Selasa, 10 Januari 2012

Bombing Attacks Continue In Pakistan



Pakistan Bomb Kills 35 As Anti-Taliban Fighters Targeted -- The Telegraph

Pakistani militants detonated a car bomb in a market killing 35 people on Tuesday morning, many of them members of an anti-Taliban militia, in the most deadly attack in months.

The explosion in Jamrud, a town in the Khyber tribal region close to the border with Afghanistan, also wounded more than 60 people.

Witnesses said members of the pro-government Zakhakhel tribal militia were the target of the attack.

Insurgents linked to al-Qaeda have carried out hundreds of bombings in the country since 2007, killing tens of thousands of soldiers, police officers and civilians.

Read more ....

More News On Today's Bombing In Pakistan

Truck Bomb Kills Dozens in Pakistan
-- New York Times
Official: Marketplace blast kills at least 35 in Pakistan -- CNN
Bomb Kills 35 in NW Pakistan -- Voice of America
Dozens Killed in Bombing in Northwest Pakistan -- FOX News/AP
Bombing kills 30 in northwest Pakistan -- Washington Post
Bomb blast at bus terminal in Pakistan kills at least 29 -- L.A. Times
Deadly blast hits bus terminal in Khyber, Pakistan -- BBC

America's Space Weakness Revealed By The Problems In TheAdvanced Extremely High Frequency Satellite Program

Source: Wired

America’s Space Weakness -- David Axe, The Diplomat

On August 15, 2010, the U.S. Air Force almost lost a $2-billion communications satellite. A team of military and contract space operators eventually saved the Advanced Extremely High Frequency satellite, built by Lockheed Martin. But the rescue, admittedly an impressive technological feat, is also a window into the greatest weaknesses of the world’s leading space power, according to one space insider.

The seven-ton “AEHF-1,” part of a planned six-satellite constellation meant to support radio communication between far-flung U.S. military units, had been in orbit just one day when the problems began. The satellite started out in a highly-elliptical, temporary orbit. The plan was to use the spacecraft’s on-board engine to boost it to a permanent, geo-stationary orbit. But when the Air Force space operators at Los Angeles Air Force Base activated the engine, nothing happened. The Government Accountability Office would later blame the failure on a rag left inside a fuel line by a Lockheed worker.

Read more
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More News On How The Advanced Extremely High Frequency Satellite Was Saved

Risky rescue for crippled Air Force satellite -- Wired
The fight to save AEHF 1 produces remarkable rescue -- Space Flight Now
Fight to Save US Military Satellite Ends in Remarkable Rescue -- Space.com
The piece of cloth that nearly sank an Air Force satellite -- The Vergehttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
Space soldiers save satellite from FLAMING DEATH -- The Register

WNU Editor: An excellent post on how the Advanced Extremely High Frequency Satellite was saved is here.

Israel Preparing For The Fall Of The Syrian Government And A Flood Of Refugees

Israel Prepares To Take In Syrians If al-Assad Falls -- CNN

Jerusalem (CNN) -- In an "unprecedented" reaction to internal Arab affairs, an Israeli official said the country is getting ready to absorb fleeing Syrian Alawites if the Bashar al-Assad regime falls.

Israeli military chief of staff Benny Gantz told members of a Knesset committee that Alawites would be permitted to settle in Golan Heights, a spokesman for Knesset member Avi Dichter told CNN.

The Golan is regarded internationally as occupied territory despite Israeli governmental control. It is home to 41,000 residents -- Jewish settlers, Druze and Alawites themselves. Israel seized the territory from Syria during the 1967 Israel-Arab war, and it was eventually annexed.

Read more ....

More News On Israel Readying For The Fall Of the Assad Regime In Syria

Israel prepares for fall of Assad, Syria refugees
-- Reuters
Israeli military readying for Syrian refugees -- Boston.com/AP
Israel 'preparing to take in Syria refugees' -- AFP
Israel expects Alawite refugees from Syria -- Al Bawaba
IDF preparing to take in Syrian refugees -- YNet News
IDF Chief: Israel ready to absorb some Syria refugees once Assad falls -- Haaretz
IDF Prepares To Accept Syrian Refugees on Golan Heights -- Arutz Sheva

Turkey Believes Syria Is Heading For A Civil War



Erdogan Warns Of Syrian 'Sectarian War' -- Al Jazeera

Turkish prime minister says his country must take a leadership role to address worsening crisis on its southern border.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Turkish prime minister, has warned of a growing danger of an escalating civil war in neighbouring Syria.

Erdogan, speaking late on Monday, said the situation in Syria, where months of unrest have left thousands dead, was "heading towards a religious, sectarian, racial war, and this needs to be prevented".

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More News On Turkey Voicing It's Concerns Of A Syrian Civil War

Turkish PM warns of civil war in Syria -- Jerusalem Post/Reuters
Turkey Warns Of Civil War In Syria -- Radio Free Europe
Erdogan Warns of a Civil War in Syria -- Arutz Sheva
Syria Bound for 'Civil War,' Says Turkey's PM -- Wall Street Journal
Turkey urges 'peaceful' Syrian opposition -- AFP

Russia Shows It's Support Of The Syrian Regime

Naval personnel standing Sunday in front of the Russian aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov in the city of Tartus. Reuters

Russian Warships Pay Visit To Syrian Port -- Moscow Times

wo Russian warships arrived in Syria on Sunday, news agencies reported, a visit that will likely be seen as a show of force and a display of support for President Bashar Assad's government.

