Posted on 12/17/2006 4:03:30 PM PST by DAVEY CROCKETT
http://www.worldtribune.com/worldtribune/07/front2454147.052777778.html
In bow to Beijing, Google censors anti-satellite test graphic
Special to World Tribune.com
EAST-ASIA-INTEL.COM
Thursday, February 15, 2007
Internet search engine company Google has self-censored a graphic
produced by three MIT researchers showing the trajectory and impact of
China's Jan. 11 anti-satellite test.
Google excluded the graphic in an apparent attempt to avoid angering
Chinese officials, U.S. officials said.
Google has been criticized in the past for appeasing the Chinese
government in its search engine postings.
Three MIT researchers produced a color graphic [ZOOM] showing the
flight path of the missile that destroyed an orbiting Chinese weather
satellite by ramming it with a non-explosive warhead, officials said.
MIT.edu
According to officials, three MIT researchers, Geoff Forden, Ted
Postol and Subrata Ghoshroy, produced a color graphic showing the
flight path of the missile that destroyed an orbiting Chinese weather
satellite by ramming it with a non-explosive warhead.
The researchers said the test proved that China is "part of the small
but unfortunately growing club of countries that can accomplish the
difficult task of hypervelocity interceptions in space."
"As a signal to the world, this test highlighted both China's
technological prowess and the fact that China will not quietly stand
by while the United States tries to expand its influence in the region
with new measures such as the US-India nuclear deal," the MIT
researchers stated.
"We have analyzed the orbits of the debris from this interception and
from that put limits on the properties of the interceptor," they
stated. "We find that not only can China threaten low-Earth orbit
satellites but, by mounting the same interceptor on one of its rockets
capable of lofting a satellite into geostationary orbit, all of the
U.S. communications satellites."
Google removed the graphic from its service.
Google censorship is software-based. A Chinese-based Google search of
Tiananmen Square often produces images of attractive buildings and
smiling tourists, while American Google searchers will see photos of
Chinese tanks used to disperse pro-democracy protestors in 1989.
Last year, Google's senior policy counsel, Andrew McLaughlin, defended
the censorship saying the company sought to balance commitments ''to
satisfy the interests of users, expand access to information, and
respond to local conditions."
''While removing search results is inconsistent with Google's
mission," McLaughlin said in an email statement to the Associated
Press, ''providing no information (or a heavily degraded user
experience that amounts to no information) is more inconsistent with
our mission."
Copyright © 2007 East West Services, Inc.
http://www.commentarymagazine.com/contentions/index.php/schiffren/160
The Muslim Lobby
Europe's democracies have changed dramatically in recent years in
response
to Islamic population growth, growth fueled by immigration and birth
rates
substantially higher than local norms. Great Britain, France, Italy,
and
other nations have been forced to accommodate the needs and preferences
of
their Islamic citizens, often at the expense of the global conflict
with
radical Islam.
Can it happen here? Suppose that the writer Mark Steyn is right to
argue
that "demographics are destiny." What number of Muslims, agitating for
their
self-defined interests and agendas, would constitute a critical mass in
the
U.S.? At what point would American politicians feel compelled to take
up
their cause?
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the Muslim American
Society (MAS), and the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) all
worked
overtime this past election cycle to create the impression that, in
American
politics, Muslims are now a force to be reckoned with. They were
especially
emphatic about the country's growing Muslim population-some 8 million
souls,
in their oft-repeated estimates.
continued.......
Health officials warn that radioactive gauge stolen in Little Rock
LITTLE ROCK A radioactive gauge used to measure soil density has been stolen from the back of a truck in southwest Little Rock -- and officials say the instrument could pose a health hazard.
The Troxler Model 3440 contains a hot source of Cesium 137 and Americium 241.
The Department of Health and Human Services says the gauge was taken between six and six-30 this morning from the back of a Materials Testing pickup truck that was parked at the Wal-Mart on Baseline Road.
The department says the gauge could be a health risk if handled or carried for an extended period of time.
Anyone who knows where the gauge is should call police.
Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
http://www.wmcstations.com/global/story.asp?s=6108906&ClientType=Printable
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/02/19/europe/EU-GEN-Ukraine-Human-Trafficking.php
Ukraine leads in number of human trafficking victims in Eastern Europe,
group says
The Associated Press
Published: February 19, 2007
KIEV, Ukraine: More Ukrainian men, women and children have been
trafficked abroad and forced into indentured labor or prostitution than
in any other Eastern European country since the Soviet collapse, an
international migration group said in a report Monday.
Roughly 117,000 Ukrainians have been forced into exploitative
situations
in Europe, the Middle East and Russia since 1991, the International
Organization for Migration said.
Ukrainian officials say low salaries and unemployment force thousands
to
seek employment abroad, increasing their vulnerability to exploitation
by criminals who often seize their passports and refuse to return them.
The organization said the full scale of trafficking through, from and
within Eastern Europe is difficult to determine since most victims are
unwilling, scared or unable to contact authorities.
U.S. will lose in the Middle East, Iran cleric says
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17220517/
U.S. will lose in the Middle East, Iran cleric says
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei makes statement in meeting with Syria's Assad
TEHRAN, Iran - Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said
Sunday the United States will not achieve its goals in the region,
state
television reported.
“Realities in the region show that the arrogant front, headed by the
U.S. and its allies, will be the principal loser in the region,†the
broadcast quoted Khamenei as saying during a meeting with Syrian
President Bashar Assad.
Assad left Iran on Sunday after a two-day visit to discuss Iraq and
other regional issues with senior Iranian officials, including Khamenei
and President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
During his visit, Assad accused the U.S. and Israel of trying to harm
the regional positions of Iran and Syria by raising questions about
their roles in Iraq, Lebanon, and the Palestinian conflict.
continued..............
