West Asia News and Discussions

abhishek_sharma · Post by **abhishek_sharma** » 06 Jul 2012 08:22

Blind in Baghdad: Mesopotamia is once again descending into sectarian violence. Too bad nobody in the United States understands what's happening on the ground.

Al Jazeera's new investigation into the not-so-mysterious death of Palestinian leader Yasir Arafat is little more than baseless speculation.

Why Is It So Hard to Say 'Sorry' in French? France has never apologized for its treatment of colonial Algeria. Why not now?

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 06 Jul 2012 16:20

Russia, China Must ‘Pay Price’ For Assad Support – Clinton

Russia and China should be told that they will pay a price for support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told a Paris meeting on Syria on Friday.

"I ask you to reach out to Russia and China and to not only urge, but demand that they get off the sidelines and begin to support the legitimate aspirations of the Syrian people," Clinton told a Friends of Syria meeting attended by over 100 countries.

"I don't think Russia and China believe they are paying any price at all, nothing at all, for standing up on behalf of the Assad regime,” Clinton went on, as cited by French media. “The only way that will change is if every nation represented here directly and urgently makes it clear that Russia and China will pay a price, because they are holding up progress."

Russia and China, which were not represented at the meeting, have has twice vetoed United Nations resolutions against Syria. Moscow said the resolutions betrayed a pro-rebel bias and would do nothing to stop the violence that has claimed over 10,000 lives since an uprising against Assad began in March 2011.

And President Vladimir Putin has also made it clear that the Kremlin will not sanction UN military intervention to stop what Western powers say is the brutal suppression of the revolt.

But Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said last month that Russia had no special interest in seeing Assad remain in power. He also said that continuing weapons deliveries to Syria were of an “exclusively” defensive nature.

Russia and China have both backed UN envoy Kofi Annan’s six-point peace plan for Syria, which went into force in April, but has failed to stop the killings.The UN estimated in May that around 10,000 people have been killed in Syria since the beginning of a revolt against President Bashar al-Assad in March 2011.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a London-based organization with a network of activists in Syria, has since revised the toll to around 16,500.

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 06 Jul 2012 20:45

I saw her speech live on BBC that was more of electioneering speech that would gather votes from Democratic constituencies in the US. Had remotely to do any thing with diplomacy and overtly threatening Russia and China in presence of 100 plus countries.

Not sure if Hillary understands the art of diplomacy or she is there just because Clinton family is a big name in US politics

I am sure China and Russia wont be too amused by her speech

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 07 Jul 2012 11:02

Why Turkey won't go to war with Syria

shyamd · Post by **shyamd** » 07 Jul 2012 17:20

7th July Update

- KASOTC, Jordan - site where CIA is training FSA to take over chemical weapons depot sites. Sites are spread across the country and are guarded by the Air Force Intelligence alawite units who are very loyal to the regime.
- 2 key objectives that alliance is preparing for - break down of the Syrian govt and seizure of the chemical weapon depots
- Jordanian SF will secure the southern Syrian city of Mafraq (in the event of a breakdown of govt), currently a location for palestinians that are migrating from the Syrian camps into Jordan - they expect the flow to increase as the situation gets worse
- Beijing is building ties with the Syrian opposition - SNC delegation was discretely in Beijing and met the PRC Foreign min and other big wigs last month.
- State Dept met with FSA delegation on June 10th . Frederic Hof is the man to watch with regards to the US policy on Syria.
- Turkish MIT (Turkish intelligence) is coordinating delivery of weapons along with the CIA to the Syrian rebels. These weapons are financed by KSA and Qatar.
- Syrian Regime is struggling to pay Shabiha fighters who are at the front line of the battle against rebels. Funds from Iraq and Iran are not enough to cover the expenses so the Private sector is being roped in - businesses that are run by regime cronies are using funds to meet the shortfall in cash and foreign currency. Several businesses have so far continued to operate without any problems of sanctions etc.
- Syria is using cyprus to make short runs to pick up fuel. PDVSA (venezuela) has made the major deliveries of fuel.

Pakistan
- Had a frank conversation about Pakistan. He says that it is very difficult to control the Pak army, for which my response was you could say no to giving them money. His response was don't you see that they create the problem and then they ask us to help pay in order to fix it. Pakistani military can be a big pain in the back side but they are a useful regional power as is India, Turkey and Egypt and we need them on our side for our security. But the military side is just one aspect of the multi facet strategy with Pakistan (I think he is hinting at Nukes. I also think that creating problem for the world (terror and Nukes) has been a way for TSPA to get some $$$ coming in)
- Use of terror - Terror is a strategy that is used to frustrating the enemy's will to resist. Assymetric tactics (terror) is just one method. (My comment: From this we can conclude that TSPA thinks they are at war with India on a permanent basis)

Iran
- Expect more cyber attacks, Sanctions and eventually a naval blockade by world powers (incl. Russia and PRC. They practice this almost annually off the coast of North Carolina since 2007). (My comment: Lets not forget a nuclear IRan will compete with Russia and PRC in their sphere's of influence, so a nuclear Iran is not in their interest either.)
- Threat of war deterred the wise but not the desperate

Iraq
- GCC/Kurds lobbying in the US together to prevent the sale of the 36 F-16 Block 52s to Iraq. Source says, how can we defend ourselves when Iraq is under IRan's fold and in essence a 2 border attack with air support?
- Iran is trying desperately keep maliki in power and is making interventions.

-------------------
The US DIA (Defense INtel agency) cancelled a conference on FATA/NWFP/Balochistan that was due to take place in Arlington on June 19th/20th. TSP protested this event as several of the Balochi leaders were invited. I think we can conclude that this was due to the "apologee" that took place. ISI chief Zaheer ul Islam cancelled his trip to US last month due to the poor ties.
-------------------
Apparently India and US had convinced KSA that LeT had the KSA royals on the hit list by providing them evidence, which increased the growing cooperation. Lets not forget LeT planned attacks in Oman.
------------------
Disclaimer: Comments made by sources do not necessarily represent the authors views.

shyamd · Post by **shyamd** » 07 Jul 2012 22:03

I neglected to mention in March - there was word that this guys dad (Gen. mustafa tlass) was in Paris establishing contact with the rebels despite still being part of the regime. But the rebels hate him to the core.
Friend of Assad deserts Syria for France

By Samia Nakhoul

BEIRUT | Fri Jul 6, 2012 12:24pm EDT

(Reuters) - Manaf Tlas, a family friend of President Bashar al-Assad and head of a unit of his elite Republican Guard, has fled Syria for France and has information about the regime that could help its opponents, the Syrian rebel army said on Friday.