Five ships, including aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov and destroyer Admiral Chabanenko, put in at Russia's naval maintenance and supply facility in the Syrian port of Tartus, Interfax said.

The ships were to be on their way on Monday, a Navy spokesman was cited by the news agency as saying. Earlier reports said the vessels, part of a group of Russian ships currently in the Mediterranean, were expected to spend several days at the Tartus facility, one of the Russian Navy's few outposts abroad.

Read more ....

Update: Russian warships leave Syrian port of Tartus -- RIA Novosti

My Comment: Russia is making their loyalties well known. But .... if the rebels should succeed in overthrowing the Assad regime .... they are not going to forget what Russia did during this rebellion.

Civil War In Syria -- News Updates January 10, 2011



Syrian Leader Vows ‘Iron Fist’ To Crush ‘Conspiracy’ -- New York Times

BEIRUT — In his first public address in months, President Bashar al-Assad of Syria lashed out on Tuesday at the Arab League for isolating his country, mocked Syrian rebels as traitors and vowed to subdue what he said was a foreign-backed plot against his country.

“We will defeat this conspiracy,” Mr. Assad declared in a speech that lasted nearly two hours.

The address repeated what has become a familiar refrain as Mr. Assad, as he faces his greatest challenge in more than 11 years of authoritarian rule. He pledged to crush what he has cast as terrorism and sabotage, while offering somewhat vague promises of reform. The tenor of his remarks, and his seeming show of confidence, underscored the irreconcilable nature of Syria’s crisis, which pits a protest movement demanding that Mr. Assad leave office against a government that rarely acknowledges their grievances.

Read more ....

More News On Syria

Syria's Assad vows 'iron hand' against opponents -- AP
Syria's Assad Vows to Retain Power -- Wall Street Journal
Syria's Assad vows 'iron fist' to crush uprising -- CBC
Syria’s Assad Says Conspiracies Visible, Vows to Keep Power -- Bloomberg Businessweek
Syria's Bashar al-Assad blames 'foreign conspiracy' -- BBC
Syria's Assad vows to crush 'terrorism' with iron fist -- AFP
Syria’s Assad vows ‘iron fist’ against opposition -- Washington Post
Syria's Assad vows "iron fist," mocks Arab League -- Times of India
Syria's Assad says victory is close -- UPI
Syria: Bashar al-Assad 'there is no order to shoot civilians' -- The Telegraph
Syria's Assad, in rare speech, claims victory is nigh -- Christian Science Monitor

Defiant Assad Speech Draws Angry Reaction From Syrian Opponents
-- Voice of America
Assad speech 'incitement to violence': Syria rebels -- AFP
Syria opposition to 'expand uprising' -- YNet News
Divisions hinder Syrian opposition movement -- Daily Star

Syrian forces kill 10 people in east-activist group -- Reuters
Syria: heavy tank and sniper fire in Homs -- The Telegraph

Arab monitors restricted, targeted in Syria-UAE -- Reuters
Arab League: 11 monitors lightly hurt in Syria attack -- Reuters
Syrian monitors hindered by attacks, UAE foreign minister says -- The National
Syria says it is committed to protecting Arab monitors -- Jerusalem Post/Reuters
Arab League leader holds Syria responsible for wounded observers -- The National

Syria clerics hit out at armed rebellion, sanctions -- AFP
Syria's Muslim, Christian clerics criticize rebels, sanctions -- M&C

Violence Continues in Syria -- New York Times editorial

Afghanistan War News Updates -- January 10, 2012


10 Killed In Taliban Attack On Government Building In East Afghanistan -- Washington Post/AP

KABUL, Afghanistan — Taliban insurgents stormed a government building in eastern Afghanistan on Tuesday, setting off a firefight that killed 10 people, the Interior Ministry said, the latest sign of insurgent strength after a decade of war.

A statement said three attackers broke into a communications building in Sharan, the provincial capital, about 100 miles (160 kilometers) south of Kabul.

In the ensuing firefight two of the attackers set off their suicide bomb vests, it said. In addition to the three attackers, three policemen and four employees of the Telecommunications Ministry were killed in the attack, the statement said. Two officers and a civilian were injured.

Read more ....

More News On Afghanistan

Taliban suicide bombers attack Afghanistan government building -- Global Post
10 die as Taliban storm Afghan government building -- AP
10 killed in siege in Afghanistan -- ABC News (Australia)
Insurgents Try to Storm Afghan Government Building -- FOX News/AP
Afghanistan: Police killed in Sharan firefight -- BBC
Suicide attackers storm office in Afghan east, 7 killed -- Reuters

Combined Forces Capture Taliban Leaders in Afghanistan -- US Department of Defense
FACTBOX-Security developments in Afghanistan, Jan 10 -- Reuters
Afghan soldier turns gun on U.S. forces -- SFGate/New York Times
New attack feeds NATO worry that Afghan forces being infiltrated -- Boston Globe/New York Times
Afghan leaders develop new security plan to continue to move Afghanistan forward -- Dvids
Afghanistan airdrops surpass record levels in 2011 -- U.S. Air Force
Afghan police to control prisons, rights group concerned -- Reuters
Afganistan's Abuse Charges Surprise Washington -- NPR

