Thursday, October 27, 2011
"We're friends. If your friends don't give you advice, what kind of friends are they?"
"... Khalifa said his government has been alarmed by congressional opposition to the arms sale, but said that he trusts the Obama administration to judge the outcome of the commission's report fairly. He also argued that a delay in completing the arms sale would not be in the interest of regional security."What worries us is that we don't need to delay any requirement for the necessary architecture to protect the region. Bahrain is a cornerstone of that," he said. "That's what I'm talking about here and I'm finding very listening ears."..."
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
The US Government Hid–and Is Still Hiding–Manssor Arbabsiar’s 'First Docket'
"... If Arbabsiar were originally charged with something different than he was charged with on October 11–for example, if he were charged with drug charges that might put him away for hard time–it might explain why he waived Miranda rights for 12 days in a row, when he had, on 5 different occasions in his past, hired lawyers to represent him when he got in legal trouble.
Well, this filing not only confirms that an earlier complaint exists–the earlier complaint is dated September 28–but it confirms my suspicion the complaint is in an different docket that is entirely sealed.
On September 28, 2011, Magistrate Judge James C. Francis IV authorized a complaint bearing docket number 11 Mag. 2534 (“Sealed Complaint”),charging the above-listed defendant. The Sealed Complaint is attached hereto as Exhibit A.
On October 11, 2011, Magistrate Judge Michael H. Dolinger authorized an Amended Complaint (11 Mag. 2617) charging the defendant and Gholam Shakuri (“Amended Complaint”). By order of the Honorable Loretta A. Preska, dated October 11, 2011, the Sealed Complaint was ordered to remain sealed. On October 11, 2011, the defendant was presented on only the Amended Complaint.
The Government respectfully requests that the Court enter a limited unsealing order permitting the Government to produce the Sealed Complaint in redacted form to defense counsel as part of the discovery process. The Sealed Complaint would otherwise remain sealed.
First, compare the docket numbers:
First Complaint: 11-mg-2534Amended Complaint: 11-mg-2617Criminal Indictment: 11-cr-897
These are three entirely different dockets.
A search for criminal magistrate docket 11-2534 returns nothing. Which means the docket–the entire docket–is and remains sealed.
This increases the likelihood that the first complaint charges entirely different charges–such as opium charges–than the amended complaint does.
Indeed, the language of this letter appears to suggest that only Arbabsiar was charged in the first complaint. Even if this earlier complaint pertained to murder-for-hire charges, this might make sense–as I have pointed out, most of the current charges are conspiracy charges that would involve at least two defendants. But the letter suggests–by stating only that “the defendant was presented on only the Amended Complaint”–that there may be charges unique to Arbabsiar, completely unrelated charges that hang over him still–that weren’t charged because of his 12-day cooperation to implicate Shakuri.
And here’s the kicker. The government isn’t even telling Arbabsiar’s defense counsel all of what was in that first complaint. They are asking that she receive the complaint in redacted form.
So not only are they hiding the original basis of his arrest from us–US citizens and the world community, to whom the government claimed this is an international incident. But they’re hiding parts of this earlier complaint even from the public defender tasked to actually represent this guy."
Al Jazeera: "Hundreds of Thousands rally for Bashar Assad!"
'Pro-Assad demonstrators ahead of the Arab League' delegation's visit'
French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe: 'Bashar Assad is finished ...It's a matter of time!'
France/ Inter: Listen here
"... (Reuters) The European Union widened sanctions against Assad and the Syrian state after China and Russia blocked an attempt by Western powers to bring about a U.N. Security Council resolution condemning violence against protesters.
"It's true that in New York (at the United Nations) we were blocked, and that is a stain on the Security Council, which said almost nothing about this barbaric repression," Juppe said on France Inter radio.
"This will end with the fall of the regime, it is nearly unavoidable, but unfortunately it could take time because the situation is complex, because there is a risk of civil war between Syrian factions, because surrounding Arab countries do not want us to intervene."
"It is estimated that only about 40 per cent of Syrians oppose Assad..."
"...This is not to say that a NATO-led invasion could not face the Syrian forces and deal them a potentially crushing blow. But it would come with significantly higher costs. Indeed, it is estimated that only about 40 per cent of Syrians oppose the Assad regime. Thus any intervening force would contend, possibly, with 60 per cent of the population viewing such an intervention as an act of aggression. That is, 13.5 million Syrians would oppose the foreign military campaign – twice the number of all Libyans combined.Yet, the crucial difference between the decision to intervene in Libya and merely expressing diplomatic disapproval over Syria is that there is no identifiable rebel group occupying and controlling territory... There is no clear opposition force and protesters do not, under international law, have the status of belligerents – which would make further violence done to them a war crime under the International Criminal Court.
In contrast, Libya’s rebel army was able to gather support and maintain control in the second-largest city of Benghazi, prompting Col. Gadhafi to use air power against the rebels and their supporters. This move by Col. Gadhafi is what ultimately pushed NATO to impose a no-fly zone. Syria’s President has not used air strikes against his own people...
A final note on tactics: Legitimacy is seen as a trump card in any offensive campaign.
In the case of Libya, Col. Gadhafi’s statements, actions and past behaviour generated a very quick response from the international community. Not only did the UN Security Council agree to impose a no-fly zone to protect the rebels, it also voted to recommend a case of possible war crimes and crimes against humanity to The Hague. This dual action of creating a legal mandate and recommending prosecution for violation of international law gave NATO a mantle of legitimacy.