February 19, 2007 PM Anti-Terrorism News
(India) Samjhauta blasts: LeT hand being probed - suspicion points to
Laskhar-e-Taiba
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Samjhauta_blasts_LeT_hand_being_probed_in_attack/articleshow/1640464.cms
(Iraq) Some 103 terrorists killed or arrested in, around Baghdad
http://www.kuna.net.kw/Home/Story.aspx?Language=en&DSNO=953912
(Iraq) Militants hit Iraq base, kill 2 U.S. GIs
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070219/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_070219210960;_ylt=AnGBxua0e3Gt.8694uq0QGVX6GMA
(Iraq) Two suicide car bombs kill 11 in Iraq's Ramadi
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticleNew.asp?xfile=data/focusoniraq/2007/February/focusoniraq_February151.xml§ion=focusoniraq
Jihadi satellite network turns on Al Qaeda in Iraq
http://hotair.com/archives/2007/02/19/red-on-red-jihadi-satellite-network-turns-on-al-qaeda-in-iraq/
(Afghanistan) Taliban briefly seizes town; police flee
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070219/ap_on_re_as/afghanistan_9;_ylt=Aij0gqjSr0OQqFo49n0lFxDOVooA
(Kenya) Somali Businessman Supporting Somalian Islamic Courts Denies
Links to Al-Qaeda (my title)
http://www.news24.com/News24/Africa/News/0,,2-11-1447_2071130,00.html
(Canada) Commentary: Disturbing reality buried - Fear of causing
offense and willful blindness will only end the day innocent Canadians die -
12% of Canadian Muslims in poll support Toronto terror attacks
http://calsun.canoe.ca/News/Columnists/Corbella_Licia/2007/02/18/3642930-sun.html
Canadian Terror Victims to MPs: "Don't Touch Anti-Terrorism Laws"
http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/February2007/19/c9826.html
(Canada) Inquiry in doubt - Air India commission may shut down
http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/story.html?id=f86e652c-f4cd-401c-bf10-2fb4379eb4c0&k=0
(Spain) 3 Madrid bombing suspects deny any roles
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070219/ap_on_re_eu/spain_terror_trial_3;_ylt=AizNiHeIrRyNO3bGERe0GZwTv5UB
Speaking Arabic, other Eastern languages, is high on FBI's wish list
http://www.postgazette.com/pg/07050/763270-85.stm
Iran 'could enrich on mass scale in months'
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,21255571-1702,00.html
Iran: Radical Group Denies Hanged Man Carried Out Zahedan Attack
http://www.adnki.com/index_2Level.php?cat=Terrorism&loid=8.0.387747155&par=0
(Pakistan) 50 suspects in Quetta suicide attact detained
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2007\02\19\story_19-2-2007_pg7_4
Pakistan closes offices of Islamic charities
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L1885545.htm
(Indonesia) Terror suspects: Al Qaeda brainwashed us
http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapcf/02/18/indonesia.militant.ap/index.html
(NY) Accused Terrorist Is Big GOP Donor - Abdul Tawala Ibn Ali
Alishtari - aka Michael Mixon
http://blogs.abcnews.com/theblotter/2007/02/accused_terrori.html
(UK) Police tell court how July 21 suspect fought arrest
http://www.guardian.co.uk/terrorism/story/0,,2016734,00.html
(UK) Control orders should be last resort, says terror watchdog
http://politics.guardian.co.uk/terrorism/story/0,,2016653,00.html
(UK) Terror cases 'stalled by control orders'
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=437159&in_page_id=1770
(UK) Protestor Dressed as Suicide bomber hired to work on UK trains --
Drivers furious: 'It's an astonishing security breach. ... It is a risk
too far'
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=54315
(UK Commentary) Convergence - links between Islamist Clerics support
for fascism
http://hurryupharry.bloghouse.net/archives/2007/02/19/convergence.php
Other News:
(UK) Olympics may halt 'supermosque'
http://www.washingtontimes.com/world/20070218-103954-1964r.htm
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/02/20/wbeeb20.xml
'Politics causes divide between Islam and West'
By Damien McElroy, Foreign Affairs Correspondent
Last Updated: 2:13am GMT 20/02/2007
The sharp division in the attitudes of Muslim and non-Muslim nations
was
laid bare by new research published yesterday.
An international survey conducted for the BBC World Service also
indicated that a global majority believes tensions between the West and
Islam are rooted in politics rather than religion.
A majority of respondents in Indonesia, the world's most populous
Muslim
nation, stated that a clash of civilisations with Islam was inevitable,
while India, the country with the biggest Islamic minority, returned
the
lowest support for peaceful co-existence.
Respondents in America - a country hated by extremists who consider it
the leading oppressor of Muslims - were among the most tolerant and
hopeful of the nationals polled.
When approximately 1,000 people in each of the 27 countries polled were
asked to choose between politics or religion as the primary source of
Muslim resentment of non-believers, 52 per cent chose political
differences while 29 per cent chose religious divisions.
The responses in nations as diverse as America, Britain, China, India,
Indonesia and Egypt demonstrated wide variations, both between Muslims
and non-Muslims as well as inside nations, particularly those with
substantial religious divisions.
The proportion of Muslims who believed that there will be a violent
clash of civilisations between Muslims and the rest was 35 per cent, a
significantly higher figure than the 27 per cent of Christians
subscribing to the proposition.
The starkest figure to emerge was that 51 per cent of Indonesians
agreed
conflict between Islam and the rest is inevitable. No less troubling
was
data from India, which has the largest Muslim minority, that showed
only
35 per cent thought Muslims could co-exist with infidels.
Germany, which has a substantial Turkish and Kurdish minority, ranked
as
the gloomiest nation in Europe - 39 per cent said violent conflict is
inevitable. On the other hand Italy which has a long history as a
bastion of Christianity, was Europe's most optimistic as 78 per cent
said common ground could be achieved. Britain followed close behind
with
77 per cent.
Significantly the pollsters failed to canvas opinions in Saudi Arabia,
Pakistan, Iraq or Iran, nations at the heart of tensions between the
West and Islam.
The figures generated a heated debate on the BBC website. Janet Shaw
from Romford pointed out the basic grievance shared by both sides: "Any
group of people who wish to inflict their religion, culture or way of
life upon another group of people who have their own culture, religion
or way of life is bound to cause conflict."
[history and more]
http://cutandpasteaviation.blogspot.com/2007/02/milestones-of-flight-219.html
Monday, February 19, 2007
Milestones of Flight: 2/19
2007 - Scientists in California and Michigan report development toward a "universal point detection system," a long sought three-in-one machine that screens airline passengers and baggage for explosive, chemical and biological threats at the same time.
George R. Farquar¹ and colleagues describe latest tests on the device, which uses a technology called single-particle aerosol mass spectrometry (SPAMS), in an article scheduled for the March 15 issue of the ACS' ² Analytical Chemistry, a semi-monthly journal.
In previous research, the scientists developed and tested effectiveness of a SPAMS system for the detection of chemical and biological agents. The new research expands SPAMS' capabilities to include several kinds of explosives that have been used worldwide in improvised explosive devices and other terrorist attacks.
¹ Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
² The American Chemical Society - the world's largest scientific society - is a nonprofit organization chartered by the U.S. Congress and a global leader in providing access to chemistry-related research through its multiple databases, peer-reviewed journals and scientific conferences. Its main offices are in Washington, D.C., and Columbus, Ohio.
2002 - First flight Embraer 170, its first jet of a new 70-to-108 seats aircraft generation.
1998 - First flight of An-3T airplane.
1993 - The 64th Flying Training Wing launches the first student sortie in the new T-1A Jayhawk trainer aircraft.
