US Sorry Over ‘Mistreatment’ Of Pakistan Military Delegation
September 3, 2010
US Sorry Over ‘Mistreatment’ Of Pakistan Military Delegation:Islamabad: United States apologized to Pakistan over ‘abuse’ of the Pakistani delegation at the airport the U.S. this week, Pakistan’s Defense Ministry said Friday.
U.S. Secretary of State for the protection of Michelle Flournoy apology during a telephone call to a top official of the Ministry of Defence of Pakistan Syed Athar Ali, the ministry said in a statement.
Flournoy, apologized for the mistreatment meted out to Pakistani military delegation at the airport Dulles, Washington, said in a statement.
Pakistan ordered the delegation to return from Washington in protest against the “unfounded” airport security checks imposed after the delegation was invited to a meeting at the U.S. military Central Command.
“Syed Athar Ali expressed his grave concern over the incident and stressed the need for institutional mechanism, when such incidents, how to avoid,” the statement said.
“Ms. Flournoy has assured Secretary of Defense that all necessary measures will be institutionalized after mutual consultation, to avoid the recurrence of any untoward incidents in the future.”
9 members of the delegations were prepared to fly to Tampa, Florida from Dulles, when they were removed from the plane and questioned for more than two hours.
United Airlines flight crew became concerned about the remark one of the officers, a Pakistani official told AFP on Wednesday.
Pakistani security forces showed their passports and an invitation to a conference at Central Command, but by the time they were released they missed their flight, the official said.
Washington regards Pakistan as an integral part of winning the war in Afghanistan, as Taliban and al-Qaida linked insurgents targeting coalition forces to roam the mountainous region separating the two countries.
Pakistan received more than $ 1 billion a year from Washington for his help in the fight against Islamist militants.
US Says Mistreatment Of Pak Army ‘Most Regrettable’ Incident
September 2, 2010
US Says Mistreatment Of Pak Army ‘Most Regrettable’ Incident:WASHINGTON: Expressing regret at the ill-treatment of the delegation of the Pakistan Army at the airport of the United States, the United States described the incident as “most unfortunate”, adding that the U.S. asked for forgiveness from the government of Pakistan in the post, assuring that the canceled meeting may be held in Pakistan in coming days Geo News reported.
In the usual briefing in Washington, U.S. State Department spokesman Philip.J Crowley said that the incident was regrettable and the Government of Pakistan apologizes for mistreatment of his army delegation.
He said that led to the misunderstanding that the unfortunate incident, increased assurance that such an incident will never occur in the future. “The next meeting may take place in Pakistan, which U.S. Defense Department will contact the Pakistan government,” he added.
When asked, he said, the Government of Pakistan sent an apology for the incident.
US President Obama Speech About Iraq
September 1, 2010
US President Obama Speech About Iraq:Obama’s Speech in the Oval Office at the White House on Tuesday evening was a strange confusion-television prime time, the address is missing the bottom line, one of the main topics, a clear path to the future.
He announced the cessation of hostilities in Iraq, right on schedule. But he equivocated about what will happen next in this considerably improved, but still war-torn country.
“There should be no doubt the Iraqi people will have a strong partner in the United States, our combat mission ends, but our commitment to the future of Iraq is not.”
On the other hand: “With this remarkable chapter in the history of the United States and Iraq, we met our responsibility. Now it’s time to turn the page”.
“Because of the drawdown in Iraq, we can now use the resources necessary to go to the crimes [in Afghanistan].”
On the other hand: “As we turn the war in Iraq, we must solve these problems at home [jobs deficit, energy independence and education] with the same energy and courage and a sense of common purpose, as our men and women in uniform who have served overseas. ”
“No task is more important to our security than our fight against al-Qaeda.
On the other hand: “Our first priority is to restore the economy and put millions of Americans who lost their jobs to work. … [It] should be our main task, as a people, and my primary responsibility as president.”
All this is not true. All the works that he says, is to speak. But the fact that he spoke in general? What part he meant to emphasize the most? What did the message is a high status in prime-time address to the nation? (His last appearance in the Oval Office, dealing with the crisis BP, and also fell slightly flat. Maybe he should recognize that his strengths, which are not served by format.)
