Threat Matrix: February 2008

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[nwctwx]

Is the U.S. Failing in Afghanistan?

It was malice in wonderland at the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Thursday as Bush Administration envoys insisted things are getting better in Afghanistan, while angry lawmakers from both parties cited facts and figures showing just the opposite. Even the senior Republican on the panel, Senator Richard Lugar, found the Administration's claims wanting. "I'm not sure that we have a plan for Afghanistan," he said.

Long seen as the "forgotten war" eclipsed by Iraq in U.S. priorities, Afghanistan is in the Washington spotlight this week with the release of three independent reports concluding that without a change in U.S. policy there, the erstwhile sanctuary of Osama bin Laden would remain a failed state. Read More

	Why the Taliban Feel Confident
	Top US Officer Lauds al-Qaida Death
	US Air Strike Signals al-Qaida Onslaught

Threat Matrix:
February 2008

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[Cindy]

blog:

http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2008/02/taliban_field_comman.php

“Taliban field commander killed in Helmand province”
By BILL ROGGIO
February 21, 2008 10:49 AM

ARTICLE SNIPPET: “Afghan and NATO special operations forces have killed a senior Taliban commander during a joint raid in Helmand province, according to the Afghan Ministry of Defense. Mullah Abdul Bari, along with 29 Taliban fighters, were killed in a “five-hour coordinated attack on four targets” in the region between the Musa Qala and Kajaki districts of Helmand province, News.com.au reported. Bari was reported to have been injured during the fighting but died of his wounds in a hospital, the Afghan Ministry of Defense stated.

Combined Joint Task Force-82, the US military command in Afghanistan confirmed the engagement, but did not confirm Bari’s death. The 1st Company of 201st Commando Kandak, or battalion, of the Afghan National Army and “Coalition forces” – a term often used for Special Forces – conducted a clear-and-hold operation designed “to establish security, disrupt insurgent activity and deny enemy sanctuary” in the region north of Musa Qala. NATO aircraft targeted and destroyed Taliban fighting positions, but no casualties were reported.

Eleven Taliban were also captured during the raid. Afghan and Coalition forces also seized over 1,000 pounds of heroin, and destroyed heroin and opium processing laboratories. A large weapons cache was also discovered and destroyed.”

[Oorang]

Thanks MamaD. JellyJam had that posted earlier. I’m sure Mr. Baines is just a nice young man trying his hardest to get a well read education. (dripping sarcasm). Those books would probably be my last choices to carry on a airplane!

[Oorang]

That’s interesting, thanks Cindy.

[Godzilla]

placemark

[Oorang]

Police continue probe of `suspicious' men at R.I. church (Illinois)
February 22, 2008

ROCK ISLAND - Police continue to investigate a report of suspicious activity at St. Pius X Church. Rev. Mike Schaab sent a letter home to parents of Jordan Catholic School students Wednesday warning about "several men of apparently Middle Eastern origin" visiting a Feb. 16 Mass who allegedly took photographs inside the church and its exterior.

Parishioners contacted police with the license plate of one of the cars driven by the men, but Capt. Scott Harris said tracing the plate has been unsuccessful. The plate numbers ran by police have turned up no record, but officers are checking different variations and sequences which may lead back to the green Ford reported by parishioners, he said.

Capt. Harris said additional patrols were provided during the past weekend church services. They have also contacted the Statewide Intelligence Terrorism Center which will record the matter and provide feedback if there are similar incidents reported in the state. He said this does not mean the suspicious activity was related to terrorism, it is simply an investigative tool used to record incidents and provide data for comparison.

Excerpted

http://qconline.com/archives/qco/display.php?id=375554

[Cindy]

Catholic School - “Suspicious” Men Ping:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1963607/posts?page=965#965

[Cindy]

A Look at More Than Cartoons
http://www.truthusa.com/MoreThanCartoons.html

###

blogs:

Note: Photo included.

http://littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/?entry=29018_Burn_a_Danish_Flag_AP_Calls_You_a_Human_Rights_Activist&only

“Burn a Danish Flag, AP Calls You a ‘Human Rights Activist’”
Fri, Feb 22, 2008 at 8:46:49 am PST

#

Note: Photos included.

http://www.snappedshot.com/archives/1670-Happy-Denmark-Day...-of-RAGE!.html

“happy denmark day... of rage!”
Brian C. Ledbetter · Friday, February 22. 2008 08:33

[Cindy]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1974697/posts

“China to launch second lunar probe in 2009: report”
Breitbart ^ | Feb 22, 2008 | None Stated
Posted on 02/22/2008 1:29:39 PM PST by Islander7

[drymans wife]

Catholic School - “Suspicious” Men Ping:

Thanks Cindy, very disturbing and more because you won’t
hear anything from the mainstream media.

