Morning Report: December 26, 2006

Abu Naji. British and Iraqi troops raid a suspect police station. In Africa, islamist militias continue their retreat.

UK troops raid Iraqi police station. Details on this are still sketchy, but I'll post what I can find. Here's The Telegraph:

The UK is to explain why it demolished a notorious Iraqi police station in a bid to avert elements of the local council ending co-operation with British forces.

The Foreign Office said there would be discussions over yesterday's dramatic raid after the head of the city's council reportedly condemned it as illegal and provocative.

Officials said there had been no formal announcement of a halt to co-operation in the southern city despite threats of one - and suggested the move had been popular with local people.

More than 1,000 troops, accompanied by Iraqis, swooped on the Jameat station in the early hours amid rumours that dozens of prisoners were about to be executed.

The operation, one of the biggest led by the UK since the 2003 invasion, was part of a drive to stamp out renegade Shiite militia elements believed to have infiltrated police operating from the compound.

There had been fears of repercussions against captives after seven high-ranking members of the Serious Crime Unit were arrested by British forces on suspicion of corruption and leading a death squad last week.

A total of 127 prisoners - some thought to have been tortured - were removed from the premises and taken to other secure locations while hundreds of seized files and computers were examined for evidence.

International Herald Tribune gives more details: 'A military action against a police station in the southern city of Basra found prisoners being held in conditions that a British military spokesman, Major Charlie Burbridge, described as "appalling." More than 100 men were crowded into a single cell, about 9 meters by 12 meters, or 30 feet by 40 feet, he said, with two open toilets, two sinks and just a few blankets spread over the concrete floor. A significant number showed signs of torture. Some had crushed hands and feet, Burbridge said, while others had cigarette and electrical burns and a significant number had gunshot wounds to their legs and knees. Hundreds of British and Iraqi soldiers assaulted the police station on Monday, killing seven gunmen, rescuing 127 prisoners from what the British said was almost certain execution and ultimately reducing the facility to rubble.' More info as it becomes available. (Telegraph, IHT)

Ethiopian troops on the move, ICU thugs on the run. More good news for the good guys. Jerusalem Post: 'Islamic fighters retreated from the main front line in Somalia early Tuesday after a week of artillery and mortar duels and attacks by government and Ethiopian troops, witnesses said. Troops loyal to the Council of Islamic Courts withdrew more than 50 kilometers (30 miles) to the southeast from Daynuney, a town just south of Baidoa, the government headquarters. The retreat along the western front follows the bombing by Ethiopian jets of the country's two main international airports. The Islamic forces also abandoned their main stronghold in Bur Haqaba and were forming convoys headed toward the capital Mogadishu, residents in villages along the road told The Associated Press by telephone.' And:

Islamic fighters were in a tactical retreat Tuesday, a senior Islamic leader said, as government and Ethiopian troops advanced on three fronts in a decisive turn around in the battle for control of Somalia.

Sheik Sharif Sheik Ahmed, leader of the Council of Islamic Courts' executive body, told reporters in Mogadishu that his movement would not engage in any peace process as long as Ethiopian troops remain in Somalia.

"We have asked our troops to withdraw from some areas," he said. "The war is entering a new phase. We will fight Ethiopia for a long, long time and we expect the war to go everyplace."

Ahmed declined to explain is comments in greater detail, but some Islamic leaders have threatened a guerrilla war to include suicide bombings in Ethiopia's capital, Addis Ababa.

Islamic troops withdrew more than 80 kilometers (50 miles) to the southeast from Daynuney, a town just south of Baidoa, the government headquarters. The retreat along the western front follows the bombing by Ethiopian jets of the country's two main international airports.

Advancing government and Ethiopian troops captured Bur Haqaba, one of the Islamists' main bases after it was abandoned early Tuesday.

"We woke up from our sleep this morning and the town was empty of troops, not a single Islamic fighter," Ibrahim Mohamed Aden, a resident of Bur Haqaba said.

Islamic fighters were also reportedly retreating on two other fronts. ...

Full article at the link. Yedioth: 'Ethiopian troops are advancing on the Somali capital, Mogadishu, and could seize it within 24-48 hours, Somalia's envoy to Ethiopia said on Tuesday. "Ethiopian forces are on their way to Mogadishu. They are about 70 km (40 miles) away and it is possible they could capture it in the next 24 to 48 hours," Abdikarin Farah told reporters in the Ethiopian capital.' The analysis at The Fourth Rail concludes: 'The Islamic Courts appears to be surprised by the quick advance and ferocity of attacks by the Ethiopian and TFG forces, as the hasty withdrawal from important towns, and abandoned critical weapons systems. To prevent a successful insurgency, the Ethiopian and TFG forces must press the attack, remove as many senior and mid-level ICU leaders as possible from the battlefield, seize as much territory as possible, and quickly restore order to the areas wrested from ICU. Dr. Abdiweli Ali, an adviser to the Transitional Federal Government, indicated to us that this is in the works.' Go get 'em. (various)

Shock unplugged. Boston Herald (h/t Malkin): 'Hachette Filipachi Media last week may have pulled the plug on its controversial photo magazine Shock after just eight issues. But a former Green Beret who now uses Massachusetts as his base is vowing to keep up the fight against the French media giant who he says illegally published one of his Iraq War photos without his permission.
“Even with Shock out of circulation, the battle with HFM has only just begun,’’ said Michael Yon, in an exclusive e-mail interview with the Herald as he prepared to go back to Iraq for more war reporting for his popular Web blog(www.michaelyon.blogspot.com).' Michael Yon's current site is here. Here's Michael Yon on Shock Magazine. (various)

Commentary. I don't have any comments on the situation in Basra, except that if we're getting closer to the rule of justice and law and away from vigilanteism, then that's a good thing. Here's Amir Taheri, from a couple of days ago, on southern Iraq:

One does not need to look hard to spot a few members of the Mahdi Army, the militia supposed to be led by Muqtada Al-Sadr, a junior mullah now in cahoots with Iran. However, although the Sadr family of theologians enjoys a reputation built over more than four centuries it is clear that young Muqtada and his associates do not run the show in Basra.

The strongest Shiite group in the city is a loose coalition known as the Fadhilah (Virtue) Party that, while developing the usual themes of Shiism, is Arab nationalist and anti-Iranian. The second most influential Shiite party in the city is the Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution in Iraq (SCIRI), another loose coalition led by Abdul-Aziz Hakim, a junior mullah, and Adel Abdul-Mahdi, one of Iraq's two vice presidents. While SCIRI was close to Iran for almost a quarter of a century it has taken care to emphasize its independence since the fall of Saddam in 2003.

Iran's influence in the form of Mafia-like networks of military and business interests may look pervasive. But this does not hide the fact that most Iraqis Shiites do not like Iran and are suspicious of its allegedly hegemonic ambitions. If they still maintain an appearance of close fraternal ties with Iran, it is to have an insurance policy against the day the Americans and their allies run away. Iran's money, important in the early post-Saddam days, is no longer needed. Most Iraqi Shiite groups have developed their own networks of making money through semi-legal, and at times openly illegal, business activities that include exports of refined petroleum products to Iran.

The lesson here is that: 'To tribal sheikhs who have re-emerged as key players in southern Iraq's checkered politics, the success or failure of Basra's return to life largely depends on whether or not the Multinational Force, which in their case means the British contingent of 7,100 soldiers, will leave before the local security forces are in a position to assume control. The sheikhs call the British "Abu-Naji" which could be roughly translated into "The Father of salvation". It is no longer in purely military terms that the British presence is still needed. Early last month a British contingent, backed by Danish Special Forces, organized a spectacular raid on a cluster of terrorist hideouts along the river in Basra, killing and capturing a number of insurgents and seizing arms caches. Such operations, however, are rare, as the "Abu Naji" has been preparing to hand over the province's security to the Iraqis and let Iraqi units do whatever fighting may still be required.' From the recent news, it doesn't look like the British are planning on leaving any time soon.

Morning Report: December 25, 2006

Who goes there? Some high-ranking foreigners were detained in Iraq, and a neighboring government is going to have some explaining to do; meanwhile, islamists are losing ground - and nerve - in the Horn of Africa.

