Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Headlines for 04-26-08

Britons kidnapped in Iraq are 'held by Iran' Pretext for action?


Hawks Resurgent? some analysts believe that Petraeus' promotion to Centcom was actually engineered by Gates and Mullen not only because he is likely to enjoy exceptional influence with Bush, but also because, despite his championship by neoconservative hawks, they consider him a fellow-realist who shares the conviction that war with Iran would be a major strategic error.


Syrian President, Turkish PM meet on peace process with Israel Syrian President Bashar al-Assadon Saturday held talks with visiting Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on activation of the peace process in the Middle East.


Syria says will help Turk PM on mediation with Israel


Hizbollah builds up covert army for a new assault against Israel 'They were guerrillas during the occupation but shocked Israel in the war by standing and fighting from fixed positions. Even badly outnumbered, they held territory with minimal losses even under assault from tank units,' he says. 'Now they want to expand to make sure they can stop the next invasion before the tanks reach the flat plains of the Bekaa, where Israel's armoured units will have the advantage.'



"Farewell Israel": Myth and Reality Israel's military leaders and their political yes-men don't believe, and never have believed, that Iran, if it possessed nuclear weapons, would unleash them in a first strike against the Zionist state. The real problem for its leaders is that the moment Israel ceased to be the only nuclear-armed power in the region, would be the moment it lost its ability to impose its will on the region. And actually the world.



Evidence-based bombing by Scott Ritter While vexing, the Syrian position is totally in keeping with its treaty obligations, and so it is Syria, not Israel, that was in full conformity with international law at the time of Israel's September 6 2007 attack. A good read.


ANALYSIS-Congressional calculus triggered Syria disclosures


Intelligence on Syria delayed to avoid fight "Our first concern was to prevent conflict and broader confrontation in the Middle East," said one of the top senior intelligence officials, who held a briefing with reporters late yesterday afternoon.



Israel Might Have Many More Spies Here, Officials Say The elderly New Jersey man arrested last week on charges of spying for Israel years ago was probably still working for the Jewish state?s espionage service in tandem with another, as yet unidentified spy, former American intelligence officials say

Sunday, April 27, 2008

Headlines for 04-25-08

U.S. Weighing Readiness for Military Action Against Iran The nation's top military officer said yesterday that the Pentagon is planning for "potential military courses of action" as one of several options against Iran, criticizing what he called the Tehran government's "increasingly lethal and malign influence" in Iraq.


Iranian interference a source of growing concern: military chief
Making the case for war.


US found date-stamped Iranian weapons in Iraq: report Making the case for war.



U.N. Nuclear Watchdog In 'Milestone' Iran Deal The U.N. nuclear monitoring agency on Wednesday announced a "milestone" agreement with Iran that aims to provide answers about allegations Tehran tried to develop nuclear weapons under cover of a peaceful atomic program.


Iran reportedly says no confrontation with U.S. in Gulf Iran on Friday denied there had been any confrontation between its forces and a U.S. ship in the Gulf, Iranian media reported, after a U.S. official said a ship contracted by the U.S Military Sealift Command fired on an Iranian vessel. It was an OPEC boat, methinks. Note what happened after this 'news' came out.


Senators want oil linked to arms deal A group of senators pressed President Bush on Thursday to halt billions of dollars in sophisticated arms sales to Saudi Arabia and several other Gulf oil producers unless they agree to pump more petroleum, reflecting growing frustration in Congress over soaring energy costs. About time.


Is US Trying To Force Nuke Standoff? U.S. claims that North Korea may have assisted in developing a covert nuclear reactor in Syria could be a bid by White House hardliners to derail talks with Pyongyang and force confrontation, says CNN?s Christiane Amanpour.


Is an Attack on Iran Imminent? According to former U.N. chief weapons inspector Scott Ritter, the Pentagon has contracted for additional bunker-buster bombs and planes that carry them. Delivery is due this month.


UN targets US over delay in Syrian nuclear evidence Why did it take the CIA seven months to reveal this information to Congress? ....Is there any directevidence of North Koreans actually at the site? The photograph of the Syrian and North Korean nuclear scientists was taken at another location.....Why did Israel act unilaterally to destroy the site before IAEA inspectors had a chance to visit?


US Syria claims raise wider doubts Perhaps mindful of the mistakes of the past, the ten-minute video released by the Bush administration in an effort to prove the Syria-North Korea connection is less ambitious and more focussed. It uses still images which, it is claimed, were taken inside the facility during its construction. There is of course no independent way to verify this.
This video was, according to Haaretz, provided by ISRAEL.


Many states appear to be in recession as deficits grow Hey I know - let's attack Iran. BRILLIANT.


UPDATE 8-Oil rises to $119 on U.S., Iran tensions


Clinton stakes new ground on confronting nuclear Iran While Israeli officials and pro-Israel activists in the United States stress the need to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, many of them also share Clinton's view that Iran's theocracy may be sensitive to threats of massive military strikes and long for explicit declarations along the lines issued by the New York senator.


Syria accuses U.S. of aiding Israel in strike on nuke facility According to a report by The Washington Post on its Web site Thursday, the U.S. has video footage - which the report says was obtained by Israel - that shows that the similarities in design between the Syrian site and the North Korean nuclear reactor in Yongbyon. The key words here being - 'obtained by Israel'. We are still relying on Israel to provide us with 'intelligence', to our own detriment.


Dyer: America benefits little from its alliance with Israel


Syrian Ambassador to U.S. Says CIA Fabricated Photo Evidence of Nuclear Reactor


Syrian vows to cooperate with IAEA over US nuclear charges


Pollard's Ghost There are likely numerous others like Kadish still in prominent positions in and around the government as we speak. That's the scary part. Most are not tied to any organizations and act on their own - because they have a passionate attachment to Israel.


Israelis split on keeping Golan


Cheney camp 'behind Syrian reactor claim' "Everything I'm hearing from my own sources in Washington is that what you have now is a kind of push back by Vice-President [Dick] Cheney and his office and other hardliners who are opposed to diplomatic dealings with North Korea," he said. One more time, Israel provided us with the video.


IAEA Slams US On Syria Bombing; Will Probe Reactor Report Carefully "The Director General deplores the fact that this information was not provided to the Agency in a timely manner, in accordance with the Agency's responsibilities under the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), to enable it to verify its veracity and establish the facts," ElBaradei's office said. Additionally, "the Director General views the unilateral use of force by Israel as undermining the due process of verification that is at the heart of the non-proliferation regime," it said.


An Act Of War - Interview: Seymour Hersh Seymour Hersh, one of the world's best known investigative journalists, has turned his attention to the mysterious and controversial bombing of a Syrian facility by Israel last year.


Cluster bomb left from 2006 war wounds 4 children in S. Lebanon


Syria says nothing to hide over alleged atomic reactor Syria's UN envoy has said Damascus is "not afraid" to cooperate with the UN nuclear watchdog, which has pledged to look into whether Syria secretly built an atomic reactor with North Korean help.