MacArthur's Airman. General George C. Kenney and the War in the Southwest Pacific by Thomas E. Griffith SBN 0700609091 ISBN-13 9780700609093 A fighter pilot who flew seventy-five combat missions in World War I, George C. Kenney was a charismatic leader who established himself as an innovative advocate of air power. As General MacArthur's air commander in the Southwest Pacific during World War II, Kenney played a pivotal role in the conduct of the war, but until now his performance has remained largely unexplored.--external link to the Web site of your locally owned, bricks-and-mortar independent bookstore.1982 - First flight of the first Boeing 757, With capacity for between 178 and 239 passengers in a wide variety of configurations, it has a cruising speed of 528 mph and a range of 2,100 mi., or 5,343 mi. at economic cruise.
1965 - R. Shikhina sets a world speed record over a closed course of 100 km.
The record was set in a Yak-32 of 755 km/hr (Category C-1-c).
1952 - Rodolfo Neri Vela Mexican Payload Specialist Astronaut is born in Chilpancingo, Mexico.
Neri worked in Mexico as an engineer, director of projects, adviser and Professor of Radio Communications in the Institute of Electrical Investigations, the Secretariat of Communications and Transportation, the Secretariat of the National Defence, the UNAM, and several museums of science and technology.
Neri Vela went into space as Mexico’s first astronaut on NASA / European Space Agency mission STS-61-B. He spent seven days in outer space aboard the space shuttle Atlantis, carrying out multiple experiments and placing in orbit the Mexican satellite Morelos 2. STS-61-B, in 1985.
1942 - Port Darwin, on the northern coast of Australia, was bombed by about 150 Japanese warplanes.
General Kenney Reports. A Personal History of the Pacific War by George C. Kenney ISBN 0160613728 ISBN-13 9780160613722 .--external link to the Web site of your locally owned, bricks-and-mortar independent bookstore.This event is often called the "Pearl Harbor of Australia." Although it was a less significant target, a greater number of bombs were dropped on Darwin than were used in the attack on Pearl Harbor. As was the case at Pearl Harbor, the Australian town was unprepared, and although it came under attack from the air another 63 times in 1942 and 1943, the raids on 19 February were massive and devastating by comparison. Darwin was virtually leveled by 64 bombing raids over 21 months.
The Allied navies largely abandoned the naval base at Darwin after the attack, dispersing most of their forces to Brisbane, Fremantle and smaller ports. Conversely, Allied air commanders launched a major build-up in the Darwin area, building more airfields and deploying many squadrons.
General George C. Kenney, would command the Allied Air Forces in the Southwest Pacific and the Fifth Air Force.
1937 - Howard Hughes sets a new speed record flying from Los Angeles, CA to Newark, NJ in 7 hours, 28 minutes, and 25 seconds in his H-1 Racer.
Howard Hughes. The Untold Story by Peter Harry Brown, Pat H. Broeske, Pat H. Broeske ISBN 0306813920 ISBN-13 9780306813924 Howard Hughes was one of the most amazing, intriguing, and controversial figures of the twentieth century. He was the billionaire head of a giant corporation, a genius inventor, an ace pilot, a matinee-idol-handsome playboy, a major movie maker who bedded a long list of Hollywood glamour queens, a sexual sultan with a harem of teenage consorts, a political insider with intimate ties to Watergate, a Las Vegas kingpin, and ultimately a bizarre recluse whose final years and shocking death were cloaked in macabre mystery. Now he is the subject of Martin Scorsese's biopic The Aviator. Few people have been able to penetrate the wall of secrecy that enshrouded this complex man. In this fascinating, revelation-packed biography, the full story of one of the most daring, enigmatic, and reclusive power brokers America has ever known is finally told.--external link to the Web site of your locally owned, bricks-and-mortar independent bookstore.The H-1 was the first airplane to use flush riveting and butt-joined skins. Its cowling was state-of-the-art, incorporating the latest NACA research into low-drag cowls for radial engines. Its gear retracted completely, even the tailwheel. No struts or wires marred its sleek lines.
In the H-1, Hughes set an absolute landplane world speed record of 352.288 mph in 1935, and in 1937 set the transcontinental speed record, flying from Los Angeles to New York in seven hours and 28 minutes. The H-1 is on display today in the National Air and Space Museum (NASM) in Washington, D.C.
Howard Hughes. Aviator by George J. Marrett SBN 1591145104 ISBN-13 9781591145103 Marrett, an experimental test pilot for Hughes Aircraft Company from 1969 to 1989, tells the inside story of Howard Hughes, the aviation genius who set speed records in the 1930s and went on to develop some of America's most famous aircraft and weapons, becoming the country's first billionaire. B&w historical photos are included.--external link to the Web site of your locally owned, bricks-and-mortar independent bookstore.1936 - Brig. Gen. William "Billy" Mitchell, who is regarded as the father of the U.S. Air Force, died in New York City.
Early in his military career, Mitchell was convinced that air power was to be vital to the conduct of future warfare. As aviation technology developed, along with the successes of combat airmen during the First World War solidified his point of view. With the United States entry into the Great War, Mitchell was elevated to the rank of brigadier general where he proved to be a resourceful and indefatigable leader. In fact, by September 1918, he had gained so much respect from the Allied forces, he was called upon to lead nearly 1,500 British, French, and Italian aircraft in the air phase of the Battle of Saint Mihiel . This represented the greatest concentration of air power ever utilized in combat up to that time.
A Question of Loyalty. General Billy Mitchell and the Court-Martial That Gripped the Nation by Douglas C. Waller, Ferris (Editor) ISBN 060505478 ISBN-13 9780060505479 A Question of Loyalty plunges into the seven-week Washington trial of Gen. Billy Mitchell, the hero of the U.S. Army Air Service during World War I and the man who proved in 1921 that planes could sink a battleship. In 1925 Mitchell was frustrated by the slow pace of aviation development, and he sparked a political firestorm, accusing the army and navy high commands, and by inference the president, of treason and criminal negligence in the way they conducted national defense. He was put on trial for insubordination in a spectacular court-martial that became a national obsession during the Roaring Twenties.--external link to the Web site of your locally owned, bricks-and-mortar independent bookstore.With the conclusion of the war, Mitchell campaigned for a separate air force branch of the U.S. military. To keep aviation in the news he ordered the use of aircraft in fighting forest fires and border patrols, encouraged Army pilots to challenge speed, altitude, and endurance records. He promoted a transcontinental air race and a flight around the perimeter of the United States.
Mitchell was alienated from many of his colleagues. Mitchell infuriated the Navy by claiming that the effective use of aircraft made surface ships obsolete and that he could sink any ship under war conditions. The Navy felt that such a wild boast would scuttle Mitchell’s career once and for all, so in 1921, they allowed him to demonstrate his theory on captured German vessels. To their dismay, he successfully sank numerous ships, including one of the world's largest war vessels, the German battleship Ostfriesland and the U.S. battleship Alabama.
