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July 31, 2005

Sudanese First Vice-President John Garang is Dead

Former Sudanese First Vice-President Dr. John Garang is dead, according to news reports from Africa. He died in a helicopter crash "while flying back from Uganda to Sudan, a UN official says," according to Al-Jazeera.Net. Here's is background on Mr. Garang.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 11:42 PM | Comments (0)

Is the U.S. Making a 'Strategic Adjustment' in its 'War on Terror'?

Belgravia Dispatch proprietor Gregory Djerejian's article "Strategic Adjustments" is a look at the Bush Administration's decision to adjust its rhetoric on the so-called "war on terror." It's pretty good and Mr. Djerejian makes an attempt to avoid sweeping generalizations about 'Islamist,' whatever that is. I've never seen the term in the Qur'an.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 09:52 PM | Comments (0)

Obasanjo Lobbys Caricom For Support in Security Council Bid

During his July 30, 2005 speech to the Caribbean nation of Trinidad and Tobago's Parliament, Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo told hist hosts, "We also hope that you [Trinidad] will prevail on other members of the Caricom to see the advantage of having a country like Nigeria on the Security Council."

Mr. Obasanjo will make a similar appeal in Jamaica on August 1, 2005. Here's more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 07:10 PM | Comments (0)

Mr. Djerejian's Apology

Gregory Djerejian at The Belgravia Dispatch, a blogger I regularly read and appreciate although I find myself disagreeing with much of what he writes, offers "Sincere apologies to any B.D. regulars out there (those of you who don't just land here after an Insta or Sully or RCP link etc. etc.)." for his irregular posting schedule of late. He added:

I've always strived to keep this site 'fresh', not least because the blog medium seems to demand a certain frequency and topicality of posting. This has often meant rather hurried (and tired...) post 10-11PM blogging-- but even that has simply proven impossible of late. I'm still alive and kicking--and I'm keeping a (somewhat listless, truth be told!) eye on the blogosphere when I can--while nevertheless hoping to get back in the saddle in relatively short order.

I know how Mr. Djerejian feels and don't blame him for not forcing himself to blog. After a long day of conducting discovery, doing legal research and other chores that go into preparing a defense in a case, I am often too tired to blog. Sometimes I actually fall asleep at the computer, trying to post items for European readers who are awake when we are asleep here in the U.S.

See "In-House News" for more of Mr. Dejerejian's apology.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 06:54 PM | Comments (0)

Evidence of Iraq, London Bombings Link 'Keeps accumulating'

Steve Clemons at The Washington Note observes in a July 31, 2005 post that, "It's good news that British authorities apparently have nabbed the four men who launched the most recent (unsuccessful) bombings in London. But the threat of terrorism will go on," he added. "And security professionals, in contrast to politicians, acknowledge how the Iraq conflict is encouraging additional violent attacks. Evidence of the connection keeps accumulating."

I concur with Mr. Clemon's assessment.

For more, See "Doug Bandow: Time to Acknowledge Consequences of Iraq."

Posted by Munir Umrani at 06:35 PM | Comments (0)

Sudanese Vice-President Garang Still Missing

Agence France Presse reports that "Sudanese state television said that the authorities were still trying to locate an aircraft carrying First Vice President John Garang," a day after it disappeared.

AFP noted that Mr. "Garang, a former southern rebel leader who was sworn in as vice president only on July 9, [2005] played a key role in reaching the peace deal earlier this year, ending 21 years of civil war that killed more than two million people."

"He had been in Uganda where he held talks with Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni. According to AFP, an "official said that Garang and his entourage left Museveni's ranch in the western Ugandan town of Rwakitura in a Ugandan government helicopter on Saturday [July 30, 2005] during daylight.

At some point during the flight they encountered bad weather and tried to go around it," AFP said, adding: "Radio contact was then lost and it is unclear what happened to the helicopter." Here's more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 06:18 PM | Comments (0)

Islam Karimov, Prepare For Your Downfall

Now that Uzbekistan has told the United States to leave Karshi-Kanabad (K2) Airbase within six months, look for the Bush Administration to emphasize Uzbekistan's President Islam Karimov's brutal human rights record. Expect to see stories planted in the U.S. press about him.

I wouldn't be surprised if the U.S. decides to press for an Investigation of the Andijan Massacre," that Human Rights Watch, the International Crisis Group, and Freedom House called for in a June 6, 2005 Joint letter to President Bush.

Also, don't be surprised if widespread demonstrations suddenly breakout similar to those that took place in Ukraine in 2004 and 2005. They will make the May 13, 2005 protests that broke out in Andijan over the Karimov Government's imprisonment of 23 Muslims pale in comparison. The Muslims, who had been protesting for four months, were accused, as are most Muslims who stand up against governments all over the world, of being "Islamist extremists " At Andijan, Mr. Karimov's soldiers fired on the protestors, killing at least nine. On July 12, 2005, the death toll was raised to 187.

As Human Rights Watch noted in a report titled Uzbekistan: Andijan Crisis Aftermath, "Uzbekistan has been an important ally for the United States in its global campaign against terrorism. The United States has a military base in southern Uzbekistan to support its operations in Afghanistan and has provided aid and training to the Uzbek military, as well as counterterrorism assistance. The State Department has acknowledged Uzbekistan's poor human rights record and pressed the Uzbek government to institute specific democratic and human rights reforms. But the U.S. government has not spoken with a single voice on this issue."

It will now that it must leave its base at Karshi-Kanabad

Posted by Munir Umrani at 05:50 PM | Comments (0)

U.S. Diplomat Postpones Trip to Uzbekistan

The July 31, 2005 edition of The New York Times has an article that says Nicholas Burns, U.S. Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, is postponing a trip to Uzbekistan in the wake of that Central Asian nation giving the United States six months to leave Karshi-Khanabad air base.

The base, according to Reuters "has served as a hub for missions to Afghanistan and the hunt for Osama bin Laden since shortly after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States."

Mr. Burns is the third ranking diplomat in the U.S. State Department..

Posted by Munir Umrani at 04:56 PM | Comments (0)

Uzbekistan Gives U.S. Six Months to Leave Karshi-Khanabad

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty notes in a July 31, 2005 article on its website that,

U.S. officials have confirmed that they have been asked to withdraw all U.S. military forces from the Karshi-Khanabad air base in southern Uzbekistan, which has served as a hub for U.S.-led coalition missions in Afghanistan since shortly after the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001.

U.S. State Department spokeswoman Nancy Beck said the U.S. Embassy in Tashkent received a diplomatic note on 29 July about the presence of U.S. military forces in Uzbekistan. The note calls for the termination of the bilateral agreement between Washington and Tashkent that had allowed U.S. forces to be based at the so-called K-2 airfield since late 2001. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty added: "Some military experts have said the development increases the strategic importance of the Bagram Air Field north of Kabul. U.S. military engineers have been building up the infrastructure at Bagram for more than three years," the website said. "They say the clearing of unexploded ordnance and the expansion of runway space at Bagram during the past 18 months could allow that facility to be used more extensively when the last U.S. soldiers leave K-2." Here's more analysis.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 04:33 PM | Comments (0)

Dawn: Musharraf Seeks People’s Support Against Militants

The influential Pakistani publication Dawn noted in a July 31, 2005 post that, "President General Pervez Musharraf on Saturday [July 30, 2005] urged the masses to reject retrogressive elements, stressing that Pakistan needed progressive and prudent policies to move forward as a strong and dynamic Islamic state."

"Speaking at a public meeting," the publication said, "the president asked the people to distinguish clearly between the forces of backwardness and the leadership that wanted to develop Pakistan befitting its vast human and economic potential." Mr. Musharraf was quoted as saying:

Islam calls for brotherhood, unity, well-being and learning. Please, do not believe those who support extremism; they want to push Pakistan backward

Dawn said, "General Musharraf, the first head of the state to address a gathering in the picturesque valley of the NWFP (North-west Frontier Province) in 25 years, said there was no issue over Islam in the country, and added that Pakistan was a Muslim state and extremist forces were only misusing the religion."

"We have strengthened Pakistan, militarily and economically, and raised the country's international profile; we are resolved to move forward; I hope you will rally behind my efforts so that the NWFP and Pakistan may progress and prosper," he said "amid echoing applause for his policies," according to Dawn.

When I think about Mr. Musharraf and his railing against Jihadi groups in Pakistan, I think about the late Egyptian President Anwar el-Sadat, who was assassinated in Cairo on October 6, 1981 by Egyptian Islamic Jihad members in the Egyptian military. As Wikipedia notes,

In September of 1981, Sadat cracked down on Muslim organizations and Coptic organizations, including student groups; the arrests totaled nearly 1600, earning worldwide condemnation for the extremity of his techniques.

Egyptian Islamic Jihad resented the crackdown and also his 1978 peace treaty with Israel, just as many Pakistani groups resent Mr. Musharraf for taking and following orders from the United States, to crackdown on them. Here's more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 04:16 PM | Comments (0)

Musharraff: Britain Failing to Pre-empt Jihadis Before Bombings

Following an interview with Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf, Sunday Times of London correspondent Hala Jaber wrote in a July 31, 2005 article datelined Rawalpindi:

Britain is regarded as a safe haven by Islamic extremists because it has failed to crack down on them despite urging other countries to do so, the president of Pakistan has warned. In an interview with The Sunday Times, General Pervez Musharraf suggested that Britain had paid a price for putting the right of free speech before the need to curb militant Islamic organizations that openly advocate violence

"They should have been doing what they have been demanding of us to do to ban extremist groups like they asked us to do here in Pakistan and which I have done," he said, according to Ms. Jaber.

Regarding Al-Muhajiroun and Hizb ut-Tahrir, Mr. Musharraff is quoted as saying:

They could have banned these two groups. Good action is when you foresee the future and pre-empt and act beforehand, instead of reacting as in the case of Britain which waited for the damage to be done and is now reacting to it.

For more of the interview, see "Pakistan accuses Britain of failing to tackle militants.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 03:51 PM | Comments (0)

The Sunday Times On 'Worrying Loose Ends' in Bombing Probe

Sunday Times of London correspondents Richard Woods, David Leppard and Mick Smith reported July 31, 2005 that,

Three weeks after the first London bombings, British and American security sources are giving markedly different versions of how much was known about the bombers before the attacks and who masterminded them.

The reporters said, "According to US intelligence sources, a man now being held in Zambia is Haroon Rashid Aswat, a Briton of Indian origin who has links to a convicted Al-Qaeda terrorist."

"They believe he assisted or masterminded the London attacks," they wrote. "But British investigators, examining whether telephone calls were made between the London bombers and Aswat before the attacks of 7/7, caution that the calls may have been made to a phone linked to Aswat, rather than the man himself."

See "Tangled web that still leaves worrying loose ends" for more of the Sunday Times report.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 03:28 PM | Comments (0)

Will Britain, U.S. Fight Over Aswat?

Ian Cobain and Ewen MacAskill noted in the July 30, 2005 edition of Guardian Unlimited that, "Haroon Rashid Aswat, 30, from Dewsbury, West Yorkshire [ England], was charged [by the U.S.] over his alleged role in a plot to set up a terrorist training camp in Oregon more than five years ago.'

Guardian Unlimited said, " Despite widespread media reports, he is not suspected of involvement in the London attacks of July 7 [2005] that claimed 56 lives, although British police and counter-terrorism officials may question him about possible links with one of the suicide bombers." Here's more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 03:18 PM | Comments (0)

Aswat Reportedly Hid In South Africa Before Arrest in Zambia

"It is thought that Haroon Rashid Aswat," the Briton who "was arrested in Zambia in connection with the London bombings, "had been hiding in South Africa in the weeks before his arrest," according to a July 30, 2005 article in Mirror.co.uk.

Because of its large community of Muslims and Hindus of Indian descent, South Africa would be a logical place for Mr. Aswat, who is also of Indian descent, to hide.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 03:04 PM | Comments (0)

Haroon Rashid Aswat: The Man MI5 Thought Was Dead

Liam McDougall, Home Affairs Editor of The Sunday Herald of Britain, published an interesting analysis of the activities of Haroon Rashid Aswat, a man British intelligence thought had died on the battlefield of Afghanistan until his name surfaced during their investigation of bombings in London July 7 and 21, 2005. Mr. Aswat was detained at Livingstone, Zambia, in southern Africa, "after crossing the border from Zimbabwe," according to a July 29, 2005 Times Online report. The Yorkshire Post reported July 30, 2005 that, "Yesterday it was revealed the Zambians had arrested Aswat after he entered the country from Botswana 11 days ago," which would be around July 18, 2005. The Post also said "Zambian sources were quoted last night [July 29, 2005] as saying that their prisoner had confessed to being a former guard for bin Laden." For more of the Sunday Herald report, see "Brains behind terror plot may be Brit the security services thought was dead."

Posted by Munir Umrani at 02:39 PM | Comments (0)

Is There A Global Jihadi Support Network?

The Associated Press says admitted London bomber Osman Hussain's "ability to escape a massive British dragnet, coupled with the arrest of another suspect in Zambia with al-Qaida ties, raised fears about the global reach of terrorists and the depth of their networks."

The wire service quotes Michael Cox, a professor at London's Royal Institute of International Affairs, as saying:"The way people fanned out after the bombings, it's brought it home to people . . . that it is part of a kind of a network, interconnected -- all the fingerprints are there," said

"They'd have to have a much wider support base than just those who are active suicide bombers."

I can't imagine any intelligence professional thinking there wouldn't be a massive, global support network for Jihadi operatives. Just as nations and intelligence services working to maintain the political, economic and military status quo have their affiliations, activists seeking to change it have theirs. You have to take the blinders off and set aside the hubris to see it. Here's more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 01:54 PM | Comments (0)

Journalist Sian Powell: 'Bin Laden Casts Wide Net in Indonesia'

Australian journalist Sian Powell contends in an August 1, 2005 analysis in The Australian that:

With a little more light shed on the mysterious maneuvering of the world's most wanted man, it now appears Osama bin Laden maintained direct links with Indonesian extremists even after the arrest of the Indonesian operative thought closest to him -- the one-time Jemaah Islamiah terrorist network operations chief, Hambali.Hambali was arrested in Thailand in 2003, swept up in a joint US-Thai operation. Now in US custody, he has disappeared from view, and experts speculate he may still be undergoing interrogation. If Rois's admissions are accurate, bin Laden has since switched his Indonesian contact point to the Malaysian master bombmaker Azahari bin Husin.

Ms. Powell added: "Inheriting Hambali's mantle, Azahari has eluded police since he was first suspected of creating the bombs that tore through Balinese nightclubs in 2002, killing 202 people, including 88 Australians. With his partner in crime, Noordin Mohammad Top, Azahari masterminded the blast at Jakarta's Marriott hotel in 2003, which killed 12, and last September's attack on the Australian embassy in Jakarta."

See "Bin Laden casts wide net in Indonesia" for more. The article is worth reading not for the truth of it but for the speculation and possibilities it suggests.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 01:24 PM | Comments (0)

The Australian: 'Italy Bans Islamic Burqas'

Natasha Bita of The Australian, reporting from Florence, Italy on August 01, 2005, said "Italy has banned Islamic burqas under tough terrorism laws that provide two-year jail terms and $3200 fines for anyone caught covering their face in a public place."

She said, "The counter-terrorism package, passed by Italy's parliament yesterday [July 31, 2005], doubles the existing penalty for wearing a burqa or chador -- traditional robes worn by Muslim women to cover their faces -- or full-faced helmets or balaclavas in public."

See "Italy bans Islamic burqas" for more on Italy's terrorism laws.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 12:39 PM | Comments (0)

There is 'Anger, Worry Among Singapore's Muslims'

The Electric New Paper of Singapore has a very informative article headlined "Anger, Worry Among Singapore's Muslims." According the CIA's World Factbook, Muslims are "14.9% "of Singapore's population of "4,425,720 (July 2005 estimate)."

Posted by Munir Umrani at 12:28 PM | Comments (0)

Pisanu: 'We Identified a Dense Network of Ethiopians, Eritreans...'

Giuseppe Pisanu, Italy's Interior Minister, told Italy's Lower House of Parliament July 31, 2005, 'It has been possible to identify a dense network of individuals belonging to the Eritrean and Ethiopian communities in Italy who are believed to have helped him (Osman Hussain) cover his tracks,' according to The Electric New Paper of Singapore.

Ethiopia and Eritrea were once Italian colonies. Here's more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 12:14 PM | Comments (0)

Osman Hussain: Religion Has Nothing to Do With This Story'

The Herald Sun of Australia quotes London Bomber Osman Hussain as telling Italian judges July 21, 2005 bombings were plotted in the basement of a gym in Notting Hill, England and has nothing to do with religion.

According to the Herald Sun, Mr. Osman "named the cell's ringleader as Muktar Said-Ibrahim, the man suspected of attempting to blow up the No 26 bus at Hackney."

The paper said "the 27-year-old Ethiopian-born Briton said Ibrahim had psyched up cell members by showing them videos of horrors in Iraq. He also taught them how to make bombs from household chemicals."

Psyched up is not in quotes in the Herald Sun article, so its questionable whether Mr. Hussain used those words. However, is quoted as saying:

Yes, it is true, I was there on July 21. 'd been given a rucksack.

(Ibrahim) gave me the instructions for the attack. I was a member of a gym in Notting Hill. That's where I met Muktar Ibrahim.

"Religion has nothing to do with this story. Muktar showed us videos with images of the war in Iraq, especially the ones showing women and children killed and exterminated by British and American forces. He said we must do something big. (Ibrahim) gave me the instructions for the attack.

Mr. Hussain "also said the cell had no direct links to al-Qaida and was acting independently," the Herald Sun reported August 1, 2005. Here's more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 11:49 AM | Comments (0)

London Reportedly Bracing For More Bombings

"Britain braced last night [July 31, 2005] for a third wave of terror attacks after investigators discovered another Islamist terror cell was planning an imminent strike," The Herald Sun of Australia reported August 1, 2005. Here's more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 11:29 AM | Comments (0)

July 30, 2005

Why Canada's NGOs Shun Canadian Troops in Afghanistan

The Canada Free Press says Canadian NGOs are distancing themselves from Canadian troops in Afghanistan. "It is an apparent fear of losing their reputation for neutrality if they are seen as being allied with gun-toting soldiers that is spooking the NGOs," The Free Press said. Here's more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 10:32 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Austria To Send Troops to Afghanistan

"Austria will send a group of 93 soldiers to Afghanistan to help keeping security during the parliamentary election in the country," CRI Online reported July 30, 2005. Here's more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 10:20 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Why Is Canada Sending More Troops to Afghanistan?

Prime Minister Paul Martin of Canada said his country has an "international responsibility" to be part of the war against terrorism. According to The National Post, he told reporters on July 29, 2005 that

The fight against terrorism has got to be taken beyond the borders of any individual country. This is a dangerous world and Canadians must not be complacent,

Mr. Martin spoke to reporters "after a roundtable meeting with community leaders," in Timmins, Canada, according to The Post. He said, "We as a government and Canadians as a population must take the measures to ensure the security of our population." He acknowledging that Canada is "a potential terrorist target."

The Post said, "Canada is sending more than 1,250 troops to Afghanistan over the next several months. A 250-member provincial reconstruction team is being deployed this year and more than 1,000 additional troops will be sent to the Kandahar area as part of an international force in 2006," the publication said.Here's more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 10:15 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

'Al Qaeda, U.S. Oil Companies, and Central Asia'

Peter Dale Scott at Canada's Centre for Research on Globalization (CRG) , has a provocative post on CRG's website headlined "Al Qaeda, U.S. Oil Companies, and Central Asia." It is an "excerpt of a forthcoming book entitled The Road to 9/11".

Posted by Munir Umrani at 10:00 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Afghan Heroin Reportedly Taking Toll On Russia

Viktor Khvorostyan, head of the Moscow section of the Federal Narcotics Service, told the Moskovskiye Novosti weekly that, "In recent years the flow [of heroin] from Afghanistan has strengthened," the Reuters wire service reported July 29, 2005.

"I would call this narco-aggression," he said. "Almost all the heroin used in the capital comes from there. The flow is so great that you can talk about a threat to national security,"

Mr. Khvorostyan said, "This is catastrophic. In the last year in Russia around half a million drug addicts were registered. But in reality there are many more." Here's more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 09:50 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Sedov: 'Quarter of Afghan Narcotics Goes to Russia'

Alexei Sedov, the Deputy Director of the Federal Anti-Drug Service in Russia, " announced at a news conference held in Nizhny Novgorod that a quarter of the narcotics produced in Afghanistan goes to Russia for distribution in the local market and transported to other countries," according to to a July 31, 2005 report at Zaman Daily Online.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 09:40 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

DEA Seizes Huge Drug Stash in Afghanistan

U.S. News.Com reports that, "For nearly two months, U.S. officials have kept mum about a massive new opium seizure in Afghanistan. In early June," the publication said,

"counternarcotics agents raided the offices of the governor of Helmand province, Sher Muhammad Akhundzada, and found a whopping 9 metric tons of opium--nearly 20,000 pounds, drug control officials tell U.S. News. The seizure is by far the largest since the Drug Enforcement Administration returned to Afghanistan in 2002, says a senior U.S. official, and raises troubling questions about the ability of the Afghan government to crack down.

Any close observer of Afghan affairs knows that President Hamid Karzai, our man in Kabul, can't crackdown on drug traffickers. They are better armed than he is. Wthout U.S. protection, he wouldn't last a day.

As for the U.S., it will continue to seize opium here-and-there, but it will be like using a teaspoon to empty an ocean. As long as there are millions of junkies in Europe and North America, poor opium farmers will view it as worth the risk to supply them. Here's more of the U.S. News report.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 09:30 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

British Police Looks Towards Arabia For Bombing Mastermind

"Scotland Yard is investigating evidence that the two waves of terrorist attacks on London this month [July 2005] may have been masterminded from Saudi Arabia," The Daily Telegraph of London reported July 31, 2004.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 09:09 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Police Building The Case For Prosecution of London Bombers

Mushtak Parker, Arab News' London correspondent reported July 31, 2005 that, "The immediate manhunt [for the July 21, 2005 London bombers] is over, but according to Scotland Yard, there are many more months of hard work ahead."

Mr. Parker also said:

Police are in the process of meticulously building up the prosecution case against the suspected five would-be suicide bombers, and they are careful not to do anything that might jeopardize a fair trial. They are recording every interview with the suspects, keen to find out how deep the terrorist network is; if there are any other active cells in the UK; if so, how many; and the identities of the key individuals behind the plot.

The correspondent said, "One source stressed that there are over 1,000 more leads still to be followed up, but London's police are already overstretched and simply do not have the time nor the resources to do this at this moment. Police are quick to defend the half million pounds of extra funding a day spent on policing London after the first wave of suicide bombings on July 7 [2005]" Here's more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 09:02 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

The Fiqh Council of North America's Statement on Terrorism

Here is the Fiqh Council of North America's July 28, 2005 statement on terrorism that has generated considerable publicity, praise and criticism around the world. It was issued during a news conference at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C.

The Fiqh Council of North America wishes to reaffirm Islam's absolute condemnation of terrorism and religious extremism.

Islam strictly condemns religious extremism and the use of violence against innocent lives. There is no justification in Islam for extremism or terrorism. Targeting civilians life and property through suicide bombings or any other method of attack is haram or forbidden - and those who commit these barbaric acts are criminals, not martyrs.

The Quran, Islam's revealed text, states: "Whoever kills a person [unjustly]...it is as though he has killed all mankind. And whoever saves a life, it is as though he had saved all mankind." (Quran, 5:32)

Prophet Muhammad said there is no excuse for committing unjust acts: "Do not be people without minds of your own, saying that if others treat you well you will treat them well, and that if they do wrong you will do wrong to them. Instead, accustom yourselves to do good if people do good and not to do wrong (even) if they do evil." (Al-Tirmidhi)

God mandates moderation in faith and in all aspects of life when He states in the Quran: We made you to be a community of the middle way, so that (with the example of your lives) you might bear witness to the truth before all mankind. (Quran, 2:143)

In another verse, God explains our duties as human beings when he says: Let there arise from among you a band of people who invite to righteousness, and enjoin good and forbid evil. (Quran, 3:104)

Islam teaches us to act in a caring manner to all of God's creation. The Prophet Muhammad, who is described in the Quran as a mercy to the worlds said: All creation is the family of God, and the person most beloved by God (is the one) who is kind and caring toward His family."

In the light of the teachings of the Quran and Sunnah we clearly and strongly state:

1. All acts of terrorism targeting civilians are haram (forbidden) in Islam.
2. It is haram for a Muslim to cooperate with any individual or group that is involved in any act of terrorism or violence.
3. It is the civic and religious duty of Muslims to cooperate with law enforcement authorities to protect the lives of all civilians.

We issue this fatwa following the guidance of our scripture, the Quran, and the teachings of our Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him. We urge all people to resolve all conflicts in just and peaceful manners.

We pray for the defeat of extremism and terrorism. We pray for the safety and security of our country, the United States, and its people. We pray for the safety and security of all inhabitants of our planet. We pray that interfaith harmony and cooperation prevail both in the United States and all around the globe.

FIQH COUNCIL OF NORTH AMERICA

Members

1. Dr. Muzammil H. Siddiqi
2. Dr. Abdul Hakim Jackson
3. Dr. Ahmad Shleibak
4. Dr. Akbar Muhammad
5. Dr. Deina Abdulkadir
6. Shaikh Hassan Qazwini
7. Dr. Ihsan Bagby
8. Dr. Jamal Badawi
9. Dr. Muhammad Adam Sheikh
10. Shaikh Muhammad Al-Hanooti
11. Shaikh Muhammad Nur Abdallah
12. Dr. Salah Soltan
13. Dr. Taha Jabir Alalwani
14. Shaikh Yahya Hindi
15. Shaikhah Zainab Alwani
16. Dr. Zulfiqar Ali Shah
17. Dr. Mukhtar Maghraoui
18. Dr. Nazih Hammad I wonder why the council, which most Muslims in the United States probably have never heard of, didn't release this statement at a mosque. Secondly, I doubt that most Muslims, myself included, know who the people on the council are. I'm only familiar with five of the 18 members. I know Shaikh Muhammad Nur Abdallah, who is from the Sudan, better than the others because he taught at a mosque in Chicago that I once attended. The last time I saw him he was living in St. Louis, Missouri, USA.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 08:39 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Some U.S. Police Departments Asking Israel For Help: Why?

"A growing number of police departments, including ones in Seattle; Boston; Los Angeles; Washington; Suffolk County, N.Y.; and Sterling Heights, Mich., a small city north of Detroit, are also turning for guidance to the place many police officials consider the pinnacle of terrorism training," The New York Times reported July 25, 2005.

The publication said, "They are sending groups of officers to Israel and bringing Israeli officers to the United States to train the police on the harrowing science of suicide bomber intelligence gathering and apprehension."

The Times also said,

"Several American police officials said advice from the Israelis had included looking out for suicide bomber "handlers," who scout bus stations or other crowded areas for deadly attacks. And although the police are typically told to aim for the chest when shooting because it is the largest target, the Israelis are teaching officers to aim for a suspect's head so as not to detonate any explosives that might be strapped to his torso.

The paper added: "But the growing relationship between Israeli and United States law enforcement, expanding now after the London bombings, has prompted criticism among some Muslim groups, who say they fear that American police officers will engage in religious or ethnic profiling." Here's more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 06:26 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

VOA Highlights Latino Muslims In The U.S.

The Voice of America's July 13, 2005 report on "Latino Muslims Growing in Number in the US" is interesting. Many Americans have no idea that there are Spanish Muslims in the U.S.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 06:08 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Will Israel Allow FBI To Interrogate Naor Gilon?

Haaretz Correspondent Aluf Benn reported July 28, 2005 that, "The Federal Bureau of Investigation is demanding that Naor Gilon, head of the political department at the Israeli embassy in Washington, be interrogated in connection to the Pentagon spy case."

"It is possible the FBI will also want to interrogate other Israeli diplomats in connection with Pentagon analyst Lawrence Franklin, an Iran expert under investigation for allegedly passing classified documents to Israel via the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC)," he wrote.

Mr. Benn said, "The American request was discussed a few weeks ago at an interministerial meeting in Jerusalem. The consensus was that neither Gilon nor other officials should be allowed to undergo investigation by the FBI but that Israel would be prepared to respond in writing to questions."

I'm waiting to see if President George W. Bush will publicly back the FBI on this, Frankly, I doubt it. It would good if he proved me wrong.

For more, see "FBI seeks to probe senior Israeli diplomat in Pentagon spy case."

Posted by Munir Umrani at 05:51 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Muslims At ASEAN Forum Complain About Profiling

"Foreign ministers at Asia's largest security dialogue spoke out on Friday [July 29, 2005] against tendencies to stereotype Muslims as possible terrorists, addressing growing concern among the groups Islamic members," according to Dawn of Pakistan.

The publication said in its Internet edition that, "Muslim nations at the Asean Regional Forum (ARF) in Vientiane, Lao, have complained that Muslims are being singled out in investigations into attacks and even at immigration checkpoints." Here's more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 04:49 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Some Pakistani Jihadis Reportedly Reestablishing Training Camps

"Pakistan's leading monthly magazine, Herald, has published a detailed eyewitness account backed with photographs on how youths are trained in militant camps in the central region of North-West Frontier Province (NWFP), Mansehra," of Pakistan, according "Syed Saleem Shahzad, Asia Times Online's bureau chief in Pakistan. He said:

The story was so accurate that the government could not deny it, although it issued orders to "fix" the publisher.

Mr. Shahzad said the cover story of Herald maintained that:

Until 2001, thousands of fighters trained here for operations in Kashmir and Afghanistan ... after the 9/11 attacks in America, though, the militants' activities dwindled, and last year the camp was abandoned following an unequivocal warning from the government. But all major militant organizations began regrouping in April this year by renovating training facilities that were deserted last year.

Mr. Shahzad's articles also says: "According to a manager of the training camp, the report said, all the major militant organizations, including Hizbul Mujahideen, al-Badr Mujahideen, Harkat ul-Mujahideen and others, began regrouping in April. The Herald report says that at least 13 major camps in the Mansehra region were revived during the first week of May," Mr. Shahzad noted, adding: "As the camps reopen, managers claim trained militants as well as new aspirants are flocking to enlist for jihad." I wonder will Mr. Musharraf slaughter them to please the U.S.

See "Open season for jihadis" for more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 04:41 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Each Sweep In Pakistan Creates More Jihadis

Syed Saleem Shahzad, Asia Times Online's Pakistani bureau chief, reported July 30, 2005 that, "Different intelligence agencies" in Pakistan, "including the Intelligence Bureau and the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), have repeatedly reported to the top leadership" that sweeps of Pakistani Jihadis whenever there is an attack in a western capital "are futile exercises that force young men who might already have left the jihadi fold to return."

"Instead of keeping these men in the mainstream of society, repeated arrests drag them into militancy, or even a criminal life," Mr. Shahzad wrote. "

"However," he noted, "relentless foreign pressure, especially from the US, which counts Pakistan as an important ally in the "war on terror", leaves the Pakistani leadership with little choice. After July 7, President General Pervez Musharraf, who is also chief of army staff, sent a strong note to all intelligence outfits warning them against "deliberate negligence" in arresting jihadis."

See "Entangled in terror's net" for Mr. Shahzad's insightful analysis.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 04:18 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Britain Wants 'Moderate Imams' To Minister To Muslim Prisoners

Guardian Unlimited of London reported July 28, 2005 that, "Leaked Home Office documents on the Muslim community [in Britain] say most young extremists fall into two groups: well-educated with degrees or technical qualifications in engineering or IT; or underachievers with few or no qualifications, and often a criminal background.

The Home Office said, "Amongst the latter group some are drawn to mosques where they may be targeted by extremist preachers; others are radicalized or converted whilst in prison."

"The document says steps were taken to recruit "a moderate cadre of imams" in prisons and the Home Office was looking to see what further steps were needed," the Guardian said, noting that, "There are more than 4,000 Muslim prisoners, with 130 imams employed to serve the 135 prisons in England and Wales.

I would suggest that reading newspapers and watching television reports of what the U.S. and Britain are doing in Muslim countries, especially Iraq since the end of the first Gulf War, has radicalized young Muslims more than so-called radical or extremist imams.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 04:01 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Is Eritrea Detaining Relatives of Military Service Evaders?

PolitInfo.Com has a July 29, 2005 report that says, "Amnesty International (AI) is accusing the Eritrean government of arresting several hundred relatives of people who have evaded or deserted military service."

"Amnesty says they are being held incommunicado in harsh conditions," PolitInfo.Com said, adding: "The government, in the past, has denied any human rights violations."

See "Eritrea: Fear of torture or ill-treatment/incommunicado detention/detention without charge" for AI's call for urgent action on this issue.

Here is an April 2005 AI report on Eritrea. Also see "Eritrea rejects claims of mass arrests" for Eritrea's denial of the charges against it.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 03:42 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Ethiopian 'Torturer', Kelbessa Negewo, Ordered Deported

American citizen Kelbessa Negewo, who served in the government of former Ethiopian President Haile Mengistu Mariam, currently in exile in Zimbabwe, has been ordered deported from the United States. He is appealing the order.

Immigration Judge William A. Cassidy ordered the 54-year-old resident of Atlanta deported because he allegedly committed torture in Ethiopia. Here's more.

Here's is an Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals (Atlanta) affirmation of a district court verdict against Mr. Negewo. He was successfully sued by Ethiopians he reportedly tortured. The opinion outlines the allegations against him.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 03:18 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Meles Zenawi Issues Warning To His Opposition

"Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi warned the country's opposition leaders on Friday [July 29, 2005] against making good their threat to pull out of a panel investigating alleged fraud in the May 15 elections as well as boycotting parliament," according to an Agence France Press article in the Sudan Tribune.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 02:41 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

The Ethiopian Review's Coverage of Defections of Ethiopian Pilots

The Ethiopian Review, based in Annandale Virginia, USA, has very informative articles on eight Ethiopian air force pilots who defected to Belarus but were denied asylum. Two pilots defected to Djibouti but were returned to Ethiopia.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 02:35 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Blair And Ahern's Statements On IRA Disarmament

If you are interested in British Prime Minister Tony Blair's July 28, 2005 statement on the Irish Republican Army's (IRA) July 28, 2005 announcement that will end its armed campaign against Britain and the Irish Government and its supporters, read it here.

Here is the joint statement issued by Mr. Blair and Bertie Ahern, the 10th Taoiseach of Ireland.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 01:48 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

EITB 24: "Islamic Terrorism Vastly Greater Than IRA's'

EITB24.Com, the Basque news and Information Channel, observed July 30, 2005, in an unsigned article, that:

"Britain's decades-long struggle with the Irish Republican Army appears to be coming to a close as the country confronts the threat of Islamic terrorism on its home soil. Analysts say this month's London bombings almost certainly did not directly influence the IRA's dramatic announcement that it was ending its war against Britain. But the new reality of terror groups willing to carry out carnage on an indiscriminate scale may be causing Europe's paramilitary movements to change tack.