Clearly, everyone wants to turn the page in Iraq, and I suspect that regardless of the eruptions there in the coming months, you need to do that read a lot about the place. Iraq, with the first burner of national policy, and it will be the first page of every American newspaper.
President Obama does not tout the false success in his address. As his aides said beforehand, there would be no declaration of “mission accomplished”.
But we should not lose sight of what it is mild on the brakes of possible dangers. He was right that “the Iraqi people now assume responsibility for the security of their country, and that over the past year, Iraqi security forces” have moved into the leaders with great skill and commitment. ”
But they did not, at least so far, with American troops in the back or side, and American planes and drones “above the head. They are, at the moment 50000 troops will still be there for another 16 months, counseling, training and equipping Iraqi forces. U.S. commandos will increase counterterrorism operations (just crossing the gray line between “support” and “struggle”).
Then, no later than December 31, 2011, all American troops, “not just” combat “forces” should withdraw from all Iraqi territory, waters and airspace. ”
This is not the word Obama. They come rather from Article 24 Status of Forces Agreement, signed in November 2008, Iraqi President Nouri al-Maliki, and then U.S. President George W. Bush.
The U.S. government on the status of forces agreements with every nation that hosts the U.S. military. SOFA in Iraq is about to expire, when in 2008 an agreement was signed. Article 24 was the Iraqi demand, was Bush rejected it, it would not SOFA at all, and he would have to remove all U.S. troops immediately.
SOFA is also necessary, and continues to require that American combat troops to be removed from Iraq by August 31, 2010, as it requires them to withdraw from Iraqi cities by June 30, 2009. In both cases, Obama is not only compliance with its obligations campaign, it abides by international treaty.
But the question remains: What happens in Iraq now, and especially after the end of next year? It is not clear that “our commitment to the future of Iraq” really means. “As our military to fall,” Obama said: “Our special civilians, diplomats, aid workers and consultants entering lead in support of Iraq.” But there are civilians in less than impressive record, when not backed by the U.S. (or multinational) firepower.
The disturbing fact is that, although the national elections held six months ago, Iraq’s political factions failed to form a government. Obama and especially Vice President Joe Biden, urged those factions get their act together, but the struggle for power and sectarian rivalries are so serious that there can be no action in the near future.
By some measures, violence and casualties in Iraq dropped to its lowest level since the war began. (By all accounts, they are well below their peak in 2006.), But other measures, the level remained virtually unchanged since 2008 or in early ’09, and in any case, they are unacceptably high by the standards of a peaceful civil society.
Many of the “benchmarks” that President Bush set in January 2007 as indicators of progress toward Iraqi political stability, also remained unfulfilled. Iraqi factions have not agreed on a formula for the distribution of oil revenues, mitigating the de-Baathification, write a new law on elections, disbanding militias, or comply with a quota of minorities in regional elections.
The idea behind these criteria was good, the problem is that President Bush has never sold them, never used the power of America to offer rewards and punishments for Iraqi successes and failures. And now, when U.S. troops pull (again, at the insistence of Iraqi and international law), our leverage is reduced even more.
In the latest issue of Iraq Index, Brookings Institution: variables to track reconstruction and security in post-Saddam Iraq on August 24, Michael O’Hanlon and Ian Livingstone write:
… Stalemate in March 2010 parliamentary elections, particularly the dispute ban nearly 500 candidates (mostly Sunnis) to participate in this process, not the future just threatens Iraq’s political progress, but partially reversed the latest advances … [Led] rollback on several key issues.
Iraq “surge” that Bush ordered in 2007 (and which Obama is now trying to emulate in Afghanistan), the reduction of violence in Iraq and did what the architect, General David Petraeus, who hoped it would do: create a relatively safe space, where the elite of Iraq can resolve their disputes through politics rather than a civil war. The problem is that the elite of Iraq did not use spatially-haven’t settle their disputes, and it is unclear whether they will manage the feat in the near future.
