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Syrian leader thought Cold War is back, but Russia made it clear Assad was wrongGuy Bechor Published:  08.28.08, 17:10 / Israel Opinion P{margin:0;} UL{margin-bottom:0;margin-top:0;margin-right: 16; padding-right:0;} OL{margin-bottom:0;margin-top:0;margin-right: 32; padding-right:0;} H3.pHeader {margin-bottom:3px;COLOR: #192862;font-size: 16px;font-weight: bold;margin-top:0px;} P.pHeader {margin-bottom:3px;COLOR: #192862;font-size: 16px;font-weight: bold;} The Syrian army’s aging generals couldn’t believe their eyes: The Soviet Union is back. After seeing Russian tanks entering Georgia, they thought that time can be turned back two decades, to the era where the Soviet superpower backed President Hafez al-Assad; an era where Soviet advisors stayed in Syria, Soviet warships docked at the Tartus port, and Moscow transferred missiles and...

Progressives suffering from Bush Derangement Syndrome declare a moral equivalence between Russia's actions and those of the US. This demonstrates the preposterous lengths to which some will go to discredit President Bush. Bush is not Putin and Georgia is not Iraq. I especially love it when some enlightened liberal defends Russia by stating that Iraq is far away from the US but Georgia is in Russia's back yard. So then, it's OK to attack someone if they are in your "sphere of influence"? That didn't fly with the left in the 1980s when President Reagan set things straight in Central...

The sale of Russia’s arms is another problem. The governments of Western countries and Israel are concerned about reports saying that Russia started the shipments of first components of its S-300 missile system to Iran. The latter may subsequently use the powerful systems to down US and Israeli aircraft. Russia may complicate USA’s and NATO’s supply of the coalition in Afghanistan In April, Moscow gave France and Germany a right to transit non-combatant cargoes via Russia. Russia’s ambassador to NATO, Dmitry Rogozin, said that the West should not bite the hand that feeds 50,000 servicemen in Afghanistan. Moscow can offer...

US disrupts Olympic party with human rights attack on China America has openly attacked China for failing to live up to its Olympic promise to improve human rights after eight US citizens were arrested and imprisoned without trial for their part in a pro-Tibet demonstration. By Peter Foster in Beijing Last Updated: 12:20PM BST 24 Aug 2008 The Foreign and Commonwealth Office called on China to 'respect its commitment to freedom of expression' Photo: AFP In an unusually candid statement issued on the eve of the Olympic closing ceremony the US Embassy in Beijing expressed mounting frustration with China's refusal...

June 20 | Majority of Icelanders favor cancelling defense agreement with US Several |Icelandic news organizations report the results of a new poll conducted by Gallup and commissioned by Helgi Hjörvar, Member of Parliament for the Social Democrats. The poll asked participants if they were for or against cancelling the defense agreement with the US. 33.2 per cent were "strongly in favor" of cancelling the agreement, 20.6 per cent "moderately in favor"; 9.4 per cent were "strongly against" cancelling the agreement and 15.4 per cent " moderately against". Overall, 53.8 per cent were in favor of cancelling the defense agreement and 24.8...

The US plan to draw down forces in Iraq was anounced by General Petraeus in September 2007 briefing to Congress. The drawdown schedule is based on the Iraqi forces taking over responsibility for security.

US officials have said that their military presence in Georgia will now become permanent. The American military has been training and equipping the Georgian army since the spring of 2002. Having trained three battalions of Georgian soldiers, US military instructors were due to leave in March..... For Moscow, the Caucasus is a geopolitical backyard, rich in energy resources and crucial to the conflict in Chechnya. Moscow's refusal to remove its military bases from Georgia has long fuelled tensions between the two countries. Georgia's President-elect, Mikhail Saakashvili, says the removal of the Russian troops will be high on his government's priority...