EITB24.Com said, "A key concern may be the urge for such groups to establish a moral distinction between themselves and the new breed of terrorists." the channel quoted Michael Swetnam of the Potomac Institute of Policy Studies in the United States as saying:

Until 9/11 there was a great debate about freedom fighters and terrorism, but now there is a sharp division between the two," said "Now a terrorist is an evil person who kills people and using the tactics of terror is becoming very unpopular with the freedom fighters of the world.

I don't think Muslim fighters really care what "the freedom fighters of the world," whoever they are, think. If they did, they would never carry out attacks. Trend analysis suggests that the attacks with continue, regardless of what the IRA or others think, as long as the U.S. and her allies are perceived as occupying Muslim land, waging war on Muslims, controlling Muslim resources and propping up dictatorial leaders.

See "Islamic terrorism vastly greater than IRA's" for more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 01:31 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

British, Irish Goverments Will Force DUP To Hold Talks With Sinn Fein

Mark Devenport, the BBC's Northern Ireland political editor, reported July 30, 2005 that,

The British and Irish governments are making it clear that they will put the thumbscrews on the DUP (Democratic Unionist Party) to talk to Sinn Fein early in the New Year if an Independent Monitoring Commission report gives the IRA (Irish REpublican Army) a clean bill of health in January [2005].

"DUP sources are indicating that it could be 18 months to two years before they will consider sharing power with republicans," according to Mr. Devenport. Here's more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 11:16 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

'Has Violence (In Ireland) Been Laid To Rest At Last?'

Frank Millar, London Editor of the Irish Times says Sinn Fein leader "Gerry Adams is right about one thing, at least - history will not judge kindly anyone who plays politics with a real choice between peace and conflict on the island of Ireland."

"Yet," Mr. Millar said in an opinion piece reprinted in the July 30, 2005 edition of Scotmans.Com, "the Sinn Fein president might allow that the same holds true for him. In throwing out his challenge to the unionist leadership, Mr Adams can probably be confident that the Reverend Ian Paisley's first response to the IRA statement ending its armed struggle will not be his last. A huge responsibility rests upon the Democratic Unionist Party."

See "Has violence been laid to rest at last?" for more of Mr. Millar's commentary.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 11:06 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

'Our Rights Are The Wrong Target'

Kevin MacGuire, a columnist with Mirror.Co.Uk, said British Prime Minister Tony Blair "admitted he still felt the odd "liberal twitch" when preparing to curtail historic rights and give the boys in blue new powers to detain and monitor any of us."

"It's at crunch points like this that we need a full public debate to avoid the government acting in haste and repenting to our discomfort," Mr. MacGuire said in a July 27, 2005 column, adding: "Recent history is littered with warnings of how measures rushed through to clamp down on terrorism can backfire."

He said, "From Kenya in the 50s to Northern Ireland in the 70s, Premiers acting tough with the best of intentions fanned - rather than doused - the flames."

See "Our Rights Are The Wrong Target" for more of Mr. MaGuire's commentary.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 10:31 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Why Britain Still Faces Difficulties Thwarting Potential Bombers

The BBC quotes Metropolitan Police Chief Sir Ian Blair as saying despite success in the capture of the four men authorities think are behind the July 21, 2005 attempt to bomb a subway and a bus in London, British police officials still face difficulties in thwarting and investigating terror attacks. He said, according to the BBC:

I think there has to be a substantial increase in three fields.

It's detective work (that) we actually need, this is good old-fashioned detective leg work.

We need firearms capability. We've got enough firearms officers but not enough to do this length of tour. People have to have a rest. They can't just keep carrying a gun hour after hour, day after day.

Thirdly it's around the forensics and counter-explosive activity. "We're pushing at the specialist areas and that is a difficulty for us."The BBC said, "Investigators will now be looking at who was behind the attacks and who recruited the July 7 and 21 [2005] bombers." For more, see "How police tracked bomb suspects."

Posted by Munir Umrani at 10:18 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Why Italian Police Raided Osman Hussain's 'contacts'

Italian police have been raiding the contacts" of Osman Hussain "arrested in Rome on Friday [July 29, 2005] over London's failed [July 21, 2005] bombings, the interior minister has said, according to the BBC.

Giuseppe Pisanu, the interior minister, said Mr. Hussain had supporters in Italy's Ethiopian and Eritrean communities to help him evade capture, the BBC noted, adding: "The British national - also known as Isaac Hamdi - was arrested at his brother's flat after being traced by mobile telephone calls."

I guess Mr. Hussain didn't know that police and intelligence agencies could trace cell phone calls. It stands to reason that the telephones of immigrant Muslims would likely be tapped. Anyway, if he did the crime, I guess he'll have to do the time for it. Here's more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 09:53 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

CJR Analyzes Reporting On 'Outsourcing Torture'

The July/August 2005 edition of the Columbia Journalism Review (CJR), which bills itself as "America's premier media monitor," has an analysis of reporting on "extraordinary rendition," which, according to CJR,

refers to the policy by which the United States renders unto certain friendly countries (friendly, that is, to the practice of torture) suspected terrorists who would otherwise be protected by the laws of more civilized societies from such information-gathering techniques as having electrodes attached to their genitals or being bodily boiled.

See "State of the Art: Discovering the New Disappeared" for more of deputy executive editor Gloria Cooper's analysis.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 09:03 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

How Italian Police Tracked Osman Hussain

AGI Online of Italy quotes Italian Interior Minister Giuseppe Pisanu as telling Italy's Lower House July 29, 2005:

The hideout of Osman Hussain (one of the July 21 attackers in London, ed.) was located thanks to a sophisticated investigation in cooperation with the judicial authorities of Milan, Brescia and Rome and in close collaboration with the London Metropolitan Police. On the basis of this activity, which took place uninterruptedly starting the day after the attack it was possible to map in real time the escape route of the man who left London on July 26 from Waterloo station. During the investigation a thick network of subjects belonging to the Ethiopian community in Italy, which is thought to cover wanted people. Hussain got in contact with individuals originally from the Horn of Africa, living around Milan and Brescia, the latter in which an Ethiopian, Osman's fiancee's father, lives."

If I recall news reports correctly, the Italians used a similar technique to track and later issue arrest warrants for 19 American CIA agents charged with kidnapping Hassan Osama Nasr, an Egyptian-born Muslim leader, off the streets of Milan, Italy, in early 2003.

The CIA reportedly took him to Egypt for interrogation. Some news accounts say the imam told his wife he was tortured during interrogation. The aim was to obtain information on Muslims waging Jihad against the U.S. The U.S. reportedly outsources torture,to avoid legal entanglements in the U.S.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 08:40 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

July 29, 2005

Bush Says U.S.-India Pact Won't Harm Pakistan

Hindustan Times.com notes in its July 29, 2005 edition that,

US President George Bush on Thursday [July 28, 2005] assured his Pakistan counterpart Pervez Musharraf that the US-India defence pact was not directed against Islamabad and that Washington will not allow the balance of power in South Asia to be disturbed.

The publication said, "The assurance came in a 30-minute telephonic talk between the two leaders" on July 28, 2005. "They exchanged views on various matters, including peace and security in the region and strengthening and sustaining cooperation in the war against terror," Hindustan Times said.

Pakistan would be unwise to accept such assurances at face value. India is more valuable to the U.S. than Pakistan will ever be.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 08:44 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Musharraf Orders Foreign Muslim Students To Leave Pakistan

Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf has decred that 1,400 foreign students attending madrassas in Pakistan leave the country. I suspect he ordered them to leave because Bush Administration told him to, as if that's going to prevent them from waging defensive Jihad, if they choose to. I doubt British Prime Minister Tony Blair could be as persuasive.

See "Pakistan cracks down on extremist madrassas" for more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 08:34 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Will IRA's Promise To Disarm End Sectarian Mistrust?

Reuters Correspondent Paul Majendie said, "The Irish Republican Army's promise to end its armed struggle against Britain has breathed new life into efforts to restore self-rule in Northern Ireland."

"But decades of sectarian mistrust mean that for victims as well as politicians words must be backed by action before the armalite rifle is finally replaced by the ballot box," he wrote. For more see, "Grief as raw as ever for IRA victims."

Posted by Munir Umrani at 06:40 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

White House Statement On IRA Disramament

White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan told reporters July 28, 2005: "We welcome today's IRA statement pledging "an end to the armed campaign." This is an important and potentially historic statement." Here's the entire statement.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 06:35 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

The IRA's Disarmament Statement

Here is a link to the full text of the Irish Republican Army's disarmament statement as provided by CNN.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 06:29 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Derry Journal: A Defining Moment In IRA History Arrived Yesterday

Sean McLaughlin of the Derry (Ireland) Journal told the papers readers July 29, 2005 that, "A defining moment in the history of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) arrived yesterday [July 28, 2005] when the organization - once regarded as the world's most deadly paramilitary movement - ordered an end to its armed campaign." Here's more of his very informative article.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 06:23 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Slugger O'Toole Has Good IRA Coverage

The Irish blog Slugger O'Toole has interesting news and analysis on the Irish Republican Army's decision to disarm.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 04:56 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

The Belfast Telegraph Looks At 30-Years Of IRA History

David McKittrick of the Belfast Telegraph notes that "Armed Irish republicanism has been around in various guises for centuries: the Protestant rebel Wolfe Tone, who died in the 1798 rebellion, is today revered as its founding father by the IRA (Irish Republican Army) and others."

See Mr. McKittrick's "30 years of War" for a brief history of the IRA, which announced July 28, 2005 that it would lay down is arms. I suspect there will be some holdouts. Also see "Key events since IRA ceasefire."

Posted by Munir Umrani at 06:57 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

BBC's Updated Profiles On Some Supected London Bombers

The BBC has interesting profiles of "some of the men suspected of carrying out the attempted bombings" of London subway (tube) trains and a bus on July 21, 2005. Their bombs failed to detonate.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 06:42 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Sir Ian Blair And The Taser Gun Debate

West Midlands, England, Police and Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Ian Blair are engaged in a debate over the efficacy of using a taser gun during the July 21, 2005 arrest of bombing suspect Yasin Hassan Omar of Somalia. Mr. Omar is suspected of being involved in the July 21, 2005 attempted bombings in London. The bombs failed to detonate.

Unlike many Americans, the British are not afraid to openly discuss issues such as police conduct although the debate is over tactics used to take down an alleged bomber. How refreshing. Here's more on the taser spat.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 06:30 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Haroon Rashid Aswat Reportedly Detained in Zambia

Haroon Rashid Aswat , a Yorkshire, England-born Muslim British and U.S. intelligence agencies think is linked to the July 7, 2005 London bombings that left more than fifty dead, has been detained in the Zambia, according to The Times Online of London and other publications.

Zambia is a landlocked nation in southern Africa. Mr. Aswat was reportedly detained after he crossed into Livingston, Zambia from Zimbabwe on July 28, 2005.

The Times said Mr. Aswat has "been on the run since 1999 when he allegedly tried to set up training camps for al-Qaeda in the United States. His name emerged within days of the July 7 attacks, as a possible orchestrator of the synchronized suicide bombings that killed 52 people," the paper said. Here's more.

Also see "Pakistan questions Briton on bombings" for additional background on Mr. Aswat.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 06:12 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

July 28, 2005

MI5 Admits Link Between Iraq War And London Bombings

Michael Evans, Defence Editor for The Times Online of London, reported July 28, 2005 that, "Iraq has become a dominant issue for Islamic extremists in Britain, MI5 has admitted." "In a fresh analysis of the threat facing Britain from international terrorist groups, the acknowledgement underlines the view of the security and intelligence services that Iraq has provided an extra motivating force for terrorists," the publication said. I wonder why it took so long to publicly acknowledge this. I also wonder whether Prime Minister Tony Blair and President George W. Bush will continue to deny the link. For more, see "MI5 analysts admit link between Iraq war and bombings."

Posted by Munir Umrani at 04:03 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Karen Hughes' 'Daunting Task'

The Voice of America has told its foreign listeners July 27, 2005 that Karen Hughes, President George W. Bush's choice for Assistant Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy, faces a daunting task. Here's why.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 03:52 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Ronald Neumann: Afghanistan's New Viceroy

During his July 27, 2005 swearing-in ceremony at the State Department, Ronald E. Neumann, who replaced Zalmay Khalizad as the U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan, said "

The struggle in which we are contending is not a clash between civilizations; rather, it is a clash within Islam that seeks to remove our influence so that it can impose by force a narrow view that would restrict human freedom and progress throughout the Islamic world.

"It is a view of Islam that has been repeatedly rejected by Muslim scholars, and much rests on our success in Afghanistan. And I am honored to help lead a team of courageous and dedicated civilian and military personnel towards securing Afghanistan's long-term security, democracy and prosperity.Mr. Khalizad, the previous viceroy of Afghanistan, made similar remarks about security in Afghanistan.

Mr. Neumann's enforcer in Afghanistan is Lieutenant General Karl Eikenberry, commander of Combined Forces Command-Afghanistan.

By the way, I wonder whether those "Muslim scholars" Mr. Neumann makes reference to are among "the CIA paid mullahs and fake Islamic religious leaders" that Ronald Kessler mentions in his book, "The CIA at War: Inside the Secret Campaign Against Terror."

He revealed that after Al-Qaeda's September 11, 2001 attacks on the U.S., the CIA created Islamic religious leaders to preach what the agency wanted them to preach in an effort to counter strong, anti-American sentiment in the Muslim world. That sentiment is the result of U.S. Middle East policies, especially its Palestinian and Iraqi policies.

Meanwhile, Karen Hughes, President George W. Bush's choice for undersecretary of state for public diplomacy, will try to counter that sentiment. Like Margaret D. Tutwiler and others before her, she will fail.

According to the April 30, 2004 issue of The New York Times, "Ms. Tutwiler's predecessor in the job was Charlotte Beers, a former New York advertising executive, who resigned" in March 2003. "At the White House, another official responsible for the administration's international message, Tucker Eskew, quit after about a year.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 03:14 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Why Bagram Residents Staged Anti-US demonstrations

Amin Tarzi at Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty has an indepth report on July 26, 2005 demonstrations "against the United States at the main U.S. military facility in Afghanistan located in Bagram, in the northern Parwan Province.

He said the demonstrators, "estimated to number at least 1,000," chanted "Die America" and others slogans. The protestors had gathered before the gates of the heavily guarded base to protest the raiding of Afghan homes and the arrest of Engineer Hamidullah, a former mujahidin commander, "and seven other people -- including a local mullah."

The U.S. turned the detainees over to Afghan authorities in an effort to prevent further demonstrations and anti-American sentiment. I predict that the U.S. will ultimately wage war against the Afghan population, who have repeatedly complained about U.S. disregard for local customs.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 03:09 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

July 27, 2005

The Death Toll Keeps Rising In Iraq

According to the Associated Press, at last count, at least 1,782 members of the U.S. military have died in Iraq since the U.S. and Britain invaded Iraq on March 20, 2003. The U.S. command said July 26, 2005 that four U.S. soldiers were killed with a roadside bomb in southwestern Baghdad on July 24, 2005, according to the AP,

To date, we have no accurate count of how may Iraqis have died since the invasion. The U.S. deliberately does not count them. However some private groups have. See "Death toll of Iraqi civilians." Also see "Casualties in Iraq: The Human Cost of Occupation." Then there is the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Columbia University School of Nursing and Al-Mustansiriya University in Baghdad study, which said Iraqi Civilian Deaths Increase(d) Dramatically After Invasion.

By the way, one of my nieces leaves for Iraq on July 29, 2005. I don't want her to go, but she she volunteered to serve in the military in exchange for money to go to college.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 11:20 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Bouteflika: 'Algeria Will Remember This'

After announcing that Al-Qaeda in Iraq had executed Ali Belaroussi, Algeria's top diplomat in Iraq, and fellow diplomat Azzedine Belkadi, Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika said Algeria will remember this."

He said Algeria "would pursue those who have dared to so scandalously attack the children of a country that has done so much to fight at the sides of the Iraqi people in its quest for sovereignty, national unity, for its territorial integrity," according to wire service reports. After the killings, Al-Qaeda in Iraq warned Muslims not to "stand by America in its aggression" in Iraq.

Egyptian envoy Ehab al-Sherif was murdered on July 7, 2005 by Al-Qaeda in Iraq.

For more, see "Algerian Diplomats Murdered."

Posted by Munir Umrani at 10:50 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

The U.S Has Not Committed To Leaving Iraq

If you notice, the Americans, like the British, are not unconditionally committing to a withdrawal from Iraq. For example, General George W. Casey, "the top U.S. commander in Iraq," said July 27, 2005:

I do believe that if the political process continues to go positively, if the developments with the (Iraqi) security forces continue to go as it is going, I do believe we will still be able to make fairly substantial reductions after these elections -- in the spring and summer of next year.

The key words are "we will still be able to make fairly substantial reductions." The U.S does not plan to leave the predominantly Muslim nation for years. If the intent is to leave permanently, why build so many military bases.? There will reportedly be 12, maybe 14 "enduring bases."

Posted by Munir Umrani at 10:18 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Blair: 'We Will Leave Iraq As Soon As Possible'

Here we go again. British Prime Minister Tony Blair said July 27, 2005 that Britain wants to hand over military control in Iraq as soon as Iraqi forces are capable of handling security. According to the July 28, 2005 Daily Telegraph Online, Mr Blair "said at a press conference at No 10 following talks with Jose Luis Zapatero, the Spanish prime minister":

It is the position of Britain, of America, of everybody, that as the Iraqi force capability builds, so the necessity for our support there diminishes. That is not a new announcement. That is the political strategy.
"It's important to keep emphasising that so people in Iraq and the Arab world don't think it's our strategic objective to remain. It is not.

Well, Tony, when will they be capable of handling it? Pull out now, and let the chips fall where they may.

Mr. Blair was responding to a statement by Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim Jaafari who on July 27, 2005 called for a swift withdrawal of U.S. occupation froces from Iraq.

See "Blair pledge to get forces out as soon as possible."

Posted by Munir Umrani at 09:45 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Does U.S. Trust Iraqis Enough To Withdraw Forces?

"The U.S. has always had an ambivalent attitude to rebuilding the Iraqi armed forces," asserts Patrick Cockburn in an article in the July 28, 2005 issue of The Independent Online. "It has wanted them strong when facing the insurgents but has been slow to arm them with effective weapons. Iraqi officials say that "at the end of the day the Americans do not trust us".

I agree with this assessment. I wonder whether the fact that Iraq's armed forces and the police have been so infiltrated by the resistance has anything to do with the lack of trust. Here's more of Mr. Cockburn's analysis.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 08:59 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

British Leaders: Scale of Iraq Insurgency Unforeseen

Richard Norton-Taylor of The Guardian reported July 28, 2005 that the government of British Prime Minister Tony Blair "admitted yesterday [July 27, 2005] that it had failed to foresee the scale of potential insurgency in Iraq and that the invasion had left a "strategic vacuum" in the country."

I find this admission incredible. Why would supposedly sophisticated war planners in the U.S. and Britain not take it for granted that many Iraqis would resist invaders and occupiers? I would think that an invasion planner, whether its Saddam Hussein invading Kuwait or the U.S. and Britain invading Iraq, would work from the premise that a resistance movement will develop once the target nation was invaded. It should be taken for granted that the resistance would attract supporters and allies. Any student of resistance movements know that, even those who won't fight will often support those who will. Very few people want to be ruled by foreigners no matter how ruthless their leader is.

Could it be that arrogance made U.S President George W. Bush and Mr. Blair think they could just waltz into Iraq and do as they pleased?

For more, see "Scale of Iraq insurgency unforeseen, says MoD."

Posted by Munir Umrani at 08:33 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Is Rumsfeld Blaming Iraqis For Presence of Foreign Fighters?

U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, who snuck into Baghdad July 27, 2005, said the Iraqi government " need to be aggressively communicating with their neighbours to see that foreign terrorists stop coming across those borders and that their neighbours do not harbour insurgents and finance insurgents."

Mr. Rumsfeld, the foreign fighters would not be in Iraq if the U.S. and Britain were not occupying it. It's a magnet, sir. See "Rumsfeld presses Iraq on Syria, Iran" for more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 07:24 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Godsif: 'Muslims Have To Challenge Their Own People'

The Times Online of London quotes Roger Godsiff, the Labour MP who represents Birmingham Sparkbrook and Small Heath in England, said that he hoped today's [July 27, 2005] arrests would not strain community relations. He said:

I hope wise counsels will prevail. Its an old 1930s council estate - primarily houses, very few flats. Many of them were bought by sitting tenants, a complete mixture - white families, Afro-Caribbean, long-established Irish community, Pakistanis, Kashmiris, Bengalis, Indians, Sikhs, Somalis.

"Community relations in the area have always been very good and I hope very much indeed that anybody who seeks to exploit what has happened for their own personal or political gain will be very much put down by the community.

"I hope very much the community will work together to try and ensure that the good community relations continue.He added:

"The Muslim community have to stand up. They have to confront those people within their community who they know are contorting what the Koran stands for and are also seeking to spread information which quite frankly has got no reality whatsoever to the facts of life.

According to The Times, "Mr Godsiff said the Muslim community had been reluctant to challenge these people in the past. He added: "What I have consistently said is that option doesn't exist any more. These people have to be confronted." Sorry, sir, confronting them won't stop the bombings. That's because cautious bombers don't usually broadcast their intent to people they don't know.

See "Failed London bomber arrested in Birmingham" for more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 06:52 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Egypt Fires Security Heads in North, South Sinai

Sarah el Deeb and Salah Nasrawi of the Associated Press (AP) report that the Egyptian "government has sacked the heads of security in North and South Sinai provinces, an apparent sign of the failures that may have allowed the [July 23, 2005] assault on one of Egypt's most closely guarded towns." That Town is Sharm el Sheikh, which is frequented primarily by foreigners including many Israelis who go their to gamble.

Meanwhile, reports say Egypt was warned that Sharm el-Sheikh would be attacked. However, police officials thought the attack would be against casinos instead of hotels. Why casinos? Because many Israelis gamble in them. Here's more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 06:32 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Why Did Sharm el-Sheikh Suspects Have Fake Passports?

While Egypt has reportedly cleared six Pakistanis of involvement in the July 23, 2005 bombings at Sham el-Sheikh, that left at least 88 people dead, "Khaled Arafa, an Interior Ministry official, said police would still like to know why the Pakistanis had fake passports," reports Summer Said in the July 27, 2005 edition of Arab News.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 06:21 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

July 26, 2005

Hu Jintao's 'Season of Diplomacy'

A China Daily article published by People's Daily Online argues that Chinese President Hu Jintao's season of diplomacy demonstrates fresh international affairs strategies." Here's more on the subject.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 09:03 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Greece Sets Targets For Economic Diplomacy

The Athens News Agency reported July 27, 2005 that, Greek "Foreign Minister Petros Molyviatis on Wednesday [July 27, 2005] outlined the government's targets for economic diplomacy and stressed the climate of cooperation between the government and Greek business, during the presentation of a new Internet portal providing businesses with information on new markets." Read more here.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 08:48 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Greece To Enhance Economic Diplomacy

Kathimirini, "Greece's International English language newspaper," said "After becoming the only Balkan country so far to join the European Union, Greece is now shifting its weight to economic diplomacy in an effort to further develop its role in the region and feed its companies with high growth rates."

The publication said, "Deputy Foreign Minister Evripidis Stylianidis" said July 20, 2005 that "Greece will more actively involve its embassies in the region and around the world in the promotion of Greek products and exports." Here's more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 08:39 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Committee Approves Karen Hughes For U.S. Public Diplomacy Post

The U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee on July 26, 2005 "unanimously approved the nomination of Karen Hughes, a former political adviser to President George W. Bush, as the U.S. State Department's top public relations official," according to the Associated Press (AP).

The AP said, "The Senate is expected to complete the confirmation process this week before leaving for its August recess." The wire service said Ms. Hughes' "main assignment as Undersecretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs is to reverse anti-American sentiment around the world."

That can only be done by a change to a more cooperative and less coercive U.S. foreign policy, especially in Muslim nations. Here's more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 08:24 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Remember The Name Jean Charles de Menezes

The Chicago Sun-Times in a July 26, 2005 editorial asks us to, "Remember the name Jean Charles de Menezes, because his ghost might haunt us for years to come." Here's the editorial.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 07:25 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Why Mr. Blair Nearly Lost His Temper

In its report on a July 26, 2005 press briefing by British Prime Minister Tony Blair, The Guardian reported that "Sky News' political editor said "more Iraqi civilians have been killed by U.S. and British armed forces than terrorists in Iraq." Mr Blair says:

"I don't accept that. It's complete nonsense to build some equivalence between what we're doing to bring democracy to Iraq and Afghanistan and what these people are doing.
"And there's no justification for suicide bombing in Israel either - let's just get that out of the way".

"Mr Blair has very nearly lost his temper," The Guardian said.

What about suicide bombings in Iraq, Tony? There were none there before the U.S.-British invasion. Don't the Iraqis count?

Posted by Munir Umrani at 07:24 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Blair: 'They Will Use Iraq To Try To Recruit'

Matthew Tempest, political correspondent for The Guardian has interesting excerpts from a July 26, 2005 press briefing by British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

Reporters hammered Mr. Blair on what some observers say is a link between recent bombings in London and Britain riding shotgun for the U.S. in Iraq and Afghanistan. In response to a question from the BBC's James Landale, Mr. Blair said:

I haven't said 'it's nothing to do with Iraq'. They will use Iraq and Afghanistan to try and recruit, but most people understand the roots of this go far deeper - and in any event, where does this argument take us in the end?

See "Live: Tony Blair's press briefing" for excerpts.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 06:45 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Egypt: Pakistanis Not Involved In Sharm al-Sheikh Bombings

"No Pakistani national was involved in the terrorist attacks that rocked Sharm al-Shaikh late last Saturday [July 23, 2005]," Husayn Harid,the Egyptian ambassador to Pakistan said in July 26, 2005 statement, according to Al-Jazeera.Net and other publications. "I received instructions from the Egyptian government to convey [this] to the Pakistani government," he added. Here's more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 06:26 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Will Iraqi Kurds Overplay Their Hand In Iraqi Politics?

"A few days ago the Kurds unveiled an expanded Kurdish region which they want enshrined as an appendix to the new constitution," Raed Jarrar of Raed in the Middle reported in a July 25, 2005, post.

"As I understand it," he added, "the claim represents not simply areas which currently have a majority Kurdish population, but areas which they believe did so at some point in the past 50-100 years."

"Let the jokers at PUK and PDK dream on." Mr. Jarrar said. Here's more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 01:19 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

July 25, 2005

Justifying Blair's Iraq Policy

The Times Online of London's July 26, 2005 leader is headlined: "Iraq and terror: Cause and effect-- malevolent medievalism and modern technology." The editors try to justify the invasion of Iraq while acknowledging that Britain's role in Iraq may be linked to recent bombings in London.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 11:52 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Peter Riddel: 'Tony Blair's Rating As a Leader Has Soared"

Peter Riddel of The Times Online writes that, British Prime Minister Tony Blair's "rating as a leader has soared, even though a big majority of voters believe that his decision to go to war in Iraq has increased the risk of terrorist attacks such as the ones in London this month." Here's more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 11:44 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Michael Sulick: Al Qaeda Answers CIA's Hiring Call

Michael Sulick, "a former CIA associate deputy director for operations and former CIA chief of counterintelligence," writes in a July 25, 2005 article in the Los Angeles Times that:

As many as 40 possible terrorists may have attempted to infiltrate U.S. intelligence agencies in recent months, CIA expert Barry Royden reported at a national counterintelligence conference in March.

"If that news isn't sufficiently terrifying," he wrote, "consider this chilling paradox: Though the agencies caught the potential spies at the job application stage, post-Sept. 11 pressures to quickly boost staffing make it increasingly likely that a terrorist could sneak into the intelligence community's ranks." Here's more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 11:33 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Robert Scheer: 'On China At Lleast, Nixon Was Right'

Journalist Robert Scheer, who is also a Senior Lecturer at the University of Southern California's Annenberg School for Communication, has a thought-provoking column in the July 26, 2005 edition of the Los Angeles Times headlined "On China at least, Nixon was right."

Posted by Munir Umrani at 11:21 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

U.S., North Korean Negotiators Hold Rare One-on-one Meeting

Yu Yoshitake, staff writer at Asahi.com, reported July 26, 2005 that, "U.S. and North Korean negotiators huddled in a rare one-on-one meeting Monday [July 25, 2005] on the eve of six-party talks here [in Beijing] to end the standoff over Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions." Here's more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 11:08 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Australian Columnist: Ignoring Asia 'Unforgivable'

Columnist Greg Sheridan of The Australian thinks, "The Bush administration has delivered a serious diplomatic snub to Southeast Asia, with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice refusing to attend the ASEAN Regional Forum and related meetings in Laos this week."

"Instead," he said in a July 26, 2005 column, "she will send her deputy, Bob Zoellick. Rice's inexplicable and gauche decision is a serious setback to U.S. diplomacy in the region, at a time of heightened Chinese diplomatic activism in Southeast Asia," Mr. Sheridan wrote.

See "Ignoring Asia 'unforgivable'" for more of his analysis.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 11:02 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Russia, Pakistan Want To Take Part In East Asia Summit In December

"Russia and Pakistan have expressed interest in taking part in the inaugural East Asia Summit being held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in December" 2005, according to Daily Times of Pakistan. Read more here.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 10:52 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Why Australia 'Will Sign' Non-aggression Pact With ASEAN

"Australia will commit to signing a non-aggression pact with the member nations of ASEAN on Thursday [July 28, 2005] to overcome opposition to it being invited to a summit of Asia's biggest economies in December" 2005, according to a July 25, 2005 article online at News.com.Au of Australia. See "Australia 'will sign' non-aggression pact."

Posted by Munir Umrani at 10:48 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Rumsfeld Says U.S. Will Be Ok Without Khanabad Air Base

U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld said July 25, 2005 that the U.S. "would be fine" even if it loses access to Karshi-Khanabad air base in Uzbekistan. The base is a staging area for some U.S. military operations against Muslim fighters in neighboring Afghanistan. Here's more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 10:41 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Rumsfeld Trying To Save U.S. Bases In Central Asia

The July 25, 2005 "visit by Pentagon chief Donald Rumsfeld to Kyrgyzstan was expected," columnist Pyotr Goncharov of RIA Novosti of Russia opined July 25, 2005. Mr. Goncharov wrote:

Washington had to make a statement after the six-member Shanghai Cooperation Organization - Russia, China, Kyrgyzstan and other Central Asian states - called on the counter-terrorist coalition (read: the U.S.) to set a date for the withdrawal of its military bases, synchronized with the end of operations in Afghanistan.

He said General Richard B. Myers, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, explained what these bases mean to the U.S: "Central Asia is important to the United States for lots of reasons, not just for operations in Afghanistan."

This was a first reaction to the SCO's statement, Mr. Goncharov wrote.

For more, see "U,S. hurrying to save its bases in Central Asia."

Posted by Munir Umrani at 10:27 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Opposition Falls Short In First Bid To Put Arroyo On Trial

Romie A. Evangelista and Christine F. Herrera of Manila Standard Today reported July 26, 2005 that, "Opposition lawmakers filed an impeachment complaint against President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo yesterday [July 25, 2005], accusing her of election fraud and corruption, but failed to garner the 79 votes needed to immediately send the case to the Senate for trial." Here's more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 10:15 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

'Family Ties and Politics' In The Philippines: An Analysis

Philippines Attorney Connie Veneracion, who writes an interesting blog called The Sassy Lawyer's Journal, has a revealing column in the Manila Standard Today headlined "Family ties and politics". It's a fascinating look at how political alliances are formed in the Philippines.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 10:04 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Inside PCIJ: Arroyo Offers Few Surpises In Address To The Nation

Sheila Coronel at Inside PCIJ: Stories behind our stories, "The institutional blog of the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism, provides a colorful and informative analysis of Philippines President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's July 25, 2005 address to the nation against the backdrop of the process to impeach her, which got underway July 25, 2005.

"Looking triumphant after seven weeks of a crippling political crisis, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo told Congress today [July 25, 2005] that the political system had become a hindrance to economic growth and that it needed to be changed," Ms. Coronel wrote, adding: "She proposed that Congress be convened as a constituent assembly to change the constitution and proposed a shift to a parliamentary and federal form of government. But she did not address the impeachment complaint filed in Congress today nor the allegations of wrongdoing that have plunged her government in crisis."

See "Much applause, few surprises" for more of Ms. Coronel's analysis.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 09:49 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Can Philippines President Arroyo Survive Impeachment Process?

"The process to impeach" Gloria Macapagal Arroyo , the 14th President of The Philippines "began Monday [July 25, 2005] when the three complaints were formally presented to the House of Representatives," Max DeLeon and Maricel V. Cruz, reporters for The Manila Times, reported July 25, 2005.

The reporters said "Referred to the Committee on Justice at the opening of the second regular session of the 13th Congress were the original complaint filed by Oliver Lozano, the second complaint filed by Jose Lopez and the amendment to the Lozano complaint filed by the opposition, private lawyers and private groups."

"The majority leader, Prospero Nograles, made the motion to refer the complaints to the justice committee after Speaker Jose de Venecia, as promised, included them in the Houses order of business for the day."

See "Impeachment process gets off the ground" for more.

Also see "We Face Grave And Urgent Decisions," Jose de Venecia's opening statement to the House of Representatives.

Here is Philippines Senate President Franklin Drilon's commentary on the impeachment process.

Finally, here is a Reuters chronology of Key events in rule of Philippines' Arroyo

Posted by Munir Umrani at 09:30 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Pakistan Denies Its Nationals Involved In Egyptian Bombings

"Pakistan on Monday [July 25, 2005] refuted the alleged involvement of Pakistanis in the bombings in Egypt's Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, which killed dozens and injured many others," according to Xinhua, the official Chinese news agency.

"Our mission in Cairo is in touch with the Egyptian authorities, however, Egypt has not conveyed anything officially," Pakistani Foreign Office spokesman Naeem Khan said in the weekly press briefing, according to Xinhua. Read more here.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 05:39 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Mubarak: Pakistan is Not A-Qaeda's Headquarters

Mubasher Bukhari of the Daily Times of Pakistan reported July 26, 2005 that, Pakistani "President Pervez Musharraf said on Monday [July 25, 2005] that it was a misconception that Pakistan was the Al Qaeda headquarters. He said Osama Bin Laden’s network did not exist in the country anymore," Mr. Bukhari noted in his dispatch from Lahore, Pakistan. Here's more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 05:30 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Report Says Hunt For Egyptian Bombers Led To Gunfights

The Daily Star of Lebanon reported July 26, 2005 that,

Egyptian police fought gun battles in desert mountains near the Red Sea resort of Sharm al-Sheikh in a hunt for militants who killed 88 people in a bomb attack.

