2006-01-05
And free-market enthusiasts wish them many more.
UPI, via Pajamas Media, reports the following:
Jan. 5, 2006 (UPI delivered by Newstex) -- Hong Kong has been ranked as the world's freest economy by the Heritage Foundation for the 12th conservative year.
2006-01-04
Morning Report: January 4, 2006
Freedom for Egyptians: US press roundup. Freedom for Egyptians has an excellent analysis of recent American media coverage of Egyptian/US relations. Citing recent articles from the New York Post, the New York Times, and the Washington Post, FFE also notes an ominous silence surrounding Washington's stance toward Cairo: 'Reading the three articles apparently the American public opinion is beating the drums for pressuring the Bush Administration towards more firm measures towards the Mubarak ruling in Egypt that is proving its failure to heed to the U.S. calls to apply true political reform towards democracy and freedom. The Egyptian-US relationship is witnessing unprecedented silence over the past few months. The U.S. has started sending the messages decently when President Bush said in his famous speech in November 2003 that Egypt "has shown the way toward peace in the Middle East and now can show the way toward democracy in the Middle East." Actually, it was Iraq with the help of the US that was capable of showing the first budding democracy in the Middle East with exception to Israel. The message did not go through though. Then U.S. Secretary of State Dr. Condoleezza Rice paid a visit to Egypt last summer to give another signal that the U.S. is taking democracy in the Middle East seriously. The tone of the three reviewed articles is directly addressing the Egyptian President as the main obstcale in front of democracy and freedom in Egypt ...' Read the whole thing, and don't forget to bookmark Freedom For Egyptians. (FFE)
CTB: Pakistan arrests al-Qaeda-linked terrorists. The Counter-Terrorism Blog: 'There are news reports that Pakistan arrested Ghulam Mustafa, a.k.a. Ghulam Mustafa Tabassum, in Lahore 10 days ago. Tabassum is a leader in the outlawed Lashkar-e-Jhangvi militant group, which is linked to Al Qaeda.' Full story at the link, with more links. (CTB)
CNET: Microsoft censors Chinese blogger. CNET reports: 'Microsoft has admitted to removing the blog of an outspoken Chinese journalist from its MSN Spaces site, citing its policy of adhering to local laws. The blog, written by Zhao Jing, also known as Michael Anti, was removed from MSN servers on Dec. 31, according to investigative journalist and former CNN reporter Rebecca Mackinnon. She claimed that the blog was actively removed by MSN staff rather than being blocked by Chinese authorities. A Microsoft representative told ZDNet UK on Wednesday that it blocked Anti's MSN Space blog to help ensure that the service complied with local laws in China. ...' More at the link. (CNET)
Pyongyang exports slavery. Via Discarded Lies, the LA Times reports: 'Hundreds of young North Korean women are working in garment and leather factories like this one, easing a labor shortage in small Czech towns. Their presence in this recent member of the European Union is something of a throwback to before the Velvet Revolution of 1989, when Prague, like Pyongyang, was a partner in the Communist bloc. The North Korean government keeps most of the earnings, apparently one of the few legal sources of hard currency for an isolated and impoverished government believed to be living off counterfeiting, drug trafficking and weapons sales. Experts estimate that there are 10,000 to 15,000 North Koreans working abroad in behalf of their government in jobs ranging from nursing to construction work. In addition to the Czech Republic, North Korea has sent workers to Russia, Libya, Bulgaria, Saudi Arabia and Angola, defectors say. Almost the entire monthly salary of each of the women here, about $260, the Czech minimum wage, is deposited directly into an account controlled by the North Korean government, which gives the workers only a fraction of the money. To the extent that they are allowed outside, they go only in groups. ...' Read the rest of this horrifying and heartbreaking story at the link.
