News from the Long War, Thread 4

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 humanityâ€™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

06:00 J`lem municipality okays plan to build Jewish neighborhood in E. J`lem (Haaretz)
05:23 U.S. marine testifies he urinated on dead Iraqi at Haditha (Reuters)
04:55 Comptroller rebukes NII chief over several cases of conflict of interest (Haaretz)
04:33 Florida doctor accused of aiding Al-Qaida denies ties to group (Reuters)
03:47 Abbas to convene PA factions, urge them to renew calm with Israel (Israel Radio)
03:45 Signs emerge of Al-Qaida link to abduction of BBC reporter Alan Johnston (AP)
03:21 Security sources believe some 15 smuggling tunnels currently in use in Gaza (Haaretz)
03:13 Elie Wiesel returns to San Francisco under extra security after February attack (AP)
02:18 Rice to visit Iran art exhibit Thursday to show support for Iranian people (Reuters)
01:40 Jordanian Islamists say gov`t crackdown behind firing of Islam professor (DPA)
01:34 Public Security Min.: Police were well prepared for J`lem soccer match (Army Radio)
01:28 Winograd Cmte. to release Olmert, Peretz and Halutz protocols Thursday (Army Radio)
00:52 U.S. calls on Iran to release three U.S. citizens being detained in Iran (DPA)
00:37 Pentagon urges Congress to keep Guantanamo military prison open (Reuters)
00:16 Olmert and Peres agree to promote Peres` presidential candidacy together (Haaretz)

Good morning Workerbee...

Another early-early work day today, so just have a bit of time...

Found this one, though — follow-up on an item I posted a day or so ago....

Iran: U.S.-Iranian Scholar Reportedly Sent To Tehran’s Evin Prison (Haleh Esfandiari)
Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty ^ | May 9, 2007

Posted on 05/10/2007 3:09:09 AM CDT by HAL9000

May 9, 2007 (RFE/RL) — Iranian officials have jailed a prominent American-Iranian scholar after banning her departure from the country, according to the U.S.-based Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.
Haleh Esfandiari, the director of the Middle East program at the Wilson Center in Washington, had undergone periodic interrogations by Iranian intelligence officials for four months before being taken to Tehran’s Evin prison on May 8, according to center President and Director Lee Hamilton.

Wilson Center Details The Case

Iranian officials have not commented on Esfandiari’s reported arrest, and it is unclear whether she has been formally charged with any offense.

Hamilton told reporters that Esfandiari, a dual Iranian-U.S. citizen who has lived in the United States for more than 25 years, had called her 93-year-old mother after being detained by the Iranian Intelligence Ministry.

Esfandiari had been under virtual house arrest since December 30, when, according to the Wilson Center, three masked gunmen ambushed her taxi and stole her luggage — including her Iranian and U.S. passports — while she was heading to Tehran airport for her departure to Washington.

Esfandiari was sent to the ministry for interrogation when she applied for a new Iranian passport, according to the Wilson Center’s statement.

“Esfandiari said that most questions focused on her work and that the answers were public information,” the statement said.

She was then repeatedly summoned for interrogation by intelligence officials about U.S. plans relating to Iran. Upon reporting to the Intelligence Ministry again on May 8, Esfandiari was reportedly taken to Evin prison.

Hamilton, who served more than three decades as a Democratic Congressman, said that during her interrogations, Esfandiari was pressured to make false confessions or to falsely implicate the Wilson Center in activities in which it had no role. He said Esfandiari was contacted again several days ago and asked to “cooperate” with Intelligence Ministry officials, a request that she refused.

Crackdown Prompted By U.S. Actions?

Esfandiari’s imprisonment is the latest detention of an Iranian intellectual or journalist with dual nationality. Some observers blame such arrests on Iranian government fears that the United States is seeking to encourage “soft subversion” to undermine the government in Tehran. In 2006, the Bush administration approved a $75 million program to promote democracy in Iran.

Iran has subsequently cracked down on nongovernmental groups, human rights activists, trade unions, and women’s rights advocates. Iranian officials have accused some such groups of planning to kick-start a “velvet revolution.”

Efforts by Iranian authorities to intimidate scholars and intellectuals appear to be part of the government in Tehran’s response to the perceived pressure.

In January, Iranian security officials seized the passport of Radio Farda broadcaster Parnaz Azima upon her arrival in Tehran to visit her ailing mother in the hospital. Azima, also a dual Iranian-U.S. citizen, has been under virtual arrest since then. No charges have been filed against Azima, according to her attorney, Mohammad Hossein Aghassi.

Ramin Jahanbegloo , an Iranian-Canadian philosopher, was arrested by Iranian officials in 2006 on charges of “acting against national security.” He was released in August after issuing a confession in which he says his participation in international conferences might have served the interests of the “enemy.”