Billy Mitchell: The Life, Times, and Battles of America's Prophet of Air Power by H. Paul Jeffers ISBN 0760320802 ISBN-13 9780760320808 The most famous and controversial figure in the history of American air power, Billy Mitchell began his romance with aviation in 1916 when, at the age of 38, he took private flying lessons—graduating just in time to undertake the mobilization of America's nascent air forces in World War I. A daring and tireless leader who rose to the rank of brigadier general, commanding all of America's aerial-combat units in France, and earning numerous decorations, Mitchell nonetheless managed to alienate most of his superiors—contradictory results that only grew more pronounced during his remarkable, and remarkably difficult, career. --external link to the Web site of your locally owned, bricks-and-mortar independent bookstore.Mitchell's superiors sent him to Hawaii in 1924 to keep him away from political circles. However, Mitchell returned from the Pacific with a 324-page report that predicted future war with Japan, including the air attack on Pearl Harbor. His report was mostly ignored as another attempt at undermining the importance of the Navy.
When the Navy dirigible Shenandoah crashed in a storm, killing 14 of the crew, Mitchell issued a statement accusing senior leaders in the Army and Navy of incompetence and "almost treasonable administration of the national defense." He was found guilty of insubordination and suspended from active duty for five years without pay. Rather than accept this, Mitchell resigned his commission on February 1, 1926. For the next decade, he was a tireless proponent of air power and felt that he was making some progress during the Roosevelt administration. However, after battling a series of ailments, Mitchell died on February 19, 1936.
B-25 Mitchell bomber--external link
World War II showed to Mitchell's critics that air power was an important part of the nation's defense. Billy Mitchell's greatest honors were paid to him posthumously. The B-25 bomber that Gen. Jimmy Doolittle used to bomb Tokyo in 1942 in retaliation for Pearl Harbor was nicknamed the Mitchell. The raid was a symbolic gesture that did little harm to the Japanese (the war raged for over three years more), yet it served notice to the Japanese that Japan itself was within the range of American bombers. The Mitchell is the only American military aircraft that has been named after a specific person. In 1946 Mitchell was posthumously awarded a special Congressional Gold Medal of Honor, "in recognition of his outstanding … service and foresight in the field of American … aviation". .
1934 - President Franklin D. Roosevelt issues an Executive Order canceling existing air-mail contracts because of fraud and collusion.
The Army Air Corps is designated to take over airmail operations.
1921 - Samuel C. Phillips, American Manager, born in Arizona.
was trained as an electrical engineer at the University of Wyoming, but he also participated in the Civilian Pilot Training Program during World War II. Upon his graduation in 1942 Phillips entered the Army infantry but soon transferred to the air component. As a young pilot he served with distinction in the Eighth Air Force in England--earning two distinguished flying crosses, eight air medals, and the French croix de guerre--but he quickly became interested in aeronautical research and development. He became involved both in the development of the incredibly successful B-52 bomber in the early 1950s and headed the Minuteman intercontinental ballistic missile program in the latter part of the decade. In 1964 Phillips, by this time an Air Force general, was lent to NASA to head the Apollo moon landing program, which, of course, was unique in its technological accomplishment. He went back to the Air Force in the 1970s and commanded Air Force Systems Command prior to this retirement in 1975.
1912 - One of the most successful pre-World War I airship operations begins with the first flight of the Zeppelin LZ II, Victoria Louise, and its introduction into service with the German airship company DELAG.
Posted by KenInfinite at 4:18 AM
1 comments:
gary said...
You forgot to mention:
In 1955 the U.S. Air Force passed a resolution voiding Mitchell's court-martial.
General Mitchell International Airport in Milwaukee Wis., is named after him.
Gen. Wm. Mitchell High School in Colorado Springs, Colo., is named after him, as is Mitchell Hall at George Washington University in Washington D.C.
In 2004 Congress authorized Mitchell's promotion to Major General, posthumously.
In 1999, General Mitchell's portrait was put on an U.S. airmail postage stamp.
In 2006 the U.S. Air Force unveiled a new dress uniform, designated the "Billy Mitchell Heritage Coat."
5:49 AM
http://www.aero-news.net/index.cfm?ContentBlockID=47847245-8bc7-4e72-85ca-da9295f409b4&
French Mirage Fighter Down Near Corsica, Pilot Lost
Mon, 19 Feb '07
ANN REALTIME REPORTING 02.19.07 1600 EST: A French Air Force pilot was killed Monday morning, when his Mirage 2000C fighter went down in the Mediterranean Sea near the island of Corsica.
Reuters reports the plane (file photo of type, above) was on a training mission from Solenzara Air Base, in South Corsica, when it went down near the island's southern tip. A Puma rescue helicopter was dispatched from the base to recover the pilot's body.
There is no indication yet of what could have caused the single-seat fighter to crash.
http://www.aero-news.net/index.cfm?ContentBlockID=d041f169-698b-47de-ada7-0899ba62e32e&
DEN Officials 'Baffled' By Windshield Cracking Epidemic
Sun, 18 Feb '07
Storm Linked To Rash Of Air, Ground Incidents
Officials at Denver International Airport aren't sure if -- or how -- a snowstorm led to cracked windscreens in over a dozen airliners Friday... but the storm does appear to be the common denominator.
The Associated Press, citing local media reports, states regional carrier SkyWest Airlines appeared to suffer the most cracked windscreens, with nine of its CRJs and Embraer Brasilias (above) affected. Eight of the planes were either preparing to takeoff, or on approach to land, when the cracks occurred; another was inflight when hit with the cracks.
"Only the outermost layer was affected" on all the planes, SkyWest spokewoman Marissa Snow said. The inner "failsafe" layer held, and no emergencies were reported.
Wind gusts close to 100 mph were reported in the Denver area at the time the cracking occurred, although airport officials say the winds were calmer at the airport itself -- with gusts up to 50 mph.
Not optimal conditions, certainly... but also not uncommon for Denver in the winter. None of the pilots reported seeing flying debris that could have struck the planes, causing the cracks.
DEN spokesman Steve Snyder said airport officials were "baffled" by the problem.
And the problem wasn't limited to SkyWest, either. Frontier Airlines also had two of its planes stricken with cracked windscreens while in flight... and, even more perplexingly, two others had windscreens crack while the planes sat at the gates.
Wind is a possible culprit, Frontier spokesman Joe Hodas said... but added no one is certain that was the cause.
"It's not exactly unusual weather for Denver," Hodas said. "We don't know what it is... It's kind of a mystery at this point. It's truly bizarre."
At least 55 flights from DEN were cancelled due to Friday's storms, while others were diverted, according to the AP.