Russia invades Georgia. China jails dissidents. China and India pollute at levels previously unimaginable. Gulf monarchies make trillions from jacked-up oil prices. Islamic terrorists keep car bombing. Meanwhile, Europe offers moral lectures, while Japan and South Korea shrug and watch - all in a globalized world that tunes into the Olympics each night from Beijing. "Citizens of the world" were supposed to share, in relative harmony, our new "Planet Earth," which was to have followed from an interconnected system of free trade, instantaneous electronic communications, civilized diplomacy and shared consumer capitalism. But was that ever quite true? In reality, to...

THE US must choose between supporting Georgia's leadership and maintaining a partnership with Russia on international issues, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says. "The Georgian leadership is a special project for the United States," Mr Lavrov said on TV today. "At some time it will be necessary to choose between the prestige of this relatively virtual project and partnership on questions that require collective action." Washington has actively supported Georgia's pro-West president, Mikheil Saakashvili, since he came to power in a popular uprising known as the Rose Revolution. In return, Georgia sent 2000 troops to join the US-led coalition in...

<p>MOSCOW (AP) - Russia has made clear it calls the shots in this part of the world, a message other former Soviet bloc countries cannot ignore.</p> <p>Georgia's President Mikhail Saakashvili has been a loyal U.S. ally and has portrayed his nation as a beacon of democracy. But when he tried to stand up to his country's former masters in Moscow, he faced the full wrath of the Russian army.</p>

Steven W. Mosher is president of Population Research Institute (www.pop.org) and author of the book Population Control: Real Costs, Illusory Benefits (Transaction Publishers, New Brunswick, NJ, 2008). Michael J. Miller interviewed him on the subject of his book. Miller: Dire scenarios about imminent overpopulation, from Malthus to Paul Ehrlich’s The Population Bomb, have not materialized. Where are the mistakes in their calculations? Steven Mosher: In some cases they were deliberately exaggerated, even fabricated, in an attempt to frighten individuals into having no more than one or two children, and legislatures into funding population control programs. Assuming that the alarmists...

Washington, DC -- Americans received good news back in January when new figures from Planned Parenthood's research group showed the number of abortions nationwide have fallen to their lowest point in 30 years and have declined 25 percent since 1990. That has resulted in a drop in the nation's infant mortality rate.

The House of Representatives recently passed a bill to triple the money we give to foreign countries in their fight against AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis. That legislation calls for a total of $48 billion dollars over a five-year period. The Senate is expected to pass the bill, and the president has said he will sign it. After all, he broached the idea during his 2003 State of the Union speech when it came to increased funding in the fight against AIDS. Rep. Ileana Rose-Lehtinen, R-FL, said that the giveaway program has enhanced the U.S. image abroad. Enhanced our image abroad?...

Oil is the fuel of free nations, guns and speech the tools of free men. Thus the three have freedom in common. Ironically, oil, guns, and free speech have something else in common as well: all three are scorned by the Left. Democrats are opposed to further oil exploration, individual gun rights, and speech that is free from the constraints of political correctness.

WASHINGTON: Chinese people are confident about their nation’s place on the world stage but a poll highlights "significant tensions" between China and other rival powers, including India with 24% viewing New Delhi as an "enemy". Overwhelmingly, the Chinese think their country is popular abroad with roughly three-in-four (77%) believing people in other countries generally have favourable opinions of China. However, the 2008 survey by the Pew Research Centre’s Pew Global Attitudes Project highlights significant tensions between China and other rival powers. Views about India are "mixed at best" with 25% viewing India as a partner, while a similar number 24%...

Indian official says Islamabad could use F-16s against New Delhi NEW DELHI: The Indian defence establishment is “concerned” by the United States’ decision to divert $230 million in aid to Pakistan from counter-terrorism programmes to upgrading its F-16 fighter jets. “Acquisition of new airborne capabilities by Pakistan is definitely a matter of concern for India since it’s always primarily directed at us. If the US thinks Pakistan will only use its upgraded F-16s for counter-terrorism operations, it is sadly mistaken,” Times of India quoted a top Indian defence official as saying on condition of anonymity. India’s Western Air Command (WAC)...