Syrian Nukes: the Phantom Menace Cirincione told the BBC that "This appears to be the work of a small group of officials leaking cherry-picked, unvetted 'intelligence' to key reporters in order to promote a preexisting political agenda." The preexisting political agenda may be promoting a war with Syria and/or Iran, or torpedoing negotiations between the US and North Korea. Finally, Cirincione adds ominously "If this sounds like the run-up to the war with Iraq, then it should."



Rice to make trip to Britain, Israel, West Bank US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will travel to Britain, Israel and the West Bank for talks on Iran's nuclear program, Kosovo and Middle East peace efforts, the State Department said Friday.

Friday, April 25, 2008

Headlines for 04-24-08

VA faulted in diagnosing suicide candidates Former soldiers are killing themselves at three to seven times the rate of the general population and the Department of Veterans Affairs is failing to diagnose or treat them effectively, a suicide expert testified Tuesday in a lawsuit challenging the VA's mental health system.


Iran nuclear ambitions are major Gulf threat: NATO


Cheney camp 'behind Syrian reactor claim'


U.S. to demand Jerusalem acknowledge Kadish was an Israeli agent


Petraeus Promotion Frees Cheney to Threaten Iran Fallon's resignation announcement on March 11 was followed less than a week later by a 10-day Cheney trip to the Middle East in which the vice president talked explicitly about the military option against Iran during visits to Turkey and Saudi Arabia. That suggested that Cheney felt freer to wield the military threat to Iran with Fallon neutralized.


Iran agrees to discuss alleged nuclear weapons program


Did the Israelis Leak New Spy Info to Thwart War? Over at the American Conservative magazine?s blog, Antiwar.com columnist and former CIA officer Philip Giraldi reports that Israeli sources have indicated to him that the recent leak to the FBI about the new-old Israeli spy case came from inside the Israeli government toward the end of thwarting Ehud Olmert, Dick Cheney and the War Party?s plans to expand the Middle Eastern slaughter to Iran ? and that there are more spies to be revealed?.....The leak of the information at the present time is believed to be linked to proposed closed congressional hearings at the end of this month in which the White House had planned to use several Israeli intelligence officers to provide evidence on the alleged Syrian nuclear program that was bombed on September 6, 2007


Liberty City 6 face third terrorism trial ''I'm in disbelief they are going for a third trial,'' said the foreman, who contacted The Miami Herald after the government's announcement was reported on the paper's webpage on Wednesday. ''I'm afraid if they go for a third trial the jurors will hang or they will have the same issues we did.''


Cheney's Compulsive Obsession with Iraq WMDs & Syrian Nukes Cheney's minions are pushing Congress to sponge up Israeli intelligence assessments about purported Syria-North Korea cooperation on a now destroyed, alleged nuclear site. There are many who doubt Israel's assessments in the U.S. intelligence community


Georgetown University Terminates Douglas Feith


Israel's Air Force Chief: Iran Threat Real


Jewish leader: German firms ignoring Shoah "Business with Iran is booming, while morality is wasting away. German companies, of all things, are doing business with a country that advocates a new Holocaust," Graumann said at an event on Tuesday celebrating Israel's 60th birthday.


Spy case poses questions on size of Israeli ring Official ties are unlikely to be affected, said David Kimche, president of the Israel Council on Foreign Relations and a former senior Mossad official. "There won't be any dramatic ramifications in the sense that any sort of actions will be taken against Israel, in my opinion," Kimche said.



Foreign Ministry: Israel doesn't spy in US "I assume that the timing is not coincidental, and is aimed at sending a warning signal to the White House ? and particularly to President Bush ? that he should not dare consider releasing Pollard before he leaves office in January," Haber said.


Residents: Golan belongs to the Jewish people Heads of Israeli towns in the Golan Heights convened Thursday for an emergency meeting following reports in recent days that Prime Minister Ehud Olmert had agreed to relinquish the Golan Heights to Syria. The land was unlawfully seized in the Six Day War and subsequently colonized by Israel. It never 'belonged to the Jewish people'.


US claims North Korea helped build Syria reactor plant The video, made public last night after Congress had been briefed, is a collection of material from various sources, in addition to Israeli intelligence. Israeli intelligence? Whodda thunk it?


What's behind Kadish arrest? For now, only speculation The president?s lame-duck status has hobbled his effectiveness, and he is eager for progress in Israeli-Palestinian peace talks he helped relaunch last November in Annapolis, Md. "It's not easy trying to conduct policy in Washington when you know that there is a powerful pro-Israel constituency out there that says otherwise," said Lenny ben-David, a former Israeli diplomat and a former AIPAC staffer


Syrian president ready to talk to Israel once Bush term ends


Clinton's Iran tone 'imprudent' A BRITISH foreign minister said US Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton's threat to "totally obliterate" Iran if it attacked Israel with nuclear weapons was imprudent.


Sarkozy admits 'mistakes' during first year he vowed that as head of state he would not hold talks with the Hamas in the Palestinian territories, Iran's president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad or the Taliban militia in Afghanistan.

Thursday, April 24, 2008

Headlines for 04-23-08

Iran says IAEA nuclear talks were "positive"


U.S. Military, Critics at Odds over 'Special Groups' In the ongoing conflict in Iraq, U.S. military commanders stress that their main enemies are the so-called "Special Groups," Shiite militants who receive training and equipment from Iran. U.S. officials say the special groups are loosely connected to the militia of radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al Sadr. Critics, however, argue that the focus on special groups is part of a crafted political strategy that wholly exaggerates their role.


Gates calls Iran 'hell bent' on getting nuclear arms


Italy joins EU drive for more Iran sanctions


House Dems, Ron Paul targeted over surveillance votes New radio ads are running in districts of several Democratic members of Congress, as well as Texas Republican Rep. Ron Paul, targeting the lawmakers for their opposition to a White House-backed surveillance bill. The ads play on national security fears in an attempt to spur these lawmakers to give in to the administration's demands....The ads come from the ostensibly nonpartisan group Defense of Democracies The Defense of Democracies is a neocon 'thinktank'. Go figure.


IAEA, Iran agree on process to clarify Iran's nuclear programs


Bush: US not in recession


Japan freezes Iranian assets over nuclear activities


US 'war on terror' backfiring, says thinktank


US man 'gave secrets to Israel' A military engineer has appeared in court in the US on charges of passing classified information to Israel. Kudos to the US Justice department - score one for the good guys!


Gen. Petraeus picked to lead Mideast command Central Command, whose headquarters is at Tampa, Fla., is responsible for U.S. military operations throughout the Middle East, Central Asia and the Horn of Africa, and thus oversees the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.


Syria hands over 700 looted artifacts to Iraqi authorities Syria handed over a trove of some 700 looted artifacts to Iraq on Wednesday after seizing the items from traffickers since the U.S.-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein.


N.J. man accused of spying for Israel The Pollard case for a short time devastated U.S.-Israel relations. In its aftermath, Israel swore never to run a spy again, and Americans broadened their information sharing with Israel to keep the Israelis from temptation. Yeh, that makes sense. Reward the thieves.