Iranian officials detained in Iraq. Reuters via Yedioth: 'The US Military is holding at least four Iranians in Iraq, including men the Bush administration calls senior military officials, who were seized in raids last week, the New York Times reported on Sunday. The raids were aimed at people suspected of conducting attacks on Iraqi security forces, the Times said, citing senior Iraqi and US officials in Baghdad and Washington. Gordon Johndroe, spokesman for the US National Security Council, told the Times two Iranian diplomats were among those initially detained in the raids. They were turned over to Iraqi authorities and released, he said. The Times said Johndroe confirmed that a group of other Iranians, including the military officials, remained in custody while an investigation continued.' Tammy Bruce comments: 'Why would the Bush admin finally take action against Iranians in Iraq now? Because next month he will be telling us what his new plans for Iraq are, we have his State of the Union address, and he needs a good reason to explain why he's rejecting the ISG's suggestion that we negotiate with that pit of a nation.' (Ynet, Tammy Bruce)

Ethiopian forces escalate ware against Somali islamists. New York Times: 'Ethiopia has plunged into war with Somalia’s Islamist forces, pushing ground troops deep into Somali territory on Sunday and attacking the airport in the capital of Mogadishu today, in a major escalation that could turn Somalia’s internal crisis into a violent religious conflict that engulfs the entire Horn of Africa. Ethiopia’s Christian-led government has with tacit American support been helping a weak interim government in Somalia that is threatened by forces loyal to the Islamic clerics who control the capital and much of the country.' Debka: 'Ethiopian fighter jets bomb Mogadishu International Airport Monday. Two people were reported killed in the attack, the first on the headquarters of the Somali Islamic Courts militia, which has occupied the capital and much of the south since June. Sunday, Ethiopian prime minister Meles Zenawi acknowledged that his army was providing air and artillery support for Somali government forces against the Islamist rebels. He said his country was acting in self-defense after the Islamists, fighting for rule based on the Koran, declared holy war on Ethiopia. The Islamist militia is boosted by hundreds of foreign Islamic radicals and believed in Washington to be led by wanted al Qaeda terrorists. Commanders of the Somali forces backed by Ethiopian troops finally claimed gains Monday. They reported the overnight capture of the border town of Belet Wayne after Ethiopian jets bombed Islamic positions. Heavy artillery and mortar fire continued around the beleaguered town of Baidoa, where the government is holed up.' Stratfor (subscription): 'Ethiopian jets bombed the airports in the Somalian capital, Mogadishu, and in Balidogle in southern Somalia on Dec. 25 as Prime Minister Meles Zenawi declared war on the Supreme Islamic Courts Council. Ethiopian ground forces also began moving into Somalia, as aircraft struck other towns in Somalia, according to reports from Somalia. Ethiopian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ambassador Solomon Abede said the Mogadishu airport was attacked because illegal flights were attempting to land there.' Tammy: 'Ethiopia, a largely Christian nation, has launched air strikes against the Islamist terrorists who have been terrorizing Somalia, and declared a jihad against Ethiopia. Keep in mind, Somalia is lost today because Bill Clinton did not have the courage in 1993 to stay and destroy the Islamist warlords, then funded by Osama bin Laden. It was that retreat, after the infamous 'Black Hawk Down' tragedy, when OBL labeled America a "paper tiger," and encouraged him to attack America on our home soil.' (various)

Sikh militants with RDX. Counterterrorism Blog: 'At least three suspected militants affiliated to International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF-Rode) were arrested from different locations on Dec. 24 in Jalandhar (Punjab) along with approx. 11 kg of RDX and other ammunitions. Punjab police sources opined that the explosives were to be used for carrying out disruptive activities during the forthcoming State Assembly election. The militants were identified by the investigating agencies. Jaswinder Singh was arrested from the Chhotti Baradari area with two kg of RDX and a hand grenade. Amolak Singh and Paramjit Singh Dhaddi were arrested with three kgs and six kgs of RDX hand grenades, detonators respectively from undisclosed locations. ...' Full article by Animesh Roul, with background information, at the link. (CTB)

James Brown dies. Jerusalem Post: 'James Brown, known as "the Godfather of Soul," died aged 73, his agent said on Monday morning. Brown was a seminal force in the evolution of gospel and rhythm and blues into soul and funk. He has also left his mark on numerous other musical genres, including rock, jazz, reggae, disco, dance and electronic music, and hip-hop music. Brown began his professional music career in 1953 and skyrocketed to fame in the late 1950s and early 1960s on the strength of his thrilling live performances and a string of smash hits. In spite of various personal problems and setbacks, he continued to score hits in every decade through the 1980s. In the 1960s and 1970s Brown was a presence in American political affairs, noted especially for his activism on behalf of African Americans and the poor.' (JPost)

Commentary. Bill Roggio at The Fourth Rail has an analysis of the situation in Somalia, and things aren't looking good for the ICU:

The Ethiopian Air Force has struck deep into the heart of the Islamic Courts held territory. The Mogadishu airport, as well as the Baladogle airport, which is about 70 miles south of the capital, have been hit in air attacks.

Ethiopian and TFG [Transitional Federal Government of Somalia] forces have retaken the strategic border town of Beletweyn after intensive air and artillery strikes, and are now advancing southeast (yesterday we predicted the TFG/Ethiopian force would advance in this direction.) Residents report the ICU retreated without a fight. Beletweyn sits astride the lines of communications to the north and south, and is on the road to Mogadishu. A push southwest from Beletweyn will split ICU forces engaged against Ethiopian and Puntland forces in the Galguduud state. Heavy fighting has also been reported in Gelinsor and Bandiradley, south of the Puntland city of Galcayo.

Roggio also notes that: 'Al-Qaeda leaders Osama bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri has praised the success of the Islamic Courts over the course of the past year in several audio and video tapes. The defeat of the Islamic Courts would strike a blow to al-Qaeda, and deny it a base of operations astride the Bab El Mandeb, the strait between the Arabian Peninsula and Africa, one of the world's seven vital oil choke points.'

Let's hope the good news keeps coming. And to those who celebrate, merry Christmas.

Morning Report: December 24, 2006

Over the edge. The action in New York may not look like much, but it was enough to yank somebody's chain pretty good. Plus: light on a suspected mole, and a bad day for the Taliban.

UN votes in favor of Iran sanctions. Stratfor (subscription): '1705 GMT - The United Nations on Dec. 23 voted to sanction Iran for its refusal to halt nuclear fuel enrichment activities. The full text of the sanctions has not yet been released.' According to Debka, Mr. Ahmadinejad is not pleased: 'Ahmadinejad says “issuers” of UN sanctions resolution against Iran “will soon regret their useless act”. He called the sanctions resolution the Security Council carried unanimously Saturday, Dec. 23, against Iran for refusing to halt uranium enrichment “trash paper”. Iran’s senior nuclear negotiator said Iran will begin installing 3,000 centrifuges at a uranium enrichment plan at Natanz from Sunday and drive it with full speed. Shortly before the vote, the US and Russian presidents conferred by telephone to overcome last-minute snags.' Debka's analysts are unimpressed:

The price of a unanimous vote was an emasculated sanctions motion which leaves US and Israel minus a policy or defense for Iran’s nuclear weapons program. The final version contains little that should inconvenience Tehran, and no word on the clandestine military nuclear activities systematically concealed from UN inspectors.

While banning imports and exports of dangerous materials and technology relating to nuclear enrichment, reprocessing, ballistic missile programs and heavy water reactors - such as the one in Arak - the resolution omits to block the far larger reactor the Russians are building at Bushehr, even though it will be able to produce plutonium for making a weapon. Moscow has also got away with forcing Western members to drop the proposed travel ban and financial freeze against 11 individuals and 12 organizations from Iran which associated with nuclear programs, to prevent them from buying dangerous materials.

Victor Comras at Counterterrorism Blog thinks it's not enough, but better than nothing:

Sanctions can be very useful tools when carefully crafted, used wisely, and in conjunction with other measures and policies designed to achieve clear objectives. I believe that substantive economic and trade sanctions could be used effectively to dissuade Iran from continuing to pursue its nuclear weapons program. Iran’s economy is very fragile, and the current economic situation has already created growing internal opposition to the policies of Iran’s erratic President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. But the measures so far adopted are not designed to disrupt or distress Iran’s economy or normal trade and business activities. Nor do they penalize Iran’s leaders. Rather, they are directed only at hampering (they certainly won’t stop) Iran’s access to nuclear material and technology. They are unlikely to foster increased domestic pressure on the Ahmadinejad government to change course.

The sanctions are very narrowly targeted. They direct all countries to freeze the assets of 10 Iranian entities and 12 individuals associated with Iran’s centrifuge programs, its heavy water reactor at Arak and its pilot uranium enrichment plant at Natanz. The 12 individuals include a vice president of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization and officials associated with the Arak and Natanz plants. The measures also impose a limited ban on materials and technology that could contribute to “enrichment-related, reprocessing or heavy water related activities, or to the development of nuclear weapons delivery systems.” One should note, however, that these same items supposedly have already long been restricted under various international agreements such as the Nuclear Supplier Group, the Wassenaar agreement and the NPT itself.

Full post at the link. More analysis as it becomes available. (various)

Key Taliban figure killed. Washington Times: 'A U.S. air strike near the Pakistan border killed the Taliban's southern military commander, an associate of Osama bin Laden and heir to Taliban leader Mullah Mohammed Omar, U.S. and Afghan officials said yesterday. Akhtar Mohammed Osmani's vehicle was hit by a U.S. air strike Tuesday as he traveled in a deserted area in the southern province of Helmand, the spokesman said. Two of his associates also were killed. U.S. and Afghan officials said the strike was a major victory. Ahmed Rashid, a leading author on the Taliban, said Osmani's death could disrupt planning for a Taliban offensive early next year, designed to extend the recent surge of violence across Afghanistan. Osmani played an instrumental role in some of the Taliban's most notorious excesses -- including the demolition of the ancient Buddha statues in Bamiyan and the trial of Christian aid workers in 2001, Mr. Rashid said. He also was one of three top associates of Mullah Omar, and among the first supporters of bin Laden within the militant Islamic militia's top ranks, Mr. Rashid said.' BBC: 'Mullah Akhtar Mohammad Osmani's vehicle was reportedly hit in an air strike in Helmand province in south Afghanistan. The US said Mullah Osmani was the chief Taleban military commander in southern Afghanistan - scene of heavy clashes between the Taleban and US-led forces. A Taleban spokesman is said to have dismissed reports of his death. But Afghanistan's interior ministry confirmed the killing, calling it "a big achievement."' (Washington Times, BBC)

British spy debacle: An end to denial? As reported at DiL earlier, a highly-placed British corporal named Daniel James has been accused of spying for "the enemy", believed to be a reference to Iran. Michael Ledeen writes at his new weblog (care to guess what it's called?):

Con Coughlin is one of the best British journalists on the military/intelligence/national security beat, and he is privy to the thinking of top policy people and field commanders. In today’s “Telegraph” he picks up on a theme I raised yesterday: that both Washington and London are grudgingly coming to accept the fact that Iran is waging war against us in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Coughlin carefully spells out the implications of the accusation against a top British military aide in Afghanistan. Corporal Daniel James–the personal interpreter for the commander of NATO forces in Afghanistan–is charged with giving the Iranians information that “prejudic(es) the safety of the (British) state.” No matter how this case is ultimately resolved, Coughlin writes, the fact that Iran is interested in recruiting such people confirms the mullahs’ desire to ensure the failure of our mission.