It is a high ambition of the Rudd Government to greatly deepen Australia's engagement with India. Well, it is about to get the opportunity to do just that. This week, the Indian parliament passed a momentously important vote of confidence in the Government of Manmohan Singh. This vote could be a pivot point in modern history. It was all about India's nuclear co-operation deal with the US. (SNIP) India is not a signatory of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty and is not one of the five accepted nuclear weapons states (the US, Britain, France, Russia and China). But it possesses a...

NEW DELHI: India is hopeful that despite Pakistan's objection the safeguards agreement it plans to sign with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) next week will be done without more countries joining in to resist it. "The overwhelming mood in the IAEA Board of Governors is to support the Indian safeguards agreement," a senior official in the External Affairs Ministry said. The Indian safeguards agreement will come up for discussion and approval by the 35-member Board of Governors of the IAEA on August 1. India and Pakistan are both members of the Board. India needs to get the safeguards agreement...

Though this story was written nearly 2 years ago, Bishop Su's whereabouts are still unknown. The search continues. Perhaps you or someone you knows, can help solve this mystery. Searching for Bishop Su: Persecuted Chinese bishop gone but not forgottenTheresa Marie Moreau  (TMMoreau@yahoo.com)From the back seat of the gypsy cab, Ming-Chuan “Joseph” Kung watched Beijing blur by. Everything had been pre-arranged. Everything. As the hired driver steered through the streets of the capital city of the People’s Republic of China, the seven passengers – a small delegation of Americans in town for a human rights conference – rode mostly in...

What’s a “Giant Oil Field?” Given the current price of gasoline (and other forms of ‘energy’), a few definitions are in order: Giant Oil Field - Definition ‘A’ (from Wikipedia) [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giant_oil_and_gas_fields ]: “The world's 932 giant oil and gas fields are considered those with 500 million barrels of ultimately recoverable oil or gas equivalent.” Giant Oil Field - Definition ‘B’ (based on personal experience with American environmentalists): “But, dude, a half billion barrels is such a drop in the bucket!” “OK – so why should I recycle aluminum cans, or install compact fluorescent lights? Those would just be a few...

Why US could lose out on India nuclear trade By Brajesh Upadhyay BBC News, Washington US companies may end up watching from the sidelines as nuclear fuel and technology trade between India and other suppliers develops. That is the warning to Washington if the Indo-US nuclear deal is unable to get Congressional approval in time. Experts closely associated with the deal say there is a serious risk that the Congressional calendar may not have enough days left to clear the deal, that is assuming that India gets the go-ahead for it from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)and the 45-member...

As told by most history textbooks in the U.S., the Korean War started with a June 25, 1950, invasion from the communist north and the freedom-loving U.S. came to the aid of the besieged democratic Republic of Korea in the south. The reality was very different. Not only did the RoK’s dictatorial, fascist-like regime of U.S. puppet Syngman Rhee make the first move, it had prepared for it for more than a year in advance. These preparations included using paramilitary fascist organizations and the regular army for cross-border raids on northern villages to test the defenses of the Democratic People’s...

No matter what happens in November, a left-hander will take the White House. In fact, five of the last seven presidents have been southpaws. While left-handedness has been taken as a sign of everything from artistic talent to brain damage, ambidexterity may be a desirable quality in a leader. Left-handedness expert Melissa Roth tackles the topic for the Washington Post. Science appears to favor Barack Obama, who is a mixed-hander, which some behavioral psychologists credit for imparting an understanding of different viewpoints. John McCain is a strong left-hander, having survived school pre-1950, when “correction” of lefties was in vogue. Being...

WASHINGTON: Opening up a third front would pose a challenge for the U.S. military already deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan, says a top U.S. military chief amid concerns Israel may attack Iran. "From the U.S. military perspective, opening up a third front right now would be extremely stressful on us," the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Michael Mullen told a press conference. "That doesn''t mean we don''t have capacity or reserve. But that would really be very challenging and also the consequences of that sometimes are very difficult to predict." Israel has said it will stop Tehran developing a nuclear...