Clinton warns Iran of U.S. nuclear response Clinton said it was vital that the United States create a new "security umbrella" to reassure Israel and its other allies in the region that they would not be threatened by Iran. She said she would tell them that "if you were the subject of an unprovoked nuclear attack by Iran, the United States, and hopefully our NATO allies, would respond to that."


Israel downplays US spy affair


FBI Claims a Confession in Israel Spy Case


Oil pauses for breath near $120


Israel downplays US spy affair


Israel says no spying on US since 1985 HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. Hilarious! I bet the Justice Department isn't buying it either.


Former prosecutor says new spy case shows that Pollard case was bigger than thought DiGenova says the similarities are eerie. He says it clearly indicates the case is bigger than these two.


Turning the Page on US Foreign Policy, Part 2


Ross Issues Urgent Warning on Iran The U.S. and its allies probably have no more than a year to take action against Iran before that nation acquires nuclear weapons, warns Dennis Ross, an architect of the Mideast peace process. Why? Has Iran threatened us (in the absence of any threats we've made towards them) ,ATTACKED us? NO. So, why is it our job to disarm Iran of any purported nuclear weapons? Who made it so? ISRAEL. And not coincidentally, Dennis Ross is a staunch Israel-supporter.


Report: Olmert ready to cede Golan Israel reportedly has agreed to withdraw from the Golan Heights as part of a peace deal with Syria


Al-Qaeda accuses Iran of 9/11 lie Correspondents say the comments underline al-Qaeda's increasing public hostility towards Iran.


US Takes Counterinsurgency Lessons From Israel Iraq, it seems, is surging toward Gaza.
This fact is not missed by average Iraqis..... What we are seeing in Iraq today has much less to do with the declared shift in U.S. military doctrine than with a deeper and more far-reaching "Israelization" of U.S. military strategy and tactics over the past two decades that was only heightened by America's misadventures in the Middle East after Sept. 11, 2001.



ANALYSIS: New espionage affair may be old story, but will greatly damage Israel


Turkey reassures Syria on Israel peace feelers: reports Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has assured Syria that Israel is ready to return all of the Golan Heights, reports said on Wednesday amid renewed peace feelers between the bitter foes.


Bill Kristol, great man of sacrifice, on the duties of Passover People continue to be slaughtered and Americans sent to die so that his ideological dreams of an America-dominated Middle East and an Israel unconstrained by anyone or anything can be realized. As the wars and "sacrifices" rage on, his career as a War Commentator consequently flourishes, with more appearances on Fox, more readers for the war-loving Weekly Standard, and now even a column in the New York Times, itself the by-product of nepotistic connections, from which he preaches to the little people of their need to continue to sacrifice for his wars.



Jimmy Carter Gets the Point by Philip Giraldi Carter was also lacerated by the U.S. media, which did not report the visit in detail except to criticize it. The Washington Post's neocon-dominated editorial page was the most strident, denouncing Carter for embracing Hamas' terrorists. According to the Post, Hamas engages in "deliberate targeting of civilians," such as the Israeli town of Sderot, which "suffers daily rocket attacks." The Post seems unaware of Israeli targeting of civilians when it can't find an actual "militant" to kill......It is particularly ironic that the Israelis killed 20 Palestinians on April 16, all civilians and including five children, the day on which Obama made his speech and the White House was criticizing Carter's efforts.


Study: Muslim anti-Semitism threatens Israel The study singled out Iran as a country whose anti-Semitism poses a potential threat to Israel's existence, given Tehran's supposed nuclear program. Wow. The BS being spewed forth gets ever thicker.


Al Qaeda deputy criticises Muslims for not backing insurgencies Osama bin Laden's top lieutenant also blasted Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas over their reported readiness to consider a peace deal with Israel.


Dreary verses of the Bush-Cheney years Many of Cheney's hard-line allies from the first term are gone: the discredited Rumsfeld; Paul Wolfowitz, the architect of the Iraq war; Douglas Feith; Scooter Libby. The vice president's office may be the last power center in Washington that wants war with Iran.


US to release Syria nuke details 'soon' Asked when the public would be told about what US intelligence has picked up, Defence Secretary Robert Gates would only say "soon".

Who provided the US with this 'intelligence', is the real question.


From Dec. 2001: The Fox News report on the Israeli spy ring in America


Iran seeks to block Canadian NGO Ezrin said Iran is objecting in part because the Canadian Council is not involved in anti-racism or anti-discrimination work.


Israel Sees Iran Threat Recede


Israel 'ready to return Golan'


UN chief calls for immediate presidential elections in Lebanon and disarming of Hezbollah Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called Monday for immediate presidential elections in Lebanon without foreign interference and told Syria and Iran they must support the disarmament of Hezbollah's well-armed militia.


Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Headlines for 04-21-08

Russian shipment for Iranian nuclear plant blocked


Rice joins Gulf regional meeting Ms Rice repeated calls for Arab states to open full diplomatic ties with Baghdad to counter Iranian influence in the region.


Iran dismisses Bush, Brown nuclear charges


Distressed U.S. war veterans get day in court Veterans of the U.S. wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and elsewhere who say they have systematically been denied proper medical care will get their day in federal court starting Monday in San Francisco.


Pentagon propaganda over torture and Iraq revealed The Pentagon and the US media have been exposed for using pre-programmed ?military analysts? to win hearts and minds of Americans over the war in Iraq, torture and detentions in Guantanamo Bay.


Hezbollah: U.S. claims we use terror against civilians are baseless Lebanon's Shiite Hezbollah movement on Sunday dismissed as "baseless" recent remarks made by U.S. President George W. Bush accusing the group of using terror and violence against innocent civilians.

Monday, April 21, 2008

Headlines for 04-20-08

Iran groups offering extra aid to Iraq rebels: US A US general said on Sunday that the increasingly sophisticated attacks carried out by Shiite extremists in Iraq were evidence they were getting extra aid from Iranian groups in the country. Making the case for war.


Iran fighting proxy war against U.S.? by Patrick J. Buchanan Needed now are congressional hearings to determine if President Bush has authorized a proxy war against Iran ? by funding or arming guerrillas to attack the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, and if that is what is behind the IRG-backed attacks on U.S. forces.


Iran foreign ministry backs Ahmadinejad Sept 11 doubts


Iran discloses nuclear package soon


Iranian ambassador denounces US operation in Baghdad Iran's ambassador to Iraq on Saturday denounced U.S. military operations in Baghdad's Shiite militia stronghold of Sadr City, saying they had led to the deaths of innocent people and threatened to aggravate an already tense situation.


British dealers supply arms to Iran


McCain, Iraq War and the Threat of ?Al Qaeda?


Few Clear Wins in U.S. Anti-Terror Cases Jurors appear to be particularly troubled by a controversial element in the Miami case, part of several other early prosecutions, in which FBI informants encouraged others to perform acts they otherwise may not have done.


37 Palestinian refugees fleeing Iraq fly to Chile A group of Palestinian refugees stranded on the Iraq-Syria border since 2006 flew to Chile Sunday under a resettlement plan sponsored by the Catholic Church in the South American country and the U.N. agency for refugees.



