News from the Long War, Thread 4

Various | 4/15/07 | Knitting a Conundrum and Others

[Knitting A Conundrum]

Thread 4



Since the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, our nation has fought a global war against violent extremists who use terrorism as their weapon of choice, and who seek to destroy our free way of life. Our enemies seek weapons of mass destruction and, if they are successful, will likely attempt to use them in their conflict with free people everywhere. Currently, the struggle is centered in Iraq and Afghanistan, but we will need to be prepared and arranged to successfully defend our nation and its interests around the globe for years to come. DOD

Our enemies include all the Muslims who dream of knocking Western Civilization off its perch atop humanity’s dung heap. Islam is fractured into any number of sects, tribes and ethnic groups, but the dream of destroying us cuts across all the fault lines. Islamic terrorists are merely the tip of a very large spear.

J. Peter Mulhern, the American Thinker, September 18

The determination behind that fight is real, the hatred is real, and the excuses for doing this are very real in the minds of those who have decided to walk that path. We can respond in two ways: Try to ignore or negotiate with people who do not want to negotiate in good faith, because what they want is our destruction, or to stand up against the darkness of those who see all of us, our way of life, our culture and our aspirations as something worth eliminating.

Either: "And God willing, with the force of God behind it, we shall soon experience a world without the United States and Zionism," Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

Or: "With vigilance, determination, courage, we will defeat the enemies of freedom, and we will leave behind a more peaceful world for our children and our grandchildren." GW Bush.

Here's where I will post news and info about the Long War. Let me know if you're interested.

Thread 1

Thread 2

Thread 3

[Uncle Ike]

From downthread — more detailed, but not particularly enlightening....

To: nypokerface
Last Updated: Monday, 7 May 2007, 15:42 GMT 16:42 UK
Ukraine gas pipeline hit by blast
A blast has destroyed a section of one of the main gas pipelines in Ukraine exporting Russian gas to Europe, Ukraine’s emergencies ministry says.
It says about 30m (98ft) of the Urenhoi-Pomary-Uzhhorod pipeline was damaged by the explosion.

Russia’s state gas state monopoly Gazprom, which controls the export of all Russian gas, said the blast caused no disruptions in supplies to Europe.

No-one was injured in the explosion, officials in Ukraine said.

The blast happened at 1420 (1120 GMT) near the village of Luka in the Kiev region, Ukraine’s emergencies ministry spokesman Ihor Kroll told the BBC.

Mr Kroll said a bypass system was activated, rerouting the flow of gas to Europe.

He said experts were at the site, trying to determine the cause of the blast.

The Urenhoi-Pomary-Uzhhorod is one of three main lines in Ukraine that carry gas to the EU - the biggest gas market for Russia.

Ukraine is a major transit point for Russian gas deliveries to Europe.

15 posted on 05/07/2007 11:05:27 AM CDT by michigander (The Constitution only guarantees the right to pursue happiness. You have to catch it yourself.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies | Report Abuse ]

[unionblue83]

I am guessing that this is not self-inflicted. However, with the political crisis in Ukraine right now it’s hard to tell. The Estonians are refusing to cooperate with Moscow to pump oil/NG to Germany and the Russians are working with Slovakia now to try to run NG through them.

[unionblue83]

Wouldn’t surprise me if the Party of Regions were somehow invloved but I am on a conspiracy kick right now it seems. LOL!

[Knitting A Conundrum]

Kadima minister reportedly tells Beilin that Olmert poses ‘national threat’

Published: 05.07.07, 18:36 / Israel News

Meretz leader MK Yossi Beilin said Monday that a Kadima minister recently told him that Prime Minister Ehud Olmert posed “a national threat to Israel.”

“As he (Olmert) is likely to make a hasty political move, he is likely to lead Israel to an unnecessary war,” Beilin quoted the Kadima minister as telling him. (Amnon Meranda)

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3396957,00.html

[unionblue83]

Ukraine builds up gas transit to Europe via alternative routes.
07.05.2007, 20.14

KIEV, May 7 (Itar-Tass) — Ukraine has increased gas transit via the Progress and Soyuz gas carriers following Monday’s blast on the Urengoi-Pomary-Uzhgorod pipeline, the Fuel and Energy Ministry’s press-secretary, Konstantin Borodin told Itar-Tass.

“The high maneuverability of the Ukrainian gas transportation system has compensated for the temporary idleness of the Urengoi-Pomary-Uzhgorod line. Transit traffic through the other gas carriers, Progress and Soyuz first and foremost, was increased. Certain amounts of gas were borrowed from underground gas holders,” Borodin said.

“The undersupply of gas that may have been caused by the pipeline rupture will be compensated for with greater deliveries by alternative routes. Ukraine has coped with all of its transit commitments. Its gas pipeline system is one of the most diversified in the world,” the Ukrainian Fuel and Energy Ministry’s press-secretary said.

More at link:
http://www.itar-tass.com/eng/level2.html?NewsID=11505997

[unionblue83]

I saw this earlier and I have to agree. The longer Olmerde is in leadership the more danger Israel is in. It seems that the mud-slinging increases daily. Howdy!

[WorkerbeeCitizen]

Hmmm - any more pieces of this puzzle laying around?