Afghan official denies concessions to Taliban -- Al Jazeera
Afghan gov't: No Taliban talks until cease-fire -- CBS/AP
Afghan Govt: Cease-Fire Before Taliban Talks -- Voice of America
Afghan govt urges Taliban for a ceasefire before negotiations -- Daily Times
Afghan Peace Council to Qatar to Probe Taliban Office -- Voice of America
Afghanistan denies assigning certain provinces to Taliban -- Khaama Press
Afghan opposition urges caution in Taliban talks -- Stars and Stripes/AP
How German Diplomats Opened Channel to Taliban -- Spiegel Online

Book review: 'The Operators' goes inside war in Afghanistan
-- L.A. Times
How to Talk to the Taliban -- Michael Semple, Foreign Affairs
Karzai’s Ultimatum Complicates U.S. Exit Strategy -- New York Times

World News Briefs -- January 10, 2012



Syrian President Lashes Out In Hardline Speech Against 'Terrorist' Enemies -- The Telegraph

Syria's embattled President Bashar al-Assad has taken a confrontational stance in a televised speech, vowing to strike "terrorists with an iron fist" and offering no hint of compromise with forces ranged against him.

In his first address since June, Mr Assad engaged only marginally with accusations leveled against his regime of human rights abuses and massacres of activists.

He denied that he had ordered soldiers to fire on civilians, though he admitted they had been authorised to use force in certain circumstances.

He promised, as he has done since the uprising against his rule began in March, that there would be reforms to a more "inclusive" politics, promising a referendum on constitutional change in March.

Read more ....

MIDDLE EAST

Syria's Bashar al-Assad blames 'foreign conspiracy'. Syrian president Assad blames 'foreign conspiracies' for crisis.

Syria bound for 'civil war,' says Turkey's PM.

UN nuclear inspectors to visit Iran 'soon,' IAEA official says.

Israeli military readying for Syrian refugees.

ASIA

Dozens killed in bombing in Northwest Pakistan. Official: Marketplace blast kills at least 35 in Pakistan. Bomb kills 30 as Pakistan infighting rages.

10 die as Taliban storm Afghan government building.

North Korea to issue special pardons for prisoners. N. Korea to pardon convicts; generals back Kim.

China pledges to keep peace on Korean peninsula.

More monks die by fire in protest of Beijing.

Aung San Suu Kyi confirms run for Burmese Parliament.

AFRICA

South Sudan rampage toll may be in thousands amid threats of genocide.

Guinea Bissau President dies in France.

3 killed as Nigerians strike against end of fuel subsidy. Nigerian police shoot protester dead amid fuel demonstrations.

After calls for Mubarak's execution, lawyers return to court.

EUROPE

Clock ticking as Greece races to avoid default.

Merkel, Sarkozy press for quick Greek solution.

Renewed sparring over Scottish independence movement.

France to improve nuclear power plants' defenses following break-ins.

AMERICAS

Iran, Venezuela call U.S. a global danger.

Iran, Chavez joke about love & nukes.

Haiti pres says much to do, concedes mistakes.

Police find 15 bodies in western Mexico. Mexico bodies may be drug gang victims, police say.

TERRORISM/THE LONG WAR

Guantanamo detainees protest on anniversary.

Omani jihadist killed during fighting along Afghan-Pakistani border.

Obama’s broken promise on military detentions raises eyebrows.

Ex-US soldier charged with aiding Al Qaeda group.

ECONOMY/FINANCE/BUSINESS

Apple CEO Tim Cook could top pay list in 2011.

World's biggest super-jumbos must be GROUNDED, say engineers after cracks are found in the wings of three Airbus A380s.

Investors pay to lend Germany money.

Google admits profiting from illegal Olympic ticket ads.

Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- January 10, 2012

China's ministry spokesman Geng Yansheng, pictured said the U.S.'s new military strategy would be 'beneficial' for both countries

China Warns U.S. To 'Be Careful In Its Actions' As Nation Boosts Military Presence In Asia -- Daily Mail

* Ministry spokesman said China would 'observe' the impact of a new military strategy outlined by U.S.
* President Barack Obama last week vowed to focus on Asian security risks such as China and North Korea

China's Ministry of defence today warned the U.S. to be 'careful in its words and actions' as it made moves to strengthen its military bases across Asia.

In a statement, ministry spokesman Geng Yansheng announced China's response to the U.S.'s new military strategy developed under the Obama administration.

Read more ....

MILITARY AND INTELLIGENCE NEWS BRIEF

Vietnam prepares to better protect its S. China Sea claims -- China Post

North Korea Holds Military Rally to Vow Allegiance to New Leader -- Bloomberg Businessweek

Israel's military establishment 'begins planning for a nuclear Iran' -- The Telegraph

From 2013-2018, Vietnam will Receive a New Submarine Anually -- Defense Studies

France Plans Buying Airbus Tankers; Optimistic on Rafale Sales -- Wall Street Journal