Israel army chief: IRI nukes can be destroyed. Regime Change Iran quotes a Dow Jones bulletin: 'Israeli military chief Dan Halutz Tuesday said Iran's nuclear program "can be destroyed," Israel's Army Radio said. The report quoted Halutz as making the comments during a conference at Tel Aviv University. ' Meanwhile, Hyscience cites a report from the Guardian: 'The Iranian government has been successfully scouring Europe for the sophisticated equipment needed to develop a nuclear bomb, according to the latest western intelligence assessment of the country's weapons programmes. Scientists in Tehran are also shopping for parts for a ballistic missile capable of reaching Europe, with "import requests and acquisitions ... registered almost daily", the report seen by the Guardian concludes. ...' (RCI; Guardian via Hyscience)
Debka: Syrian intel chief flees to London. Latest from Debka: 'Retired General Ali Duba, known as father of Syrian intelligence and loyal aide of Presidents Assad father and son has fled to London from Damascus. This defection follows the blunt charges leveled against Bashar Assad by former Syrian vice president Khalam Haddam last Friday, and the UN inquiry commission’s demand that the Syrian president make himself available for questioning in the Hariri assassination.' (Debka)
"Beyond the Mafia regimes." Syrian heretic Amarji: 'Corruption is the Number One obstacle in the face of development in our haggard part of the world. Entrenched regimes which act more like mafia conglomerates than actual governments can never produce the sort of reforms needed to help bridge the Development Gap separating us from the rest of the world. Therefore, those of us who are seriously interested in seeing this region living up to its full potential in terms of being able to provide for the material wellbeing of its various peoples have the awesome responsibility of trying to build alternatives to existing regimes from the ground up. ...' Be sure to follow the link to Dar Emar. (Amarji)
Ed on Abramoff scandal. Captain's Quarters reacts to the Abramoff scandal. Among his conclusions: 'The most significant development from this scandal will be the almost-certain disqualification for serious Presidential runs by anyone currently on the Hill, including Hill(ary) herself. Abramoff's stench will touch everyone currently noted for front-runner status, except possibly the most radical of Democrats, such as John Kerry -- who isn't going to get a second chance anyway. The next President of the US will be someone in a governor's seat now, and someone who hasn't served in Congress before. It could very well be Mitt Romney against Bill Richardson or Mark Warner. We'll see how it develops, but if the Abramoff corruption goes as deep as prosecutors say, look for an unprecedented series of power shifts in the next two cycles -- not partisan, but demographic, as American voters start looking for fresh choices.' (Captain's Quarters)
UPDATE: Fausta at the Bad Hair Blog has lots more links on the Abramoff scandal, and other important issues of the day. Go catch Fausta, who picks up where Morning Report leaves off.
CTB: Pakistan arrests al-Qaeda-linked terrorists. The Counter-Terrorism Blog: 'There are news reports that Pakistan arrested Ghulam Mustafa, a.k.a. Ghulam Mustafa Tabassum, in Lahore 10 days ago. Tabassum is a leader in the outlawed Lashkar-e-Jhangvi militant group, which is linked to Al Qaeda.' Full story at the link, with more links. (CTB)
CNET: Microsoft censors Chinese blogger. CNET reports: 'Microsoft has admitted to removing the blog of an outspoken Chinese journalist from its MSN Spaces site, citing its policy of adhering to local laws. The blog, written by Zhao Jing, also known as Michael Anti, was removed from MSN servers on Dec. 31, according to investigative journalist and former CNN reporter Rebecca Mackinnon. She claimed that the blog was actively removed by MSN staff rather than being blocked by Chinese authorities. A Microsoft representative told ZDNet UK on Wednesday that it blocked Anti's MSN Space blog to help ensure that the service complied with local laws in China. ...' More at the link. (CNET)
Pyongyang exports slavery. Via Discarded Lies, the LA Times reports: 'Hundreds of young North Korean women are working in garment and leather factories like this one, easing a labor shortage in small Czech towns. Their presence in this recent member of the European Union is something of a throwback to before the Velvet Revolution of 1989, when Prague, like Pyongyang, was a partner in the Communist bloc. The North Korean government keeps most of the earnings, apparently one of the few legal sources of hard currency for an isolated and impoverished government believed to be living off counterfeiting, drug trafficking and weapons sales. Experts estimate that there are 10,000 to 15,000 North Koreans working abroad in behalf of their government in jobs ranging from nursing to construction work. In addition to the Czech Republic, North Korea has sent workers to Russia, Libya, Bulgaria, Saudi Arabia and Angola, defectors say. Almost the entire monthly salary of each of the women here, about $260, the Czech minimum wage, is deposited directly into an account controlled by the North Korean government, which gives the workers only a fraction of the money. To the extent that they are allowed outside, they go only in groups. ...' Read the rest of this horrifying and heartbreaking story at the link.