The publication said, "Two days after Egypt's worst attack since 1981, police were surrounding a group of bedouin suspected of having links to three blasts which tore through hotels and shopping areas popular among foreign tourists." Here's more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 05:19 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Daily Telegraph: Leading British Muslims Back 'Shoot-to-Kill" Policy

David Harrison and Chris Johnstonof the Daily Telegraph of London reported July 24, 2005 that, "Leading British Muslims last night [July 23, 2005] backed the police's "shoot-to-kill" policy to tackle the threat of suicide bombers, despite a police admission that the man shot dead at Stockwell Tube station on Friday [July 22, 2005] was not a terrorist." Here's more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 07:33 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Did Justice Department Block Effort To Indict Haroon Aswat?

The Seattle Times, an American newspaper in Washington State, reported July 24, 2005 that, "The [U.S.] Justice Department blocked efforts by its prosecutors in Seattle in 2002 to bring criminal charges against Haroon Aswat, according to federal law-enforcement officials who were involved in the case."

"British authorities suspect Aswat of taking part in the July 7 [2005] London bombings, which killed 56 and prompted an intense worldwide manhunt for him," the publication said.

For more, see "Effort here to charge London suspect was blocked."

Posted by Munir Umrani at 07:25 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

'Experts' Look For Al-Qaeda Links In London, Egypt Bombings

"Security analysts are re-examining intelligence amid speculation that the bombings in London and in Egypt were ordered by the Al Qaeda network," according to Matt Brown, Middle East correspondent for ABC News Online of Australia.

See "Experts look for links between London, Egypt attacks" for more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 07:17 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Jihad Unspun On The London And Egypt Bombings

Khadija Abdul Qahaar noted in a July 25, 2005 article at Jihad Unspun that, "While Al-Qaida and Shiekh Osama Bin Laden are the first names mentioned in any attack, even as far back as the Oklahoma bombings, the recent attacks in London and in Egypt this past weekend tend to show a more widespread phenomena." See "Al-Qaida London? Al-Qaida Egypt? Or An Al-Qaida Culture?" for her analysis.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 07:11 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Wolfgang Schauble: 'Turkey Can Never Be European'

The EU Observer reports that, Wolfgang Schauble, vice president of Germany's CDU/CSU party, told the Polish daily, Rzeczpospolita, on July 25, 2005, that

The EU should not extend beyond the boundary that we call the European continent. Otherwise people will stop identifying with it. And if so, Turkey, the vast part of which lies outside Europe, cannot belong to the union.

For more, see "Turkey can never be European, German politician says."

Posted by Munir Umrani at 06:39 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Turkey Offers To Sign Protocol On Cross-Border Operations

On July 25, 2005, Anadolu News Agency (ANA) of Turkey quoted quoted Abdulkadir Aksu, Turkey's interior minister, as saying:

It is necessary to prevent terrorist organizations supporting other terrorists in Iraq and those conducting cross-border operations. It is required to take measurements on the borders. I have offered to sign a cooperation protocol with the ministers of other countries neighboring Iraq. Our offer has been accepted.

State Department spokesman Adam Erelli was quoted as saying

"The operation against PKK [the Kurdistan Workers Party] in both countries [Iraq and Turkey] is active. We have a good cooperation history on this issue and we will continue to work together.

He said the question of whether Turkey should be able to launch cross-border operations against PKK shouldn't be on the table, according to ANA.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 06:20 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Zibari: Cross Border Operation can Harm Iraq's Stability

A July 25, 2005 Cihan News Agency report published at Zaman Daily Online said

Iraq gave negative signs on the subject of the cross-border operation against the terrorist organization Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) that had caused tension between the US and Turkey.

"A regional military operation into Iraq by Turkey, Iran or any Arab country is unacceptable." Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshar Zabari, a Kurd, was quoted as saying.

Cihan noted that Mr. Zabari, "presiding at a meeting in Jordan's capital Amman, attended by high-ranking Iraqi diplomats, maintained that, US forces were ready to capture PKK militants. He also emphasized Turkey's launching operations in the north could harm Iraq's stability.

Indicating that PKK members are sheltered in areas beyond the control of the central government and the local Kurdish administration, Zabari claimed they would be captured by U.S. Forces if they move. He added: "

We have the obligation, against Turkey and all other neighboring countries, to control all armed non Iraqi groups and prevent their actions."

Cihan said after Turkey's raised "the issue of cross border operation," [the] US told the Turkey that it should approach the Iraqi government on the matter. Here's more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 06:07 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

July 24, 2005

Poll Suggests PRD May Win Mayoral Seat In Mexico City In 2006

Angus Reid Global Scan said July 24, 2005 that, "The Democratic Revolution Party (PRD) might earn a third straight mandate in Mexico's capital, according to a poll by Reforma." The poll said "54.6 per cent of respondents would vote for the PRD's candidate in next years mayoral election." See "PRD Set for New Victory in Mexico City."

Posted by Munir Umrani at 10:54 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Will Musharraf Deliver Again For The U.S. And Britain?

Syed Saleem Shahzad, Asia Times Online's Bureau Chief in Pakistan, writes that, "Very much like in the post-September 11 days, Pakistan is once again standing at a crossroad between the military and the mosque following the bomb attacks in London on July 7, [2005]."

"However," Mr. Shahzad wrote in a July 23, 2005 article, "a major difference now is that the US and the United Kingdom are watching Pakistan's every action with unrelenting vigilance, which could force President General Pervez Musharraf to take action that will place him on a path of confrontation with various religious and political elements in the country."

For more, see "Pakistan: United militants, divided leaders."

Posted by Munir Umrani at 10:44 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Scott Horton Interviews Robert A. Pape

Scott Horton has a highly recommended article at Antiwar.com headlined "Poisonous Misinterpretations" He takes a look "Dying to Win: The Strategic Logic of Suicide Terrorism," an important book by University of Chicago associate professor of political science Robert A. Pape.

Mr. Pape's study of suicide terrorism caused him to conclude that "Foreign occupation," not religion, is the motivating factor behind suicide terrorism, whether in Sri Lanka or the Middle East.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 10:29 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

A Week in The Life of Magdi El-Nashar

Jailan Halawi at Egypt's Al-Ahram Weekly Online takes a look at a week in the life of "Thirty-three-year-old Magdi El-Nashar" who "has been cleared by Egyptian authorities of having any links" with the July 7, 2005 London bombings that killed 56 people.

Al-Ahram noted that Mr. El-Nashar was at the center of a much-publicized investigation that stretched from Europe to Asia to North Africa.

See "Egypt clears chemist of terrorist links" for an analysis of Mr. El-Nahar's ordeal.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 10:10 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

'John Bolton, R.I.P'

"John R. Bolton will never be U.S. ambassador to the United Nations" predicts Robert George in a July 23, 2005 post at Ragged Thots headlined "John Bolton, R.I.P. Thanks to The Washington Note's Steve Clemons for highlighting the post by the former "speech-writer/wordsmith to House Speaker Newt Gingrich."

Posted by Munir Umrani at 09:55 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Foreign Affairs Looks At 'Europe's Angry Muslims'

Foreign Affairs, in the summary of an article by Robert S. Leiken in the July/August2005 issue headlined "Europe's Angry Muslims," contends that,

Radical Islam is spreading across Europe among descendants of Muslim immigrants. Disenfranchised and disillusioned by the failure of integration, some European Muslims have taken up jihad against the West. They are dangerous and committed -- and can enter the United States without a visa.

Observation: Some analyst just can't accept the fact that Muslims, including many who would never resort to violence, are angry about what the U.S. and her allies are doing in Iraq and other Muslim nations. They blame the anger on the failure to integrate. If most Muslims were so interested in social integration they wouldn't live in predominantly Muslim communities in the West.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 09:30 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

GeoPolitical Review: 'Zapatero Desperate to Reconcile With the U.S'

GeoPolitical Review, one of the best online journals of news and opinion on international affairs, thinks Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero is "Desperate to Reconcile With the U.S."

Posted by Munir Umrani at 08:56 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Are Al Qaeda Leaders Directing Bombing Campaigns?

Professor Juan Cole at Informed Comment has a perspective on Washington Post reporter Craig Whitlock's quotes from "counter-terrorism experts who are beginning to wonder of Usama Bin Laden is ordering the terrorist attacks in places like Baghdad, London and Egypt."

"The consensus last spring was that al-Qaeda's command and control structure had been extensively disrupted by the war on terror," Mr. Cole noted. "The feeling was that al-Qaeda leaders in hiding could still incite and provide models, but could not just get up in the morning and order a hit." Here's more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 08:44 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Josh Landis: Will U.S. Carry Out Punitive Strikes Against Syria?

Joshua Landis at Syria Comment.Com asks: "Will America carry out punitive Strikes against Syria?" He offers an interesting perspective on the question.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 08:30 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

'So Much Killing, So Much Hatred'

Helena Cobban at Just World News reflects on killing and hatred in a post headlined "Terrorism, and responses to it."

Posted by Munir Umrani at 08:24 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

A Provocative Question: ''Does The U.S. Need More Mercenaries?'

On July 22, 2005, University of Chicago assistant political science professor and blogger Daniel W. Drezner published a thought-provoking post headlined "Does the U.S. need more mercenaries?" I recommend it. You might be surprised what you will learn.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 08:02 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

London Mayor 'Red Ken' Livingstone Is Popular But Controversial

Here is an interesting article on London's popular but contreversial Mayor Ken "Red Ken" Livingstone. It was written by M. Ghazali Khan of The Milli Gazette of India. Here's is a Jerusalem Post article on Mr. Livingstone. Also see "A British Tale of Tony and Red Ken."

Posted by Munir Umrani at 06:48 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Eric Margolis: West's Policies Must Change

American-born Toronto Sun Columnist Eric Margolis, whose was in London when the July 7, 2005 bombs detonated, told his readers on July 24, 2005:

British Prime Minister Tony Blair keeps insisting the young British-Pakistani men who staged the July 7 bombings were motivated by a rabid, misguided view of Islam, and incited by fanatical imams preaching a cult of hatred against the West.

U.S. President George Bush and Australia's Prime Minister John Howard repeat a similar litany: Terrorism is caused by evil Muslims who hate the West because of its values, religion, freedoms and selfless efforts to bring the light of democracy and civilization to the benighted Islamic world."They insist attacks by Muslims have nothing whatsoever to do with the West's military actions in the Muslim world, its efforts to control or plunder oil, or the corrupt, despotic regimes installed there by the U.S., Britain and France," he added. "It's all the fault of run-amok Islam and hate-mongers." Here's more of Mr. Margolis' analysis

Posted by Munir Umrani at 06:30 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Gilad Atzmon: 'Blair the Evil Ideologist'

Gilad Atzmon, an Israeli-born musician and writer living in London, stated in a July 22, 2005 article published at Arabic Media Internet Network, that:

London is under attack once again. Though on the surface it doesn't look like a catastrophic event the message is clear: we are very vulnerable. And yet, we seem to be very slow to learn our lesson. Although there are some indications that the majority of British public is seriously associating Blair's policies with the deterioration of their day-to-day security situation, until now, no substantial political call to oust Blair has been made.Blair is still running this country and as it is apparent, we are aiming towards a colossal disaster. Some hours ago an Asian man was shot five times down in the Tube by plainclothes police officers. We are moving rapidly towards a fragmented and segregated society in which Asian looking people seem to be under constant threat. In every speech Blair preaches at us to stop the evil ideology.

"Let me be clear about it," Mr. Atzmon said, "putting bombs in the tube is no doubt evil, but what is the ideology behind it? We are yet to learn who stands behind the different London bombings. Thus, we cant associate the different events with any ideology. If to be honest, the only clear and unmistakable evil ideology I can think of is the one practiced by Mr. Blair himself.

"Wasn't it Blair who voluntarily joined forces with Mr. Bush, starting a war without UN approval?"
"It is Blair and Bush the ones who turning our planet into a ticking bomb."

See "Blair the Evil Ideologist" for more of Mr. Atzmon's analysis

Posted by Munir Umrani at 06:08 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

The Paradox of Teflon Tony

British columnist Andrew Rawnsley made the following observation in a July 24, 2005 article in The Observer of London:

Here is the paradox: they blame his war, but they rate him more. Pollsters are reporting that a majority of people think there is a connection between the war in Iraq and terror in London, however stridently and insistently Tony Blair and his ministers refuse to acknowledge a link.

"And yet the Prime Minister who took Britain into Iraq is also enjoying the best approval ratings he has had since before the war," Mr. Rawnsley noted. "They judge him to be good in a crisis even when they think he bears some responsibility for that crisis."

Maybe that's why his Don, U.S. President George W. Bush, liked him as a partner in the invasion and occupation of Iraq.

See "Whatever you do, do mention the war" for more of Mr. Rawnsley's analysis.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 05:53 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

The Implications of Sharm el-Sheikh and London: An Analysis

Rami G. Khouri, staff writer at The Daily Star of Lebanon, said in a July 25, 2005 article that,

Coming on the heels of the two consecutive transit system attacks in London earlier this month, the deadly bombings in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt on Saturday represent a particularly dangerous turn in a global terror scourge."

"Progress against the terrorists will require a qualitatively different, and more effective, political and police response to these latest attacks than has prevailed in recent years," he wrote, adding: "This is due to two reasons, related to Egypt itself and to the global pattern of terror attacks.See "Implications of Sharm el-Sheikh and London: U.S.-led global 'war on terror' may be creating more skilled enemies than it eliminates" for more of his interesting analysis.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 05:22 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

New Poll: Majority Of Londoners Believe Bombings Linked To Iraq

The Daily Mail Online of Britiain reported July 24, 2005 that, "The overwhelming majority of the public believe that the London bombings were, at least in part, due to Britain's involvement in the Iraq war, according to a new opinion poll."

The publication said, "The YouGov survey for the Daily Mirror and GMTV found that 23% thought the war was the main cause of the attacks, while another 62% thought it was a contributory factor. Only 12% said they thought that it was not a significant cause." Here's more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 05:09 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Tim Hames: 'Oops, Sorry, Won't Do'

Tim Hames at The Times Online says in a July 25, 2005 column that, "The police [in London], according to a Sunday newspaper yesterday [July 24, 2005], fear a backlash in the Muslim community after the fatal shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes, an innocent Brazilian electrician, at Stockwell Tube station on Friday [July 22, 2005]."

"What the police should fear is a backlash from the entire civilised community," Mr. Hames said. "Yet there is no evidence that either the politicians or the public will provide it. The theme has been that this was a tragic mistake, but one which was unavoidable, even inevitable, in the current climate."

For more, see "Oops, sorry, won't do. We can't just shrug our shoulders over this shooting."

Posted by Munir Umrani at 04:53 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Is There A Link Between Sharm El-Sheikh and World Politics?

Charles Levinson, special contributor to The Dallas Morning News (registration required), quotes Fuad Allam, the former director of Cairo's state security services, as saying "Whoever carried out these attacks [July 22, 2005 in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, that killed at least 88 people] had to have studied the situation very closely and prepared well in order to get past the security in Sharm el-Sheikh."

Mr. Levinson, who was assisted by Arab News correspondent and freelance writer Summer Said, who reported from Sharm el-Sheikh, noted that:

The city, flanked by barren desert mountains at the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula, is often called the "City of Peace" because it frequently hosts international summits. It was in Sharm el-Sheikh in February that Israelis and Palestinians agreed to a cease-fire. In November, Sharm el-Sheikh hosted a summit on rebuilding Iraq, attended by dozens of foreign ministers including then-U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell. This may have made the city a popular target for terrorists angry at Egyptian cooperation with U.S. policy in the Middle East, experts said.

"It is seen as an outpost where international and regional politics is done," he quotes Josh Stacher, a political scientist in Cairo, as saying. "This isn't a few angry Cairenes who can't feed their families and are angry. There is definitely a connection between these bombings and the outside world."

See "Egypt attack may mark new wave of violence" for more of Mr. Levinson's July 23, 2005 analysis, which was dispatched from Cairo.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 08:08 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Blair Government Shouldn't Hide Behind Secrecy In Hunt For Bombers

The Observer of London said in its July 24, 2005 lead article that, "Words of comfort are no substitute for facts and the government, police and security services have an obligation to deal honestly and openly with the public."

"There will be times when operational matters prohibit the disclosure of information." the publication said in an article headlined "We're safer if we know the truth:Openness can help defeat terror." "But we must not accede to the natural temptation of governments to introduce a culture of secrecy. Panic, a principal goal of the terrorists, spreads more effectively in an information vacuum. A culture of openness will encourage greater public co-operation and trust."

I totally agree with this analysis

Posted by Munir Umrani at 07:38 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

The Observer: Police May Be Hunting Cell From Horn Of Africa

The Observer of London reported July 24, 2005 that, the arrests of an Ethiopian man and a Somali man combined with raids on the homes of Somalis in Britain "have led police and the intelligence services to the conclusion that they are now hunting a cell with its origins in the lawless war-torn chaos of the Horn of Africa, long known as a haven for terror groups."

See "Police swoop on capital's estates as hunt intensifies" for a vivid description of police raids.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 07:21 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

BruneiDirect.com's 'Special Report' On Jean Charles de Menezes

BruneiDirect.com has a "special report" on Jean Charles de Menezes, a young Brazilian man "living and working in London as an electrician," who "emerged last night as the innocent victim shot dead by police in their hunt for the suicide bombers targeting the capital."

Alex Pereira, a cousin who lives in London, identified his body. According to BruneiDirect.com, he told The Observer:

I can't believe they shot him, because he was not a terrorist. He was an honest man. 'We [the family] are still too shocked to talk about it. But I am sure [that] he didn't do anything wrong. It was not right for the police to do that.

For more, see "Man shot in terror hunt was innocent young Brazilian."

Posted by Munir Umrani at 07:09 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Brazil Seeks Answers In The Death Of Jean Charles de Menezes

The Brazilian Government has asked Celso Amorim, Brazil's Foreign Minister, to ask the Government of British Prime Minister Tony Blair to explain why Brazilian electrician Jean Charles de Menezes, 27, was executed by a British policeman on the morning of July 22, 2005 aboard a train at the Stockwell station in south London.

Mr. Amorim, who is in London for a conference on United Nations reform, will seek a meeting today with British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw for an explanation of the death, according to news reports.

If descriptions of the shooting are accurate, Mr. de Menezes was executed as policemen searched for four men accused of trying to detonate bombs in London on July 21, 2005.

See "We shot dead an innocent man, admit terror police" for more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 06:52 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

July 23, 2005

Will Sharon Use Duvdevan Unit Against Gaza Settlers?

Uzi Mahnaimi, in a July 24, 2005 dispatch from Jerusalem for The Times Online of London, reported that, "Israeli Special forces are prepared to shoot to kill Jewish settlers if they come under fire during next months controversial evacuation of 22 settlements in the Gaza Strip."

He said, "Members of Israel's feared Duvdevan (Cherry) commando unit, who have concentrated on hunting Palestinian militants on the West Bank, are training for the evacuation at a dummy settlement in a remote desert location. The commandos, who have killed hundreds of Palestinian militants over the years, are now being told to be ready to open fire on Israelis but only in response to an attack on fellow soldiers," Mr. Mahnaimi added.

For more, see "Israeli troops ready to open fire on settlers."

Posted by Munir Umrani at 07:25 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Why Sharm El-Sheikh Is An Easy Target

Muneef Al-Sufoogi of Arab News told the paper's readers, "Sharm El-Sheikh is the kind of place that would make a Westerner feel comfortable, at least it did before the recent bombing."

"Crowded with Westerners, nightclubs and the kind of shops they would like to find, Sharm El-Sheikh had a lot going for it," reported the writer, who visited the resort in June 2005. "Unfortunately the same qualities that made it a haven for Western tourists also attracted others who had other things in mind namely to rain down death and destruction.Here's more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 07:03 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Is al-Jihad al-Islami Behind Bombings In Egypt?

Professor Juan Cole at Informed Comment places al-Jihad al-Islami "at the top" of the list of suspects responsible for the July 22, 2005 explosions in the Egyptian Red Sea resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh, that killed dozens. Mr. Cole wrote on July 23, 2005:

The al-Jihad al-Islami organization of Ayman al-Zawahir has for over two decades targeted Egypt's tourism industry with violent attacks. For al-Jihad al-Islami, this tactic has several benefits. Tourism is associated in the minds of many ordinary Egyptians with a libertine lifestyle offensive to the puritanism of Muslim piety. Then, Egypt depends heavily on tourism for foreign exchange, and it is an important part of the economy (worth nearly $3 billion a year in good years). Egypt's economy grew 5.3 percent in 2004, the best it has done in a long while (September 11 badly hurt Egypt's economy-- Ayman al-Zawahiri's little revenge on the homeland that exiled him).

Mr. Cole said, "Egypt depends more heavily than ever on services and remittances. Its petroleum exports are slipping. It only earned $1.5 billion in oil revenues last year despite the big bump in prices (it was over $3 billion in the mid-1990s)." Here's more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 06:52 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

With Debacle In Iraq, Will U.S. Attack Iran?

The always informative Deep Blade Journal has a highly recommended July 22, 2005 post headlined "Iran war plan? Alarming if true." The gist of the article is that

"The Pentagon, acting under instructions from Vice President Dick Cheney's office, has tasked the United States Strategic Command (STRATCOM) with drawing up a contingency plan to be employed in response to another 9/11-type terrorist attack on the United States. The plan includes a large-scale air assault on Iran employing both conventional and tactical nuclear weapons.

That quote is from an article by CIA veteran Philip Giraldi in the July 18, 2005 print issue of Pat Buchanan's American Conservative, notes Deep Blade Journal.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 06:31 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

'Iraq Has Been An Absolute Gift To Al-Qaida'

The Associated Press, in a July 23, 2005 article headlined "Experts: No Single al-Qaida Mastermind," quotes Paul Rogers, a professor of peace studies at Bradford University in northern England, as saying:

Iraq has been an absolute gift to al-Qaida. (Al-Qaida) seems to have no difficulty in getting more and more recruits.

Is that a surprise? Not to the informed and those unimpressed by Bush Administration claims about victories in the so-called "war on terror." The capture of high-ranking Al-Qaeda operatives does not equate to a defeat of Al-Qaeda. Even the capture or killing of Usama bin Ladin would mean little in the long-run.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 06:12 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Thanks To The Diplomatic Times Review Readership

Since March 20, 2005, readers from 108 countries have visited The Diplomatic Times Review, according to our weblog statistics. Most visitors, 21, 210, came from Mexico. The United States is the runnerup with 5, 666. Norway, 2, 386; Colombia; 2, 328; and Brazil, 2, 188, make up the top five.

To date, we've had approximately 219, 894 visitors. This means that we are barely on the radar compared to the more influential blogs. (A lower figure posted earlier was wrong).

Nevertheless, I greatly appreciate Diplomatic Times Review readers who have helped us get this far. You are appreciated regardless of your political persuasion or religious view. The goal here is simply to present information, offer commentary and add to the discussion of ideas and global issues that the Internet allows because of its ability connect people from all over the world.

Munir Umrani
July 23, 2005

Posted by Munir Umrani at 01:20 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Was Stockwell Shooting A Mistake Or Execution?

The man executed July 22, 2005 by British police at London's Stockwell Underground station had nothing to do with the July 21, 2005 bombings in London, British journalists are reporting.

"We are now satisfied that he was not connected with the incidents of Thursday 21st July 2005," the Metropolitan Police said in a June 23, 2005 statement, according to The Times of London and other publications. "For somebody to lose their life in such circumstances is a tragedy and one that the Metropolitan Police Service regrets." Here's more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 12:54 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Daniel Schorr: Can Rove Trump Historic Trend?

Christian Science Monitor columnist and National Public Radio correspondent Daniel Schorr says "Loyalty to the president is a big deal in the White House, but loyalty can be a one-way street." He said in a July 22, 2005 column that:

History offers examples of intimate aides who serve "at the pleasure of the president" having to resign when the president has reasons for displeasure.

Mr. Schorr seems to be saying that if history is a guide, Karl Rove, President George W. Bush's "political brain" and deputy chief of staff, will be dumped by Mr. Bush if he perceives it's necessary to save his own reputation.

According to press reports, Mr. Rove is one of the Bush Administration officials that exposed CIA agent Valerie Plame as an undercover operative, to punish her husband, former ambassador Joseph C. Wilson IV, for discrediting a Bush claim that former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein sought uranium yellowcake from Niger for use in weapons of mass destruction.

See "Can Rove trump historic trend?" for more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 12:05 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Justin Raimondo On The Bolton-Plame Connection

Justin Raimondo at Antiwar.com reminded his readers on July 22, 2005 that, "Would-be UN ambassador John Bolton's connection to the outing of CIA agent Valerie Plame was first broached in my July 15 column on Plame-gate. His article, "Rove-gate: Who Leaked to the Leakers? This isn't about Karl Rove" raises many important questions and makes interesting observations.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 11:32 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Was John Bolton A Judith Miller Source on Iraqi WMDs?

On July 22, 2005, Steve Clemons, proprietor of The Washington Note (TWN), which has relentlessly covered the confirmation hearings on John R. Bolton, President George W. Bush's controversial nominee to be the U.S.' next ambassador to the United Nations, reported in a "scoop" that, "TWN has just learned from a highly placed source -- and in the right place to know -- that John Bolton was a regular source for Judith Miller's New York Times WMD and national security reports."

"The source did not have any knowledge on whether Bolton was one of Miller's sources on the Valerie Plame story she was preparing, but argues that he was a regular source otherwise.
It's all "thickening," Mr. Clemons wrote.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 11:21 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

TPM Cafe: An Informative Companion To Talking Points Memo

Joshua Micah Marshall's second blog, TPM Cafe, provides informed coverage of news and opinion by a variety of commentators. It fits well with Talking Points Memo, his flagship blog. The Diplomatic Times Review highly recommends TPM to its readers around the world.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 11:09 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Anne Patterson Is Still Acting U.S. Envoy To The U.N.

The Arkansas News Bureau (ANB) reported July 22, 2005 that, "Anne Woods Patterson, a Fort Smith, Arkansas native serving as the acting U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, said Thursday [July 21, 2005] she is prepared to remain on the job at least until a replacement is confirmed by the Senate."

Ms. Patterson "has been in that job in New York since January while the Senate has been deadlocked over the controversial nomination of John Bolton," ANB said.

According to ANB, "Patterson said she would stay at the United Nations as long as Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice wants her. But she said she did not know whether she would be staying once a new ambassador wins confirmation."

"It's often the case that people bring in their own team," Ms. Patterson said, ANB reported. "But we'll just see what happens over the next few weeks." Here's more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 10:55 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Events To Mark 3rd Anniversary of Downing Street Memo

The Institute for Public Accuracy (IPA) noted in a July 21, 2005 press release that,

On Saturday, July 23, over 300 events organized [in the United States] by the AfterDowningStreet.org coalition and Rep. John Conyers will mark the three-year anniversary of the meeting at No. 10 Downing Street in London that was recorded in the now infamous minutes known as the "Downing Street memo."

IPA said, "Members of Congress will be hosting some of the events, including ones in Detroit, Inglewood, Calif., Seattle, Oakland, Calif., and New York City." Here's more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 10:37 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Why 'Rightwing' U.S. Bloggers Targeted Dilpazier Aslam

The Guardian of London noted July 22, 2005 that, "Rightwing bloggers from the US, where the Guardian has a large online following, were behind the targeting last week of a trainee Guardian journalist who wrote a comment piece which they did not care for about the London bombings." See "Aslam targeted by bloggers" for more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 10:09 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Dilpazier Aslam: 'The Muslim Community Is No Monolithic Whole'

Dilpazier Aslam, the Guardian of London trainee journalist whose contract was terminated July 22, 2005 following the publication of an article headlined "We rock the boat: Today's Muslims aren't prepared to ignore injustice." He made this observation, which could just as well apply to many Muslims in the United States:

The Muslim community is no monolithic whole. Yet there are some common features. Second- and third-generation Muslims are without the don't-rock-the-boat attitude that restricted our forefathers. We're much sassier with our opinions, not caring if the boat rocks or not.

Which is why the young get angry with that breed of Muslim "community leader" who remains silent while anger is seething on the streets.
Earlier this year I attended a mosque in Leeds for Friday prayers. It was in the month of Ramadan, when Islamic fervour is at its most impassioned, yet in the sermon, to a crowd of hundreds - many of whom were from Iraq - Falluja was not referred to once; not even in the cupped-hands prayers after the sermon was over.
I prayed my Eid prayer in a mosque in Sheffield and, though most there were sickened and angry about events in Iraq, the imam chose not to mention Falluja either. We "youngsters" - some now in our 40s - had seen it before. This was deliberate silence, in case the boat rocked.Mr. Aslam said, "Perhaps now is the time to be honest with each other and to stop labelling the enemy with simplistic terms such as "young", "underprivileged", "undereducated" and perhaps even "fringe". The don't-rock-the-boat attitude of elders doesn't mean the agitation wanes; it means it builds till it can be contained no more."

The Guardian claims it terminated Mr. Aslam's contract because he refused to give up him membership in Hizb Ut Tahrir (Party of Liberation). The venerable publication ackowledges that, "Subsequent to joining the Guardian, Aslam made no secret of his membership of this political party, drawing it to the attention of several colleagues and some senior editors."

See "Background: the Guardian and Dilpazier Aslam" for the Guardian's position in its own words, and the real reason Mr. Aslam was terminated.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 10:02 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Why The Guardian Terminated Dilpazier Aslam's Contract

Steve Busfield of the Guardian blog of London reported July 22, 2005 that, "Trainee journalist Dilpazier Aslam had his contract with theGuardian terminated today.
The move followed an internal inquiry into Aslam's membership of the political organisation Hizb ut-Tahrir," he wrote. According to a Guardian statement:

The Guardian now believes continuing membership of the organisation to be incompatible with his continued employment by the company.

Mr Aslam was asked to resign his membership but has chosen not to. The Guardian respects his right to make that decision but has regretfully concluded that it had no option but to terminate Mr Aslam's contract with the company. Mr. Busfield said, "The inquiry followed a piece written by Aslam for the Guardian's comment pages entitled "We rock the boat".

Posted by Munir Umrani at 09:35 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Shoot To Kill, Investigate Later

The Guardian Unlimited published an article July 23, 2005 that has this interesting observation of "The shot suspect" who was killed July 22, 2005 by London police after four men attempted July 21, 2005 to bomb trains in Britain:

Guidance issued to armed police officers by the Association of Chief Police Officers, which was revised five months ago, states: "A police officer should not decide to open fire unless that officer is satisfied that nothing short of opening fire could protect the officer or another person from imminent danger to life or serious injury.

The Guardian said, "The officer, from Scotland Yard's SO19 firearms unit, is thought to have shot the suspect in the head because he feared a shot in his torso might detonate any device the suspect may have been wearing, and to have opened fire several times to make sure the man could not activate any bomb."

He definitely won't activate any now, or face interrogation. According to some reports, the man did not have a bomb. Other reports say a witness thought he saw wires dangling from under the man's clothes. Here's more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 09:22 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

The Times: 'The Terrorists Aim Is To Paralyze London'

The Times Online of London, in its lead article of July 23, 2005, declared:

The terrorists aim is to paralyse London by repeated attacks on its transport network. The Tube carries more than three million passengers every day, and complete protection is impossible. But already experts have called for new safety measures: surveillance cameras at every station and also in trains; the widespread deployment of sniffer dogs; random checks on baggage; more transport police patrolling the network. These must be implemented. The train drivers union Aslef has also demanded instant fines for anyone leaving cases or bags unattended a sensible proposal that we endorse.

"But the unions call on drivers who feel stressed to remain at home is ill-judged," The Times opined, adding: "Train drivers have proved that they have more courage than their union executive."

Observation: I don't think a suicide bomber would be concerned about a fine if he or she leaves a case or bag unattended on public transportation. If it explodes, the bomber is unlikely to be around to accept the fine anyway.

See "Extraordinary days" for more of The Times' leader.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 08:53 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

The Waltz Of The Media, Government, Police And Terrorist

Matthew Parris, a controversial, South Africa-born, Times of London columnist, contends in a July 23, 2005 column that,

There is an unwitting conspiracy between four separate powers to represent the worldwide al-Qaeda network as fiendishly clever, powerfully effective and deeply involved in the London bombings.

According to Mr. Parris, those powers are the media, government, intelligence services and, "Finally, of course, the terrorist himself." He said,

A reputation for fearsomeness and sophistication is nothing but a boon not only to his self-esteem, but also to his efforts to recruit others to his cause. Never think that speeches about the wickedness and cruelty of al-Qaeda do other than burnish the legend."From a certain point of view, the journalist, the politician, the police chief and the terrorist can be seen as locked in a macabre waltz of the mind, no less distorting for being unconscious.

"We should not to join that dance," Mr. Parris added. See "I name the four powers who are behind the al-Qaeda conspiracy" for more of his views.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 08:36 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Canadian Muslims Urged To Practice "Smart Integration"

Dr. Mohamed Elmasry, the president of the Canadian Islamic Congress, "told about 6,000 worshippers at a Friday [July 22, 2005] afternoon service at the mosque of the International Muslims Organization in Rexdale," Canada, that

The last few weeks, the Muslims in this country, like anybody else, saw the horrid images which were coming from London. Muslims in this country have to be proactive beyond the stage of condemnation.

The Globe and Mail of Toronto said, "While his appearance at the mosque had been scheduled for some time, it came the day after 120 imams from across Canada issued a statement condemning terrorism in the name of religion, and said it was their duty to turn extremists over to the authorities."

Dr. Elmasry urged Canadian Muslims to practice "smart integration." However, integration won't stop bombers' or alleviate political grievances based on international events such as the the U.S. and British invasion and occupation of Iraq. Here's more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 08:15 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Habib el-Adli: Sharm el-Sheikh, Taba Bombings Might Be Linked

Xinhua, the official Chinese news agency reported July 23, 2005 that, "Egyptian Interior Minister Habib el-Adli said here [in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt] Saturday [July 23, 2005] that attacks in the Red Sea resort... might be linked to the Taba blasts of 2004."

Mr. el-Adli "said some clues have been found that might help find who carried out these attacks, which indicate a link between the explosions and the Taba blasts in the Sinai peninsula on Oct. 7, 2004, which killed 34 people and injured more than 100," according to Xinhua.

The news service also reported that Mr. el-Adli "said no link between the London explosions and Saturday's [July 23, 2005] Sharm el-Sheikh blasts has been established, adding he can not at the present identify those who carried out the explosions or affirm to which organizations they belong."

Posted by Munir Umrani at 07:46 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Are Sharm el-Sheikh and London Bombings Related?

Because of the July 7, and July 21, 2005 bomb attacks in London, Egypt was on heightened security alert when bombers struck the Egyptian resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh on July 23, 2005, according to Habib al-Adli, interior minister for the North African nation.

Dozens were reportedly killed and over 100 injured.

When Mr. al-Adli was asked if he thought the bombings in London and in Sharm el-Sheikh were linked," he said, according to CNN International.Com: "Look, it's all terrorism. It's a crime of terrorism, whether here, or in London, or Turkey, or some time ago in Saudi Arabia, or in other areas."

