospect of having to spend the next four years wrestling with Iran."
analysts believe, as one veteran says "the pace, determination and movement" of Iran's leadership will increase over the coming months. While some still speculate about unilateral military action by Israel after the November elections [And the Israelis are quick to point out they suffered no "blowback" form their strike at Syria's nuclear site], most analysts consider it unlikely. "It too cute by half to think that the Israelis are going to try to present a new Administration with such a fait accompli," says one veteran observer. More likely, say a number of analysts, Jerusalem will hold out hope, in the words of one Capitol Hill source, "The next President will make a dramatic diplomatic move towards Iran. After all, neither Obama nor McCain is likely to relish the prospect of having to spend the next four years wrestling with Iran."
Israel, Azerbaijan & Kazakhstan, close multi-million dollar arms deal ..
The "Iran-Fear-Card" continues to be lucrative for the Izzies! As in the Georgia case, all this firepower is useless if & when a conflict arises with Iran ... Let us just hope that Military trainers don't follow......Yossi Melman, In Haaretz, here
"...Rumblings of Shi'ite political Islam have been particularly noticeable in the more conservative regions that border Iran, and the secular government has displayed concern over Iranian influence.
An number of Israeli firms were involved in the various deal. Soltam will sell mortars and ammunition to Azerbaijan, Israel Military Industries will sell the country rocket artillery and Tadiran Communications will sell it radio equipment.
Israeli companies have also recently signed deals worth tens of millions of dollars with Kazakhstan, a neighbor of Azerbaijan's...."
An number of Israeli firms were involved in the various deal. Soltam will sell mortars and ammunition to Azerbaijan, Israel Military Industries will sell the country rocket artillery and Tadiran Communications will sell it radio equipment.
Israeli companies have also recently signed deals worth tens of millions of dollars with Kazakhstan, a neighbor of Azerbaijan's...."
An Interview With President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
Neil MacFarquhar of The New York Times, here
"....They( Iranian Jews) have a representative in our Parliament. Although there are only 20,000 people, they still have one representative in Parliament. Whereas for the rest of the population you have a minimum requirement of 150,000 people to have one representative....I am surprised that in your media there is hardly any attention to the human rights crimes committed by the Zionist regime, ...."
Undecided Voters Are Gloomier, Lean Toward Obama to Fix Economy
"..Almost nine of 10 of the persuadable voters in the Bloomberg poll said the country is on the wrong track. That result is 10 percentage points higher than for all registered voters. The percentage of undecided voters who said the economy is doing badly is 7 points higher than among the broader public
With the candidates locked in a tight contest, both Obama and McCain ``are vying for the still uncommitted voters,'' said Susan Pinkus, the Los Angeles Times polling director. This group is ``more pessimistic than voters overall, which should be worrisome for McCain, since Obama is the candidate that voters believe would strengthen the economy and help get the country out the financial crisis we're in.''
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Hariri Investigation: This is why Belmar postponed his 'report'....
كشف مسؤول لبناني كبير لـ«الوطن» عن معلومات سرية وخطيرة نقلها إليه أحد أعضاء لجنة التحقيق الدولية حول عملية اغتيال الرئيس رفيق الحريري مفادها أن ضغوطاً أميركية وسعودية أثمرت في تضليل التحقيق مجدداً بعد أن تمكنت لجنة التحقيق الدولية من الكشف عن المتورطين الحقيقيين في عملية اغتيال رئيس الوزراء اللبناني الأسبق رفيق الحريري.