Within the United States, important dialogue about the threat of radical Islam was silenced by the Department of Homeland Security and the State Department which issued a memo in May instructing bureaucrats on how to talk about the “war on terror.” The memo called for restrictions on terrorist-defining nomenclature in accordance with recommendations from American Muslims. Thus, definitive and descriptive words such as “jihad,” mujahadeen,” “Islamic terrorist,” “Islamist,” or “holy warrior” were to be avoided, even though Muslims and Muslim media worldwide use this very terminology.

The latest U.S. natural disaster is triggering fresh rounds of concern and debate about how to repair America's aging infrastructure. The worst Midwest flooding since 1993 has generated images of swamped towns, cracked roads, washed-out bridges, overwhelmed dams, failed levees, broken sewage systems, stunted crops and water-logged refugees. The losses are in the billions of dollars and still mounting, as the costs of crop losses alone send shocks through the inflation-wracked world food system and threaten insurers. The disaster has reminded policymakers of the decrepit state of U.S. infrastructure, stirring concerns similar to those following the deadly Minneapolis bridge collapse...

Baghdad: An attack by Israel on Iran's nuclear facilities, with tacit US approval, will lead to a major conflict in Iraq if Tehran chooses to respond by hitting American and Iraqi targets, Iraqi military officers and officials say. The potential Israeli attack will also lead to a crisis within the Iraqi government, some parts of which are close to Iran, the officials told Gulf News. A senior officers in the Iraqi army told Gulf News the US forces in Iraq are already taking precautionary measure in a number of military bases across the country in case Israel goes ahead with...

Juval Aviv was the Israeli Agent upon whom the movie ' Munich 'was based. He was Golda Meir's bodyguard--she appointed him to track down and bring to justice the Palestinian terrorists who took the Israeli athletes hostage and killed them during the Munich Olympic Games. In a lecture in New York City a few weeks ago, he shared information that EVERY American needs to know--but that our government has not yet shared with us. (Aviv's bio is noted at end.) He predicted the London subway bombing on the Bill O'Reilly show on Fox News stating publicly that it would happen...

American School Books Redefine 'Jihad' to Exclude Violence -- Where is Media? By Warner Todd Huston | June 8, 2008 - 21:49 ET In yet another example of why the west could be too weak to fight the sort of global terrorism that takes the form of Islamofascism, a textbook monitoring group is charging that American textbooks have been cleansed of mentioning the violence inherent in the Islamic "Jihad." Now, our children will not be taught what "Jihad" truly means, nor that it has been used as an excuse to kill their fellow citizens because our schools have sanitized Islam...

To my readers: On June 1, 2008, Radarsite cross posted an article from the Daily Mirror titled "Britain's Immigration is Out of Control". http://radarsite.blogspot.com/2008/06/britains-immigration-is-out-of-control.html Following the article Radarsite posted our usual commentary. The following exchange from the comments thread is one reader's response to our commentary and our reply. We have posted a final comment to all of this from our now-famous friend Lionheart.- rg Here's the original commentary: A note from Radarsite: Nowhere could the major cultural battles that are taking place throughout the West be more visible and instructive than those currently being fought out in Britain. The...

BERKELEY —The University of California, Berkeley claimed victory Wednesday and could be able to move forward with plans to build a $125 million sports training center soon but not before it answers a few more questions about its long-awaited project for the court, a judge ruled late Wednesday. Judge Barbara Miller was ruling on three consolidated lawsuits to stop the project. ``The university has prevailed on every legal challenge to halt construction of the proposed student athlete high performance center. This is a major victory for our students,'' said Nathan Brostrom, Vice Chancellor for administration. ``Make no mistake the university...

Amnesty International recently released its annual human rights report and, like past years, the international human rights organization has decided to focus its aim at the world's most troubling human rights abuser: The United States of America. "As the world's most powerful state, the USA sets the standard for government behavior globally," the introduction reads. "With breathtaking legal obfuscation, the U.S. administration has continued its efforts to weaken the absolute prohibition against torture and other ill-treatment." The report's introduction – in which the United States is both the first country called out by name and the country to which the...