Ledeen differs from Coughlin only in the assessment of where the culture of denial is rooted: 'Coughlin explains it in a purely military context. He says that NATO troops have enough to do, fighting Taliban units in southern Afghanistan, and are just not prepared to extend their field of operations to the north and west. But, as he says, that would necessarily change if, as appears to be case, our leaders can no longer ignore the evidence. I think the self-blinding of the West took place at a higher, and more political, level. I blame the intelligence community and the diplomats.' Read the full article at the link. Richard at Hyscience has some thoughts. (Michael Ledeen, Hyscience)

Commentary. Regardless of the immediate, direct impact of UN sanctions against the IRI, this is a big victory for a couple of reasons. One, nobody will be able to say that "America is isolating itself in the world" when the US has successfully negotiated a unanimous vote by the UNSC against Iran. Two, and perhaps more important, this will help to push Tehran's psychotic thug-in-chief over the edge - as we've already seen.

Ahmadinejad was dealt a setback in the recent elections and he's not in a good mood. Those elections, BTW, showed support for Ahmadinejad's rivals, the "moderate conservatives"; and as SKF puts it, 'If Rafsanjani is a Moderate Conservative I don't know what to call the rest of them.' But as even the BBC has to admit, 'Ahmadinejad's supporters were said to be in a minority' for Tehran's city council, and 'supporters have also failed to main significant gains on the Assembly of Experts, which can dismiss the supreme leader.'

It's going to be getting harder for AJ to keep calling Bush the "world's most hated" leader.

Morning Report: December 22, 2006

Abizaid requests another carrier in Gulf. Debka: 'US Middle East Commander Gen. John Abizaid puts in request for another carrier in Gulf region as warning to Syria and Iran. DEBKAfile’s military sources report that this request, revealed by a senior Pentagon official, is the first time in four years that an American general has asked for a special force as a deterrent for Syria and Iran. Our Washington sources interpret the publication of Gen. Abizaid’s request during the visit to Iraq of the new defense secretary Robert Gates’ and head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Peter Pace as indicating that the Bush administration is heading for a major operation against the two key threats to Iraq’s stability: the Sunni insurgents supported by Syria and the Shiite militias, which receive arms, intelligence and funding from Tehran. In its latest quarterly report, the defense department accused Iran and Syria of undermining the Iraqi government by providing both active and passive support to anti-government and anti-coalition forces. The application to deploy a third carrier in the Gulf in late March 2007 is a pointer to the projected timeline of this operation. It will confront Tehran and Damascus with the option of direct intervention to rescue their Iraqi allies, or standing aside. President George W. Bush is officially reported to have not yet decided on the coming steps in Iraq. However the central command’s application for another carrier suggests that the decision is more or less final. The carrier Eisenhower and its strike group are already in the Gulf region accompanied by guided missile destroyers and the nuclear assault submarine USS Newport, as is the USS Boxer Strike Group.' (Debka)

Indonesian Supreme Court overturns Ba'asyir conviction. Counterterrorism Blog: 'Late on Thursday, the Indonesian Supreme Court overturned the two-year conviction for militant cleric Abu Bakar Ba'asyir. In doing so, the court was saying that the conviction of Ba'asyir was invalid--and his involvement in the 2002 Bali bombing is not proven. The court also ordered the government to "rehabilitate" Ba'asyir's name, though at least one government spokesman on Thursday was insisting that they still viewed Ba'asyir as a terrorist. Few had anticipated the Supreme Court verdict, though in a sense it is not a surprise. During two separate trials, the Indonesian government prosecutors had put together incredibly weak cases against Ba'asyir. Part of this was blamed on incompetence. ... Regardless of where the fault lies, an emboldened Ba'asyir is certain to ratchet up his already fiery rhetoric. Yesterday was definitely two steps backward for Indonesia's counter-terrorist effort.' Full post at the link. (CTB)

Michael Totten is back. Michael J. Totten: 'I’m back from a three-week under-the-radar trip to Beirut and South Lebanon. I wanted to write about events there while they were happening. But I went to Hezbollah’s southern “capital” of Bint Jbail, and also to their blasted-apart command and control center in the dahiyeh, the suburb south of Beirut. I’m on their “list,” so to speak, and it was both easier and safer to work without announcing my presence and giving them the chance to run interference. ...' Go read the rest - and wish Michael a speedy recovery from that flu. (MJT)

Islamists waging "full-scale war" on Ethiopian troops in Somalia. News24: 'Fighting between Ethiopia-backed government troops and Islamist forces raged for a third day on Friday in southern Somalia, with the Islamists vowing to wage "full-scale war". Islamic commander Hassan Bullow said: "Our Mujahideen are ready to defend themselves from the invading enemies. This war is a religious obligation and we are here to fight for our religion against the enemies until we die." Ethiopia was supporting Somalia's weak government against the Islamist forces, which controlled the capital, Mogadishu, and much of the war-ravaged Horn of Africa nation.'

Morning Report: December 15, 2006

In the news. Yemen's role in terror, Rice's words on the Middle East, a step forward in the Garden State, and a new face at the UN. Plus, civil war looms in Gaza, but Brussels can sleep soundly tonight. But TRWSNBN doesn't make today's news.

Yemen: AQ HQ. Armies of Liberation cites Jed Babbin quoting a Pentagon briefing: 'Another part of the briefings focused on al-Qaeda, and its own coalition of allied groups that is spread throughout the Middle East and parts of Africa. The briefing talked in terms of "leadership nodes," "operational cells" and "support nodes", dotting them all over a densely-packed map that ran from Waziristan to Mogadishu to Algiers. It bears translation from Pentagonese. Al-Qaeda has evolved greatly from its early days of personalization in Usama bin Laden, Ayman al-Zawahiri and a few others. Our military leaders now characterize it as a "franchise" that shares communications, some funding and sometimes coordinates actions. Some terrorism experts now say that al-Qaeda is less than that, a loosely-knit network of terrorist groups that coordinate only in giving credit to bin Laden for propaganda purposes. It's impossible to define it with precision, but the map showed al-Qaeda leaders headquartered in nine places including Jiddah, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Waziristan (eastern Pakistan), two places in Iraq (Baghdad and northeastern Iraq), northern Uzbekistan and (and here the map is a bit imprecise) two places in Somalia. Al-Qaeda's objective, we must remember, is the same as that of Iran, but in a much different form.' [Edited. There are many ways to spell the name of the terrorist group, but "al-Queda" isn't one of them. -aa] Jane adds: 'Yemen is a central node in that the insurgency in northeastern Iraq has significant support from within Yemen, the links between Yemeni and Saudi al-Qaeda are broad, and many of the Jihaddists in Somalia arrived via Yemen.' Be sure to stay on top of Yemen-related events with Armies of Liberation. (Armies of Liberation)

Rice: No engagement of Iran, Syria on Iraq. Reuters: 'U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has rejected a bipartisan panel's recommendation that the Bush administration engage Syria and Iran in efforts to stabilize Iraq, The Washington Post reported on Friday. The "compensation" required for any such deal might be too high, Rice told the paper in an interview. Rice said she did not want to trade away Lebanese sovereignty to Syria or allow Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon as a price for peace in Iraq, the Post reported. She also argued that neither Syria nor Iran should need incentives to help achieve stability in Iraq, the Post reported. "If they have an interest in a stable Iraq, they will do it anyway," Rice said.' Morning Report dares to hope that the old Condi may be making a comeback. (Reuters)

New Jersey approves civil unions. New York Blade: 'New Jersey legislators passed a "civil unions" bill yesterday that grants same-sex couples all the rights and privileges of heterosexual marriage but does not confer the name "marriage" upon those unions. Legislators and gay rights activists alike agreed that this was just the first step in the march toward marriage. "Mark my words, marriage equality will be the law of the land within the next two years," said Steven Goldstein, chair of Garden State Equality, New Jersey’s LGBT rights organization.' (New York Blade)

Palestinian civil war watch. Debka: 'Casualties from gunfights in Ramallah and Gaza between rival Palestinian Hamas and Fatah factions after Hamas vows to even score for attempt on life of Hamas PM Ismail. Mahmoud Abbas’ loyalists fired on Haniya's convoy as it entered Gaza, killing a bodyguard, injuring five including his son. Hamas accused Fatah leader Mohammed Dahlan of orchestrating the attack.' AP: Hamas militants, angry that Israel was preventing Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh from returning to Gaza, burst into the Rafah border terminal Thursday, sparking a gunbattle with guards before taking control of the crossing. Two Hamas militants were wounded. Travelers at the terminal dived for cover and a top Hamas official furiously tried to persuade the militants to disperse. Following the gunbattle, European monitors said the border would not be reopened Thursday, apparently leaving Haniyeh stranded in Egypt.' Sandmonkey can scarcely contain his anguish. (various)