وأضاف المسؤول اللبناني إن ضغوطاً عالية المستوى مارستها كل من واشنطن والرياض بحيث تراجع المتهمون عن إفاداتهم وهم أعضاء المجموعة الأصولية التي سبق أن تحدث عنها الإعلام والمعروفة بمجموعة الـ «13».ويؤكد المسؤول اللبناني الكبير أن عضو لجنة التحقيق الدولية الذي نقل إليه المعلومات تربطه به علاقة قديمة تعود إلى ترؤس المحقق الألماني ديتلف ميليس لجنة التحقيق. وقد سبق أن أطلعه على معلومات تبين فيما بعد أنها كانت دائماً صحيحة. وقد زوده بمخطط يكشف كيفية تنفيذ عملية الاغتيال وتوزع المنفذين بحيث تبين أن الشخص الذي كان يقود السيارة اليابانية المستخدمة بعملية الاغتيال لم يكن يعلم بعملية الاغتيال وأن الشخص الذي قام بتفجيرها عن بعد كان موجوداً في شارع مونرو قرب ساحة الجريمة.وعن خلفية عملية اغتيال الحريري يؤكد عضو لجنة التحقيق الدولية أن الرئيس الحريري رفض السماح بإدخال مجموعات من السلفيين المتطرفين إلى لبنان بناء على طلب الأمير بندر بن سلطان بهدف اغتيال السيد حسن نصر الله بذريعة خلق توازن أمني وعسكري مع الشيعة. لكن الرئيس الحريري رفض الطلب واعتبره يؤدي إلى فتنة مذهبية مرفوضة ويقدم خدمة مجانية لإسرائيل.عندئذ استبدل الأمير بندر خطته وعمل على تنفيذ خطة بديلة بالتنسيق مع المخابرات الإسرائيلية تحقق الغاية نفسها بوساطة اغتيال الرئيس رفيق الحريري. وقد تم تنفيذ العملية بوساطة مجموعة أصولية تم توقيف عدد من أعضائها في حين تمكن رئيس فرع المعلومات في لبنان المقدم وسام حسن من تهريب أحد أعضائها المشاركين في الجريمة وهو خالد طه (قائد المجموعة والرابط بين أفراد المجموعة الـ 13) بهدف تغطية الفاعل الحقيقي وتضليل التحقيق، وأفادت معلومات غير مؤكدة أن طه تم اغتياله ودفنه في بيروت وأن القاضي بيلمار أصبح على علم بالأمر.وزار بيلمار مؤخراً المملكة السعودية مرتين بحثاً عن معلومات حول خالد طه والانتحاري المفترض في عملية اغتيال الحريري الذي أظهرت فحوصات DNA أنه كان يعيش في منطقة صحراوية.يذكر أن رئيس فرع المعلومات في لبنان المقدم وسام حسن هو الذي تولى مسؤولية فبركة الشهود بالتنسيق مع بندر بن سلطان وهذا ما أكده أكثر من مسؤول لبناني وعدد من الشهود الذين كشفوا أسرار آلية استخدامهم لتوجيه التحقيق باتجاه سورية.والمعروف أن القاضي بيلمار شديد التكتم تجاه التحقيق إلا أن هذا لم يمنع أجهزة الاستخبارات الأميركية والسعودية من العمل على إخفاء الأدلة وتضليل التحقيق مستخدمة المال والنفوذ في لبنان، وأوضح المصدر لـ «الوطن» أن بيلمار أصبح على دراية بالضغوط التي تمارسها الأجهزة الأمنية الأميركية والسعودية وآلية تحريف الاعترافات وأن الأيام القليلة المقبلة قد تشهد إجراءات جديدة لإعادة تصويب التحقيق نحو الحقيقة التي باتت معروفة في كل أرجاء العالم وفي المملكة ذاتها حيث يقال إن الملك عبد اللـه بن عبد العزيز قرر عزل الأمير بندر بن سلطان من مهامه كافة مع إبقائه في منصبه لعدم إثارة مزيد من الشبهات حول دوره في عملية اغتيال الحريري وتجنب حدوث أي انشقاق داخل العائلة المالكة في السعودي
وأضاف المسؤول اللبناني إن ضغوطاً عالية المستوى مارستها كل من واشنطن والرياض بحيث تراجع المتهمون عن إفاداتهم وهم أعضاء المجموعة الأصولية التي سبق أن تحدث عنها الإعلام والمعروفة بمجموعة الـ «13».ويؤكد المسؤول اللبناني الكبير أن عضو لجنة التحقيق الدولية الذي نقل إليه المعلومات تربطه به علاقة قديمة تعود إلى ترؤس المحقق الألماني ديتلف ميليس لجنة التحقيق. وقد سبق أن أطلعه على معلومات تبين فيما بعد أنها كانت دائماً صحيحة. وقد زوده بمخطط يكشف كيفية تنفيذ عملية الاغتيال وتوزع المنفذين بحيث تبين أن الشخص الذي كان يقود السيارة اليابانية المستخدمة بعملية الاغتيال لم يكن يعلم بعملية الاغتيال وأن الشخص الذي قام بتفجيرها عن بعد كان موجوداً في شارع مونرو قرب ساحة الجريمة.وعن خلفية عملية اغتيال الحريري يؤكد عضو لجنة التحقيق الدولية أن الرئيس الحريري رفض السماح بإدخال مجموعات من السلفيين المتطرفين إلى لبنان بناء على طلب الأمير بندر بن سلطان بهدف اغتيال السيد حسن نصر الله بذريعة خلق توازن أمني وعسكري مع الشيعة. لكن الرئيس الحريري رفض الطلب واعتبره يؤدي إلى فتنة مذهبية مرفوضة ويقدم خدمة مجانية لإسرائيل.عندئذ استبدل الأمير بندر خطته وعمل على تنفيذ خطة بديلة بالتنسيق مع المخابرات الإسرائيلية تحقق الغاية نفسها بوساطة اغتيال الرئيس رفيق الحريري. وقد تم تنفيذ العملية بوساطة مجموعة أصولية تم توقيف عدد من أعضائها في حين تمكن رئيس فرع المعلومات في لبنان المقدم وسام حسن من تهريب أحد أعضائها المشاركين في الجريمة وهو خالد طه (قائد المجموعة والرابط بين أفراد المجموعة الـ 13) بهدف تغطية الفاعل الحقيقي وتضليل التحقيق، وأفادت معلومات غير مؤكدة أن طه تم اغتياله ودفنه في بيروت وأن القاضي بيلمار أصبح على علم بالأمر.وزار بيلمار مؤخراً المملكة السعودية مرتين بحثاً عن معلومات حول خالد طه والانتحاري المفترض في عملية اغتيال الحريري الذي أظهرت فحوصات DNA أنه كان يعيش في منطقة صحراوية.يذكر أن رئيس فرع المعلومات في لبنان المقدم وسام حسن هو الذي تولى مسؤولية فبركة الشهود بالتنسيق مع بندر بن سلطان وهذا ما أكده أكثر من مسؤول لبناني وعدد من الشهود الذين كشفوا أسرار آلية استخدامهم لتوجيه التحقيق باتجاه سورية.والمعروف أن القاضي بيلمار شديد التكتم تجاه التحقيق إلا أن هذا لم يمنع أجهزة الاستخبارات الأميركية والسعودية من العمل على إخفاء الأدلة وتضليل التحقيق مستخدمة المال والنفوذ في لبنان، وأوضح المصدر لـ «الوطن» أن بيلمار أصبح على دراية بالضغوط التي تمارسها الأجهزة الأمنية الأميركية والسعودية وآلية تحريف الاعترافات وأن الأيام القليلة المقبلة قد تشهد إجراءات جديدة لإعادة تصويب التحقيق نحو الحقيقة التي باتت معروفة في كل أرجاء العالم وفي المملكة ذاتها حيث يقال إن الملك عبد اللـه بن عبد العزيز قرر عزل الأمير بندر بن سلطان من مهامه كافة مع إبقائه في منصبه لعدم إثارة مزيد من الشبهات حول دوره في عملية اغتيال الحريري وتجنب حدوث أي انشقاق داخل العائلة المالكة في السعودي
"Israel gave thought this spring to launching a strike on Iran but was told by Bush that he would support it and did not expect to change that view.."