As Aero-News reported earlier this month, pilots of a Beechcraft King Air 200 were startled when their plane's windscreen cracked while cruising at 27,000 feet. The pilots depressurized the plane's cockpit, and became unconscious before they were able to secure their oxygen masks; fortunately, they regained consciousness and were able to bring the plane in for a safe, though dramatic, emergency landing.
FMI: www.frontierairlines.com, www.skywest.com, www.flydenver.com/
http://www.aero-news.net/index.cfm?ContentBlockID=d02b2eeb-d8f7-409e-a178-7556205892e6&
Engine Problems Blamed For Afghanistan Chinook Crash
Sun, 18 Feb '07
Eight Personnel Lost, 14 Injured In Mishap
US officials tell ANN eight coalition personnel were killed, and 14 others were wounded early Sunday when a coalition CH-47 Chinook helicopter had a sudden, unexplained loss of power and control and crashed in eastern Afghanistan.
A search-and-rescue operation was launched immediately to secure the site, recover the passengers and transport wounded personnel to coalition medical facilities for treatment.
The helicopter (file photo of type, below) was transporting a total of 22 people, including aircrew, at the time of the crash.
"The loss of these servicemembers is felt by all of us here in Afghanistan, and we offer our deepest sympathy to the families of those who were killed," said Lt. Col. David Accetta, coalition spokesman.
Recent reporting indicated a Taliban build up for operations against the coalition forces in the region. The Associated Press reports the helo came down in the Shahjoi district of Zabul province.
"It was not enemy fire related," said Col. Tom Collins, spokesman for NATO's International Security Assistance Force. "The pilot was able to radio in that he was having engine problems. We're confident it was not due to enemy action."
The names of those involved in the incident are being withheld pending notification of next of kin. The specific location and details of the incident will not be released until the completion of recovery operations.
An investigation will be conducted to verify the cause of the crash.
FMI: www.dod.mil
Today in history [a timeline]
http://timelines.ws/days/02_20.HTML
Timeline of airplane crashes:
[note the timeline master link in middle of pages]
http://timelinesdb.com/listevents.php?subjid=133&dayinhist=0&date1=-99999999999&date2=99999999999&words=&title=Air%20Crash&fromrec=0
http://www.google.com/search?q=Umar+Lee&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a
http://umarlee.com/2007/01/18/the-rise-and-fall-of-the-salafi-dawah-in-the-us-part-1
hursday, January 18th, 2007...4:30 pm
The rise and fall of the ’salafi dawah’ in the US (Part 1)
Jump to Comments
Over the next few days, weeks or however long it takes, I will be writing a series about the rise and fall of the “salafi dawah”, the accomplishments, mistakes and ultimately, its fall amongst US converts from my perspective and consulting with some other brothers on the scene at the time.
continues
Found the above here:
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&hs=Eak&sa=X&oi=spell&resnum=1&ct=result&cd=1&q=mujahideen+ryder&spell=1
http://www.mujahideenryder.net/2007/01/31/the-rise-and-fall-of-the-salafi-dawah-in-the-us/
http://www.jamestown.org/terrorism/news/article.php?articleid=2370251
Volume 5, Issue 3 (February 15, 2007) | Download PDF Version
Three Explanations for al-Qaeda's Lack of a CBRN Attack
By Chris Quillen
The evidence of al-Qaeda's interest in conducting a terrorist attack with chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear (CBRN) weapons appears compelling. As early as 1998, al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden declared the acquisition of CBRN weapons a "religious duty" for Muslims [1]. He followed up in 2003 by asking for and receiving a fatwa from Saudi Sheikh Nasir bin Hamid al-Fahd that condoned the use of CBRN weapons by Muslims against infidels [2]. Combined with the multitude of warnings from al-Qaeda associates that a CBRN attack against the West is not only forthcoming but also long overdue, the Muslim "duty to warn" has been firmly established. In al-Qaeda's opinion, no further justification is needed and no additional warnings are required [3].
These words have also been backed up by deeds. In the early 1990s, al-Qaeda began its efforts to acquire radiological and nuclear materials [4]. While no evidence exists that these efforts have succeeded, there is little doubt that al-Qaeda continues to pursue this capability today. Prior to the fall of the Taliban, the training camps in Afghanistan taught recipes for the manufacturing of poisons and toxins including cyanide and botulinum. A video recovered by CNN in Afghanistan in 2002 clearly demonstrates that al-Qaeda had some success in manufacturing chemical weapons in the form of a poisonous gas capable of causing death. The WMD Commission reported that al-Qaeda had similar success with biological weapons, including the acquisition of at least small quantities of the virulent strain of "Agent X" which has been widely reported to be anthrax [5]. While some technical hurdles remain for al-Qaeda to weaponize and effectively employ CBRN weapons on a mass-casualty scale, the terrorist group clearly is capable of conducting small-scale, low-tech CBRN attacks.
Given this stated desire and apparent capability to conduct a CBRN terrorist attack, why has al-Qaeda not yet launched an attack with such weapons? This analysis explores three possible explanations for this lack of a CBRN attack: disruption, deterrence and, most disturbingly, patience.
Disruption
An encouraging explanation is that al-Qaeda's efforts have thus far been disrupted through a combination of stepped-up counter-terrorist efforts after 9/11 and possibly the simple luck enjoyed by government authorities. Clearly, the al-Qaeda CBRN programs that existed in Afghanistan under the Taliban were at least temporarily disrupted by the 2001 U.S.-led invasion and subsequent need to move to safer locales. According to this explanation, al-Qaeda's CBRN programs have yet to recover from this significant setback.
Several specific CBRN attack plots have apparently been disrupted, although none advanced far beyond the initial planning stages. In May 2002, Jose Padilla arrived in the United States, reportedly planning a "dirty bomb" attack, but never got much beyond the idea stage. Similarly, Dhiren Barot (also known as Issa al-Hindi) was arrested in the United Kingdom in 2004, carrying relatively detailed plans for conducting a Radiological Dispersal Device (RDD) attack, but had not yet acquired the necessary materials [6]. Given that an RDD attack is widely considered the CBRN attack most likely within al-Qaeda's capabilities, these disruptions could be especially significant.
Al-Qaeda's chemical and biological plots have not fared much better. In 2003, UK police arrested a group of Algerians with recipes and materials for creating ricin and cyanide, although stories conflict about whether any actual poisonous material was recovered (BBC, April 13, 2005). A 2004 chemical plot against multiple targets in Jordan had apparently advanced to the point of acquiring vehicles and materials, selecting targets and assigning duties (al-Jazeera, May 2, 2004). It remains unclear whether the materials recovered were for the manufacture of conventional explosives or chemical gases [7].