Israel army chief: IRI nukes can be destroyed. Regime Change Iran quotes a Dow Jones bulletin: 'Israeli military chief Dan Halutz Tuesday said Iran's nuclear program "can be destroyed," Israel's Army Radio said. The report quoted Halutz as making the comments during a conference at Tel Aviv University. ' Meanwhile, Hyscience cites a report from the Guardian: 'The Iranian government has been successfully scouring Europe for the sophisticated equipment needed to develop a nuclear bomb, according to the latest western intelligence assessment of the country's weapons programmes. Scientists in Tehran are also shopping for parts for a ballistic missile capable of reaching Europe, with "import requests and acquisitions ... registered almost daily", the report seen by the Guardian concludes. ...' (RCI; Guardian via Hyscience)
Debka: Syrian intel chief flees to London. Latest from Debka: 'Retired General Ali Duba, known as father of Syrian intelligence and loyal aide of Presidents Assad father and son has fled to London from Damascus. This defection follows the blunt charges leveled against Bashar Assad by former Syrian vice president Khalam Haddam last Friday, and the UN inquiry commission’s demand that the Syrian president make himself available for questioning in the Hariri assassination.' (Debka)
"Beyond the Mafia regimes." Syrian heretic Amarji: 'Corruption is the Number One obstacle in the face of development in our haggard part of the world. Entrenched regimes which act more like mafia conglomerates than actual governments can never produce the sort of reforms needed to help bridge the Development Gap separating us from the rest of the world. Therefore, those of us who are seriously interested in seeing this region living up to its full potential in terms of being able to provide for the material wellbeing of its various peoples have the awesome responsibility of trying to build alternatives to existing regimes from the ground up. ...' Be sure to follow the link to Dar Emar. (Amarji)
Ed on Abramoff scandal. Captain's Quarters reacts to the Abramoff scandal. Among his conclusions: 'The most significant development from this scandal will be the almost-certain disqualification for serious Presidential runs by anyone currently on the Hill, including Hill(ary) herself. Abramoff's stench will touch everyone currently noted for front-runner status, except possibly the most radical of Democrats, such as John Kerry -- who isn't going to get a second chance anyway. The next President of the US will be someone in a governor's seat now, and someone who hasn't served in Congress before. It could very well be Mitt Romney against Bill Richardson or Mark Warner. We'll see how it develops, but if the Abramoff corruption goes as deep as prosecutors say, look for an unprecedented series of power shifts in the next two cycles -- not partisan, but demographic, as American voters start looking for fresh choices.' (Captain's Quarters)
UPDATE: Fausta at the Bad Hair Blog has lots more links on the Abramoff scandal, and other important issues of the day. Go catch Fausta, who picks up where Morning Report leaves off.
2006-01-03
Morning Report: January 3, 2006
Iraq Election Commisson: Results available January 10. Iraq the Model reports: 'today it has been announced that results will be available on January 10th. Aadil al-Lami from the election commission announced today that the international investigation team is in Baghdad now and had already participated in one of the commission’s sessions today where they observed the way the commission handles complaints as well as the way ballots are being handled. Maram’s demands for redoing the elections in several provinces are most likely to be forgotten after the UN and-repeatedly-the election commission said that violations were limited and do not require a rerun.' Full post at link. (ITM)
CTB: Algerian group want to establish al-Qaeda in Maghreb. The Counter-Terrorism Blog reports: 'Recently,four Algerians presumably close to the GSPC were placed in temporary detention in Spain. The Spanish judge, a Madrid native, Fernando Andreu suspects them of financial and logistical support to GSPC and of having tried to acquire in Grenade, dynamite Goma-2 in exchange for hashish ; interestingly this is the same dynamite that was used in the Madrid attacks of March 11, 2004. On November 24, 17 Islamists were arrested in Morocco, and according to the depositions made by one of them, they were affiliated with the Algerian group GSPC. GSPC has become probably the spearhead of the jihad in the Maghreb and in the countries of the Sahel. Their objective is to make the Maghreb a launching pad towards Europe under the auspices of the Algerian Islamist Khalid Abou Bassir ...' Full post at the link. (CTB)
The first Arab democracy.Michael J. Totten, writing in WSJ's Opinion Journal, sets the record straight: 'Iraq is not yet a model for anything. It looms, instead, as a warning. ... Lebanon, though, is an inspiration already--despite the assassinations and the car bombs that have shaken the country since February. I have an apartment in Beirut, and I recently traveled to Cairo. Arriving back here was like returning to the U.S. from Mexico. Almost everyone I met in Egypt--from taxi drivers all the way up to the elite--was profoundly envious when I said I live in Beirut. "It is a free and open city," I told them, but they knew that already. Many Americans and Europeans still think of Beirut as a hollowed-out, mortar-shattered necropolis where visitors are well-advised to bring a flak jacket. Egyptians, though--at least the ones I talked to during my stay--know the truth. Beirut is where the taboos in the region--against alcohol, dating, sex, scandalous clothing, homosexuality, body modification, free speech and dissident politics--break down. Its culture is liberal and tolerant, even anarchic and libertarian. The state barely exists. ...' Go to the link for the full piece. (Michael J. Totten via the Wall Street Journal)