The Egyptians say they do not know who is behind the bombings. Unfortunately, there will be more of these dastardly acts. Here's more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 07:25 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

July 22, 2005

A Look At Lebanon's New Cabinet

Ya Libnan published a lineup of the new Lebanese cabinet formally approved by President Emile Lahoud on July 19, 2005. The publication said, "a presidential decree was issued in which Fouad Siniora was appointed as the Prime Minister."

See "Lineup of Lebanon's new Cabinet" for more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 09:00 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Rice's Visit to Lebanon Was 'Expected And Timely'

Adnan El-Ghoul of The Daily Star of Lebanon reported July 23, 2005 that, "U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's visit to Beirut Friday [July 22, 2005] was not only not a surprise, but an expected and timely message to the key players on Lebanon's political scene conveying Washington's view on the eve of the release of the new Cabinet's policy statement."

"In her efforts to help shape Lebanon's fledgling democracy, the first free of Syrian hegemony, Rice paid a visit to the leaders of both the majority and opposition blocs in Parliament to compliment them on the ongoing political process," Mr. El-Ghoul wrote.

See "Rice meets with Lebanon's key players" for more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 08:52 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

News Conference Transcript On The Killing Of A Bombing Suspect

The Times Online of London published a transcript of a July 22, 2005 afternoon's news conference, in which Sir Ian Blair, Commissioner of London's Metropolitan Police, and other ranking police officials discussed the July 22, 2005 killing of a suspected bomber and the search for four suspects who tried to detonate bombs in the subway and on a bus in London on July 21, 2005.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 08:36 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Under Operation Kratos, British Police Will Aim For The Head

Arab News correspondent Mushtak Parker, writing from London in a July 23, 2005 dispatch, said, "With the advent of suicide bombers [in London], police guidelines in the use of firearms have changed."

"The Metropolitan Polices Anti-Terrorist Branch, SO13, under its Operation Kratos guidelines, are operating a shoot-to-kill policy in extreme cases involving suspected suicide bombers where the instructions are to shoot at the suspects head," he wrote, noting that, "Armed police would normally aim at the chest. But experience in Israel has shown that suicide bombers who are shot in the chest can still trigger explosives"

But what if it is obvious that a suspect has no explosives or gun? Why execute a suspect, as was allegedly done in London on July 22, 2005, who's down and in your control? Shouldn't you want to interrogate him or her? I would.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 08:11 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Questions About The Killing Of A Suspected Bomber

The of London Daily Mail Online's July 22, 2005 article headlined "Suspected suicide bomber shot dead on Tube" made me wonder why "a suspected suicide bomber " was "shot dead by police at Stockwell Tube station in south London." This passage raised the question:

Witness Mark Whitby, speaking to BBC News 24, reported the man was shot five times at close range after he had jumped on a train.
Mr Whitby said he was sitting on the Tube train reading his paper as it was stationary with its doors open in Stockwell station.

He said he heard people shouting "get down, get down!"

He said: "An Asian guy ran on to the train. As he ran, he was hotly pursued by what I knew to be three plainclothes police officers."

He tripped and was also pushed to the floor and one of the officers shot him five times.

"One of the police officers was holding a black automatic pistol in his left hand. They held it down to him and unloaded five shots into him. I saw it. He's dead, five shots, he's dead."

He reported the man did not seem to be carrying a weapon or wearing a rucksack.

Mr Whitby said later he was "totally distraught" by what he had seen. Question: If it is true that the man "did not seem to be carrying a weapon or wearing a rucksack," why shoot him? I'd want him alive so he could be interrogated.

I'd want to know whether he belonged to a group intent on bombing London. I'd also want to know where he came from and who sent him.

I'd want to know the name or names of his handlers.

Was he one of the bombers from a failed, July 21, 2005 attempt to cause massive damage and death in London's subway? I'd want him to tell me whether he knew of future bombing plans, etc.

The bottom line: Why was this man killed before he was interrogated?

Posted by Munir Umrani at 06:40 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

July 21, 2005

Abdullah Saeed: The Many Faces Of A Living Religion

Abdullah Saeed, the Sultan of Oman professor of Arab and Islamic studies and the director of the Centre for the Study of Contemporary Islam at the University of Melbourne in Australia, contends in a July 20, 2005 article in The Australian that:

For some commentators, Muslims living in the West cannot be loyal citizens of a Western nation-state because their loyalty is to Islam. They are seen as a type of fifth column that is quietly existing until the opportunity arises to challenge the system - even violently - and to change it.Similarly there are certain Muslims who argue that Islam and the West are on a collision course and there is no way that a coexistence is possible.

"I argue that Islam in the West, like Islam in the so-called Muslim world, is a diverse and complex phenomenon that defies the single conception of Islam so prevalent today," Mr. Saeed said in the article, which, according to The Australian, is "an edited version of a paper given at last week's international symposium, Religion and Multicultural Citizenship, at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia.

The article is definitely worth reading.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 10:22 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Professor Alon Ben-Meir: 'What The West Doesn't Get

Alon Ben-Meir, professor of international relations at the Center for Global Affairs at New York University, stated in a July 21, 2005 United Press International "Outside View" commentary that:

The recent suicide bombings in London stunned not only the British but people in other European counties and elsewhere. I, for one, perhaps like many other observers who have followed how al-Qaida has evolved since its defeat in Afghanistan, was not in the least surprised. Among other important changes in al-Qaida since 9/11 is that its mode of operations has been decentralized, with a greater focus placed on recruiting Arabs and Muslims without criminal records who reside in the West.

"Certainly," he added, "the Iraq war and Britain's role in it have only intensified anti-British and anti-Western feelings among Arabs and Muslims. It was only a matter of time before the first suicide bombers would strike."

Here's more of Ben-Meir's analysis.

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Political Conflict In Central And Eastern Europe

Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. author of "After the Rain - How the West Lost the East," notes in a July 21, 2005 commentary in the Global Politician that,

Transition is a messy affair even in the best of times and the last decade of Central and Eastern European (CEE) history has been by far the worst in the last 50 or so years. Politics mirrored this age of mayhem and upheaval.

He said, "It unfolded along several axes of conflict." See "Taxonomy of Political Conflict In Central and Eastern Europe," to read his analysis of those "axes of conflict."

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Muslims: Europe's Big Challenge

"Will Europe have a Muslim majority by the end of this century?" That question was asked by columnist Greg Sheridan in the July 21, 2005 edition of The Australian. See "Europe's big challenge" for his answer.

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VOA: London Attacks Renew Debate Over Asylum, Immigration

The Voice of America (VOA) told its listeners today that, "Along with fears of Islamic terrorism, the July 7 attacks in London - and new explosions Thursday [July 21, 2005] in the British capital - are renewing European debates over immigration and asylum laws, and how to treat roughly 40 million foreigners living in the region.

"It is too early to say what the fallout will be," VOA correspondent Lisa Bryant reported from Paris. "But some human rights groups fear the emergence of a fortress Europe with closed borders to foreigners. Others disagree." Here's more.

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Pope Benedict XV Will Meet With Muslim Leaders in Germany

"Pope Benedict XVI will meet with Muslim officials for the first time in his pontificate, during his trip to Cologne for World Youth Day in August," according to a June 20, 2005 report in Catholic World News. Read more here.

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German Elections Set For September 18, 2005

"German President Horst Köhler gave the okay to dissolve parliament Thursday [July 21, 2005] and called for an early general election on September 18 [2005]," Deutsche Welle reported in a July 21, 2005 article. "Polls show Chancellor Gerhard Schröder will lose," the publication said.

Mr. Köhler was quoted as telling the nation in a televised broadcast: "It is my duty as president to decide this issue according to the law. I think it is best to have a new election to let the people decide." Here's more.

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Leaks Undermine Blair's Position on July 7 Bombings

Ekklesia, a not-for-profit British thinktank, published a July 20, 2005 article that said:

The UK government has established a joint task force with British Muslims to look at how to combat extremism among elements of their communities. But in examining root causes, Prime Minister Tony Blair continues to maintain vehemently that there is no connection between the London bombings of 7 July and Western policy in Iraq.

The article noted that, "Yesterday [July 19, 2005] a leaked report from the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre (a body that brings together relevant representatives of the security services) was quoted as noting last month that “events in Iraq are continuing to act as motivation and a focus." For more, see "Don’t mention the war, says Blair."

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Will Blair Let Yusuf al-Qaradawi Speak At Muslim Conference?

The Cambridge Evening News reported July 21, 2005 that, British "prime minister Tony Blair spent the afternoon with Muslim leaders in Downing Street" while "a debate raged outside about plans for a controversial Egyptian cleric to speak at an Islamic conference in Britain."

The publication said, "Yusuf al-Qaradawi, 79, who is banned from entering the United States, has been invited to appear at the conference in Manchester just weeks after the [July 7, 2005] London bombings - despite his support for Palestinian suicide bombers who target civilians in Israeli towns and cities." Here's more.

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It Won't Work, Mr. Blair, Without Changes in Your Iraq Policy

The Guardian today noted that the government of British Prime Minister Tony Blair "announced yesterday [July 20, 2005] that extremists who use radical preaching, websites or inflammatory articles to incite others to commit acts of terrorism will face automatic vetting before being allowed into the country."

"The home secretary, Charles Clarke, said officials would draw up a list of "unacceptable" activities intended to promote or provoke terrorism, in the wake of the [July 7, 2005] London bombings, which killed 56 people and injured hundreds more."

I doubt these measures will stop bombers from striking, especially when they come from within. Besides, I suspect that, the U.S. and Britain's record in Iraq since the end of the first Gulf War has caused more radicalization of Muslims around the world than any imam ever could with his speeches and writings.

See "Blair consults security chiefs over new powers" for more.

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July 20, 2005

Are War Crimes Charges Against British Soldiers A Blow To Blair?

The Reuters news agency quotes lawyer Phil Shiner as saying war crime charges against three British soldiers in Iraq are "only the tip of the iceberg." Mr. Shiner represents nine alleged victims of the British occupation of portion of Iraq.

Mr. Shiner said the families he represent "welcome the first steps towards justice of those responsible," according to Reuters, adding: :However this is only a start."

Reuters said "In the latest case of alleged abuse, one of the soldiers, Corporal Donald Payne, 34, was charged with the war crime of the inhumane treatment of Iraqi detainee Baha Musa, who died in custody in the southern city of Basra in September 2003."

Payne, of the Queen's Lancashire Regiment, was also charged with Musa's unlawful killing and perverting the course of justice," the wire service said."Two others -- Lance Corporal Wayne Crowcroft, 21, and Private Darren Fallon, 22, both of the 1st Battalion The Queen's Lancashire Regiment -- were jointly charged with the war crime of abusing Iraqi civilians."

Reuters said, "Among the accused is Colonel Jorge Mendonca who initiated the formal enquiry into Musa's death." The wire service quotes "Brigadier Geoffrey Sheldon, Colonel of the Queen's Lancashire Regiment, as saying: "It is therefore particularly difficult for us to learn that Colonel Mendonca must himself now answer charges a result."

The announcement of charges against the soldiers comes at time when British Prime Minister Tony Blair is trying to get Britain's Muslim community to work with the police in the wake of the July 7, 2005 bombing in London.

It also comes at a time of increasing debate in London over whether the bombing was related to Britain's role in the March 20, 2003 U.S. invasion and subsequent occupation of Iraq. Mr. Blair says it's not related, and that the bombings were carried out because the perpetrators believed in an "evil ideology."

Some British government oficials and independent researchers take the opposite position, to the chagrin of Mr. Blair.Here's more.

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Appeasing Mr. Blair

Vikram Dodd and Michael White of The Guardian of London reported July 20, 2005 that, "Moderate British Muslim leaders yesterday [July 19, 2005] decided to develop a network which will counter extremism within their own communities after meeting [British Prime Minister] Tony Blair and senior colleagues at Downing Street in the wake of the London transport bombs."

"But the prime minister was left in little doubt that many of his visitors reject his insistence that a different foreign policy in Iraq would not have prevented the attacks which took at least 56 lives on July 7, 2005 - and was warned that it will be hard for them to reach radically disaffected young people in their midst," the reporters wrote.

At least the Muslim leaders know their limitations. Secondly, unless they develop a network of highly effective informants and spy on every Muslim family, I doubt they will be successful in the mission Mr. Blair has given them. I also doubt a potential suicide bomber is going to advertise his or her mission or knowingly work with informants, Muslim or otherwise.

Finally, I think the leaders were simply trying to appease Mr. Blair. They won't be able to deliver as much as he thinks they will. However, a withdrawal of troops from Iraq would accomplish more than these leaders ever could. See "Muslims agree network to fight extremists" for more.

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July 19, 2005

Blair Wants To Change Muslims Instead Of His Iraq Policy

The World Peace Herald reported July 19, 2005 that, "Britain's Home Office (rather like the Department of Justice in the United States) is drafting a system of accreditation and qualification for would-be Muslim clerics (imams)."

"They will have to be fluent in English and pass a test in British civic knowledge, and new applicants are expected to undergo a new state-sponsored training course that will promote moderate Islam," the publication said, noting that, " An estimated 1,800 of Britain's 3,000 full-time Imams come from overseas, mainly from Pakistan, and many come with Saudi sponsorship and after some study in Saudi Arabia."

Instead of trying to change British Muslims, Mr. Blair should change his Iraq policy. Britain will be subject to attacks as long as British troops are part of the U.S. occupation force. Here's more.

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Alleged British War Criminals Won't Be Tried In The Hague

The three British soldiers charged July 19, 2005 "with the war crime of inhuman treatment of prisoners in Iraq" will "not be tried at the International Criminal Court in the Hague but under martial law in Britain," The Times of London reports. It cited Lord Goldsmith, the British Attorney-General, as its authority.

The Times said "Another eight [soldiers], including a highly decorated regimental colonel, are facing court martial over the deaths of two civilians" in Iraq. Here's more.

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The Herald Of Britian Analyzes 'The True Cost' Of War For Iraqis

The Herald of Britain said in a July 20, 2005 editorial that the "aims of the dossier" released July 19, 2005 by Iraq Body Count and Oxford Research Group on civilian deaths in Iraq "are to highlight the forgotten cost of the decision by the United States and Britain to go to war, and to give the world's political leaders a wake-up call about the needs of ordinary Iraqis in their plight. Its publication could not be more timely."

British Prime Minister Tony Blair and U.S. President George W. Bush probably would disagree.

See "The true cost for Iraqis" for more of the editorial.

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The U.S. Doesn't Do Body Counts in Iraq But IRC Does

One of the most interesting statistics in the dossier that Iraq Body Count (IBC) and the Oxford Research Group (ORG) released on July 19, 2005 detailing the minimum number of civilians killed in Iraq since the official U.S. invasion in March 2003 is this:

US-led forces killed 37% of civilian victims. Anti-occupation forces/insurgents killed 9% of civilian victims. Post-invasion criminal violence accounted for 36% of all deaths. Killings by anti-occupation forces, crime and unknown agents have shown a steady rise over the entire period. Just reading news accounts of suicide bombings one could easily conclude that most civilian deaths were caused by insurgents.

If IBC and ORG are correct, most died at the hands of the U.S. and common criminals unleashed after the invasion. Some Freedom. Here is the dossier. And here is the IBC press release on the dossier.

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U.S. Paper: The 'Leak Mess Is About Credibility On Iraq

The Charleston (West Virginia) Gazette today urged its readers to "Remember: This [Karl Rove] fracas isn't just about a leak. Its about the false claims that sucked America into the needless Iraq war." See "Leak mess: Iraq credibility issue" for more.

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Deutsche Welle: 'Europe Must Wait For Arrest Law'

Deutsche Welle reported July 19, 2005 that, "German politicians are split on a ruling by Germany's highest court that struck a blow to the EU arrest warrant. The justice minister wants revisions implemented before September, others see a threat to citizens' rights," the German publication said. Here's more.

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Yoel Marcus: 'Get Down From The Rooftops'

Yoel Marcus at Haaretz.Com has an interesting analysis of the political and military situation in Gaza headlined "Get down from the rooftops."

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Who's To Blame For 'Deteriorating Situation In Gaza?'

Xinhua, the official Chinese news agency, said in a July 19, 2005 editorial published in People's Daily Online that, "It seems that everything is getting mixed up-side-down in Gaza as people here are worried and anxious on what would happen just four weeks before the intended Israel withdrawal from settlements in Gaza and northern West Bank."

"Israel, the Palestinian National Authority (PNA), the radical Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) as well as Egypt and the United States are all involved in creating such a feeling among the Palestinians, observers here said," according to the news service. Here's the entire editorial.

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Will Rice Pressure Sharon or Abbas On Visit To Israel

The Boston Globe opined July 19, 2005 that, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's "visit to Israel this week reflects a welcome, if belated, understanding that ominous shadows are falling across the Israeli disengagement from Gaza that is scheduled to begin in a month. The two sides need help badly, not only to coordinate security arrangements and economic plans but also to overcome the tremendous internal stresses affecting both the Palestinian Authority of Mahmoud Abbas and the Israeli government of Ariel Sharon," the paper said, adding:

Rice will have to be tough with both sides yet understanding of their domestic pressures. She must make it clear that the United States will not stand for renewed large-scale violence from either camp. At the same time, she needs to muster a certain amount of subtlety in calibrating the political effects of US pressure on both Abbas and Sharon.

The paper need not worry. The Bush administration is not going to put much pressure on Mr. Sharon. If anything, they will pressure Mr. Abbas who is caught between a rock and a hard place. That is between Israel, Hamas and Islamic Jihad. See "Rice's job in Gaza" for the entire editorial.

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Poll: Most Europeans Don't Want Turkey In The EU

Times of London correspondent Anthony Browne noted in a July 19, 2005 dispatch from Brussels, Belgium that, "Turkey's hopes of joining the European Union suffered a double setback after the first official opinion poll on the issue indicated that a large majority of Europeans are opposed and a senior Austrian minister called for entry talks to be shelved." By now, Turkey should have realized that the EU is, as former French President Valery Giscard d'Estaing once put it, a Christian club.

"In my opinion, it would be the end of Europe," he told the French daily LeMonde, according to Wikipedia.

Yet, Turkey continues to beg for admittance although it is obvious that she is not welcome. Here's more.

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July 18, 2005

Israeli, Saudi Studies Say War Radicalized Most Foreign Fighters In Iraq

Tom Regan of csmonitor.com reported July 18, 2005 that,

Two new studies, one by the Saudi government and one by an Israeli think tank, which "painstakingly analyzed the backgrounds and motivations of hundreds of foreigners entering Iraq to fight the United States" have found that most foreign fighters in Iraq were not terrorists before the Iraq war, but were "radicalized by the war itself.

See "Studies: War radicalized most foreign fighters in Iraq" for more. Also see the July 17, 2005 Boston Globe article headlined "Study cites seeds of terror in Iraq."

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Blair, Iraq and The Use And Abuse Of Intelligence

Richard Norton-Taylor, The Guardian of London's security affairs editor, takes the position in a July 19, 2005 article that, "If [British] ministers and MPs cannot bring themselves to acknowledge that the invasion of Iraq has increased the threat from terrorism, then let others do so. We can begin with senior officials responsible for protecting our national security and Britain's interests abroad," he writes in an article headlined "Use and abuse of intelligence."

The July 7, 2005 bombings in London put the issue back into the public arena.

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Pol: Most Britons See Iraq link To London Bombings

"Two-thirds of Britons think the July 7 bombings in London were linked to Prime Minister Tony Blair's support for the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, according to a poll published on Tuesday [July 19, 2005], according to Reuters. See "Most Britons see Iraq link to London bombings-poll" for more.

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Think Tank Scholars Accused Of Making 'Excuses For Terrorist'

The Glascow Daily Record said July 19, 2005 that, "a bitter row broke out yesterday over claims that Britain's Iraq war role could be to blame for the London bombings." Here's more.

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Chatham House Report Has Blair On The Defensive

The Chatham House and Economic and Social Research Council report issued July 18, 2005 titled "Security, Terrorism and the UK" has British Prime Minister Tony Blair and his cabinet on the defensive, especially the assertion that "There is no doubt that the situation over Iraq has imposed particular difficulties for the UK, and for the wider coalition against terrorism."

BBC News quotes Mr. Blair, Foreign Secretary Jack Straw and Defense Minister John Reid's reaction to the report, which is being quoted all over the world. The debate is on and there is nothing they or their supporters in the conservative punditocracy can do about it.

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While Bombings Continue At Home, Jaafari Signs Pact With Iran

"The Iraq-Iran rapprochement has caused discomfort in the US," according to Zaman Online. The publication said, "The Washington administration [is] concerned about Iranian political influence paving the way for an Islamic regime or even causing disintegration in Iraq." Here's more.

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Some Israeli Soldiers Balking At Removing Jewish Settlers From Gaza

"The Israeli army is searching for two of its solders who deserted after refusing to carry out orders to stop Israelis entering Jewish settlements in the Gaza Strip," Mark Willacy, Middle East correspondent for ABC Online of Australia reported July 18, 2005. He said, "At least seven other soldiers also disobeyed orders but did not desert." Here's more.

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Sharon's Warning to Palestinians, Jewish Protesters

John Murphy of the Baltimore Sun's foreign staff said, "Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon found himself battling on two fronts yesterday, issuing stern warnings to Palestinian militants who have launched attacks on Israelis and to Jewish protesters opposed to his plan to evacuate settlements in the Gaza Strip and part of the West Bank." Here's more.

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Jack Straw: I'm Astonished By Chatham House Report

Before chairing the current "EU foreign ministers meeting in Brussels," British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said, "I'm astonished Chatham House is now saying that we should not have stood shoulder to shoulder with our long-standing allies" on Iraq, reports Scotsman. com.

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Iraq Prominent in British Study On 'Security, Terrorism and the UK'

Security, Terrorism and the UK, "a new, long-planned briefing paper" published July 18, 2005 in England by Chatham House and the Economic & Social Research Council concluded that:

A key problem with regard to implementing Prevention and Pursuit is that the UK government has been conducting counter-terrorism policy shoulder to shoulder with the US, not in the sense of being an equal decision-maker, but rather as pillion passenger compelled to leave the steering to the ally in the driving seat. There is no doubt that the situation over Iraq has imposed particular difficulties for the UK, and for the wider coalition against terrorism. It gave a boost to the Al-Qaeda networks propaganda, recruitment and fundraising, caused a major split in the coalition, provided an ideal targeting and training area for Al-Qaeda-linked terrorists, and deflected resources and assistance that could have been deployed to assist the Karzai government and to bring bin Laden to justice.

The report also said:

Riding pillion with a powerful ally has proved costly in terms of British and US military lives, Iraqi lives, military expenditure, and the damage caused to the counter-terrorism campaign.Notwithstanding the attacks in London on 7 July 2005, the UK has rightly placed a major response emphasis on intelligence-led action to disrupt potential terrorists or terrorist networks. The recent convictions for possessing materials to cause an explosion and in the ricin case are examples of successful intelligence led disruption.

"However," the report notes, "trained surveillance personnel are a scarce resource and maintaining an adequate pool of such expertise within the police and the security and intelligence services is a continuing challenge. This problem applies both within the UK and overseas for the protection of UK nationals and interests," the report continues. "Where the surveillance is platform-based, as in the case of UK naval deployments in the Gulf, it is also of concern when the planned deployment is to be reduced from two frigates/destroyers to one."

For more, see "ISP/NSC Briefing Paper 05/01: Security Terrorism and the UK."

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Veterans Of IRA Surveillance Help MI5 Search For Potential Bombers

The Times Online of London reported July 18, 2005 that, "specialist army surveillance units [in England] are helping the police and MI5 to search for potential suicide bombers and their support networks."

"The unprecedented joint operation, in the past confined to undercover missions in Northern Ireland, has been under way since the July 7 attacks," the publication said. Here's more.

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July 17, 2005

Djerejian: 'This Is Just So Infuriating'

Gregory Djerejian at The Belgravia Dispatch has an interesting rant headlined "Of French Leaks and Home-Grown Terror." He criticizes Christophe Chaboud, France's new antiterrorism coordinator, for breaking ranks with Britain and the rest of Europe 48 hours after the July 7, 2005 attacks on London.

He accused Mr. Chaboud of leaking to LeMonde the "the nature of the explosives" allegedly used by the four attackers. He also accused him of bringing politics into the situation by stating that "The war in Iraq has revived the logic of total conflict against the west." This infuriated Britain and Mr. Djerejian.

While I think Mr.Chaboud's actions are insignificant, Mr. Djerejian thinks otherwise. Is he upset because Europeans are supposed to stick together against Muslims and they don't?. Anyway, I recommend his analysis of the issue, even if it is a bit emotional.

Also see French, British politics pervade bombing inquiry."

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The Violation of Iraq's Patrimony: An Analysis

Scholar Chalmers Johnson, whose new book "Nemesis: The Crisis of the American Republic" is due out in 2006, has a long essay at the History News Network on "Why History Will Judge Us Harshly for Our Violation's of Iraq's Patrimony." It was first published at TomDispatch.Com.

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Terrorism And Risk Management

Brian Michael Jenkins, a "senior adviser to the president of the RAND Corporation," takes at look at "The Lessons of London" from a risk manager's perspective. It's worth reading.

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Jihadists In Iraq: A 'Thinking' And 'Adaptive' Enemy

David Rieff, who covered the war in Iraq for The Guardian and is writing a book about Islam in Europe, opined in a July 16, 2005 column that,

On the battlefields of Iraq, American military officials now no longer deny the skill of the home-grown insurgents and foreign jihadists against whom they have been fighting since the fall of Saddam Hussein. In Pentagon language, US forces are fighting a "thinking" and "adapting" enemy.

He said, "The most important conclusion to draw from the July 7 terrorist bombings in London is that part of that enemy's "adaptation" is to continue the strikes against civilian targets in western capitals and western interests and tourist venues throughout the world that began with the attacks of September 11 2001 on New York and Washington, and have continued in such places as Bali, Istanbul, Madrid and now London."

See "Talking with the jihadists" for more of Mr. Rieff's insightful analysis.

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Crackdowns Fail To Breakup Iraq's Suicide Network

Reuters correspondent Michael Gregory reported July 17, 2005 that U.S officials in Iraq say suicide bombers "pass through a sophisticated network of handlers who offer safehouses and weapons."

"Iraqi forces have discovered workshops in Baghdad which can fit a car with explosives in an hour," Mr.Gregory wrote.

He said, "Numerous security crackdowns have failed to crack the networks bringing militants from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Yemen and elsewhere to blow themselves up in Iraq, adding:"The scant information available suggests suicide bombers are fiery but disciplined young men who believe they are carrying out God's orders. Some make videos of their last prayers and embraces in the desert before leaving on their deadly missions."

Mr. Gregory said, "Not all are foreigners, however, and greater involvement by Iraqis would complicate the task of security forces even more." For more, see "Iraqis helpless against new wave of suicide attacks."

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Some In Iraq Want Militias To Protect Shiites

The Christian Science Monitor reports in its July 18, 2005 issue that, "Shiite parliamentarian Khudayr al-Khuzai called on the [Iraqi] government Sunday [July 17, 2005] to "bring back popular militias" to protect vulnerable Shiite communities. "The plans of the interior and defense ministries to impose security in Iraq have failed to stop the terrorists," he told the National Assembly," according to an article by correspondent Neil MacDonald datelined Baghdad. For more, see "After Iraq attacks, calls for militias grow."

Posted by Munir Umrani at 08:25 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

'War Crimes and The "Just War" Theory': An Analysis

Michel Chossudovsky, Professor of Economics at the University of Ottawa and Director of the Centre for Research on Globalization (CRG), has a thought-provoking article headlined "War Crimes and The "Just War" Theory" posted at GlobalResearch.ca.

I highly recommended it for it's discussion of what Mr. Chossudovsky describes as "a comprehensive record of US-UK war crimes in Iraq." This record, he said, was established by the "World Tribunal on Iraq (WTI) through sessions held in Western Europe, Asia and the U.S.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 05:56 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Questions About 'The Barbaric And The Civilized'

After denouncing the July 7, 2005 attacks in London that resulted in 55 deaths, to date, Dr. Chandra Muzaffar of Malaysia, "a member of the Jury of Conscience of the World Tribunal on Iraq (WTI) which sat in Istanbul from 23 to 27 June 2005," asked in as July 18, 2005 Tehran Times.com article:

If it is barbaric to murder 52 civilians in London, is it civilized to kill 100,000 civilians in Iraq? For that is the number of civilians who have died in Iraq as a result of the Anglo-American occupation of that land since March 2003, according to a Johns Hopkins University study.

Among other questions, he asked: "Why is it that the barbaric deeds of those who claim to be civilized are not part of the popular consciousness?"

Great question.

See "The barbaric and the civilized" for more of Mr. Muzaffar's commentary.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 05:37 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Rove's Leaks Were Designed to Protect Rationale For Iraq War

Juan Cole, Professor of History at the University of Michigan and the proprietor of Informed Comment, an authoritative blog on Iraq and the Middle East, reminds his readers why Karl Rove told Time Magazine reporter Matt Cooper that Valerie Plame, the wife of Iraq war critic Joseph C. Wilson IV, was a CIA agent working on weapons of mass destruction (WMD) issues.

Bottom line: It was about keeping one of the rationales for invading Iraq intact. Namely that Iraqi president Saddam Hussein had WMDs and sought to buy uranium yellowcake in Niger. This article discredited that claim.

See Rove:It is all going to be Declassified."

Posted by Munir Umrani at 04:42 PM | Comments (0)

Arab Media Tells Palestinians To Get Their House In Order

BBC Monitoring, which "selects and translates news from radio, television, press, news agencies and the Internet from 150 countries in more than 70 languages," selected some Arab newspapers that have warned, "the Palestinians to put their own house in order after clashes in Gaza late last week between Palestinian Authority security forces and members of the Hamas militant organization," according to the BBC.

Two bystanders were killed and 20 others wounded, the BBC noted. Here's a link to Arab opinion on the issue.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 03:15 PM | Comments (0)

Abbas Is Between A Rock And A Hard Place

The Palestinian Media Center said July 17, 2005 that,

"On the backdrop of an imminent Israeli large-scale ground offensive against the Gaza Strip, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas held the Israeli government fully responsible for the consequences of its policy, urged national unity on the basis of the Cairo Declaration and the truce with Israel, reconfirmed that attacks against Israeli targets would not be tolerated, and reiterated that the Palestinian National authority (PNA) is the sole Palestinian authority in the occupied territories."

Mr. Abbas is between and rock and a hard place. He can't control Hamas and Islamic Jihad and he definitely has no influence on Israel, who seems to use overwhelming force at every provocation. For more, see "Abbas Blames Israel, Urges National Unity.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 02:55 PM | Comments (0)

Sr. Jeremy Greenstock's Book on Iraq Reportedly Being Blocked

Sir Jeremy Greenstock, Britain's ambassador to the United Nations during the build-up to the invasion of Iraq, has written a book about his experiences during that time. According to EPolitix.com, he "expresses strong criticism of coalition policies." Consequently, "Number 10 and the Foreign Office are said to be blocking" the book, EPolitix said.

Mr. Greenstock was Britain's former representative in occupied Iraq and served as deputy administrator in the Bush Administration's Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq, once headed by former ambassador Lewis Paul Bremer III, an American. Here's more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 02:43 PM | Comments (0)

Economically, The 21st Century May Belong To China

Tim Johnson of Knight-Ridder News Service says "If the 20th was the American century, the 21st may belong to China."

"Just five years into it, China has become the world's third-largest trader, one of its fastest-growing economies, a rising military power in northeast Asia and a global player extending its influence in Africa, the Middle East and Latin America," he wrote in a July 17, 2005 article. Here's more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 02:19 PM | Comments (0)

Can China, Japan Settle Their Dispute Over Test Oil Drilling?

The Japan Times reported July 16, 2005 that, Japan's Economy, Trade and Industry Minister, Shoichi Nakagawa, said July 15, 2005 that "Japan and China should resolve a bilateral row over gas projects in the East China Sea through dialogue."

"His remarks followed protests by Beijing over Tokyo's decision to grant test-drilling rights in a disputed area to a Japanese oil company," the publication said, noting that Mr . Nakagawa told a news conference: "China recognized that it is in a dispute (with Japan) over the sea area. I want the country to sincerely discuss the matter."

For more, see "Minister eyes China talks as gas dispute boils over."

Posted by Munir Umrani at 02:13 PM | Comments (0)

China Warns Japan Over Drilling In East China Sea

"Japan is muddying the waters of the East China Sea," contends China Daily in a July 16, 2005 opinion piece. "It is stamping on China's maritime rights by granting Japanese firm Teikoku Oil Co. the right to test drill for gas and oil in a part of the East China Sea disputed by the two countries."

China Daily said, "Japan's move could lead to confrontation with China." See "Japan's dangerous move in E.China Sea" for more on China's claim.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 02:02 PM | Comments (0)

China Uses Diplomacy, Aid To Secure Access To Oil

Los Angeles Times correspondent, Mark Magnier, writing from Beijing, says "China is dispatching legions of diplomats, surveyors and engineers across the globe to help quench the Middle Kingdom's insatiable thirst for energy." He also wrote:

During the last two years, President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao have taken oil executives on trips to oil-rich countries from Algeria to Uzbekistan to seal major deals. The government in Beijing has welcomed top officials from all 11 members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries. A major point of a trip Hu made to Moscow this month was to secure access to Russia's vast reserves.Chinese crews are building roads in Africa in exchange for the right to extract oil from remote regions. Viewers in Saudi Arabia, a nation that U.S. oil firms once had to themselves, now watch Chinese programs on satellite TV as China drills into Saudi sands. China is also taking advantage of tensions between the Bush administration and Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez to wrest oil from one of the largest U.S. suppliers.

"To secure deals worth tens of billions of dollars," Mr. Magnier said in his July 17, 2005 dispatch, "Beijing is cozying up to regimes in nations, including Iran and Sudan, that Washington labels pariahs. And it is flexing its military muscle to lay claim to contested fields in East Asia.China's aggressive search is putting it in growing competition with the United States, the world's largest oil consumer. Some observers even warn of a possible showdown between the two economic giants."

If it's a military showdown, it will likely involve nuclear weapons. Some Chinese military officials are willing to use them, while others diplomatically disavow the use of such weapons.

See "China Stakes Claim for Global Oil Access" for more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 01:54 PM | Comments (0)

Jaafari, Khatami Hold Talks On Iraq, Iran Relations

"Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari met and held talks with President Mohammad Khatami here on Sunday [July 17, 2005]," according to a July 18, 2005 report at Tehran Times.com.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 01:26 PM | Comments (0)

Does Egypt Need To Reasses Its Iraq Policy?

Egyptian journalist Dina Ezzat asks in the July 14-20 edition of the weekly"Al-Ahram (The Pyramid): "Does Egypt need to re-address its policy on Iraq?" See "Tense Ties For Now," to read the results of her investigation.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 01:17 PM | Comments (0)

Why Fear Caused An Iraqi Mother To Delete Her Arabic Blog Posts

Iraqi blogger Raed Jarrar of Raed in the Middle reported July 17, 2005 that,

"my brother is spending his 6th night in jail. He's just one of the thousands of people in Iraq who disappeared and ended up in one of the many jails and prisons around the country without a clear reason. "The number of U.S.-held prisoners in Iraq reached all-time record levels earlier in June and has since gone down slightly. The average prisoner total in June stood at 10,783. The number of Iraqis held in Iraq's governmental and paramilitary jails is unidentified.