NEW YORK: The popularity of the United States in India has shot up dramatically since 2002, in a period in which Uncle Sam's image took a beating globally, a survey has said. America turned out to be the most popular in India, with its ratings rising up to 71 per cent, up from 54 per cent in the summer of 2002, in the survey conducted by an independent body - the Pew Research Centre - over 16 nations to assess favourabilty ratings of five major countries. Besides, India is the only country outside the US where a majority of people...

IRAQ & US ACCUSE [SYRIA'S IRAN'S LEBANESE BASED] ISLAMIC HEZBOLLAH TERRORISTS OF CRIMES IN IRAQ [Iraq] Talabani charges [Iran's Islamic Lebanese based terrorists] Hezbollah interference Published: May 30, 2008 at 8:23 BAGHDAD, May 30 (UPI) -- Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, in a Baghdad interview Friday, accused the leader of the Lebanon-based Hezbollah of meddling in Iraq's affairs.http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2008/05/30/Talabani_charges_Hezbollah_interference/UPI-44791212150201/ Commentary: Iraq ripe for Iranian [militant Shia Muslim] dominationMarch 4, 2008Richard Beeston, Foreign Editor of The TimesMahmoud Ahmadinejad was right to look smug at the end of his two-day state visit to Iraq. Not only did he become the first Iranian president to...

Here's a great presentation. Every one of the idiots we keep electing to Congress should be forced to watch it at least three times ... then maybe they would get the message. (The end is the best part.) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPch2k63uj4

PESHAWAR, Pakistan (Reuters) - A pilotless U.S. drone was suspected to have fired a missile into a Pakistani area on the Afghan border on Tuesday, but there was no word on the target or casualties, a government official said.

Bush also broke protocol when he welcomed the Pontiff last April 15. Bush, accompanied by his wife and daughter Jenna, went to Andrews Air Force Base to receive the Pope -- an honor the president has never given to a visiting head of state. The next day, Benedict XVI's 81st birthday, the president hosted a celebration in the White House. The Holy Father's welcome is meant to repay the president for his cordiality, Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, director of the Vatican press office, said. Bush will be accompanied by his wife and by Mary Ann Glendon, the U.S. envoy to...

North Korea reiterates anti-terror policy in apparent bid for removal from US blacklist AP - 2 hours 14 minutes ago SEOUL, South Korea - North Korea has reiterated its opposition to terrorism and nuclear proliferation in an apparent attempt to bolster its bid for removal from a U.S. blacklist. The North's Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the country "will firmly maintain its consistent stand of opposing all forms of terrorism." The ministry also said the North will take part in international efforts to prevent weapons of mass destruction from falling into terrorists' hands. The U.S. has pledged to...

The U.S. envoy to the EU said Washington was keen for the EU to act as quickly as possible. "We want to make sure they are going as fast as they can," C. Boyden Gray told reporters in Slovenia ahead of the summit. Western countries suspect Iran is seeking the ability to make nuclear weapons. Tehran insists its secretive program is purely aimed at generating energy. The U.N. Security Council passed a third sanctions resolution against Iran in April and Washington has pressed the EU to deny targeted Iranian banks access to the international financial system. EU diplomats had said...

America continues to grow in stature as the most-favoured destination for Indian students with the last seven months showing a 38% increase in the number of candidates going there. What's more, Chennai seems to be one of the largest exporters in the country. Sample this: 38,274 student visas were issued from across the country in fiscal year 2006-07 (October 2006 to September 2007), of which the Chennai consulate gave out 19,973. Correspondingly, between October 2007 and April 2008, 50,316 student visas were issued from across the country, of which the Chennai consulate alone accounted for 24,975. With a rising middle...

British doctors will take the historic step of admitting for the first time that many health treatments will be rationed in the future because the NHS cannot cope with spiralling demand from patients. In a major report that will embarrass the government, the British Medical Association will say fertility treatment, plastic surgery and operations for varicose veins and minor childhood ailments, such as glue ear, are among a long list of procedures in jeopardy. James Johnson, the BMA chairman, will warn that patients face a bleak future because they will increasingly be denied treatments. He will urge the NHS to...

