Replies

Things do seem to be escalating at a rapid pace. Here's a comment from Mutters (3/7/04):

Re: Mideast Updates 3-7 [Heavy Fighting In Gaza!]

"Fatah armed wing declares emergency mobilization "

www.chinaview.cn 2004-03-07 21:59:26

GAZA, March 7 (Xinhuanet)

Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, the military wing of the Fatah movement, announced its high state of alert in the Gaza Strip Sunday after an Israeli raid left 14 Palestinians killed early in the day.

The brigade pledged in a leaflet to "harshly respond" to the Israeli military aggressions perpetrated against Palestinians.

It called on all Palestinian militants affiliated with different movements and factions to "tighten ranks," saying that the Israeli occupation targets all Palestinians indiscriminately.

It also called on the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) to resort to the choice of resistance and reject US and Israeli demands to end the intifada (uprising). Enditem

news.xinhuanet.com/englis...350243.htm

This was also posted on Mutter's (3/7/04)

This makes absolutely no sense to me at all.

2004-03-07 12:54
RUSSIA AND NATO TO HOLD JOINT MILITARY EXERCISES

"BRUSSELS, March 7, 2004. (RIA Novosti)

Under the aegis of the Russia-NATO Council, the first joint command-and-staff drill in theatre antimissile defence will be held on March 8 through 12 at the Colorado Springs national complex in the United States.

The drill is to check the efficiency of the joint experimental concept of operations prepared by the Russia-NATO Council and act out operative interaction, NATO press service said.

The on-line computer testing will be done by over 60 specialists from Russia and ten countries of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation.

As a result of the experts' practical interaction a database for large-scope joint exercises scheduled for 2005 is to be set up.

The arrangement of command-and-staff theatre antimissile defence exercises within the framework of the Russia-NATO Council is the first important step towards practical cooperation between the North Atlantic Alliance and Russia, NATO headquarters notes. "

en.rian.ru/rian/index.cfm...do_alert=0

Also, apparently Russia is torqued that we are putting troops in Georgia. Also, the Saudi's just signed an oil deal with the Russians- interesting timing.

Financial squeeze pushes al-Qaida south of border

Hurt by pressure on Islamic charities, terrorists expand S. America operations

Posted: March 8, 2004

With Islamic "charities" under increasing international pressure and scrutiny to cut ties with terrorists, al-Qaida and other allied organizations are expanding operations in Latin America, establishing both legitimate and criminal enterprises to fund future operations, reports Joseph Farah's G2 Bulletin.

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=37468

NEWSWEEK: U.S. Military, Intelligence Officials Are Confident They Are Narrowing bin Laden's Whereabouts; Human Intel Is Key to Search

Recent Reports of Sightings Show Clearer Picture of Qaeda Leader as He
Shuttles Between Pakistan and Afghanistan; Intel is So Focused Predators are Being Sent in to Search for Him

NEW YORK, March 7 /PRNewswire/ -- Using powerful software called
Analyst's Notebook that helps to piece together data on criminal and terror
networks, U.S. military and intelligence officials are increasingly confident
they are narrowing Osama bin Laden's whereabouts, Newsweek reports in the
March 15 issue (on newsstands Monday, March 8). Key to the search is
"accumulated humint," or human intelligence, says one insider. Other
officials tell Newsweek that an increasing number of "data points" -- reports
of sightings -- have created an ever-clearer picture of bin Laden's area of
operation as he appears to shuttle between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Now
they've focused that picture to the point where they have been able to send in
Predator unmanned aerial vehicles to search for him.

http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/03-07-2004/0002123415&EDATE=

The Hunt Heats Up

The man in charge of catching Osama bin Laden 'can drive a knife through your ribs in a nanosecond.' Inside the search

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4467755/

Bin Laden 'evaded Pakistani raid'
By Andrew North BBC correspondent in Afghanistan

Pakistani soldiers patrol the border with Afghanistan
A local official in eastern Afghanistan says he has received credible reports that Osama Bin Laden escaped the recent Pakistani operation to catch him.
Speaking to the BBC, a district governor said he passed the details to Afghan intelligence staff.

It comes amid reports of stepped-up American military operations aimed at capturing al-Qaeda's leader.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3535555.stm