Efforts under way for Israel-Syria talks: Assad


Carter discusses Iraq, Gaza developments with Syria's Assad (Extra)


Obama Channeling Cheney Can there be any doubt that the premeditated destruction of dozens of IAEA Safeguarded facilities in Iran ? which the Likudniks again claim to be a threat to Israel ? will be anything less than cold-blooded murder of the IAEA-NPT nuke proliferation regime?

Saturday, April 19, 2008

Headlines for 04-18-08

Nearly 1 in 5 troops has mental problems after war service


Iran progress on atom centrifuges slow: IAEA


Bush and Brown Share Impatience on Iran


Iran's mission rejects US allegations of role in Iraq Iran's U.N. Mission said allegations by U.S. officials that the country is supporting the insurgency in Iraq are "unfounded" and "baseless."


Pentagon institute calls Iraq war 'a major debacle' with outcome 'in doubt' The war in Iraq has become "a major debacle" and the outcome "is in doubt" despite improvements in security from the buildup in U.S. forces, according to a highly critical study published Thursday by the Pentagon's premier military educational institute.


Report reveals Iran seized British sailors in disputed waters Fifteen British sailors and Marines were seized by Iran in internationally disputed waters and not in Iraq?s maritime territory as Parliament was told, according to new official documents released to The Times.


Brown seeks tighter Iran sanctions British Prime Minister Gordon Brown on Thursday called for tightening European sanctions on Iran over its suspect nuclear program, specifically targeting investments in liquefied natural gas.


IAEA official to fly to Tehran for more nuclear talks: spokeswoman The so-called alleged studies are the one outstanding issue that the IAEA insists still needs to be cleared up.


Oil reaches $117 for first time


Rice to shun Iran at meeting of Iraq's neighbors Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Thursday she has no plans to meet Iran's foreign minister at a conference of Iraq's neighbors next week, amid increasing U.S. complaints about Iranian support for Iraqi insurgents.


Rice says Arabs must shield Iraq from Iran's sway Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Thursday she would press Iraq's Arab neighbors hard next week to do more to support Baghdad's government and shield it from Iran's "nefarious influences."


Clinton vows 'massive' U.S. retaliation if Iran attacks Israel


http://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/Netanyahu_Warns_World_/2008/04/18/89102.html


Arrow successfully simulates intercept of mock Shihab missile Israel is talking with Boeing about manufacturing the new and improved Arrow 3. Israel hopes the U.S. Congress will approve funding for the project. US funding?


Rice marks 25th anniversary of Beirut embassy attack Rice used the commemoration to hint at Washington's accusations of interference by Syria into the affairs of neighboring Lebanon, with politicians in Beirut "afraid for their very lives" as the embattled government remains locked in a long-running standoff with the Hezbollah-led opposition.


'Iran smuggling arms into Gaza by sea' Iran has stepped up its efforts to smuggle weapons into the Gaza Strip by using floatable devices that it drops near the waters off the Gaza coast to be picked up by Palestinian fisherman, senior defense officials have told The Jerusalem Post.




Dude, Where... Is Osama bin Laden? A young Palestinian man laments that "9/11 legitimized the American presence in the Middle East" and insists that "We are fighting to make our homeland. It's none of their [al-Qaeda's] business."


Professor in Deadlocked Terrorism Case Could Face a New Indictment Sami al-Arian, a computer science professor imprisoned for more than five years after pleading guilty to a single terrorism-related charge when his trial deadlocked, is back in legal limbo this week. He faces either deportation or a new indictment that could extend his incarceration for years.


Could Israel use submarines against Iran? Anticipating a showdown with Iran, Israel decides secretly to deploy a submarine off its arch-foe's coast.


Syria and US at Odds Over Hariri Probe In asking the U.N. Security Council for an extension of the mandate of his probe, investigator Daniel Bellemare said recently that evidence pointed to a "criminal network" being responsible for the "politically motivated" killing of Hariri. The network had pre-existed Hariri's murder, Bellemare said, and it continued to exist for some period afterward.

Friday, April 18, 2008

Headlines for 04-16-08

Iran says U.S. aids rebels at its borders A series of conflicts with insurgent groups along Iran's borders may be impelling Tehran to back its own allies in Iraq in what it regards as a proxy war with the U.S., according to security experts and officials in the U.S., Iran and Iraq.


McCain vows massive pressure on Iran Normally a proponent of hawkish policies, McCain told MSNBC's "Hardball" on Tuesday that it would be difficult to convince the American people to go to war against Iran.



Iran and U.S. said to have been holding secret talks for 5 years


Oil price passes $US115 The price of New York oil has crossed $US115 a barrel for the first time after the US Government reported falling energy inventories and as the US currency hit an all-time low against the euro.


Ahmadinejad: 9/11 'suspect event' Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has described the 9/11 attacks on the Twin Towers in New York as a "suspect event" and queried the death toll.


Pentagon seeks authority to train and equip foreign militaries


Report: Netanyahu says 9/11 terror attacks good for Israel The Israeli newspaper Ma'ariv on Wednesday reported that Likud leader Benjamin Netanyahu told an audience at Bar Ilan university that the September 11, 2001 terror attacks had been beneficial for Israel. No sh@t? Never would've guessed that....


Source: U.S. Strike on Iran Nearing


U.S.: Iranian threats to 'eliminate' Israel justify int'l sanctions Iran's Deputy Chief of Staff Mohammed Rada Ashtiani was quoted earlier by the semi-official Iranian news agency Mehr as saying: "If Israel wants to take any action against the Islamic Republic, we will eliminate Israel from the scene of the universe... Our answer to any military attack against Iran will be strong."


Lawmakers Want FBI Access to Data Curbed


US national security advisor in Israel for talks on Iran: radio Stewart Tuttle, the spokesman for the US embassy, said Hadley's talks with top Israeli officials would cover "issues of mutual interest, and a good guess is these will include Iran." Hadley is a neocon.


How the War Party Captured the Right The domination of the American Right by the neoconservatives has hung the Iraq albatross around the GOP's neck, and the party is now in danger of being strangled by the sheer weight of the burden


PM: Iran will not be nuclear


Poll: 82% of American Christians support Israel A new survey conducted by a Washington DC-based evangelical organization among American Christians has found that 82% of them believe they have a moral obligation to support the Jews and Israel. The poll, conducted among Catholics and Protestants alike, tested their stance on Jerusalem's future and ways to deal with the Iranian nuclear threat.


Tough New Iran Sanctions Could Backfire, Experts Warn As Washington tries to bolster international cooperation over how to deal with Iran's nuclear program, the domestic push for congressionally mandated sanctions has been spearheaded by lobby groups such as the Israel Project, the neoconservative think-tank Center for Security Policy (CSP), and the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC).


Attitudes Toward US Worsen in Arab World The new survey also found that fears regarding both U.S. and Israeli designs in the region have also increased over the past 17 months, despite the length of time that has passed since the summer 2006 Israel-Hezbollah war, which inflamed anti-Israeli and anti-Western opinion throughout the region.