F-35 Under Fire In Italy -- Aviation Week

Russia develops new system for Strategic Missile Forces
-- Pravda.ru

Forewarned is forearmed: Russia to set up new radar in Siberia
-- RT

Paying the Cost of Security in Iraq -- New York Times

Afghanistan airdrops surpass record levels in 2011 -- U.S. Air Force

Upgrades continue amid questions about armor’s future
-- DoD Buzz

Stunner missile development continues -- UPI

U.S. Navy Shipbuilding Update: Adding Certainty to an Uncertain Future -- Defpro

Military Sealift Command Reorganizes Operations -- Defense News

Infantry: Learning To Make The Most Of Portable Artillery
-- Strategy Page

Air Force Wants To Wear Computers (After Army Took Them Off) -- Danger Room

X-37B Might Not be Spying on China’s Space Station
-- Defense Tech

Skyline Solar breaks ground on solar power plants at two military bases
-- Mercury News

Saving Money is Key to Future Electronic Warfare -- Ares/Aviation Week

War Yields Lessons in Preventing, Treating Eye Injuries -- US Department of Defense

Navy to let ousted captain of Yokosuka-based ship to get 'honorable' retirement -- Stars and Stripes

Sexual Assaults Up At Naval Academy - Or Are They?
-- Military.com

Use Of Acupuncture By The U.S. Military To Treat Battlefield Injuries, PTSD -- Asian Scientist

Hill Questions Boeing Plant Closure; Hearings Possible
-- Aol Defense

Soldier's Ron Paul Endorsement Prompts Warning For Troops -- Military.com

Will Military Cuts Hurt Innovation? -- Inc. Wire

New Year, Same Old Pentagon: Three Takeaways from Panetta's National Security Strategy Presser -- Defpro

Major, the demining dog, dies after saving more than 200 lives
-- The Telegraph

Sanctions Taking A Toll On Iran

(Click on Image to Enlarge)

Sanctions Begin Taking A Bigger Toll On Iran -- L.A. Times

The West's strategy has sent the currency, the rial, into a tailspin and pushed inflation higher. But the risks are high.

Reporting from Washington and Tehran—
The West's campaign to punish Iran for its suspected nuclear weapons program has begun to inflict far more damage on Tehran's economy in recent weeks, spurring a new phase of a dispute that carries acute risks as well as opportunities for the United States and its allies.

Fear of potentially crippling new economic sanctions have helped send the Iranian currency into a tailspin, drive basic commodity and import prices sharply higher, and spark runs on Iranian banks.

Read more ....

My Comment: For the Iranians .... they have a clear choice. Nuclear talks or higher prices and shortages in basic staples. For the moment .... they want the higher prices and shortages. Next year .... hmmmm .... this may change.

Why Have 100 Soldiers Been In Lockdown For 6 Days At Joint Base Lewis-McChord?

Trouble: The Joint Base Lewis-McChord has been called the worst base in the country, as well as 'a base on the brink' due to criminal activity

Soldiers Remain On lockdown Over Missing Equipment -- Chicago Tribune/Reuters

SEATTLE, Jan 9 (Reuters) - Some 100 soldiers and unit leaders remained on a restricted lockdown for a sixth day at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington state on Monday while Army investigators probed the theft of sensitive optics
equipment, a base spokesman said.

The missing gear includes hundreds of night-vision goggles and missing weapons accessories worth about $630,000, said Major Chris Ophardt, a spokesman for the U.S. Army's I Corps at the base, about 9 miles south of Tacoma.

Ophardt said base confinement is an extreme measure of punishment meant to elicit information.

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More News On The Lockdown At Joint Base Lewis-McChord

Where's the gear? Infantry company confined to Lewis-McChord base -- L.A. Times
Soldiers restricted after theft of 'hundreds' of 'military-grade' items -- CNN
Stolen gear at base valued at $600,000 -- Seattle Times
About 100 soldiers restricted for theft probe -- Seattle PI
100 troops confined to barracks as military investigates missing 'sensitive' equipment -- Daily Mail

Has The U.S. Released Top Taliban Leaders From Gitmo?

The Taliban have been pressing for the release of their top leaders from Guantanamo ahead of the planned peace talks with Washington (File Photo).

US Frees Top Taliban Leaders From Gitmo -- Press TV (Iran)

The United States has reportedly released three high-ranking Taliban leaders from Guantanamo Bay Prison in return for an American soldier held by the militant group.

The move is also considered as a big concession by Washington to persuade the Taliban to the negotiating table.

The three senior Taliban leaders are reportedly on their way to Qatar despite strong opposition from Afghanistan.

Read more ....

My Comment: U.S. media have not reported a release of Taliban prisoners .... just that American officials are mulling on the idea. While all of this has been happening, Taliban and Afghan officials are now contradicting themselves on having talks .... hmmmm .... it seems no one wants to make the first move .... even though the Taliban have made it very clear that they want these prisoners released in Qatar. And as to who are these Taliban prisoners .... here is a list of who they are and why they should NOT be released.

The Chinese Want The Best

BMW 5 Series police cars are shown off at a delivery in Shanghai, China, in March 2010, in time for use during the World Expo. (Cao Zichen, ImagineChina / March 30, 2010)

China Communist Party Bureaucrats Like Their Cars High End -- L.A. Times

A remnant of a decades-old Communist Party perks system, the luxe wheels are a conspicuous target of growing public outrage over the privileges of the elite. Angry Chinese have started posting photos.

Reporting from Beijing—Even the police are driving Porsches.