Ban Ki-Moon on United Nations agenda. AP via Mercury News: 'South Korea's Ban Ki-moon laid out an ambitious agenda as the next U.N. secretary-general, promising to become personally engaged in efforts to bring peace to the Mideast and Darfur and to clean up the world body. The 62-year-old career diplomat, who was sworn in Thursday to a five-year term that begins Jan. 1, also said he plans "concerted action" to achieve U.N. development goals that include cutting extreme poverty by half and universal education by 2015. ... In his sharpest comments, Ban said Iran's call for Israel's destruction and its dismissal of the Nazi Holocaust were "unacceptable" - and he called on all countries to respect "both in rhetoric and practice" that it is not acceptable to call for the elimination of any state or people. Ban also expressed concern about the regional and global implications of Tehran's nuclear program and urged the Iranian government to engage in negotiations with the six parties that offered a package of incentives if it suspends uranium enrichment. As South Korea's foreign minister, Ban was deeply involved in the six-nation effort to persuade North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons program. He said he will be watching the talks, which resume Monday in Beijing, and thinking about initiatives he can take as secretary-general. Ban also said he planned to become "directly engaged" in efforts to bring peace to Sudan's Darfur region, adding his first trip may be to an African Union summit in late January.' (AP)

Flanders flounders. There has not, we reapeat, NOT been a coup in Belgium. Fox News sets the record straight: 'BRUSSELS, Belgium — Suddenly and shockingly, Belgium came to an end. State television broke into regular programming late Wednesday with an urgent bulletin: The Dutch-speaking half of the country had declared independence and the king and queen had fled. Grainy pictures from the military airport showed dark silhouettes of a royal entourage boarding a plane. Only after a half hour did the station flash the message: "This is fiction." It was too late. Many Belgians had already fallen for the hoax. ... The RTBF's phony newscast reported that the "Flemish parliament has unilaterally declared the independence of Flanders" and that King Albert and Queen Paola had left on the first air force plane available.' (Fox)

Commentary. No one can say what is going on behind the scenes; we may be sure that strings are being pulled, arms are being twisted, and favors are being called in. Sometimes I despair of ever making any sense of the cryptic signals the world's leaders send from one day to the next: What did Condi mean by this? Did Olmert really mean to say that? What was Blair getting at when he said ... ? And so on.

I've been kind of holding my breath since November (actually longer than that) because it has appeared that the Bush Administration has turned its back on the Bush Doctrine. And that may be the case. Or maybe there are other cards being played in a back room somewhere where we can't see them, and eventually, mysteriously, the pieces will fall into place.

So I don't know whether Rice's strong words on Iran and Syria mean anything or not, and I don't know whether the new guy at the UN will change things or not. But you know, tomorrow is another day.

Morning Report: December 14, 2006

Thursday roundup. An Iraqi analysis of The Report That Shall Not Be Named, a threat is uncovered in northern Iraq, and things heat up in Gaza.

ITM on ISG. Omar at Iraq the Model responds to a certain report:

The strange thing is that although the report is highly publicized and the recommendations touch on many critical topics few of ordinary Iraqis here seem interested in discussing it and the interest can be seen almost only among politicians.

It's actually not that strange; many people see this report and other political movements as an effort among politicians to make deals that can only by coincidence be in the interest of the people.
Anyway, that's not the way I feel—the report addresses both Iraq's and America's problems and needs and it did open a new dimension to the debate or at least, refreshed the debate.

Of course I'm not going to discuss or comment on every single one of the 79 recommendations but I'd like to share my general impressions about the document and will make that brief.

The External Approach; I basically do not think this can work especially when it comes to dealing with the main regional players; Syria and Iran and particularly Iran. I simply can't see a chance for the US to find common grounds with the current regime in Iran whose main goal is to extend its "Islamic revolution" throughout the middle east.

And I have no doubt that Iran, with the mullahs in power, is not willing to accept a compromise that offers the US even a marginal level of benefit. The goals and visions of the two countries are so at odds that they can't agree on anything, let alone work together.

Syria represents a rather different issue but still, what applies to Iran applies to Syria as well; the history of the middle east-one full of blood from coups-taught us not to trust clerics nor dictators. ...

All I want to say is that the political offensive described in the ISG report must evolve into an intensive political assault if it's to become a valid strategy. ...

What I want to say is; if the external approach is really important to success then it has to go side by side with the internal one, and that I doubt would happen in the way it's presented in the report.

On the other hand and contrary to the external approach I think the Internal Approach has outlined several very thoughtful and astute recommendations for policy adjustments particularly in areas such as increasing the numbers of embedded US military advisers, the judicial system, fighting corruption, the oil sector (the meters and the way to deal with local tribes for example), putting police commandos and border guards under the defense ministry…These are good ideas that when implemented will make a difference.

Read the full analysis at the link. (ITM)

Iraqi Police discover rockets aimed at Coalition Forces base. MNF-Iraq: 'Iraqi Police discovered three rockets emplaced by insurgents and aimed at Forward Operating Base Warrior Wednesday while on patrol in Kirkuk. The rockets were set on fabricated launchers and equipped with improvised timing devices. Iraqi police patrolling a southwest neighborhood of the city identified a suspicious vehicle in the area. When IP approached, the vehicle abruptly sped away,
and the police then discovered the rockets at the location. The Provincial Joint Communication Center notified a Coalition Forces’ explosive ordnance disposal team which moved to the scene. The EOD team disarmed the rockets and conducted a controlled detonation at the site. Analysis by the team determined that the intended target appeared to be the U.S. base on the western edge of the city. However, the improvised set up and relative inaccuracy of the rockets also posed a credible hazard to the citizens in the neighborhood.' (MNFI)

Breaking: Blasts on Egypt-Gaza border. MSNBC: 'RAFAH, Gaza Strip - Two loud explosions rocked the Gaza-Egypt border after nightfall Thursday, and security officials said militants had blown a hole in the border fence. There were no immediate details on who carried out the explosion. But it came shortly after Hamas militants seized control of the Rafah border crossing. Israel had closed the border to prevent Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh from returning with millions of dollars for his Hamas government.' Jerusalem Post (also from AP): 'Hamas gunmen angry that Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh was prevented from returning to Gaza, burst into the Rafah border terminal Thursday, sparking a gunbattle with guards before taking control of the crossing. The Hamas members waiting outside the terminal grew impatient for Haniyeh's return and broke into the compound, shooting in the air. The Palestinian Presidential Guard, responsible for security at the terminal, began firing at them, according to an Associated Press journalist at the terminal.' Debka:

Hundreds of Hamas Ezz e-Din al-Qassam militiamen firing guns seize control of the Egyptian-Gaza Rafah crossing. Hamas sends a missile barrage flying against Sderot. European inspectors and Fatah Presidential Guard 17 troops fled the heavy Hamas fire, after shutting the crossing at Israel’s demand against the returning Hamas prime minister Ismail Haniya Thursday evening. The gunmen are now tearing down the border hangars, destroying the monitoring equipment and blowing up the border fence as hundreds stream to the border to welcome the Hamas leader. Israel refuses to allow him to access the Gaza Strip carrying suitcases packed with an estimated $30-35 million dollars out of the quarter of a million Iran donated to Hamas’ war effort during his visit to Tehran. Israel also accuses Haniya of bringing with him a group of militiamen who signed military accords inviting Iranian trainers to the Gaza Strip. Iranian officers may also be in his party.

More details on this as it develops. (various)

Commentary. Here's a piece in the Standard that dovetails with Ghazal Omid's message in this blog. S. Enders Wimbush at the Standard critiques the current format of Radio Farda:

Originally intended by Congress to operate as Radio Free Iran, the station was abruptly morphed into Radio Farda ("Tomorrow" in Persian) in 2002. It now broadcasts chiefly music and American popular culture aimed at Iran's kids. Mostly gone is the "ideas" menu--history, culture, religion, economics, law, human rights, labor, business, critical thinking--employed to great effect during the Cold War by its parent organization, Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, whose intended listeners were critical elites and the populations that supported them.

To become an effective instrument in the war of ideas, Radio Farda should be completely overhauled, not just tinkered with.

In a nutshell, Enders' "Six Strategies" are: Question the regime's legitimacy (specifically, its claim to "Islamic legitimacy"); highlight the leadership's disunity; highlight threats to Iran's culture; describe Iran's isolation, economic decline, and growing lack of competitiveness; build critical/pragmatic thinking; and empower alternative power centers with new ideas.

Regular readers of this site will recall Ghazal Omid's words last April:

VOA and Radio Farda, use entertainment and pop music and culture to gain the wrong kind of popularity among the youth; it may sell an album but will not sell a nation. ...

VOA, Radio Farda and many other Iranian radio and television stations generously subsidized by the United States teach the wrong way to fight the Iranian regime. For instance, in an article in Time magazine about the youth resistance in Iran, the writer asked dissident Iranian youth how they were fighting the government of Iran. They said they demonstrated their opposition by drinking home made whisky on the streets, listening to pop music, dancing the night away, speeding 120 km per hour in the busy streets and smoking marijuana.

Also cited at Dreams Into Lightning / Morning Report recently, Azarmehr recounted his experiences at the VOA Persian studios:

When I left [former VOA Farsi Service head Bill] Royce's office, I heard him say behind my back, "What is that right wing Fascist doing here in the studio?". What an unfair comment, from an elderly man who should know better and choose his words more carefully.

Azarmehr had previously criticized VOA's programming on his weblog.