Israel says Syria arming Hezbollah despite UN resolution


Hezbollah denies report of planning to launch war inside Israel


New Group Using Web to Counter AIPAC While a broad spectrum of Jewish and pro-Israel groups continue to support the Bush administration?s efforts to isolate Iran diplomatically, J Street is putting diplomacy with Iran near the top of its agenda ? a decision that could ultimately produce more controversy than its lobbying for a stronger Israeli-Palestinian peace process

Headlines for 04-16-08

Iran says U.S. aids rebels at its borders A series of conflicts with insurgent groups along Iran's borders may be impelling Tehran to back its own allies in Iraq in what it regards as a proxy war with the U.S., according to security experts and officials in the U.S., Iran and Iraq.


McCain vows massive pressure on Iran Normally a proponent of hawkish policies, McCain told MSNBC's "Hardball" on Tuesday that it would be difficult to convince the American people to go to war against Iran.



Iran and U.S. said to have been holding secret talks for 5 years


Oil price passes $US115 The price of New York oil has crossed $US115 a barrel for the first time after the US Government reported falling energy inventories and as the US currency hit an all-time low against the euro.


Ahmadinejad: 9/11 'suspect event' Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has described the 9/11 attacks on the Twin Towers in New York as a "suspect event" and queried the death toll.


Pentagon seeks authority to train and equip foreign militaries


Report: Netanyahu says 9/11 terror attacks good for Israel The Israeli newspaper Ma'ariv on Wednesday reported that Likud leader Benjamin Netanyahu told an audience at Bar Ilan university that the September 11, 2001 terror attacks had been beneficial for Israel. No sh@t? Never would've guessed that....


Source: U.S. Strike on Iran Nearing


U.S.: Iranian threats to 'eliminate' Israel justify int'l sanctions Iran's Deputy Chief of Staff Mohammed Rada Ashtiani was quoted earlier by the semi-official Iranian news agency Mehr as saying: "If Israel wants to take any action against the Islamic Republic, we will eliminate Israel from the scene of the universe... Our answer to any military attack against Iran will be strong."


Lawmakers Want FBI Access to Data Curbed


US national security advisor in Israel for talks on Iran: radio Stewart Tuttle, the spokesman for the US embassy, said Hadley's talks with top Israeli officials would cover "issues of mutual interest, and a good guess is these will include Iran." Hadley is a neocon.


How the War Party Captured the Right The domination of the American Right by the neoconservatives has hung the Iraq albatross around the GOP's neck, and the party is now in danger of being strangled by the sheer weight of the burden


PM: Iran will not be nuclear


Poll: 82% of American Christians support Israel A new survey conducted by a Washington DC-based evangelical organization among American Christians has found that 82% of them believe they have a moral obligation to support the Jews and Israel. The poll, conducted among Catholics and Protestants alike, tested their stance on Jerusalem's future and ways to deal with the Iranian nuclear threat.


Tough New Iran Sanctions Could Backfire, Experts Warn As Washington tries to bolster international cooperation over how to deal with Iran's nuclear program, the domestic push for congressionally mandated sanctions has been spearheaded by lobby groups such as the Israel Project, the neoconservative think-tank Center for Security Policy (CSP), and the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC).


Attitudes Toward US Worsen in Arab World The new survey also found that fears regarding both U.S. and Israeli designs in the region have also increased over the past 17 months, despite the length of time that has passed since the summer 2006 Israel-Hezbollah war, which inflamed anti-Israeli and anti-Western opinion throughout the region.


Israel says Syria arming Hezbollah despite UN resolution


Hezbollah denies report of planning to launch war inside Israel


New Group Using Web to Counter AIPAC While a broad spectrum of Jewish and pro-Israel groups continue to support the Bush administration?s efforts to isolate Iran diplomatically, J Street is putting diplomacy with Iran near the top of its agenda ? a decision that could ultimately produce more controversy than its lobbying for a stronger Israeli-Palestinian peace process

Thursday, April 17, 2008

Headlines for 04-14-08

Iran - The New Motivation for US War in Iraq The US rationale for war in Iraq has morphed from ousting strongman Saddam Hussein, to countering Al-Qaeda militants to its latest incarnation ? facing down what officials in President George W. Bush?s administration call the Iranian ?threat?.


US and Iran holding 'secret' talks on nuclear programme


IAEA, Iran meeting abruptly canceled


Livni to tell Gulf leaders in Qatar: Iran the threat, not Israel


Iraq, U.S. to pressure Iran with diplomacy, force Iraq is prepared to pressure Iran diplomatically to stop supporting violence, while the United States helps the military effort to halt aid to "surrogate" forces, the White House national security adviser said Sunday.


Iran top nuclear official to meet ElBaradei-IRNA A top Iranian official will discuss his country's disputed nuclear programme with the U.N. atomic watchdog boss Mohamed ElBaradei in Vienna this week, the official IRNA news agency reported on Saturday.


Israel hopes for Arab consenus on Iran nuclear drive Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni will visit Qatar for the first time on Sunday and hopes there is a chance to build a consensus among Arab nations against Iran's nuclear ambitions, which worry many Gulf states.


Kurd rebels threaten to attack Iran A Kurdish rebel group based in northern Iraq threatened on Sunday to launch bomb attacks inside Iran if Tehran fails to halt anti-Kurdish policies in the Islamic country.


McCain seeking to assure Americans, "I detest war"


Hizbullah militants regroup amid war jitters Over the past few weeks, military activity on both sides of the border has contributed to war jitters as both Israel and Hizbullah are seemingly poised to strike.


Arab world sees U.S. in poor light: poll


Israel fears US will sell F-35 to Saudis while this could pose a major challenge for the IDF, defense officials told the Post on Sunday it also presented Israel with a unique opportunity to ask the Americans for new advanced technology that would not be sold to the Saudis, to enable Israel to retain its qualitative edge in the region.


Hamas and Syria must be included in peace deal: Carter


Brief incursion by Israeli soldiers into Lebanon: army "A group of five Israeli soldiers on Sunday evening entered 150 metres (yards) inside the area of al-Shaal, east of Kfar Shouba (in southeastern Lebanon) and remained in the area for 10 minutes before leaving," an army statement said.


Arab world sees U.S. in poor light: poll In contrast to U.S. government views, most Arabs did not see Iran as a major threat and 67 percent considered Tehran had the right to a nuclear program.


Israel fears Iran may ship Hezbollah arms via Beirut port Israel is concerned that Iran might start moving weapons to Hezbollah by means of ships that anchor in the Beirut port, government sources in Jerusalem said


US to send $7.2 mln worth of military equipment


Israel to connect to US missle early warning system: report The United States has agreed to connect Israel to its ballistic missile early warning system to warn of any missile attack from archfoe Iran, a senior Israeli defence official said on Monday.


Israel can stand up for itself Washington's performance should concern anyone who cares about long-term U.S. influence in the Islamic world. But for Israel (and Israel's supporters), this is an urgent problem. It is Israel, after all, that has been set by the Iranian leadership as the target for annihilation.