In the Guardian, here
"..Bush's decision to refuse to offer any support for a strike on Iran appeared to be based on two factors, the sources said. One was US concern over Iran's likely retaliation, which would probably include a wave of attacks on US military and other personnel in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as on shipping in the Persian Gulf.
The other was US anxiety that Israel would not succeed in disabling Iran's nuclear facilities in a single assault even with the use of dozens of aircraft. It could not mount a series of attacks over several days without risking full-scale war. So the benefits would not outweigh the costs..."
ElBaradei: "Probe into alleged nuclear work in Syria delayed because the agency's contact man, Gen. Mohammed Sleiman's murder.."
"The UN atomic watchdog's probe into alleged illicit nuclear work in Syria has been delayed because the agency's contact man in Syria was murdered, IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei revealed Thursday..."
and LATimes, here
"...The frequently unreliable Israeli intelligence website Debka was the first to drew a similar connection between Suleiman and Syria's alleged nuclear program very shortly after its death, alleging that the official was the guy in charge of security at the Al Kibar site.
But it also didn't help the IAEA investigation that Israeli air strikes blew the site to smithereens a year ago, ElBaradei said, making it tough for inspectors to figure out what was there..."
Damascus fears deviation on peace road
Sami Moubayed in AsiaTimes, here
".....Giving substance to the "breakdown of talks" theory, which says that Livni - a former Mossad spy with plenty of old scores to settle with Syria - will call off talks with Damascus, Israel "postponed" the fifth round, which was scheduled for last week....
".....Giving substance to the "breakdown of talks" theory, which says that Livni - a former Mossad spy with plenty of old scores to settle with Syria - will call off talks with Damascus, Israel "postponed" the fifth round, which was scheduled for last week....
Meshaal also attended a reception on the occasion of the opening of a branch for the Jerusalem International Association in Damascus, at the posh Orient Club in the heart of the Syrian capital....
The Russians found a golden opportunity to express their displeasure with Israel's behavior by cuddling up to the Syrians. For their part, the Syrians used the Russia visit to send a message to Washington that Syria still had "other options" and was not desperate to mend relations with Washington, as long as President George W Bush was still in the White House.....
......these messages coming out of Damascus are part of a grand strategy, related to Syria's national interests and bargaining cards in the Middle East. They are aimed at the Bush White House, a defiant way of telling this outgoing administration, "All threats at Syria proved to be futile, and Syria continues with its foreign policy, undaunted by everything that has been coming out of Washington since 2005."
......these messages coming out of Damascus are part of a grand strategy, related to Syria's national interests and bargaining cards in the Middle East. They are aimed at the Bush White House, a defiant way of telling this outgoing administration, "All threats at Syria proved to be futile, and Syria continues with its foreign policy, undaunted by everything that has been coming out of Washington since 2005."
“You are even more gorgeous than you are on the (inaudible), ...I might hug.”
TNR, here “I am honored to meet you,” Ms. Palin said.
“You are even more gorgeous than you are on the (inaudible),” Mr. Zardari
said.
“You are so nice,” Ms. Palin replied. “Thank you.”
“Now I know why the whole of America is crazy about you,” Mr. Zardari
continued. At which point an aide told the two to shake hands.
“I’m supposed to pose again,” Ms. Palin said.
“If he’s insisting,” Mr. Zardari said, “I might hug.”
“You are even more gorgeous than you are on the (inaudible),” Mr. Zardari
said.
“You are so nice,” Ms. Palin replied. “Thank you.”
“Now I know why the whole of America is crazy about you,” Mr. Zardari
continued. At which point an aide told the two to shake hands.
“I’m supposed to pose again,” Ms. Palin said.
“If he’s insisting,” Mr. Zardari said, “I might hug.”
... and here, in McClatchy's "U.S., Pakistani forces exchange fire (Hugs & Gropes) along the Afghan border"
Sleiman to Bush: "Palestinian refugees' future is in their homeland, not Lebanon..."
".......Bush, in welcoming Suleiman to the White House, said he had carefully monitored the Lebanese leader's statements upon taking office and was impressed...."