Just as the growth and at least equally important, the counterinsurgency strategy should be commended for creating this protected space, there are other factors also play: own Sunni rejection of foreign jihadists “ethnic cleansing” once mixed areas, the erection of concrete barriers in the center of major cities such as Baghdad, to prevent hostile sects of mixing, and the fact that many Iraqis, including some of the most talented (technocrats, doctors, merchants, etc.), simply left their homes to 2700000 other cities in Iraq and 2 million in other countries. (Less than 5 percent of them returned.)
There are encouraging signs, too: the restoration of services, in some cases pre-war level, national income growth, the spread of mobile phones, satellites and computers, as well as improving the quality, quantity, and (judging from local surveys) to the reliability of Iraqi military.
Nevertheless, as Defense Secretary Robert Gates said this morning in the blunting of speech, the American Legion:
I’m not saying that all this will not necessarily, in Iraq. … Religious tension is a fact of life. Al-Qaida in Iraq, beaten up, but not gone. This is not a time for premature victory parade or self-congratulation, even when we reflect with pride that our troops and Iraqi partners have achieved. We still have a job and responsibilities there.
Obama did make a similar point in his speech today, although brighter. “Iraq has the opportunity to adopt a new destiny,” he said, “although many challenges remain.”
Afghan concern about Pakistan is legit: Petraeus
August 31, 2010
Kabul: recent complaints from President Hamid Karzai that the war should focus on militant leaders hiding in Pakistan near Afghan villages instead of does not mean that the government no longer support the war strategy of U.S. Supreme Commander of NATO, said Tuesday.
General David Petraeus said he shared concerns about Karzai’s threat at the border in Pakistan, but said that Pakistanis should be applauded for conducting what he described as an anti-insurgency ‘ ”’impressive over the last 18 months.
The Karzai government has been most vocal in recent days about the need to destroy the sanctuaries of Taliban and al-Qaeda in Pakistan.
Afghan National Security Adviser Rangin Dadfar Spanta has argued that U.S. support to Pakistan amounts to feed the terrorists””’ senior mentor and the Afghan people are no longer willing to pay prix”des miscalculation the international community and simplicity. ”
”Given the clear link between attacks on Afghan soil by individuals who came from Pakistan and are driven and controlled from Pakistan, I believe that President Karzai and Mr Spanta have very legitimate concerns’ ‘said General Petraeus. However, he added, the Pakistani government continued à”squeeze where these people sanctuary haven, acknowledging that more work needs to be done.”
In a wide-ranging interview with The Associated Press and two other news agencies, Petraeus said it is natural that the Afghan government wants to take over a leading role in managing its own affairs national.
He said he sought clarification on the direct criticism of Afghan government officials, but do not think the comments reflect declining support for its Afghan strategy against insurgency, which aims to ensure the security and confidence of the people Afghanistan.
”Over time, I think it is quite understandable – as was the case in Iraq as well – to see our host country partners want to get ahead, want to be more important,”he said .
Petraeus said he had drafted operational guidelines to achieve the goal of having Karzai Afghan police and soldiers take the lead in 34 provinces in 2014 as the security situation allows. It is unclear whether the Afghans are ready to manage their own security, even four years later.
”These guidelines recognize that it is a process, not an event,”he said. ”It will generally represent a thinning of ISAF (International Security Assistance Force) forces not a hand-off itself.”
Discuss a date of 2014 allows politicians to tell their war-weary public that the conflict will not last forever, draining resources at a time of economic difficulties and rising death tolls. It also sends a signal to Afghans that Western engagement in the country go beyond July 2011, when President Barack Obama says he will begin withdrawing U.S. troops.
Transition”will probably take place in districts, first, rather than in entire provinces, even if some provinces where it will probably be possible,”the general said. – AP
8 28 Rally
August 28, 2010
8 28 Rally:8 / 28 Rally will soon be over in Washington. After endless 8 / 28 rally advertising and anger, restore honor 8 / 28 rally of Glenn Beck will soon pass into history. Left and right have
waiting on the edge of his seat to see what will come of today’s event. Will there be full of racism and anti-Obama frenzy, and left preaches, or will inspire America to restore its honor, as the right calls? The real impact of 8 / 28 rally probably will not be felt for some time, but the event itself had a lot to both sides, to cling to.