On another note, Mr. Jarrar wrote:

My mom freaked out yesterday and deleted all the Arabic posts on her blog. She thinks the Iraqi government would keep Khalid imprisoned if they knew his family is anti-occupation and critical to the current regime. She reminded me of what my old friend Salam (aka salam pax) did three years ago when he deleted our joint blog fearing that Iraq's old mukhabarat would find it.

"I couldn't sleep that night," Mr.Jarrar recalled. "I can't sleep tonight either. History repeats itself."

Posted by Munir Umrani at 12:43 PM | Comments (0)

Raed: Attacks On Iraqi Civilians Are Unjustifed

Raed Jarrar of Raed in the Middle today put up a post on the killing of civilians in Iraq. It's headlined "Targeting Iraqi Civilians in Msayyab."

"It seems that it's unclear yet what caused the explosion at the gas station, but in case it was an arranged attack, it's a big cruel massacre," he wrote. "Such destructive attacks are only in the interest of Iraq's enemies who try to start internal ethnic clashes. I can't imagine any Iraqi, Arab or Muslim who is capable of attacking mosques and killing innocent civilians. Such an attack against Iraqi civilians is unjustified and should be condemned."

I unequivocally agree, Raed.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 12:22 PM | Comments (0)

Was PKK 'Behind' Yesterday's Resort Bombing In Turkey?

The BBC reported today that, "Turkish authorities believe Kurdish PKK separatists planted Saturday's [July 16, 2005] bomb on a tourist bus" in or near in Kusadasi, Turkey. Eight people were killed and 13 injured, according to reports.

"They are virtually certain this is the PKK, which is a Kurdish guerrilla group terrorist organization,"Sir Peter Westmacott, the UK ambassador to Turkey, told the BBC after visiting injured British citizens in hospital..

A passenger train was bombed in Turkey on July 2, 2005. On July 10, 2005 a seaside resort in west Turkey was bombed.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 09:18 AM | Comments (0)

Prediction: War Against Britain's Jihad Network Will Take Decades

The Sunday Observer reported July 17, 2005 that, "Britain's most senior police officers believe that it will 'take decades' to successfully tackle British Islamist terror networks because of a failure to penetrate extremists in the Muslim community."

"Senior police sources have said that the current state of knowledge about Islamic terrorism is comparable to that gathered on the IRA in the early Seventies, when it struck almost with impunity," the paper said. See "Terror hunt 'to take decades.'"

Posted by Munir Umrani at 08:57 AM | Comments (0)

Pakistan Warned Britain Last May About Possible Attacks

"The Observer can reveal that Pakistani counter-terrorism officials warned their British counterparts about plans by militants to bomb London pubs, restaurants and possibly railway stations last May," Gaby Hinsliff, David Rose, Martin Bright and Ned Temko reported in the July 17, 2005 edition of the Sunday Observer

The correspondents said, "Interrogations of a Pakistan-born Briton, who was arrested by Pakistani authorities close to the border with Afghanistan that month, exposed the plot, which was supposed to be put into action in the early summer."

"This claim will be embarrassing to UK authorities, already reeling from accusations that they failed to place under surveillance a key al-Qaeda operative who arrived in Britain a month before the [July 7, 2005] London blasts," they concluded. Here are more details.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 08:49 AM | Comments (0)

Daily Mirror: 'Exclusive: Was It Suicide?'

Jeff Edwards of the Daily Mirror of London reported July 16, 2005, that, "The London bombers may have been duped into killing themselves so their secrets stayed hidden."

Question:Why is that bombers are often described as dupes? I think the London bombers attacked the city's transportation system on July 7, 2005 because they felt compelled to do so, for whatever reason. They had ample time to change their minds during their journey from Leeds to London.

See "Exclusive: Was it Suicide?" for Mr. Edwards' rationale for saying the evidence is compelling" for the men being dupes..

Posted by Munir Umrani at 08:37 AM | Comments (0)

Chris Smith: Britain's Role In Iraq War 'Makes UK A Terror Target'

The Sunday Express of Britain reported July 17, 2005 that, "Labour former cabinet minister Chris Smith believes that Britain's participation in the Iraq war had made it more of a target for terrorists."

"But while Britain should change the flavour of its foreign policy, it was wrong to make a direct connection between Iraq and the attacks on London, he said," the Express reported in an unsigned article, adding: Mr Smith, who is set to take his seat in the House of Lords on Monday [July 18, 2005], told GMTV's The Sunday Programme:

I am almost certain that the fact that we enthusiastically supported George Bush in his engagement in Iraq, and we participated in it, probably makes us as a country more vulnerable than we might have been.
We'd have been vulnerable anyway. It probably makes us a bit more vulnerable.
It does not remove the blame that absolutely has to lie with the people who caused the bombing. The people responsible for the bombs were the bombers.

He also said, according to the Express:

If we position ourselves strongly on the side of justice and trying to work towards a solution in some of those great international issues, then I think, it changes the flavour of what we are doing internationally. "But what I wouldn't want to do is to make the explicit link [with Iraq] because I think it's not a terribly sensible way of trying to approach these things.

"I think he's back peddling. See "Iraq war 'makes UK a terror target'" for more details.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 08:20 AM | Comments (0)

More Questions About The London Bombings

The Independent of London has an indepth article in the July 17, 2005 edition headlined "The reconstruction: 7/7 - What really happened? Correspondent Cole Moreton poses a series of questions about the July 7, 2005 bombings in London, in which 55 are known to have died, and attempts to answer them. Some of the questions are:

Were the four bombers being controlled or acting alone?
Why did they buy return tickets if they were intending to die?
Could MI5 have found out what was happening and stopped it?
Was an al-Qa'ida suspect allowed to travel to the UK unwatched?

Mr. Moreton said the police "reject suggestions that the men were duped, but such questions remain as they and the security services try to piece together what happened on 7/7 and - crucially - what it means for the future. Will it happen again, soon? Have other terrorist cells been activated now? Were the men really working alone?"

See "The reconstruction: 7/7 - What really happened?" for more questions and possible answers.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 07:55 AM | Comments (0)

Did Germaine Lindsay Have Ties To Cleveland, Ohio?

FBI Investigators in Cleveland, Ohio, in the United States, are trying to determine if Germaine Lindsay, one of four men accused on detonating four bombs in London on July 7, 2005, had relatives and other contacts in Cleveland's Jamaican community. According to reporter Scott Newell of WKYC.com in Cleveland, Mr. Lindsay's mother reportedly lived in the city of almost 500,000 located on the shore of Lake Erie. See "Possible Cleveland tie for London bomber" for details.

Also see "New information released on Cleveland connection to one of suspected London bombers," which gives more details.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 07:33 AM | Comments (0)

A Stement From Germaine Lindsay's Family

The family of Germaine Lindsay, described by British authorities as the the fourth bomber [in the July 7, 2005 bombings in London, in which 55 are known to have died], issued a statement on July 16, 2005, in which they said:

Germaine was a good and loving husband and a brilliant father, who showed absolutely no sign of doing this atrocious crime.
We as a family had no idea of his plans and are as horrified as the rest of the world.
We are still in shock about the news we have been given, and are trying to understand why anyone, never mind Germaine, would do such a thing.
We plead to anyone who has information to help police with their investigations to stamp out these terrorists.
We would like to thank all those people who have shown us that they are true friends for all their support."

"The statement on behalf of his wife Samantha Lewthwaite and his relatives also offered their condolences to the families," according to the BBC.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 07:08 AM | Comments (0)

Jamaican-born Bomber Moved To Britain In 1986

"Germaine Lindsay, the [Jamaican] man suspected of being involved in the [July 7, 2005] London bombing, was born in September 1986 and emigrated to Britain at the age of five months, Radio Jamaica reported" July 5, 2005, according to the Jamaica Observer. Here's more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 06:56 AM | Comments (0)

MI5 Judged Mohammed Sidique Khan 'No Threat'

In 2004 Britain's MI5 (officially called the Security Service) concluded that "Mohammed Sidique Khan, a 30-year-old teaching assistant from Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, who killed six other passengers [on July 7, 2005] when he blew himself up on a Tube at Edgware Road, was not a threat," according to an article in the July 17, 2005 issue of the The Sunday Times of London.

He was "the subject of a routine threat assessment by MI5 officers after his name cropped up during an investigation in 2004," the paper said. See "MI5 judged bomber 'no threat'" for details.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 06:28 AM | Comments (0)

July 16, 2005

Drezner: Is The War Against Al Qaeda Generating Results?

University of Chicago assistant political science professor Daniel Drezner, proprietor of Daniel W. Drezner said in July 15, 2005 post that, "Just about everyone is questioning the policy on Iraq. However, one of the key criticisms of the Iraq war is that it incubated a new generation of adherents to Al Qaeda. Is that really true? Are the Bush administration's anti-terrorism policies "sound enough and solid enough to win in our arenas"?

Can anyone answer his questions?

For more, see"Is The War Against Al Qaeda Generating Results?.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 01:25 PM | Comments (0)

Deep Blade Journal Analyzes U.S. 'Domination By Detention'

Eric Olson at the informative Deep Blade Journal has a penetrating analysis of the Bush Administration's assumption of the role of "arbiter of humanity." His analysis is based on the July 14, 2005 appearance of some current leaders of the US military's Judge Advocate General (JAG) services "before the Senate Armed Services Personnel Subcommittee."

Mr. Olson noted that, "The Washington Post on Friday [July 15, 2005] had a Page A01 story on this hearing headlined ``Military Lawyers Fought Policy on Interrogations''. Mr. Olson wrote:

Okay, they fought some things -- often on the clearly valid basis that it is not a good idea to allow tortures be committed against enemies that we would not want used on our own troops. Note however, that the memos containing these discussions remain secret, including from members of Congress. But I watched a good chunk of this thing on C-SPAN 2. I was very troubled by what I heard. For the most part, the JAGs have accepted the notion that the President of the United States has the ``Commander-in-Chief'' authority to declare a whole new classification of persons detained in territory under US invasion called ``enemy combatant'', to declare on this personal authority that international law does not apply to this class, to then deport these persons to a facility half-way around the world (this act itself a grave breach of the intent of international law), and to declare by unsubstantiated fiat -- indeed what a reasonable person easily could find to be precisely the opposite -- what constitutes ``humane'' treatment of such detainees.

Mr. Olson said, "Terror War or not, it should be easy to see how a reasonable person could interpret such declarations as dictatorial, despotic policies."

For more, see "Domination by detention US declares itself arbiter of humanity." I highly recommend it.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 01:02 PM | Comments (0)

U.S. Mission Creep In Latin America

Tom Barry, policy director for the International Relations Center and the author of "numerous books about Latin America and the Caribbean," has a penetrating analysis at the Global Politician on U.S. policy in Latin America. It's headlined "Mission Creep in Latin America - U.S. Southern Command's New Security Strategy."

Mr. Barry's look at an area of the world that's largely of little consequence and importance in global politics is quite revealing

Posted by Munir Umrani at 12:41 PM | Comments (0)

Difficulties In Iraq War Sparks Debate On U.S. Military Policy

Roman Kupchinsky at Radio Free Europe reports that, "Pentagon planners have begun reviewing one of the pillars of U.S. military strategy: Should the United States maintain its long-standing policy of being prepared to fight two wars concurrently while maintaining a sufficiently effective counterterrorism/homeland defense?"

"The debate comes as 138,000 U.S. combat troops are stationed in Iraq, fighting an asymmetrical war against Iraqi rebels at a cost of $5 billion per month," he noted. Here's more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 12:11 PM | Comments (0)

Are Hawks, Doves Given Equal Say In The Australian?

Tom Switzer of The Australian opined on July 16, 2005 that,

Given that I'm writing this article from inside the trenches of what Robert Manne calls "the aggressively pro-war editorial team at The Australian", it is worth noting that Manne and I agree about one thing: the Iraq war was unnecessary. After all, the threat that Saddam Hussein posed could have been contained, as indeed it had been since the 1991 Gulf War.

He added: "And although Iraq had been ruled by a brutal tyrant, the task of exporting democracy to an arbitrarily created state and ethnically and tribally fractured society was bound to be so messy and so dangerous that it was not worth so much blood and treasure."

Well put, sir. Here's more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 11:47 AM | Comments (0)

Why McDonnel Called For Britain's Withdrawal From Iraq

Ireland Online (IOL) reported July 16, 2005 that, John McDonnell, Labour MP for Hayes and Harlington, said it was "intellectually unsustainable" for British Prime Minister Tony Blair's government to say the Iraq war played no part in the July 7, 2005 bombings in London that caused 55 known deaths and wounded dozens more. He said, according to IOL: The Butler Inquiry had revealed security service warnings of an upsurge in terrorism if Britain joined the US invasion."

Mr. McDonnell also said:

Now is the time to prevent further violence by renouncing violent solutions ourselves. Our mission must be to prevent conflict, not provoke it. For as long as Britain remains in occupation in Iraq, the terrorist recruiters will have the argument they seek to attract more susceptible young recruits to their bomb teams.Britain must withdraw now. What message is sent to young people when two million march against a war, with those marches led by young Muslims actively participating in politics often for the first time, and yet they have their voices ignored?

"He said young Muslims across the world were being influenced by pictures of Allied bombing of Baghdad, abuse at Abu Graib jail and chained prisoners at Guantanamo Bay," IOL noted. Here's more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 11:37 AM | Comments (0)

Town Hall Meetings Scheduled In U.S. On Downing Street Memo

U.S. Representative John Conyers (D-Michigan) issued a press release on July 15, 2005 that said, "In commemoration of the third anniversary of the infamous Downing Street Meeting, Rep. John Conyers, Jr., along with Representatives Hinchey, Lee, McDermott, Waters, Becerra, Frank, Rangel, and Tom Udall, will host town hall meetings nationwide to discuss the manipulation of prewar intelligence, the unclassified Downing Street Minutes, White House improprieties committed by Karl Rove and other Bush Administration officials, and the war in Iraq." According to the release,

Over the past two months, 131 Members of Congress have written the President and some 575,000 people have signed a petition demanding answers from the White House. All of these inquiries have gone unanswered. Hundreds of thousands of Americans are informed, organized, and waiting for a response to these letters. Because they continue to be met with silence, Members of Congress will now be taking this issue directly to the American people in the hopes that the Administration will finally be held accountable.

"Each town hall meeting will feature a variety of speakers, local celebrities and other participants," the release added, noting that, "Specific details for each event will be provided by the members offices."

Each member will hold meetings in his or her congressional district.Here's the press release.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 11:17 AM | Comments (0)

July 23 Marks Three-Years Since Meeting British Memo Summarizes

Political Affairs.Net, a journal of Marxist thought, noted in a July 14, 2005 report that,

"Saturday, July 23 is the three-year anniversary of the meeting between high-level U.S. and British officials that the Downing Street Memo summarizes.

The journal said, "According to the memo, Military action was now seen as inevitable. Bush wanted to remove Saddam, through military action, justified by the conjunction of terrorism and WMD. But the intelligence and facts were being fixed around the policy." Here's more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 10:32 AM | Comments (0)

The Guardian Sees A Generation Gap Among Britain's Muslims

"British Muslims are experiencing the crisis wrought by the attacks in vastly different ways, and the most pronounced of those is the chasm between the young and old," contends Guardian Unlimited correspondent Patrick Barkham in a July 16, 2005 dispatch, in which he traces the route the perpetrators of the July 7, 2005 bombings took on their journey from Leeds to London, to carry out their dastardly act.

See "Journey through Britain's Muslim divide" for more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 10:24 AM | Comments (0)

Recent Bombers Don't Resemble Mad Mullahs

British Broadcaster, author and lecturer Kenan Malik says "few recent terrorists have resembled the caricatures of mad mullahs, bearded fanatics and foreign zealots that people the press. Many have been Western-born, Western-educated and seemingly ordinary," he said.

Mr. Malik gives several examples in a July 16, 2005 article in The Times of London headlined "Multiculturalism has fanned the flames of Islamic extremism."

Posted by Munir Umrani at 09:51 AM | Comments (0)

Al-Nashar Said He Left London For Vacation In Egypt

Al-Jazeera.Net noted July 16, 2005 that an Egyptian interior ministry statement said that Egyptian biochemist Magdi Mahmoud Al-Nashar, 33, has denied any involvement in the July 7, 2005 London bombings.

"He said he had gone to Britain to study at Leeds University and has resided in Britain since 2000 until now to obtain his doctorate, which he did earlier this year," the statement said, according to Al-Jazeera.Net, citing the ministry of the interior.

"He said he had come back to Egypt for a month and a half holiday and was planning to go back to Britain to resume his studies and that all his belongings are still in his flat in Leeds." Egyptian authorities will continue their investigation, according to news reports. Here's more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 09:24 AM | Comments (0)

Egyptian Lawyers Demand Legal Protection For Al-Nashar

Nahdat Misr, an independent Egyptian Arabic daily, reported July 16, 2005 that,

Immediately after the news [of the arrest of Egyptian biochemist, Magdi Mahmoud al-Nashar, for questioning over the July 7, 2005 London bombings], Egyptian Lawyers' Union spokesman Muntasir al-Ziyat announced his committee would contact General Prosecutor Mahir Abd-al-Wahid and demand legal guarantees and full protection for Al-Nashar if the British accusations are proved right.

"He also asked for members of the committee to be present at his questioning and for Al-Nashar not to be handed over to any foreign side," according to Nahdat Misr.

The BBC Monitoring Service translated the Nahdat Misr report.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 09:02 AM | Comments (0)

Some Egyptain Newspapers Shocked By al-Nashar Arrest

BBC News Worldwide reported July 16, 2005 that, "Egypt's newspapers on Saturday [July 16, 2005] conveyed widespread shock at the arrest in Cairo of an Egyptian biochemist, Magdi Mahmoud al-Nashar, for questioning over the [July 7, 2005] London bombings."

BBC Monitoring, which "selects and translates news from radio, television, press, news agencies and the Internet from 150 countries in more than 70 languages," translated several Egyptian newspapers for its subscribers. Here's a link to opinion in six of those publications.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 08:44 AM | Comments (0)

July 15, 2005

Iraqi Blogger Reportedly Adbucted By New Iraqi Mukhabarat

River at the popular Baghdad Burning blog reported July 15, 2005 that Raed of Raed in the Middle has some very bad news. His brother Khalid of the blog Tell Me a Secret has been abducted by the new Iraqi mukhabarat" or secret police.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 10:41 PM | Comments (0)

Iraq's Oil And Gas Reserves

In a June 2005 country analysis on Iraq brief, the U.S. Department of Energy's Energy Information Administration said,

"According to the Oil and Gas Journal, Iraq contains 115 billion barrels of proven oil reserves, the third largest in the world (behind Saudi Arabia and Canada), concentrated overwhelmingly (65 percent or more) in southern Iraq. Estimates of Iraq's oil reserves and resources vary widely, however, given that only about 10 percent of the country has been explored. Some analysts (the Baker Institute, Center for Global Energy Studies, the Federation of American Scientists, etc.) believe, for instance, that deep oil-bearing formations located mainly in the vast Western Desert region could yield large additional oil resources (possibly another 100 billion barrels or more), but have not been explored. Other analysts, such as the U.S. Geological Survey, are not as optimistic, with median estimates for additional oil reserves closer to 45 billion barrels. In August 2004, Iraqi Oil Minister Ghadban stated that Iraq had "unconfirmed or potential reserves" of 214 billion barrels.

The report noted that, "In early May 2005, Ibraihim Bahr al-Uloum was named to replace Ghadban, stating that his main goals were to reduce corruption in the oil sector, to improve fuel availability, to reduce attacks on oil infrastructure (Ghadban had cited 642 such attacks in 2004 at a cost of $10 billion), and to re-establish an Iraqi National Oil Company (INOC) by the end of 2005."

The question is: Who will benefit from Iraq's oil? Here's more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 10:28 PM | Comments (0)

Daniel Schorr: Rove Leak Is Just Part Of Larger Scandal

Veteran journalist Daniel Schorr, senior news analyst at National Public Radio and a Christian Science Monitor columnist, said in his July 15, 2005 column: "Let me remind you that the underlying issue in the Karl Rove controversy is not a leak, but a war and how America was misled into that war."

I agree. The reason the White House deliberately exposed Valerie Plame, the wife of Bush Administration critic Joseph C. Wilson IV, as a CIA operative, not the leak and journalists right to protect sources, is the pivotal issue.

Ms. Plame was considered "fair game" by Bush Administration operatives who wanted to punish Mr. Wilson for disputing in a July 6, 2003 article in The New York Times the Administration's false claim that former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein had sought to buy uranium yellowcake in Niger, in an attempt to rebuild his weapons of mass destruction program.

See "Rove leak is just part of larger scandal" for more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 08:30 PM | Comments (0)

Did Media Draw Hasty Conclusions About Magdy El-Nashar

Magdy el-Nashar, the Egyptian chemistry professor arrested and interrogated in Egypt in connection with the July 7, 2005 bombings in London, has no link to al Qaeda, Habib el-Adli, Egypt's interior minister, told Egypt's al-Gomhuria newspaper, according to Reuters.

The wire service said Mr. el-Adli said "Western and Arab media had drawn hasty conclusions." Here's more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 07:50 PM | Comments (0)

British Investigators Speculate About Where Probe Will Lead

The Guardian of London reports in a July 16, 2005 article that Metropolitan police chief constable, Sir Ian Blair, said "What we expect to find at some stage is that there is a clear al-Qaida link, a clear al-Qaida approach" in the July 7, 2005 bombings in London, in which 54 person died and hundreds were wounded.

Mr. Blair made the statement during a July 15, 2005 interview with the BBC, according to The Guardian. Here's more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 07:33 PM | Comments (0)

Are Muslims In U.S. Condemning Terrorism Loudly Enough?

Ray Hanania, an award-winning Palestinian-American journalist, author and Creators' Syndicate columnist who writes on the Middle East and other issues, notes in the July 16, 2005 issues of Arab News that, American Arab and Muslim groups quickly and sharply condemned the terrorist attacks in London last week."

"The attacks pushed the demarcation line on what is and isn't possible," he wrote. "Many observers, including Stephen Emerson, warned that it is a matter of when, not if, suicide bombers strike America again. Yet one week later, when a Palestinian suicide bomber struck a shopping mall in Netanya near Tel Aviv, nearly all the Arab and Muslim organizations were silent. The attack was blamed on the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, the sibling of Hamas."

Mr. Hanania, a former Chicago Sun-Times reporter, said, "These American organizations are playing a duplicitous and dangerous game. They are only saying enough to protect themselves against what they fear will be a repeat of the post-Sept. 11 backlash."

It's my opinion that Muslim and Arab organizations can let a Bush Administration speech writer write their condemnation of suicide bombings and it will still not be enough. Arabs and Muslims are the new niggers. The group gets blamed for what individuals do. On the contrary, Christians were not expected to apologize when Timothy McVeigh blew up the Oklahoma City Federal Building on April 19, 1995 killing 167 men, women and children and wounding dozens more. If Muslims condemn terrorism on Saturday, why should they be expected to condemn it on Sunday, too?

See "Not Enough Being Done to Condemn Terrorism by Arab and Muslim Groups in US" for more of Mr. Hanania's commentary.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 07:21 PM | Comments (0)

Britain's 'Quick Results" In Bombing Investigation

Arab News, which bills itself as "The Middle East's Leading English Language Daily, opines in a June 16, 2005 editorial, that,

The speed of the British investigation into the four London suicide bombings only nine days ago has been quite startling. Despite the fact the forensic experts were having to deal with the gruesome remains of the killers and their victims deep in the capitals underground network, within five days they had established for certain the identities of at least two of the bombers, had raided six addresses in the counties of Yorkshire and Bedfordshire and discovered two cars used by the attackers. These raids yielded significant quantities of homemade explosives and it seems a great deal more evidence that was also acted upon rapidly. As a result of one lead, the Egyptian authorities yesterday arrested at the request of the British an Egyptian biochemist, Magdi Mahmoud Al-Nashar in Cairo. Nashar had left his home in Yorkshire shortly before the London attacks.

Arab News said, "With young men prepared to throw away their lives, the current high state of alert in Britain may be no deterrent. However for the men of evil behind them, the massive dragnet may be of more real concern."

I agree. However, if future bombers are highly skilled at staying below the radar, and are determined to hit their targets, the dragnets will be a nuisance not a deterrent. See "Quick results" for more of the Arab News editorial.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 06:50 PM | Comments (0)

Has Alleged Mastermind Of London Bombings Been Captured?

CTV.ca News staff of Canada has reported that, "the U.S.-trained Egyptian chemist, who police believe to be the mastermind behind last week's [July 7, 2005] bombings in London, has been captured and is being interrogated in Egypt."

"An Egyptian government official confirmed that 33-year-old Magdy El Nashar was taken into custody in suburban Cairo," CTV reported, adding: "El Nashar, whom British authorities have yet to formally call a suspect, left Britain two weeks before the transit attacks." Here's more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 07:21 AM | Comments (0)

Juan Cole On 'The Ghost of Muhammad Naeem Noor Khan'

In a July 15, 2005 post headlined "The Ghost of Muhammad Naeem Noor Khan," Professor Juan Cole at Informed Comment says John Aravosis at AmericaBlog brings up the awful possibility, based on an ABC report, that the Public Relations-hungry Bush administration may have interfered with a British and Pakistani investigation of an al-Qaeda plot to bomb London that ties into July 7.

"The question is whether Bush played politics with terror around the time of the Democratic National Convention in late July, 2004," Mr. Cole writes. "Jim Lobe reminded us at the time that '

The New Republic weekly quoted Pakistani intelligence officials as saying the White House had asked them to announce the arrest or killing of any "high-value [al-Qaeda] target" any time between July 26 and 28, the first three days of the Democratic Convention. At the time, former CIA officer Robert Baer said the announcement made "no sense." "To keep these guys off-balance, a lot of this stuff should be kept in secret. You get no benefit from announcing an arrest like this." '

Look for some conservative bloggers to attack Mr. Cole for speculating on whether the Bush Administration uses the so-called war on terror for political gain.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 06:53 AM | Comments (0)

Shields: It's Not Definite Fourth Bomber Is From Jamaica

The Jamaica Observer reported July 15, 2005 that, "Jamaica's crime chief Mark Shields huddled yesterday [July 14, 2005] with officials of the British High Commission, as news spread that a Jamaican [named Germaine Lindsay] might be one of four suicide bombers that killed 52 people in London, but denied later that any investigation was ongoing from his end." See "Nothing yet to confirm London bomber Jamaican, says Shields."

Posted by Munir Umrani at 12:42 AM | Comments (0)

Alleged Bombing Mastermind Has A Masters Degree in Chemistry

Summer Said of Arab News reported from Cairo on July 15, 2005, that, Magdi Al Nashar, who has links to the house in the English city of Leeds where the bombs [that exploded in London on July 7, 2005] were made, was described by his friends here as quiet and non-political person. He got his BA in chemistry from Cairo University in 1994 and then later obtained his masters in 1998," she wrote. She said Mr. Al-Nashar is "suspected of being the mastermind" behind the bombings, according to reports in British newspapers on July 14, 2005. For more, read "Egyptian Suspected of Being London Blasts Mastermind."

Posted by Munir Umrani at 12:30 AM | Comments (0)

Was The Fourth London Bomber Jamaican?

"It is now believed that the fourth bomber [in the July 7, 2005 bombings in London that resulted in the deaths of 54 people and the wounding of hundreds more] is a Jamaican-born Briton," according Mushtak Parker of Arab News. Here's more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 12:20 AM | Comments (0)

July 14, 2005

Jonathan Freedland Analyzes 'The Attack From Within'

Jonathan Freedland of Mail & Guardian Online reported July 14, 2005 that, "Fiyaz Mughal, who runs the interfaith Diverse Trust [in England], told me an agenda is already forming for British Muslims." He added:

First item would be a stepping up of efforts to train British-born imams -- rather than relying on foreign leaders with an incendiary line in rhetoric. Next, moderates will demand that British Muslims report those they suspect of spreading jihadist fury. Mughal admits that literature glorifying 9/11 and the like is easily available in the British Muslim community; now, he predicts, those handing it out could find themselves turned in. Finally, he hopes for new Muslim engagement in the political process. Their demands will be clear, calling for a change in the foreign policy areas -- Iraq, Afghanistan, Israel-Palestine -- that they believe have ignited the extremists in their midst.

Mr. Freedland said, "Of course, this burden cannot fall on Muslims alone. The realization that Britons are ready to bomb their fellow citizens is a challenge to the whole of our society." For more, see "The attack from within."

Posted by Munir Umrani at 10:20 PM | Comments (0)

Will There Be A Pan-Arab Parliament By The End Of 2005?

During the 46th session of the Arab Inter-Parliamentary Union (APU) held in Algiers, the Algerian capital, July 11-12,2005, Amr Moussa, Secretary General of the Arab League, "said the first pan-Arab parliament will be created by the end of 2005," according to AKI of Italy. The APU conference attracted delegates "from 20 Arab nations in Africa and the Gulf." Here's more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 10:04 PM | Comments (0)

Bülent Aras Looks At 'Turkey, Europe and Middle-East Security'

"Many factors contributed to the French and Dutch objections to the proposed EU Constitution," writes Bülent Aras in an article in The Journal Of Turkish Weekly. "One usually unstated factor is a fear of Turkish membership in the Union," he added. "That membership drive, however, has already transformed Turkey." Read "Turkey, Europe and Middle-East Security," to learn how Turkey has been transformed.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 09:46 PM | Comments (0)

Ali Al-Timimi's Statement in Court Before Receiving Life Sentence

Dr. Ali Al-Tamimi addressed Federal District Court Judge Leonie M. Brinkema and the court for about ten minutes before he was sentenced to life in prison on July 13, 2005. He was convicted in April 2005 for allegedly urging his followers to travel to Afghanistan and help the Taliban fight US troops, after they invaded Afghanistan following the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States.

See "Dr. Al-Timimi's Statement in Court," to read his entire address. Thanks to Islamic Awakening.Com for posting it.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 09:26 PM | Comments (0)

Have We Heard The last Of The Tamimi Case?

In reporting on the life sentence given to Dr. Ali Tamimi on July 14, 2005, Barbara Ferguson, the Washington correspondent for Arab News of Saudi Arabia wrote:

A prominent Islamic scholar, whom prosecutors called a purveyor of hate and war, was sentenced to life in prison Wednesday [July 13, 2005] for urging his followers after the Sept. 11 attacks, to join the Taleban and fight against US troops. Ali Al-Timimi, was defiant to the end, telling a federal judge in a 10-minute speech prior to sentencing that he considered himself a prisoner of conscience who was being persecuted for his Islamic beliefs. The district court judge in the case, Leonie M. Brinkema, reluctantly ordered the life sentence against Al-Timimi, saying she was bound by federal guidelines.

I heard Dr. Tamimi speak at an Islamic Assembly of North America conference in Rosemont, IL a few years ago. I have also listened to his tapes. I don't think we've heard the last of this case.

For more see, "Al-Timimi Jailed for Life in Virginia Jihad Case."

Posted by Munir Umrani at 09:13 PM | Comments (0)

Group Of 33 To Work With Other Developing Nation Groupings

"The Group of 33 today, July 14, 2005, agreed to enhance cooperation with other developing-country groupings such as the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP), least developing countries (LDCs), the Africa Group and the Group of 20 to defend the interests of developing nations in agriculture," according to the Business Standard of India. Here's more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 08:47 PM | Comments (0)

Africa Focus Analyzes 'The Damage We Do'

AfricaFocus Bulletin analyzes "Africa: The Damage We Do." The Bulletin quotes the Royal African Society as saying: "The African Union estimates that the continent loses as much as $148 billion a year to corruption. This money is rarely invested in Africa but finds its way into the international banking system and often into western banks. The proceeds of corrupt practices in Africa ... are often laundered and made respectable by some of the most well known banks in the City of London."

Posted by Munir Umrani at 08:26 PM | Comments (0)

Royal African Society On The Damage We Do To Africa

In the lead-up to the 2005 G8 summit, the Royal African Society (RAF) published a Message to world leaders and asked: "What about the damage we do to Africa?" Here is the RAF's answer to the question.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 08:17 PM | Comments (0)

Interpol: Small Arms Africa's Most Serious Threat

"The most serious threat in Africa is the proliferation of small arms," Jackie Selebi, President of Interpol, said July 14, 2005 at the opening ceremony of Interpol's 18th Africa Regional Conference in Accra, Ghana.

News24.com of South Africa said, "Experts put the number of small arms and light weapons in circulation worldwide at over 600 million, causing an estimated 80 000 and 100 000 conflict-related deaths in 2003, according to a report released on Monday [July 11, 2005] by the small arms survey.

The United States is the world's largest exporter of small arms, with other G8 members also selling millions of small arms in Africa..

See "Small arms threaten Africa" for more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 07:56 PM | Comments (0)

Some Britsh Authorities Know Why Men Set Off Bombs

Burhan Wazir, deputy features editor of The Times of London, said this in a July 14, 2005 article about the four men accused of detonating bombs in London July 7, 2005:

Of all the evidence that demonstrates the confusion of the four hopelessly stupid British men who took their own lives, as well as the lives of more than fifty Londoners last Thursday, that provided by Jodie Reynolds, from Leeds, a neighbour of one of the bombers, was the most compelling. The young man's favorite song, she said, had been Elvis Presley's version of the Eddy Arnold classic, Make the World Go Away.

"I just cant believe that young lad, with his whole life ahead of him, would carry a bomb on his back and get on a bus and blow himself up, said Ms Reynolds. What on earth would have made him do it?"A great question. However, British authorities already know the answer. It's in a leaked, April 6, 2004 document titled "Relations With The Muslim Community." See Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 and Part 4, which appeared in the July 10, 2005 edition of The Times in an article headlined "Leaked No 10 dossier reveals Al-Qaeda's British recruits."

For more of Mr. Wazir's commentary see "A minority of extremists has been allowed to intimidate other Muslims."

Posted by Munir Umrani at 06:38 AM | Comments (0)

July 13, 2005

The Islamic Federal Republic of Iraq

Kurdish Media.Com reported July 1, 2005 that, "Peyamner.com revealed that Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani issued a fatwa stating that the future Iraqi state will be called The Islamic Federal Republic of Iraq." Here's more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 11:33 PM | Comments (0)

Douglas Feith Tells Washington Post About Missteps In Iraq

"Douglas Feith, a top Pentagon official who was deeply involved in planning the Iraq war, said there were significant missteps in the administration's strategy, including the delayed transfer of power to a new Iraqi government, and said he did not know whether the invading U.S. force was large enough," according to The Washington Post.

Why is he just now publicly speaking out? Is it because his tenure at the Pentagon is up? Just asking. See "Pentagon aide talks of missteps in Iraq."