Fallout of the Global Financial Turmoil in the Middle East
From Nouriel Roubini's website, (RGE) Here
"......Some suggest though, that the credit crunch could a blessing in disguise. Indeed, tighter credit could assist in placing the UAE, and the rest of the Gulf economies, on a better growth path, reducing recent overheating. While money supply growth is cooling, Credit tightening could alleviate inflationary pressures, potentially decreasing the cost of raw materials - though it could be a painful way to do so....
Lebanon: Limited investments in the US market, ample liquidity and prudent regulations placed by the Central Bank left Lebanese banks and financial institutions unaffected by the global financial crisis. Furthermore, political uncertainty has led many non-regional investors to avoid Lebanon in recent years – aside from the Lebanese diaspora who provide consistent and stabilizing inflows....
Egypt: A summer of free-fall in its equity markets may have bottomed out with a week of intense selling by foreign investors especially hedge funds, causing Egypt's benchmark index to lose almost 10% in two days, plunging to its lowest since March 2007 on Sept. 16. The market had a short-lived recovery on Sept. 17th only to take a further plunge as the market closed at the end of the week on Sept. 18th.
Adding to the current woes, the Egyptian pound, which tends to be heavily influenced by shifts in foreign equity interest in Egypt, has been taking a plunge since mid-August to reach its lowest levels in five months. Furthermore, with inflation well over 20% the pound is depreciating rapidly in real terms...."
Why some of Bush's intel professionals are now working for Obama—and how they'd reform the CIA
Laura Rosen, in MoJo, here
"...Aside from Brennan, the campaign's intelligence working group (which is coordinated by former National Security Council official Rand Beers) spans a range of national security professionals who have served in senior leadership, operational and legal positions in the National Security Council, CIA, and defense intelligence agencies, including many who served both Republican and Democratic administrations. Among them: Former CIA deputy director John McLaughlin, former senior CIA operations officers Art Brown and Jack DeVine, retired Ltn. Gen. Claudia Kennedy, retired Ltn. Gen. and former head of the Defense Human Intelligence Service Donald Kerrick, former CIA lawyer and special advisor to the CIA director Kenneth Levitt, former CIA general counsel Jeff Smith, former CIA Near East division chief Robert Richer, and former CIA officer Valerie Plame Wilson. Former CIA lawyer and Clinton-era NSC official Mary McCarthy has stepped back from her previous role coordinating the group due to private sector work demands. One participant described the group's priorities for a prospective Obama administration to me this way: "The intelligence community is a complete mess. Intelligence reform—try to fix it. Improve morale. CIA is dysfunctional. Rectify a lot of stuff that was done by executive order in secrecy, and bring more transparency. Better protection of civil liberties. Improve oversight of CIA on these activities."
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
'Future' Movement MPs: "Syrian troops mobilize for 'Legitimate reasons'..."
■ «الحشود السورية لمنع التهريب وضمانة»
وفي موقفين بارزين لنائبين من الأكثرية، وصف النائب سمير الجسر الكلام بأن الحشود السورية هي محاولة للدخول إلى لبنان، بأنه «شائعات لإخافة الناس»، وقال: «السوريون أوضحوا أنهم يخشون من عمليات تهريب، في الاتجاهين». كذلك رأى النائب مصباح الأحدب أنه كلام «غير واقعي»، موافقاً على أن الحشود «لضبط الحدود ومنع دخول الإرهابيين إلى لبنان، ونحن نؤيّد هذه الخطوة إذا كانت بهذا الهدف»، مضيفاً أن هذه الحشود «ضمانة للمجتمع الدولي بأنه لن يكون هناك دخول للسلاح إلى لبنان عبر الحدود اللبنانية ـــــ السورية».
"Jihad Prevention Act"
H. R. 6975 introduced by Mr. TANCREDO, a veteran Islamophobe (Bombing Mecca) ... How timely!
"To require aliens to attest that they will not advocate installing a Sharia law system in the United States as a condition for admission, and for other purposes."
WINEP: "..Diversification of its constituency would insulate March 14 from local criticism regarding the party's perceived Sunni domination..."
Schenker is wrong AGAIN, on the most important details. For example, Hariri's trip to Najaf (and his meeting with Sistani) went really bad for the politically handicapped Hariri. As he rambled on the legitimacy of Najaf as a "marja'iyah" as opposed to Qom ... and voiced much anti-Iranian sentiment, Sistani ushered the 'end' of the meeting. One has to wonder: who are the geniuses that advised Hariri to brandish the anti-Iranian in the presence of a Tehran "guy"? As for chipping away at Hezbollah & Amal's base ... I have this to tell Schenker: He should prepare a paper on the plethora of Sunnis chipping away (and stealthily) at Hariri's Sunni base!....
"...At present, March 14 has only a handful of Shiites who
are willing to openly support the bloc -- not surprising given Hezbollah's
intimidation of non-conforming Shiites. Diversification of its constituency
would insulate March 14 from local criticism regarding the party's perceived
Sunni domination. The addition of Shiite supporters could likewise conceivably
encourage the defection of some of Hezbollah's Christian allies....But it is possible over time to encourage political pluralism
among Lebanon's Shiites and chip away at the perception that Hezbollah speaks
for all Lebanon's Shiites. Except for the hardcore of Hezbollah supporters,
Lebanese Shiites do not possess a natural affinity for Iran and the religious
proscriptions of its leadership. Neither, would it seem, do the majority of
Iraq's Shiites. Hariri's recent meeting marks a long-overdo effort to exploit
this cavernous divergence..."