Glenn Beck, he rallied the crowd in the opening salvos, as he went, finally, to give his speech. He told me that “something beyond imagination, what happens,” saying that it was when America refuses to darkness.
Hype of 8 / 28 rally promised that Beck and company will restore the civil rights movement, and America in general. According to Beck, the next generation of Lincoln and Washington was in the crowd at Woodstock-like event. Of course, that God called several times, as Beck even called “God’s servant” on the African-American pastor.
For those looking for racist signs on 8 / 28 of the crowd, Beck assured that the tea party members did not bring any controversial slogans. They settled on the American flag, as Beck tried to create the impression that it really was not a political protest. Nevertheless, some might say that this Sarah Palin has violated this promise.
In addition to Beck, the largest 8 / 28 rally was made by Sarah Palin, as she also said the development of America. She warned that “some would like” to “fundamentally change America,” but that they must restore his honor, and not. She also said that the support of men and women in the armed forces was the best way to honor Martin Luther King.
Left-wing bloggers and experts will scrutinize Beck and Palin’s remarks over anti-Obama and against the progressive attitudes. As they used to do this, probably will not take them long to find something. Nevertheless, Beck and the company is likely to lead to a fight, no matter what the opponents bring up.
As 8 / 28 rally nearing an end soon, Glenn Beck has already made it clear that he considers today a great success. Whether that means “bright light of today’s America” will be grayed
soon know now, of course. In the short term, this event will best be remembered for some contentious and divisive comments to make news cycle, if any.
Long term effects of 8 / 28 rally harder to determine. Perhaps the biggest sign will come in November, as Beck and his supporters will be the next rally votes from the Democrats. Will memories of the event to provide additional impetus GOP or further divide the party?
Three killed, 40 injured in Iran earthquake
August 28, 2010
TEHRAN: Three people, including two children, were killed and 40 wounded during the earthquake that hit Iran’s largest desert Dasht-e Kavir, state television reported on Saturday.
5.9 magnitude earthquake struck on Friday to the south of the northern city of Damghan.
In a separate report, the state television website quoted the Secretary General of Iran Red Crescent Society, Zaher Rostani, as they say, that an elderly woman was also among the victims of the earthquake.
The website said six villages in the vicinity Damghan were damaged by the earthquake which about 278 km east of Tehran.
The tremor, which struck at 11:53 pm local time on Friday, also felt in the capital Tehran.
Iran sits several major fault lines in the earth’s crust, and is prone to frequent earthquakes, many of which have been devastating.
The worst in recent times was 6.3 magnitude earthquake which struck the southern city of Bam in December 2003, killing 31,000 people, about a quarter of the population, as well as the destruction of the ancient mud fortress city. -AFP
UN fears for children as floods threaten towns
August 28, 2010
UN fears for children as floods threaten towns:Flooding threatens to engulf two towns in southern Pakistan on Saturday, a month after the disaster began, as the United Nations has warned that tens of thousands of children risk death from malnutrition.
Floods worst in the world of natural disasters of Pakistan in terms of damage and number of people affected, with more than 6 million people forced to flee their homes nearly a million of them in the past few days as water flows to the south.
Holocaust killed about 1600 people, caused billions of dollars in damage to homes, infrastructure and vital sector of agriculture and stirred the wrath of US-backed government, which struggles to cope with the situation.
Floods begin to recede in most parts of the country, as water flows downstream, but high tides in the Arabian Sea, so they continue to pose a threat to the cities in Sindh province, such as Thatta, 70 km (45 miles) east of Karachi.
The water broke the banks of the Indus near Thatta, and emerged from the channel ran the filing of the river, which exacerbates the danger, Riaz Ahmed Soomro, facilitating Commissioner in southern Sindh province, told Reuters.
“Water has reached the town yet, but it is approaching,” said Soomro.
Tens of thousands of people poured out of the delta of the city, which usually has a population of about 300,000, after authorities told people to leave.
Flooding began in late July after torrential monsoon rains in the upper basin of the Indus River.
“Deadly” SYNERGY ”
Even before the floods, Pakistan’s economy was fragile. The growth, forecast at 4.5 per cent in the current fiscal year, is currently predicted that anything from zero to 3 percent.