As the Standard article says, 'President Bush has incessantly asserted that fighting the war of ideas is his top priority, but he seems not to understand that public diplomacy, which aims to make people like America, is not the solution. It's time he got serious about the war of ideas and unleashed Radio Farda.' The Government should review its approach to Iranian programming, and focus on a message of liberty, not libertinism. Radio Farda must become an effective weapon against the mullahs' tyranny.

Morning Report: December 13, 2006

Messages. Iraq, Saudi Arabia ... Is somebody trying to tell us something? In the information war, everyone's a soldier. But in this battle of intelligence, some people are unarmed.

Karzai decries Pakistan's actions. BBC: 'President Hamid Karzai has hit out at Pakistan over continuing violence in Afghanistan, accusing it of trying to turn his countrymen into "slaves". Mr Karzai's comments are among his most strongly-worded yet in the spat between the neighbours over border attacks.' (BBC)

Iraqi security adviser to US: Don't pull out of Iraq. Hyscience:

How interesting that the Iraqi national security adviser, Mouwaffaq al-Rubaie, displays far more common sense and offers a much more reasonable strategy than our own Iraq "non-Study" Group report (remember - they never actually left the Green Zone), in saying that Iraq needs more "strategic patience" from Washington to defeat terrorist violence that threatens to swarm the region if the U.S. pulls out too soon.

Mouwaffaq al-Rubaie also asked Washington and regional leaders to back his plans to give general amnesty to insurgents and militias, but warned of more violence if Al Qaeda is able to gain more power in Iraq.

"If we don't act to contain Al Qaeda, the violence will spread like hell, not only to Saudi Arabia and the GCC (Gulf Arab) countries but to Syria, Iran and beyond," al-Rubaie told the International Institute of Strategic Studies conference in the Bahraini capital.

Sunni-Shiite sectarian killings could spread to Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Pakistan and India, al-Rubaie warned, naming countries with large Shiite Muslim populations.

The Iraqi national security adviser also asked the United States be patient as Iraq tries to cope with undergoing a "paradigm shift of 1,000 years to a new order."

Full article at Fox News. (Fox via Hyscience)

Saudi Arabia to US: Don't pull out of Iraq. Do we detect a pattern here? Captain's Quarters: 'The Saudis have warned the United States against pulling out of Iraq, telling American officials that a retreat would set off a bloodbath. In fact, the Saudis feel so strongly about it that they told the US that an American withdrawal would prompt them to fund a sectarian arms race to protect the Sunni minority...' The New York Times article reports:

Saudi Arabia has told the Bush administration that it might provide financial backing to Iraqi Sunnis in any war against Iraq’s Shiites if the United States pulls its troops out of Iraq, according to American and Arab diplomats.

King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia conveyed that message to Vice President Dick Cheney two weeks ago during Mr. Cheney’s whirlwind visit to Riyadh, the officials said. During the visit, King Abdullah also expressed strong opposition to diplomatic talks between the United States and Iran, and pushed for Washington to encourage the resumption of peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians, senior Bush administration officials said.

Captain's Quarters comments: 'In one sense, it's difficult to take the Saudis seriously on this topic. Their own government has contributed to the spread of radical Islamism around the world, only of the Sunni variety, while the Shi'ite strain has taken the upper hand in Iraq's sectarian violence. ... However, the advice is correct in this case. The result of an American withdrawal would be catastrophe for the region. Either the surrounding nations would have to use the sectarian groups to fight proxy wars with each other or they would have to actually send troops into Iraq to stop the violence, perhaps all the way to Baghdad.' Read the full post at the link. Vital Perspective has more: 'Abdullah let it be known that he is unhappy with talk of American efforts to engage Iran. The Saudis and Iraqi Sunnis fear growing Iranian influence in Iraq which, when seen in the context of the Iranian nuclear program, is potentially disastrous in their eyes. A similar fear that the Iraqi army would be used against the Sunni population if Shiites gain control was recently expressed by Jordan's King Abdallah II.' (NYT via Captain's Quarters, VP)

"Why do you ask me these questions at five o'clock?" Because terrorists operate 24 hours a day, you moron. American Future cites The Times on Silvestre Reyes, Nancy Pelosi's nominee for the House committee on intelligence:

Silvestre Reyes, the Democrat chosen to head the House of Representatives committee, was asked whether members of al-Qaeda came from the Sunni or the Shia branch of Islam.

“Al-Qaeda, they have both,” he answered, adding: “Predominantly probably Shi’ite.”

In fact, al-Qaeda was founded by Osama bin Laden as a Sunni organisation and views Shia Muslims as heretics. The centuries-old now fuels the militias and death squads in Iraq.

Jeff Stein, a reporter for Congressional Quarterly, then put a similar question about Hezbollah, the Lebanese Shia group. “Hezbollah. Uh, Hezbollah . . .” replied Mr Reyes. “Why do you ask me these questions at five o’clock? Can I answer in Spanish? Do you speak Spanish?” Go ahead, said Stein. “Well, I, uh . . .” said the congressman.

How absolutely pathetic. (Times via American Future)

Muslims against Ahmadinejad, Holocaust denial. From Sandmonkey, here's a appeal to righteous Muslims:

A collective statement by Muslim bloggers to the Iranian regime about its Holocaust denial conference

We the following Muslim bloggers hereby affirm that the Holocaust did happen because, not only are we quite capable of understanding overwhelming historical evidence, we also refuse to allow Muslim leaders to twist history for cruel, personal and selfish gains -- thereby reflecting negatively upon us and the message of Islam -- without confronting their actions with the hammer of righteous indignation. For religious, moral, and historical reasons, we repudiate and spit upon the Holocaust deniers conference now taking place in Iran, and stand in solidarity with student, and other, anti-fascists in that great nation, along with the victims of the Holocaust itself.
We further castigate Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as an egomaniacal sociopath and incompetent world leader who has embarrassed the reputation and spiritual world of Islam with his political falsifications and distortions. ...

Myrtus also links to AlKaritha - The Arab Institute for Holocaust Research & Education. Go check it out. (Myrtus via Sandmonkey)

Iraq: Six suspected terrorists detained, weapons cache found. MNF-Iraq: 'BAGHDAD, Iraq – Coalition Forces detained six suspected terrorists and seized a weapons cache Wednesday morning near Tikrit while seeking a terrorist associated with the al-Qaida in Iraq network.Intelligence reports also indicated the production of improvised explosive devices was also taking place in the targeted area.

When ground forces searched the targeted building, they discovered a weapons cache consisting of machine guns, pistols, rocket-propelled grenade boosters and a sniper rifle scope. Ground forces also found the equivalent of more than $200,000 in Iraqi Dinar along with more than $160,000 in U.S. currency.' (MNFI)

Realism from Amarji. Syria's heretic writes: 'Festering old wounds are always a good distraction from developing new ones. However, the real panacea here does not lie in treating the causes of one set of wounds at the expense of another, as so many experts end up recommending, but in tackling the real issues involved: the development and democracy gaps.' (Amarji)

Commentary. I'm going to turn today's commentary section over to Baron Bodissey at Gates of Vienna, with a pair of posts that express what I've been trying to say for a long time. On the moral case for supporting Free Muslims:

The “Free Muslims” really do exist; Stop the Project has a list of their organizations. They don’t get much publicity, because the MSM, in its tacit alliance with Islamofascism, prefers to focus on CAIR and similar organizations.

But these brave people put their lives on the line every day to speak out on behalf of non-violence and religious tolerance, while still remaining Muslims.

This morning I received an email from a friend of ours who has noticed the nuke-the-ragheads mentality which so often rears its head in Gates of Vienna comments:

A couple of your commenters have got Islam so deeply on the brain, they think the only good ay-rab is a dead ay-rab. People who can’t distinguish individuals from groups are by definition prejudiced.

And indeed they are.

In fact, what they are doing is arguing for the assignment of collective guilt. ...

Go read the rest as soon as you get the chance. Here's the practical side:

The recent election has confirmed that our little corner of the blogosphere — the members of the Counterjihad — will not be affecting public policy any time soon. ...

For at least two years — and more likely for a decade, after two Hillary administrations — what we advocate and strategize for will remain with us, the citizens of America and the free world, and not extend to the people who actually execute public policy on our behalf.

So I don’t want to hear any more prescriptions for public policy. Saying “We need to crack down on Saudi Arabia” or “It’s time we did something about the Salafists in Somalia” is pointless. None of it is going to happen.

When we talk like that, we’re spinning palaces out of gossamer, building castles out of airy nothing. We’re wasting our time. ...

But that doesn’t mean we’re powerless — far from it. It just means that the potential for action has devolved from our national political leaders to where it belongs: local government, civic organizations, and the people themselves.

Go read the rest to find out what you can do. This is an information war, a war of the mind and of the spirit, and we are all soldiers in it.

Morning Report: December 12, 2006

Immovable object pushes back. Uppity women in Yemen speak out on a barbaric practice, and Iranian students jeer their fascist president. In other news, homophobia is state policy in Nigeria, Iraqi leaders speak out on a certain report, a spy case gets international attention, and Olmert breaks a taboo.