At the same time as these arrests, however, al-Qaeda succeeded in launching devastating conventional attacks in Egypt, Turkey, Tunisia, Indonesia, Jordan, Spain, the United Kingdom, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iraq. Thus, while al-Qaeda has suffered some setbacks in its CBRN efforts, these disruptions alone do not appear sufficient to have prevented al-Qaeda from conducting a CBRN attack given its other successful attacks.
Deterrence
Another possible explanation for al-Qaeda's apparent restraint is the threat of massive retaliation. Although an intriguing possibility, the complications of deterrence theory may offer more questions than answers.
Al-Qaeda's initial rationale for pursuing CBRN weapons was the desire to deter enemies such as the United States from attacking the organization [8]. In 2001, bin Laden specifically warned, "We have [chemical and nuclear] weapons as a deterrent" (Dawn, November 10, 2001). While this particular strategy clearly failed after the September 11 attacks, al-Qaeda may still be using its CBRN efforts as part of its deterrence strategy [9].
Traditional deterrence theory indicates that terrorist organizations are less susceptible to deterrence strategies because they lack the defined territory that can be held hostage to a retaliatory attack. Al-Qaeda's strategy, however, has long been to acquire just such territory. In his book Knights Under the Prophet's Banner, Ayman al-Zawahiri described this goal when he wrote, "Confronting the enemies of Islam and launching jihad against them require a Muslim authority, established on a Muslim land." Al-Qaeda is no doubt aware of the risks of acquiring territory. Previous efforts to establish al-Qaeda authority in Sudan, Afghanistan, Somalia, Pakistan and Iraq have all resulted in U.S. attacks. Nevertheless, al-Qaeda is an organization that requires territory to operate and carry out its mission and is clearly willing to accept this risk to achieve its stated goals.
Today, al-Qaeda is heavily dependent on its safe haven in the tribal areas of Pakistan. This dependency may have driven al-Qaeda to compromise its immediate desire to launch CBRN attacks against the United States for the longer-term goal of establishing their authority in a Muslim land as a stepping stone to future attacks and ultimate victory. In particular, al-Qaeda may assess that a significant CBRN attack against the West (or, for that matter, another major attack on the U.S. homeland) would invite a U.S. invasion of the tribal areas. The Pakistani government—always staking a position somewhere between Washington's and al-Qaeda's interests—may have even warned al-Qaeda's leadership that such an attack will lead to U.S. troops on Pakistani soil (with or without Islamabad's consent) and the subsequent end of al-Qaeda's safe haven. The U.S. occupations of Afghanistan and Iraq, not to mention the presence of thousands of U.S. troops across the border in Afghanistan, make the threat of an American invasion more than credible.
Of course, al-Qaeda is not the only combatant being deterred in this war. In fact, the United States and al-Qaeda appear to have settled into a pattern of violence acceptable to both sides. While al-Qaeda continues to launch terrorist attacks around the world, the terrorist organization appears to be deterred from launching another major attack on the U.S. homeland or a significant CBRN attack against U.S. interests by the threat of a U.S. invasion of Pakistan. Meanwhile, the United States occasionally launches missile strikes against al-Qaeda targets on Pakistani territory, but is reportedly deterred from sending ground troops into Pakistan due to the possibility that the Musharraf government would fall and an even more dangerous Islamic terrorist threat would rise from the ashes. Al-Qaeda may very well assess that a CBRN attack would upset this delicate balance.
Patience
A final possibility is that al-Qaeda simply is waiting for the right time to launch a CBRN attack. Bin Laden has often been described as an exceedingly patient man, willing to wait for the right moment to act. Major terrorist attacks such as 9/11 were in the works for years before the final order was given. Al-Qaeda's leaders reportedly view their struggle against the United States as a long one, likely to continue well after they have left this world. In this view, the attacks on September 11 were only one battle and the final destruction of the United States may take generations to complete.
Under this scenario, al-Qaeda is building its capabilities in anticipation of a great victory and will not rush to act just for the sake of acting. The planned attack on the New York City subway system with the "mubtakkar" improvised chemical device may be an example of such patience. Al-Zawahiri reportedly called off the attack because it was not an adequate follow-up to September 11 [10]. Al-Qaeda apparently wanted an even more devastating attack for its second wave. Given the carnage of 9/11, it is hard to imagine al-Qaeda wreaking even more havoc, but a CBRN attack—including the physical, psychological and economic impacts—could certainly fit the bill.
It is possible that al-Qaeda's success with the September 11 attacks has set the bar too high for its current CBRN capabilities. Al-Qaeda may be concerned that a CBRN attack that "only" kills dozens of people would be perceived as a relative failure and demonstrate its weakened position relative to its pre-9/11 stature. The organization may prefer to wait until its CBRN capability has matured to the point where its chances of success are greater and its capability for destruction has increased [11]. Given the fact that there is no indication that al-Qaeda has abandoned its pursuit of CBRN weapons, the possibility of a patient al-Qaeda is a disturbing possibility worth remembering.
Conclusion
Many of the traditional reasons why terrorist groups do not attempt CBRN attacks do not exist for al-Qaeda. The organization has clearly demonstrated its willingness to engage in indiscriminate killing on a massive scale without fear of losing the support of its followers. Al-Qaeda has also shown it is willing to take on the technical challenges involved and has had some successes in developing lethal materials including cyanide, anthrax and especially the mubtakkar device. Unfortunately, this combination of continuing interest, growing capability and demonstrated patience may one day pay off for al-Qaeda.
Notes
1. Interview with Jamal Isma'il, December 1998 and re-broadcast on al-Jazeera, September 2001.
2. Sheikh Nasir bin Hamid al-Fahd, "A Treatise on the Legal Status of Using Weapons of Mass Destruction Against Infidels," May 2003.
3. Michael Scheuer, Imperial Hubris: Why the West is Losing the War on Terror, p. 155-156.
4. Jamal Ahmad al-Fadl, Testimony before the U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, United States vs. Usama bin Laden et al, February 2001.
5. Commission on the Intelligence Capabilities of the United States Regarding Weapons of Mass Destruction, Final Report, March 31, 2005, p. 269-270.
6. See, in particular, Dhiren Barot, "Final Presentation," posted by the London Metropolitan Police Service at http://www.met.police.uk/pressbureau/rhyme/index.htm.
7. Al-Sharq al-Awsat, April 26, 2004. Al-Hayat, April 16, 2004. Abu Musab al-Zarqawi admitted to planning a conventional bomb attack, but called the allegations of a chemical plot "fabrications" in an audio statement posted on the al-Ansar Forum, April 29, 2004.
