War On Terror News

Middle East News - 17 Oct 2011

The Israeli Supreme Court has rejected 4 petitions by relatives of terrorist attacks to halt the transfer of Palestinian terrorists to numerous Arab countries in exchange for an Israeli Soldier kidnapped by Hamas.

Libyan rebels continue to battle Qaddaffi loyalists in pockets of Sirte and Bani Walid, while the Qaddaffi supporters have admitted the death of Qaddaffi's son Khamis, last August.

Fighting in Yemen's capital and elsewhere in the country has killed 8 people there.

Syrian rebels have killed five government Troops, while the UN and Arab League continue to talk about talking about it.

Jordan's Prime Minister has resigned amidst continued discontent there.

Iran says it's ready to consider evidence against it in the Saudi Ambassador assassination plot while continuing to deny its guilt.

Middle East News 17 August 2011

Facebook helped protesters and now helps the government find them in Bahrain.

Civilians in Egypt face military tribunal and US cancels joint military exercise.

What do the Presidents of Venezuela and Iran have to chat about?  Oil and OPEC. 

Israel won't apologize, Turkey won't budge over flotilla issues. 

4 Hezbollah members indictments made public in Lebanon.

Activists and Syrian government can't agree if troops are withdrawing or not. 

Turkey bombs northern Iraq.

Full details follow below the break.

Hezbollah says No Way to Arrests of Hariri Murders

Hezbollah Rules Out Arrests in Hariri Murder Case

July 2 2011 VOA News Hezbollah's leader says Lebanese authorities will never be able to arrest the four members of his militant group who have been indicted by a U. N.-backed tribunal in the murder of a former Lebanese prime minister.

Sheik Hassan Nasrallah said Saturday in a televised address the suspects will not be turned in “even in 300 years.'' A high-ranking Hezbollah militant and three others were accused in the 2005 assassination of Rafik Hariri.

The bombing killed Hariri and 22 other people. A billionaire businessman, Hariri was Lebanon's most prominent politician after the 15-year civil war ended in 1990.

Italian "Peacekeepers" Attacked in Hezbollah Controlled Lebanon

Blast Wounds 6 Italian UN Peacekeepers in Lebanon

VOA News: Security officials in Lebanon say an explosion hit a United Nations vehicle in the southern part of the country Friday, wounding six Italian U.N. peacekeepers.

Officials said the blast apparently targeted the U.N. convoy as it was moving near the city of Sidon.  The Italian government confirmed the casualties and retracted an initial report that one of the men had died.

No one has claimed responsibility for the incident.

The explosion happened on the U.N.'s International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers, a day where peacekeepers commemorate their colleagues killed at U.N. missions around the world.

A U.N. peacekeeping force of about 12,000 soldiers and 1,000 civilians is deployed in southern Lebanon to monitor the border with Israel following the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah war.  There are about 120,000 peacekeepers worldwide from 115 countries.

[UNIMIL is one of the oldest peacekeeping missions in the world, with a continuous presence in Lebanon since the 1980's.  It has proven completely inept at preventing multiple wars and has ceded control to Hezbollah, an illegal military organization and terrorist organization, in the South.]

Nine Die in Attempted Illegal Entry on 3 Fronts into Israel

9 Killed in Clashes along Israel’s Borders

VoA News: Palestinian protests along three Israeli borders turned violent Sunday, leaving at least nine people dead.

Witnesses and Lebanese sources say Israeli troops killed at least five people and wounded more than 50 when they fired on protesters to prevent them from crossing into Israel from Lebanon.

Israel Seizes Iranian Weapons En Route to Gaza Terrorists

Most weapons on the Victoria were Iranian-made

IDF: 20 March 2011: Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center report details the array of Iranian weaponry found onboard the Victoria cargo vessel that was intercepted by the IDF last week.

Most of the 50 tons of weapons uncovered onboard the Victoria cargo vessel last week were produced in Iran, according to a report released by the Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center.

 

Around 50 tons of weaponry, mostly Iranian-made, were uncovered onboard the Victoria cargo vessel that was intercepted by IDF naval forces last week. IDF Spokesperson

 The Victoria was intercepted in the Mediterranean Sea last Tuesday (Mar. 15) by IDF naval forces some 200 miles off the Israeli coast. The Liberian-flagged vessel was en route from the Mersin Port in Turkey to the Alexandria Port in Egypt when it was boarded by IDF naval commandos.

Demonstrations Intensify in Several Arab Countries

13 March 2011 Edward Yeranian | Cairo VOA News Unrest is marking the beginning of another week in some Arab countries, with several governments trying to disperse protesters.  

An angry crowd of protesters in Bahrain’s capital, Manama, refused to give up a strategic highway they were blocking, after riot police used tear gas and rubber bullets to try to disperse them. Thousands of Shi’ite demonstrators continue to paralyze the capital’s key financial district.