Crackdown on Nigerian gays. Gay Patriot: 'In Nigeria, outings have resulted in the gay community being terrified to have dinner with each other. And now the government is considering all forms of gays interacting with each other in Nigeria.' The draconian new laws would forbid not only sex but any form of dating or "amorous relationship". Story at the link. (Gay Patriot)

FGM, honor killings in Yemen. Armies of Liberation brings us a report on honor killings and female genital mutilation (the practice of so-called "female circumcision") in Yemen:

From behind her black burka in Sana’a, the capital of Yemen, Siham says she wants to talk about what happened to her to highlight the practice of female circumcision, which is still ritually performed in many areas of coastal Yemen and throughout the Middle East. Women’s rights groups estimate that up to 25 per cent of Yemeni women have been circumcised, with numbers likely to be sharply higher in tribal areas outside their reach and the realm of health officials.

For many women in Yemen, the procedure is performed shortly after birth - not with the sharp edge of a knife, but with salt or warm cloths pressed repeatedly against an infant girl’s underdeveloped organs during the first 40 days of her life.

“They do it to try and stop the clitoris from forming,” said Amal al-Basha, head of the most prominent women’s rights groups in the eastern Arabian state. “It is a procedure that is done for weeks and sometimes months.”

A women’s rights conference held in Cairo last month heard that 8000 girls a day fell victim to the ancient custom, which is aimed at maintaining a woman’s morality and loyalty by curbing her desire.

Full article at the link. (Armies of Liberation)

More on Iran demonstrations. Gateway Pundit has a comprehensive roundup with photos. MSNBC: 'Dozens of Iranian students burned pictures of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and threw firecrackers in an effort to disrupt his speech at a university on Monday, a presidential office spokesman said. It was the first time the president, elected in a landslide in June 2005, had faced such open hostility at a public event. But the spokesman said Ahmadinejad was not deterred and completed his address at Tehran’s Amir Kabir University.' One protester was photographed with a sign reading, "Fascist President, Polytechnic Is Not Your Place". Or Does It Explode: 'It takes more than guts to interrupt a speech by the Iranian president. No students at Harvard or St. Andrews University in Scotland dared to take such measures during Khatami's recent visits. But yesterday a bunch of students at Amir Kabir Technical University did just that. In fact, they not only shouted down Ahmadinejad, but also lit off a firecracker and burned his photo in protest.' Azarmehr: 'It was good that the protests against president Ahmadi-Nejad yesterday, got some worldwide publicity. In fact a Google news search showed more than 150 related articles. ...' Of the "Fascist President" photo, he says: 'Its not just that he is standing up to an intolerant and dangerous man; one has to remember that the majority of the attendants were pro-Ahmadi-Nejad baseeji students, shipped in from Imam Sadeq and Imam Hossein universities.' Iran Press Service: 'Hundreds of pro-reforms students burned pictures of hard line Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadi Nezhad, booed him with chants of “Ahmadi Nezhad, symbol of discrimination and dictatorship” and threw firecrackers in an effort to disrupt his speech at a university on Monday, according to eyewitnesses and reports from several Iranian independent news agencies.' (various)

Iraqi leaders assail report. ThreatsWatch: 'While the Baker-Hamilton Commission report continues to be debated within the United States, recent days have seen almost universal rejection of the report’s recommendations from Iraqi leaders. Kurdish and Shi’a leaders have been especially critical, and even Shi’a figures with ties to Iran have stated that the report’s recommendation of direct U.S.-Iranian dialogue on Iraq should be postponed.' Full article by Kirk Sowell at the link. (ThreatsWatch)

Interpol on Litvinenko case. MSNBC: 'International police force Interpol is helping coordinate the investigation into the poisoning of Russian former spy Alexander Litvinenko that now involves forces in Germany, Russia and Britain. The head of Interpol’s Russian office said on Tuesday the 186 member-country force had been asked to improve the information flow between the three countries, which have launched their own probes into Litvinenko’s death on November 23.' (MSNBC)

Olmert takes flak for nuclear comment. Debka: 'Olmert breaks Israel’s nuclear silence in response to US defense secretary’s nuclear stance and Iran’s Holocaust denial conference. The Israeli prime minister made his surprising disclosure Monday, Dec. 11: “Israel doesn’t threaten any country,” he said. “Iran openly, explicitly and publicly threatens to wipe Israel off the map. Can you see this on the same level when you are aspiring to have a nuclear weapon like the US, France, Israel and Russia?” the Israeli PM asked in an interview with the German TV station N24 Sat1. This was the first Israeli official admission of the possession of nuclear weapons. DEBKAfile’s military sources report that Olmert decided on this step in response to US defense secretary Robert Gates’ listing of Israel as among the nuclear states surrounding Iran to explain Tehran’s search for a nuclear deterrent of its own. He was the first American official to confirm Israel had a nuclear weapon and did so without consulting Jerusalem. Olmert chose his journey to Germany, which coincided with the opening in Tehran of a conference negating the Holocaust, for his shock disclosure. This conference is taken in Israel as a vehicle for attacking Zionist legitimacy and so justifying Iran’s ambition to destroy the Jewish state. Olmert used the opportunity to remind Iran’s rulers that Israel possesses a large stock of nuclear weapons capable of not only smashing Iran’s nuclear facilities but also disabling its infrastructure.' Jerusalem Post: 'Defense Minister Amir Peretz made clear on Tuesday that there has been no change in Israel's nuclear ambiguity policy, Army Radio reported. Speaking to soldiers in the Shomron Brigade, Peretz said that "the prime minister made himself clear, and I definitely believe the policy remains the same. We continue the same policy and do our job the best we can. Let no one think we will remain aloof to world events around us."' Yedioth: 'MK Arieh Eldad (National Union-National Religious Party) requested that Attorney General Menachem Mazuz inspect whether Prime Minister Ehud Olmert broke the censorship law during his speech on a German television station, where he discussed Israel's nuclear ability.' Also: 'Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said in a meeting in Berlin with German Chancellor Angela Markel that Israel's stance on nuclear weapons remains unchanged, the country will not be first to introduce them to Middle East.' (various)

State Department Googles for Iran info. Persian Journal:

Some people may Google to locate lost loves, or check out potential new ones. The state department resorts to the internet search engine when it is trying to penetrate the clandestine world of international nuclear weapons proliferators.

A junior foreign service officer, employed at the state department for only a few months and who was given the task of investigating Iranians with possible links to the country's nuclear programme typed "Iran and nuclear" into his browser, the Washington Post reported today.

That's not all they're curious about. As reported earlier at Dreams Into Lightning, somebody at State is wondering "when will the us strike iran". Sorry, readers, but this site's policy remains unchanged: We're not telling. Wouldn't want to spoil the surprise. (Persian Journal, DiL)

Commentary. What stands out for me this morning is the persistence, almost like a law of nature, of those who speak out. People like Siham and Amal al-Basha, people like the Iranian student with the sign. Ahmadinejad doesn't seem to grasp this. He is determined to push Iran to its breaking point - but he may well be the one who ends up broken.

Morning Report: December 11, 2006

Curiouser and curiouser. Mixed signals from Syria, questions on the future of Iraq's leadership, and new clues surface on a spy mystery.

Syria expands Golan border presence. Debka: 'Israeli intelligence chief warns: Syria is expanding its long-range missile manufacture and anti-tank rocket deployment on Golan. DEBKAfile’s military sources quote two statements by Israeli generals Sunday, Dec. 10 to the Israeli cabinet: OC Northern Command Maj.-Gen Gadi Eisenkott denounced as irresponsible talk of a war with Syria and Hizballah in the summer of 2007. Brig. Gen Yossi Baidatz, military intelligence chief of research, reported that Syria had increased its production of long-range missiles (picture)and was building up its anti-tank rocket units on the Golan border with Israel. This information is not proof in itself of a Syrian intent to go to war. Gen. Eisenkott says he sees no tangible war preparations on the Golan and Hermon despite the aggressive rhetoric coming out of Damascus, whereas it is Brig Baidatz’s job to count the missiles coming off Syrian production lines in the northern city of Homs. The volume in Nov. 2006 was 20% greater than the output of Nov. 2005. ...' Ha'Aretz: 'The head of the research division of Military Intelligence, Brigadier General Yossi Baidatz, said Sunday that Syrian President Bashar Assad is preparing for a war with Israel. He said that Assad has ordered increased production of long-range missiles and instructed the Syrian army to position its anti-tank missiles closer to the Syrian border with Israel, on the Golan Heights. But, Baidatz told the cabinet, while Assad is "preparing the Syrian army for the possibility of a military conflict with Israel, on the other hand, he is not ruling out the possibility of reaching a political settlement with Israel."' (Debka, Ha'Aretz)

Pakistani islamists rally against women's protection bill. The Muslim Woman: 'The all time controversial Women Protection Bill, which was signed into law last month under the regime of Musharraf has not been welcomed by thousands of Islamic people. They came out with a rally in Karachi to show their objection towards the bill. Nearly, 10,000 supporters of the Islamist parties, chanted slogans of ‘Down with Musharraf’ and ‘Down with the Women Protection Law’ at the rally and demanded the government scrap the law. The law takes the crime of rape out of the sphere of the religious laws, known as the Hudood Ordinances, and puts it under the penal code. Under the Hudood Ordinances, a raped victim was only offered justice if she would be able to produce four male witness otherwise she would have to face the charges of treachery.' (TMW)

Iraqi politicians talk of replacing Maliki. Fox News: 'BAGHDAD, Iraq — Major partners in Iraq's governing coalition are in behind-the-scenes talks to oust Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki amid discontent over his failure to quell raging violence, according to lawmakers involved. The talks are aimed at forming a new parliamentary bloc that would seek to replace the current government and that would likely exclude supporters of the radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, who is a vehement opponent of the U.S. military presence. The new alliance would be led by senior Shiite politician Abdul-Aziz al-Hakim, who met with President Bush last week. Al-Hakim, however, was not expected to be the next prime minister because he prefers the role of powerbroker, staying above the grinding day-to-day running of the country.' See also Scott Sullivan's analysis in the commentary section below. (Fox)