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Headlines for 04-12-08

Iran cleric rejects Bush's accusations on Iraq


Navy ship encounters Iranian boat The USS Typhoon tried unsuccessfully to establish radio contact with the Iranian boat after it came within an estimated 200 yards of the Typhoon on Thursday, outside Iranian territorial waters. A Navy official said the ship then fired the flare and continued on its way without incident.


U.S. sceptical about Iranian nuclear advances Gregory Schulte, U.S. ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency, the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog, told reporters they should take "with a grain of salt" comments by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Tuesday.


Report: Iran says Gulf encounter with US not confrontational There has been no confrontation between Iran and United States in the Persian Gulf, official news agency IRNA reported Friday.


More Americans Want to End Iraq War Next Year


Powell: Troops in Iraq must be reduced Former Secretary of State Colin Powell said Thursday that President Bush's successor will have to come to grips with the reality that the United States cannot continue to keep such large numbers of troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.




Crocker: Room at the table for Iran The United States would enter trilateral talks with Iraq and Iran if the Iraqis wanted a round of security talks, the top U.S. diplomat in Iraq said.


Bush says no plans to attack Iran: interview "The message to the Iranians is: we will bring you to justice if you continue to try to infiltrate, send your agents or send surrogates to bring harm to our troops and/or the Iraqi citizens," he said.


Spy photos 'show Iran missile site'


New Iran incentives, sanctions unlikely now -Rice


Gates: Iran boosts support for militias Making the case for war.


Cheney on the Warpath Again? Cheney also notably refused to comment about any recent conversations he may have had with Israeli leaders about the possibility of their bombing Iranian nuclear facilities. Some observers suspect Cheney of encouraging Israel to attack Iran as a proxy.


Cheney cold-shouldered Dick Cheney's belligerence and aggressive anti-Iran rhetoric is driving Arab nations into the arms of Russia



Hadley: Iran a Threat in Iraq With al-Qaida's influence diminishing in Iraq, U.S. troops have much work to do in stemming Iranian support for militias, President Bush's national security adviser said Sunday.


US confrontation with Iran unlikely in Iraq: US defense secretary


Iran-UN nuclear talks postponed A meeting between Iran's chief nuclear negotiator and the head of the UN's nuclear watchdog agency has been postponed, Iranian media have said.




It's Occupation, Not War by Charley Reese As for al-Qaeda, it has been virtually wiped out in Iraq ? not by us, but by Sunni tribesmen who turned against it because of its murderous fanaticism. McCain keeps confusing al-Qaeda with Shia and trying to link it to Iran, but al-Qaeda is a fundamentalist Sunni group way outside the mainstream of Islam.


Al-Assad immunity proposal rejected Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice yesterday rejected suggestions to offer Syrian President Bashar al-Assad immunity in a U.N. probe into the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri in exchange for his help in reining in the militant groups Hezbollah and Hamas.


Iranian, Lebanese officials to skip Doha Forum over Livni's participation


History brings tourists to Syria Syria has become increasingly popular as a holiday destination in recent years with annual growth in visitor numbers of up to 15%, double what it witnessed in the 1990s.

Saturday, April 12, 2008

Headlines for 04-10-08

Petraeus points to war with Iran by Patrick J. Buchanan Ever since President Nouri al-Maliki ordered the attacks in Basra on the Mahdi Army, Gen. David Petraeus has been laying the predicate for U.S. air strikes on Iran and a wider war in the Middle East.....Israel has been hurling invective at Iran and conducting security drills to prepare its population for rocket barrages worse than those Hezbollah delivered in the Lebanon War. Adm. William "Fox" Fallon, the Central Command head who opposed war with Iran, has been removed.



Iran and al Qaeda among greatest threats to U.S.: Bush Making the case for war. And, according to recent polls, the American sheeple are buying it up (again).


U.N. Official Calls for Study Of Neocons' Role in 9/11 A new U.N. Human Rights Council official assigned to monitor Israel is calling for an official commission to study the role neoconservatives may have played in the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.


Iran says installing 6,000 centrifuges President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Tuesday Iran has begun installing 6,000 new centrifuges at its uranium enrichment plant, in a new snub to the West which fears Tehran is trying to build nuclear weapons.


Secret US plan for military future in Iraq A confidential draft agreement covering the future of US forces in Iraq, passed to the Guardian, shows that provision is being made for an open-ended military presence in the country.


Petraeus says withdrawal from Iraq would drive up gas prices


US-Iran conflict likely to deepen As the Bush administration draws closer to the end of its tenure in office, the prospect of a US military strike against Iran is increasing, partly caused by the serious misjudgment of each other's strategies.


Lieberman, Bennett, And Kristol See Petraeus Hearing As ?An Argument? For ?Going Into Iran?»


McCain won't rule out pre-emptive war


Onward the Revolution! by Patrick J. Buchanan What threat did Saddam ever pose comparable to the cataclysm McCain says we face if we pull out? Who, Senator, put American on the horns of so horrible a dilemma?


U.N. Official Urged Commission To Study Neocon Role in 9/11 "It is possibly true that especially the neoconservatives thought there was a situation in the country and in the world where something had to happen to wake up the American people. Whether they are innocent about the contention that they made that something happen or not, I don?t think we can answer definitively at this point. All we can say is there is a lot of grounds for suspicion, there should be an official investigation of the sort the 9/11 commission did not engage in and that the failure to do these things is cheating the American people and in some sense the people of the world of a greater confidence in what really happened than they presently possess."


Endless Enemies


Petraeus Says Iranian-Backed Groups Are Greatest Threat to Iraq Shiite militia groups backed by Iran are the greatest long-term threat to Iraq's stability, according to Army General David Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq.


2 Camps Trying to Influence McCain on Foreign Policy now one component of the fractious Republican Party foreign policy establishment ? the so-called pragmatists, some of whom have come to view the Iraq war or its execution as a mistake ? is expressing concern that Mr. McCain might be coming under increased influence from a competing camp, the neoconservatives, whose thinking dominated President Bush?s first term and played a pivotal role in building the case for war.


Documents prove FBI has national eavesdropping program that tracks IMs, emails and cell phones The Federal Bureau of Investigation has been routinely monitoring the e-mails, instant messages and cell phone calls of suspects across the United States -- and has done so, in many cases, without the approval of a court.


Iran FM backs Yemen effort to broker Fatah-Hamas thaw


Netanyahu: 'We won't be able to deter nuclear Iran' "Nothing will stop the Iranians - not the use of force and not a fear of being hit in retaliation," he said, adding that "every Israeli withdrawal from territories it controls leaves room for Iranian terror to enter." Riiight.


UN troops erect barbed wire on Lebanon-Israel border UN peacekeepers in Lebanon began on Friday erecting a barbed-wire fence along the border with Israel to prevent breaches of the "Blue Line" aimed at keeping peace between the two neighbours


Barak: We have our eyes on Syria, Lebanon

Thursday, April 10, 2008

Headlines for 04-08-08

Iran 'installing new centrifuges'


Report: US no closer to Iraq goals


Iran says US requests more Iraq talks Iran announced on Monday that it had received a "request" from its arch-foe the United States to hold a fourth round of talks on security in Iraq.