Islamophobic DVD distributed by US neo-conservatives & former Israeli diplomats... ahead of Election!
IPS/News, here, via War&Piece.
"...The Fund is currently distributing some 28 million copies of the DVD through newspaper inserts in key electoral ''swing'' states -- states like Michigan, Ohio, and Florida that, according to recent polling, could go either way in November's presidential election.
The Clarion Fund's street address as listed on the group's website and a DVD mailer for the film is apparently not a physical address, but rather a "virtual address" that goes to a post office box in New York City.
Critics allege that the movie "Obsession" is "hate propaganda" which paints Muslims as violent extremists, among other things, ..."
The Clarion Fund's street address as listed on the group's website and a DVD mailer for the film is apparently not a physical address, but rather a "virtual address" that goes to a post office box in New York City.
Critics allege that the movie "Obsession" is "hate propaganda" which paints Muslims as violent extremists, among other things, ..."
Palin: ".. that is the road..not necessarily this..not pointing fingers .. at this point ..as it’s been proposed.."
Via Matt Yglesias, CBS has leaked this bit of text:
Katie Couric: If this doesn’t pass, do you think there’s a risk of another Great Depression?
Sarah Palin: Unfortunately, that is the road that America may find itself on. Not necessarily this, as it’s been proposed, has to pass or we’re gonna find ourselves in another Great Depression. But there has to be action taken, bipartisan effort – Congress not pointing fingers at this point at … one another, but finding the solution to this, taking action and being serious about the reforms on Wall Street that are needed.
Does that answer mean anything at all?
DJEREJIAN: U.S.-Iranian relations- The diplomatic cost of not talking
Ed Djerejian, in the WashingtonTimes, here
"...The Iranians have engaged with us on Iraq, but they do not want a dialogue on Iraq alone. They seek a broader agenda of discussions where the major issues, both bilateral and regional, are on the table. Sustained engagement between the United States and Iran on key issues (e.g., Iraq, Afghanistan, Arab-Israeli peace, terrorism, support for Hezbollah and Hamas, human rights, and bilateral relations) could make real progress possible on the nuclear issue. We need to put Iran into perspective. Without question, Iran is a regional power in the Gulf and Middle East, by virtue of its size, strategic location, rich history and culture, and oil and gas resources. But Iran is not the Soviet Union, which constituted an existential strategic threat to the United States..."
How Syria's Assad Is Steering His Country out of Isolation
"...This is partly the result of the important role Damascus plays in regional politics, with its special contacts with neighbors Iraq, Israel and Turkey. But Assad also deserves some of the credit. When the spotlight he so dislikes is turned off and he embarks on discussions with the powerful in the smallest of groups, Assad no longer comes across as absentminded and wooden. Instead, he seems focused and reveals himself as a clever strategist who pursues his objectives and only suggests a willingness to be conciliatory when he has no other options..."
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
"Grim" Afghanistan Report To Be Kept Secret by US ... 'til after the elections
ABCNews, here
"US intelligence analysts are putting the final touches on a secret National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) on Afghanistan that reportedly describes the situation as "grim", but there are "no plans to declassify" any of it before the election, according to one US official familiar with the process...."
McCain’s surrogates tell WINEP "..NO to Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts & NO Israeli-Syrian peace.."
"McCain’s surrogates, Max Boot and Richard Williamson, told a gathering of the hawkish Washington Institute for Near East Policy (WINEP) in Virgina last weekend that the Republican candidate, if elected, would not become actively engaged in Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts and discourage Israeli-Syrian peace efforts, according to an important article by the Jewish Telegraphic Agency’s excellent Ron Kampeas. Consistent with my last post, Abrams’ influence on both McCain positions is apparent.
As noted by Kampeas, Williamson’s endorsement of those positions “signified how closely the McCain campaign has allied itself with neo-conservatives.” Frankly, the position of those foreign-policy realists who have endorsed McCain and who, according to the mainstream media, are supposed to be advising him — I’m thinking of James Baker or Richard Armitage as examples — is becoming increasingly untenable in this campaign."
NO ONE wants to be Israel's ambassador to Egypt
Aaaaaaaaah the "Peace Dividend" .......................Haaretz, here
High-ranking Iranian officer facing charges of trying to export US missile parts, was released from custody after a Thais denied his extradition to US
AP (Via War&Piece) : "A high-ranking Iranian air force officer facing charges of trying to export U.S. missile parts to Iran was released from custody after a Thai court denied his extradition. Jamshid Ghassemi, 57, was released after a Thai appellate court upheld rejection of the U.S. extradition request, U.S. authorities were told by Thai officials last week. "We were disappointed with the Thai court's decision," said Cynthia Brown, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok. "We believe that the law and facts supported the extradition of Mr. Ghassemi to the United States." The episode comes as the U.S. is seeking to extradite alleged Russian arms smuggler Viktor Bout, dubbed "The Merchant of Death," on charges of conspiring to kill Americans. A U.S. agent testified in a Thai court Monday that Bout is one of the world's biggest arms dealers. It also comes amid rising tensions between Washington and Tehran as Iran pursues a nuclear program in defiance of U.S. and international demands.
