News Round Up - 09 Sep 06
At Home. NASA will attempt to launch the Space Shuttle Atlantis today after weather and technical problems delayed previous attempts.
Afghanistan. NATO states that 320 Taliban have been killed so far in the week long Operation Medusa. These guys are dropping like flies. A suicide bomber killed 16 and wounded 39 in downtown Kabal Friday in the worst attack since the fall of the Taliban according to the headline.
Iraq. Two million pilgrims were in Karbala today for Shaabaniya, which celebrates the birth of a 9th century imam. Iraqi police and Army forces are providing security. As of now, eight people have been killed and 40 wounded. But these attacks were not in Karbala, but enroute to Karbala. This is significant since only Iraqi forces are providing security Karbala, and they have successfully prevented suicide attacks on the pilgrims. This fact will go a long way to increasing the legitimacy of the Iraqi government and security forces.
India. Mosque bomb blast kills 37 and wounds 50. India is not in a civil war, nor does America have troops in India. Just citing this for comparison to Iraq and Afghanistan.
United Nations. UN approves counter-terrorism strategy. Several Arab nations opposed this definition as it did not shield national liberational movements like the Palestinians. More details on this later, but any UN recognition of terrorist groups like Hamas and Hezbollah is a step in the right direction. What these groups do not understand is legitimate descent does not give a group a right to kill or shield themselves around innocent civilians. The full text of the resolution can be found here.
Lebanon. Israel lifted the sea blockade on Lebanon Friday. A combined task force of French, Italian and Greek warships began patrolling Lebanon's Mediterranean coast just after noon Friday, a mission it will carry out for about two months until a longer-term force of German vessels moves in. Syria meanwhile has approved the presence of EU personnel on the Lebanon-Syrian border and is requesting German assistance on his side of the border. Again, while Israel did not crush Hezbollah militarily, it is working the diplomatic channels brilliantly.
Iran. Former Iranian President Mohammed Khatami on friday condemned the September 11 attacks against the United States as an atrocity and said suicide bombers did Islam an injustice and would not go to heaven. He also iterated that he believed the Holocaust was a fact and was a crime of Nazism. A couple of thoughts here. Khatami is not just the former president of Iran. He is the head of the Advisory Council in Iran, putting him over current president, Ahmadinejad. He is in the US for some specific purpose. Could that purpose be to show US leaders that Iran also has issues with Ahmadinejad? Or is he here strictly to muddy the waters? Either way, the US should use this rift in Iran to its benefit.
Gaza. Tens of thousands teachers, health workers and other government employees launched an open-ended strike last Saturday. While believed to be organized by Fatah to pressure Hamas to either step down or form a unity government, it must be noted that tens of thousands are marching/striking against Hamas. Remember, Hamas kidnapped Cpl Shalit to prevent further erosion of its support and an increase in support for Fatah. Israel's tough response combined with Abbas' and Olmert's diplomacy is severely endangering Hamas' future in the PA.
Afghanistan. NATO states that 320 Taliban have been killed so far in the week long Operation Medusa. These guys are dropping like flies. A suicide bomber killed 16 and wounded 39 in downtown Kabal Friday in the worst attack since the fall of the Taliban according to the headline.
Iraq. Two million pilgrims were in Karbala today for Shaabaniya, which celebrates the birth of a 9th century imam. Iraqi police and Army forces are providing security. As of now, eight people have been killed and 40 wounded. But these attacks were not in Karbala, but enroute to Karbala. This is significant since only Iraqi forces are providing security Karbala, and they have successfully prevented suicide attacks on the pilgrims. This fact will go a long way to increasing the legitimacy of the Iraqi government and security forces.
India. Mosque bomb blast kills 37 and wounds 50. India is not in a civil war, nor does America have troops in India. Just citing this for comparison to Iraq and Afghanistan.
United Nations. UN approves counter-terrorism strategy. Several Arab nations opposed this definition as it did not shield national liberational movements like the Palestinians. More details on this later, but any UN recognition of terrorist groups like Hamas and Hezbollah is a step in the right direction. What these groups do not understand is legitimate descent does not give a group a right to kill or shield themselves around innocent civilians. The full text of the resolution can be found here.
Lebanon. Israel lifted the sea blockade on Lebanon Friday. A combined task force of French, Italian and Greek warships began patrolling Lebanon's Mediterranean coast just after noon Friday, a mission it will carry out for about two months until a longer-term force of German vessels moves in. Syria meanwhile has approved the presence of EU personnel on the Lebanon-Syrian border and is requesting German assistance on his side of the border. Again, while Israel did not crush Hezbollah militarily, it is working the diplomatic channels brilliantly.
Iran. Former Iranian President Mohammed Khatami on friday condemned the September 11 attacks against the United States as an atrocity and said suicide bombers did Islam an injustice and would not go to heaven. He also iterated that he believed the Holocaust was a fact and was a crime of Nazism. A couple of thoughts here. Khatami is not just the former president of Iran. He is the head of the Advisory Council in Iran, putting him over current president, Ahmadinejad. He is in the US for some specific purpose. Could that purpose be to show US leaders that Iran also has issues with Ahmadinejad? Or is he here strictly to muddy the waters? Either way, the US should use this rift in Iran to its benefit.
Gaza. Tens of thousands teachers, health workers and other government employees launched an open-ended strike last Saturday. While believed to be organized by Fatah to pressure Hamas to either step down or form a unity government, it must be noted that tens of thousands are marching/striking against Hamas. Remember, Hamas kidnapped Cpl Shalit to prevent further erosion of its support and an increase in support for Fatah. Israel's tough response combined with Abbas' and Olmert's diplomacy is severely endangering Hamas' future in the PA.
posted by Lieutenant Colonel Caveman at Saturday, September 09, 2006
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
Links to this post:
Create a Link
<< Home