8. According to Abu Walid al-Masri in his book The Story of the Afghan Arabs: From the Entry to Afghanistan to the Final Exodus with Taliban, published in al-Sharq al-Awsat, December 8, 2004. See also Robert Wesley, "Al-Qaeda's WMD Strategy Prior to the U.S. Intervention in Afghanistan," Terrorism Monitor, October 7, 2005 and Sammy Salama and Lydia Hansell, "Does Intent Equal Capability?: Al-Qaeda and Weapons of Mass Destruction," Nonproliferation Review, Volume 12, Number 3, November 2005, p. 625-626.
9. For another discussion of al-Qaeda's deterrence strategy, see Lewis A. Dunn, "Can al-Qaeda Be Deterred from Using Nuclear Weapons?" Occasional Paper 3, Center for the Study of Weapons of Mass Destruction, July 2005.
10. Ron Suskind, The One Percent Doctrine: Deep Inside America's Pursuit of its Enemies Since 9/11, p. 218-220.
11. See also Dunn, p. 15 "The fact that no single attack has yet occurred may simply indicate that preparations for a more spectacular multi-attack effort are under way."
Find this article at:
http://www.jamestown.org/terrorism/news/article.php?articleid=2370251
http://www.jihadmonitor.org/2007/02/19/jihadism-and-non-conventional-arms/
Monday, February 19, 2007
Jihadism and non-conventional arms
Topics: Non-convetional arms
Three Explanations for al-Qaeda’s Lack of a CBRN Attack, Chris Quillen
La amenaza química de Al-Qaeda, René Pita
Targets for Terrorists: Chemical Facilities, Eben Kaplan
British Terrorist Dhiren Barot’s Research on Radiological Weapons, Robert Wesley
Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and High-Yield Explosives Consequence Management, Joint Chiefs of Staff, October 2, 2006
Al-Muhajir Calls for Nuclear Scientists to Join the Mujahideen in Iraq, Robert Wesley
Assessing Shukrijumah’s Nuclear Plot Against the United States, Robert Wesley
Agroterrorism: Threats and Preparedness, Jim Monke
A Risk Assessment Methodology for Intentional Chemical and Biological Contamination of Distribution Systems, Leah Spradley, Mark Abkowitz, and James Clarke
LeT Threat to Indian Nuclear Facilities Remains a Serious Concern, Robert Wesley
The Untold Story of al-Qaeda’s Plot to Attack the Subways, Ron Suskind
The A.Q. Khan Network: Causes and Implications
Christopher O. Clary, Naval Postgraduate School, December 2005
Assessing the Biological Weapons and Bioterrorism Threat
Milton Leitenberg
“Chart: Al-Qa`ida’s WMD Activities”
Center for Nonproliferation Studies
Resources on bioterrorism
Public Broadcasting Service (PBS)
Al-Qaeda’s WMD Strategy After the U.S. Intervention in Afghanistan
Robert Wesley
The al-Qa’ida Network and Weapons of Mass Destruction
Jonathan Spyer (September 2004)
Bioterrorismo. La amenaza latente
Ignacio Ibáñez Ferrándiz
Defending Against Clandestine Nuclear Attack
Defense Science Board
Do you know this blog?
http://www.freedomszone.com/archives/2007/02/peaceful_iran_clips_from_irani.php
February 9, 2007
Peaceful Iran? Clips From Iranian TV Tell A Story Of Intended War On America And The West
If this short compilation of clips on the Iranian Nuclear program, Iranian Military program, Ahmadinejad, and Ayatollahs doesn't convince you that Iran intends nothing less than the attainment of nuclear weapons and the destruction of America, then you deserve your fate should we fail to stop them - now.
continues and I think there is a video, my browser is not set for videos. granny
http://www.freedomszone.com/index.php
'Pelosi's America Exists. It Is Called Europe'
[history 2001, wide collection of articles]
http://www.rand.org/publications/randreview/issues/rr.12.01/fullalert.html
http://www.rand.org/publications/randreview/
http://www.rand.org/
IWPR: Chechnya: Kadyrov Promotion Fury
Chechnya: Kadyrov Promotion Fury
Human rights activists appalled by Moscow's elevation of the notorious
prime minister to lead the republic.
By Timur Aliev in Grozny (CRS No. 379 19-Feb-07)
A year before he leaves office, President Vladimir Putin has made his
ally, 30-year-old prime minister and warlord Ramzan Kadyrov, acting
president of Chechnya, defying widespread criticism of his human
rights record.
On February 15, Putin accepted the resignation of Alu Alkhanov, who
was formally elected president of Chechnya two and a half years ago,
but has long since been eclipsed by his younger rival. Ramzan Kadyrov
is the son of Alkhanov's predecessor as president, Akhmad Kadyrov, who
was assassinated at a Victory Day parade in 2004.
Alkhanov, who will now become a federal deputy minister of justice,
was also awarded the medal "For services to the fatherland" fourth
class by Putin to sweeten the pill of his departure.
Kadyrov is now acting president. Few doubt he will now get the job on
a permanent basis but some formalities have to be gone through first.
Dmitry Kozak, presidential envoy for the Southern Federal District,
must now present Putin with a list with at least two names - Social
Development Minister Magomed Vakhayev is likely to be the other
candidate. Putin then has 14 days to nominate his favoured candidate
for a vote of approval in the local parliament.
Relations between Alkhanov and Kadyrov had deteriorated long ago.
Alkhanov's recent 50th birthday went virtually unnoticed in Chechnya,
in strong contrast to the public celebrations of Kadyrov's own 30th
birthday last October when a lavish concert was held with Russian pop
stars.
Kadyrov himself in an interview with Profile magazine mocked Alkhanov
for spending almost half his time outside Chechnya, while Alkhanov
warned that his rival had created a "cult of personality" in Chechnya.
Analysts say that Putin, who has linked his own presidency very
closely to events in Chechnya, wants to be sure that Chechnya looks
stable ahead of the coming presidential elections in the spring of
2008, when he must step down.
"Russian power stems from PR," said political analyst Sergei
Markedonov. "The current administration was created thanks to PR and
Chechnya is a very important element in this. Vladimir Putin will
remain president for one more year and it is extremely important for
him to preserve the semblance of peace in Chechnya."
Markedonov, however, believes that by backing Kadyrov the Kremlin
authorities have only set a trap for themselves.
"The character of the political relationship between Putin and Kadyrov
is based on personality and that will create problems for the
successor to the president of the Russian Federation," he said. "So as
to create the illusion of peace in Chechnya Kadyrov can pose a new set
of conditions for the Kremlin and the new president, he can blackmail
him with the threat of destabilisation."
Kadyrov and armed men loyal to him, known as "Kadyrovtsy" stand widely
accused of human rights abuses and in particular of abductions and
torture of those who stand in their way. He has so far been shunned by
international diplomats and delegations.
Tatyana Lokshina, an analyst and human rights activist with the Demos
centre, said Putin's nomination of Kadyrov was an act of "arrogance"
towards the outside world.