[Cindy]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1974592/posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1974565/posts

#

Blog:

http://www.captainsquartersblog.com/mt/archives/017078.php
“The Beginning Of Jihad On American Soil”
(February 22, 2008)

#

Blog:

http://www.commentarymagazine.com/viewarticle.cfm/Special-Preview-—br-—WHEN-JIHAD-CAME-TO-AMERICA-11244

“Special Preview:
WHEN JIHAD CAME TO AMERICA”
by Andrew C. McCarthy
(February 2008)

[drymans wife]

Ya know, I don’t think that I even considered in a million
years, especially after 9/11, that we might have a President
Barack Hussein Obama, Jr.

[Cindy]

You’re welcome drymans wife.

[drymans wife]

http://www.captainsquartersblog.com/mt/archives/017078.php
“The Beginning Of Jihad On American Soil”
(February 22, 2008)

I just read this post after I posted my last comment.
LOL, great minds think alike.

I have had a heavy heart about this for sometime and keeping it to myself.

[Cindy]

I understand.

[Cindy]

It’s not clowns jihad.
It’s not cartoons jihad.
It’s not Valentine’s Day jihad.
It’s not football (soccer) jihad.

So, what is it this time?
Take a break from jihad and let’s look at:

Some great snack food products!

Pass me the bag of Doritos Chilli Heat Wave Chips and a Diet Coca-Cola.
Yummmmmmmy.

####

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1974714/posts

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=517479&in_page_id=1770

“Muslims criticise Walkers after it is revealed that some crisp varieties contain alcohol”
Last updated at 13:31pm on 22nd February 2008

ARTICLE SNIPPET: “Furious Muslims have heavily criticised Walkers crisps after it emerged that certain varieties of the manufacturer’s products contain trace elements of alcohol.
Some crisp types use minute amounts of alcohol as a chemical agent to extract certain flavours.

The report in Asian newspaper Eastern Eye, highlights concerns raised by shopkeeper Besharat Rehman, who owns a halal supermarket in Bradford, West Yorkshire.

Mr Rehman told the paper: “A customer informed us that Sensations Thai Sweet Chilli and Doritos Chilli Heat Wave are not on Walkers’ alcohol-free list. Our suppliers were unaware of this.

“Even if it is a trace amount of alcohol, Walkers should make it clear on the packaging so that the customer can make an informed choice.

“I feel frustrated and angry. I have let my customers down simply because such a big company like Walkers is not sensitive to Muslim needs.

“Many of them were my daughter’s favourite crisps. As soon as I found out about the alcohol in them, I called home to ask my wife to throw out all the packets.”

Shuja Shafi, who chairs the food standards committee of the Muslim Council of Britain, said that he intended to investigate. “Certainly we would find it very offensive to have eaten food with alcohol.”

Masood Khawaja, of the Halal Food Authority, said that this was not the first time the issue had been raised with Walkers.”

[Cindy]

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

#

http://www.washingtoninstitute.org/templateC05.php?CID=2721

PolicyWatch #1345

“Timely Reminder of Iranian Support for Terrorism”

By Matthew Levitt and Michael Jacobson
February 22, 2008

ARTICLE SNIPPET: “Over the past several years, Iran’s nuclear activities have commanded the attention of the international community. But the recent assassination of Hizballah foreign operations chief Imad Mughniyeh is a reminder that Iran has been — and continues to be — a key player in global terrorism, as its explicit sponsorship of Hizballah, Hamas, and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) demonstrates. Moreover, a recent terrorism case in Bahrain suggests that Iran’s assistance to al-Qaeda operatives may still be continuing today, echoing the regime’s implicit support of the group in the past.