Tlas, whose empty Damascus home was ransacked by security police, had traveled via Qatar, a strong backer of the rebels, according to one opposition source.

Tlas has not been seen since news broke of his flight and has made no statements.

His brother Firas is in Paris, according to a European diplomat, and sister Nahed, the widow of a rich Saudi arms dealer who is well connected with the French political elite, lives in the French capital as well.

There were unconfirmed rumors that France, one of the major Western powers demanding that Assad step down, may have had a hand in Tlas's escape from the Syrian capital, a high-profile defection which could encourage the splintered opposition.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said it showed that some of Assad's circle were starting to "vote with their feet".

But a U.S. official cautioned that it was too soon to say whether Tlas had simply deserted a sinking ship or would offer his services to the anti-Assad cause.

"Firas called our envoy in France and told him that he wants to support the revolution, and that Manaf has information about the regime the family and he wants to defect," said Qassem Saadeddine, spokesman of the Free Army command inside Syria.

"That was one month ago," said Saaededdine, who is also head of the rebel military council in Homs province.

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius told a meeting of Syrian rebels and their backers hosted by Paris that Tlas was on his way to France, the former colonial power which has been a refuge for many Syrian dissidents in the past.

A friend of the Tlas family corroborated the information.

"He left Syria and arrived yesterday (Thursday) in Turkey. He wants to come to France to join his family," the friend told Reuters by telephone from the French capital.

He declined to give details of Tlas's route out of Syria to Europe. But opposition sources said it included Qatar.

Tlas, a Havana cigar smoker in his mid 40s, enlivened the social scene in Damascus as well as serving as a brigadier-general. His father Mustapha, defense minister under Assad's father for 30 years, has been in Paris for months, a diplomat said.

The family comes from Syria's Sunni Muslim religious majority, and Tlas's desertion from an inner circle dominated by Assad's fellow Alawites opens a first, ominous crack at the heart of ruling elite which has withstood lesser defections.

MOTIVE AND CONSEQUENCES

U.S. officials said Washington does not yet consider him a "defector" since he has not yet joined the Syrian opposition or pledged his loyalty. "He has abandoned the regime," said one. "The next question is: 'Does he join the opposition?'"

But a Pentagon spokesman called it a significant move by a senior officer and a personal friend of the Syrian president, and a "crack in the inner circle".

"We do believe that General Tlas's defection is significant," said Navy Captain John Kirb. "He is a senior official in the Syrian army. He's a former friend of Assad, so we don't believe this defection should be taken lightly."

Whether or not his move heralds a wider crack-up of the regime, Tlas was popular and charismatic, so the consequences for Assad could be "more a public relations black eye than a colossal blow to the solidarity of his entourage".

Friends have said Tlas was troubled by conscience. He may also believe, as Assad's enemies keep insisting in the face of stubborn resistance from well-equipped government forces, that 42 years of rule by the Assad dynasty are coming to an end.

The revolt against Assad which began 16 months ago and has killed over 15,000 is led mainly by Sunnis. Tlas's break with his friend may be symptomatic of an erosion of support for the president among the Sunni business elite, who have been slow to endorse an uprising driven by their poorer co-religionists.

He leaves behind a country now deeply scarred by a virtual civil war, where Syrians in shattered towns not 10 miles from the capital are digging mass graves to bury those killed in shelling or by vengeful pro-Assad militiamen.

Fighting has reached an "unprecedented level" in recent weeks, according to the head of a United Nations monitoring mission in the country, General Robert Mood, and activists are recording death tolls averaging around 100 per day.

Army shelling and assaults on Friday morning killed three people in the southern province of Deraa, where the revolt began, near the Jordanian border. In the northeastern province of Deir Ezzor, activists reported fierce clashes.

END OF A FRIENDSHIP

Tlas commanded a brigade of the Republican Guard, an elite force headed by Assad's feared brother Maher, one of the architects of the bloody crackdown that began in March 2011.

His departure alone is unlikely to affect greatly the capability of the Syrian army, but it may encourage other senior Sunni officers to desert. Assad's enemies in the West as well as at home are likely to capitalize on the news.

Government sources said his "desertion means nothing," and that "if Syrian intelligence had wanted to arrest him it would have". But a source in the exiled opposition called it "a very important defection", saying the 105th Brigade "is very attached to their general, so we can say the true defection has started".

A Western diplomat who knew Tlas in Damascus, where the general and his wife pursued a glamorous society lifestyle with interests in the arts, told Reuters: "His defection is big news because it shows that the inner circle is disintegrating."

A witness in Damascus, who spoke anonymously for fear of the security services, said Tlas's house in the Syrian capital had been ransacked by security agents on Thursday: "They took away everything," the witness told Reuters.

Friends say Tlas was dismayed by violence, which hit his hometown Rastan especially hard. Many fellow Sunni Muslims have joined the rebel Free Syrian Army, saying the Tlas clan was dishonored by association with the crackdown.

(Reporting by Samia Nakhoul; Additional reporting by Mariam Karouny and Khaled Oweis; Editing by Douglas Hamilton, Alastair Macdonald and Giles Elgood)

Altair · Post by **Altair** » 07 Jul 2012 22:10

The show on private satellite channel Jo Sat, aired on Friday, started to spin out of control after MP Mohammad Shawabka accused former deputy Mansur Murad of working as a spy for the Syrian regime,only to be accused by Murad of being "spy in the pay of (Israel's secret service) Mossad and a thief."

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 08 Jul 2012 00:15

Annan: Syrian efforts not working

Iran "should join the solution of the Syrian conflict as all the previous efforts have failed", special UN envoy Kofi Annan told Le Monde newspaper.

The official said that Iran is a key player in the region and should be part of conferences on Syria though this was opposed by a number of Western politicians, including French Foreign Minister.

Annan also regrets that the UN mission had to withdraw from the country but said that if things get better it’s prepared to return.