CTB: Algerian group want to establish al-Qaeda in Maghreb. The Counter-Terrorism Blog reports: 'Recently,four Algerians presumably close to the GSPC were placed in temporary detention in Spain. The Spanish judge, a Madrid native, Fernando Andreu suspects them of financial and logistical support to GSPC and of having tried to acquire in Grenade, dynamite Goma-2 in exchange for hashish ; interestingly this is the same dynamite that was used in the Madrid attacks of March 11, 2004. On November 24, 17 Islamists were arrested in Morocco, and according to the depositions made by one of them, they were affiliated with the Algerian group GSPC. GSPC has become probably the spearhead of the jihad in the Maghreb and in the countries of the Sahel. Their objective is to make the Maghreb a launching pad towards Europe under the auspices of the Algerian Islamist Khalid Abou Bassir ...' Full post at the link. (CTB)
The first Arab democracy.Michael J. Totten, writing in WSJ's Opinion Journal, sets the record straight: 'Iraq is not yet a model for anything. It looms, instead, as a warning. ... Lebanon, though, is an inspiration already--despite the assassinations and the car bombs that have shaken the country since February. I have an apartment in Beirut, and I recently traveled to Cairo. Arriving back here was like returning to the U.S. from Mexico. Almost everyone I met in Egypt--from taxi drivers all the way up to the elite--was profoundly envious when I said I live in Beirut. "It is a free and open city," I told them, but they knew that already. Many Americans and Europeans still think of Beirut as a hollowed-out, mortar-shattered necropolis where visitors are well-advised to bring a flak jacket. Egyptians, though--at least the ones I talked to during my stay--know the truth. Beirut is where the taboos in the region--against alcohol, dating, sex, scandalous clothing, homosexuality, body modification, free speech and dissident politics--break down. Its culture is liberal and tolerant, even anarchic and libertarian. The state barely exists. ...' Go to the link for the full piece. (Michael J. Totten via the Wall Street Journal)
2006-01-01
Noises like Heaven
On Friday Nicole's conscience left her and she was invisible. She was quite surprised by this, although she had never taken very good care of her conscience. She called after it to explain but all it said when it turned to her, thin and shining, was, "You are free now." ...
Read the rest (in progress) here.
Update: My Fifteen Minutes
My fifteen minutes, part one. I was recently interviewed on Portland Community Media by Ann Kasper, a very nice woman I first ran into at an Iraq-related event at Portland State University. The interview focused on blogs and blogging, and the importance of the "new media" in the Iraq campaign and in today's world.
My fifteen minutes, part two. New York -based photographer John Movius put together an impressive project on Gulf War veterans called Sight Range which included a feature on yours truly. Now John is bringing his project to Portland, where it will be opening Friday, January 13th at the Interstate Firehouse Cultural Center. I plan to be there; more details to be announced later.
My fifteen minutes, part two. New York -based photographer John Movius put together an impressive project on Gulf War veterans called Sight Range which included a feature on yours truly. Now John is bringing his project to Portland, where it will be opening Friday, January 13th at the Interstate Firehouse Cultural Center. I plan to be there; more details to be announced later.
New at Pacific Memories
The eighth chapter of my father's World War II memoir is now in progress.
Read more at the link.
There were many great things to see, however, besides the array of vessels which were constantly creasing the blue water of Suva Bay and beyond. Always an impressive sight was the arrival or take-off of the great flying boats: the gull-winged, twin-engine PBM Martin Mariner; the great, four-engine PB2Y Consolidated Coronado; and the lazy, clumsy, but extremely valuable Consolidated Catalina, the PBY. The whole air throbbed when one of these monsters went into action and pulled itself out of the water
Sometimes I would scan the sections of the town that were visible; one time the pantomime of little Indian girls, dressed in the blue uniforms of their school, at play in the schoolyard over a mile away; another time a Chinese vendor of fruit trotting along with his wares balanced in baskets at ends of a bamboo pole that rested on his shoulders. He reminded me of the old fellow (maybe he was the same one!) who used to sell bananas at Cunningham road, always proclaiming the price of a bunch as "qua'ta dolla, qua'ta dolla!"
Near to the OP was a radar post, with its rectangular antenna mounted on a mast above the shack. Our interest in that place always intensified, and maybe there was a tinge of anxiety, when that antenna began swinging slowly, sweeping the air to trap an unwelcome signal. The incongruities which typified warfare in the Pacific Islands, presented thus by the radar post but a stone's throw from jungles, did not really end here, they began here. ...
Read more at the link.
Munich Syndrome
The season of Hanukkah which is now drawing to a close is occasion for Jews to reflect on our place in the world. As Jews we ask ourselves many soul-searching questions: What kind of people do we wish to be? What kind of people will the world allow us to be? And not least important, Will the world allow us to exist at all?
