Headlines for 10-30-07

Russian FM in surprise Iran trip


Russia FM blasts US over Iran sanctions Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov criticised United States sanctions against Iran as "not helpful" after meeting Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in Tehran on Tuesday.


Iranian general warns of Gulf suicide bombings ** Iranian military and political leaders have vowed never to initiate an attack but have also warned of a crushing response to any strike against its territory.


US downplays talk of Iran attack ** Cat's out of the bag.


Who's Behind the PKK? The Israeli factor is yet another angle to this story: Seymour Hersh also reported that the Israelis have taken out a rather large stake in Kurdistan, not only investing in several major business operations but also involving themselves in the training of Kurdish "commandos." Could some of these commandos possibly be PKK operatives


Bomb Iran, majority of Americans says in new poll ** The neocon propaganda blitz in the mainstream media worked (again).


China, Israel disagree on Iran Talks between China and Israel on a nuclear Iran ended in a stalemate.


Revealed: how Blair rejected Bush's offer to stay


Attacking Iran for Israel? ** The Israelis appear convinced they have extracted a promise from Bush and Cheney that they will help Israel nip Iran?s nuclear program in the bud before they leave office. Ray McGovern = former CIA official.


Stalin, Mao And ? Ahmadinejad? The American discussion about Iran has lost all connection to reality. Norman Podhoretz, the neoconservative ideologist whom Bush has consulted on this topic, has written that Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is "like Hitler ? a revolutionary whose objective is to overturn the going international system and to replace it in the fullness of time with a new order dominated by Iran and ruled by the religio-political culture of Islamofascism." For this staggering proposition Podhoretz provides not a scintilla of evidence.


Hariri: 'Evidence of fresh plot'


Israel holds war game The exercise originally was to have taken place on the Golan Heights but was relocated for fear of worrying Syria, which has been bracing for a possible war with Israel.


Middle East expert or Islamophobe? FAU speaker generates protests Critics say Pipes, considered an ally to Israel, has demonized Muslims.
"He uses the word 'terrorist' for anyone who disagrees with his position on Israel," Pipes = neocon extraordinaire.


FM: World must halt Iran nukes regardless of economic interest ** Even if it had the bomb, Iran would never be dumb enough to strike Israel. This matter is entirely about having the upper hand in the area - and Israel seeks to retain that edge, no matter the cost in American blood and treasure, because it sure the hell isn't Israel fighting in Iraq, and it won't be Israel that attacks Iran. Whose war is this?


Seizure of terror suspect funds questioned "The fact that they couldn't get a single conviction suggests that we need to rethink the process by which (Holy Land) was shut down," David Cole, a law professor at Georgetown University told the Monitor. "They were able to close it down, freeze its assets ... ultimately on the basis of secret evidence."



Amnesty International Calls for Inquiry into Reports of Looting and Abuses at Palestinian Refugee Camp in Lebanon Amnesty International submitted a letter to Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora calling for an urgent investigation into reports of looting, arson and vandalism of homes and property inside Nahr al-Bared Palestinian refugee camp since the Lebanese army regained control of the camp in September, and into continuing reports of harassment and abuse of Palestinian refugees by Lebanese army soldiers.


India to contribute 600,000 USD for rehabilitation of Palestinian refugee in Lebanon Indian today announced its decision to contribute 600,000 dollars for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of Palestinian refugee camps in Northern Lebanon.


McCain to Jewish leaders: Peace in Israel requires U.S. win in Iraq