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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[Oorang]

Iran to start TV channel in Bolivia
February 19, 2008

LA PAZ, Bolivia: Iran plans to open a television station "for all of Latin America" to be based in the coca-growing Andean foothills of Bolivia, President Evo Morales said Monday. Morales made the announcement at a gathering of coca farmers from the Chapare who re-elected him Monday as president of Bolivia's largest coca growers' union. He did not provide any details on the channel's possible programming.

The station would be "for all of Bolivia, for all of Latin America, recognizing the great struggle of this peasant movement," Morales told the gathering in Cochabamba. Presidential spokesman Alex Contreras later confirmed that Morales and President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad discussed the idea during the Iranian leader's visit last September and that the channel was still in its planning stages. Long an ally to Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, Ahmadinejad has recently reached out to fellow leftist Morales.

During last year's visit, Ahmadinejad promised Bolivia US$1 billion (€680 million) in investment aimed at developing its oil and gas industry and improving infrastructure.

Morales' description of a left-leaning channel reaching all of Latin American echoes the role now played by Telesur, a region-wide network backed by Chavez. An outspoken critic of the U.S. government, Chavez sees Telesur an alternative to what he calls the Washington-friendly coverage of other large media outlets.

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/02/19/america/LA-GEN-Bolivia-Iran-TV-Station.php

[Cindy]

http://www.trinidadexpress.com/index.pl/article_news?id=161280173

“SLAUGHTER
3 cops among 13 killed in second Guyana massacre”
Rickey Singh

Tuesday, February 19th 2008

[Quix]

Guess I’m not understanding.

This is not a topic of the THREAT MATRIX?

If so, I’m happy to discuss such in FREEPMAIL or on this thread:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1970454/posts?page=126#126

Wasn’t trying to be disruptive.

I ASSUMED such was a rather IMPORTANT part of the over all

THREAT MATRIX.

Silly me for thinking that the globalists behind ALL the internal AND external THREATS to our beloved REPUBLIC

would be considered part of the THREAT MATRIX.

Obvioiusly quite illogical of me.

Not tryng to be necessarily, particularly, tweaky toward any given individual(s) . . . this just seems to be my mode tonight.

Perhaps I’m on a ranting binge . . . not sure what set me off on such a style.

[Cindy]

Thank you Quix for your feedback.

You are being disruptive.

Maybe you can start a thread elsewhere with your topic.

I do appreciate it.

[Quix]

Sorry.

No problem. As I said, happy to reply to comments either in FREEPMAIL or on that thread I linked to.

Blessings,

[Cindy]

Thank you Quix.

A good evening to you.

[Cindy]

More Details...

http://www.memri.org/bin/articles.cgi?Page=subjects&Area=jihad&ID=SP184508

Special Dispatch Series - No. 1845
February 17, 2008 No. 1845

“Al-Qaeda in Iraq Offers Palestinians Military and Economic Aid – And Help in Manufacturing Rockets”

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the pings!

[Cindy]

You’re welcome Alamo-Girl.

[Cindy]

THE MEMRI BLOG.org ("Source: Liberte, Algeria, February 17, 2008"): "ALGERIAN SECURITY FORCES SEARCH FOR 33 SUICIDE BOMBER RECRUITS" (February 18, 2008)

[Cindy]

RECAP (from a link Oorang posted):

http://www.local10.com/news/15315724/detail.html

“UM Alerts Students To Suspicious Man
Alert Says Man With ‘Thick Accent’ Not A Student”
POSTED: 6:51 pm EST February 15, 2008

ARTICLE SNIPPET: “CORAL GABLES, Fla. — The University of Miami issued an alert to students and faculty about a suspicious man who has been walking around campus.
The alert said: “A suspicious Caucasian male (5 feet, 10 inches, to 6 feet, 2 inches) has been coming into the offices on the third floor of the Wolfson Building and has been spotted in other buildings around campus.”

[Cindy]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1972618/posts

“Fidel Castro Steps Down...”
February 19, 2008
Posted on 02/18/2008 11:43:05 PM PST by silentknight

[Cindy]

OSAC - Recent News: “CUBA”
https://www.osac.gov/Regions/country.cfm?country=183

[Cindy]

ICC-CCS.ORG - THE WEEKLY PIRACY REPORT - REPORT SNIPPET - QUOTE:

http://www.icc-ccs.org/prc/piracyreport.php

Weekly Piracy Report
12-18 February 2008

The following is a summary of the daily reports broadcast by the IMB’s Piracy Reporting Centre to ships in Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Ocean Regions on the SafetyNET service of Inmarsat-C from 12 to 18 February 2008.

ALERT

Chittagong anchorage, Bangladesh
The number of attacks has reduced since 2006. However, the area is still listed as a high risk area and mariners are advised to be cautious especially while approaching the anchorage and while at anchor at Chittagong

Nigeria
Violent attacks carried out by pirates on board vessels at anchor and vessel carrying out STS operations. Mariners are advised to exercise extreme caution in these waters.

Suspicious crafts

None reported
Recently reported incidents

06.02.2008: 0052 LT: Anchorage no. 1, Callao, Peru.

Robbers boarded a container ship at anchor from a small boat. Duty crew spotted them. Alarm raised, crew mustered. Robbers escaped. Authorities informed. Coast guard patrol boat arrived after more than one hour, patrolled the waters around the vessel for about ten minutes, and moved away.

17.02.2008: 0540 LT: 05:48N - 118:05E, Berth no.2, Sandakan port, Malaysia.