We are not the masters of fate, but we are the masters of our own actions. Every important decision, every major choice in life is a calculated risk - a gamble. Every decision worth making is made because of some things, and in spite of other things. And so it is that, however much we would like to live saintly lives of tolerance and peace, we are compelled to respond to a world that sometimes offers us violence and coercion.
Judith at Kesher Talk has seen the Steven Spielberg film "Munich" and is your first stop for all information about the film, critical reaction to it, and the actual, historical event it claims to portray - the massacre of the Israeli olympic team by Palestinian terrorists in the 1972 Munich olympics. Judith's latest entry on the topic is here.
I haven't seen "Munich" so I won't comment directly on the film, but I do think it's important to discuss the issues raised here. We have to examine the confluence of Jewish identity with liberalism/leftism - each of which is replete with its own set of paradoxes - to understand the attitudes of liberals, Jews, and Jewish anti-Semites.
There's a lot to say about this, but for now I'll just point you to Judith's page, and also direct your attention to LaShawn Barber's post in which LaShawn was kind enough to quote my e-mail on Jews and liberals. Also, via Judith, this post from anti-Chomskyite deconstructs a certain well-known Jewish anti-Semite.
I'll write more on this when I can.
We are not the masters of fate, but we are the masters of our own actions. Every important decision, every major choice in life is a calculated risk - a gamble. Every decision worth making is made because of some things, and in spite of other things. And so it is that, however much we would like to live saintly lives of tolerance and peace, we are compelled to respond to a world that sometimes offers us violence and coercion.
Judith at Kesher Talk has seen the Steven Spielberg film "Munich" and is your first stop for all information about the film, critical reaction to it, and the actual, historical event it claims to portray - the massacre of the Israeli olympic team by Palestinian terrorists in the 1972 Munich olympics. Judith's latest entry on the topic is here.
I haven't seen "Munich" so I won't comment directly on the film, but I do think it's important to discuss the issues raised here. We have to examine the confluence of Jewish identity with liberalism/leftism - each of which is replete with its own set of paradoxes - to understand the attitudes of liberals, Jews, and Jewish anti-Semites.
There's a lot to say about this, but for now I'll just point you to Judith's page, and also direct your attention to LaShawn Barber's post in which LaShawn was kind enough to quote my e-mail on Jews and liberals. Also, via Judith, this post from anti-Chomskyite deconstructs a certain well-known Jewish anti-Semite.
I'll write more on this when I can.
Which Dyke To Watch Out For Are You?
 | You scored as Sydney. You are Sydney! You know that most people are too foolish to make the world a better place, so you're not looking for a better tomorrow -- you're looking for some new clothes and a little respect in the academic world. You can be self-important, so be sure to hug your girlfriend and thank her for putting up with you. |
Which Dyke to Watch Out For Are You?
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Quote of the Day
“When your victimhood is your empowerment, recovery is the enemy.”
- Tammy Bruce
Quoted by John Leo in Townhall.com
Let's blogroll!
Grace Davis is going to be more social, gosh darnit! and she's signing up for a lodging-swapping project called "Can I crash?"
Alexandra von Maltzan shares some enlightened - and inspiring - thoughts on who is eligible for salvation.
Tom the Redhunter wonders who is eligible for that exalted title of "journalist".
Nykola is bothering people again! (And we're glad she is.) She's been busy! Her recent posts include a link roundup and a photo of the new puppy. And what's this about a new man in her life ... and a guest list?!? All the best to Ambra Nykol - and don't forget to bookmark her.
Michael Totten does Istanbul in a post worth 22,000 words - at least. For Michael's writing, don't miss the just-published account of his recent visit to Libya as only he can tell it.
Alexandra von Maltzan shares some enlightened - and inspiring - thoughts on who is eligible for salvation.
Tom the Redhunter wonders who is eligible for that exalted title of "journalist".
Nykola is bothering people again! (And we're glad she is.) She's been busy! Her recent posts include a link roundup and a photo of the new puppy. And what's this about a new man in her life ... and a guest list?!? All the best to Ambra Nykol - and don't forget to bookmark her.
Michael Totten does Istanbul in a post worth 22,000 words - at least. For Michael's writing, don't miss the just-published account of his recent visit to Libya as only he can tell it.
