7/25 Middle East Live Thread

Middle East Live Thread ^ | 7/25/06 | me

[BurbankKarl]

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice salutes a US Marine as she walks towards a helicopter upon her departure from Beirut after meeting with Lebanese officials.

[lentulusgracchus]

Soon enough.....Condi'll be taking the salute from the Marine guards on Marine One.

[Allegra]

However, the only people who would pay me would be Texans fans - I *know* there must be some, there are people in the stands -

Errr....I'm one of 'em. I've had season tickets since 2002 - still have 'em.

Loved the Oilers - had season tickets for 12 years in Section 758.

HATE the song and NOW it'll take forever to get it out of my head. GRRRRRR!

[wildcatf4f3]

ah, I gave up TV to prevent a coronary

[AliVeritas]

LOL

[Rte66]

Say that to someone who says "Bite me." As in Hez terrorists, for example.

[ScaniaBoy]

I agree.

I know that MadIvan was very sensitive when it came to questions about England (Britain).

We had a disagreement regarding the British army - I'm following a blog delving into the procurement issues for the British Defence, and how the government is letting down the British soldiers, maybe because there are people within the British adminstration who would like the special relationship between Britain and the US to end - a question I should bring up on this forum once the present situation has calmed down.

Anyway, MadIvan took it as a criticism of the British Army, which it was not. However, in the end we agreed to disagree, and we still had some good exchanges on other issues.

Just because one doesn't agree on an issue it is not necessary to start a flame war.

I hope MadIvan decides to return to FR sometime in the future.

[Cindy]

Note: The following text is a quote:
---

http://www.jihadwatch.org/archives/2006/07/012372print.html

July 25, 2006

Hizballah rocket hits mosque in Galilee

Watch for the international outcry against Hizballah for violating the sanctity of holy sites. Watch for anti-Hizballah demonstrations by Muslims worldwide.

But don't hold your breath.

"Report: Rocket Hits Mosque, Three Injured," from Israel National News, with thanks to Sr. Soph:

(IsraelNN.com) A Hizbullah terrorist rocket hit an Arab mosque in the Galilee and injured one person critically and slightly wounded at least three others, according to preliminary report.
The mosque is located in the village of Marar near Tiberias. Magen David ambulances are rushing to the scene. Further details as they become available.

Posted at July 25, 2006 07:39 AM

[Dinah Lord]

http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=99039&version=1&template_id=37&parent_id=17

Lebanese PM claiming that Israeli is using white phosphorous, too.

"PARIS: Lebanon’s president accused Israel yesterday of using phosphorous bombs in its 13-day offensive and urged the UN to demand an immediate ceasefire.

“According to the Geneva Convention, when they use phosphorous bombs and laser bombs, is that allowed against civilians and children?” President Emile Lahoud asked on France’s RFI radio.

An Israeli military spokeswoman said arms used in Lebanon did not contravene international norms."

Andy Cooper even had a segment on his show about it last night, going so far as to have CNN Medical expert, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, to discuss burn patterns that would result from its use.

Of course, they had no proof but they didn't let that stop them.

(Wasn't there a big hue and cry from the pantywaist crowd about this in Iraq, too?)

[Cindy]

I feel a cartoon coming on.


ON THE NET...

http://www.truthusa.com/MoreThanCartoons.html

[stopem]

Thanks for the ping.

Iran and Syria are like dry brush on a hot summer day, one spark and it explodes into a wildfire.

[ScaniaBoy]

Update: Girl, 15, Killed in on Druze Village
14:45 Jul 25, '06 / 29 Tammuz 5766

(IsraelNN.com) A Katyusha rocket has killed a 15-year-old girl, injured one other seriously and caused light injuries to others in an attack on the Druze village of Marar near Carmiel, in the Lower Galilee.

The girl was in a house that suffered a direct hit by a rocket. Police are checking reports that a mosque also was damaged by the explosion.

[Allegra]

Good morning!

[harwood]

Syrian sheikh demands opening of front in the Golan Heights.

[Dinah Lord]

If true, I like the sound of this from the Gulf Daily News (the voice of Bahrain):
http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/Story.asp?Article=150362&Sn=BUSI&IssueID=29125

Iran to use reserve dollars to skirt fuel crisis

TEHRAN: Iran's government will try to avoid rationing gasoline from September 23 by seeking to dip into dollar reserves to pay for fuel imports, a member of parliament said yesterday.

Parliament has cut the budget for gasoline imports in the year to March 2007, prompting the oil minister to say Tehran would have to stop buying in gasoline shipments and start petrol rationing on September 23.

Iran's final decision on how to cope with the budget cut is being keenly awaited by European and Asian gasoline traders who send a gasoline tanker to Iranian quaysides every two days.

Kamal Daneshyar, head of parliament's energy commission, said the government would submit a bill to parliament seeking $4 billion to $4.5bn to pay for extra imports as a way of sidestepping rationing that could spark social discontent.

"A bill to withdraw a sum of $4bn to $4.5bn from the Oil Stabilisation Fund will be submitted to parliament for importing gasoline and diesel in the coming days," he said. Iran's dollar earnings above budgeted levels go into the Oil Stabilisation Fund which, strictly speaking, is only supposed to be tapped if oil prices become perilously low.

Daneshyar could give no indication of how such a bill would be received by lawmakers.

The world's fourth biggest crude exporter has to import about 40 per cent of the 70m litres of gasoline it burns each day owing to a lack of refinery capacity.

Commentators say lavish subsidies that keep petrol at nine cents per litre erode Iran's industrial competiveness and ensure the Islamic Republic effectively subsidises its neighbours through contraband fuel trading.

Tehran is dangerously polluted and its roads are normally choked by heavy traffic.

Gas 9 cents a litre???