Flooding caused damage to at least 3.2 million hectares (7.9 million acres) – about 14 percent of total sown land of Pakistan – according to the food agency of the United Nations. The total cost of crop damage is believed to be about 245 billion rupees ($ 2,860 million)
The authorities have encountered in a few days to keep the city in Shahdadkot rice-growing belt of the northern province of Sindh, raising the embankment several kilometers long, as the water crept higher.
Flood barriers are still held, Soomro said.
United Nations Assistance said are becoming increasingly concerned about the disease and hunger, especially among children in areas where even before the disaster, acute malnutrition was high.
“We fear a deadly interaction with water-borne diseases, including diarrhea, dehydration and malnutrition,” UNICEF Senior Karen Allen said in a statement.
UN Humanitarian Coordinator, Martin Mogwanja said the international response to disasters should be more assertive.
“If nothing is done, an estimated 72,000 children, currently suffer from severe malnutrition in flood-affected areas have a high risk of death,” he said. INSTITUTIONS
Karzai Aide In Corruption Probe Linked To The CIA: NYT
August 26, 2010
Karzai Aide In Corruption Probe Linked To The CIA: NYT: Assistant to the President of Afghanistan Hamid Karzai at the center of corruption probe payroll of the CIA, the New York Times, referring to the Afghan and American officials.
Mohammed Zia-Salehi, Afghan National Security Council appears to have been paid by the U.S. spy agency for many years, and the authorities in Kabul and Washington, said the Times.
Times said it was unclear whether Salehi given information, or advance in the U.S. consider the Karzai administration, or both.
Salehi was arrested by Afghan police in July, but was released after intervention by Karzai.
Salehi relationship with the CIA emphasizes the profound contradictions in the policy of the Obama administration in Afghanistan, the newspaper said.
Karzai is under pressure from the Obama administration to make greater efforts to eradicate corruption in his government to strengthen the legitimacy of his power.
Washington believes that a successful strategy to combat insurgency in Afghanistan hinges on winning the Afghan public support for the government in Kabul and dislodge the Taliban. – Reuters
Result Of Joe Miller Alaska
August 25, 2010
Result Of Joe Miller Alaska:There are still votes needed to be counted in Alaska, but it seems that Joe Miller, Alaska candidate endorsed by Sarah Palin, will be the Republican candidate for Senator. On the other hand this might be a hurting loss for incumbent Sen. Lisa Murkowski.
Palin helped and endorsed the candidate in June, when she made an extensive Facebook post supporting Joe Miller. At that time, it seemed the chances of winning the race were pretty slim, but he quickly gained strength over the following months, and proving that Palin still has a lot of influence in Alaska.
Palin had already a rivalry with the Murkowskis after she was denied the chance to inherit the Senate seat of Lisa Murkowski’s father in 2002. And this rivalry surely has helped Joe Miller, who hasn’t been officially announced as the winner of the Alaska election results.
Well, while we wait for an official count, it looks like things for Lisa Murkowski are looking pretty grim…
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Faced Judgement Day
August 25, 2010
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Faced Judgement Day:Israeli settlers warned on Wednesday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his face “Judgement Day“, if he caves to pressure to further restrict the construction of settlements in the West Bank. “This is not the time to flat, as it is literally a day of reckoning for our Prime Minister and the government,” said Naftali Bennett, head of Yesha, the main settlers’ association in the Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories.
Yesha warned in a letter to Netanyahu’s “serious diplomatic and political consequences” if it does not comply with its promise to resume issuing permits for the construction of settlements in the house, when a partial, 10-month moratorium ends on September 26. The issue of settlements is one of the most complex in the peace process in the Middle East and is expected to figure prominently in the new round of direct Israeli-Palestinian peace talks in Washington beginning on September 2. The Palestinians originally insisted they will not sit at the negotiating table without guarantees moratorium on building permits will be renewed. But no such guarantee was issued in statements by U.S. administration and the World of the Middle East Quartet, where they announced a new round of negotiations. Netanyahu faces the Palestinian and international calls to freeze settlement construction. But the leader of the ruling center-right coalition is also under intense pressure, including in his own Likud party, to pave the way for the construction of a settlers’ homes in the West Bank.