Chinese officials love their cars — big, fancy, expensive cars. A chocolate-colored Bentley worth $560,000 is cruising the streets of Beijing with license plates indicating it is registered to Zhongnanhai, the Communist Party headquarters. The armed police, who handle riots and crowd control, have the same model of Bentley in blue.

And just in case it needs to go racing off to war, the Chinese army has a black Maserati that sells in China for $330,000.

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My Comment: With this mindset of wanting the best, it will only be a matter of time before the military demands (and will probably get) the best for its army/navy/air force .... that is if the public does not revolt first in stopping such a trend.

An Economic Milestone In The U.S.

Size Of U.S. Debt Is Now The Same As Its Entire Economy: $15.23 TRILLION -- Daily Mail

America's national debt has reached a worrying milestone - it is now as big as the whole of its economy.

The amount owed by the federal government to its creditors, combined with IOUs to government retirement and other schemes, now stands at $15.23 trillion.

The government estimated the value of goods and services produced by the economy in a year at $15.17trillion as of September.

Read more ....

My Comment: The American mainstream media has buried this story in the back pages. The European press has this story on the front pages. Hmmmmm .... the Europeans know why this story is important .... give a few more years, and the Americans will also know why this is important.

Senin, 09 Januari 2012

Reports Of Genocide Being Reported In South Sudan

South Sudan Rampage Toll May Be In Thousands Amid Threats Of Genocide -- McClathcy News

NAIROBI, Kenya — Threats of genocide and ethnically charged rhetoric are roiling South Sudan's Jonglei state one week after a days-long rampage by a tribal militia forced 50,000 people from their homes and may have left thousands dead.

The commissioner of Pibor County, where most of the bloodshed took place, said that 3,141 people were killed, according to an initial assessment of the attack. But officials from the United Nations and the South Sudanese government cautioned that the number was unconfirmed and may be inflated.

Read more ....

More News On The Violence In South Sudan's Jonglei State

Accounts Emerge in South Sudan of 3,000 Deaths in Ethnic Violence -- New York Times
'No evidence' of mass killings in South Sudan: UN -- AFP
South Sudan tribe kills 22 in new ethnic violence after their group targeted by rival tribe -- Washington Post/AP
South Sudan Ethnic Violence Leaves 24 Dead in Jonglei State -- Bloomberg Businessweek
Renewed South Sudan clashes kill at least 24 -- AFP
South Sudan: Murle Revenge Attack On Luo-Nuer 'Kills 60' in Jonglei's Akobo County -- AllAfrica.com
Stemming Ethnic Violence in South Sudan -- UN Dispatch
Cycle of violence plagues South Sudan -- UPI


Picture Of The Day

DIGNIFIED TRANSFER
Army soldiers transfer the remains of Army Spc. Christopher A. Patterson on Dover Air Force Base, Del., Jan. 8, 2012. Patterson was assigned to the 713th Engineer Company, Indiana National Guard. U.S. Air Force photo by Roland Balik

A Primer On The Sunni-Shiite Conflict

Image: Ali, son-in-law of Mohammad the Prophet. (Photo: Wikipedia)

Shia-Sunni: A Deadly Ancient Schism In The Islamic World -- Palash R. Ghosh, International Business Times

The revolution in the Arab World, as well as conflicts in Iran, Pakistan and elsewhere has revealed that the Muslim world is anything but a monolithic empire.

One of the gravest issues facing Islam is the seemingly insoluble battle between Sunni Muslims and those who espouse Shia Islam.

This ancient conflict has taken a deadly turn in Iraq which finds itself on the brink of a devastating sectarian war between the nation's Shia and Sunni populations.

Daniel Brumberg an associate professor at Georgetown University, and author of a book called ‘Reinventing Khomeini: The Struggle for Reform in Iran,’ told National Public Radio a few years ago:"There is definitely an emerging struggle between Sunni and Shia to define not only the pattern of local politics, but also the relationship between the Islamic world and the West."

Read more ....

My Comment:
A rather good summary and analysis on this centuries old conflict.

Venezuela's Chavez And Iran's Ahmadinejad Joke About Attacking The U.S. With Atomic Bombs

Allies: The president of Iran is visiting Latin America to drum up support against sanctions from the West

'We'll Set Our Sights On Washington': Chavez And Iran's Ahmadinejad JOKE About Attacking U.S. With 'A Big Atomic Bomb' -- Daily Mail

* 'That hill will open up and a big atomic bomb will come out'
* Meeting in Caracas comes on day Iran sentenced a man to death for allegedly spying on the country for the U.S.

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Hugo Chavez mocked the U.S. and joked about directing 'a big atomic bomb' at Washington as they met in Caracas today.

The president of Iran was visiting his Venezuelan counterpart in an attempt to rally support for his government in the face of tightening sanctions from the West.

Read more ....

My Comment: I am not laughing.

Haditha Massacre Trial Now Underway

Court-marital proceedings began in the trial of Staff Sgt. Frank Wuterich. He is charged with leading a U.S. Marine squad that killed 24 Iraqi civilians in Haditha, including unarmed women and children, in Nov. 2005. (KABC Photo)

Trial of U.S. Marine Charged in Iraqi Killings Begins -- Voice of America

Military prosecutors say a U.S. Marine at the center of the biggest criminal case against U.S. troops in the Iraq war made a series of fatal assumptions when he and his squad killed 24 Iraqi civilians, including unarmed women and children.