Morning Report: January 1, 2006
Iran: Mirai Glass workers protest working conditions. Workers at the Mirai glass factory protested overdue wages, according to recent reports via Regime Change Iran. Iran Focus: 'Tehran, Iran, Dec. 31 – Some 200 workers from the Miral glass factory held a demonstration and set fire to tyres south of Tehran Saturday morning in protest to their employers’ refusal to pay their overdue salaries. The glass workers gathered outside the site of their factory near the Tehran-Saveh Highway. They complained that despite five to 25 years of service, many of the workers had not received their wages for the past 10 months. State Security Forces were called in when the protestors blocked traffic on the road by burning tyres.' SMCCDI: 'Dozens of the "Miral Glass" workers created, today, roadblocks by setting materials and tires ablaze on the Saveh road of the Greater Tehran. The workers intended to protest against their poor conditions and the non payment for their wages. Security forces were sent in number in order to close the perimeters and avoid a spread of the action. Iran is the scene of daily protest actions by workers. Most nationalized companies are in stage of decomposition and bankruptcy due to the ill-policies of incompetent managers or frauds made by the political Mafia.' (SMCCDI and Iran Focus via RCI)
Turkish Press: CIA Director Porter Goss tells Ankara that Iran regime has nukes. Also via RCI, the English-language Turkish Press reports that 'During his recent visit to Ankara, CIA Director Porter Goss reportedly brought three dossiers on Iran to Ankara. Goss is said to have asked for Turkey’s support for Washington’s policy against Iran’s nuclear activities, charging that Tehran had supported terrorism and taken part in activities against Turkey. Goss also asked Ankara to be ready for a possible US air operation against Iran and Syria.' (Morning Report notes that since April 21, 2005, the post held by Mr. Goss is correctly titled "Director of the Central Intelligence Agency", as the report has it, and no longer "Director of Central Intelligence". The CIA Director now leads only the Central Intelliegence Agency proper; he reports to the Director of National Intelligence, who has authority over all US intelligence activities.) The Turkish Press article adds that 'The second dossier is about Iran’s stance on terrorism. The CIA argued that Iran was supporting terrorism, the PKK and al-Qaeda. The third had to do with Iran’s alleged stance against Ankara.' The PKK is a Kurdish separatist group that Annkara perceives as a major threat. (Turkish Press via RCI)
Debka: Top aide blasts Syria's Bashar Assad. Debka reports: 'A blistering attack on Bashar Assad was delivered by one of his closest aides, ex-vice president Khalim Haddam, over al Arabia TV Friday, Dec. 30. He denounced the Syrian president for spurning his advice to sack General Rustoum Ghazaleh, the former Syrian military intelligence in Lebanon, immediately after the assassination of former Lebanese prime minister Rafiq Hariri last February. DEBKAfile’s Middle East sources note that Haddam insinuated in the interview that Assad had had pre-knowledge of the murder and could have prevented it. He clearly laid the crime at Ghazaleh’s door and made it clear that the general would not have acted without Assad’s authority. This veteran Syrian politician’s diatribe against Assad is unprecedented and shocked opinion in Damascus and the Arab world.' Amarji, now writing from Silver Spring, says: 'The VP bombshell will definitely overshadow what I was planning to do by way of ending this year. Still, I will end this year by sticking to my plan. The following link is to a little effort of mine meant to help the opposition inside Syria get their act together over the next few months. It is not something that would not have occurred on the minds of many of them, but I think that framing things in this manner might help stir a necessary and more focused debate.' ARABIC LINK: Managing Transition. English:
German press: US readies Iran air strike. Once again thru RCI, the German media are reporting that: 'The Bush administration is preparing its NATO allies for a possible military strike against suspected nuclear sites in Iran in the New Year, according to German media reports, reinforcing similar earlier suggestions in the Turkish media. The Berlin daily Der Tagesspiegel this week quoted 'NATO intelligence sources' who claimed that the NATO allies had been informed that the United States is currently investigating all possibilities of bringing the mullah-led regime into line, including military options. This 'all options are open' line has been President George W Bush`s publicly stated policy throughout the past 18 months. But the respected German weekly Der Spiegel notes 'What is new here is that Washington appears to be dispatching high-level officials to prepare its allies for a possible attack rather than merely implying the possibility as it has repeatedly done during the past year.' (RCI)