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 08 Jul 2012 00:19

Beijing rejects Clinton’s accusations

“Friends of Syria" meeting politically incorrect and immoral - Russian Foreign Ministry

Surya · Post by **Surya** » 08 Jul 2012 01:19

A Chinese diplomatic spokesman said in Beijing on Saturday that China strongly upholds international law, spares no effort to bring forward lasting peace

unfortunately the turds say the same thing when its comes to Cashmere and any other place they meddle in

Theo_Fidel · Post by **Theo_Fidel** » 08 Jul 2012 20:37

Mursi has asked parliament to retake their kursi, triggering khusti with the Fauji...

Surya · Post by **Surya** » 08 Jul 2012 20:44

I saw her speech live on BBC that was more of electioneering speech that would gather votes from Democratic constituencies in the US. Had remotely to do any thing with diplomacy and overtly threatening Russia and China in presence of 100 plus countries.

minor issue with this thought process is that there is no Democratic constituency which will vote on this line.

thats all the Republicans playbook (and a certain independent from CT)

So unless it was meant to help Om Baba ward of the McCains and Romneys and other cold warf fogeys the only other thing could be she is positioning herself for a 2016 run.

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 08 Jul 2012 21:31

Nice Interview

'Bloody bandits and Western lies: What’s really going on in Syria'

Surya · Post by **Surya** » 09 Jul 2012 01:34

RT.com has a long way to go before it can deal with slick propaganda

Are the escape of the Syrian pilot to Jordan and the Turkish aircraft incident related?
AK: When the aircraft got hijacked on July 21, I was in Beirut, at the Al Mayadin TV channel which was headed by Ghassan Bin Jiddu, the former chief of Al Jazeera’s bureau in Libya. {blah blah blah} He was the one who caused a scandal by quitting the channel due to lies that the channel had been broadcasting for the last year and a half. On that day, this channel was the first to report the jet hijacking in Jordan.{was there a second pilot?? a djinn?? how was it hijacked-- no answers}

there seems to be no outlet for pure news between al jazeera and the western channels on one side and the Rt,com on the other

shyamd · Post by **shyamd** » 09 Jul 2012 01:52

Violence being reported in qatif, Shia dominated eastern province where all the Saudi oil sits.
Oil price to go up tonight when market opens up

ldev · Post by **ldev** » 09 Jul 2012 03:59

shyamd wrote:Violence being reported in qatif, Shia dominated eastern province where all the Saudi oil sits.
Oil price to go up tonight when market opens up

[youtube]J3IUwTccWl8&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 09 Jul 2012 10:26

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in an interview with German television ARD.

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 09 Jul 2012 17:56

Surya wrote:minor issue with this thought process is that there is no Democratic constituency which will vote on this line.

The more vocal she is the more she will be highlighted on ZeeNN and other western channel and more eyeballs she will gather, which will make her sound as strong Secretary of States that fights for democracy , stands up against evil China and Russia etc etc

The issue has come at the right time for her just 4 months before election and the more she is vocal about it the better for her.

Obama has Osama has his bounty , Hillary might want to have Assad as her prize ......just what you want in an election year for the greater good of democracy.

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 10 Jul 2012 03:29

shyamd wrote:I neglected to mention in March - there was word that this guys dad (Gen. mustafa tlass) was in Paris establishing contact with the rebels despite still being part of the regime. But the rebels hate him to the core.
Friend of Assad deserts Syria for France

By Samia Nakhoul

BEIRUT | Fri Jul 6, 2012 12:24pm EDT

(Reuters) - Manaf Tlas, a family friend of President Bashar al-Assad and head of a unit of his elite Republican Guard, has fled Syria for France and has information about the regime that could help its opponents, the Syrian rebel army said on Friday.

...

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said it showed that some of Assad's circle were starting to "vote with their feet".

But a U.S. official cautioned that it was too soon to say whether Tlas had simply deserted a sinking ship or would offer his services to the anti-Assad cause.

"Firas called our envoy in France and told him that he wants to support the revolution, and that Manaf has information about the regime the family and he wants to defect," said Qassem Saadeddine, spokesman of the Free Army command inside Syria.

"That was one month ago," said Saaededdine, who is also head of the rebel military council in Homs province.

...

The family comes from Syria's Sunni Muslim religious majority, and Tlas's desertion from an inner circle dominated by Assad's fellow Alawites opens a first, ominous crack at the heart of ruling elite which has withstood lesser defections.

MOTIVE AND CONSEQUENCES

U.S. officials said Washington does not yet consider him a "defector" since he has not yet joined the Syrian opposition or pledged his loyalty. "He has abandoned the regime," said one. "The next question is: 'Does he join the opposition?'"

But a Pentagon spokesman called it a significant move by a senior officer and a personal friend of the Syrian president, and a "crack in the inner circle".

"We do believe that General Tlas's defection is significant," said Navy Captain John Kirb. "He is a senior official in the Syrian army. He's a former friend of Assad, so we don't believe this defection should be taken lightly."

Whether or not his move heralds a wider crack-up of the regime, Tlas was popular and charismatic, so the consequences for Assad could be "more a public relations black eye than a colossal blow to the solidarity of his entourage".

Friends have said Tlas was troubled by conscience. He may also believe, as Assad's enemies keep insisting in the face of stubborn resistance from well-equipped government forces, that 42 years of rule by the Assad dynasty are coming to an end.

...

A Western diplomat who knew Tlas in Damascus, where the general and his wife pursued a glamorous society lifestyle with interests in the arts, told Reuters: "His defection is big news because it shows that the inner circle is disintegrating."

A witness in Damascus, who spoke anonymously for fear of the security services, said Tlas's house in the Syrian capital had been ransacked by security agents on Thursday: "They took away everything," the witness told Reuters.

from Nightwatch.....

Syria: Update on Brigadier Manaf Tlass' defection. The Tlass family is an example of elite Sunni Arabs that have had historically close ties to the al Asad and the Alawite-dominated government. Defence Minister Mustafa Tlass was a classmate of Hafez al Asad and was the Minister of Defence during the massacre of the Muslim Brotherhood and the Sunnis who staged an uprising in Hama in 1982. Hafez, Tlass, and the Syrian armed forces razed the city.