Duty crew on board a general cargo ship reported that a boat approached from the port bow. One robber was noticed on the forecastle deck passing ship stores to the other robbers in the boat. On seeing the alert crew, the robber jumped overboard and escaped with the ship stores. The forward booby hatch lock was found broken. The IMB PRC was notified who then liaised with local police for further action. Police arrived and conducted an investigation.

14.02.2008: 0341 LT: 06:43.5S – 039:43.8E, 20 nm off Tanzania coast.

Three pirates boarded the ship from a small wooden boat equipped with an out board engine. The ship was drifting, awaiting berthing instructions. Alert duty crew noticed the pirates and the alarm was raised, ship’s whistle sounded, crew mustered and master increased speed. Pirates fled immediately. Upon inspection, two containers were found opened.

11.02.2008: 0540 UTC: 13.38.5N – 050:22.0E, Gulf of Aden.

Two suspicious vessels one with blue hull and the other with red hull and both with white superstructure increased speed and altered course towards a bulk carrier. Master increased speed and altered course to increase CAP. Later both suspicious vessels stopped following.

09.02.2008: 0030 LT: Kandla anchorage, India.

Duty watchman on an oil tanker at anchor noticed robbers on the forecastle. On seeing the alert ships crew, the robbers jumped overboard and escaped. The padlock of the forecastle store was broken but nothing was missing

[Cindy]

PERSECUTION.ORG
http://www.persecution.org

#

http://www.assistnews.net/Stories/2008/s08020129.htm

Monday, February 18, 2008

“Prominent House Church Leaders Sent to Labor Camp in Shandong”

By Jeremy Reynalds
Correspondent for ASSIST News Service
LINYI CITY, SHANDONG

#

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

[Cindy]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1969529/posts

#

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1969529/posts?page=351#351

#

http://threatswatch.org/firewatch/player/?media=fw-2008-02-18

#

http://threatswatch.org/firewatch/2008/02/18/

QUOTE:

February 18, 2008 [Listen Here]
35:40 (Mins) | 30 (MB)
Imad Mugniyah is dead, killed by a bomb in Damascus. He was considered by many one of the top three terrorists of all time. Tom Joscelyn, who has written this week’s cover story for The Weekly Standard on the matter, discusses who Imad Mugniyah was and his Iranian-led history of collaborating with al-Qaeda. Mugniyah taught bin Laden’s al-Qaeda the art of simultaneous massive truck bombings, a trademark operational practice that Joscelyn tells Fire Watch “al-Qaeda really inherited from Hizballah and Mugniyah.” In the second segment, terrorism and Middle East expert Nir Boms joins us from Israel to discuss the potential Iranian-Hizballah response going forward. Boms details why the Iranian-Hizballah retaliation “will most probably be geared toward an Israeli target overseas.” As he notes, Mugniyah’s are big shoes to fill for his two successors – but Hizballah is certainly not going to stop orchestrating terrorist attacks.

351 posted on 02/19/2008 3:04:38 AM PST by Cindy

[Cindy]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1967227/posts?page=111#111

QUOTE:

http://threatswatch.org/rapidrecon/2008/02/an-important-public-private-pa/

“An Important Public Private Partnership”
By Jay Fraser on February 17, 2008 at 12:32 PM

#

http://www.infragard.net/press/2008/progressive_article_response_v2.pdf

“FBI Response to The Progressive Article Alleging the FBI Aughorizes InfrGard Members to ‘Shoot to Kill’”

111 posted on 02/19/2008 3:30:36 AM PST by Cindy

[Godzilla]

Quix -
You are talking to/about me. Please be courteous and include me in your pings. Unless you can come up with something that is tangible and worthwhile to the thread, I'd recommend you back off the personal attacks.

[Godzilla]

Initial Pakistani Election Result impacts -
Musharraf and his party lost big time yesterday. Pundents are mulling this around. The NYT, not suprisingly calls it a loss for Bush. BDS aside, there is the possibility of a pushback due to Pakistan’s (limited) support of the US WOT. But this may only last a short time, as Buhuto’s party was liberal to the Taliban’s ultra conservative and they will eventually butt heads over Pakistan’s religous future.

[Quix]

Is this more according to the THREAT MATRIX boundaries, script?

Heads UP: Syria/Iran Anticipating Serious Clash w/Israel

From: Anita Bush (Gladrags2@webtv.net)

Sent:Tue 2/19/08 1:27 AM
To: end-times_news@associate.com

Syria and Iran anticipating serious military clash with Israel By Stan GoodenoughFebruary 17, 2008 Damascus and Tehran expect to soon be caught up in a militaryconfrontation with Israel.

According to a report in Al-Ahkbar, a Lebanese newspaper said to beaffiliated with Hizb’allah, the Syrian and Iranian-sponsored terroristorganization does not intend to let last week’s execution of topterrorist Amad Mugniyah be left unanswered. The concensus in the region is that Israel was behind the blowing up ofMugniyah’s car, and Hizb’allah chief Hassan Nasrallah has vowed to makeIsrael pay in “open war.”

Defense Minister Ehud Barak told the cabinet in Jerusalem Sunday he hasput the Israeli Air Force on alert for a possible Hizb’allah attackagainst Jewish communities in the north. Barak said Israel was prepared for the possibility that anexplosives-laden pilotless drone could be sent to explode inside anIsraeli community.

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Luke 21:28 “And when these things begin to come topass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for yourredemption draweth nigh.”

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