Iran signals backing for Iraqi PM in crackdown Iran voiced support on Monday for Iraq's prime minister in a crackdown on a Shi'ite militia but blamed U.S. forces for civilian deaths in the fighting.


Ahmadinejad: US used September 11 as 'pretext' for invasions


Greenspan says US in recession


US veterans have mental health problems: study US military leaders are reported to be concerned by a survey which shows that soldiers who have been sent to Iraq three or four times suffer from mental health problems such as anxiety, depression or acute stress.


Iran condemns Iraq Green Zone attacks Iran's Foreign Ministry on Tuesday condemned for the first time rocket and mortar attacks against the U.S.-controlled Green Zone in Baghdad by supporters of anti-American Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr.


Iran signals willingness to talk with US Iran says it's willing to enter another round of talks with the U.S. over security in Iraq.


Blackwater contract renewal sparks anger in Iraq Iraqis have expressed anger at news the United States has renewed the contract of Blackwater, a private security firm blamed for killing up to 17 people in a shooting incident last year.


Bush urged to focus terror fight on Afghanistan, Pakistan


Caveat Emptor: Buy McCain, Get Kagan and Woolsey he has chosen his advisers from the ranks of the neocons who conspired using falsehood and fear to hoodwink the U.S. into invading Iraq


Petraeus Testimony to Defend False 'Proxy War' Line A key objective of the congressional testimony by Gen. David Petraeus this week will be to defend the George W. Bush administration's strategic political line that it is fighting an Iranian "proxy war" in Iraq.


Israel warns Iran ahead of 'routine' emergency drill "An Iranian attack will lead to a harsh retaliation by Israel, which will lead to the destruction of the Iranian nation," Ben Eliezer said, pointing out that Iran "will not attack Israel so quickly because they understand the ramifications."


Israeli ministers tested in massive attack scenario Israeli ministers on Monday were to test their response to the scenario of simultaneous attacks from Syria, Lebanon and the Gaza Strip as part of a major home front defence drill.


The Barr Factor


Obama Meets The Lobby by Philip Giraldi To be sure, Obama has had to run the gauntlet of the Israel-firsters, imitating every other candidate but Ron Paul and Dennis Kucinich in swearing fealty to Tel Aviv's politicians and policies no matter what impact they have on the national interest of the United States.


Hizbullah: IDF preparing for new war


An Evangelical at Armageddon Hagee's remarks, however, have certainly endeared him to Israel's hawks. Ex-Premier and Likud leader Benjamin Netanyahu spoke at Hagee's rally in Jerusalem, calling the American Christian Zionists Israel's best friends.


Israel concerned N. Korean nuclear know-how, material has reached Iran The United States and Israel seek to pressure North Korea to cease its nuclear cooperation with Iran, which is one of the motives behind their agreement to disclose details on the air-force strike in Syria last September.



Swiss reject terror sponsor charge by US Jewish group Switzerland rejected accusations on Tuesday by the U.S.-based Anti-Defamation League (ADL) that it could be financing terrorism after a Swiss company clinched a multi-billion euro (dollar) deal to buy natural gas from Iran.


U.N. investigator wants more time in Hariri probe


Newspaper: Israeli drill delays Mugniyah report Publication of this report, senior Damascus officials have indicated, could do serious damage to Syria as it would expose the involvement of Arab intelligence officials, as well as that of Syrian, Palestinian and Lebanese personnel in the Mugniyah assassination


Saudis Believed behind Mughniyeh's Murder, Report


Hizbollah turns to Iran for new weapons to wage war on Israel

Monday, April 7, 2008

Headlines for 04-06-08

Israel prepares for future war on three fronts with five-day emergency drill ISRAEL yesterday began a five-day nationwide civil defence exercise that analysts say aims to prepare the country for being bombarded by missiles in a possible future war with Syria, Hezbollah and Hamas.


Israel seeks to reassure neighbours over missile drill Prime Minister Ehud Olmert sought to reassure Syria and Lebanon on Sunday that Israel did not want a major missile attack drill to worsen tensions along its northern border.


New Blog from The American Conservative


Hezbollah to "follow closely" Israeli drill along Lebanese border


Israel, U.S. plan to release details on Syria attack The view in Washington and in Jerusalem is that publishing details of the attack will bolster Israel's deterrence and may even lead Syria to cool its close ties with Iran and North Korea.


Sunday, April 6, 2008

Headlines for 04-05-08

04-05-08 - British fear US commander is beating the drum for Iran strikes British officials gave warning yesterday that America's commander in Iraq will declare that Iran is waging war against the US-backed Baghdad government. A strong statement from General David Petraeus about Iran's intervention in Iraq could set the stage for a US attack on Iranian military facilities, according to a Whitehall assessment




04-05-08 - Russia's Putin joins NATO for unprecedented sumit


04-05-08 - UPDATE: Putin: Iran Should Be Helped, Not Threatened - AFP "No one can seriously think that Iran would dare attack the U.S.," a source in the Russian delegation at the NATO-Russia summit in Bucharest quoted Putin as telling leaders. "Instead of pushing Iran into a corner, it would be far more sensible to think together how to help Iran become more predictable and transparent."


04-05-08 - Iran helped end Iraq fighting - Iraq party adviser


04-05-08 - Feith: We invaded Iraq because we were afraid they'd attack us Wow. The BS gets ever thicker. Feith should be sitting in a 12x12 for his role in this.


04-05-08 - Gates says U.S. wants diplomacy to solve Iran disputes Governments in the Gulf are concerned that tensions between the United States and Iran could lead to a military conflict


04-05-08 - Aluminum Tubes ? The Sequel


04-05-08 - Strategic Manure by Charley Reese What are all those Navy ships in the Persian Gulf doing?


04-05-08 - Palestinian refugees fleeing Iraq fly to Chile

Headlines for 04-04-08

04-04-08 - Ritter says White House preparing for war in Iran there is an 80 percent chance of war with Iran, he told about 200 people Wednesday at Middlebury College as part of a series of talks facilitated by the Vermont Peace and Justice Center.....Everyone needs to start understanding and caring about their Constitutional rights, and everyone needs to start finding the facts for themselves and taking strong individual stands, Ritter said. If you do nothing but take in what the TV and newspapers tell you, "all you're going to get in return is puke." Right on.


04-04-08 - Iran assembles more advanced centrifuges The diplomats say more than 300 centrifuges have been linked up in two units and a third unit is being worked on. They spoke on condition of anonymity because their information is confidential.


04-04-08 - Ahmadinejad says uranium enrichment 'non-negotiable': report Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said in an interview published Friday that he would reject any new incentives offered by world powers in return for suspending uranium enrichment.