ITM: Juma brings no rest. Mohammed at Iraq the Model reports: 'In what‘s supposed to be a “waiting day” in Iraq since it’s Friday, events and developments just kept surfacing and vacation day was just as eventful as any other day of the week. Baghdad now is suffering from a power siege that began after workers in one of Iraq’s largest refineries-the Baiji oil refinery-came under threats from terrorists who said they’d kill tanker drivers who transport oil products to the rest of the country. The oil ministry responded by shutting down the refinery as a measure to avoid loss in lives. This caused Baghdad to suffer from yet a new fuel and electricity shortage because the refinery supplies many power plants in the country. The electricity outages are most severe in the western part of Baghdad where residents are getting a little more than 6 hours/day. In a related development, Ahmed al-Chalabi has been asked to run the oil ministry after the minister Mohammed Bahr al-Iloom was forced to take a whole month off! Bahr al-Iloom said in an interview for al-Hurra that he was planning to submit his resignation after the government didn’t listen to his suggestion for a gradual increase in fuel prices instead of the sudden increase that was activated by the government days ago. Yet Bahr al-Iloom said he “was surprised by the government’s decision to give me an obligatory vacation for a whole month”. It’s worth mentioning that Chalabi is the head of the “energy committee” in the cabinet which apparently qualified him to replace the overthrown minister and makes one think that Chalabi will be the UIA’s candidate for the same post in the new government. I don’t want to talk about Chalabi Now but from what we see it seems that although Chalabi separated from the UIA, he is still considered as a loyal ally for the religious Shia parties.' More details, and analysis of recent events regarding the disputed elections, at the link. (ITM)
Koizumi notes US-Japan alliance. Xinhua via Pajamas Media reports: 'Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi reiterated Sunday in his new year address the priority of the Japan-U.S. alliance in Japan's relations with foreign countries, and vowed to carry through his reforms in the last year of his tenure. "The Japan-U.S. alliance and international cooperation serve as the foundation in the efforts to further the friendship with other countries, including the neighboring ones," the premier said in the statement. Bogged in a diplomatic standstill with the neighboring countries, especially China and South Korea over the history and other issues, Koizumi moved closer in 2005 to its traditional ally -- the United States.' Read full article at link. (Xinhua via PJM)
Russia's Gazprom to cut delivery to Ukraine. The Jerusalem Post reports: 'Russia's natural gas monopoly Gazprom on Sunday began reducing pressure in its lines to Ukraine as the deadline for stopping sales to the country came within minutes, news agencies cited a company spokesman as saying. Gazprom has said it will halt sales to the country of 48 million as of 10 a.m. (0700 GMT) after Ukraine refused a demand to more than quadruple the price it pays for Russian gas.' Full article at link. Pajamas Media has more. (JPost, PJM)
Turkish Press: CIA Director Porter Goss tells Ankara that Iran regime has nukes. Also via RCI, the English-language Turkish Press reports that 'During his recent visit to Ankara, CIA Director Porter Goss reportedly brought three dossiers on Iran to Ankara. Goss is said to have asked for Turkey’s support for Washington’s policy against Iran’s nuclear activities, charging that Tehran had supported terrorism and taken part in activities against Turkey. Goss also asked Ankara to be ready for a possible US air operation against Iran and Syria.' (Morning Report notes that since April 21, 2005, the post held by Mr. Goss is correctly titled "Director of the Central Intelligence Agency", as the report has it, and no longer "Director of Central Intelligence". The CIA Director now leads only the Central Intelliegence Agency proper; he reports to the Director of National Intelligence, who has authority over all US intelligence activities.) The Turkish Press article adds that 'The second dossier is about Iran’s stance on terrorism. The CIA argued that Iran was supporting terrorism, the PKK and al-Qaeda. The third had to do with Iran’s alleged stance against Ankara.' The PKK is a Kurdish separatist group that Annkara perceives as a major threat. (Turkish Press via RCI)
Debka: Top aide blasts Syria's Bashar Assad. Debka reports: 'A blistering attack on Bashar Assad was delivered by one of his closest aides, ex-vice president Khalim Haddam, over al Arabia TV Friday, Dec. 30. He denounced the Syrian president for spurning his advice to sack General Rustoum Ghazaleh, the former Syrian military intelligence in Lebanon, immediately after the assassination of former Lebanese prime minister Rafiq Hariri last February. DEBKAfile’s Middle East sources note that Haddam insinuated in the interview that Assad had had pre-knowledge of the murder and could have prevented it. He clearly laid the crime at Ghazaleh’s door and made it clear that the general would not have acted without Assad’s authority. This veteran Syrian politician’s diatribe against Assad is unprecedented and shocked opinion in Damascus and the Arab world.' Amarji, now writing from Silver Spring, says: 'The VP bombshell will definitely overshadow what I was planning to do by way of ending this year. Still, I will end this year by sticking to my plan. The following link is to a little effort of mine meant to help the opposition inside Syria get their act together over the next few months. It is not something that would not have occurred on the minds of many of them, but I think that framing things in this manner might help stir a necessary and more focused debate.' ARABIC LINK: Managing Transition. English:
We in the Opposition should be able to:
• Provide the outline of a vision for the country’s future. More in this regard is the ability to provide a national bill of right a national convent than only a constitution.
• Enshrine the role of national symbols and help them in creating the aura necessary to warrant popular attention and respect.