Ghassemi was charged in October 2006 by a federal grand jury in San Diego with conspiring to buy 12 accelerometers. The model of the Honeywell International Inc. devices he allegedly sought are for missile guidance and banned for export without permission from the State Department. The complaint says Ghassemi wired $70,000 from a bank in Romania to San Diego to pay for the devices, which were to be sent to Bucharest. He was arrested in Bangkok in November 2006 and faced up to 45 years prison if convicted of weapons export and money laundering charges. A spokesman for the Thai Foreign Ministry, Tharit Charungvat, said the court's ruling should be respected. "The decision was reached after a due court process during which every party involved was given a chance to present their cases," he said. "There was an appeal process which gave both sides another chance to present their evidence." Court documents are not public in Thailand, but a defense affidavit in Thailand obtained by The Associated Press makes several arguments for Ghassemi's release, all of them challenged by U.S. authorities.
Ghassemi's Thai attorney said that the U.S. filed extradition documents too late, that Ghassemi would be tortured in the U.S. to reveal military secrets, and that the extradition treaty between the U.S. and Thailand exempts "military" offenses. The case is unusual because the devices are far more sophisticated than typical arms trafficking cases involving Iran, which typically involve parts to replace its aging fleet of jets that the U.S. supplied before shah's fall in 1979, according to U.S. law enforcement officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the case publicly. One U.S. official said Ghassemi was a significant player because the technology he sought was so sophisticated. "They are extremely sensitive items. That's why they're so tightly controlled," the official said. U.S. officials said the parts were likely intended for Iran's Shahab short- and medium-range missiles. The case is also striking because Ghassemi was a high-ranking military officer in Iran, U.S. authorities said. [...] U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement began investigating after an agency source said he met Ghassemi about five times in Tehran to discuss buying aircraft parts for Iran and suggested shipping them from the U.S. through Dubai, South Africa or South Korea, U.S. authorities said. They said Ghassemi told the source he could pocket at least $400,000 in six months. ....
Maliki: "..Bush Tried To Delay U.S. Withdrawal To Help McCain.."
Think Progress' WonkRoom, here
"...MALIKI: Actually, the final date was really the end of 2010 and the period between the end of 2010 and the end of 2011 was for withdrawing the remaining troops from all of Iraq, but they [the Bush administration] asked for a change [in date] due to political circumstances related to the domestic situation [in the US] so it will not be said to the end of 2010 followed by one year for withdrawal but the end of 2011 as a final date. Agreement has been reached on this issue. They are willing to respond positively because they, too, are facing a critical situation..."
New realities in the Strait of Hormuz
AsiaTimes, here
"...But a new analysis suggests that the reality is actually more complicated and less sanguine than conventional wisdom suggests. It finds, "The notion that Iran could truly blockade the strait is wrong - but so too is the notion that US operations in response to any Iranian action in the area would be short and simple."
The key question is whether Iran can harass shipping enough to prompt US intervention in defense of the sea lanes. According to Caitlin Talmadge, a political science doctoral candidate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, who writes in the current issue of International Security journal, the answer, especially since the United States has long pledged to keep the strait clear, is yes...."
The key question is whether Iran can harass shipping enough to prompt US intervention in defense of the sea lanes. According to Caitlin Talmadge, a political science doctoral candidate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, who writes in the current issue of International Security journal, the answer, especially since the United States has long pledged to keep the strait clear, is yes...."
Elliott Abrams as McCain’s Top Foreign Policy Aide?
Jim Lobe has this:
"...I have it from a reliable source that Elliott Abrams, currently Deputy National Security Adviser for Global Democracy Strategy who also heads the NSC’s Near East office, is regularly briefing the McCain campaign — Randy Scheunemann appears to be the main contact — and has told friends and colleagues that he is confident that he will get a top post in a McCain administration.... If so, there can remain really very little doubt that McCain’s foreign policy will be thoroughly neo-conservative and very aggressive; a replay of Bush’s first term. After all, it was Abrams, backed by Cheney, who drove the isolation policy against Hamas (so much for democracy promotion!); it was Abrams who suggested to Israeli leaders that they extend the 2006 war with Hezbollah to Syria; it was Abrams who, for all practical purposes, undermined Rice’s efforts to get a Israel-Palestine framework agreement before Bush leaves office. Among many other things."
Monday, September 22, 2008
German Agents Maintained Contacts with Saddam's Secret Service During Iraq War
In the FA Zeitung, here via WPR
"...The fact that German BND agents were cooperating with the Iraqi secret services will not come as a surprise to those familiar with the BND's history. Already in January 2006, German intelligence expert Erich Schmidt-Eenboom noted that during the Iraq War the BND "undoubtedly maintained its very good contacts with the intelligence service of Saddam Hussein." "At the same time," Schmidt-Eenboom added, "it was under pressure, in the context of a political ice age between Washington and Berlin, not to let its contacts with the Defense Intelligence Agency completely die out" (source: Interview with the Berlin weekly Jungle World). In April 2003, moreover, the British daily The Telegraph published an Iraqi document detailing a cordial January 2002 meeting between a representative of German intelligence and Iraqi intelligence chief Tahir Jalil Habbush..."
"He's Arab. ... He's not African-American"
Bigots & Idiots of the World, Unite!