Opening arguments in the military trial of Staff Sergeant Frank Wuterich began Monday at Camp Pendleton in California. Wuterich has pleaded not guilty to nine counts of voluntary manslaughter and other charges in relation to the November 2005 killings.

Read more ....

More News On The Trial Of A U.S. Marine Charged In The Killing Of Iraqi Civilians

Haditha trial: Marine 'lost control' in death of 24 unarmed Iraqis -- The Telegraph
Marine accused of losing control of himself in war crime in Iraq -- Chicago Sun Times
Marine's mistakes blamed for Iraqi civilians' deaths -- AFP
Military: Marine lost control in Iraq massacre -- CBS News/AP
Court-martial opens with varying views of Marine accused in killings -- L.A. Times
Marine Staff Sergeant 'lost control' and sprayed Iraqi family with bullets, jury hears at opening of Haditha massacre trial -- Daily Mail

Will A Slimmed Down U.S. Military Force The Rest Of The World To Make Up The Difference?

U.S. service members scramble for a personnel mission on Camp Bastion, Afghanistan, Dec. 29, 2011. The service members are assigned to the 26th and the 46th Expeditionary Rescue squadrons. From initial notification, the units have 15 minutes to be airborne and must have a patient to Camp Bastion within an hour. U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. David Carbajal

Will The World Pay For A Slimmed Down US Military? -- Sean McLain, The National

Barack Obama claimed on Thursday to have seen the future of combat. He announced a new strategic vision for the US military. America will shed its "outdated Cold War-era systems", he said, and create a "leaner" fighting force that is "agile, flexible and ready for the full range of contingencies and threats".

There is just one problem: Mr Obama didn't have a choice.

He made these remarks shortly after signing the Congressional Budget Control Act, which requires large government spending cuts. Like the US defence budget, the US military is about to become smaller out of necessity, more than because of Mr Obama's vision of the future.

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My Comment: The size and effectiveness of the US military has had a pronounced impact on the military plans and strategies of other countries. As the former Soviet Union learned .... you cannot win an arms race against a country like the United States with it's enormous resources and manufacturing base. The better alternative is to find some accommodation and understanding, and to not focus on resolving conflicts with military actions.

But with the U.S. budget crisis now forcing the U.S. to downgrade it's military .... other countries are now positioning themselves to revamp their own military strategies and foreign policy goals with more monies and resources. So .... will the world end up paying for a slimmed down military? You betcha .... in fact .... we are now seeing many minor arms races in certain hot spots in the world already. (Korean peninsula, Pakistan-India, India-China, Gulf States against Iran, etc.).

Repeating History With Defense Budgets Cuts

President Barack Obama walks with Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta and Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, to brief the press at the Pentagon, Jan. 5, 2012. Obama and Panetta delivered remarks on a new defense strategy for the Defense Department going forward. Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter and the members of the Joint Chiefs and service secretaries joined them at the briefing. DOD photo by Erin A. Kirk-Cuomo

Obama’s war plan pins hopes on peace -- Rowan Scarborough, The Washington Times

Hawks cite risks, point to history

In dumping the Pentagon’s two-war strategy, President Obama is reversing a doctrine adopted by Republican and Democratic presidents, including himself.

His 2010 Quadrennial Defense Review, a congressionally mandated document that lists the armed forces’ major missions and required forces, stated that the U.S. is “maintaining the ability to prevail against two capable nation-state aggressors” in “overlapping time frames.”

But Mr. Obama’s revised strategy, on which he put his personal imprint by announcing it at the Pentagon on Thursday, discards talk of prevailing in two wars.

In fact, it says that upcoming cuts in Army and Marine Corps land forces will mean the standing army will be able to fight only one small war for a limited time. The Pentagon would have to mobilize reserves for a protracted conflict, such as the one in Afghanistan.

Read more ....

My Comment: Everyone quoted in this article are of the same mind .... this military strategy is dictated by budgetary concerns and the debt crisis. What's my take .... they are right.

No One Can Win A Future Research Arms Race

The United States wasn't able to keep the B-29 a sercret very long. Russia developed its own version within a few years. Wikipedia, public domain.

No One Can Win The Future -- Slate

It's wrong to pit U.S. and Chinese scientists against each other in a research arms race.

Almost a year ago, President Obama set a challenge in his State of the Union speech: "We need to out-innovate, out-educate, and out-build the rest of the world." He had just signed a law that ordered the Department of Commerce to write a report on American “competitiveness.” That report was released last week and claims that "elements of the U.S. economy are losing their competitive edge which may mean that future generations of Americans will not enjoy a higher standard of living."

Read more ....

My Comment: Secrets are always fleeting .... and in a world where the internet connects everyone around the world instantaneously .... forget about keeping secrets and data to oneself.

One In Three U.S. Warplanes Is Now A Robot

Photo: U.S. Air Force

Almost One In Three U.S. Warplanes Is A Robot -- Danger Room

Remember when the military actually put human beings in the cockpits of its planes? They still do, but in far fewer numbers. According to a new congressional report acquired by Danger Room, drones now account for 31 percent of all military aircraft.

To be fair, lots of those drones are tiny flying spies, like the Army’s Raven, that could never accommodate even the most diminutive pilot. (Specifically, the Army has 5,346 Ravens, making it the most numerous military drone by far.) But in 2005, only five percent of military aircraft were robots, a report by the Congressional Research Service notes. Barely seven years later, the military has 7,494 drones. Total number of old school, manned aircraft: 10,767 manned planes.