In 2003, Dariush Zahedi, an Iranian-American lecturer at the University of California at Berkeley, was detained in Iran for nearly four months on charges of spying for the United States. He was eventually released on bail of approximately $250,000.

Military Option On The Table

Esfandiari’s detention comes against a backdrop of heightened tensions between Tehran and Washington. U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said on May 8 that President George W. Bush would keep a military option on the table as he sought a diplomatic solution to a lingering standoff with Iran.

Rice told Al-Arabiya television that Bush “will not abandon the military option,” adding that she “believe[s] that we do not want him to do so.”

The UN Security Council has imposed two sets of sanctions on Iran in its effort to convince Tehran to halt uranium enrichment. Iranian officials have rejected such pressure, saying their country’s nuclear program is its “right” and is aimed solely at producing electricity.

U.S. officials have also accused Iran of funding and arming insurgent groups in Iraq, a charge that Iran has dismissed.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1831173/posts
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First article I’ve seen that’s been sourced to Radio Free Europe — interesting in light of the last segment of the article......

14:06 Blair announces he will tender his resignation on June 27 (BBC)
14:02 American on trial admits he urinated on Iraqi killed by his unit in 2005 (BBC)
13:59 Iranian group launches legal action to annul terror group listing by EU (AP)
13:10 Assad: Israeli government too weak for peace talks with Syria (Israel Radio)
12:39 Report: Japan leaning toward resuming direct aid to PA (Reuters)
12:36 Syria sentences leading dissident to 12 years in jail (Reuters)
12:34 Six world powers meet on continued Iranian nuclear defiance (Reuters)
12:05 MK Livnat: The IDF fought bravely in the face of confusing orders in Lebanon (Haaretz)
11:52 Assad: Syria will not cooperate with UN tribunal on Hariri assassination (Reuters)
11:41 U.S. air strike kills 3 militants in Baghdad`s Sadr City (Reuters)
11:31 MK Orlev: PM`s testimony exposes attempt to shirk responsibility for war (Haaretz)
11:24 MK Gal-On: I hope leadership will resign following testimony releases (Haaretz)
10:54 Egyptian President Mubarak to call for mid-term Shura Council elections today (DPA)
10:52 Peretz: I instructed Halutz to present alternative IDF positions during war (Haaretz)
10:34 Halutz to war probe: Collaboration with Peretz during war was businesslike (Haaretz)
10:16 Halutz to war probe: 33 days of fighting is too much (Israel Radio)
09:39 Halutz to war probe: IDF became the national punching-bag (Haaretz)
09:33 Peretz to war probe: We believed war would last 10-14 days (Israel Radio)
09:33 Olmert to war probe: Livni was partner to wartime decisions (Israel Radio)
09:09 Former Harel Investment House chair Guy Vaisman indicted for fraud (Israel Radio)
08:48 Palestinians: 2 hurt in Nablus gun battle, including pregnant woman (Israel Radio)
08:02 Two Qassam rockets land in western Negev; no injuries or damage (Haaretz)
07:30 Australian army: Militants in Iraq, Afghanistan using less sophisticated bombs (Reuters)
06:55 IDF soldier lightly hurt in Nablus during gunbattle with Palestinians (Haaretz)
06:38 Green groups unconvinced by gov`t plans to increase fresh water in rivers (Haaretz)
06:00 J`lem municipality okays plan to build Jewish neighborhoods in E. J`lem (Haaretz)
05:23 U.S. marine testifies he urinated on dead Iraqi at Haditha (Reuters)
04:55 Comptroller rebukes NII chief over several cases of conflict of interest (Haaretz)
04:33 Florida doctor accused of aiding Al-Qaida denies ties to group (Reuters)
03:47 Abbas to convene PA factions, urge them to renew calm with Israel (Israel Radio)
03:45 Signs emerge of Al-Qaida link to abduction of BBC reporter Alan Johnston (AP)
03:21 Security sources believe some 15 smuggling tunnels currently in use in Gaza (Haaretz)
03:13 Elie Wiesel returns to San Francisco under extra security after February attack (AP)
02:18 Rice to visit Iran art exhibit Thursday to show support for Iranian people (Reuters)
01:40 Jordanian Islamists say gov`t crackdown behind firing of Islam professor (DPA)
01:34 Public Security Min.: Police were well prepared for J`lem soccer match (Army Radio)
01:28 Winograd Cmte. to release Olmert, Peretz and Halutz protocols Thursday (Army Radio)
00:52 U.S. calls on Iran to release three U.S. citizens being detained in Iran (DPA)
00:37 Pentagon urges Congress to keep Guantanamo military prison open (Reuters)
00:16 Olmert and Peres agree to promote Peres` presidential candidacy together (Haaretz)

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