"...Rush Limbaugh baselessly asserted of Sen. Barack Obama: "Do you know he has not one shred of African-American blood?" Limbaugh continued: "He's Arab. You know, he's from Africa. He's from Arab parts of Africa. ... [H]e's not African-American. The last thing that he is is African-American."
Palin & the "Iran fear card": 'Ahmadinejad Must Be Stopped'
Palin, was scheduled to speak today at a rally at the UN to protest the appearance here of President Ahmadinejad of Iran. Her appearance was canceled .... her speech in the NYSun, here
"...Senator McCain has made a solemn commitment that I strongly endorse: Never
again will we risk another Holocaust. And this is not a wish, a request, or a
plea to Israel's enemies. This is a promise that the United States and Israel
will honor, against any enemy who cares to test us. It is John McCain's promise
and it is my promise."
"..why groups which receive US training and equipment tend to suck at fighting. Why do they have this nasty habit of abandoning their equipment..?"
"....Unfortunately, a number of journalist friends of mine who were in Georgia report that Russia's adversary, the Georgian Army, is about as brave and competent as the March 14th 'gunmen' here in Beirut were last May. Now there's no actual non-Seymour-Hersh-related evidence to suggest March 14th received U.S. training and equipment. (Although the ISF here certainly does.) So that's not where I'm going with this. I do wonder, though, why groups which receive U.S. training and equipment tend to suck at actual fighting. Why do they have this nasty habit of abandoning their equipment on the field of battle, allowing their victorious enemy to brandish it like so many trophies? Do we Americans just stink at advising? Is that it? Or do we suffer from what I call 'the Elliott Abrams Syndrome', whereby we couldn't pick a winner in a two-horse race if our lives depended on it?
....and more here below:
"....Unfortunately, Fisk is very much right that the U.S. and its NATO allies – it’s not just us plucky Yanks – are losing in Afghanistan. Nir Rosen gave me a sneak peak at his new article (which will be coming out in Rolling Stone soon) in which he embeds with the Taliban. It’s amazing. And very depressing. But just because we’re losing (badly) in Afghanistan doesn’t mean we’re going to lose in the end. Fisk’s gleeful predictions of catastrophic U.S. defeat in Iraq have turned out to be false so far. Let’s hope he’s similarly wrong about Afghanistan and can go back to his self-righteous crusade against war criminals. (Unless those self-confessed war criminals happen to be named Walid Jumblatt. On whom Mister Robert has a fairly obvious and hilarious man crush.)"
Franjieh Criticizes Sfeir, Challenges Geagea to Accept Reconciliation
"The apology made by Geagea is accepted although it was not addressed to us," Franjieh told a news conference, adding that he would deal "positively" with it.
Addressing Geagea, Franjieh said: "Let's … steer our dispute from a neutral place and election results would show who enjoys wider popularity."
He criticized Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir, calling on him to "refrain from dealing with Christians as a Canton."
Addressing Geagea, Franjieh said: "Let's … steer our dispute from a neutral place and election results would show who enjoys wider popularity."
He criticized Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir, calling on him to "refrain from dealing with Christians as a Canton."
U.S. officer: Pakistani forces aided Taliban...
It is not getting prettier ... In the Military Times, here, via War&Piece.
"...Pakistani military forces flew repeated helicopter missions into Afghanistan to resupply the Taliban during a fierce battle in June 2007, according to a Marine lieutenant colonel, who says his information is based on multiple U.S. and Afghan intelligence reports.
The revelation by Lt. Col. Chris Nash, who commanded an embedded training team in eastern Afghanistan from June 2007 to March 2008, adds a new twist to the controversy over a U.S. special operations raid into Pakistan Sept. 3..."
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Russia's NATO envoy: "... US could use Georgia as bridgehead to attack Iran.."
"This is another reason why Washington values Saakashvili's regime so highly," Rogozin said, adding that the United States had already started "active military preparations on Georgia's territory" for an invasion of Iran. "Georgia's president is ready to make his nation a virtual hostage of a risky military gamble," he said..."
Israel opposed equipping the Lebanese Army with helicopters & night vision binoculars and thermals ...
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Firm training Lebanon's ISF has had trouble elsewhere
In the DailyStar, here
"...Documents obtained by The Daily Star show that Dyncorp ( a private military contractor whose conduct during similar missions in Iraq and Afghanistan has been heavily criticized,) began recruiting for the ISF training program a year ago, targeting retired police officers in the United States for deployment to Lebanon.....
Dyncorp's operations have come under strong criticism in the past. Last year the US special inspector general for Iraq reconstruction, Stuart W. Bowen Jr., reported that he had found millions of dollars worth of accounting discrepancies with work done by the company....
Dyncorp was also mired in controversy in its Balkans operations, when a former employee took the company to court, alleging that "employees and supervisors from Dyncorp were engaging in perverse, illegal and inhumane behavior...."
Salafist websites linked with Saudi Arabia launched a barrage of attacks on Iran, Hezbollah, Hamas & PIJ ...