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....

My Comment: By next decade (if not sooner) this ratio will probably be reversed.

Mexican Drug Trafficker Aided By U.S. Agents To Infiltrate A Major Cocaine Supplier's Network

Harold Mauricio Poveda-Ortega, an accused Colombian drug trafficker, in custody in 2010. Reuters

U.S. Agents Aided Mexican Drug Trafficker to Infiltrate His Criminal Ring -- New York Times

WASHINGTON — American drug enforcement agents posing as money launderers secretly helped a powerful Mexican drug trafficker and his principal Colombian cocaine supplier move millions in drug proceeds around the world, as part of an effort to infiltrate and dismantle the criminal organizations wreaking havoc south of the border, according to newly obtained Mexican government documents.

The documents, part of an extradition order by the Mexican Foreign Ministry against the Colombian supplier, describe American counternarcotics agents, Mexican law enforcement officials and a Colombian informant working undercover together over several months in 2007. Together, they conducted numerous wire transfers of tens of thousands of dollars at a time, smuggled millions of dollars in bulk cash — and escorted at least one large shipment of cocaine from Ecuador to Dallas to Madrid.

Read more ....

My Comment: Another "Fast and Furious" scandal? Makes you wonder who is doing what in the US Justice Department.

What Has Been Iran's History And Treatment Of 'Spies"



Iran Sentences An American To Death: The History Of Such 'Spies' -- Christian Science Monitor

The good news is that many Americans accused of spying in Iran are eventually released. The bad news for Amir Mirzaei Hekmati is that Iranian-Americans have it rougher.

Iran announced with great fanfare today that it had sentenced the young Iranian-American Amir Mirzaei Hekmati to death for spying. Mr. Hekmati's family said he's merely returned home to visit his grandma.

While his background (he served as a translator with the US military) suggests a return to his birthplace was unwise, giving the surging tensions between the US and Iran and the Islamic Republic's tendency to arrest Iranian-Americans – if recent history is anything to go by, Mr. Hekmati probably isn't a spy. Instead, he's just become the latest pawn in a long-running game: Iran, fueled by domestic paranoia and understandable concerns about US sabotage efforts, arrests Iranian-Americans as one of the few ways to lash out at a far more powerful foreign foe.

Read more
....

My Comment: Iran has a history of arresting foreign nationals and accusing them of spying (U.S. embassy siege and occupation being a blunt example of this behavior). Usually these foreigners are kicked out of the country after a long period of time has passed, and a ransom (or some other quid pro quo) is paid. The problem with Amir Mirzaei Hekmati is that he has dual citizenship (U.S. and Iran), with the Iranians not recognizing his American connection. Will they execute him .... probably not .... but they are going to certainly milk this for all that they can.

Israel Prepares For A Nuclear Iran This Year

Israel Preparing For A Nuclear-Armed Iran: Report -- National Post/AFP

LONDON — Israel is preparing for Iran to become a nuclear power and has accepted it may happen within a year, the London Times reported on Monday citing an Israeli security report.

The Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) think-tank prepared scenarios for the day after an Iranian nuclear weapons test at the request of former Israeli ambassadors, intelligence officials and ex-military chiefs, the paper reported.

Israel has so far maintained it will do all within its power to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear capabilities, but has shifted its position following recent United Nations’ reports, according to the Times.

Read more ....


WNU Editor
: The Institute for National Security Studies website is here.

More Defense Cuts Are Coming

President Barack Obama briefs the press on a new defense strategy as Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta and Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, prepare to offer remarks at the Pentagon, Jan. 5, 2012. Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter, members of the Joint Chiefs and service secretaries participated in the briefing. DOD photo by Erin A. Kirk-Cuomo

Defense Cuts Could Be Only The Beginning -- Todd Harrison, CNN

(CNN) -- President Obama unveiled the Pentagon's new defense strategy last week, calling it a moment to "turn the page" on the past decade of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The new strategy places a greater emphasis on Asia and reduces ground forces in favor of air and sea forces. It accepts greater risks in some areas -- most notably in abandoning the policy that the United States must be able to fight two major, protracted ground wars at once. The Pentagon argues that a two-war construct does not do justice to the complexity of the current threat environment. It has to be able to adapt to a wide, complex array of global threats rather than prepare for an arbitrary number of simultaneous wars.

Read more ....

My Comment: I concur .... we have seen nothing yet. But even with all of these cuts, the US budget deficit (because of entitlements) will still run north of $1 trillion .... a situation that will all but guarantee even deeper cuts in the future.

Commentaries, Opinions, And Editorials -- January 9, 2012



The U.S.: MIA in the Mideast -- John Hannah, L.A. Times

The Obama administration's lack of strategic vision, its instinct for retreat and its complicity in the unraveling of the Mideast's security are key concerns.

During a Dec. 8 news conference, President Obama rebuked his Republican foreign policy critics: "Ask Osama bin Laden … whether I engage in appeasement," Obama fired back.