Exclusive: Limited US attack on Iranian Revolutionary Guards bases in sight

               Sandeep Singh               June 04, 2008 The Department of Homeland Security last week showcased an India-born soldier, one of the six foreign-born members of the military, at a special naturalisation ceremony for new citizens of the United States.Ludhiana-born Sandeep Singh, 23, a soldier in the US Army's 3rd US Infantry Continental Color Guard Team, said he had "followed his desire to serve his adopted nation after the terrorist attacks of 9/11."He was among 26 men and women from 21 countries who were administered the Oath of Allegiance by...

Hezbollah's strategic communication machine has undertaken a massive campaign to convince the international community, the Arab and Muslim world that an overwhelming majority of Lebanese are now firmly behind Sayed Hassan Nasrallah in his vision for the future of the Eastern Mediterranean and probably the Greater Middle East. The Hezbollah chief revealed the bulk of his agenda for Lebanon and the region, and even displayed his alignment with Tehran's ambitions. 1. Hezbollah "offers its strategy" to all Arabs Nasrallah called on the "Arab people and governments to adopt the strategies of the organization," i.e., the victory achieved in Lebanon against...

Buy one home, get one free: US agents try to beat property slump By Catherine Elsworth in Los Angeles Last Updated: 10:03PM BST 03/06/2008 A California developer has devised a radical sales pitch to shift new homes amid the current property slump – buy one house, get another one free. Sales of new homes have plummeted by more than 40 percent across the US since their peak almost three years ago "Don't miss this incredible investment opportunity! It's never been done before and may never be done again!" reads the advert promoting the two-for-one offer from Michael Crews Development. The...

Despite renewed friction between Russia and the United States, the specter of open conflict has faded since the days of the Cold War. However, equipment designed by the two nations remains on opposite sides of 21st-century battlefields. This isn't surprising: America is the top vendor of major conventional weapons, and Russia ranks number two. Both countries share a legacy of making military equipment to counter the other's capabilities and a long history of parlaying arms sales into geopolitical influence. These deals, sanctioned by both national governments, are extensions of foreign policy. A resurgent Russia wants cash and international influence, while...

US to demand 72hrs notice for British tourists By Andy Bloxham Last Updated: 12:50AM BST 03/06/2008 British visitors to the United States will have to register their trip with the American government 72 hours before they leave under new plans. All travellers from countries which do not currently require a visa will be forced to tell the Americans that they are coming. The rule is intended to bolster US security and was expected to be announced today by Homeland Security secretary Michael Chertoff. The move is likely to renew the worries of big business in Europe that deal-clinching, last-minute flights...

Ahmadinejad says Israel will 'disappear' Criminal and terrorist Zionist regime has reached the end of its work, Iranian president tells foreign guests marking 19th anniversary of death of country's late revolutionary leader. 'Satanic power' of United States faces destruction, he adds Reuters Published: 06.02.08, 14:36 / Israel News Iran's president said on Monday Israel would soon disappear off the map and that the "satanic power" of the United States faced destruction, in his latest verbal attack on the Islamic Republic's arch-foes. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was speaking at a gathering of foreign guests marking this week's 19th anniversary of the death...

American motorists are understandably grumbling over skyrocketing gas prices as the summer travel season approaches. But their pain hardly registers against the rage afoot in Europe these days. Fishermen, truck drivers and farmers are threatening to bring entire economic sectors to a halt with protests against crippling fuel costs. The wave of angry action is expected to spread further across Europe in coming days, despite efforts by political leaders to feel the pain and figure out how to alleviate it. ...

World leaders, including UN chief Ban Ki-moon and US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, on Thursday hailed Baghdad's progress in combatting violence and stabilising Iraq. A declaration adopted by 100 delegations at a Stockholm conference said the participants "recognised the important efforts made by the (Iraqi) government to improve security and public order and combat terrorism and sectarian violence across Iraq." It also acknowledged political and economic progress made, and said that "given the difficult context, these successes are all the more remarkable." In a speech earlier to the conference, Ban said Iraq was "stepping back from the abyss that...