• Support the emergence of effective public leaders by hiring a professional public relations firm and by making a more professional and effective use of the media, both traditional and electronic.
• Seek endorsements from prestigious and well-known figures from a variety of fields, including the artistic, intellectual and business communities.
• Send public messages to the country’s military and security officers and continue to appeal to their sense of fair play and patriotism, contrasting their interests and those of the country with the kind of adventurist policies that the Assad regime has adopted, and the disastrous course that the House of Assad has been steering.
• Encourage the formation and adoption of specific socioeconomic platforms designed to help address the country’s most serious developmental challenges as a way of garnering greater popular sympathy and eventually endorsement.
• Enlist support of the international community, including the major players in the region. Give contacts with them the right spin, highlighting them as signs of acceptance, credibility, legitimacy and competence.
• Never lose focus of the importance of maintaining a constant media campaign designed to denude the regime.
• Never waiver, or backtrack on our confrontational policies in the face of growing pressures.
• Maintain a united front regardless of whatever disagreements that exist in the background between our various groups. Differences can always be settled later using the desired democratic system itself.
German press: US readies Iran air strike. Once again thru RCI, the German media are reporting that: 'The Bush administration is preparing its NATO allies for a possible military strike against suspected nuclear sites in Iran in the New Year, according to German media reports, reinforcing similar earlier suggestions in the Turkish media. The Berlin daily Der Tagesspiegel this week quoted 'NATO intelligence sources' who claimed that the NATO allies had been informed that the United States is currently investigating all possibilities of bringing the mullah-led regime into line, including military options. This 'all options are open' line has been President George W Bush`s publicly stated policy throughout the past 18 months. But the respected German weekly Der Spiegel notes 'What is new here is that Washington appears to be dispatching high-level officials to prepare its allies for a possible attack rather than merely implying the possibility as it has repeatedly done during the past year.' (RCI)
ITM: Juma brings no rest. Mohammed at Iraq the Model reports: 'In what‘s supposed to be a “waiting day” in Iraq since it’s Friday, events and developments just kept surfacing and vacation day was just as eventful as any other day of the week. Baghdad now is suffering from a power siege that began after workers in one of Iraq’s largest refineries-the Baiji oil refinery-came under threats from terrorists who said they’d kill tanker drivers who transport oil products to the rest of the country. The oil ministry responded by shutting down the refinery as a measure to avoid loss in lives. This caused Baghdad to suffer from yet a new fuel and electricity shortage because the refinery supplies many power plants in the country. The electricity outages are most severe in the western part of Baghdad where residents are getting a little more than 6 hours/day. In a related development, Ahmed al-Chalabi has been asked to run the oil ministry after the minister Mohammed Bahr al-Iloom was forced to take a whole month off! Bahr al-Iloom said in an interview for al-Hurra that he was planning to submit his resignation after the government didn’t listen to his suggestion for a gradual increase in fuel prices instead of the sudden increase that was activated by the government days ago. Yet Bahr al-Iloom said he “was surprised by the government’s decision to give me an obligatory vacation for a whole month”. It’s worth mentioning that Chalabi is the head of the “energy committee” in the cabinet which apparently qualified him to replace the overthrown minister and makes one think that Chalabi will be the UIA’s candidate for the same post in the new government. I don’t want to talk about Chalabi Now but from what we see it seems that although Chalabi separated from the UIA, he is still considered as a loyal ally for the religious Shia parties.' More details, and analysis of recent events regarding the disputed elections, at the link. (ITM)
Koizumi notes US-Japan alliance. Xinhua via Pajamas Media reports: 'Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi reiterated Sunday in his new year address the priority of the Japan-U.S. alliance in Japan's relations with foreign countries, and vowed to carry through his reforms in the last year of his tenure. "The Japan-U.S. alliance and international cooperation serve as the foundation in the efforts to further the friendship with other countries, including the neighboring ones," the premier said in the statement. Bogged in a diplomatic standstill with the neighboring countries, especially China and South Korea over the history and other issues, Koizumi moved closer in 2005 to its traditional ally -- the United States.' Read full article at link. (Xinhua via PJM)
Russia's Gazprom to cut delivery to Ukraine. The Jerusalem Post reports: 'Russia's natural gas monopoly Gazprom on Sunday began reducing pressure in its lines to Ukraine as the deadline for stopping sales to the country came within minutes, news agencies cited a company spokesman as saying. Gazprom has said it will halt sales to the country of 48 million as of 10 a.m. (0700 GMT) after Ukraine refused a demand to more than quadruple the price it pays for Russian gas.' Full article at link. Pajamas Media has more. (JPost, PJM)
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