Posted by Munir Umrani at 11:23 PM | Comments (0)

Even The Karl Rove Controversy Is About Iraq

David Gregory, White House correspondent for NBC News, said July 13, 2005 that, the "root of the Karl Rove controversy is the war in Iraq." I agree.

Mr. Rove is U.S. President George W. Bush's deputy chief of staff, and chief political adviser. He is suspected of exposing the identity of CIA agent Valerie Plame to punish her husband, former ambassador Joseph C. Wilson IV, for disputing the Bush Administration's claim that Iraq had sought uranium yellowcake from Niger for use in weapons of mass destruction (WMD). One of the Administration's excuses for invading and occupying Iraq was to remove wmds. Iraq had no such weapons.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 11:08 PM | Comments (0)

The Village Voice Reviews Messages From A Muslim E-mail List

George Smith has a very informative article in the July 12, 2005 issue of The Village Voice headlined "After the London Bombings: 'Our Dead Have Names Too': Messages from a Muslim e-mail list." I recommend it.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 10:43 PM | Comments (0)

Many Britsh Muslims Came From Former British Colonies

Jocelyn Cesari, a "professor of Islamic Studies at Harvard University and a specialist on Muslim minorities in Europe and the U.S," notes, according to the Financial Times "that at least in parts of Europe like France and the UK, Muslim immigrant families came from countries that were under colonial rule, a troubled memory that has delayed integration into European societies. The colonial past is not erased from memory, she says," according to The Times.

See "Disaffected youths find identity in fundamentalism" for more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 10:32 PM | Comments (0)

Blair Wants To Mobilize 'Moderate And True Voice Of Islam'

"A week after four bombs killed at least 52 people on subway trains and a bus during London's rush hour, Britons are stunned that the presumed killers were British, born and bred," notes Matthew Schofield of Knight Ridder Newspapers. He wrote on July 13, 2005:

Anti-terrorism officials, who have always hoped that younger Muslims raised in Great Britain would reject radical teachings about Islamic holy war, worry about what the attacks mean about the future of security here.

"It's exactly what nobody wanted to hear in this case," said Paul Cornish, who heads the international security program for the British research center Chatham House. "These are normal people from normal lives who, as far as we know, woke up one morning and decided to blow up an underground train.

"That means not only that we didn't know about them, but that we couldn't have, at least before they acted. It means Londoners are going to have to get used to suicide bombings as a part of life."Mr. Schofield also noted that, "Prime Minister Tony Blair told Parliament on Wednesday [July 13, 2005] that police work alone couldn't solve the problem of homegrown terrorists. He said there was a need to "mobilize the moderate and true voice of Islam" if officials were ever to make real progress in overcoming radicalism."

The best way to diffuse radicalism is not to take part in military adventures in Muslim lands, and to withdraw from Iraq. Besides, it's naive to expect Muslims to passively sit back and let Western nations do whatever they want to Muslims. The new generation is not like the older generation whose leaders tremble when the West speaks.

For more of Mr. Schofield's analysis, see "Bombers were `normal' Britons; officials fear homegrown terrorism.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 09:49 PM | Comments (0)

When Ordinary Muslims Resort To Extreme Measures

Peter Wilson of The Australian captured what the West will face as more Muslims who would not ordinarily resort to extreme measures to make a political point do so in response to Britain and the United States' war in Iraq. A war that has caused the deaths of thousands of Muslims since the March 20, 2003 invasion and subsequent occupation that spawned a resistance that has killed Western occupiers and their collaborators and anyone else in the way. A war in which the U.S. does not do body counts of Iraqis killed.

In his July 14, 2005 article, Mr Wilson profiles Shehzad Tanweer, "the man that Britain hoped would never exist;" a man who resorted to extreme measures to make a political point.

"For the past week," he wrote, "security officials and the public have desperately wanted to find that the killers behind the [July 7, 2005] London bombings were foreigners, an imported malignancy that could eventually be rejected by the nation's immune system."

"But yesterday," he added, "in the grimy back streets of Leeds, they found that 22-year-old Tanweer was the man who blew up a train near Aldgate station while three of his friends set off other bombs.
Tanweer was no foreigner. He loved cricket. His hard-working family runs a fish and chip shop. He was born and raised in England. He lived just a kilometre from the Elland Road ground of his football team, Leeds United.

"He was as English as any young Muslim of Pakistani descent could possibly be. And worst of all, he managed to maintain the veneer of a moderate and reasonably devout British Muslim."

I can see someone eventually writing something similar about an American-born Muslim taking a similar action in response to U.S. policies in Iraq. It happened in England and it can happen in the U.S.

See "Anyone could be a terrorist" for more of Mr. Wilson's article.to

Posted by Munir Umrani at 09:11 PM | Comments (0)

What London Authorities Feared Most: Homegrown Bombers

The revelation that those responsible for the July 7, 2005 bombings in London "was the nightmare scenario that the authorities feared most - suicide bombings carried out by British citizens leading seemingly ordinary lives, slipping under the radar of the security agencies," writes Kim Sengupta of The Independent Online. See "The police's nightmare: home-grown terrorists" for more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 06:47 AM | Comments (0)

The Independent Profiles Suspected London Bombers

Arifa Akbar of The Independent Online of London has profiles on four men authorities have identified as suicide bombers in the July 7, 2005 attacks in London that left more than 50 dead and hundreds wounded. Here's the link.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 06:37 AM | Comments (0)

July 12, 2005

Are British Politicians Afraid To Link Bombings To Iraq War?

"Did the war on Iraq increase the likelihood of a terrorist attack on London?" According to Nick Assinder, political correspondent for the BBC News website, "It is a question in the front of many minds in Britain - but one few politicians are yet ready to ask in public."

See "London bombs:The Iraq question" for more of Mr. Assinder's analysis.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 10:33 PM | Comments (0)

A Look At Democratic Destabilization in Syria

Joshua Landis at Syria Comment.com points to two articles in LeMonde Diplomatiqueabout Syria that offer interesting perspectives on the political and diplomatic status in Lebanon and Syria and the U.S' destabilizing policy toward Syria.

Economist Samir Aita's article is headlined "Syria: a Monopoly on Democracy." Walid Charara is headlined "Constructive instability," which suggests that "The United States seems stubbornly determined to extend its current high-risk strategy of democratic destabilization to the entire Middle East."

See Mr. Landis' analysis of these articles.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 10:13 PM | Comments (0)

A Timeline Of Assassinations In Lebanon in 2005

MIddle East Online has a timeline of assassinations and assassination attempts in Lebanon in 2005. The trend suggests there will be attempts to kill more politicians. Druze Leader Walid Jumblatt reportedly is so afraid of assassination that he has "sent his elder son and political heir, Taymour, to France to "make certain that at least one of the Jumblatt family is safe," according to The Thawra Project website.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 09:52 PM | Comments (0)

There Will Be More Attempts To Kill Lebanese Politicians

The July 12, 2005 attempt to assassinate Elias Murr, "Lebanon's outgoing pro-Syrian Defense Minister, with a bomb was "the fifth explosion to target a Lebanese political figure within less than a year," according to Nada Bakri in a special to The Daily Star of Lebanon.

There will be more assassination attempts against pro and anti-Syrian politicians. Here's more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 09:21 PM | Comments (0)

Were Military Explosives Used In London Bombings?

Christophe Chaboud, "head of the French Anti-Terrorism Co-ordination Unit" sent to London to help investigate the July 7, 2005 bombings in which 52 were killed and hundreds wounded, "told Le Monde newspaper [of France] that the explosives used in the bombings were of " military origin", which he described as "very worrying," reports The Independent of London. He said:

We're more used to cells making home-made explosives with chemicals. How did they get them? Either by trafficking, for example, in the Balkans, or they had someone on the inside who enabled them to get out of the military establishment.

Mr. Chaboud, according to The Independent, "added that the victims' wounds suggested that the explosives, which were " not heavy but powerful", had been placed on the ground, perhaps underneath seats." Here's more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 06:39 AM | Comments (0)

Would Withdrawal From Iraq Curb Terrorism?

Salim Lone, a former spokesman for the U.N. mission in Iraq, thinks," The Gleneagles summit's grand stage might well have shown up George Bush's hypocrisy in proclaiming an "ideology of compassion" over African poverty and global warming. Instead, the London bombings allowed the president and [British Prime Minister] Tony Blair to strut as anti-terror champions again, when in fact their policies continue to produce thousands of new terrorists," he wrote in the July 12, 2005 issue of Guardian Unlimited. Mr. Lone also said:

One hardly expected British and US officials to admit the Iraq-terror link. Blair and Condoleezza Rice, the US secretary of state, denied this linkage by recalling that the 1998 east Africa US embassy bombings and the 9/11 attacks took place before the 2003 Iraq war. But not one interviewer or reporter pointed out that both those attacks were preceded by another war against Iraq, following its 1990 invasion of Kuwait.

"Indeed," he added, "it was that war and the accompanying UN sanctions, plus the stationing of US troops in Saudi Arabia, that ushered in our age of global terror with the attempt to blow up the World Trade Centre in 1993."

Mr. Lone also wrote: "You would think the pair of them [Mr. Bush and Mr. Blair] had never hurt a soul. There appeared to be no memory of the half a million Iraqi children killed by sanctions ruthlessly maintained by the US and UK. Indeed, this slaughter was defended as necessary to advance US interests by Madeleine Albright, the former secretary of state. It was "worth it", she told CBS in 1996." For more of Mr. Lone's analysis, see "Withdrawal would curb terrorism."

Posted by Munir Umrani at 06:24 AM | Comments (0)

EU Justice, Interior Ministers To Meet In Wake Of London Bombings

Deutsche Welle reported July 12, 2005 that, "As London does what it can to continue its return to normality, the EU justice and interior ministers are scheduled to meet on Wednesday [July 13, 2005] to boost an EU-wide action plan to continue the fight against terror." The report said:

Although the talks are not expected to yield any new initiatives, it is widely expected that Britain, which took over the rotating EU presidency on July 1, will put pressure on the union to approve plans to strengthen protection of key infrastructure targets such as transport and energy networks.

Britain is also calling for introducing a regulations to oblige telecommunications companies to retain for one year records detailing customers' call and e-mail correspondents and the Internet sites they visit. But the plan has drawn widespread criticism from companies, complaining about the implied costs, and from civil liberties groups, who claim it would violate the right to privacy.According to Deutsche Welle, " British Home Secretary Charles Clarke also wants EU ministers to pass an "evidence warrant" which would facilitate the inter-European exchange of evidence to be used in court cases." Here's more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 05:46 AM | Comments (0)

July 11, 2005

The Three-way Rivalry Between U.S., Pakistan And Afghanistan

Pakistani journalist Ahmed Rashid, author of Jihad: The Rise of Militant Islam in Central Asia and Taliban: Militant Islam, Oil and Fundamentalism in Central Asiastated in a July 8, 2005 article for the BBC News website that,

The shooting down by the Taleban of a Chinook transport helicopter packed with US Special Forces close to the border with Pakistan has once again raised the spectre of increased three way tensions between Pakistan, Afghanistan and the United States.

Mr. Rashid, who also writes for The Daily Telegraph of London, said, "The tug of war between their conflicting interests continues to hamper joint efforts to combat terrorism and provide a serious commitment to furthering nation and democracy building" in Afghanistan."

See "Rival aims hinder war on terror" for more of Mr. Rashid's commentary.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 09:39 PM | Comments (0)

What Is The Background Of British Jihadist?

"A significant number of Jihadist in Britain "come from liberal, non-religious Muslim backgrounds or (are) only converted to Islam in adulthood," says a 100-page dossier that grew out of a study of British Muslims ordered by British Prime Minister Tony Blair following the Madrid train bombing in 2004, according to July 10, 2005 issue of The Sunday Times of Britain. "These converts include white British nationals and those of West Indian extraction."

The Sunday Times said, "The Iraq war is identified by the dossier as a key cause of young Britons turning to terrorism. The analysis says:

It seems that a particularly strong cause of disillusionment among Muslims, including young Muslims, is a perceived double standard in the foreign policy of western governments, in particular Britain and the US.

The perception is that passive oppression, as demonstrated in British foreign policy, eg non-action on Kashmir and Chechnya, has given way to active oppression. The analysis also says, "The war on terror, and in Iraq and Afghanistan, are all seen by a section of British Muslims as having been acts against Islam."

For more, see "Leaked No 10 dossier reveals al-Qaeda's British recruits. The article contains links to the leaked document."

Posted by Munir Umrani at 09:08 PM | Comments (0)

Cafe Babel: Who Will Be Next?

"Everyone expected an attack on London and yet no one was able to prevent it," opines Eleonora Palermo at Cafe Babel. Are Italy and Denmark the only countries living in fear or does the spectre of terrorism loom over the rest of Europe too?"

See "Who Will Be Next?" for more of Ms. Palermo's commentary.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 08:46 PM | Comments (0)

CSM Sees A New Al Qaeda With Local Franchises

Peter Grier, staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor, reported July 11, 2004 that, "A decade ago Al Qaeda was an entrepreneurial jihadist start-up firm. Today it may have evolved into something bigger, and less tightly controlled: a worldwide franchiser of terrorist attacks." See "The new Al Qaeda: local franchises" for more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 08:22 PM | Comments (0)

Is Iraq War Creating A Global Jihad?

Christian Science Monitor staff writer Dan Murphy, in a revealing article datelined Cairo, said, "Investigators still don't know who carried out last Thursday's [July 7, 2005] attacks in London. But they say those responsible were probably Islamist terrorists who viewed their assault as revenge for Britain's part in the Iraq war." Mr. Murphy said, "According to U.S. assessments, the turmoil in Iraq has replaced the still-simmering conflict in Afghanistan as the chief recruiter of international jihadis. Analysts say anger over the conflict is helping to spread the ideology of global jihad to young Muslims in Europe," he wrote. See "Iraq, Internet fuel growth of global jihad" for more of Mr. Murphy's report.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 08:04 PM | Comments (0)

Aquino Asks Arroyo To Step Down As Phillipines President

Philstar.Com reported in its July 12, 2005 edition that, "Former Philippines President Corazon Aquino reiterated yesterday her call for the current President, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, "to resign, a day after the embattled leader got a reprieve from the influential Roman Catholic Church, which refused to join calls for her to step down."

"Aquino said Mrs. Arroyo should "make the supreme sacrifice" for the sake of the country and that all the alternatives would hurt the country," Philstar.com said. Here's more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 07:49 PM | Comments (0)

Opening Old Wounds? Were They Ever Closed?

Zaman Online stated July 11, 2005, in an article signed by the Foreign News Desk, that, "The commemoration ceremonies for the 10th anniversary of the Srebrenica massacre opens the wounds of people who witnessed the bloodbath. In the Srebrenica carnage, 8,000 Muslim Bosnians were massacred towards the end of the Bosnian War in Srebrenica, under the United Nation's (UN) protection," the publication said. Here's more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 07:14 AM | Comments (0)

Deutsche Welle: Can Serbia Face The Past?

Can Serbia face the past? That question was asked by Deutsche Welle of Germany as noted that, July 11, 2005 "marks the 10th anniversary of the Srebrenica massacre, when Serbian forces killed about 8,000 Muslims during the Bosnian war."

The publication said, "Observers in Germany say Serbia's future hinges on a readiness to take responsibility."

In a recent statement, the Serbian government said:

When condemning crimes, it is of decisive importance not to distinguish between innocent victims according to their nationality or faith. The Serbian government strongly condemns all war crimes committed during the civil war in the former Yugoslavia.

Deutsche Welle noted that, "in this recent statement, Belgrade did not single out the Srebrenica massacre as the worst war crime committed on European soil since the end of World War II as many had hoped. Instead, it called it a "serious crime" along with atrocities against ethnic Serbs during the war. It's a sign that the Balkan country is still struggling to come to terms with its past despite recent signs that the war's worst criminals might finally be brought to justice," Deutsche Welle concluded. Here's more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 07:06 AM | Comments (0)

July 10, 2005

Geopolitics in Central Asia Today: An Analysis

Professor Oliver Lee, who teaches Chinese foreign policy and U.S.-China relations at the University of Hawaii, has an insightful article in the Journal of Turkish Weekly headlined "Geopolitics in Central Asia Today." His thesis is that, "Ever since the collapse of the Soviet Union, the U.S, has pursued a policy of penetrating the former Soviet republics in Central Asia as well as the Caucasus region, something that had been strategically out of the questions before that collapse."

Posted by Munir Umrani at 10:17 PM | Comments (0)

A Neo-Con Laments As His Son Goes to War

Eliot A. Cohen, Robert E. Osgood Professor of Strategic Studies at the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies, Johns Hopkins University, and one of the American neoconservatives anxious for war in Iraq, has a fascinating article in today's Washington Post headlined "A Hawk Questions Himself as His Son Goes to War." Mr. Cohen concludes his article by saying:

There is a lot of talk these days about shaky public support for the war. That is not really the issue. Nor should cheerleading, as opposed to truth-telling, be our leaders' chief concern. If we fail in Iraq -- and I don't think we will -- it won't be because the American people lack heart, but because leaders and institutions have failed. Rather than fretting about support at home, let them show themselves dedicated to waging and winning a strange kind of war and describing it as it is, candidly and in detail. Then the American people will give them all the support they need. The scholar in me is not surprised when our leaders blunder, although the pundit in me is dismayed when they do.

Mr. Cohen said, "What the father in me expects from our leaders is, simply, the truth -- an end to happy talk and denials of error, and a seriousness equal to that of the men and women our country sends into the fight."

Well, sir, I'm afraid you will be waiting a long time if you expect forthrightness from the Bush Administration. Secondly, you got your war and now your son will help fight it. So will my niece, who is scheduled to depart for Iraq in August.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 09:56 PM | Comments (0)

AINA: Iraq's Ethnic Factions Face Difficult Decisions

The Assyrian International News Agency (AINA) said, "It is hard to fathom how Iraqis can agree on the complex details of constitutional power-sharing by August 15 [2005]. Delays in forming the government and appointing the constitutional committee revealed the extent to which Iraqi politics is defined by regionalism and the degree of distrust between Iraqi groups," AINA said in a July 9, 2005 analysis, adding: "Given Iraq's history of confrontation, negotiations over the constitution are sure to sharpen differences."

For more of AINA's analysis, see "Iraq's Ethnic Factions Face Difficult Decisions About Their Future."

Posted by Munir Umrani at 09:41 PM | Comments (0)

Tony Blair's Blowback

Gary Younge of Guardian Unlimited, in an article in the July 11, 2005 issue that is sure to lead to attacks on him from both sides of the Atlantic, states that, British Prime Minister "Tony Blair is not responsible for the more than 50 dead and 700 injured on Thursday" [July 7, 2005] during four explosions in London. "In all likelihood, "jihadists" are.

But he is partly responsible for the 100,000 people who have been killed in Iraq. And even at this early stage there is a far clearer logic linking these two events than there ever was tying Saddam Hussein to either 9/11 or weapons of mass destruction.
It is no mystery why those who have backed the war in Iraq would refute this connection. With each and every setback, from the lack of UN endorsement right through to the continuing strength of the insurgency, they go ever deeper into denial. Their sophistry has now mutated into a form of political autism - their ability to engage with the world around them has been severely impaired by their adherence to a flawed and fatal project. To say that terrorists would have targeted us even if we hadn't gone into Iraq is a bit like a smoker justifying their habit by saying, "I could get run over crossing the street tomorrow." True, but the certain health risks of cigarettes are more akin to playing chicken on a four-lane highway. They have the effect of bringing that fatal, fateful day much closer than it might otherwise be.

Mr. Younge said, "Similarly, invading Iraq clearly made us a target. Did Downing Street really think it could declare a war on terror and that terror would not fight back?" he asked, adding: "That, in itself, is not a reason to withdraw troops if having them there is the right thing to do. But since it isn't and never was, it provides a compelling reason to change course before more people are killed here or there. So the prime minister got it partly right on Saturday when he said: "I think this type of terrorism has very deep roots. As well as dealing with the consequences of this - trying to protect ourselves as much as any civil society can - you have to try to pull it up by its roots."

For more of Mr. Younge's analysis, see "Blair's blowback."

Posted by Munir Umrani at 09:31 PM | Comments (0)

David Clark's Strategy For Containing Muslim Fighters

David Clark, a former adviser to Britain's Labour government, thinks "an effective strategy can be developed to counter Al-Qaida and other Muslim fighters, "but it means turning our attention away from the terrorists and on to the conditions that allow them to recruit and operate," according to an opinion piece in the July 10, 2005 edition of Khaleej Times Online, He added:

No sustained insurgency can exist in a vacuum. At a minimum, it requires communities where the environment is permissive enough for insurgents to blend in and organize without fear of betrayal. This does not mean that most members of those communities approve of what they are doing. It is enough that there should be a degree of alienation sufficient to create a presumption against cooperating with the authorities. We saw this in Northern Ireland.

From this point of view, it must be said that everything that has followed the fall of Kabul has been ruinous to the task of winning over moderate Muslim opinion and isolating the terrorists within their own communities. In Iraq we allowed America to rip up the rule book of counter-insurgency with a military adventure that was dishonestly conceived and incompetently executed. Tens of thousands of innocent Iraqis have been killed by US troops uninterested in distinguishing between combatant and noncombatant, or even counting the dead. Mr. Clark said, "The hostility engendered has been so extreme that Iraq may become a worse breeding ground for international terrorism than Afghanistan was."

See "Look for the causes" for more of Mr. Clark's analysis.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 09:07 PM | Comments (0)

Armenia Sends Fresh Non-Combat Troops To Iraq

Armenia is sending "a new contingent of non-combat troops to Iraq that will replace 46 army officers, doctors, sappers and truck drivers currently completing their six-month tour of duty in the war-torn nation," Armenia Liberty reported July 8, 2005. Armenia Liberty is part of Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 08:50 PM | Comments (0)

The Palm Beach (Florida) Post On 'Winning The Other War'

"The Palm Beach (Florida) Post noted in a July 9, 2005 editorial that, "President Bush says he has a workable plan to bring stability and democracy to Iraq so U.S. troops can come home. This would be a good time for his administration to review whether it has a workable plan to accomplish the same goals in Afghanistan," The Post said in the editorial headlined "Winning the 'other war'".

Posted by Munir Umrani at 08:35 PM | Comments (0)

Is al-Qaida On The Run Or On The Move?

"Is al-Qaida on the run - or on the move?" That question was asked July 10, 2005 by Jon Sawyer, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Washington Bureau Chief. See "Strength of al-Qaida is difficult to assess" for his answer.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 08:23 PM | Comments (0)

France Momentarily Puts Aside Dispute With Britain Over Iraq War

Emma-Kate Symons of The Australian reported July 11, 2005 from Paris that, "Senior politicians and the national media in France have put aside disputes over the Iraq war and pledged unqualified support to British Prime Minister Tony Blair in the wake of the London bomb attacks [on July 7, 2005], stating that Europe must not give in to the divisions that followed the terrorist atrocities in Madrid last year."

See "Al-Qa'ida must not divide Europe" for more of Ms. Symons' analysis.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 08:08 PM | Comments (0)

IBS Sends 350,000 Bibles to U.S. Troops in Iraq, Afghanistan

The Christian Post reports that, "The International Bible Society recently distributed 350,000 Bibles to American troops in Iraq and Afghanistan in an effort to encourage and support the troops." Here's more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 07:53 PM | Comments (0)

Frum: Americans Still Waiting For 'Victory in Iraq'

David Frum, a former speechwriter for President George W. Bush and co-author of "An End to Evil: How to Win the War on Terror" with Richard Perle, opined in a Los Angeles Times op-ed piece that:

The president is going to talk about Iraq again. He's going to have to. The problem is not that his speech June 28 failed to quell his critics: No speech could have done that. The problem is that his speech failed to reassure his worried supporters.

Mr. Frum said, "Those of us who support this president and this war do not need to be told how important it is to win. We get that. But that's precisely why we are worried because every day brings terrible news that makes us fear that the war is being lost." See "Americans still awaiting words on 'victory' in Iraq" for more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 07:49 PM | Comments (0)

Should U.S. Stay The Course In Iraq?

The Jackson, Mississippi Clarion-Ledger told its readers today that withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq "would be disastrous. As detailed in the front section of today's Perspective section," the paper said, "the repercussions of pulling U.S. troops out of Iraq without planning and precaution would be disastrous not only for Iraq, but for the United States." Here's why.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 07:40 PM | Comments (0)

U.S., Iraqi Regime Reportedly Using Some of Saddam's Torturers

On July 7, 2005, Times OnLine, which claims to offer the best of The Times and The Sunday Times of London "in real time, carried an article by correspondent James Hiderin that said, "Iraqi security forces, set up by American and British troops, torture detainees by pulling out their fingernails, burning them with hot irons or giving them electric shocks."

He quoted "Iraqi officials" and noted that, "Cases have also been recorded of bound prisoners being beaten to death by police."

Mr. Hiderin, in a dispatch from Baghdad, also said, "In their haste to put police on the streets to counter the brutal insurgency, Iraqi and U.S. authorities have enlisted men trained under Saddam Hussein's regime and versed in torture and abuse, the officials told The Times. They said that recruits were also being drawn from the ranks of outlawed Shia militias."

See "West turns blind eye as police put Saddam's torturers back to work." for more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 07:29 PM | Comments (0)

Seattle Times' Analyzes Reactions To Its Iraq Editorials

Seattle Times Columnist James Vesely said in a July 10, 2005 column that, "Praise and condemnation poured like Seattle rain on Times editorial pages for our five-part editorial series "America in Iraq," on the conduct and aftermath of the Iraq war." He added:

In a divided nation, a blue state and a red-and-blue region, there is not going to be much accord on anything, let alone a foreign war.

Of the hundreds of e-mail responses, the tidal shift of attitudes toward the war was evident. It comes down to a matter of a belief system: Do you believe the Iraq war has strengthened or weakened the terrorist attacks on the West? On the war in Iraq, including the London bombings, the response for and against was about a draw, reflective of the country. Mr. Vesely said, "There are about as many people against the war as support it, and by logic, against and for the president who commands the war." Here's the entire column.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 05:52 PM | Comments (0)

Writer: Bush Is Going To Get Us All KIlled

Noble Johns at Black News Weekly.com offers a tough assessment of U.S. President George W. Bush's so-called war on terrorism in a July 10, 2005 post. He said:

Stupid Bush's strategy in the war against terrorism is to take the fight to the Middle East and we wont have to fight them at home. Why, this is a strategy for disaster, and the dumbest military strategy since Hitler tried to fight a war on two fronts.On the contrary, by US going over there killing men, women and children in Iraq, the first thing the terrorists are thinking is Americans need to feel what we feel.

"That appears to me to be the most common sense response to our invasion of Iraq by the people of the Middle East," Mr. Johns said. "However, the strategy of stupid Bush will get US all killed in America, Just look at happened to London last week!" Here's more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 05:33 PM | Comments (0)

The Egyptian Media And The Killing Of Ehab El-Sherif

The Big Pharaoh, an Egyptian blogger whose publication is worth reading, today published an interesting commentary on "how the Egyptian media dealt with the killing of our ambassador in Iraq," Ehab El-Sherif. The envoy was kidnapped on July 2, 2005 and later killed by Al-Qaeda in Iraq.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 05:08 PM | Comments (0)

Middle East Policy Blog

A blog that The Diplomatic Times Review intends to keep an eye on is Nassim Yaziji's Middle East Policy, which went online June 26, 2005. According to Mr. Yaziji,

"This blog informs about the western and American policies of the Middle East, the reality of the Middle East, and the relevant research work, with focus on the Middle East democratization. It raises debate on the Middle East policy issues, conveys the Middle Eastern viewpoints, and intends to serve as a bridge among the scholars, researchers and politicians of the western democracies and their counterparts in the Middle East.

So far, it's editorial slant is pro-western. Based on what I've read to date, I expect it to stay that way.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 04:48 PM | Comments (0)

Italians Debating Over New Security Measures

"Italy is debating whether it needs new tools to deal with terrorism following the London bombings, like specialized judges, incentives for informants and faster expulsion of illegal immigrants," Reuters AlertNet reported July 10, 2005.

The wire service said, "Outspoken Reforms Minister Roberto Calderoli has even put forward the highly remote option of declaring war in order to provide the state with emergency powers, while bringing troops home from Iraq to guard against a terrorist attack."

Reuters noted that, "Italy, a U.S. ally with forces in Iraq and Afghanistan, has heightened security after threats from Islamic militant groups in the wake of the Thursday's [July 7, 2005] bombings in London." Here's more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 03:01 PM | Comments (0)

Chicago Tribune: 'Attack Was No Surprise In London'

Chicago Tribune correspondent Tom Hundley reported July 10, 2005 that, "After nearly 30 years of dealing with the Irish Republican Army, British police have developed some of the most extensive and expensive intelligence-gathering infrastructures in the world."

"Over the past three years they have broken up at least two cells--and perhaps as many as five--that were plotting major attacks in Britain," he said in a report in which Tribune senior correspondent John Crewdson also contributed.

Mr. Hundley noted that, "Italian law-enforcement authorities gained valuable experience in their long struggle against the Mafia and the Red Brigades, experience they have put to use monitoring the activities of local Islamic cells. That is one reason Italian authorities were deeply annoyed in February 2003 when CIA operatives allegedly abducted an obscure Egyptian cleric in Milan and transferred him to Egypt, where he remains imprisoned."

See "Attack was no surprise in London" for more of the Hundley report.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 02:54 PM | Comments (0)

Is The U.S. Preparing For Regime Change In The Philippines?

In a July 6, 2005 "Speaking Freely" column published at Asia Times Online, Dr E San Juan, Jr, recent "Fulbright professor of American Studies at Leuven University, Belgium, and fellow of the Center for the Humanities, Wesleyan University, according to the publication, said:

Incontrovertible signs from Washington and elsewhere indicate that the Bush administration and its reactionary cabal have already instructed their local agents in Manila to replace President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo with one of the elite factions, together with a bloc of traditional military-business groups.

See "U.S. designs on the Philippines" for more of his analysis of the political upheaval underway in the Philippines, where calls for the president to resign are mounting daily.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 02:27 PM | Comments (0)

Abid Ullah Jan: 'War on Islam Intensifies'

Abid Ullah Jan, author of "The End of Democracy and A war on Islam," has a worth-reading article at Al-Jazeerah.Info. Even if you don't agree with his analysis, and I don't expect you to, I recommend it for its alternative perspective on the July 7, 2005 bombings in London. It's headlined "War on Islam Intensifies."

Posted by Munir Umrani at 02:01 PM | Comments (0)

Some Pros And Cons On Leaving Iraq

Ron Hutcheson of Knight Ridder Newspapers noted in a July 10, 2005 article published in several newspapers that, "In the swirling debate over Iraq, all sides agree on one thing: There's no easy way out." Here's more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 01:45 PM | Comments (0)

Richard North: 'Security Begins At Home'

Nile Gardiner and John C. Hulsman of the Heritage Foundation contend in the July 10, 2005 edition of The Business Online that "the Anglo-American alliance stands as the bulwark of western civilisation." Their thesis comes in the wake of the July 7, 2005 bombings in London, in which more than 50 people were reportedly killed and hundreds wounded, allegedly by an Al-Qaeda affiliated group.

Gardiner and Hulsman's thesis does not sit well with the prolific Richard North of EU Referendum. Today he published an incisive critique of "Anglo-US alliance: bulwark of our western civilisation." See "Security begins at home" for his dissection of what he calls "a quite extraordinarily naïve and ill-informed op-ed in The Business today--a piece an otherwise sterling newspaper should be ashamed of."

Mr. North's contention is that "it is to the European Union rather than the US that the British government is looking" during the current crisis.

Finally, whether I agree with him or not, I always find Mr. North's commentary refreshing. That's why I highly recommend his critique of Gardiner and Hulsman's thesis.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 12:20 PM | Comments (0)

Luxembourg Says 'Yes" To European Constitution

"Luxembourg said yes to the European constitution on Sunday (July 10, 2005), with 56.52 percent of its citizens voting in favour of the treaty, and 43.48 percent against, according to the Luxembourg government's figures," reports Elitsa Vucheva of EU Observer.com.

"The exact question Luxembourgers had to answer during the compulsory referendum was: "Are you in favour of the treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe, signed in Rome on 29 October 2004?" the Vucheva report said, adding: "Despite the fact that Luxembourgers had the same fears as the Dutch and French voters amongst others, that the document might endanger some of the social "acquis" and facilitate immigration, Luxembourg has now become the 13th country to ratify the document."

See "Luxembourg says yes to EU constitution" for more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 11:27 AM | Comments (0)

Did Iraqi Officials Reveal Too Much About Ehab El-Sherif?

In an interesting article on "the killing of Ehab El-Sherif, head of the Egyptian diplomatic mission in Baghdad, at the hands of Al-Qaeda in Iraq," Al-Ahram (The Pyramid) of Egypt made this revealing observation:

Following his arrival in Baghdad, Sherif attempted to maintain a low profile to better facilitate his mission of building bridges with all Iraqi groups. However, last month Iraq's Foreign Minister Houchiar Zibari and former Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi told reporters in Brussels and Cairo respectively that Sherif would be upgrading his diplomatic mission in Baghdad to the level of an embassy.

"Egyptian diplomatic sources at the time denied the intention of Cairo to pursue an upgrade," the English language weekly said in its July 7-13, 2005 issue. "Sherif, an ambassador by rank, was instructed that the status of his diplomatic representation in Iraq would remain unchanged."

Did Mr. Zibari and Mr. Allawi reveal too much? Just asking. See "Cairo mourns murdered diplomat" for more."

Posted by Munir Umrani at 08:59 AM | Comments (0)

Italy Tightens Controls Following UK Bombings

AGI Online of Italy reported July 10, 2005 that, "The terrorism alarm [following the July 7, 2005 bombings in London] has resulted in extraordinary control measures by the carabinieri police all over Lombardy, especially in Milan."

The publication said the "maxi-operation also involved 2,000 soldiers and lasted for two days. They arrested 142 people for various offences, 83 of whom were non-EU passport holders and 52 of whom were on the point of being deported." Here's more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 08:44 AM | Comments (0)

Britain's Options For Future 'Force Posture in Iraq'

The Mail on Sunday of Britain has published a leaked, secret, UK eyes only paper in which British Defense Secretary John Reid told Prime Minister Tony Blair, "We will need to reach decisions later this year on likely future UK force structure and disposition in Iraq into 2006."

"This paper sets out some of the key contextual considerations; identifies areas of uncertainty; sets out what we know of US planning and possible expectations on the UK contribution; and assesses the potential impact on UK decision making," he wrote. To read the enitire document, see "Options for future UK force posture in Iraq."

Posted by Munir Umrani at 08:30 AM | Comments (0)

July 09, 2005

Allawi: 'Iraq Is Practically At Stage One Of Civil War.'

Sunday Times of London correspondent Hala Jaber, in a dispatch from Amman, Jordan, told Times readers on July 10, 2005 that, Iyad Allawi, Iraq's former interim prime minister, "has warned that his country is facing civil war and has predicted dire consequences for Europe and America as well as the Middle East if the crisis is not resolved."