The president has a point, of course. The special forces raid to get Bin Laden deep in Pakistan was an extremely gutsy call. So too the extrajudicial death sentence that Obama imposed on U.S. citizen Anwar Awlaki in Yemen. More generally, the president has been a veritable killing machine when it comes to anti-American jihadists, escalating drone attacks tenfold against our most fanatical enemies. And for all the complaints about "leading from behind," the bottom line in Libya was indisputable: Obama said Moammar Kadafi must go, and then put U.S. military power to the task of making it so — swiftly, without quagmire and at minimal cost to the U.S.

Read more ....

Commentaries, Opinions, And Editorials

Obama’s foreign initiatives have been failures -- Jackson Diehl, Washington Post

Obama closes the book on the 9/11 era
-- David Ignatius

The risk of civil war in Iraq -- Globe and Mail editorial

What it Will Take to Intervene in Syria -- Michael Weiss, Foreign Affairs

Know Thine Enemy: China And Obama's Defense Cuts -- Paul Roderick Gregory, Forbes

Is a Chinese economic slump on the horizon? -- Robert J. Samuelson, Washington Post

Obama to Share Secrets with Russia -- Michael Rubin, Commentary

Collision of political, economic logic condemns India to rudderless rule and chronic corruption -- Ramesh Thakur, Japan Times

Haiti Can Be Rich Again -- Laurent Dubois and Deborah Jenson, New York Times

The Skyscraper Slums of Caracas: How Hugo Chávez built a squatter city in his backyard. -- Peter Wilson, Foreign Policy

How Austerity Is Killing Europe
-- Jeff Madrick, New York Review Of Books

Nuclear Disarmament, No Matter the Cost -- Mark Davis, Weekly Standard

Power Play: It's time for the U.S. to stand up to China. And cutting the Pentagon's budget isn't going to help. -- Patrick Cronin, Foreign Policy

World News Briefs -- January 9, 2012 (Evening Edition)



Iranian, Venezuelan Leaders Rebuff U.S., Joke About Bomb -- Reuters

(Reuters) - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Venezuela's Hugo Chavez lavished each other with praise on Monday, mocked U.S. disapproval and joked about having an atomic bomb at their disposal.

"Despite those arrogant people who do not wish us to be together, we will unite forever," the Iranian president told socialist leader Chavez at the start of a visit to four left-leaning Latin American nations.

Despite their geographical distance, the fiery anti-U.S. ideologues have forged increasingly close ties between their fellow OPEC nations in recent years, although concrete projects have often lagged behind the rhetoric.

Read more
....

MIDDLE EAST

At least 17 dead in 3 Iraqi car bombings. Blasts hit Shi'ite pilgrims in Iraq, 15 dead, 52 hurt.

Iran facing condemnation after sentencing US 'spy' to death. Iran imposes death sentence on U.S. man accused of spying.

Mideast governments fail to see scale of change-Amnesty.

Iran starts nuclear work in mountain bunker: diplomats.

Syrian troops fire on protesters, activists say.

Israel, Palestinians spar as peace contacts resume.

Yemen cabinet approves amnesty law for Saleh.

Iran cracks down on film industry.

ASIA

China warns U.S. to be "careful" in military refocus.

Afghan government: cease-fire before Taliban talks.

Taiwan’s opposition makes gains ahead of Presidential elections.

Taliban execute 10 more Pakistani troops. Grim exchange of bodies after Pakistan army, Taliban clash.

Tanks and guns help build the myth of Kim.

South Korea's Lee Myung-bak in China for state visit.

Catholics defy terror warning at Philippine parade.

Musharraf to return to Pakistan, contest parliamentary election.

Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim acquitted in sodomy trial.

Thirteen thousand police hunt Chinese serial killer.

New Zealand split cargo ship containers targeted by looters.

AFRICA

Salafi leader offers Egypt army a "safe exit".

Nigeria's Goodluck Jonathan: Officials back Boko Haram.

Nigeria fuel strike brings country to a halt.

Islamists in Egypt back timing of military handover.

Danes capture pirate mothership, free 14.

South Africa’s century-old ANC vows to quash internal rifts.

EUROPE

Ireland could need second bailout – top economist.

Russia to bolster missile site terrorism defenses.

Moment Polish military prosecutor SHOT himself after news conference on probe into mystery air crash that killed country's president.

Merkel, Sarkozy stress growth a priority in crisis.

Greece should quit euro unless "massive" funding given: Czech.

Cameron denies 'dictating' terms of Scottish referendum.

London looks to legacy 200 days from Olympics.

AMERICAS

Obama Chief of Staff Bill Daley to step down, serve on Obama's campaign.

Colombia Urabenos gang offers reward for killing police.

Mexico’s election draws eyes from across border.

Venezuela will not recognize World Bank ruling in Exxon case.

US expels Venezuela's Miami consul Livia Acosta Noguera.

TERRORISM/THE LONG WAR

Detainee "too dangerous to release".

Kosovo man charged in Islamist plot to attack Tampa nightclubs.

Taliban receiving Pakistan military equipment, U.S. investigation reveals .

Kenyan police close in on British woman connected to terror attacks.

Pope remembers victims of religious terrorism.

ECONOMY/FINANCE/BUSINESS

Netflix’s Internet video service debuts in UK, Ireland; expansion escalates Amazon.com rivalry.

Truffles: The most expensive food in the world.

Asia stocks drop on Eurozone worries.

TV prices just keep getting cheaper and cheaper.

Pressed by U.S., Asian countries look for ways to reduce purchases of Iranian oil.
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