Radiation linked to Litvinenko contact. MSNBC: 'HAMBURG, Germany - German investigators have confirmed that a car used by a contact of fatally poisoned ex-spy Alexander Litvinenko before the two men met was contaminated with the rare radioactive substance polonium-210, police said Monday. Still unknown is whether Russian businessman Dmitry Kovtun was involved in the poisoning, or a victim of it. He is reportedly being treated in Moscow for radiation poisoning.' The Telegraph: 'Staff who were working at a hotel bar on the day ex-spy Alexander Litvinenko visited it have tested positive for low levels of the radioactive substance that killed him, it emerged today.' (MSNBC, Telegraph)

Iran student demo pictures. Azarmehr has photos. 'BBC Persian said the demonstrators numbered around 300. Judge for yourself!' (Azarmehr)

Commentary. You know the IRI regime is in bad shape when even Reuters via MSNBC reports on Iranian student protests. Two articles this morning suggest that Ahmadinejad's hold on power - both at home and abroad - may be increasingly tenuous. Scott Sullivan at Persian Journal sees a bleak outlook for the Iranian regime and its apologists in the US:

This perception of an emerging US-Iranian strategic partnership could not be farther from the truth, despite the pro-Iran atmospherics created by James Baker in Washington DC. ...

... for Iran to dominate US-Iran relations, Iran must prevail with its power plays in Iraq, Lebanon, and within the Bush Administration. The reality is that Iran will fall well short of its goals in all three areas.

In Iraq, Iran is seeking to topple the Maliki-Sadr government and put together a new government, under Abdul Aziz al-Hakim's SCIRI (favored by Baker, Rice, and Gates) that would exclude Muqtada al-Sadr (see International Herald Tribune, 10 December 06). An SCIRI government in Iraq is not going to happen. Muqtada and his political party are too popular to be excluded altogether from national politics. Moreover, Hakim would be forced to rely on the Kurdish parties for this new government, which would command only a narrow base in Iraqi politics and would exclude all the major Sunni groups as well as al-Sadr. To put it another way, a SCIRI-Kurdish government will have a short life in the event it is ever established, which is against the odds. An SCIRI defeat in Iraq, as with a Hezbollah defeat in Lebanon, would represent an acute embarrassment for Iran and would substantially diminish Iran's diplomatic clout in the region and in bilateral relations with the US.

In Lebanon, the Hezbollah party, backed by Iran, faces growing internal and international resistance to its power grab. Most recently, Saudi Arabia and China are putting markers down against Hezbollah unilateralism. This means Hezbollah will have to learn the art of compromise with other parties if it, along with its Iranian sponsors, is to remain a viable force in Lebanon's politics.

In the US, James Baker is also falling short in his efforts to turn US policy decisively in a pro-Iran direction by means of his report on Iraq. ...

Amir Taheri writes in Arab News:

The first election will be for local government authorities throughout Iran, deciding the fate of thousands of village and town councils that provide the day-to-day interface of the Khomeinist regime with citizens.

At present, the various radical Khomeinist factions that supported Ahmadinejad in the last presidential election control only a third of all local government authorities. The more conservative and business-connected factions, led by former President Hashemi Rafsanjani, control a further 25 percent while the rest have majorities of independents and/or regional groupings that are always open to new alliances.

Ahmadinejad had hoped to win a majority of the local government authorities for two reasons. First, he counted on a low turnout that always favors the more radical Khomeinist candidates. Four years ago, Ahmadinejad won control of the Tehran Municipal Council, the largest local government in Iran, and became mayor of the capital, in an election that attracted only 15 percent of the qualified voters.

The second reason that Ahmadinejad had in mind was the possibility of forging a broad alliance of all radical revolutionary factions while the more conservative groups led by Rafsanjani and former Majlis Speaker Ayatollah Mahdi Karrubi appeared unable to unite.

With just days before polling, however, both of Ahmadinejad's calculations appear in doubt. The conservative and moderate groups have abandoned an earlier strategy to boycott the election and presented lists of candidates in more than half of the constituencies. The opposition groups acting outside the regime have also toned down their calls for boycott. Thus, the turnout may be higher than Ahmadinejad had hoped. A higher turnout could mean more middle class voters going to the polls to counterbalance the peasants and the urban poor who constitute the president's electoral base.

Taheri explains that

The two sets of elections are important not because they reflect the true wishes of the Iranian people. Elections in the Islamic republic are more like primaries within the same party in the United States. Also, since all election results could eventually be cancelled by the Council of the Guardians or the "Supreme Guide", the possibility of genuine opposition figures coming to power through elections is almost nil.

Nevertheless, elections in the Islamic republic must be treated as important for two reasons. The first is that they provide a more or les accurate picture of the relative strength of the various rival factions within the regime, thus providing an insight into the current mood of he ruling elite. The second is that the "Supreme Guide" and his security services could arrange every election in a way to reflect the new mood and open the way for policy changes.

Sullivan concludes that 'Iran is overestimating its position in Iraq, Lebanon, and the US. As a result, Iran is overestimating its ability to force concessions from the US and US allies. Instead, Iran could soon find itself bogged down with problems in both Iraq and Lebanon and vulnerable to pressure from the US.' 'A setback for Ahmadinejad in the two elections,' says Taheri, '...would provide a warning to Ahmadinejad not to become too big for his boots, either at home or abroad. It would be interesting to see how Ahmadinejad and his radical base might respond to their first major setback at a crucial time.'

Morning Report: December 10, 2006

Fog. The Report Which Shall Not Be Named gets a bad review in Baghdad; the Dark Lord needs to get his minions moving in a hurry; and the fog of something or other seems to hang over much of the West. But the view from London is crystal clear.

Talabani blasts Baker-Hamilton. MSNBC: 'BAGHDAD, Iraq - The Iraqi president said Sunday the bipartisan U.S. report calling for a new approach to the war offered dangerous recommendations that would undermine his country’s sovereignty and were “an insult to the people of Iraq.” President Jalal Talabani was the most senior government official to take a stand against the Iraq Study Group report, which has come under criticism from leaders of the governing Shiite and Kurdish parties. He said the report “is not fair, is not just, and it contains some very dangerous articles which undermine the sovereignty of Iraq and the constitution.”' Jerusalem Post: 'He singled out the report's call for the approval of a de-Baathification law that could allow thousands of officials from Saddam Hussein's ousted party to return to their jobs. "There is an article to bring back the Baathists to the political scene, which is very dangerous," he said in an interview with reporters at his office in Baghdad.' Debka: 'Iraq’s Kurdish president Jalal Talabani rejects Baker-Hamilton report as undermining the country's sovereignty and constitution. It contains dangerous articles that are an insult to the Iraqi people, he told reporters in Baghdad Sunday, Dec. 10. He referred to the Iraq Study Group’s recommendation of more centralized control of Iraq’s oil wealth and embedding thousands of US advisers in Iraq’s security forces as reflecting the mentality that Iraq is a colony. The solution to Iraq’s problems, said Talabani, lay in giving Iraq control of its own security. There is no security now because the prime minister cannot move 10 soldiers from one place to another (without US authorization). He also objected to including former regime members in reconciliation talks.' (various)

Hezbollah rally in Lebanon. Stratfor: 'Tensions remained extremely high in Beirut, Lebanon, on Dec. 10 as massive demonstrations against the government of Prime Minister Fouad Siniora entered their 10th day amid heavy security. Sources said hundreds of thousands of Hezbollah supporters were pouring into the streets, waving yellow Hezbollah flags as well as red and white Lebanese flags. Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah has called for a general strike Dec. 11.' Arutz Sheva:

A mammoth Sunday rally in support of the Hizbullah terrorist party and its pro-Syrian allies has prompted Pope Benedict to issue a call for peace Sunday amid growing fears of a civil war in Lebanon.

The pro-Syrian elements have been staging daily rallies for more than week, choking downtown Beirut in an attempt to topple the anti-Syrian government. Army combat jeeps and thousands of soldiers have surrounded the government offices to protect the Prime Minister and other officials. An anti-government newspaper has warned that the protests will be followed by national strikes and civil disobedience if the government does not surrender to demands by Hizbullah and its allies.

Abu Kais at Michael J. Totten's Middle East Journal:

The Assad regime is in a hurry. Nasrallah hasn’t been able to deliver quickly enough. The Grand Serail is a fortress, and the Lebanese street is slowly turning against the protestors, who don’t even have safe passage back to their homes now. The orders from the Dark Lord’s council are to pack more people in downtown Beirut, and as soon as possible. The plan to occupy or lay siege to the Rafik Hariri International airport seems to be in full swing, although the Lebanese army will reportedly not allow it.

What’s the hurry for? ...