Longstanding Support for Terrorism”

[Cindy]

Thanks to Oorang for the ping to this post.

Note: The following post is a quote:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1972424/posts?page=136#136

Extremist Albanian leader in custody
22 February 2008

KOSOVSKA MITROVICA — The Kosovo police, KPS, has taken into custody the leader of an extremist Albanian group, Beta says. The agency stated that Adem Mripa was apprehended in northern Kosovska Mitrovica, in a community predominantly inhabited by Serbs.

The source stated that Mripa was arrested for weapons possession, adding that he had bombs and mines in his possession. The police later confirmed that the arrest did take place.

http://xs4.b92.net/eng/news/comments.php?nav_id=47898#hrono

[Oorang]

US orders diplomats to leave Serbia, embassies on alert across Balkans after Belgrade attack
February 22, 2008

WASHINGTON: The State Department on Friday ordered nonessential diplomats and the families of all American personnel at the U.S. Embassy in Belgrade to leave Serbia, following an attack on the compound.

The move, made at the request of U.S. Ambassador to Serbia Cameron Munter, came as U.S. diplomats across the Balkans went on alert, girding for more anti-American violence after Serb rioters stormed and torched the Belgrade embassy Thursday, causing as-yet undetermined damage and drawing fierce condemnation from Washington. "We are not sufficiently confident that they are safe here," Munter said in an interview in Belgrade.

A State Department official said 14 embassy employees were on the site when a mob attacked but that all American and local staff are safe. The charred body of one person found in the compound is believed to be that of a protester, spokesman Sean McCormack said. Protests over the declaration of independence by the former Serbian province of Kosovo have increased tensions across the region. And new mass demonstrations are expected following recognition of Kosovo by the United States and other Western countries.

Excerpted

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/02/22/america/US-Kosovo.php

6 killed, at least 40 hurt in blast at home of senior Islamic Jihad activist
2/22/08

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip - A powerful blast went off at the house of a senior Islamic Jihad activist today, killing him and five others. At least 40 people were hurt, including nine who were in critical condition.

Witnesses said the three-storey home of Ayman Atallah Fayed was flattened by the blast, and that six nearby homes were badly damaged. Islamic Jihad claimed Israeli warplanes hit the house in an airstrike, but Hamas police said the cause of the blast is unclear.

Islamic Jihad said Fayed was among the dead, and that the group would carry out reprisal attacks against Israel. Fayed was a senior member of the Islamic Jihad military wing. Israel routinely targets top militants in airstrikes, but the Israeli military said it had no knowledge of any strike in Bureij.

http://www.thecanadianpress.com/english/online/OnlineFullStory.aspx?filename=w0215128A&newsitemid=22334017&languageid=1

[drymans wife]

“Muslims criticise Walkers after it is revealed that some crisp varieties contain alcohol”

And the problem is what, they might get drunk on chips and
use that as an excuse for killing the wrong infidel?

[Cindy]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=iran
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=iaea

http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/Iran-Nuclear-Issues/ss/events/wl/031103irannuclear/s:/nm/20080222/ts_nm/iran_nuclear_iaea_dc_6;_ylt=A0WTUdoxS79HnakA_gRg.3QA

#

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1974725/posts

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080222/ts_nm/iran_nuclear_iaea_dc_6
(REUTERS)

“Iran nuclear plans of ‘serious concern’: U.N. body”
By Mark Heinrich
1 hour, 34 minutes ago

ARTICLE SNIPPET: “VIENNA (Reuters) - The U.N. nuclear watchdog said on Friday Iran had failed to explain Western intelligence reports showing explosives and missile work linked to making atomic bombs and that this was a “serious concern.””

ARTICLE SNIPPET: “The IAEA findings, which also said Iran had failed to clear up all outstanding questions by an agreed February deadline, may spur the Security Council to adopt more sanctions as early as next week.

The United States, which has accused Iran of having a secret program to build nuclear weapons, said Tehran had failed to meet U.N. demands and that it would go on pressing for new sanctions against the Islamic Republic.

Senior diplomats from Britain, France, Germany, the United States, China and Russia would meet in Washington on Monday to discuss the next steps over Iran, Western officials said.”