"The problem is that the Americans have no vision and no clear policy on how to go about in Iraq," Mr. Allawi is quoted as saying "in an interview with The Sunday Times last week as he visited Amman, the Jordanian capital."

He also said: "The policy should be of building national unity in Iraq. Without this we will most certainly slip into a civil war. We are practically in stage one of a civil war as we speak."

For more, see "Allawi: this is the start of civil war."

Posted by Munir Umrani at 11:14 PM | Comments (0)

Jihad Unspun's Analysis Of Al-Qaida In Europe Statement

Khadija Abdul Qahaar at Jihad Unspun said, "While Al-Qaida was quickly blamed for the attacks that killed at least 45 people and wounded another 300 when three bombs exploded on the London Underground train network and a fourth detonated on a double-decker bus during Thursday's [July 7, 2005] morning rush hour, there appears to be many holes in the so-called official statement released by the "Secret Organization of al-Qaida in Europe". She added:

The previously unknown group circulated a claim of responsibility shortly after this morning attacks, a copy of which was received by JUS however this statement has some glaring errors in it that indicated to us that this material did not likely come from Al-Qaida. JUS translates Al-Qaida statements daily in order to bring readers the other side of the war of terror and there are many problems with this so-called official statement. To begin with, Al-Qaida statements come first to Arabic press not from BBC and Reuters. This statement first appear in mainstream press and was subsequently picked up by Arab press, which breaks rank with ever other statement Al-Qaida has ever issued officially. This fact alone should make the validity of this statement suspect. Secondly, the Arabic grammar used in the so-called claim of responsibility is incorrect. Al-Qaida statements have a consistency in the Arabic language that is written in their Mother tongue. Maybe most importantly, is the incomplete and incorrect ayahs from the Quran used in this alleged statement.

The writer said, "While grammar could for arguments sake be overlook, incomplete and incorrect versus from the Quran is something the brothers of Tawheed or Holy Warriors who live and die by the word of Allah know intimately. In the ayahs quoted, they simply would not make these mistakes."

See "Who's Behind The Bombings In London Town?" for more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 10:54 PM | Comments (0)

Who Is Mustafa Setmariam Nasar?

Mustafa Setmariam Nasar, a 47-year-old Syrian, who is "believed to have organized last years Madrid train attacks, is emerging as a figure in the hunt for the London bombers," according to The Sunday Times Online.

The publication said, "Spanish security sources are said to have warned four months ago that Mustafa Setmariam Nasar, a 47-year-old Syrian, had identified Britain as a likely target."

"Coded commands from the Syrian, thought to have included threats to other European countries including Britain, were found in a flat raided after the Madrid bombings in March 2004," The Times said.

See "Mastermind of Madrid is key figure" for more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 10:33 PM | Comments (0)

UK Internet Providers Asked To Preserve E-Mails

The Sunday Observer of London reports that "the National Crime Squad has contacted Internet service providers in the UK, appealing for them to preserve email messages in case they prove useful to the manhunt" for those responsible for the July 7, 2005 bombing in London. The publication said, "The messages could include highly personal information." See "Email spying 'could have stopped killers,'

Posted by Munir Umrani at 10:19 PM | Comments (0)

MPs To Quiz Blair Over Downgraded Terror Threat

British Prime Minister Tony Blair "will this week face calls for an investigation into the July 7 attacks in London, as he attempts to coordinate the government's response to one of the most critical emergencies since he came to office," Scotsman.Com reported July 10, 2005. See "MPs to quiz Blair over downgraded terror threat."

Posted by Munir Umrani at 10:10 PM | Comments (0)

Scotsman.Com: MI 5 Asks France For Help In Bombing Probe

Reporters Brian Brady and Eddie Barnes of Scotsman.Com reported July 10, 2005 that, "The hunt for the London bombers dramatically switched to France last night after MI5 and Scotland Yard demanded the extradition of a "North African" terrorist suspected of involvement in the murderous attacks" in London on July 7, 2005.

"Detectives have made the formal request to French colleagues for the extradition of an Islamic radical who is believed to have fled across the Channel after the bomb attacks," the publication said. Here's more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 10:04 PM | Comments (0)

Were white "mercenary terrorists' Hired To Bomb UK Facilities?

Sophie Goodchild, Severin Carrell and Raymond Whitaker are reporting in the July 10, 2005 edition of The Independent of Britain that, "Police and intelligence agents are investigating the theory that a gang of white "mercenary terrorists" was hired by al-Qa'ida to carry out last week's devastating attacks on London."

"The Independent on Sunday can reveal today that investigations into the bombings of three Tube trains and a bus, which left at least 49 people dead, are focusing on the possibility that criminal gangs were paid to mount the worst atrocities in British history," the reporters wrote.

For more, see "Police hunt 'mercenary' terror gang recruited by al-Qa'ida."

Posted by Munir Umrani at 09:34 PM | Comments (0)

Blair Warned In 2004 About Impact of Iraq War On British Muslims

The Sunday Times of London reported July 10, 2005 that, British Prime Minister Tony Blair "was warned last year that the war in Iraq might be responsible for thousands of young British Muslims turning to extremism."

"The grim warning was contained in a personal briefing paper on Young Muslims and Extremism, which has been leaked to The Sunday Times", Robert Winnett, The Times' Whitehall Correspondent wrote.

He said, "The paper, part of a Whitehall-wide effort to combat home-grown terrorism, identifies the key grievances driving Muslims militancy as anger at Tony Blair's decision to wage war in Iraq and resentment at the deprivation suffered by Muslim communities."

See "Bombers may be British born" for more. Read Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | and Part 4 of "Relations With The Muslim Community."

Posted by Munir Umrani at 09:20 PM | Comments (0)

Defending George Galloway

Rhetoric vs Reality in London, a July 8, 2005 post at the Center for Media and Democracy's PR Watch, offers an interesting perspective on pro-war bloggers' attacks on British MP George Galloway for his anti-war stance. It was written by Sheldon Rampton, who calls their criticism "dishonest rhetoric, sprinkled with name-calling."

Posted by Munir Umrani at 05:05 PM | Comments (0)

Is There An Algerian Link To UK Bombings

Nick Fealty at Slugger O'Toole's reported July 9, 2005 that,

We are hearing that one of the main lines of inquiries on the London bombers is that the bombers may have been a team from Algeria, who entered Britain through France. It is further rumoured that the French police have a presence in Britain to help track the surviving bombers down - they're thought to be part of a cell that the French busted a couple of weeks ago.

Mr. Fealty said, "This remains a rumour at present, but we recommend you keep an eye on the UK papers tomorrow for confirmation or denial of an Algerian link."

We will Nick although we are in Chicago, Illinois, USA. See "Rumour Mill: Algerian connexion to bombers?" for more

.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 04:31 PM | Comments (0)

Egypt Asks Iraq to Explain Statement About Ihab al-Sherif

"Egypt has asked for an explanation" after Iraqi officials reportedly said Ihab al-Sherif, the assassinated Egyptian envoy to Baghdad "had been in touch with militants," the BBC reported July 9, 2005

"The suggestions that Ihab al-Sherif had contacted rebels before his abduction and killing "astonished" Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit," the BBC said, noting that, "An Iraqi spokesperson had reportedly said the fact that Sherif left home without guards suggested such contacts."

For more, see "Iraq envoy 'remarks' anger Egypt."

Posted by Munir Umrani at 04:15 PM | Comments (0)

River Bend: 'Now 9/11 Is Getting Old'

River Bend at Baghdad Burning, whose blog I was unable to access for the last seven days for some reason, critiqued U.S. President George W. Bush's June 28, 2005 speech at Fort Bragg, N.C. I found her opinion on this Bush statement: "The troops here and across the world are fighting a global war on terror. The war reached our shores on September 11, 2001"--particularly interesting.

"Do people really still believe this?" she asked in a July 1, 2005 post, adding

In spite of that fact that no WMD were found in Iraq, in spite of the fact that prior to the war, no American was ever killed in Iraq and now almost 2000 are dead on Iraqi soil? Its difficult to comprehend that rational people, after all of this, still actually accept the claims of a link between 9/11 and Iraq. Or that they could actually believe Iraq is less of a threat today than it was in 2003.We did not have Al-Qaeda in Iraq prior to the war. We didn't know that sort of extremism. We didn't have beheadings or the abduction of foreigners or religious intolerance. We actually pitied America and Americans when the Twin Towers went down and when news began leaking out about it being Muslim fundamentalists- possibly Arabs- we were outraged.

"Now 9/11 is getting old.," River Bend asserted. " Now, 100,000+ Iraqi lives and 1700+ American lives later, its becoming difficult to summon up the same sort of sympathy as before. How does the death of 3,000 Americans and the fall of two towers somehow justify the horrors in Iraq when not one of the people involved with the attack was Iraqi?"

For more see "Unbelievable..."

Posted by Munir Umrani at 04:00 PM | Comments (0)

WSJ Highlights Blogger Coverage Of London Bombings

On July 7, 2005, the day that four bombs exploded in London killing more than 45 and wounding hundreds more, The Wall Street Journal Onlinepublished an interesting article headlined "Bloggers and Photographers Chronicle Chaos in London."

Posted by Munir Umrani at 03:40 PM | Comments (0)

Sher Khan: 'Religion Has No Part In This'

Sher Khan, chair of the public affairs committee of the Muslim Council of Britain, opined in a July 8, 2005 article in Guardian Unlimited of London:

There are people claiming responsibility for these [July 7, 2005 bombing] atrocities, calling on the "nation of Islam and the Arab nation to rejoice" as these acts are "retaliation for the massacres Britain is committing in Iraq and Afghanistan". These people give the lie to religion. Whatever people feel about the current UK foreign policy, this cannot be used as an excuse to murder innocent people going about their business.

"Islam does not sanction such murder," Sher Khan added. " Indeed, there is no one with a genuine belief in God who can have sympathy for such evil acts. The pursuit of justice cannot be used as an excuse for committing injustices against others. People who have lost their way in life have challenged our values. We must reply with a united voice."

For more, see "Religion has no part in this."

Posted by Munir Umrani at 03:28 PM | Comments (0)

'30,000 Messages Of Hate Via E-mail'

"The Muslim Council of Britain, which represents the country's 1.6 million Muslims, said it had received 30,000 messages of hate via e-mail after four bomb attacks rocked the city Thursday [July 7, 2005]," according to an Associated Press, Reuters article in the International Herald Tribune headlined "London's Muslims frightened by messages of hate."

Posted by Munir Umrani at 03:17 PM | Comments (0)

Why is Djerejian Criticizing Alan Cowell?

Gregory Djerejian at The Belgravia Dispatch doesn't like New York Times correspondent Alan Cowell's July 8, 2005 article headlined "Blair's Rising Star Runs Into a Treacherous Future." Read his rant here.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 03:10 PM | Comments (0)

'Al Qaeda's Latest Strategic Mistake'

Ahmed Al-Rabei at Asharq Alawsat newspaper in London said in a July 9, 2005 article:

The terrorist operation in London on Thursday [July 7, 2005] is the latest in a series of errors carried out by al Qaeda. It is an operation with no political aim. After all, Britain is not Spain and the government will not give in to the terrorists and withdraw its troops from Iraq . A look at the history of the closest US ally shows that the British government has always stood firm in the international arena. In fact, London's reaction to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990 increased the resolve of the US government to act swiftly.

For more, see "Al Qaeda's Latest Strategic Mistake."

Posted by Munir Umrani at 01:57 PM | Comments (0)

'Bad Terrorist' and 'Good Terrorist'

Writing in the Journal of Turkish Weekly, Ömer Yilmaz and Ihsan Bal notes that,

It was thirty years ago when the Afghan mujahids were the heroes of the Western countries due to their struggle against Soviet Russia. And the retreat of Soviets from Afghanistan was celebrated by these countries as the victory of democracy, liberty and freedom against Communism and coercion and etc. As the time past, these mujahids became terrorists: A terrorist, whom declared to be one of the most dangerous threats against the global security... A terrorist, who showed his bloody face clearly in New York, Istanbul, Bali, Madrid, Cairo and lastly in London... A organized crime organization all over the world to an extent that could never be achieved. And a terrorist, who was fed, trained and financed by the targets he hit...

The writers said, "Killing innocents either by cruise missiles or suicide bombs cannot be accepted and must be cursed."

For more, see "Al-Qaeda and PKK: "Bad Terrorist" and "Good Terrorist."

Posted by Munir Umrani at 01:48 PM | Comments (0)

Luttwak: Al-Qaeda Didn't Do It. Its Offspring Did

Edward Luttwak, a senior fellow at the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies, said in a July 9, 2005 article in the Toronto Globe and Mail that, while many Muslims in Britain and Europe are angry and "especially offended by the humiliating gap between Islam's promise of power and glory and the reality of weak Muslim states, two of which are now occupied by British and U.S. troops," very few "reach the stage of joining the extremist groups that speak of using violence, and only a handful actually act, as in Madrid last year and now in London." He added:

One reason for that is simply that it is not so easy to assemble and detonate bombs. True, instructions can be found on the Internet, but it is much easier to talk of bombs than to make them. Nor can prospective terrorists receive help from al-Qaeda, for the very good reason that al-Qaeda no longer exists as an organization -- and since it was only that, it no longer exists at all.

Mr. Luttwak said, Al-Qaeda's "surviving leaders from Osama bin Laden down have tried but failed to replace the training camps, logistics and command structure they lost in Afghanistan. All that remains is the brand name," he said, "which retains its appeal for angry Muslims everywhere largely because of the inexcusable failure to capture or kill Osama bin Laden, itself the result of the Central Intelligence Agency's incompetence."

For more, see "Al-Qaeda didn't do it. Its offspring did."

Posted by Munir Umrani at 01:31 PM | Comments (0)

Crewdson: CIA, Italy Both Were Supposed To Deny Kidnap Operation

In a profile on Armando Spataro, "the Italian prosecutor who has charged 13 CIA operatives with kidnapping a radical Muslim cleric off the streets of Milan," Chicago Tribune reporter John Crewdson noted that:

Despite the Italian government's emphatic denials, newspapers in Italy and the United States are quoting unnamed sources saying a senior Italian intelligence official, maybe more than one, gave a wink and a nod to the CIA's plan to make Osama Moustafa Hassan Nasr, better known as Abu Omar, disappear into the bowels of an Egyptian prison in February 2003.

The operation reportedly was to be denied by both sides if it went wrong, as it most certainly has, thanks to a series of lax practices by the abductors - communicating via cell phones instead of radios, staying in hotels instead of safe houses, in a few cases using their real names - that permitted the judicial police of Milan, who work directly for Spataro, to reconstruct the operation almost minute by minute.Mr. Crewdson said, "Some Bush administration officials suggest that Spataro might be driven by politics or personal ambition. But those who have followed his career, including several lawyers who practice before Milan's Tribunale, describe Spataro with the same words: very serious, very tough, very competent, very straight."

For more see "Italian Prosecutor Runs With The Evidence.".

Posted by Munir Umrani at 01:03 PM | Comments (0)

Rice Makes 4th Trip To Beijing Since January

"U.S. Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice arrived here [in Beijing] Saturday evening [July 9, 2005] for her second China visit in four months since she took office in January [2005]," according to Xinhua, the official Chinese news agency. Here's more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 12:45 PM | Comments (0)

Arroyo Backers Accuse Former Cabinet Officials Of Conspiracy

Former "Cabinet officials [in the Philippines] who asked President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to step down are part of a "conspiracy" to bring down her administration, two of their former colleagues said Saturday [July 9, 2005," reports Lira Dalangin-Fernandez of the Philippines' INQ7.net.

INQ7.net said "Arroyo's political spokesman Michael Defensor said he got information that these officials, led by former finance secretary Cesar Purisima, had talked to Vice President Noli de Castro in Hong Kong and told him of plans to ask Arroyo to resign and force De Castro to succeed her." Here's more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 12:35 PM | Comments (0)

Italian Defene Minister To Visit Rumsfled

AGI Online of Italy reported July 9, 2005 that, Italian "Defence Minister Antonio Martino left for a long planned official visit to the United States.

"During his visit in Washington," the publication said, "the Minister will meet [U.S.] Secretary of Defence Donald Rumsfeld to discuss major international issues and bilateral relations between Italy and the USA based on a solid basis of common values, commitments and objectives."

I wonder whether they will discuss the arrest warrants an Italian judge issued for 13 CIA agents who reportedly kidnapped an Egyptian Imam off the streets in Italy and took him to Egypt for interrogation?

Posted by Munir Umrani at 12:22 PM | Comments (0)

McClellan's Statement On Killing of Egyptian Envoy

White House spokesman Scott McClellan said the July 7, 2005 killing of Ehab al-Sherif, Egypt's envoy to Baghdad, "further underscores the desperate and evil agenda of terrorists working to undermine progress toward democracy around the world."

"Justifying the murder of a fellow Muslim in the name of God, these terrorists have again shown that their senseless fight is against all men and women of peace," Mr. McClellan said in a written statement.

I wonder whether he really cares whether one Muslim kills another.

See "Statement on Murder of Egypt's Chief of Mission to Iraq" for the entire position.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 12:00 PM | Comments (0)

Iran Condemns Killing of Egyptian Diplomat

"Iran on Friday [July 8, 2005] condemned the killing of Egypt's envoy to Iraq by Al-Qaeda militants and offered condolences to the Egyptian government and people," according to IranMania.

Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi was quoted by the official IRNA news agency as saying:."The kidnap and murder of the Egyptian diplomat is a blatant example of terrorism." Here's more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 11:45 AM | Comments (0)

Iraq Begs Muslim, Arab Nation's To Send Envoys To Baghdad

Daily Times of Pakistan reported July 9, 2005 that, Iraq urged fellow Muslim states on Friday [July 8, 2005] to send ambassadors to Baghdad in defiance of attacks by Al Qaeda insurgents, who killed Egypt's kidnapped envoy and have threatened other diplomats."

Iraq's Foreign Ministry was quoted as saying:

The criminals wanted by this act to terrorize Arab and Islamic countries and deter them from upgrading their diplomatic missions in Iraq. Arab and Islamic countries are asked to prove their seriousness in combating terrorism and send their ambassadors to Baghdad so they send the right message to the terrorists.

Daily Times said, "Iraq's president [Jalal Talibani] promised top security for diplomats and Interior Minister Bayan Jabor, who has chided envoys for travelling without protection, said Iraqi armed escorts were always available."

Question: Iraq's soldiers can't keep themselves from being blown up, how are they going to protect diplomats? For more, see "Iraq urges Muslim states to send envoys"

Posted by Munir Umrani at 11:36 AM | Comments (0)

Bush: 'We Are Now Waging A Global War On Terror'

During his July 9, 2005 Radio address, U.S. President George W. Bush said:

We are now waging a global war on terror -- from the mountains of Afghanistan to the border regions of Pakistan, to the Horn of Africa, to the islands of the Philippines, to the plains of Iraq. We will stay on the offense, fighting the terrorists abroad so we do not have to face them at home. We will continue to deny the terrorists safe haven and the support of rogue states. And at the same time, we will spread the universal values of hope and freedom that will overwhelm their ideology of tyranny and hate.

Mr. Bush also said, "The free world did not seek this conflict, yet we will win it."

Question: Can it be done by invading and occupying some Muslim countries and building military bases there. Such actions suggest a long-term stay and the inevitable armed opposition against it..

Posted by Munir Umrani at 11:14 AM | Comments (0)

Reuters: Sharon Tells Ministers To Keep Quiet About UK Bombings

Matt Spetalnick of Reuters, writing from Jerusalem, reported July 8, 2005 that, "Israel's Ariel Sharon has imposed a gag order on his cabinet over the London bombings to avoid offending British sensibilities with comparisons to his country's fight against Palestinian militants, officials said."

"The prime minister muzzled his normally talkative cabinet after Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom seemed to equate Thursday's [July 7, 2005] deadly attacks with suicide bombings against Israeli civilians, comments that Israeli commentators said were ill-timed," Mr. Spetalnick wrote, adding that, "Keep quiet. Limit any response to expressions of condolences," was Sharon's message to his ministers after rush-hour blasts killed more than 50 people in central London."

For more, see "Ariel Sharon muzzles ministers on London blasts."

Posted by Munir Umrani at 10:53 AM | Comments (0)

Raimondo Analyzes AP Report On UK Bomb Warning

Justin Raimondo at AntiWar.Com has an interesting take on Associated Press writer Amy Teibel's June 7, 2005 report that, "British police told the Israeli Embassy in London minutes before Thursday's [July 7, 2005] explosions that they had received warnings of possible terror attacks in the city, a senior Israeli official said."

Mr. Raimondo's article, posted at AntiWar.Blog, is headlined "See No Evil: Spinning Netanyahu's London Terror Tip-off." Also see "London Terror Mystery What did Bibi know and when did he know it?"

By the way, I always find Mr. Raimondo's analysis of issues thought-provoking.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 10:22 AM | Comments (0)

Israel Reportedly Warned UK About Possible Attacks

Stratfor Consulting Intelligence Agency (SCIA) reported July 7, 2005 that, "There has been massive confusion over a denial made by the Israelis that the Scotland Yard had warned the Israeli Embassy in London of possible terrorist attacks minutes before the first bomb went off July 7."

SCIA said, " Israel warned London of the attacks a couple of days ago, but British authorities failed to respond accordingly to deter the attacks, according to an unconfirmed rumor circulating in intelligence circles. While Israel is keeping quiet for the time-being, British Prime Minister Tony Blair soon will be facing the heat for his failure to take action," SCIA said.

For more, see "Israel Warned United Kingdom About Possible Attacks."

Posted by Munir Umrani at 10:06 AM | Comments (0)

Were Israelis Warned About London Bombings?

Associated Press (AP) Writer Amy Teibel reported July 7, 2005, that, "British police told the Israeli Embassy in London minutes before Thursday's [July 7, 2005] explosions that they had received warnings of possible terror attacks in the city, a senior Israeli official said." She also wrote:

Benjamin Netanyahu (the Israeli Finance Minister) had planned to attend an economic conference in a hotel over the subway stop where one of the blasts occurred, and the warning prompted him to stay in his hotel room instead, government officials said. Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom said he wasn't aware of any Israeli casualties.

Ms. Teibel said, "Just before the blasts, Scotland Yard called the security officer at the Israeli Embassy to say they had received warnings of possible attacks, the official said. He did not say whether British police made any link to the economic conference."

If the AP is right, why would the Israeli Embassy get a warning and no one else? Does this mean that the bombing did not catch some British authorities by surprise? Just asking.

See "Netanyahu Changed Plans Due To Warning" for more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 09:58 AM | Comments (0)

News Analysis: 'How To Stop Bin Laden...'

Milan Rai has an interesting news analysis in the July 8, 2005 edition of Voices in the Wilderness and Electronic Iraq headlined "How To Stop Bin Laden: The World Needs Justice, Not More Terror." For perspective, the writer relies heavily on the views of "Michael Scheuer, who served in the CIA for 22 years, and who headed the CIA Counter-Terrorism Center's bin Laden task force (1996-1999)."

Mr. Scheuer, retired in November 2004 and is the author of Through Our Enemies' Eyes and Imperial Hubris: Why the West Is Losing the War on Terror.

Finally, Mr. Rai's article is worth reading. However, I suspect individuals who only see the bombings and maimed and dead bodies will dismiss it as propaganda from a wide-yed radical..

Posted by Munir Umrani at 08:51 AM | Comments (0)

Is Africa A Victim Of Pity?

Dr. John Kabayo, coordinator of the Pan African Tsetse & Trypanosomiasis Eradication Campaign at the AU Commission in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, states in a July 7, 2005 article in New Vision of Kampala, Uganda, that:

Africa has been like a patient, with different experts peering down her throat, offering to diagnose her condition and prescribe yet another cure. When, finally, over the years the patient does not seem to be getting any better, the experts have began to blame it on the inherent inability of the patient. Some critics view the continent as a victim of external forces, citing slavery, imperialism, exploitative trading practices, a distorted geopolitical world economy and, above all, the damage resulting from centuries of systematic exploitation of Africa's resources and unrelenting undermining of her self-confidence.

Dr. Kabayo said, "Others blame Africa's ecological conditions, its hot tropical climate and the diseases that thrive there, arguing that the natural forces of tropical ecology are against us and influence our development."

See "Africa: Victim of Pity?" for more of his commentary.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 12:32 AM | Comments (0)

BBC Publishes Series On Africa By Africans

Each day this week, the BBC looked at "African problems through African eyes." The series is titled "Africans on Africa," with writers looking at people, debt, governance, colonialism and conflict. The series is worth reading. Former South African mercenary Cobus Claasens' article on the cause of conflict in Africa is especially interesting.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 12:22 AM | Comments (0)

July 08, 2005

Pakistan To Seek Closer Ties With African Nations

Pakistan Link reported July 8, 2005 that Pakistan's foreign minister, Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri, said "Pakistan is planning to undertake more initiatives to promote closer collaboration with Africa in diverse fields including exchange of high-level visits, expanding technical assistance and opening more diplomatic missions."

Mr. Kasuri made the announcement at an African Day function in Islamabad "organized by the African Union. It was "attended by a large number of diplomats from African, European and other countries including USA, Britain, Canada, China, India, Turkey," according to Pakistan Link. Here's more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 11:59 PM | Comments (0)

British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw On The July 7 Bombings

Here is an edited transcript of an interview given by British foreign secretary Jack Straw at the G8 SUMMIT in Gleneagles, Scotland, on July 7, 2005 following four bombings in London on the same day. At least 49 are dead and hundreds are wounded.

The article is on the British Foreign & Commonwealth Office's website.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 09:11 PM | Comments (0)

What Prompted The Bombs In London Yesterday?

Washingtonpost.com staff writer Jefferson Morley asked these questions in July 8, 2005 column:

"What prompted the bombs in London yesterday?"

"Did the war in Iraq fuel the attacks that killed at least 50 Londoners or was it Islamic fundamentalism?"

He said, "On the day after the worst attack since World War II," that fundamental question divides British commentators, even as the country's political leaders unanimously decry the attacks."

"The question matters," he added, "because the answer suggests how Britain and the West can most effectively respond to a deadly threat that traditional security forces were unable to prevent."

For more, see "Brits Debate Iraq Factor in Bombings."

Posted by Munir Umrani at 08:50 PM | Comments (0)

Galloway: Londoners Paid Price For Blair's Afghan, Iraq Polices

The BBC reported July 8, 2005 that, "Within hours of Thursday's bombing atrocity [in London] Respect MP George Galloway was on his feet in the House of Commons saying Londoners had paid the price for Tony Blair's policy in Iraq and Afghanistan. Here's more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 08:27 PM | Comments (0)

Analysts: Al-Qaeda Remains Lethal Inspirational Force

Agence France Press correspondent Karl Malakunas, writing from Singapore, reported in a July 8, 2005 dispatch that, "Fuelled by the Iraq war, Al-Qaeda's ability to inspire and direct Islamic radicals around the world has grown over recent years despite its own organizational structure being diminished, analysts say.

"Although Osama bin Laden's Al-Qaeda network has had many leaders captured or killed since carrying out the spectacular September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States, it has succeeded in spawning countless copycat groups, they say," according to Mr. Malakunas.

He quotes Andrew Tan, a security analyst with Singapore's Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies, as saying, "The threat has morphed beyond Al-Qaeda itself. It has become a more generalized ideological threat with localized groups that have adopted the ideology as well as the operational methods of Al-Qaeda."

For more, see "Al-Qaeda remains lethal inspirational force."

Posted by Munir Umrani at 08:19 PM | Comments (0)

British MP Reassures Muslim Constituency

"Crispin Blunt, the Member of Parliament for Reigate, today [July 8, 2005] visited Redhill Islamic Centre on Earlswood Road so that he could spend time with local Muslims during their Friday prayers," according to a press release published at ePolitix.Com.

"His visit was organized so that he could reassure members of the local Islamic community and address their concerns that they might be subject to reprisals following the bombings in London yesterday," the press release said.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 07:56 PM | Comments (0)

Charles Clarke: 'We Did Miss The Needles In The Haystack'

Charles Clarke, the British "Cabinet minister responsible for internal security used a series of interviews on Friday [July 8, 2005] to reassure the public that all efforts are being made to investigate and catch the perpetrators" of the four bombings in London on July 7, 2005, according to ePolitix.Com.

"But he warned that the search would be difficult and conceded that prevention against terrorism would never be absolute." the publication. It quoted Mr. Clarke as saying the attacks

certainly was a failure of intelligence in the sense that we didn't know this was coming. "But by definition when you're looking for needles in haystacks you can miss the needles and the tragedy of yesterday is that we did miss the needles.

For more, see "Terror hunt task is huge, says Clarke.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 07:48 PM | Comments (0)

Guardian: Bloggers Reacted Quickly To London Blasts

On July 7. 2005, Chris Johnston at Guardian Unlimited noted that, "Bloggers have been quick to react to today's events in London, from practical advice about how to get home to analysis of how well the major news outlets have covered events." For more, see "Bloggers react quickly to London blasts."

Posted by Munir Umrani at 07:31 PM | Comments (0)

British Asked To Resist Any Calls For Religious or Racial Hatred

Pacific News Service quotes Jamal Dajani, director of Middle Eastern programming at Link TV as saying, "The National Association of British Arabs issued a press release to all Arab media on the day of the attacks" in London condemning the widely reported bombings.

"They unequivocally condemned the bombing, calling it a "horrific" attack against "this most diverse of cities," he was quoted as saying "They noted that two of the blasts took place in largely Arab and/or Muslim communities, and called on all Londoners to "resist any voices inciting racial or religious hatred."

For more, see "Arab Media Condemn Attacks ..."

Posted by Munir Umrani at 07:24 PM | Comments (0)

Can President Arroyo Survive Politically?

"A third of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's Cabinet quit en masse Friday [July 8, 2005] and urged the Philippine leader to step down, saying she has been crippled by an election scandal and has lost the ability to lead," according to an Associated Press (AP) report in Mainichi Daily News of Japan.

Other publications around the world have similar reports.

The AP said, "It was the latest blow to Arroyo, who looked increasingly isolated amid accusations that she talked to an election official about ensuring a million-vote victory in last year's presidential vote." Here's more. Also see "Timeline of Arroyo presidential crisis.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 07:20 AM | Comments (0)

July 07, 2005

The Seattle Time's Five Editorials On 'America In Iraq'

The Seattle Times contends in the last of five consecutive editorials on "America in Iraq" that, "If the Bush administration refuses to close the U.S. detention facility at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, then Congress should create a panel to investigate prison abuses there and elsewhere." See "Shackled by Gitmo" for more.

Here are the five editorial.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 11:55 PM | Comments (0)

Opinion: 'Iraq, Bush and Humanity'

Nigerian Sabo Mustafa, writing in The Daily Trust of Abuja, the Nigerian political capital, told his readers,

The international community must confront the Iraq quagmire squarely, by working towards liberating it from the clutches of America and the resistant fighters. The UN or the Organization of Islamic Countries must take the lead in bringing peace to Iraq.

See "Iraq, Bush and Humanity" for the entire commentary.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 11:46 PM | Comments (0)

An Un-Diplomatic Measure

In an article in Al-Ahram that was obviously written before al-Qaeda in Iraq announced that it had killed Ehab El-Sherif, head of Egypt's diplomatic mission to Iraq, correspondent Dina Ezzat wrote that the July 2, 2005 kidnapping of the senior Egyptian diplomat in Baghdad "sent shockwaves through Egypt's diplomatic corps and sounded alarm bells in many Arab capitals."

The article, headlined "Undiplomatic measures," is still relevant. El-Sherif had been in Iraq a month and a day before he was grabbed.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 11:34 PM | Comments (0)

"These Evil Deeds Make Victims Of Us All'

In responding to the July 7, 2005 bombings in London, the Muslim Council of Britain said in a statement that,

These evil deeds make victims of us all. The evil people who planned and carried out these series of explosions in London want to demoralize us as a nation and divide us as a people. All of us must unite in helping the police to capture these murderers.

Here's the entire statement and more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 11:18 PM | Comments (0)

Some Arab, Muslim Leaders Condemn London Bombings

"Deadly blasts that rocked London's underground trains and a bus have drawn shock and sympathy from several Arab capitals - some of them all too familiar with carnage on their own streets," Al-Jazeera.Net reported July 7, 2005.

See "Arab world condemns London blasts" for more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 11:09 PM | Comments (0)

Yemen Condemns London Attacks

The Yemen Observer reported July 7, 2005 that, "Yemen condemned the terrorist attacks on civilians in London today."

An official source at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was quoted as saying: "Those criminal acts target lives and create sense of insecurity among innocent citizens. Such acts disclose the ugly face of terrorism which is rejected by all heavenly and human legislations."

See "Yemen strongly condemns London blasts" for more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 11:02 PM | Comments (0)

Transcript Of Ambassador Joseph C. Wilson IV's Interview With CLG

The Citizens for Legitmate Government (CLG) website has an insightful interview with Joseph C. Wilson IV. The former Ambassador, who was the U.S. envoy to Iraq when former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait, got on the Bush Administration's bad side when he publicly challenged the administration's false assertions that Mr. Hussein had sought to buy yellow cake uranium from the African nation of Niger. As punishment, the Administration deliberately exposed his wife, Valerie Plame, as an undercover CIA agent.

The documents the administration relied on were forgeries. Nevertheless, they were used in an attempt to bolster false claims that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction. That's the pretext used to launch the formal invasion and occupation of Iraq.

To read the CLG interview, see "Joseph Wilson on Bush Crowd: "A Real Threat to Our Republic."

Posted by Munir Umrani at 10:29 PM | Comments (0)

Ramos Calls For Constitutional Change In Phillipines

On July 7, 2005, former Philippines President Fidel Ramos "urged a swift revision of the Philippines' Constitution to pave the way for a parliamentary form of government and new elections as a way out of a crisis threatening Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's administration," according to the Phillipine's Sun.Star Network Online.

"It is a graceful exit option" for Ms. Arroyo, Mr. Ramos said, according to the publication. He told the Rotary Club of Manila:

My humble proposal is not for the president to resign, not for a snap election, not for a junta ... not for a military coup, not for an authoritative democracy, not for martial law, not for a communist takeover. Whether legal or illegal, constitutional or unconstitutional, none of these will serve us in the long run because they are bound to fail sooner or later.

Sun.Star Network Online noted that Ms. Arroyo "is facing growing calls for her resignation following her admission that she talked to an election official about ensuring a million-vote victory margin during the May 2004 ballot. She apologized for a "lapse in judgment," but denied influencing the outcome of the vote and dismissed opposition calls to step down," the publication said.

Ms. Arroyo has asked for the resignation of her entire cabinet.

See "Ex-president calls for swift constitutional change" for more.Also see "Catholic professors, Protestant group call for Arroyo's resignation."