Read the rest at the link. (Stratfor, A7, MJT)

Brain fog. Far more pernicious than the fog of war, Wretchard argues at the Belmont Club, 'Some kind of brain fog has descended upon Western Civilization, a species of madness or abstraction that makes victory against the enemy impossible, not simply because victory is inconceivable, but the very concept of an enemy or warfare has become unthinkable to the postmodern bureaucratic mind. It is the very thought of fighting a foe -- fighting under any circumstances, however justified -- that has become the ultimate taboo. War has been banished, not from reality, but from the list of allowable thoughts.' (Belmont Club)

Iran regime steps up nuclear operations. Arutz Sheva: 'Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Saturday that Iran has expanded production of its national uranium enrichment program by adding 3,000centrifuges at a facility in the center of the country. Uranium enrichment has been banned by the UN Security Council, but its permanent members plus Germany are stalled in their efforts to agree on a sanctions resolution.' Debka: 'The Iranian president is quoted as saying Saturday that expanded production of the national uranium enrichment program by adding centrifuges is the first step towards industrial production. Uranium enrichment has been banned by the UN Security Council, but its permanent members plus Germany are stalled in their efforts to agree on a sanctions resolution.' (A7, Debka)

Iraqi security force takes lead in raids. Multinational Force Iraq:

Iraqi Security Forces and Coalition advisors confiscated weapons and detained suspects in a series of events here this week.

Saturday, Iraqi Soldiers and Coalition advisors detained five suspected terrorists. They also confiscated a weapons cache and stockpile of al Qaeda in Iraq propaganda near Mahmudiyah.

Based on intelligence from previous operations, Iraqi Soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 4th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, with advisors from Battery A, 2nd Battalion, 15th Field Artillery Regiment., 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, conducted a raid on a small building complex, targeting an improvised explosive device cell, believed to be responsible for several attacks against Iraqi Security and Coalition Forces.

Iraqi Soldiers raided the objective, detained two individuals and observed three others attempting to escape. The Soldiers pinpointed and detained the three men in a canal.

The troops found two AK-47 assault rifles, a mortar cleaning kit, a shotgun and a mortar explosive charge following a search. They also found al Qaeda propaganda and a series of documents indicating future attacks.

In the al Doura neighborhood, 1st Battalion 6th Brigade Iraqi National Police and Coalition Forces seized several weapons caches during an early-morning operation Friday.

The joint operation was conducted based on tips from residents of the neighborhood, leading the police and troops to weapons caches in homes and the al Hassanae’en Mosque. ...

Full article at the link, and don't forget to bookmark the homepage. (MNF-Iraq)

Sandmonkey on Gaza exodus. Egyptian Sandmonkey: 'he Palestinians are leaving Gaza. Not because of Israel, or because of the shelling or the occupation, but because of their fear of a civil war between Hamas and Fatah. ... This is bad because the solution to Gaza ( and the palestinian Israeli conflict), in my opinion, has always been that the more educated more well-off Palestinians who live abroad would come back and invest in the little strip. If a large enough number of them came back, they would change many factors in the equation: Improve economic conditions, provide different voices and opinions of moderation, help raise the educational level in Gaza. Hell, maybe even change the culture of Death that Hamas imposed on the palestinian society over there. But that never happened, partly because of the high level of corruption exhibited in the PA, partly because of the never ending confict drama between the palestinian factions and Israel and partly because the palestinians who live aborad don't want to abandon their cozy lives and move back to freakin Gaza. The supreme majoirty of palestinians I have met who lived abroad (Here in Egypt, US, Europe) would never go back.' (Sandmonkey)

Arash Sigarchi needs help. It's not a nice world out there. If you're wondering what you can do to make a difference, The Spirit of Man has a suggestion: the fund for Arash Sigarchi.

Mr. Sigarchi is now serving jail time for bogus charges such as insulting the leader of the regime and espionage for the United States... etc. His charges are laughable and he doesn't deserve this situation at all.

He also lost his brother in a car accident last year while serving his 14 yr long jail time. His brother died in a terrible accident enroute to prison where Arash was being held. ...

As if he didn't have enough problems, Arash has been diagnosed with cancer. Go to The Spirit of Man to find out more, and please consider using that PayPal link (funds register in Canadian Dollars). Every bit helps. (TSOM)

Commentary. Warfare in the early twenty-first century is indeed proving to be a very different creature from its twentieth-century counterpart, and perhaps some people may be forgiven for failing to recognize war for what it is. What's inexcusable, though, is the abandonment of the highest values that the West holds dear.

Via daddicade in LiveJournal-land, here is the full text of British Prime Minister Tony Blair's speech on multiculturalism at the Telegraph. It is magnificent.

We should begin by celebrating something. When we won the Olympic Bid to host the 2012 Games, we presented a compelling, modern vision of Britain: a country at ease with different races, religions and cultures. This was not the stuffy old Britain that used to be sent up in the comedy sketches of the 1970s but a nation proud, willing and able to go out and compete on its merits.

Right away, the PM begins on a positive note: "We should begin by celebrating something." But celebrate what?

The ethos of this country is completely different from thirty years ago. The courts recognise racial offences in a way that was inconceivable then. We have the most comprehensive panoply of anti-discrimination legislation in the world. We have tough laws outlawing discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation, religion, race, gender and disability. The Human Rights Act provides basic protection to ethnic minorities and lays down some minimum standards. It is a matter of some pride to me that it has only been Labour governments that have introduced anti-discrimination legislation.

Our public culture is also completely different. We now have more ethnic minority MPs, peers, and Ministers though not enough. We have had the first black Cabinet minister. The media are generally more sensitive, and include ethnic minority reporters and columnists. Racism has, for the most part, been kicked out of sport. Offensive remarks and stupid stereotypes have been driven out of public conversation. The basic courtesies, in other words, have been extended to all people.

It is this progress - a triumph of liberalism at its best - that Mr. Blair calls upon his countrymen and -women to celebrate. In the words of the much-maligned slogan: Celebrate diversity.

Trevor Philips said recently that Britain was by far the best place to live in Europe, if you are not white. Others might dispute that; but it was interesting he could say it so confidently. Recently, MORI updated a poll they have run over many years, about attitudes to race and ethnicity. Only 25 per cent of Brits say they would prefer to live in an all-white area. In some European countries it's over 40 per cent. Only 12 per cent of whites would mind if a close relative married a black or Asian person; those who would not mind were over 50 per cent. Just five years ago the figures were 33 per cent minding and just 22 per cent not minding.

It didn't happen easily. Most of us grew up in an era when action against discrimination was condemned as political correctness. But from Roy Jenkins seminal and brave speech in 1966 to the National Committee for Commonwealth Immigrants onwards, fair-minded people brought about the change we can justifiably celebrate in 2006.

Notice the rhetorical twist here, where Blair links the buzzword "political correctness" to the positive changes that have happened in Britain - thereby robbing the PC slur of its sting.

The day after we won the Olympic bid came the terrorist attacks in London. These murders were carried out by British-born suicide bombers who had lived and been brought up in this country, who had received all its many advantages and yet who ultimately took their own lives and the lives of the wholly innocent, in the name of an ideology alien to everything this country stands for. Everything the Olympic bid symbolised was everything they hated. Their emphasis was not on shared values but separate ones, values based on a warped distortion of the faith of Islam.

This ideology is not, of course, confined to Britain. It is a global phenomenon, long in the making and taking a long time to unmake.

However, it has thrown into sharp relief, the nature of what we have called, with approval, "multicultural Britain". We like our diversity. But how do we react when that "difference" leads to separation and alienation from the values that define what we hold in common? For the first time in a generation there is an unease, an anxiety, even at points a resentment that our very openness, our willingness to welcome difference, our pride in being home to many cultures, is being used against us; abused, indeed, in order to harm us.

Here the Prime Minister gets to the heart of the problem. Using the words "multicultural" and "diversity" without irony or apology, he asks: 'But how do we react when that "difference" leads to separation and alienation from the values that define what we hold in common? ' That's the central question. Here's how Blair answers it:

I always thought after 7/7 our first reaction would be very British: we stick together; but that our second reaction, in time, would also be very British: we're not going to be taken for a ride.

People want to make sense of two emotions: our recognition of what we legitimately hold in common and what we legitimately hold distinct. When I decided to make this speech about multiculturalism and integration, some people entirely reasonably said that integration or lack of it was not the problem. The 7/7 bombers were integrated at one level in terms of lifestyle and work. Others in many communities live lives very much separate and set in their own community and own culture, but are no threat to anyone.

But this is, in truth, not what I mean when I talk of integration. Integration, in this context, is not about culture or lifestyle. It is about values. It is about integrating at the point of shared, common unifying British values. It isn't about what defines us as people, but as citizens, the rights and duties that go with being a member of our society.

Christians, Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs and other faiths have a perfect right to their own identity and religion, to practice their faith and to conform to their culture. This is what multicultural, multi-faith Britain is about. That is what is legitimately distinctive.

But when it comes to our essential values - belief in democracy, the rule of law, tolerance, equal treatment for all, respect for this country and its shared heritage - then that is where we come together, it is what we hold in common; it is what gives us the right to call ourselves British. At that point no distinctive culture or religion supercedes our duty to be part of an integrated United Kingdom.

Go read the full text of Blair's speech on multiculturalism at the link. I'd like to say more about it, but here I'll just say this: Blair has done what Bush could not, by framing the present conflict not in terms of conservatism but in terms of liberalism. I'll end with the much-misquoted final words of this speech:

Our tolerance is part of what makes Britain, Britain. So conform to it; or don't come here. We don't want the hate-mongers, whatever their race, religion or creed. If you come here lawfully, we welcome you. If you are permitted to stay here permanently, you become an equal member of our community and become one of us. Then you, and all of us, who want to, can worship God in our own way, take pride in our different cultures after our own fashion, respect our distinctive histories according to our own traditions; but do so within a shared space of shared values in which we take no less pride and show no less respect.

The right to be different. The duty to integrate. That is what being British means. And neither racists nor extremists should be allowed to destroy it.