"Kadyrov or, to be more accurate, his people are referred to not just
in human rights reports but in documents of the official European
organisations," she said. "The word `Kadyrovtsy' has acquired
international usage. The nomination of Kadyrov means that on the one
hand Russia doesn't care what the West thinks of it and on the other
that Russia thinks the issue of Chechnya is closed."
Usam Baisayev of the human rights group Memorial said that, having
reached the pinnacle of power, Kadyrov now faces a choice, "He could
either tone himself down or on the contrary get even more excited and
begin to wave his sword around [persecuting his enemies even more]."
Kadyrov will still have less than total control in Chechnya, when he
takes up the presidency, facing opposition especially from federal
security agencies loyal to Moscow, such as army, the FSB and parts of
the interior ministry - not to mention what remains of the
pro-independence rebels.
A wide circle of figures, both in Chechnya and Russia, some of whom
have criticised Kadyrov in the past, have rushed to endorse him for
president.
Amongst them are Boris Gryzlov, leader of the pro-Kremlin United
Russia party, Aslan Aslakhanov, Chechen adviser to Putin and Ruslan
Yamadayev, a deputy to Russia's State Duma representing Chechnya who
predicted that Kadyrov has a "100 per cent" likelihood of becoming
president.
Even separatist Chechen foreign minister Akhmed Zakayev, now exiled in
London, told Radio Liberty that Kadyrov's appointment was a "positive"
development as he would treat the rebels sympathetically. In contrast
to Alkhanov, Kadyrov and his father were on the rebel side in the
first Chechen war of 1994-6.
Zakayev may have been deliberately trying to embarrass Kadyrov as the
main fear in Moscow is that Kadyrov has surrounded himself with former
rebel fighters and supporters of Ichkeria, as the unrecognised
independent Chechnya was known.
"With Alkhanov's departure we can shout out: goodbye, Chechnya, long
live Ichkeria!" wrote North Caucasus commentator Vyacheslav Izmailov
in Novaya Gazeta. "There are now former Ichkerians sitting in all the
key posts in the republic."
Political analyst Edilbek Khasmagomadov said that Kadyrov knew where
to stop in pursuing a Chechen nationalist agenda.
"Kadyrov knows well that his power is based on federal resources," he
said.
Baisayev concurred, saying, "Neither Alkhanov nor Kadyrov were
independent. Everything in Russia is done under the control of a power
vertical."
In the Chechen capital Grozny, the news of Alkhanov's departure and
Kadyrov's promotion met with a mixed reaction.
"Alkhanov didn't have a team," said schoolteacher Asiyat Jabrailova.
"But if he had openly declared that he was ready to stand up to
Ramzan, he would have found supporters."
Much of the public support for Kadyrov derives from his successes in
reconstructing the city of Grozny and rebuilding the economy of
Chechnya.
In one of his first statements in his new post, the acting president
said that he wanted to remove Chechnya "from the needle of federal
subsidies" by investing in local resources, such as the oil industry.
"Ramzan Akhmadovich Kadyrov is doing a lot for the city," said Rustam,
a construction worker. "He is restoring it. Thank you to him for that."
Earlier, Kadyrov tended to be referred by his first name only, but now
more people are calling him by the more respectful "Ramzan
Akhmadovich", which also underlines that he is the son of his late
father.
Umalt Akayev, a former philosophy teacher, is less impressed by
Kadyrov. Saying that he welcomes the rebuilding of Grozny, he added,
"But it makes no difference to me. Class divisions are opening up
here. Ramzan and his people will get richer and ordinary people will
just stagnate and do nothing."
Timur Aliev is IWPR's Chechnya Editor.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/chechnya-sl/
10 Americans Ordered to Leave Belarus
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/B/BELARUS_AMERICANS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2007-02-16-17-05-47
MINSK, Belarus (AP) -- Ten Americans left Belarus on Friday after
authorities ordered them deported for allegedly singing religious songs
and reading spiritual literature, in violation of laws restricting
religious activity in the former Soviet republic.
The Americans "preferred to leave Belarus voluntarily" after
authorities
decided they should be deported, said Interior Ministry spokesman Oleg
Slepchenko.
Slepchenko said police raided what was supposed to be a seminar in
conversational English at an evangelical Protestant church in the
eastern city of Mogilev. He said police found bibles on the tables, and
participants were singing religious songs instead of talking.
The Americans, who arrived in Belarus Feb. 5, were fined and warned
they
were violating the law with their activities, Slepchenko said. But
authorities later caught them repeating the alleged violations, he
said.
Distrust of foreign missionaries and Protestant churches is strong in
many largely Orthodox Christian and Muslim nations of the former Soviet
Union.
President Alexander Lukashenko, accused by the West of crushing
democracy in Belarus, signed legislation in 2002 that strongly favors
the dominant Russian Orthodox church and limits the activities of
smaller religious groups.
The United States has criticized the government of Belarus, a nation of
10 million, for discriminating against minority religions.
Sunni Iraqi Woman Raped by 3 Shi'i Policemen. Is it Ethnic Cleansing Bosnia Style?
http://www.aljazeerah.info/News%20archives/2007%20News%20Archives/February/19%20n/Sunni%20Iraqi%20Woman%20Raped%20by%203%20Shi'i%20Policemen.%20Is%20it%20Ethnic%20Cleansing%20Bosnia%20Style.htm
An Editorial Note From Al-Jazeerah: News articles may be reduced in
size
or slightly changed to conform to the Conflict Terminology guide
adopted by Al-Jazeerah. Changes also include correcting Arabic names
and
editing. So, readers are advised that news articles may not represent
their original form in verbatim or size, according to the mentioned
original sources. Al-Jazeerah comments are in parentheses.
Sunni Iraqi Woman Raped by 3 Shi'i Policemen. Is it Ethnic Cleansing
Bosnia Style?
Al-Jazeerah, February 19, 2007
One of the most effective tactic of Serbian ethnic cleansing of Bosnian
Muslims in the 1990s was raping women, videotaping them, and send
videotapes to other villages. The objective was to influence Bosnian
Muslims to flee their villages and towns. They did.
Today's story could be the tip of the ice-berg. Sex crimes have been
used before to produce the results perpetrators wanted from victims.
The plan to divide Iraq into three mini states has been going on
relentlessly by violence through death squads and today by forcing
communities to flee their areas by raping women.
If stories of Sunni Muslim women who are raped by Shi'i soldiers and
policemen continue, they may trigger massive exodus from the target
Sunni areas.
Perpetrators may also try to fake a Sunni retaliation by raping Shi'i
women in areas were the planners want the Shi'is out.
Then, God forbid, we'll be witnessing the Iraqi partition soon.
The Iraq war is getting real ugly and no weapon is spared.
God help the Iraqi people.
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