[Knitting A Conundrum]

21:22 UN`s Ban: Intra-Palestinian fighting harms UN work, PA must halt rocket fire (DPA)
20:46 Solana says talks with Iran over nuclear program `very difficult` (Reuters)
20:34 PM speaks with French president-elect Nicolas Sarkozy, wishes him the best (Haaretz)
20:12 Boy falls off two-story abandoned Ramle building, seriously hurt (Israel Radio)
20:12 Officials: Rice postpones visit to Israel, PA due to Israeli gov`t crisis (Reuters)
20:07 PA officials trying to persuade Alan Johnston captors to drop Islamic justification (AP)
19:48 Students to stage protest against ongoing student strike in T.A. Tuesday (Haaretz)
19:46 Knesset approves extending maternity leave from 12 weeks to 14 (Haaretz)
19:29 Mideast leaders say hope Sarkozy will help advance peace, stability efforts (AP)
18:38 Knesset rejects three no-confidence votes against current government (Haaretz)
18:21 Flights at Ben Gurion airport resume following false security alert (Israel Radio)
18:20 National Security Council: Syrian calls for dialogue with Israel `authentic` (Haaretz)
18:19 Jordan says displaced Iraqis cost Jordanian government $1 billion per year (AP)
18:16 Olmert to convene security cabinet next week to discuss Gaza situation (Haaretz)
18:12 Petah Tikva battery factory worker seriously hurt after being electrocuted (Israel Radio)
18:05 U.S. group`s child mortality report lauds Egypt progress, faults Iraq decline (Reuters)
17:40 PM: Claims against Bishara troubling, not representative of Israeli Arabs (Israel Radio)
16:53 IAF fires on car of Islamic Jihad militants on their way to launch rockets (Haaretz)
16:47 Palestinian officials: Car explodes in Gaza, wounding Palestinian militant (AP)
16:18 Student strike leader: Government`s compromise proposal is humiliating (Haaretz)
16:01 Siniora: Lebanese government spent $318M on rebuilding following war (Reuters)

[Bahbah]

Why the disabled do Taliban’s deadly work
The Globe and Mail ^ | 05.07.2007 | SONYA FATAH

KABUL — The suicide bombing at a Kabul Internet café drew attention for a number of reasons: It was one of the first in the Afghan capital after the fall of the Taliban; it struck a spot popular with foreigners; and a UN worker was among those who died along with the attacker, Qari Samiullah.

But a little-known fact about that 2005 blast offers a clue into the workings of the insurgents who recruit suicide bombers, and what, apart from religious propaganda, has motivated about 200 men to blow themselves up: In addition to being a deeply religious man, Mr. Samiullah was disabled.

His disability didn’t come as a surprise. As the insurgency in Afghanistan gathers urgency, the Taliban and other forces are recruiting marginalized and vulnerable groups to carry out suicide attacks while men from their own ranks keep up the ground offensive.

The pool of the disenchanted and hopeless is large in Afghanistan — people left on the fringes by their economic, physical or mental circumstances — and there are few services to rehabilitate them after three decades of war.

“Almost 90 per cent of [suicide bombers] are people with some form of disability,” forensic expert Yusuf Yadgari said.

More at the link: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1829779/posts

[Knitting A Conundrum]

00:18 U.S. expresses condolences for French, Canadian victims of Sinai plane crash (AP)
23:58 Rafi Lavi, Israeli artist and art critic, dies at the age of 70 (Haaretz)
23:55 7-year-old boy killed after being hit by car in Bedouin town in Negev (Haaretz)
23:10 Edgar Bronfman resigns as president of World Jewish Congress (Haaretz)
23:02 Iranian FM hints of possible meeting between top officials and Rice (Reuters)
23:00 Student organizations reject PMO compromise, to continue strike (Haaretz)
22:45 Hebrew University says it has discovered the tomb of King Herod at Herodium (Haaretz)
22:37 Bush calls Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak to wish him a happy birthday (AP)
22:08 Witnesses: Gunmen abduct member of Palestinian group that attacked UN school (AP)

[jedward]

Afternoon Knitting!

[Knitting A Conundrum]

Afternoon! How are ya!

[jedward]

Pretty good. No major gripes :) Glad to hear your getting rested. I’ve been trying to do the same.

[Knitting A Conundrum]

Must have worked. Feel much better.

[jedward]

Is Olmert running in circles? :)

[Knitting A Conundrum]

I don’t know.

There’s multiple things going on:

1) trying to keep Netenyahu from being the next PM.

2) rationally realizing that having the government collapse will cause headaches for all involved.

3) infighting between the left and right, religious (and their reluctance to be relocated out of areas destined to become palestinian territory) and secular, peaceniks and warbirds.

So far, Olmert has been able to ride the whirlpool. But he might fall yet. There are a lot of people who want to pull him off the board he’s riding....

[Knitting A Conundrum]

This is wild:

02:51 Kadima to ask Likud to join coalition if Labor Party pulls out (Haaretz)

[Knitting A Conundrum]

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has cancelled a planned Middle East trip due to the unstable political situation in Israel, the Foreign Ministry said late Monday evening.

Tension has risen between government officials following the release of the Winograd’s interim report into the Second Lebanon War. Many government officials have called on Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to step down.

On Thursday, 150,000 people participated in a mass demonstration at Tel Aviv’s Rabin Square in an attempt to get Olmert and his government to resign.

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1178431593307&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

[jedward]

“US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has cancelled a planned Middle East trip due to the unstable political situation in Israel, the Foreign Ministry said late Monday evening.”

Now that’s surprising to me. DOS misread the pulse on the situtation I wonder...

[jedward]

“So far, Olmert has been able to ride the whirlpool. But he might fall yet. There are a lot of people who want to pull him off the board he’s riding....”

I remember during the war, there were quite a few people wanting him ousted. Much noise at the time.