04-04-08 - Lawmakers heavily invested in defense


04-04-08 - US defence chief in Oman for talks with sultan US Defence Secretary Robert Gates arrived in Oman on Friday for talks with Sultan Qaboos, the ruler of this key Gulf state which faces Iran across the strategic Strait of Hormuz.


04-04-08 - Huge job losses set off recession alarms


04-04-08 - U.K. suspects' videos say attacks on jets would avenge wars in Iraq, Afghanistan


04-04-08 - Pentagon to shut domestic spying office


04-04-08 - Gifts for the Palestinians, and Questions Here's a question for The Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs: for whose national security are you working?


04-04-08 - New global push sought to scrap chemical weapons Nations including Syria, Iraq and Israel should join a landmark pact for destroying stockpiles of chemical weapons as they serve hardly any security or strategic purpose, a watchdog agency said on Friday.


04-04-08 - Iran cleric says Israel behind anti-Islam Dutch film


04-04-08 - 40 killed by Israeli cluster bombs in Lebanon Forty people have been killed and 252 wounded by Israeli cluster bombs dropped during the 2006 war in Lebanon, the UN demining organisation said on Friday.


04-04-08 - Israel: Iran listening in on IDF communications from Syria Iran has set up sophisticated listening stations in Syria in recent months to intercept Israeli military communications, Israeli security officials said Tuesday


04-04-08 - Israel's Tehran connection


04-04-08 - Lebanon PM wary of Israeli manoeuvres Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Siniora warned on Friday that Israel could exploit major military exercises to exacerbate tensions along the volatile border between the two countries.


04-04-08 - China to build oil refinery in Syria near alleged nuclear plant bombed by Israel


04-04-08 - Syria: We choose peace, but we're ready for Israeli attack


04-04-08 - UN officer reported Israeli war crimes before deadly bombing: widow A United Nations military observer sent e-mails home to Canada reporting that Israel was bombing schools and waging "a campaign of terror against the Lebanese people" shortly before he was killed by an Israeli bomb in Lebanon, said his widow.

Friday, April 4, 2008

Headlines for 04-03-08

Saudi Arabia is prime source of terror funds, U.S. says Saudi Arabia remains the world's leading source of money for Al Qaeda and other extremist networks and has failed to take key steps requested by U.S. officials to stem the flow, the Bush administration's top financial counter-terrorism official said Tuesday


Iran installs advanced nuclear centrifuges diplomats said.


NATO approves US missile defence shield plans NATO has approved US plans for part of a controversial missile defence shield to be stationed in the Czech Republic, but Russia is strongly opposed to the plan.


Report warns of Saudi Arabia and Turkey possibly joining in a nuclear arms race The report says the Saudis would most likely develop nuclear weapons if Iran acquires them. High-level American diplomats in Riyadh say an Iranian nuclear weapon frightens the Saudis "to their core."


Clinton on The Sidelines of Efforts To End The Iraq War


Maryland Senate passes Iran bill Maryland's Senate passed an Iran divestment bill.



Al Qaeda #2: We'll Attack Iran


Israel fears Syrian army moves may signal Hezbollah attack According to defense sources in Israel, the Syrians are preparing for the likelihood that Israel's response to a Hezbollah attack will be severe and may result in a regional confrontation.


McCain Calls for U.S. Military Buildup Without Draft McCain didn't give a specific goal for a military expansion or mention the potential price tag.


Israel dismisses "tensions" following Syrian reserve call-up Israeli government and military officials unanimously rejected speculations that Syria was preparing for an offensive against Israel, and said Israel was not preparing one either.


Are You Listening, Joe Lieberman? Sen. Joe Lieberman, another McCain backer, not only spoke to Christians United for Israel's big gathering last summer, he compared Hagee to the biblical Moses as someone who "has become the leader of a mighty multitude in pursuit of and defense of Israel."


New bill prohibits economic ties with Iran

Thursday, April 3, 2008

Headlines for 04-02-08

UN enemy of Islam: Al-Qaeda number two He warned the Palestinians of agreeing to any peace deal "which calls for setting up a Palestinian state on the parts of Palestine which were occupied after 1967 and forgetting the parts of Palestine which were stolen before that."


Grilling Petraeus We asked a dozen national security experts what Congress should ask the top military commander in Iraq at next week's hearings. Here's what they came up with.


IDF Deputy Chief vows 'painful' response to any attack on Israel Harel's words came during a briefing for reporters at a Tel Aviv army base, hours after London-based Arabic-language daily Al Quds al-Arabi reported that the Syrian army was calling up part of its reserves over fears of an IDF offensive.


Arabs without oil hard hit by food price spiral


Israel hosts NATO naval drill Six NATO frigates commanded by a Turkish admiral arrived Monday in Haifa for a joint drill with Israeli Navy missile boats.


Israel says Syria nuclear base was raid target

Wednesday, April 2, 2008

Headlines for 04-01-08

04-01-08 - Delusional Bush Dances Toward War Why attack Iran? Israeli officials have not been reluctant to insist publicly that they want our impressionable president to take care of their Iran problem before he leaves office.....Bush's open-ended rhetorical commitment to defend Israel if attacked could spell big trouble. If Iran were to strike Israel, Bush has said, "We will defend our ally, no ifs, ands, or buts." That is great rhetoric; trouble is that it surrenders the initiative to the Israelis, who have it within their power to provoke the Iranians.


04-01-08 - Is Another 9/11 Inevitable?


04-01-08 - The Smart Way Out of a Foolish War By Zbigniew Brzezinski


04-01-08 - Hezbollah rejects Saudi criticism over Lebanon crisis Hezbollah on Tuesday rejected criticism by Saudi Arabia's foreign minister, who has blamed the opposition for obstructing a solution to Lebanon's long-running political crisis.


04-01-08 - Hamas leader says Israel is exaggerating militant group's strength to justify assaults The exiled leader of Hamas, Khaled Mashaal, has said that Israel exaggerates the Palestinian militant group's military strength, accusing the Jewish state of seeking to spark a war against Hamas and the Lebanese guerrilla force Hezbollah.

Tuesday, April 1, 2008

Headlines for 03-31-08

03-31-08 - USA 2008: The Great Depression Startling official statistics show that as a new economic recession stalks the United States, a record number of Americans will shortly be depending on food stamps just to feed themselves and their families.


03-31-08 - Iranians help reach Iraq cease-fire Iranian officials helped broker a cease-fire agreement Sunday between Iraq's government and radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, according to Iraqi lawmakers.


03-31-08 - Americans call Iran, Iraq, China top enemies Neocon propaganda works.


03-31-08 - US demands to see Swiss-Iran contract


03-31-08 - Dick Cheney has his sights set on Iran


03-31-08 - UE professor to learn first-hand about Middle East Kim, an assistant professor of political science, will travel more than 6,000 miles to Tel Aviv, Israel, to participate with about 40 other professors in the Academic Fellowship on Terrorism from June 9-20. The program is sponsored by the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, a non-partisan Washington, D.C., policy institute founded in 2004. The fellowship is funded by donors and a grant from the U.S. State Department. Ahh, the FDD is a NEOCON think tank.