Manaf Tlass was a close associate of President Bashar al Asad and commander of a Republican Guard unit. He fled, reportedly, because he was about to be arrested for disloyalty.

According to one account, Mustafa Tlass, a Sunni, had a falling out with the Bashar al Asad and the Alawite generals over a year ago; was demoted to lieutenant general and fled to Turkey and then Paris with the assistance of his daughter, who is a wealthy widow, heiress and Parisian socialite. Her late husband was a notorious gun merchant. This past week, the daughter rescued her brother. A second brother also is in Paris.

Comment: The Tlass defections do not signal the beginning of the end of the Asad regime. These were wealthy elite Sunnis who profited enormously from their association with the al Asads. They acted to save themselves and their fortunes and have no use for the Brotherhood or the Syrian opposition.

shyamd · Post by **shyamd** » 10 Jul 2012 04:42

^^ It goes a lot deeper actually:

Source says 6 weeks ago a western official asked him "who do you think is the most likely to be involved in a coup in Syria?"

Source replied: Manaf Tlass (High ranking Sunni) and Talal Maklouf (high ranking and close to Asad). Both are very senior leaders in the Republican Guard.

Why?

Tlass - He was suspended after failing to supress the uprising in Rastan and prevent the rebellion of his personnel in Rastan. Today he is in Paris talking about the massacres in Rastan!

Talal Maklouf: Refused to execute orders in September and has been pretty much out of the picture.

More later

Surya · Post by **Surya** » 10 Jul 2012 08:13

Austin

but there is no relevancy for the coming election - the only retards who even mention Syria at this point is mcCain and he is senile old crank who cannot say no to appearing on Sunday morning talk shows.

no one even talks about Hillary here - the drumbeat is the economy

if she is positioning for 2016 -thats possible

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 10 Jul 2012 10:29

Surya wrote:but there is no relevancy for the coming election - the only retards who even mention Syria at this point is mcCain and he is senile old crank who cannot say no to appearing on Sunday morning talk shows.

Syria is not a deciding or even an important factor in US election , so long as they dont commit any ground troop which i dont think they will but rhetoric helps and makes her look dealing with iron hand and stuff like that ... small little things that would matter.

no one even talks about Hillary here - the drumbeat is the economy

True , that would triumph any thing specially their job figures

if she is positioning for 2016 -thats possible

Hopefully not and she is past her prime .....she was the President to be but the Obama wave sweeped over her ....but then i dont have crystal ball depends on what is the critical issue in 2016 the old lady may just want to try

pentaiah · Post by **pentaiah** » 10 Jul 2012 12:07

Syria is not a election winning trump card in US for the mango man on street.
But SD will continue as low publicity operation of toppling the current Baathist ruling elite. thats a strategic goal (which is going chew the backside of all GOTUS ventures).
SD is making the biggest blunder of unifying Sunni Islamist fundamentalists from Pakistan all the way to West Africa.

The Korean war and threats from Gen MacArthur to nuke led PRC and USSR to collaborate in Nukes for PRC.
The Vietnam War (started by Kennedy )ended in fiasco and to extract a tit for tat with USSR, US built up PRC (Nixon and Kissing_her the dynamic devils ,the economic decline of US was seeded))
The Afghan (provocation of USSR by peanut farmer Jimmy Carter and later by Reagan) war jihadification by Reagan brought the 9-11 and terrorism to US shore.

Now the color revolution experiments and Arab springs will seed the Huntington model of Civilization clash.

one short bumbling to longterm down fall...

Just you see Mr. Higgins Just you See....

meanwhile see how the Middle east and Africa are changing... into Islamist Terrorist territory

http://www.longwhattonschool.org/userfi ... ca_map.gif

from Somalia to Senegal in Africa

shyamd · Post by **shyamd** » 10 Jul 2012 14:40

Before it hits the news wires: Kofi Annan arrives in Baghdad, Iraq - talks over syria

RamaY · Post by **RamaY** » 10 Jul 2012 18:54

pentiah garu,

+1.

Things to watch

Islam in Europe[1]
<1% (Armenia, Belarus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Slovakia, Ukraine)
1%-2% (Andorra, Croatia)
2%-4% (Italy, Luxembourg, Norway, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain)
4%-5% (Denmark, Greece, Liechtenstein, United Kingdom)
5%-10% (Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland)
10%-20% (Bulgaria, Georgia, Montenegro, Russia)
20%-30% (Cyprus)
30%-40% (Macedonia)
40%-50% (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
80%-90% (Albania)
90%-95% (Kosovo)
95%-100% (Turkey, Azerbaijan)

Islam Saturation Index (ISI)

As long as the Muslim population remains around 1% of any given country they will be regarded as a peace-loving minority and not as a threat to anyone. In fact, they may be featured in articles and films, stereotyped for their colorful uniqueness:

United States -- Muslim 1.0%
Australia -- Muslim 1.5%
Canada -- Muslim 1.9%
China -- Muslim 1%-2%
Italy -- Muslim 1.5%
Norway -- Muslim 1.8%

At 2% and 3% they begin to proselytize from other ethnic minorities and disaffected groups with major recruiting from the jails and among street gangs:

Denmark -- Muslim 2%
Germany -- Muslim 3.7%
United Kingdom -- Muslim 2.7%
Spain -- Muslim 4%
Thailand -- Muslim 4.6%

From 5% on they exercise an inordinate influence in proportion to their percentage of the population.

They will push for the introduction of halal (clean by Islamic standards) food, thereby securing food preparation jobs for Muslims. They will increase pressure on supermarket chains to feature it on their shelves -- along with threats for failure to comply. ( United States ).

France -- Muslim 8%
Philippines -- Muslim 5%
Sweden -- Muslim 5%
Switzerland -- Muslim 4.3%
The Netherlands -- Muslim 5.5%
Trinidad &Tobago -- Muslim 5.8%

At this point, they will work to get the ruling government to allow them to rule themselves under Sharia, the Islamic Law. The ultimate goal of Islam is not to convert the world but to establish Sharia law over the entire world.

When Muslims reach 10% of the population, they will increase lawlessness as a means of complaint about their conditions ( Paris --car-burnings). Any non-Muslim action that offends Islam will result in uprisings and threats ( Amsterdam - Mohammed cartoons).

Guyana -- Muslim 10%
India -- Muslim 13.4%
Israel -- Muslim 16%
Kenya -- Muslim 10%
Russia -- Muslim 10-15%

After reaching 20% expect hair-trigger rioting, jihad militia formations, sporadic killings and church and synagogue burning:
Ethiopia -- Muslim 32.8%

At 40% you will find widespread massacres, chronic terror attacks and ongoing militia warfare:

Bosnia -- Muslim 40%
Chad -- Muslim 53.1%
Lebanon -- Muslim 59.7%

From 60% you may expect unfettered persecution of non-believers and other religions, sporadic ethnic cleansing (genocide), use of Sharia Law as a weapon and Jizya, the tax placed on infidels:

Albania -- Muslim 70%
Malaysia -- Muslim 60.4%
Qatar -- Muslim 77.5%
Sudan -- Muslim 70%

After 80% expect State run ethnic cleansing and genocide:

shyamd · Post by **shyamd** » 10 Jul 2012 19:20

Closer to some sort of agreement to end the proxy war.
Russia Prods Syria’s President Assad With Message of Growing Impatience

By DALAL MAWAD and RICK GLADSTONE
BEIRUT, Lebanon — Moving further from its strict stance of nonintervention, Russia pressured President Bashar al-Assad of Syria on Monday to be more flexible about the future of his ravaged country, insisting that he talk with adversaries, inviting an anti-Assad delegation to the Kremlin and restricting shipments of new weapons to the Syrian armed forces.

Taken together, the developments appeared to signal that Russia, the Syrian government’s most important foreign backer, may be laying the basis for the option of eventually distancing itself from Mr. Assad, who has repeatedly cast the uprising against him as the work of foreign-backed terrorists and has insisted that he enjoys popular support. Mr. Assad reiterated those themes in a weekend interview broadcast by a German television network.

The Syrian leader, who has presided over the suppression of an uprising that by some estimates has left as many as 17,000 people dead, has lost much international credibility. His government has been accused by United Nations human rights officials of severe abuses. He has provoked a possible armed confrontation with neighboring Turkey, risked a sectarian spillover in neighboring Lebanon and suffered a rash of high-ranking military defections and desertions, including that of a childhood friend, the son of a former defense minister, last week.

At the same time Mr. Assad has sought to portray himself as a willing peace partner. He met on Monday with the special representative from the United Nations and Arab League, Kofi Annan, whose peace plan was announced more than three months ago but has foundered.

Mr. Annan said after the meeting that they had devised a new way to proceed, but he did not offer an explanation. “We discussed the need to end the violence and ways and means of doing so,” Mr. Annan told reporters in Damascus, Syria. “We agreed on an approach which I will share with the armed opposition. I also stressed the importance of moving ahead with a political dialogue, which the president accepts.”

Mr. Annan then flew to Tehran for talks with leaders from Iran, Mr. Assad’s last remaining regional ally.

While Russia has insisted throughout the nearly 17-month-old Syrian uprising that it will block any foreign military intervention there, it has shown increasing impatience with Mr. Assad. In recent weeks Russian officials have said they were not wedded to his tenure in power and that the Syrians must decide their own leaders. President Vladimir V. Putin appeared to sharpen the tone of the Russian message in remarks Monday at the Foreign Ministry in Moscow.

“We must do as much as possible to force the conflicting sides to reach a peaceful political solution to all contentious questions,” he said. “We must strive to promote such a dialogue. Of course, this work is much more complex and subtle than intervening by brute force, but only this can provide a long-term settlement and further stable development of the region and of the Syrian state.”

Mr. Putin spoke as a delegation of opposition figures representing the Syrian National Council, the main anti-Assad umbrella group, traveled to Moscow at the invitation of the Foreign Ministry. Delegation leaders, who have insisted that Mr. Assad cannot be part of any political transition in Syria, described the visit as exploratory, to test Russia’s willingness to be more accommodating. They were scheduled to meet with Russia’s foreign minister, Sergey V. Lavrov, on Wednesday.

“The Russians should know that the regime has now become a threat not just to Syria but also a threat to the security of the region, and we have started seeing that in Lebanon and Turkey,” said George Sabra, a member of the delegation who represents Syria’s Christian community.

Mr. Sabra said: “Of course, the main headline of this visit is to prepare for what is next. Why would the Russians want to meet with the opposition? Why would they want to build new relations? There are preparations for a new era.”

Samir Nachar, another delegation member, said that “we felt a shift in the Russians’ position” during a meeting in Paris last week of the so-called Friends of Syria group of Arab and Western countries, which opposes Mr. Assad. “Friends told us to visit Russia to test this change, and we also got an invitation.”

Mr. Nachar added: “We will not accept any solution the Russians will propose unless Assad leaves.”

A member of the council, speaking on the condition of anonymity, following diplomatic protocol, said the delegation was bringing a list of 53 Syrian officials — with Mr. Assad as No. 1 — who would have to go for a political transition to work.

Russia’s ambivalent position on Mr. Assad appeared to be reflected on Monday in statements by Russian military industry officials, who suggested an intention to limit the weaponry they would furnish to Syria.

Vyacheslav Dzirkaln, the deputy director of the Service for Military-Technical Cooperation, was quoted by Russia’s state-run news agency, RIA Novosti, as saying no new types of Russian weapons would be sent until the conflict there subsided.

Vyachislav N. Davidenko, a spokesman for Rosoboronexport, Russia’s state arms exporter, clarified in a telephone interview that Russia still intended to service old military contracts with Syria, as it did recently with the maintenance of Russian helicopters used by the Syrian Army. But the message about a delay in new weapons, most notably planned shipments of the Yak-130, a new type of military jet, was a substantive change.

Mr. Assad said in the interview with the German television network ARD, broadcast Sunday, that the United States, Saudi Arabia and Qatar supported what he called the terrorists fomenting the violence in Syria. He also said his leadership was not an impediment to peace.

“The United States is against me, the West is against me, many regional powers and countries and the people against me, so how could I stay in this position?” he said. “The answer is, I still have a public support.”

Altair · Post by **Altair** » 10 Jul 2012 20:18

RamaY garu

After 80% expect State run ethnic cleansing and genocide:

Pakistan would complete the list

RamaY · Post by **RamaY** » 10 Jul 2012 20:34

A member of the council, speaking on the condition of anonymity, following diplomatic protocol, said the delegation was bringing a list of 53 Syrian officials — with Mr. Assad as No. 1 — who would have to go for a political transition to work.

Perhaps time for a new pack of cards

Life is full of ironies.... sigh

pentaiah · Post by **pentaiah** » 10 Jul 2012 21:29

The moral of theme is
No alliance or ideology will protect alliances.. its a dog eat dog world.

Russia played a hard ball to make US give something in some shape or form some where else.

Leon Penetta ( corrupt form of Pentaiah in English) came to India and set cat in the Paki Pigeons by asking Indian to play ball in Afghanistan and lo and behold
Pakis open the supply route, we should not fall for any alliances or assurances go like Shivaji meeting Afzal Khan....

The final thing each for his own

Kasme Wade pyar wafa ... sab batein hai baton kya

dete hai Bhagwan ko dhoka insan kya chorenge....

shyamd · Post by **shyamd** » 10 Jul 2012 22:10

Russians don't want to be seen in a situation where an ally has shot down a NATO aircraft and a point where Israel or West start providing serious military maal to the Georgians. So the west does have its leverage also over the Russians.

-------------------------
Discussions going on Egyptian political circles on Egyptian and Iranian relations and we will find out soon at what level the Egyptians wish to build relations with Iran. Everyone watching closely

As people have probably heard - Egyptian army pulled a coup over President Morsi who responded by taking on the Judiciary and Army by reconvening the parliament. Many are in support of the army's decision and dont want to go against the army. Its the brotherhood that is marching to Tahrir to protest the army's moves. IMO The army will come out on top.
-------------------------
Protests continue in North Sudan
-------------------------

Philip · Post by **Philip** » 11 Jul 2012 00:06

Russia sends warships to Syria
Russia despatched a flotilla of warships to its naval base in the Syrian port of Tartus on Tuesday in an apparent show of support for President Bashar al-Assad.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldne ... Syria.html

abhishek_sharma · Post by **abhishek_sharma** » 11 Jul 2012 08:51

Lessons from a Syria wargame

kshatriya · Post by **kshatriya** » 11 Jul 2012 08:52

@ 12:30 Do Indian Companies sell Drugs to Middle East ? They seem to get the blame in this video 12:30 onwards

shyamd · Post by **shyamd** » 11 Jul 2012 22:37

Syrian ambassador to Iraq defects. Erdogan's heads to Moscow suddenly. SNC was in Moscow.

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 11 Jul 2012 23:34

Russian Navy Ready to Break Syria Blockade Says Arms Agency

"The fleet will be sent on task to guarantee the safety of our ships, to prevent anyone interfering with them in the event of a blockade. I remind you, there are no limits," Vyacheslav Dzirkaln said, when asked about the navy's actions in the event of a blockade.

The Defense Ministry said on Tuesday a Russian naval task force was on its way to carry out naval exercises in the Atlantic, Mediterranean and Black Seas.

The task force comprises warships from Russia’s Northern, Baltic and Black Sea Fleets, a ministry official told RIA Novosti.

The Russian cargo ship Alaed, which was carrying a cargo of renovated Mil Mi-25 helicopter gunships to Syria, was forced to stop on June 18 and return to Russia after its insurance cover was withdrawn by a British insurer.

Dzirkaln said Russia has not embargoed its existing arms contracts with Syria and will fulfill existing contracts for air defense systems and helicopters, in clarification of a statement made on Monday which indicated no new arms deliveries would be made by Moscow to Damascus.

Syrian opposition expressed concern on Wednesday over the departure of Russian warships to the Mediterranean as the presence of the Russian Navy near the Syrian coast could encourage the Assad regime to use even more violence against protesters.

“We have discussed this problem with Russia,” senior member of Istanbul-based opposition Syrian National Council (SNC) Burham Ghalioun told a news conference at RIA Novosti. “We are concerned with the fact that these maneuvers coincide with the escalation of the situation [in Syria].”

vishvak · Post by **vishvak** » 11 Jul 2012 23:35

kshatriya wrote:in this video 12:30 onwards..

The most voted up comment says

What a minute!

Your translation at 12:40 and 12:45 is Not accurate because that policeman said that drugs come from Israeli manufactures , Not India.

He did Not even mentioned India.

What a liar!

I do Not know how that lady used " she" when she referred to Hamas.

If 'Tamol" is the drug which could help young people to escape the reality in Gaza what do you say about addictive Israeli youth who have been indulging in addiction?

May be they are looking for escape the failed policy of Netanyahu.

shyamd · Post by **shyamd** » 11 Jul 2012 23:50

Guest Post 1: 'India and the Persian Connection' by A Durai

India and the Persian connection

Much has been made of the recent move by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) to extradite a terrorist who was involved in the 26/11 Mumbai attacks - many press reports cited the growing relationship in security and intelligence matters between the two countries. It is indeed true that the growing high-level intelligence interaction between Indian and Saudi counterparts has led to arrests of other wanted terrorists in the Kingdom (not just Lashkar terror operatives). But this is just one part of the multi-faceted relationship between the Kingdom and India.

One of the chief drivers of the growing relationship between the India and Saudi Arabia is the perceived Iranian threat to the latter. Over the past 15 years, Iran has managed to expand its influence into countries that were once perceived to be less of a security threat towards the Saudi Kingdom. Today, Iran is believed to have major control over Iraq - via influence over the politico- religious system (with Gulf leaders referring to the Iraqi PM as an "Iranian stooge"), and the two major Shia Iraqi militias (Mahdi Army and the SCIRI - Supreme Council of the Islamic Revolution in Iraq). Iran also has in place a strong alliance with the Alawite-led Syrian leadership and the oft-spoken-about relationship with Hezbollah in Lebanon.

With the removal of President Hosni Mubarak in Egypt - a staunch ally of the Saudis and one who was relied upon as a strong pillar of support especially on the security and defence side of things - the Kingdom sees itself surrounded by emergent problems. The newly elected President of Egypt, Mohammed Morsi, is overtly promising to strengthen ties with Iran and when you couple this with the continuing instability in Bahrain and Yemen, it is completely understandable why the KSA in particular and the Gulf Cooperation Council(GCC) states in general are looking increasingly nervous.

Indeed, one can but imagine the effect that a nuclear Iran would have on the security affairs of the various Gulf Kingdoms. As a result of this KSA has no choice but to build strong ties with regional powers such as India, Pakistan, Jordan and Turkey. It is also a time when the GCC with KSA, UAE and Qatar at its core is taking proactive steps to defend its security. One standout example of the same would be these countries lending support to Syrian rebels - by providing arms, finances as well as diplomatic support in order to break the Iranian alliance framework in Syria and Lebanon.

With all this happening in the Saudi neighbourhood, the last thing that the GCC needs is an Indo-Pak war which would remove two regional powers who have the capability to intervene favourably in the event of a war between itself and Iran. KSA of course also relies heavily on Pakistani military personnel to man its own armed forces in exchange for the transfer of military equipment, and perhaps for financing up to 30 per cent of the Pakistani military budget. However, it is likely that Pakistan would request these personnel to return in the event of a war with India, which would make the Gulf security situation even more precarious.

The quiet visitors to New Delhi

Last December saw some quiet visits by a few Gulf dignitaries to Delhi - one of whom was Prince Turki Al-Faisal (the former Saudi Intelligence chief) and another was a senior advisor to the Kingdom of Kuwait. Officially they were in India to interact with sundry mandarins in South Bloc and visit the Institute of Defence Studies and Analysis (IDSA) but truth be told these visits were probably of much greater importance than is readily understood.

As it turns out, the GCC has been seeking a mediator with Iran for some time over the nuclear issue. Initially, the Sultanate of Oman was chosen due to its relatively close ties with Iran. However, as one Gulf official put it, "No big nation listens to a small nation". This then led to Turkey being asked to mediate between the Iranians and the Arabs. However, the Gulf Kingdoms have been disappointed as Turkey has been unable to deal with the Iranians effectively.

The message conveyed from these visits was that the Gulf leadership is impressed with the way India has been able to deal with the Iranians - particularly, the mechanism created to deal with the subject of Afghanistan (where all difficult issues are discussed) and also India's ties with the entire spectrum of the Iranian leadership. The Gulf Kingdoms, it seems, want India to utilise its relationship with Iran in order to mediate on the nuclear issue. In reference to this, sources have confirmed that India has indeed opened a channel with the Iranians although how effective this has been is, as yet, unclear.

As a quid pro quo, there is an expectation in Indian quarters that the Gulf Kingdoms who have considerable influence in Pakistan can help moderate Pakistani behaviour on terrorism (and other areas of concern), increase investments in Indian infrastructure which will help develop the economy (as it did for the US), growth in all areas of the strategic relationship and pave the way for a FTA to be signed shortly.

Afghanistan

While the Gulf nations are pushing us to help settle the Iranian nuclear file amicably - we can't obviously forget our very real interests in Iran. Since Pakistan has blocked India's access to Central Asia and Afghanistan, India has no choice but to build close relations with Iran. Iran is central to our trade with Central Asia and Afghanistan. Our interests there are not merely trade-oriented but also involve security and defence matters in Eurasia which have a direct impact on us.

The development of the Iranian port of Chabahar and multi-modal transport (rail and road) into Afghanistan as well as Central Asia will allow us access to a highly resource rich region that can be utilised to support our economy. It will also serve as a shorter route for Indian goods heading towards Europe, thus helping to increase the competitiveness of Indian goods.

However, there is also a military aspect to such infrastructure. Having access to roads and rail will give us the capability, should the need arise, to intervene in a large way (subject to Russian and Iranian support of course). All this suggests that India has tough decisions ahead in order to balance our interests in the Gulf with our interests in Iran.

The nuclear file: what lies ahead

Gulf sources acknowledge that sanctions need time to work and a long-term solution is required to fully resolve the issue. It appears there is both a short-term and a long-term strategy at play here with Gulf states, Israel and the west in agreement on these aspects. The short-term strategy is to do all that is possible to delay the Iranian nuclear project by any means possible (including a last resort military strike on Iranian nuclear sites). The long term one, that of regime change (without the need to intervene militarily), can delay the prospects of a nuclear Iran indefinitely if it ever comes to fruition.

A former chief of the Mossad, Meir Dagan, acknowledged that air strikes on Iranian nuclear sites will only delay the project by two years at the most. However, in a recent interview, Dagan admitted that an air strike or regional war will result in people getting behind the regime and hence extending its life. Many US, GCC and Israeli officials agree with the view expressed by Dagan and conclude that the Iranian regime is under deep pressure to deliver results to the Iranian people. Dennis Ross (former Special Advisor to the Obama Administration on the Persian Gulf), in a recent conference, described Iran as similar to the Soviet Union in 1981 where ideology is no longer believed and the veneer is wearing thin. Therefore it is clear that all sides consider a regional war is not the best option although it may get sparked of suddenly as we shall see below.

Concurrently, the aim of the sanctions regime on Iran is to force the Iranian leadership to give up their nuclear weapons programme. If they don't, the pressure on the economy and the Iranian people will result in some sort of Arab spring-type revolution. The use of cyber weapons by western and Israeli intelligence has been particularly successful in the case of Iran with US officials suggesting that they have managed to delay the programme by a couple of years. Going forward, we can expect to see the collective use of sanctions, cyber attacks as well as a naval blockade by the west and Israel.

Why a naval blockade?

A nuclear Iran is not going to be in the interests of either Russia or China as Iran would naturally compete in the same sphere of influence of these two nations, particularly what Russia considers as its back yard, Central Asia. As a result, a blockade imposed by the west will not be really opposed by these two and it will mean that the Iranians will have no option but to cooperate with the world powers on their nuclear programme. After all, attacking your only allies, Russia and China, will not help the Iranians.

Interestingly, the US military has apparently conducted a number of joint exercises off the coast of North Carolina with their Russian and European counterparts, dealing with the "repulsion of an attack by small-sized vessels, helicopter rescue operations, personnel transfer procedures and joint manoeuvring" - operational scenarios that could well describe an asymmetric naval showdown with the Iranian Navy.

After a strike

Some alarming estimates say that Iran is only 8 months away from achieving the capability to build a nuclear weapon and hence Israel as well as the west may be pressured to act militarily before then. In the event of such a scenario, India will have to prepare contingency plans to evacuate the millions of Indians in the region as well as secure energy supplies for itself in the event Iran chooses to retaliate by closing the Strait of Hormuz.

Gulf forces are already on red alert in the region as war between the US/west and Iran could take place by miscalculation on either side, not to mention the high concentration of military vessels/aircraft in the Arabian Gulf where the chances of accidental shots being fired and escalating into a conflict are rather high. Contingency measures have been put in place for the last 6 months by the GCC fearing the worst.

One hopes preparations for such a scenario are being made by Indian military planners as well.

Summing it all up

The growing threat of war would mean that India will have to source oil from more stable neighbourhoods. Africa and South America are possible solutions. India will also need to develop its own shale oil and gas resources. The threat of war will also mean that oil prices will remain sticky at least for the next one to two years and the New Delhi will have to take this into consideration when drawing up its financial plans.

kshatriya · Post by **kshatriya** » 12 Jul 2012 00:24

vishvak wrote:
kshatriya wrote:in this video 12:30 onwards..
The most voted up comment says
What a minute!

Your translation at 12:40 and 12:45 is Not accurate because that policeman said that drugs come from Israeli manufactures , Not India.

He did Not even mentioned India.

What a liar!

I do Not know how that lady used " she" when she referred to Hamas.

If 'Tamol" is the drug which could help young people to escape the reality in Gaza what do you say about addictive Israeli youth who have been indulging in addiction?

May be they are looking for escape the failed policy of Netanyahu.

Hmm... I did not see the comment when i posted it..

Won't be suprised, the guy who made the video is a Canadian-Paki

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 12 Jul 2012 01:00

This A. Durai guy is good!

Hope he keeps up the level of analysis.

Interesting use of Persian vs Iranian!

shyamd · Post by **shyamd** » 12 Jul 2012 17:52

Confirms what I've been saying for some time...

Building the case for intervention...
Syria's Chemical Secret: Israel Raises Alarm
Intelligence sources are warning of Syria's secret chemical stockpile that could fall into terrorist hands.

By Sam Kiley, defence and security editor
Hundreds of tonnes of Syria's stockpile of deadly nerve gas could fall into the hands of terrorist groups if the regime of Bashar al Assad falls apart amid widening concerns that Israel could go to war to try to stop this 'Doomsday threat'.

According to Middle Eastern and other intelligence sources, Syria has the biggest stockpiles of the nerve gasses VX and Sarin, as well as mustard gas, in the Middle East.

Investigations by Sky News have identified four sites where the agents are produced: Hama, Latakia, Al Safira, near Aleppo and at the Centre D'Etude et Recherche Scientifique laboratories in Damascus.

Storage sites have also been found at Khan abu Shamat, Furqlus, Hama, Masyaf, Palmyra.

Biological weapons are believed to be stored at Cerin while there are also numerous 'dual use' civilian pharmaceutical laboratories which are capable of producing bio-weapons such as botulism and anthrax.

Al Qaeda-related groups are known to be operating inside Syria. Its leadership has frequently extolled members or followers to try to get hold of chemical weapons.

Much of the fighting in Syria's civil war has centred on Hama, Latakia, and in the suburbs of the capital - making the storage and production sites of chemical weapons vulnerable to being overrun by rebels.

The deadly chemical weapons have been successfully 'weaponised'. This means that conventional artillery and missile warheads have been fitted with delivery systems for VX gas. These include Scud B, C and D missiles.

These rockets are capable of hitting any location inside Israel and, Sky sources said, they are capable of spreading VX gas in bomblets similar to those seen in cluster munitions.

Syria has backed the Lebanese Islamist movement Hezbollah for decades. In 2006, Israel launched a bloody invasion of Lebanon in response to Hezbollah rocket attacks.

Today, intelligence sources say that they conservatively estimate that Hezbollah has a stockpile of more than 40,000 new missiles.

Israel is deeply concerned that Assad may deliberately give Hezbollah chemical weapons - or that they could end up in the hands of other terror groups. In either case, this could lead to a regional war, Danny Yatom, the former head of Mossad warned.

Israel is worried President Assad may give chemical weapons to Hezbollah
"The conventional wisdom should be that we cannot exclude a non-conventional attack on Israel. We would have to pre-empt in order to prevent it. We need to be prepared to launch even military attacks... and military attacks mean maybe a deterioration to war," he told Sky News.

Yatom is part of Israel's security establishment, but not part of the administration. Usually vocal on any issue perceived to be a threat to Israel, recently, officials have been publically muted on Assad's Syria.

This is mainly because while Assad is a sworn enemy of Israel, which occupies the Syrian Golan Heights, he has headed a stable regime.

There are widespread fears that a Gaddafi-style collapse of Syria into chaos, would mean that chemical weapons would spread around the globe.

The weaponisation means they can be moved easily and Sky sources in the region said that the Assad regime had dispersed the weapons to "dozens of different sites and into perpetually mobile columns".

Major general Yair Naveh, the deputy chief of staff of the Israeli Defence Force, recently warned a private congregation at a Jerusalem synagogue that Syria's chemical weapons posed a mortal threat to the Jewish State.

"As for Syria, we all hear the news ... (if) Syrians ... behave this way to their people it is clear ... how they will behave towards us - to our sons - when they get the opportunity against us, with the largest chemical weapons arsenal in the world, with missiles and rockets that cover all of Israel".

Western leaders have been criticised for their 'failure' to intervene in Syria with a no-fly zone and the sort of campaign which helped topple Muammar Gaddafi in Libya last year.

Syria, with 100,000 men dedicated to its air force and air defence forces, has built up a formidable ability to keep enemy aircraft out of its territory in recent years.

In May, 12,000 special forces commandos spent almost a month training for the sort of scenario now presented by Syria.

But a Pentagon study suggested that 75,000 troops would be needed to secure Assad's chemical weapons arsenal. There seems little prospect of the US committing that kind of force, given tensions with Iran over its nuclear weapons programme.

"The truth is that no one has much of a clue what to do about Syria - it's too well defended and too full of weapons of mass destruction to mean that there can be any meaningful military intervention. The Syrians may be doomed if Assad stays, and lots of others if he falls," said one senior intelligence official in the region.