"...Commentators on the internet suggest that the motivation for this campaign, possibly encouraged by western agencies, is the attempt to divert Sunni Arab anger away from Israel – and to re-direct it to an alternative “enemy”, Iran and its “allies”. “Moderate” Arab leaders are concerned that the growing hostility to Israel undermines their domestic situation by exposing their support for President Abbas as tantamount to collaboration with Israel in oppressing Palestinians living in Gaza. As popular Arab hostility towards Israeli actions directed towards Gaza grows, so street anger towards these regimes rises – and the popularity of Iran, Syria, Hamas and Hezbollah increases: This makes “moderate” leaders feel vulnerable.
Commentators on Islamist sites also see this web campaign as an angry reaction to the recent political achievements of Iran, Syria and Islamist movements that have sidelined Saudi Arabia and Egypt and damaged their prestige as traditional regional leaders. President Mubarak has repeatedly warned of growing Iranian influence within the Arab sphere. The denigration campaign is perceived as part of a wider “moderate” programme to contain Iran and all those who are outside the “moderate” camp..."
The two stands of US policy, i.e. unilateralism & working with others, are pursued simultaneously as well as separately, causing strains at Op-level..
In Pakistan's, the DailyTimes, here
"Double-Speak: ...US statements from civilian and military officials regarding Pakistan often contradict each other. The typical pattern is that an American official defends military operations in the tribal areas but at the same time talks of respect for Pakistan’s sovereignty, maintaining that the US wants to work with Pakistan on countering terrorism..."
Islamabad Marriott Blast May Deepen Strains With U.S.
Bloomberg, here
``This attack will create more of a disconnect in terms of how the U.S. looks at terrorism in Pakistan and how Pakistan looks at it,'' Hassan Abbas, a former security official and now a researcher on Pakistani politics at Harvard University, said by telephone. ``The U.S. will see terrorism in Pakistan getting stronger and will think if Pakistan can't control it then they will take control of it. Pakistan will be thinking that U.S. involvement over the past years has led to this reaction,'' Abbas said...."
Rumsfeld made Condoleezza Rice cry in the White House
In the Telegraph, here
"...A new biography of Vice President Dick Cheney, called Angler after his Secret Service codename, recounts how he and Mr Rumsfeld conspired to delay the military tribunals which the president had ordered to be set up to try the terrorist suspects.
Miss Rice tried repeatedly to organise a meeting with the most senior figures in the government to discuss the tribunals, but Mr Rumsfeld twice refused to attend, sending his deputy Paul Wolfowitz instead.
Pulitzer prize winning author Barton Gellman writes: "He did not regard her as an equal and barely hid it. The opinions of her staff did not interest him."
On finding Mr Rumsfeld absent from a second meeting, CIA director George Tenet was so angry that he defied a direct order from Miss Rice to sit down and marched out of the meeting, declaring: "This is bullshit."
The book goes on: "Something happened to Rice's face, control melting away. Her eyes welled up and her next words caught in her throat. The men in the room did not know where to look.
'She started to cry,' said one of them. 'And she said - I can't remember the exact words because I was so shaken - something like: "We will talk about this again," and she turned and walked quickly out of the door.'"
Olmert to resign ... shortly
"..Olmert told the cabinet Sunday morning that he gave his blessing to his successor as Kadima leader, Tzipi Livni, and vowed to "support with all of my strength" her efforts to form a coalition government..."
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Head of PA forces, Dhiab al-Ali: "...We are in consultations with the Israelis, & ready to use force against Hamas in Gaza to reunify the homeland..."
No senior PA official close to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has ever expressed such views to the media, and especially not shortly before a Fatah delegation is set to attend talks in Cairo on a possible detente with Hamas: "There haven't yet been consultations with the Israelis on the issue," Ali said. "We hope we won't need that option - for us it's the last choice for unifying the homeland - but we must be prepared to implement it. If you want to transport forces [to Gaza] you need different weapons and different capabilities [than those currently available]. There must be Israeli, Jordanian and Egyptian agreement. But if circumstances permit then we must reunify the homeland."
CIA officials were targets of Islamabad truck bombing
Israel Army Radio, here
על-פי דיווח שהעבירו רשתות התקשורת בפקיסטן, הפיגוע הקטלני במלון הפאר בבירה, בו נהרגו לפחות 60 בני-אדם - כוון לעבר בכירי סוכנות הביון האמריקנית, ה-CIA, ששהו במקום; שעות ספורות לאחר שהכריז הנשיא הטרי על מלחמה בטרור, הונחה בסמוך למלון מכונית ובה טון חומר נפץ, שגרם לשריפה מאסיבית שאיימה להפיל את הבניין
Diplomats: NO evidence Syria site bombed by IAF was nuclear
"Diplomats say partial results of samples from a Syrian site bombed by Israel last September show nothing to back up U.S. assertions that the target was a secret nuclear reactor...Still, two of the three who spoke to The Associated Press said that IAEA officials did not expect the results from the samples still being tested to strongly contradict the first results.
All three diplomats were informed of the status of the IAEA probe but demanded anonymity because their information was confidential...."
All three diplomats were informed of the status of the IAEA probe but demanded anonymity because their information was confidential...."
"Fixing America" from the burdens of the Bush Legacy...
Taliban Thriving In Afghanistan... Total Bailout Cost $1 Trillion... Iraq Over $1 Trillion... Treasury Secretary: "Financial Security Of All Americans Depends On Our Ability To Restore Our Financial Institutions"... 4161 Soldiers Killed In Iraq... Palestinian State furthest from reality ... Tensions with Russia ... Pakistan on the brink ...
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