Unlike Libya, Syria can’t gain this same status. Unless Mr. al-Assad commits, with clear evidence, crimes against humanity as defined by the Rome Statutes, the ICC has no hope of jurisdiction. This is due to the fact that Syria is not a signatory to the ICC. The only other available option is for the Security Council to recommend action against the Assad regime. And this is highly unlikely given its performance earlier this month with a failed vote to impose even targeted sanctions on Syria.
Unless Western powers, and not a ragtag group of rebels, are prepared for an on-the-ground invasion, we will continue to merely deplore what the Syrian regime is doing against its people. The principle of responsibility to protect was easily invoked in Libya’s case, but it is not so easily defended in Syria’s. Politics aside, intervening in Syria would be tactically challenging."
From Qatar, Abdel Jalil asks for prolonged NATO operations
"...Speaking in Qatar, the most active Arab backer of the Western move against Gaddafi, Abdel Jalil told reporters: "We look forward to NATO continuing its operations until the end of the year." ..."
Qatar & UAE text messages to Tunisian voters: "Vote AnNahda!"
... the first number 00974 66471379 The message :
"صوتك امانة، صوت 'للنهضة'،
حزب قوي و صادق و يحفظ الامانة"
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Condoleeza Rice: 'Cheney had been dealing with the Israelis behind her back, she wrote, expressing support for continuing the war!'
"... Rice wrote that, despite this bold step by Bush, "whatever you do for peace in the Middle East, it's never enough for the Arab parties to the conflict." ...
On the Kurdish invasion plan: In spring 2002, while making preparations for a war in Iraq, the Bush administration debated a smaller-scale military intervention in Iraq's Kurdish north, to confront the threat of a biological weapons lab being run by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. (sigh) Cheney and Rumsfeld were in favor of attacking right away, while Rice and Powell were opposed. Bush decided not to attack and let the larger Iraq strategy play out.
On relations with Syria: Rice wrote that she regretted recalling the Ambassador to Syria Margaret Scobey in 2005 following the Syrian assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri. "At the time the decision seemed wise, but once she was pulled, it was hard to send her back," wrote Rice, adding that over the next few years there were several occasions when it would have been helpful to have an ambassador in Damascus....
On Cheney's double-dealing: During the Israel-Lebanon war in 2006, Rice was "practically begging" the Israelis to back off of their assault on Beirut, because she felt it was undermining the fragile government of Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora. Rice was working hard to end the conflict. Meanwhile, Cheney had been dealing with the Israelis behind her back, she wrote, expressing support for continuing the war. Rice was furious. When Cheney told Bush openly he thought the war should continue, Rice told Bush, "Do that and you are dead in the Middle East." In this case, Bush sided with Rice...."
"Alhamdulillah,..... "
"... So imagine the reaction when a little over a week ago an unusual video appeared on Islamic websites. It was of a white man with a scarf twisted over his face standing before bags of grain and piles of clothes in a desert in Somalia. In the video, he was addressing the hungry at a local feeding station. He said his name was Abu Abdulla al-Muhajir, or "the foreigner." And there was one thing U.S. officials noticed about the man almost immediately: He was speaking nearly perfect English."Alhamdulillah," or "Praise to God," he began. "We are honored and blessed to take this opportunity to send our heartfelt greetings to our brothers and sisters in Somalia, and we also take this opportunity to say we love you all for the sake of Allah, and we sincerely relate to your suffering and affliction during this testing time."
His English wasn't quite unaccented, and his word choice wasn't quite right — but it was close. ... "Al-Qaida traditionally has taken advantage of areas that are wracked by conflict, turmoil and lack of government, it is a safe haven they see to launch attacks," Brennan told reporters recently. "Somalia is one of the most challenging areas of the world because it has this internal conflict, it has such a devastating famine, and it is an area that al-Qaida has tried regularly to exploit."
Against that backdrop, it is easy to understand why the video with this mysterious English speaker talking on behalf of al-Qaida got people's attention. Intelligence officials are trying to determine who this young man is. They have done voice comparisons, taking the audio from this video and comparing it with recordings they have of foreigners they believe have joined al-Qaida.
So far there hasn't been a match. Then again, intelligence officials are asking why al-Qaida would send an English speaker to Somalia in the first place? The people he was addressing at a food station would likely only speak Somali.
So maybe, the U.S. officials say, the English-language video was aimed at the U.S...."
"It would be little trouble for Qatar & Al Jazeera to produce several programs faintly sympathetic to Israel!"
"... THE SITUATION also gives Israel an opportunity to reach out to other friendly Arab states. Qatar is a prime candidate given both its amicable relations with Israel and a desire to become the Arab world’s diplomatic kingmaker. Sensing an opportunity, Qatar spearheaded the campaign against Gadaffi knowing that a new regime would be indebted to the monarchy. Israel can enhance Qatar’s diplomatic presence while Qatar can use its influence in the Arab world to make Israel more appealing to Libya and its people.
For better or worse, Qatar has skewed Al Jazeera’s coverage to coincide with its foreign policy, and it has undoubtedly played a large role in the Arab Spring. It would be little trouble for Qatar to produce several programs faintly sympathetic to Israel and Jews, such as an expose on Libyan Jewry or a positive piece on the Arab-Israeli experience.
Israel, on the other hand, can agree to Qatar’s longstanding request that it be given a primary role in Gaza’s redevelopment. That would indicate Israel’s recognition of Qatar’s preeminence in the Arab world. A large Qatari presence in Gaza would also serve Israel’s interests because it would overshadow any attempt by Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan to draw Hamas into his sphere of influence...."
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