Posted by Munir Umrani at 09:45 PM | Comments (0)

Next Three Weeks Crucial For Philppines President

"The next three weeks are expected to be crucial in determining whether embattled President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo [of the Philippines] will stay in power longer or begin to lose her grip on the presidency," contends Bobby Tuazon in an article published at ABS-CBN Interactive, a news site in The Philippines.

He reported on July 7, 2005, that, "On July 25, the President will deliver her traditional state-of-the-nation address before Congress amid mounting calls for her to step down due to election fraud and alleged jueteng (numbers racket) connections during her vice presidency."

"Whatever happens," Mr. Tuazon added, "the fact remains that many Filipinos already foresee a post-Arroyo scenario and the only thing that is preventing that from happening is who or what - will replace her."

See "From political crisis to a revolutionary situation" for more analysis.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 05:30 PM | Comments (0)

Dr. Demarche's Open Letter To The G8

Dr. Demarche at The Daily Demarche published an Open Letter to the G8 on July 6, 2005, in which he told the leaders of Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Japan Italy and the United States plus Russia:

As you come together at Gleneagles this week I hope there are a few things you will keep in mind.

First, please remember that those young men and women who are outside the site, and the embassies of your various nations, throwing rocks, destroying cars and clashing with police are simply misguided ideologues. They want what you want, and what I want- a better world. They are just a little confused about how to get there. You see, they have largely had the world handed to them- it would be their oyster were they not vegans. Their intentions are good- it is only that they have been misled by the Pide Piper of Aid- Bono, and his minions. Decades of aid have had no impact on poverty in Africa- but most of these kids do not have decades of experience. You have to admit the Live 8 packaging was slick, and the slogans are pretty good.

Second, please remember that no matter how ridiculous the messengers, the message is valid. Poverty in Africa can be made a thing of the past- and at least one man in Africa has a more or less clear view of what is needed. The man? Libyan President Moammar Gadhafi. Now that he is a more or less accepted world figure again (thank you, Bush Doctrine) we might want to listen to him. Read the entire letter here. I found it compelling.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 05:13 PM | Comments (0)

Helena Cobban's 'Thoughts Of London'

Helena Cobban at the always-interesting Just World News has "thoughts of London." About today's attacks, she wrote:

This seems like a ghastly, Qaeda-orchestrated replay of the March 2004 Madrid bombings. I imagine that all of London is as hurt and shattered as the Madrilenos were at that time. I just spoke with my sister Diana, who lives in far-west London. She and her family are ok, but she sounded very, very sobered by what was unfolding.

I have numerous other friends and family in London to worry about, too. My niece Rachel is an emergency-room doc at the Royal London Hospital near Liverpool St. Station, which has been taking in many of the casualties. All power to her life-saving elbow in these hours.

So Qaeda (or whichever other actually terrorist group) has been busy organizing all this-- not entirely unpredictable by the British authorities, on the day the G-8 summit opens in the UK?-- while the British and US governments have been expending truly massive amounts of blood, treasure, and national-level attention on pursuing their wholly unjustified war in Iraq?

Talk about a wholly unnecessary and diversionary expenditure of national energies. Ms. Cobban said, "If they had not launched the war against Iraq, but had instead invested one-fourth as much time and finances in a smart policy aimed at (1) doing the solid police work of tracking down and incapacitating the Qaeda leadership, and (2) denying that leadership an operating base by engaging politically with the legitimate demands of potential Qaeda condoners... If the Bush and Blair administrations had done that, Qaeda could have been wiped off the map as an operating force, quite possibly as long ago as late 2002, or 2003."

Posted by Munir Umrani at 04:48 PM | Comments (0)

Sheikh Abu Hamza al-Masri

I wonder whether Sheikh Abu Hamza al-Masri was in court today, in London, when the bombs went off that killed many commuters and left hundreds wounded?

"Who is Abu Hamza al-Masri and why is he on trial?" you may ask

For an answer, see "Abu Hamza accused of inciting hate and murder." Also see "Trial for Radical Cleric Opens in U.K."

Posted by Munir Umrani at 04:31 PM | Comments (0)

Juan Cole's Translation of Statement On London Bombings

Professor Juan Cole at Informed Comment offers his "translation of the statement posted at the website" of the group claiming credit for the July 7, 2005 bombings in London.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 04:03 PM | Comments (0)

Foreign Dispatches: What Now?

" What Now?"

That's the question asked by Abiola Lapite at Foreign Dispatches in a commentary on the July 7, 2005 bombings in London. Lapite said, "While many have wasted no time seizing upon today's attacks to fuel conspiracy theories and score cheap political points by assigning blame, I prefer to turn my energies to thinking about what the appropriate policy response to this outrage should be.

"Is there anything we can do to minimize this threat beyond staging a glorified police action, and is any such action worth taking in light of the likely costs?" he asks.

Does anyone have an answer for him?

By the way, Lapite raises interesting points in his commentary. I recommend it.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 03:47 PM | Comments (0)

An Observation About Group Taking Credit For Bombings

University of Chicago Assistant Political Science Professor Daniel W. Drezner said, "The clumsy-sounding name (at least in English) of this group [taking responsibility for the July 7, 2005 bombings in London] makes me wonder if this is another of Al Qaeda's local subcontractees.

Mr. Drezner has links to interesting commentary on the attacks. Go on over to his blog and read them. When you are finished, come back here.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 03:31 PM | Comments (0)

Mannes: London Is Al Qaeda’s Spiritual Hub...'

Aaron Mannes, author of the TerrorBlog and of the book "Profiles in Terror" weighed in on the July 7, 2005 attacks in London with this observation at NRO (National Review Online):

With this morning's tragedy in London many experts have noted that if London, which has long faced the highly sophisticated terrorists of the IRA and numerous international terrorist organizations, can be struck by terror then every city is vulnerable.

He said, "While Britain's domestic intelligence and counterterror capabilities are highly professional and have disrupted numerous terrorist plots, there have also been glaring deficiencies in Britain's strategies against Islamist terror."

There are glaring defiencies in the strategy of every nation that has been hit by assymetrical warfare. That includes Israel. If it weren't so, attackers could not get through defenses unless someone let them through. Since attackers can get through, or are already on the inside, there must be defiencies. Such defiencies are inevitable given human nature. And since an attacker is bound to get through, at some point, the goal is to make it as difficult as possible in order to minimize the success rate.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 03:11 PM | Comments (0)

Djerejian: The London Attack Was Bound To Happen

Gregory Djerejian at The Belgravia Dispatch, who moved back to the U.S. from London in the Spring, said,

Such an attack [as the July 7, 2005 attack in London] was all but bound to happen, alas, despite the valiant efforts these past years of Scotland Yard/Metropolitan Police, as well as so many others in Britain's security and intelligence apparatus. London is simply too vast a metropolis, too tempting a target etc etc. Our thoughts are, of course, with the victims of these horrible attacks.

So are ours, Gregory.

See "London" for more of Mr. Djerejian's analysis and comments from his readers.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 01:48 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Davids Medienkritik: 'Death To The Terrorists'

Davids Medienkritik, which offers what it calls "politically incorrect observations on reporting in the German media," had this to say about the July 7, 2005 bombings in London:

We want to express our total support for all those affected by the cowardly terrorist attacks today in London, just one day after we felt such great joy over the Olympics. This disgusting act only increases our determination to support the fight on terror and to achieve victory against the terrorists on all fronts. The response to these attacks must not and can not be to ask ourselves "why they hate us" or to back down one millimeter. The hate of the terrorists for our civilization is much like the blind hate of the Nazis for the Jews. "There can be no negotiation or mercy for such terrorists.

Davids Medienkritik said, The only response is to go on the offensive and vigorously seek out and attack those who perpetrate such acts." See "Terror in London: Death To The Terrorists" for more.

Question: What if the attacks were not carried out by Islamic groups?

Posted by Munir Umrani at 01:37 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

The London Bombing And The 2012 Olympics

Petr Bokuvka , reporter and host of the radio program Slovakia Today, wrote on July 7, 2005 in The Daily Czech:

Right now nobody works in the English section of Slovak Radio, as everyone is glued to a row of TV sets, watching the news from London. Is there anyone who does not think the incidents are related to the 2012 Olympics vote results?

Is this a serious question or is it designed just to elicit comments?

The question is buried in an article headlined "Slovak MP's And Their Meaningless Fights."

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Barcepundit Sends "Deepest Sympathies, Dear Londoners'

Franco Aleman at Barcepundit (English) sends "My deepest sympathies, dear Londoners" in the wake of the July 7, 2005 bombings in London. He tells them to "never surrender. The Spanish version of Barcepundit has a longer message.

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John At Inside Europe: Iberian Notes: 'Al Qaeda Must Be Destroyed'

John at Inside Europe: Iberian Notes, one of my favorite European blogs, offers a strong condemnation of the July 7, 2005 bombings in Britain. He wrote:

I suppose you know about the bombings in London. Of course this isn't the place to look for coverage. My heart goes out to the people of London. I hope not too many people were killed, but it looks bad. This is just like New York and Bali and Casablanca and Madrid. Al Qaeda are vicious killers and I hope this convinces some people that they are the enemy and have to be defeated. On all fronts. In Iraq and Afghanistan and Syria and the West Bank and Pakistan and the Philippines and Saudi Arabia and the US and UK and Spain. Guantanamo a gulag? My ass. They haven't killed any of the prisoners there, and as far as I'm concerned that's about the kindest treatment those murderers deserve. Koran abuse? Don't make me sick. Remember when Bush said, "If you aren't with us, you're against us"? He was right.Tony Blair is showing leadership. He's the guy right now. Stand behind him. He and the British people deserve nothing less.

John concluded with: "Al Qaeda must be destroyed."

While John probably won't get much of an argument in the West against this conclusion, it's unlikely that Al-Qaeda will be destroyed anytime soon, if at all.

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Horovitz: 'July 7, 2005 is Britain's September 11'

Jerusalem Post Columnist David Horovitz opined July 7, 2005 that, "Whoever turns out to have been responsible for today's terrorist assault on central London, and however grave the death toll ultimately proves, there is already no mistaking that July 7, 2005 is Britain's September 11."

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A Reuters Report On World Leaders' Views On London Bombings

Reuters Alert Net has reaction from world leaders on the July 7, 2005 London attacks, which resulted in the loss of at least 40 lives. One report said the number is higher. See "World reaction to London attacks" for more.

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Deutsche Welle's Round-up Of Reactions To London Bombings

Deutsche Welle, in a round-up of opinion on the July 7, 2005 "explosions that rocked London," said the blast "also sent shock waves across Europe, with governments stepping up security and offering their condolences to the people of Britain."

See "Europe Reacts to London Bombings" for Deutsche Welle's "round-up of reactions."

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BBC: 'The Political Impact Of London Bombs'

This [July 7, 2005 attack in London] was the terrorist attack [British Prime Minister] Tony Blair has dreaded and the thought of which, he confessed, kept him awake at night," contends Nick Assinder, political correspondent for the BBC News website.

In an analysis headlined "The political impact of London bombs," Mr Assinder wrote:

Time and again, ministers and security chiefs have said an attack on the UK was inevitable - it was a case of when, not if.

And it came at a time when the eyes of the world were on the UK, as Mr Blair hosted the G8 meeting in Gleneagles.
To that extent, the terrorists succeeded in securing the greatest possible global impact.

Mr. Assinder also noted that, "But Tony Blair has also insisted that, when the inevitable attack came it must not succeed in demoralizing or dividing the country. That would be to hand the killers victory."

I recommend the entire analysis. Also see "Blair vows Terrorists Won't Win."

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Muslim, Christian And Jewish Leaders Condemn London Attacks

Muslim, Christian and Jewish leaders have condemned the July 7, 2005 attacks in London, according to Ruth Gledhill, The Times of London's Religion Correspondent. Press reports say at least 40 persons were killed and hundreds injured.

Some reports say the attackers claim the blasts were in retaliation for Britain's role in Iraq and Afghanistan. Unfortunately, there will likely be more such attacks.

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A Comment On Reports Of The Death of Ihab al-Sherif

"Al-Qaida in Iraq says on a website that it killed [Ihab al-Sherif] Egypt's top envoy in Iraq, posting a video of the blindfolded diplomat identifying himself," Al-Jazeera.Net, like many publications around the world, reported July 7, 2005.

Al-Sherif, 51, arrived in Baghdad on June 1, 2005, according to July 4, 2005 Al-Jazeera report, and "had served as charge d'affairs in Syria and Israel before being transferred to Iraq." He "is the second Egyptian diplomat to have been captured in the country. The same report said:

Egypt has been training Iraqi security forces and civil servants under a US-backed international program and on Friday [July 1, 2005] about 140 Iraqi civil servants arrived in Cairo.

Al-Jazeera.Net's July 7 report, which is from Agence France Presse, said, "A written statement, the authenticity of which could not be confirmed, on Thursday read: "We announce in the al-Qaida in Iraq that the verdict of God against the ambassador of the infidels, the ambassador of Egypt, has been carried out. Thank God."

"The video does not show the envoy, Ihab al-Sherif, being killed," according to Al-Jazeera.

If the reports are true, Muslim and Arab governments would be unwise to risk their diplomats' lives to give international legitimacy to a government that wouldn't exist without U.S. military presence. Secondly, as long as the U.S. military is in Iraq, there will be an insurgency and danger to everyone that supports that presence. In addition, there will also continue to be what some of us in the west call "collateral damage." That's our nice way of saying civilians will be killed, and so what?

Finally, once Iraq's social fabric was disturbed by the U.S. invasion, and given the fact that such events attract Muslim warriors from all over the world, the logical outcome is what we see today: Chaos. This means that diplomats, who should be off limits, will be targets as they were in Iran in 1979 and in Lebanon during the Lebanese civil war. Unfortunately, more diplomats will be seized and killed before the Iraq war ends years from now.

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July 06, 2005

Parameters Looks At 'The Conduct of War'

Parameters, the U.S. Army War College quarterly journal, takes a look at what its editor calls "the changing nature of war in the 21st century." The theme is "The Conduct of War"

While all the articles are interesting, The Diplomatic Times Review highly recommends Christopher M. Ford's "Speak No Evil: Targeting a Populations Neutrality to Defeat an Insurgency."

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Gregory Djerejian's Best Case Scenario On Iraq

Gregory Dejerejian at the highly recommended The Belgravia Dispatch offers what he calls "the best case scenario" that could lead to "Sunni nationalist extremists, Baathist restorationists, and assorted fundamentalists/jihadists" becoming "increasingly marginalized" in U.S. occupied Iraq. My opinion is that:

Since the U.S. invasion of Iraq created the situation that resulted in the climate Mr. Dejerejian blames on the aforementioned elements, the best case scenario would be a U.S. withdrawal. And while a withdrawal won't totally solve Iraq's problems, at least it would give internal elements a better opportunity to solve their differences. Admittedly, this may result in more fighting--they are fighting each other anyway-- at least a powerful third party won't be directly involved. Under this circumstance, perhaps the non-Iraqi Muslim fighters could be persuaded or forced to leave.

The bottom line is that as long as the U.S. is in Iraq, foreign Muslims fighters will not leave. In fact, more will make their way to Iraq.

See "Some Good News..." for Mr. Dejerejian's analysis.

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Secretary of State Rice To Visit Asia July 8-13, 2005

"U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will travel to China, Thailand and the Republic of Korea and Japan from July 8th to July 13th," Sean McCormack, assistant secretary of state for public affairs, announced during the State Department press briefing on July 5, 2005.

"During her stops in each country," he said, "Secretary Rice will meet with senior government officials for discussions of political, economic issues of bilateral concern as well as global and regional matters of mutual interest such as the North Korean nuclear issue, cooperation on fighting terrorism and transnational crimes, and tsunami recovery and reconstruction efforts."

Click here to read questions and answers surrounding the visit.

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Will Africans Take A Beggar's Plan To G8 Summit?

Officials of the 53-nation African Union meeting in Sirte, Libya "unanimously adopted a common position to take to the [31st] G8 meeting," according to David White of the FT.com of London. Writing from London, he said the leaders "called for a sweeping programme of debt write-off throughout the continent, going well beyond the plans agreed by the Group of Eight leading industrialized nations ahead of their summit this week."

The G8 Summit will be held July 6-8, 2005 in Gleneagle Hotel in Perthshire, Scotland.

According to Reuters, the AU leaders said in a resolution:

We request the developed countries and development partners to expedite the process of total debt cancellation for Africa by the year 2007.

We call on the international community to establish a fair and equitable trading system and to facilitate Africa's access to fair markets through ... the elimination of tariff and non-tariff barriers ... and trade distorting subsidies and domestic support, especially in agriculture.

"Seven African government leaders - from South Africa, Algeria, Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal, Tanzania and Ethiopia - are due to attend the G8 meeting, along with the head of the AU commission, Alpha Oumar Konaré," according to F T.com .

See "African Union debt demand set to test G8 plans" for more.

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AU Wants Two Permanent Seats On UN Security Council

Richard Mantu of BuaNews, the South African government news service, reported July 5, 2005, that "African leaders have endorsed the Ezulwini Consensus, which proposes two permanent and five non-permanent seats for Africa in the reformed United Nations Security Council (UNSC)."

The plan is quite ambitious but is unlikely to gather much support outside Africa.

See "AU leaders endorse two African seats on the United Nations Security Council" for more on the AU position.

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Kenya Campaigns For Seat On Security Council

Kenyan Foreign Minister Chirau Ali Mwakwere let it be known at a ministerial meeting of the African Union in Sirte, Libya, that Kenya was a candidate for a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council if and when it is reformed, reports The Standard of Kenya.

"Our position is that we are a candidate," he told the paper, according to a July 5, 2005 report. "We believe we have the right credentials and we are confident that when the time comes we can get it."

Africa is demanding two seats on a reformed council while some Asian nations want a rotating membership to prevent a new member from being more powerful than non-permanent members.

See "Kenya intensifies bid for UN top seat" for more.

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July 05, 2005

'Diplomats Under The Magnifying Glass'

"Diplomats rarely make it into the media spotlight, unless they represent countries of key interest - or until they are involved in a public scandal," according to The Slovak Spectator.

"For example," the publication said in a July 4, 2005 editorial, "the media virtually ignored the former Greek ambassador to Slovakia until he was temporarily withdrawn after being arrested in Greece for carrying illegal weapon. Understandably, Greece does not relish this kind of attention."

See "Diplomats under the magnifying glass" for more.

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Attacks On Envoys And Iraq's Foreign Relations

Christian Science Monitor staff writer Dan Murphy reports in the July 6, 2005 edition that, "Attacks on senior Arab and Pakistani diplomats in Baghdad over the past week not only underscore the fact that the city remains one of the most dangerous in the world but are likely to complicate Iraq's efforts to enhance foreign relations, especially within the Muslim world."

See "Steady violence threatens Iraq's diplomatic relations" for more.

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Moussa: Attacks On Arab Diplomats In Iraq Harms Relations

"Threatening the security of Arab diplomats ..." in Iraq " serves the interest of those attempting to severe Iraqi-Arab ties or to isolate the country from the Arab world," MENA, the official Egyptian news agency quoted Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa as saying on July 5, 2005.

Mr. Moussa was referring to the July 3, 2005 abduction in Baghdad of Egyptian Charge dAffaires Ihab al-Sherif and the July 5, 2005 shooting of Bahrain's envoy Hassan al-Ansari in an unsuccessful abduction attempt.. Here's more.

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Pakistan's Ambassador To Iraq Shifted To Amman

Pakistan's ambassador to Iraq, Younis Khan, "will be shifted to the Jordanian capital Amman," according to Agence France Press, citing Pakistani foreign ministry.

He was the target of a July 5, 2005 assassination attempt. It was the third attack in four days on a foreign diplomat in Baghdad. More attacks are expected as Iraqi insurgents try to prevent ambassadors from Muslim countries from taking up residence in U.S. occupied Iraq. Here's more.

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The Seattle Times On 'The Shadowy War"

The Seattle Times, in the second of five editorials on the Iraq war, stated the obvious in its July 5, 2005 editorial.

"America is at war a couple of them, actually," the paper said. "There is the war in Iraq where about 135,000 U.S. troops are on the ground. And the war on terrorism, launched after the stunning 9/11 attacks that killed more than 3,000 people."

"The latter is clearly justified; the former, it has become clear, was not," the paper asserted. "Nevertheless, to even the most astute followers of U.S. policy and world events, the wars seem to blur together."

Until last week, when 16 soldiers died when their helicopter was shot down in Afghanistan, one could be forgiven if he or she thought Afghanistan had been pacified. Fifty-four soldiers have died in Afghanistan during the past six months, according to the Boston Globe.

Fifty-two died in Afghanistan "in all of last year, according to official statistics reviewed by the Globe."

See "Second of five parts: The shadowy war" for more of the Seattle Times editorial..

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The Influence Of The Iraq War On U.S. Society

Paris-based columnist William Pfaff concluded in July 4, 2005 column that, "The outcome of the Iraq war - whether American defeat or victory, or something in between - will have no decisive effect upon the cultural and religious phenomenon of fundamentalist revivalism and radicalism inside Islam. "The international political consequences will be limited," he argued. "The most important influence of the outcome, whatever it may be, will be upon American society. What that will be is very difficult to foresee. Its scale might be estimated by what the war on terror has already done to change America."

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The Media And The Iraq war

KurdishMedia reported July 5, 2002, that, "At the World Tribunal on Iraq, which assembled in Istanbul [Turkey] last week, the international media organizations, especially U.S. and British media organizations, were accused of broadcasting the lie that there are mass destruction weapons in Iraq, without questioning its truthfulness."

For more, see "No self-criticism in media on Iraq war."

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Can Bush Win Iraq War By Mobilizing His Political Base?

E.J. Dionne of The Washington Post opined on July 5, 2005: "President Bush has shown that he can win an election by mobilizing his political base. But can he win a war that way? " See "Selling an unpopular war" for his views on the question.

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Arkansas Mayor, Police Chief Reflect On Iraq War Experiences

Mayor Paul Bunn and Police Chief Josh Chambliss of the small town of Bradford, Arkansas reflect on their tours of duty in Iraq in an interesting article headlined "Towns mayor, police chief reflect on war in Iraq, spotlight." It's very insightful.

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Two Dimensions Of Iraq War Support In The U.S.

"George W. Bush has said there are two tracks in the war in Iraq -- a military track and a political track," notes Gallup News Service's Jeffrey M. Jones in a July 5, 2005 article.

Mr. Jones said, "Americans' views on the war likely have two components as well -- whether or not Americans support the initial decision to go to war in 2003, and whether or not they think the United States should continue its military efforts in Iraq."

"Indeed," he added, "a recent Gallup Poll asking Americans why they supported or opposed the war found the most common reasons given were agreement or disagreement with going to war in the first place and an assessment of the United States' progress (or lack thereof) in the war effort. An analysis of recent Gallup Poll data shows that most Americans are consistent in their views, holding pro- or anti-war opinions on both counts. But a sizable proportion shows evidence of mixed views on the war," Mr. Jones concluded.

See "Special Analysis: Americans Divide Into Four Groups on Iraq War."

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Zogby: 'President George Bush Has A Problem'

James J. Zogby, founder and president of the Arab American Institute (AAI), opined in a July 5, 2005 article in The Jordan Times and MENA FM.com that,

President George Bush has a problem. This war was supposed to have gone so differently. By now it is clear that the infantile fantasy of its architects ("shock and awe", "a cake walk", "flowers at our feet", "six months and out" and "the spreading of democracy throughout the Middle East") did not pan out. Instead, US troops have been transformed into an occupation army fighting an enemy about whom we know too little, with stories and pictures of hideous terrorist attacks and growing tallies of war dead filling the daily press. As a result, strains are beginning to show. US public support for the war is waning, with Bush's job performance in the war effort now down to 40 per cent and a strong majority of 60 per cent saying that the war in Iraq wasn't worth fighting in the first place. More worrisome to the White House are signs that not only Democrats, but some prominent Republicans, are beginning to raise tough questions about the war and how it is being conducted.

Mr. Zogby said, "Add to this the embarrassment created last week by leading administration figures publicly contradicting each other and the military over assessments of how the war is going."

See "Bush fighting the Iraq war at home" for more of Mr. Zogby's analysis.

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Africa's G8 Message: What Will It Be?

In a July 4, 2005 post at the Guardian Unlimited's News Blog at G8*, headlined "Enriching Africa, Mark Tran noted: "Muammar Gadafy, the Libyan president, was in typically defiant mood when he opened an African Union summit in Sirte on the Libyan coast.

"We are not going to beg at the doorsteps to reduce debt .... We are insulted constantly and we deserve it. We don't need assistance and charity," Mr Gadafy told some 50 African leaders. The eccentric Libyan leader received only tepid applause from the audience for he was hardly on message.

"Unlike Gadafy, other African leaders have welcomed the efforts of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown to boost aid and provide debt relief for the continent at this year's G8 summit," Mr. Tran noted.

Question: Is the Libyan leader eccentric because he said, "We are not going to beg at the doorsteps to reduce debt...? Just asking. Also see "Africa prepares G8 message on aid, debt, trade" for speculation on what position African leaders will likely take on aid.

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Central African Republic's Bozize Dislikes AU Rules on Coups

William Maclean of Reuters AlertNet reported June 5, 2005 that Central African Republic President Francois Bozize sees nothing wrong with coming to power in a coup d'etat. According to Reuters he "defended on Tuesday [June 5, 2005] his military takeover, saying it was hard for Africa to lay down strict rules on coups d'etat because each country was different."

Mr. Bozize "was elected president in May 2005, winning a vote to end two years of military rule," according to Reuters, who asked him "if the era of coups d'etat in Africa was indeed over." Mr Bozize replied: "

What should be done? Each country has its problems. It has to solve them its own way. It is difficult to say there is a rigid rule.

The authorities (at that time in 2003) were starting to kill, rape, pillage and burn the institutions of state. They also wanted to loot the central bank.

The regime then in place did not practice good governance. The important thing was that we were able to restore the situation.

Reuters noted that, "Western governments, the United Nations and the AU condemned Bozize's takeover. Nigeria and South Africa also refused to recognize Bozize's legitimacy and he was barred from attending the AU heads of state summits in 2003 and 2004.

According to Reuters, Mr. Bozize "was allowed to attend this year's summit in the Libyan coastal town of Sirte because of his election." See "African leader dislikes rigid rules on coups" for more.

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Gaddafi Urges Fellow Africans to Avoid Past Mistakes

Webster Malido, writing about the African Union (AU) summit in Sirte, Libya, for the Lusaka (Zambia) Post, reported June 5, 2005 that Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi has said, "Africans are today paying the price for having aborted Kwame Nkrumah's ideas."

The late Ghanaian politician and thinker was one of the early proponents of Pan Africanism and a United States of Africa.

Mr. Gaddafi, one of the driving forces behind the AU and the next AU Chairman, told fellow African heads of state and government: "I would like to caution you from falling into the same trap" as the Organization of African Unity, the AU's predecessor. "We must improve our mechanisms and think of those who will be assigned the future assignments. We must avoid repeating the past mistakes."

See "Gaddafi Urges Africans to Avoid Past Mistakes" for more of Mr. Malido's report.

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July 04, 2005

Daily Telegraph Agrees With Gaddafi on Africa: Why?

The Daily Telegraph of London said in its July 5, 2005 issue that,

It is not often that this newspaper finds itself in agreement with Colonel Muammar Gaddafi of Libya, but he spoke sense at the African Union summit yesterday [July 4, 2005]. Addressing representatives of the 53-nation grouping, Colonel Gaddafi told African leaders to stop "begging" the industrialized world for more aid because ultimately it would create a wider gap between the richer and poorer nations.

I agree. Here's more.

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July 03, 2005

CARICOM Summit Underway In St. Lucia

"Critical trade and economic development issues, including rising oil prices, a gloomy future for sugar exports to Europe and relief from the region's debt burden, are expected to dominate the 26th annual Caribbean Community Summit," according to Rickey Singh, Caribbean correspondent for the Jamaica Observer. The summit is underway in St Lucia.

See "Caricom summit begins today: Critical challenges dominate agenda" for more.

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Will Rising Oil Prices Hurt Caribbean Tourism?

Sir Ronald Sanders of Antigua and Barbuda, "a business executive and former Caribbean diplomat who publishes widely on small states in the global community," writes in a July 3, 2005 article in the Jamaica Observer that, "Throughout the last winter season, tourism in most Caribbean countries was sustained by an increased number of visitors from Europe. This is likely to change in the coming months, hurting revenues and employment in the industry."

He said, "There are two factors that will impact the number of visitors from Europe. The first is the rising price of oil, which has now reached US$60 per barrel, and the other is the decline in the value of the European currency, the euro, against the US dollar." Here's more.

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Babs Ajayi's Open Letter To Sir Bob Geldof

In an open letter to Sir Bob Geldof dated July 1, 2005, Babs Ajayi of Nigeria World gave this advice to Mr. Geldof after praising his work on Africa:

Until so much is done to ensure that good governance and democracy is enshrined in Africa, the efforts being put into debt forgiveness will yield very little. The next battle after the G8 debt forgiveness fight should be how to block the steady flow of stolen cash from Africa from finding its way into the West and the Middle East. A major offensive against state-sponsored corruption and graft must also be high on the agenda. There are also multinational companies in Africa who are aiding and abetting corruption by the unethical way in which they do business. The big oil and gas multinationals from France, Italy, Holland and the United States have so much power and influence in deciding who rule most African nations. These companies corrupt the civil service and the armed forces of these nations and they use money to buy their way, to buy oil blocks, buy the rights to explore and exploit crude, diamond, copper, and gold mines. The multinationals encourage coup plots and fund it in Congo, Zaire and other parts of the Cooper Belt.

"However," Ajayi added, "with good governance and responsible/accountable democratic institutions most of the poor nations will be better positioned to build lasting and decent societies where people can build their lives and improve on their lots. The endless cycle of instability must be nipped in the bud if we do not want poverty to continue and the little funds available to African countries to go into weapons procurements and guerrilla wars."

See "An Open Letter to Sir Bob Geldof" for more.

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African Journalist Sees A 'New Dawn' In Africa

TV journalist George Alagiah of Britain, who grew up in Ghana, West Africa, during the sixties, noted in a July 3, 2005 article in the Observer of London that,

The Africa from which I have just returned is very different from the one I left seven years ago. As I travelled from Ghana, the first country in Africa to break free of colonialism, to South Africa, the last to achieve freedom, I realized a new wind of change blowing across the continent.

He chronicled his travels in an article headlined "Dreaming of a new dawn."

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Nigeria's Debt Relief

Emma Ujah analyzes Nigeria's debt in an informative article in the July 3, 2005 issue of the Vanguard of Nigeria headlined "Nigeria's Debt Relief: A News Analysis". I think it's worth reading.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 12:42 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Who Cares About Africa?

"Who cares about Africa?" asked Dan Chapman in a June 30, 2005 Cox News Service report. "Most Americans, it seems, do not." He added:

They're too worried about war in Iraq, illegal Mexican immigration and an ascendant China to fathom the mind-numbing array of social, economic, military, health and political problems bedeviling a continent half a world away. That, at least, is the opinion of Tejan Muata, a former Peace Corps volunteer in Togo who laments that Africa gets short shrift from Americans whose IIQ-- International Intelligence Quotient-- is already sorely tested.

Mr. Chapman quoted Mr. Muata, an Africa expert with the American Friends Service Committee in Atlanta, as saying: "You can't care about something that you don't know about." See "Who cares about Africa?" for more.

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Africans: Who is Bob Geldof

"Few Africans watched the star-studded Live 8 gigs meant to highlight their plight but many said on Sunday [July 3, 2005] any effort to relieve poverty was welcome - even faraway rock concerts performed for rich whites," reports Reuters Correspondent Rebecca Harrison.

Additional reporting for the report I read in Independent Online of South Africa came from George Obulutsa in Nairobi, Kenya and Helen Nyambura in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

See "Majority of Africans don't know who Geldof is" for more.

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Newsweek Sees A Leap Forward In Africa

Newsweek says "Forget Tony Blair and Live 8. The really amazing story is that Africa is starting to recover on its own." See "Africa Leaps Forward" for more.

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The African Blogosphere And Live 8

Financial Times.Com (FT.Com) of London reported July 3, 2005 that, "

Online reaction on African news sites [to Live 8] has been limited in comparison to European sites. However, the African blogosphere post Live8 has been ignited by the debate on efforts to put pressure on G8 world leaders to address aid, development and trade issues.

But "some African bloggers were less than convinced" about the efficacy of Live8, FT.Com said. Reporter Liisa Rohumaa cited what she called scathing commentary by African Bullets & Honey." The blog said, in part, on Julu 1, 2005:

This is simply an exercise in white, Western megalomania. Now that the age of empire has passed for these British Isles, now that the economic consensus will brook no extremes of the right or left variety, now that there are no great foes to contend with, there are only two extreme conditions that remain in a world that has moved to the middle. Western self-aggrandisement and African suffering. To the liberals and assorted put Africa right brigades, they exist at the centre of the moral universe.

The blog said, "Africans shall live or die according to their wishes. Now we are to be saved, but it could be just the opposite as it has been in times past."

See "African blogosphere gives vent on Live 8" for more of FT.Com's report.

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July 02, 2005

Was CIA Kidap Victim Once An Informant For The Spy Agency?

Chicago Tribune correspondents John Crewdson and Tom Hundley notes in a July 2, 2005 Tribune exclusive that,

"Among the multiple mysteries swirling around the [CIA's] abduction of Osama Moustafa Hassan Nasr in Italy, one stands out as by far the most perplexing. Why would the U.S. government go to elaborate lengths to seize a 39-year-old Egyptian who, according to former Albanian intelligence officials, was once the CIA's most productive source of information within the tightly knit group of Islamic fundamentalists living in exile in Albania?

One possible answer: The "abduction was a bold attempt to turn him back into the informer he once was," according to Crewdson and Hundley, who have doggedly pursued the story. See "Abducted imam aided CIA ally" for more of their story.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 11:22 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

July 01, 2005

IRNA: Leaders Of Hostage-Takers Say Ahmadinejad Had No Role

"Abbas Abdi, Mohsen Mirdamadi, and Hamid Reza Jalaeipour, the leaders of "Students Following the Path of Imam" who took over the U.S. embassy in Iran in 1979, say "reports on President-elect Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's role in the siege are "not true," according to a July I 1, 2005 report by the Islamic Republic News Agency. See "Ahmadinejad had no role in US Embassy siege: Hostage-takers" for more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 06:25 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Italy Refuses Go Along With CIA On Kidnapping Story

Los Angeles Times reporters Tracy Wilkinson and Greg Miller reported June 30, 2005 that, " In a case threatening to explode into a major diplomatic row, the Italian government Thursday [June 30, 2005] denied it authorized or even knew about an operation in which CIA agents allegedly kidnapped a radical Egyptian cleric from the streets of Milan and transported him to Egypt for interrogation and torture."

"Italy's denial flew in the face of assertions by former CIA officials that the agency had obtained the consent of the Italian intelligence service before dispatching a CIA paramilitary team to nab the cleric," they wrote. One thing for sure, somebody is lying. Here's more.

Posted by Munir Umrani at 12:40 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack