 By Ian Drury and Andy Dolan More than 120,000 people had last night signed an internet petition protesting about plans by Islamic extremists to march through Wootton Bassett. Hate preacher Anjem Choudary sparked outrage by saying his radical group Islam4UK would parade through the town renowned for honouring soldiers killed in Afghanistan. The firebrand cleric said 500 of his supporters would carry 'symbolic coffins' in memory of the Muslim civilians ' murdered by merciless' coalition forces.
In remarks designed to cause maximum offence, he compared fallen British heroes to Nazi stormtroopers and the September 11 and July 7 terrorists. He even claimed his plan was backed by families of servicemen and women. But MPs, military chiefs, moderate Muslims and councillors expressed horror that 42-year-old Choudary was 'hijacking' the town for political purposes. In less than 48 hours, more than 120,000 people joined a Facebook campaign opposing the march by Islam4UK, which calls itself a 'platform' for the banned extremist group al-Muhajiroun. Petition organiser Jo Cleary, who works with service families, urged supporters to express their 'alarm and distress' to Wiltshire Police in a bid to stop the plan. She said: 'This group can march anywhere it wishes in the country but has chosen Wootton Bassett to cause outrage and offence. We need our politicians to make a statement saying that this march will never take place.'
Peter Fullarton, whose son James, 24, was killed by a Taliban bomb only weeks after proposing to his fiancee last year said the Government must ban the march or risk an 'uproar'. He said: 'Not only will it be an incredible insult to our war dead and to the fantastic town of Wootton Bassett, but there could be a riot, white extremists could use it as justification for attacks, people could end up being killed. We lost 108 soldiers in Afghanistan last year. For them, if for nobody else, these sickening plans must be stopped.' Steve Minter, whose son-in-law Serjeant Paul McAleese was also killed by a bomb, said: 'I am all for free speech, but this is an abuse of our tolerant democracy.
'Too many of these extremists have been allowed to make Britain their home because they have won the right to political asylum, then they abuse our decency by putting forward views that would lead to execution in their own country. 'If this march goes ahead - and I hope to God it does not - the police will have an awful job on their hands. I for one will be there to protest.'
Wooton Bassett has a tradition of parading the coffins of local soldiers that died in combat through the town Shahid Murasaleen, from the moderate Muslim group Minhajul-Quran International UK, said: 'Extremists like these always claim to speak for Islam and British Muslims yet they are not qualified to do either. This march will achieve nothing other than to incite hate crime against innocent law-abiding Muslims.' The market town near Swindon has become a symbol of the public's respect for the troops who make the ultimate sacrifice. Hundreds of mourners line the High Street to pay silent tribute to service personnel repatriated through nearby RAF Lyneham. Former mayor Chris Wannell said: 'We are a traditional old English market town who honour very much our Queen and country. If this man has any decency about him he will not hold a march through Wootton Bassett.' Wiltshire Police confirmed that they were aware of the plan, although Choudary had not contacted them. Islam4UK will have to tell police the date, time and route of a proposed procession. A police spokesman said: 'If a march is believed to be likely to result in serious disorder, disruption or damage, then the police can impose conditions upon the organiser. In exceptional circumstances, police may apply to the local authority for an order prohibiting such a march.' Mail Online 
 Israel's new long-range unmanned aerial vehicle, unveiled by Elbit Industries this week, adds a new dimension to the military's capabilities against Iran -- not just boosting its surveillance reach but perhaps even attacking air defenses with remote-controlled Hellfire missiles. Elbit announced on Tuesday that its Hermes 900 had successfully completed its maiden flight and would enter production following additional flight tests. The UAV is based on Elbit's highly successful Hermes 450 model, which has accumulated 170,000 flight hours. The 450 is the primary UAV deployed by the Israeli military, and at least 20 of them were in action daily during the 34-day war with Lebanon's Hezbollah in July-August 2006. The 900 model is essentially a stretched and bulked-up 450, a 992-pound craft that was designed to carry two AGM-114 Hellfire air-to-ground missiles, the weapons systems used by U.S. UAVs targeting al-Qaida and Taliban chieftains in Afghanistan and Pakistan. The 900 is similar in appearance to the U.S. MQ-1 Predator, which carries out most of the attacks in the AFPAK theater of operation. Both weigh around 1 ton. The Hermes 900 is designed primarily for endurance and for the first time gives the Israeli armed forces a long-range drone that can conduct surveillance flights over hostile territory as distant as Iran, some 950 miles. However, to do that would mean overflying Jordan, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and possibly Turkey, and risk political problems with those states. If such flights were undertaken, the new 900's primary mission would undoubtedly be spying out air-defense systems around Iran's nuclear facilities, the primary target for threatened Israeli airstrikes, supplementing intelligence from Israeli spy satellites. The UAV's attack potential could also prove useful in the event Israel does launch pre-emptive strikes to knock out Iranian nuclear sites and other strategic targets. It could hit air-defense systems ahead of attacks by the Israeli air force's F-16I and F-15I strike jets, reducing the risk of Israeli pilots being shot down over hostile territory. The last time that happened was when an F-4 Phantom went down over south Lebanon on Oct. 16, 1986. The new Hermes can stay in the air for 36 hours -- 16 more than the 450 -- with a payload of 650 pounds, enough to give it considerable loiter time over Iran. It has a cruising speed of around 80 miles an hour, can fly as high as 30,000 feet and has satellite communications capability. It also uses innovative avionics, operates silently, which allows for missions over urban areas, and carried high-tech systems such as electro-optic imaging, a laser designator that can be used to "paint" ground targets for aircraft, and electronic intelligence sensors. The Israeli air force, which operates the 450, has not yet acquired any of the new 900s, although it recently bought the Heron UAV manufactured by state-run Israel Aerospace Industries. That can remain airborne for more than 30 hours with a cruising altitude of 30,000 feet. Meantime, there were reports that Israel's first unmanned stealth naval craft, designated Protector SV but known as the Death Shark, has been deployed in the Gulf region, able to cruise underwater off Iran for long periods. Operated from a surface ship or a shore base, the 27-foot craft reportedly carries a Close-In Weapons System for detecting and engaging anti-ship missiles and aircraft, as well as torpedoes and electronic jamming gear. It also carries four cameras with the resolution of satellite imaging systems as well as sonar and radar systems that can transmit three-dimensional images to its control base. SpaceWar
 Islamic Tolerance Alert from Modern, Moderate Turkey -- and another demonstration of how unsuited the country is to enter the European Union. Letting them in would not encourage change; it would only reward their refusal to change. "Turkish Military Planned Attacks on Christians," from the Assyrian International News Agency Senior Turkish military officers had made extensive plans to terrorize non-Muslims in Turkey. In the large Ergenekon1 scandal recently a well-planned terrorist operation was revealed. The operation which is called "Kafes Operasyonu Eylem Plani", in English meaning "the execution of the cage - operation" was to eliminate the remaining small group of Christians living in Turkey today. The plan was revealed when police arrested Levent Bektas, a major in the Turkish army. The evidence seized reveals more than 27 officers and senior military officers involved in the conspiracy against Christians. In order to identify key persons among the Christians and then kill them, this terrorist network has broken into a Greek church congregation compound and stolen computers. The purpose of this was to access the congregation's member lists. "When our office was emptied of computers and files, church members were very concerned. Since the murder of the monk Santoro, the journalist Hrant Dink and the brutal murder of three publishing workers in Malatya, Christians are living in constant fear," said lawyer Kezban Hatemi, representing the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate in Istanbul. On November 28, 2007, the Syriac Orthodox monk Daniel Savci in Turabdin was kidnapped in southeastern Turkey. The monk resides in the St. Gabriel monastery, which Turkish authorities are trying to confiscate. A few days later the monk was found beaten. Shortly after, the police arrested some village guards, a state-sanctioned militia subordinate to the Turkish army, for the kidnapping. Many people with insight into the situation interpret the kidnapping as a direct threat to the remaining Assyrians in Turabdin. Christians were attacked across the country. To implement the strategic attacks, the country"s Christian population was mapped out and 939 key persons from different parts of the country were identified as potential targets. The fully detailed operation consists of four phases: preparation, spreading propaganda, shape opinion and execute. The newspaper Taraf, which has been able to access the information, has published several articles about this. On its website www.taraf.com.tr it is described in detail how the plan to attack the Christians was to be implemented. Below are some points that constitute the plan"s main lines. * Christians are mapped * Famous and wealthy Christian businessmen kidnapped * Systematic fires and looting of Christian businesses * The Armenian newspaper AGOS be subjected to several explosions * Murder patrols executing attacks against selected individuals * Christian cemeteries subjected to explosions * Churches and institutions belonging to Christians subjected to explosions * Put the blame on imaginary militant organizations Read it all. With thanks to JihadWatch
 New documents have come to light as a result of the investigation in the United Kingdom into the war in Iraq. Not surprisingly, the papers show some level of deceit by the British government regarding the preparations to attack Iraq and make the planning and execution of the war look frighteningly bad. They show there was significant tension between the civilian administrators and the military commanders who wanted more resources, and that there was little planning for the post-Saddam situation. In fact, the unit set up for post-war planning was only created in February 2003. Other documents show friction between the British and American military commands, particularly over the British forces’ refusal to take action against Shiite militias under the leadership of Moqtada al-Sadr in the south and the decision to engage in dialogue with them instead.
Regardless of your feelings on the decision to invade, we should all be dismayed regarding how the war was prosecuted. On the bright side, understanding such mistakes allows us to really appreciate how stunning the turn-around in Iraq is, and apply such lessons for future conflicts.
World Threats
 Pakistan's military has launched a major offensive in the northwest Khyber agency, imposing a 24-hour curfew and a shoot-to-kill policy. The operation, called "You will like us", is taking place in the Barra Area, where security forces say 18 Taliban fighters have been killed in fighting so far. Kamal Hyder, Al Jazeera's correspondent in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, said security officials had arrested six people and at least two hideouts and three Taliban strongholds had been destroyed in the operation. Authorities have claimed that Taliban fighters who escaped from an army operation in South Waziristan may have sought sanctuary in Barra. Pakistani officials say the spate of recent bloody attacks in Peshawar and surrounding areas, which have killed more than 150 people, were likely to have been co-ordinated from Barra. Officials on Tuesday also imposed a curfew in Bajaur district, north of Khyber, after deadly clashes with the Taliban. Authorities imposed an indefinite curfew after clashes in Khar, the main town of Bajaur district on the Afghan border, where US officials say al-Qaeda is plotting attacks on the West. "The crossfire continued for three hours. Six militants were killed in retaliatory fire," Adalat Khan, a local government official, told the AFP news agency. "Two civilians were also killed and four, including two women, wounded when a mortar shell landed inside a house," Khan said. Taliban fighters have recently stepped up attacks on security forces and government installations in Bajaur, one of Pakistan's seven semi-autonomous tribal districts. The violence has surged since Pakistan launched a major offensive in the Taliban bastion of South Waziristan on October 17. Officials say the aim is to distract the army's attention from South Waziristan. The continued unrest comes despite a six-month operation in Bajaur, which the army declared a success in February. Al Jazeera
 PARACHINAR, Pakistan — Pakistan's army killed 18 Islamist militants in a northwestern region Monday, part of an escalating campaign against insurgents intent on toppling the U.S.-allied government. It was the second day of fighting in Shahukhel in Hangu district close to the Afghan border. Like other parts of the lawless frontier zone, Hangu is home to Al Qaeda and Taliban insurgents that launch attacks in Pakistan, as well as in Afghanistan. Pakistan is under pressure to crack down on militants and has won praise from its Western allies for an ongoing, major operation in the South Waziristan border region. But critics say the army should do more against insurgent groups who use the northwest as a safe haven to attack Western troops in Afghanistan. Hangu is around 93 miles north of South Waziristan. In Shahukhel, troops backed by artillery and helicopters killed 18 militants on Monday, intelligence officials said on customary condition of anonymity. There was no word on any military casualties. On Sunday, 12 militants were killed in the same area. Journalists are banned from visiting the border region, making it impossible to verify casualty figures. Taliban militants have carried out, or been blamed for, hundreds of bloody bombings in Pakistan against Western, military and government targets in recent years, including a spike over the last seven weeks that has killed more than 300 people. FoxNews
 Days before the start of the Islamic pilgrimage, Saudi Arabia holds a massive display of its armed forces. An annual event, the parade is meant to deter any who might seek to disrupt the event. On top of fears of an outbreak of H1N1 flu during Hajj, Saudi Arabia has found it also has a number of security issues to be concerned about this year. One of those issues has been rising tensions between Saudi and nearby Iran. In the past, Iranian pilgrims have complained, held protests and even clashed with police over being mistreated during Hajj. This time, though, the complaints have been over Saudi's part in operations against Houthi fighters in northern Yemen. An annual pre-Hajj event, Saudi authorities held a massive security forces demonstration at Arafat on Sunday evening, showing off the various battalions and personnel that are currently being deployed for the "protection of the pilgrims". The military parade is largely seen as a show of force by the government, meant to deter any and all who might seek to disrupt the holy pilgrimage. Speaking at the parade, Muhammad bin Abdullah al-Shahrani, head of emergency special forces that oversees Hajj security, said more than 100,000 personnel were being deployed this year. That number includes soldiers and security forces, police and emergency response teams. It would seem the entirety of that force - from bomb squads to K9 units, and including ambulances, helicopters and armoured personnel carriers - were on display on Sunday. After the sun set, the closely-controlled crowd of cameramen and journalists were corralled into a news conference with Prince Naif bin Abdul Aziz, Saudi's interior minister. When asked about tensions with Iran and the possibility of a protest, Naif responded saying that if anyone were to threaten the sanctity of Hajj, they would be dealt with by force. However, in response to follow-up questions, Naif clarified that he does not expect any disruptions of Hajj by Iranian pilgrims this year, as officials from Tehran had recently arrived in the kingdom, offering their reassurances and guarantees that no protests would be held. On the subject of Yemen, Naif felt the need to reiterate that the Saudi and Yemeni governments were united against the "bad people", adding that fighting with the Houthis had nothing to do with Hajj. With a word of praise for his men, Naif said he was completely satisfied with the security preparations being taken this year. Al Jazeera
 SARAROGHA, Pakistan — A school the army says churned out homicide bombers now lies in ruins. Soldiers patrol towns once ruled by militants who gave refuge to Al Qaeda. Left behind are bundles of terror manuals, extremist propaganda and boxes of ammunition and explosives. Pakistan's latest offensive close to the Afghan border has uprooted Taliban militants from long-held sanctuaries, an action the Obama administration says is crucial to success in Afghanistan amid surging violence against U.S. troops. But questions remain over whether the insurgents have slipped away into the mountains of South Waziristan or beyond to fight another day as they have done before in the region. Also unclear is whether the army will push its assault into other areas in the northwest where the U.S. says commanders responsible for much of the Afghan insurgency are based. The army ferried reporters by helicopter to parts of South Waziristan on Tuesday, the only way media can visit the remote and sparsely populated region. Humanitarian workers are also banned, meaning there have been few, if any, independent accounts from the battlefield. Reporters were shown Ladha and Sararogha towns, which were both militant hubs before the offensive started in mid-October. Commanders said Pakistani troops have retaken most population centers, roads and strategic high ground in the region but that insurgents remain in parts of the countryside. "The terrorists declared this region would be the graveyard of the Pakistani army, but we proved them otherwise," said Maj. Gen. Athar Abbas. As well as being the stronghold of the Taliban, Pakistan's deadliest militant network, South Waziristan has long been a refuge for Al Qaeda leaders who fled here following the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan in late 2001. It's considered a possible hiding place for Osama bin Laden. The army has tried three times since 2004 to defeat the Taliban here, but each attempt ended in negotiated truces after the military suffered heavy casualties. The current offensive was launched after an onslaught of terrorist attacks around the country and the death of Pakistani Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud in a CIA missile strike in August. More than 200,000 people have fled and now live outside the region. There was no sign of civilians in areas visited or flown over Tuesday. More at FoxNews
 British forces should buy off potential Taleban recruits with “bags of gold”, according to a new army field manual published yesterday. Army commanders should also talk to insurgent leaders with “blood on their hands” in order to hasten the end of the conflict in Afghanistan. The edicts, which are contained in rewritten counter-insurgency guidelines, will be taught to all new army officers. They mark a strategic rethink after three years in which British and Nato forces have failed to defeat the Taleban. The manual is also a recognition that the Army’s previous doctrine for success against insurgents, which was based on the experience in Northern Ireland, is now out of date. The new instructions came on the day that Gordon Brown went farther than before in setting out Britain’s exit strategy from Afghanistan. The Prime Minister stated explicitly last night that he wanted troops to begin handing over districts to Afghan authorities during next year — a general election year in Britain. Major-General Paul Newton said: “The best weapons to counter insurgents don’t shoot. In other words, use bags of gold in the short term to change the security dynamics. But you don’t just chuck gold at them, this has to be done wisely.” British commanders in Afghanistan and Iraq have complained that their access to money on the battlefield — cash rather than literal gold — compares poorly with their US counterparts. Read more at Times Online
 Anyone who counts Ayatollah Abdolhossein Moezi as a spiritual leader is unlikely to have joined the British military in the first place. He is the religious envoy of the same regime that calls Britain “the little Satan”. Ayatollah Moezi is the director of the Islamic Centre of England, the London outpost of Iran’s neoconservative regime — a role to which he was personally appointed by Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
His leadership — as political as it is religious — is anathema to most British-Iranians, the majority of whom came to the country to escape the Islamic Revolution. Shia Muslims, who traditionally take their spiritual guidance from imams such as Ayatollah Khamenei, are outnumbered in Britain by Sunni Muslims, mostly from Pakistan and Bangladesh, who do not all recognise any special priestly authority. The late Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini united Shias and Sunnis in overthrowing the Shah of Iran in the Islamic Revolution. It inspired a new wave of political Islam in both sects, and Sunnis and Shias alike responded with equal vigour to his fatwa on Salman Rushdie. The crisis that followed Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s re-election in June has undermined both his political and religious leadership further. He is now openly questioned by politicians and clerics alike. Iran’s increasingly hegemonic behaviour, and nuclear ambitions, has spooked both Arab states and populations across the Middle East. When Ayatollah Khamenei or his acolytes speak, it is no longer taken as the word of God but the word of the regime alone. If a British Muslim, Shia or Sunni, has taken the decision to serve his country at war it will take more than Tehran’s mouthpiece to dissuade them. Times Online
 By Cal Thomas By now, the script should be disturbingly familiar. Whether in the Middle East, or increasingly in America, a fanatical Muslim blows up or goes on a shooting spree, killing many. This is quickly followed by "condemnations" from "Muslim civil rights groups," like the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR). We are then warned by the president and some newspaper editorials not to jump to conclusions, or to stereotype. Yasser Arafat wrote this script, which he used with great success throughout his bloody career as a terrorist. Suddenly, the issue of gays in the military doesn't seem as important as jihadists in the military. If you were an enemy of America, not only would you fight overseas and develop nuclear weapons (Iran), you would also engage in an even more effective strategy by striking at America's underbelly. This is our most vulnerable region because we now tolerate virtually everything, indulge in political correctness and subscribe to a bogus belief that if radical Islamists can see we mean them no harm, they will mean us no harm. Read more ...Source: JWR
 THE army major accused of massacring up to 13 fellow US soldiers and wounding 31 others during a shooting rampage is being held in custody and reportedly in a stable condition after being shot multiple times. The gunman's condition came as a surprise after military officials first reported that he was among the dead following a quick response by military police at the massive US military base. Malik Nadal Hasan, 39, a military psychiatrist, was believed to be unhappy about recent orders to serve in Iraq. General Bob Cone has confirmed that the major launched a sudden attack using two handguns in a heavily populated medical checkup area at the Soldier Readiness Centre at Fort Hood. One of the handguns was a semi-automatic weapon, enabling rapid fire before a female soldier returned fire. The woman had already been wounded when she ended Malik's shooting spree. General Cone did not rule out terrorism as a motive, but said that the evidence did not indicate that it was linked to terrorism. Asked if the major was in danger of dying, he said: "I would say his death is not imminent."
Hasan, a US Muslim of Palestinian origin who joined the military against his parents' wishes, also battled harassment based on his "Middle Eastern ethnicity,'' according to his cousin Nader Hasan, and was seeking to leave the military.
"He hired a military attorney to try to have the issue resolved, pay back the government, to get out of the military. He was at the end of trying everything,'' Hasan told Fox News.
While living in Washington DC, he attended prayers at a local Muslim community center at least once a day, seven days a week, according to Maryland imam Faizul Khan.
Khan, a former imam at the center, told The Washington Post that Hasan was "very devout,'' and asked him various religious questions.
"But there was nothing extremist in his questions. He never showed any frustration... He never showed any... wish for vengeance on anybody,'' Khan said.
A former colleague of Hasan's disagreed, saying the Army major had expressed a desire to see Muslims "fight against the aggressor.''
"He said, maybe the Muslims should stand up and fight against the aggressor, at first we thought he was talking about how Muslims should stand up and help the armed forces in Iraq and in Afghanistan, but apparently that wasn't the case,'' Colonel Terry Lee told Fox News. Source: The Australian
 The dead gunman, army major Hassan Malik, was believed to be a recent convert to Islam and was soon to be deployed to Iraq.
The army major is believed to have been a doctor on the military base who specialised in mental health. Military officials held two other soldiers in custody on the Soldier Readiness Centre at Fort Hood, the world's largest base, but it is not clear at this stage if they were connected with the violence. It is believed that shooting may have started during a graduation ceremony attended by large numbers of young military personnel, and could have been the work of a lone gunman. Soon after the shooting rampage, which occurred at 1.30pm Texas time, about 500 military personnel performed a security sweep of the base to prevent any further violence and to check for further suspects. Some of those killed are believed to have been shot at point-blank range with handguns, with the shooter or shooters reloading multiple times.
US President Barack Obama described the shootings as tragic and sent his condolences to the families of those murdered. "This is a horrific outburst of violence," he said. The President broke from a prepared speech to the Tribal Nations Conference in Washington to say there had been a tragic shooting in Texas but details were unclear. "What we do know is that a number of American soldiers have been killed and even more have been wounded in a horrific outburst of violence," he said. "My immediate thoughts and prayers are with the wounded, and with the families of the fallen, and with those live and serve at Fort Hood. "Theses are men and women who have made the selfless and courageous decision to risk, and at times give, their lives to protect the rest of us on a daily basis. "It is difficult enough when we lose these brave Americans in battles overseas. It is horrifying that they should come under fire at an army base on American soil. The President said he had spoken to Defence Secretary Robert Gates and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen, and he would receive a constant stream of updates. "We are working with the Pentagon, the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security, all to ensure that Fort Hood is secure and we will continue to support the community with the full resources of the federal government. "In the meantime I would ask all Americans to keep the men and women of Fort Hood in your thoughts and prayers. "We will make sure that we get answers to every single question about this horrible incident and I want all of you to know that as commander in chief there is no greater honour, but also no greater responsibility for me than to make sure that extraordinary men and women in uniform are properly cared for and that their safety and security when they are at home is provided for."
Congress today held a moment of silence to honour the dead victims in the Fort Hood shootings. Source: The Australian
 Pakistan's military said Tuesday that its forces have taken over a Taliban stronghold during the ongoing ground offensive in the tribal region of South Waziristan. Pakistani security forces have secured Sararogha and have started to clear the town of weapons and ammunition, the military said.
It comes a day after its forces gained control of Kaniguram, another key Taliban stronghold, which the military says its forces have now completely secured. According to the military, 21 militants and one Pakistani soldier died in the past 24 hours of fighting -- most of them in the raid on Sararogha. The military is trying to rout Taliban insurgents operating along the Pakistan-Afghan border. The restive and largely ungoverned region of South Waziristan is the headquarters of the Pakistani Taliban. Pakistan's military suspects its leader, Hakimullah Mehsud, is still in the region backed by up to 8,000 militant fighters. Pakistan's army has launched three similar offensives in Kaniguram and Sararogha since 2004 without success, sometimes agreeing to peace deals that eventually fall apart. Army spokesman Maj. Gen. Athar Abbas recently told CNN that this time a peace deal is not an option. "Certainly there is no scope of a peace deal," Abbas told CNN. "It is a fight to the finish." The military began its ground offensive in South Waziristan three weeks ago, however the region has been affected by a broader anti-Taliban offensive that has uprooted more than 180,000 people this year, according to the United Nations. Many of those people -- more than 94,000 -- have fled South Waziristan since June, the U.N. said last week. Source: CNN
 Debka.com is reporting here that the United States is apparently taking moves to be prepared for war in the Middle East. DEBKAfile’s US intelligence sources report indications of impending war preparations against Iran after Tehran’s rejections of the UN-brokered proposal to ship its enriched uranium overseas for further enrichment. These sources reveal that the administration is seeking congressional authorization to open America’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR).
Furthermore, the US-Israeli joint US-Israel Juniper Cobra ballistic exercise is in full swing. Finally, US and Israel officials have been instructed to warn Moscow that the military option is still on the table if Iran’s nuclear program is not halted by diplomatic means. These actions are apparently in response to Iran’s negative reply to sending the bulk of its enriched uranium to Russia and France for reprocessing into fuel rods. Analysis. Iran is button pushing again. They want the war and chaos it creates to provide the conditions for the “Hidden Imam” to reappear. They also want to be the defender in this scenario. They are willing to absorb whatever attack the Israelis , and others, may deliver against them to get that to happen. Expect Iran to continue the present course as long as the mullahocracy remains in power.
At some point the Israelis primarily and most likely in consultations and cooperation with their neighbors who will also be effected will attack Iran’s nuclear facilities and other military targets. Six months? Source: World Threats
 The Pakistani military has begun a ground offensive against Taliban strongholds in South Waziristan. The ground operation began early on Saturday, advancing from at least three directions - Zhob to the south, Razmak to the north and Jandola from the east. Air power was also put to use. About 28,000 troops are to be employed in the offensive against about 10,000 Taliban. The move followed crisis-talks and a meeting headed by Yousuf Raza Gilani, the prime minister, on Friday in which it was decided to launch the operation against Taliban. The drive comes in response to continued bomb attacks in the country over the past two weeks that have killed more than 150 people. Hundreds of residents in the South Waziristan have been moving out of the area in anticipation of the military offensive. A curfew was imposed in South Wazaristan on Saturday, ahead of any offensive. Mohammad Khalid Khan, a senior government official, said: "The curfew is for the protection of military convoys [moving toward Taliban strongholds] and it is on the roads. The bazaars are open." The government said on Friday that a ground offensive against the Pakistani Taliban in South Waziristan was imminent and the army has been stepping up its air and artillery attacks in recent days to soften up their defences. Pakistani forces attacked the Taliban in South Waziristan on the same day with aircraft and artillery. The US hopes that a Pakistani army operation in South Waziristan will help break much of the opposition network that threatens both Pakistan and American troops across the border in Afghanistan. Analysts say that with winter approaching, any push would have had to have begun soon to be successful. Saturday's offensive came a day after at least 11 people died in two explosions near a police office in the city of Peshawar. The bombs were detonated at an investigation bureau in an army garrison of the city, Asghar Hussain, a police official, said. The strikes were the latest in a series of attacks that have killed more than 150 people in Pakistan over the past two weeks. Local police said one of the attackers was a woman, making it the second time that a female suicide bomber has attacked in Pakistan. "Police tried to intercept a woman sitting on a motorcycle with a terrorist. She blew herself up and after that there was another blast when a suicide attacker sitting in a car exploded," Liaqat Ali Khan, the city police chief, said. "An attack had happened here already once before ... We don't feel secure here, we don't know when it will happen again," Allah Ditta, a local resident, said. Hasan Askari Rizvi, a political and defence analyst, said: "Different terrorist groups are now trying to reassert themselves, because after the [Pakistani army] Swat operation and the death of Baitullah Mehsud, [the leader of the Pakistani Taliban] the impression was that they were in disarray. "Now they want to demonstrate they are capable of taking action in any part of the country. "They want to deter [security forces] from taking action in South Waziristan where action is expected against the Taliban." Also on Friday, police said dozens of people had been picked up in overnight raids in slum areas of Lahore and neighbourhoods populated by Afghans, a day after 40 people died in a string of attacks on security buildings in Lahore and bombings in the northwest. "There has been considerable progress in the ongoing investigation. We have arrested dozens of suspects during overnight raids in Lahore," Haider Ashraf, senior police official at the Manawan police academy, told the AFP news agency. "These people are being interrogated. We are also trying to identify the terrorists who were killed yesterday," he said. Source: Al Jazeera (English)
 What spurred the cancellation of this week's NATO air force exercise in Turkey was a delay in the delivery of unmanned aerial vehicles to Turkey by Israel, and not Turkish objection to Israel's conduct in Gaza during Operation Cast Lead, an air force official told Turkey's Zaman newspaper on Wednesday. The source told the paper: "Turkey needs those vehicles in its fight against terror. What led to the recent crisis between Turkey and Israel was the delay in the delivery."The UAVs in question are the Israeli-made "Heron" surveillance drones. According to the report, Turkey purchased 10 UAVs four years ago, for the price of $180 million from the Israeli Aerospace Industries and a private company. The source said Turkish Chief of Staff Ilker Basbug expressed his concerns over the delay with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan during a meeting last month. The source said Erdogan had promised to back any sanctions the Turkish military would impose on Israel for the delay, adding, "The General Staff asked Israeli authorities one last time about the delivery of the Herons.
Israeli authorities refused to give an exact date and said they planned to deliver the vehicles by the end of 2009, whereupon the General Staff decided to cancel the international part of the exercises.”
However, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu admitted on Monday that Operation Cast Lead was the reason for the cancellation of the joint military exercise. In response to a question by CNN, the minister said, "In the current situation, it is obvious that we condemn Israel's attitude." Israel was displeased with the cancellation, and Deputy Prime Minister Silvan Shalom said on Tuesday that the Turks must come to their senses. "The deterioration in ties with Turkey in recent days is futile and even harmless. I hope the Turks come to their senses." The minister added, "Turkey is an important ally, an important Muslim state with important strategic ties with Israel. This alliance is no less important to them than it is to us." Source: Ynet
 Pakistani forces have stormed an army headquarters in Rawalpindi, freeing 22 hostages held there by suspected Taliban fighters, according to the military. The army operation got under way in the early hours of Sunday morning. Reports said that three hostages and four fighters were killed in the assault. "It appears the operation is over as the rattle of gun fire has calmed down," Kamal Hyder, Al Jazeera's correspondent in Islamabad, said. "The military is very confident they have been able to save a lot of the military personnel [held captive]. "The situation is still quite fluid and it's not quite clear how many people have been rescued, [but they say] over 20 hostages have been released," he said. Gun fire and explosions were heard near the army headquarters just before dawn and soon afterwards reports from the Pakistani military said they had freed "most" of the hostages. There was no immediate word on the number of people wounded, but a reporter with the Reuters news agency said that he saw three ambulances leaving the area. Armed men, dressed as soldiers, attacked the army compound on Saturday, sparking a gunbattle that killed four fighters and six soldiers. The fighters took hostages, after which the military surrounded the compound and the ensuing siege lasted for more than 18 hours. It was unclear who was behind the attack, but the gunmen had been demanding the release of Taliban prisoners. The fighter's brazen assault on a military compound in the garrison city of Rawalpindi is likely to revive fears for Pakistan's stability. Source: Al Jazeera (English)
 Maj. Gen. Jeffery Hammond greeted Farouk
Abushaban during a meeting at Fort Carson
on Thursday with representatives of the
Islamic Society of Colorado Springs. Representatives of the Islamic Society of Colorado Springs met Thursday with Fort Carson military leaders at the Army base to discuss ways to improve cultural awareness and an understanding of Islam among deploying soldiers. Maj. Gen. Jeffery Hammond, commanding general of the 4th Infantry Division, initiated the meeting in hopes of developing a better cultural-awareness program for the thousands of soldiers already at Fort Carson and the hundreds expected to arrive this summer. "We want to talk to (soldiers) about this beautiful religion," Hammond said at the one-hour meeting, attended by local Islamic leaders Arshad Yousufi, Farouk Abushaban and Dawud Salaam; 4th Infantry Division cultural adviser Al Azim; and four other Army leaders. Yousufi, who has participated in previous cultural awareness programs at Fort Carson, told the general those programs weren't taken seriously enough. Read more ...
If invasion, occupation and enslavement of other nations is considered evil when it was done by some nations during WWII, by what standard do these actions become good when done by Israel? Is it not a mistake for the Israelis to deprive Palestinians of their freedom? If Israeli freedom can be built only on the enslavement of the Palestinians then it is not true freedom. ....It is understandable that Jews need a place where they could feel safe from Christian-perpetrated massacres and holocausts. However, the modern state of Israel was created at the expense of the Muslims and Palestinians without their agreement, taking away land Muslims had held for over a thousand years, land which is also holy to them. This is similar to what the Christian Crusaders had done centuries ago, and it has evoked a similar reaction from the Muslims, regardless of the excuses made for the seizure of the land. It took the Muslims about 120 years, under the leadership of Salahuddin Ayubi, to expel the Crusaders from the Holy Lands. Read more ... Source: The Gazette 6/25/09, 6/23/09H/T: Weasel Zippers / Jeffrey ImmJeffery Hammond
Latest recipient of The Dhimmi Award
Video footage is available via AP and ABC News The Taliban has just released a video of the American soldier missing from his base in eastern Afghanistan since June 30. The soldier, whose identity has not yet been confirmed by the Pentagon pending notification of members of Congress and the soldier’s family, states his identity on the video according to AP sources. The soldier said the date is July 14. He says he was captured when he lagged behind on a patrol. He is interviewed in English by his captors, and he is asked his views on the war (extremely hard), Islam ( wants to learn more it) and the morale of American soldiers (which he said was low.) Asked how he was doing, the soldier said: “Well I’m scared, scared I won’t be able to go home,” he said on the video. “It is very unnerving to be a prisoner.” Read Full Article Fox News has additional details from the video here Source: Homeland Security News
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Copyright Muslims Against Sharia 2008. All rights reserved.
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By Ian Drury and Andy Dolan
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