Another group of protesters at Bahrain’s Pearl Roundabout also refused to budge after police tried to clear them out, using force. The demonstrators began blocking the roundabout in mid-February. Shi’ites, which make up 70 percent of Bahrain’s population, are demanding more political power from Bahrain's Sunni monarchy.

Yemeni security forces also fired tear gas and live ammunition for a second day in a bid to force students to vacate a protest camp near Sana'a University. Eyewitnesses say police and pro-government supporters also used wooden clubs and knives to attack the protesters. Dozens of casualties were reported.

Al-Jazeera TV reported that

Advancing the Rise of Islamism

"Humans have a basic need to convert others to their cause."

An educated friend explained that to me when I was telling him about another that was trying to convince me to become a vegetarian.  He holds true for politics, for causes, for religion (even Atheism), and for ideologies.  It validates their beliefs, if they can convince others to take it up.  Religion is the most obvious we think of when it comes to conversions, but politics & ideology is equally if not more dogmatic.

Islamism, is a political ideology that preys upon a religion, and attempts to convert the "believers" to it, before oppressing them with it.  There are many types of islamists and they don't agree on how best to achieve their common goal: a worldwide Islamist Caliphate.  In Current Affairs, we see the rise of islamism in previously democratic nations of the Middle East.  But, our own political leaders are downplaying the dangers of islamism as they focus on the means rather than the goals, in many of these efforts.

The most obvious of islamists, and the ones that are condemned most widely, are terrorists.  Al-Qaeda is the most known of these and the Taliban are their junior partners.  Islamist Terrorists are willing to kill anyone in order to further their goals of Islamist Emirates in the Caliphate (Islamist Empire).  Strangely, Western Politicians are now suggesting negotiations with the Taliban, despite their knowledge that the Taliban desire to oppress women, and their continued attacks on Afghan & Paki Citizens and Politicians.

Lebanon Remembers Hezbollah/Syria Assassination of Prime Minister

Lebanon Marks Anniversary of Hariri Assassination

VoA News: Lebanon's caretaker Prime Minister Saad Hariri wept at his father's grave Monday as the country marked the sixth anniversary of the father's assassination.

A truck bombing killed former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and 22 others in Beirut in 2005. An international tribunal set up to try his killers has yet to identify the suspects.

Saad Hariri became prime minister in 2009 but was forced out last month in a political feud over the tribunal. He remains temporarily in office while his designated successor, Hezbollah-backed Najib Mikati, forms a new government.

Iran Praises Parallels of Egypt's "Islamic Awakening" Protests

  Iran’s Supreme Leader Hails Uprisings in Egypt

VoA News: Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, hailed anti-government protests in Egypt and Tunisia Friday, saying they echo the 1979 Islamic revolution in his country.

Speaking during Friday prayers in Tehran, Ayatollah Khamenei called the demonstrations an “Islamic awakening” and said the Egyptian army should back the protesters.

He accused Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak of serving the U.S. and Israel. He said Egypt's and other Arab uprisings, if successful, would lead to the defeat of U.S. policies in the region.

Israeli Sentenced 9 Years for Hezbollah Spying

Israeli Arab Gets 9 Years for Spying

VoA News: An Israeli court has sentenced an Arab-Israeli activist to nine years in prison after he pleaded guilty to spying for the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.

Amir Makhoul was convicted on espionage charges by the Haifa district court last October.

According to court documents, Makhoul sent information about Israeli military facilities to Hezbollah through his computer.

He pleaded guilty to espionage as part of a plea bargain in which prosecutors dropped more serious charges that carried a longer sentence. The Haifa court sentenced him on Sunday.

Makhoul was director of Ittijah, a group that fights discrimination against Arabs in Israel. The country's 1.3 million Arabs make up about 20 percent of Israel's population.

Israel and the Iranian-backed Hezbollah fought a month-long war in 2006.

Clinton Wary of Hezbollah-Controlled Lebanon

25 January 2011 David Gollust | State Department VOA News Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says the emergence of a Hezbollah-controlled Lebanese government would clearly have an impact on U.S.-Lebanese relations.  She also said the United States believes Egypt is stable, despite Tunisia-style protests there.

Clinton says it is too early to judge the emerging government in Lebanon, but she is making clear U.S. apprehension about the prospect of a Beirut government dominated by Hezbollah and subject to Iranian influence.

The Lebanon situation, and political unrest in North Africa that spread to Egypt this week, dominated a meeting between Clinton and Foreign Minister Trinidad Jiminez of Spain, which has close relations with North Africa and leads the U.N. peacekeeping force in south Lebanon, UNIFIL.

Clinton said she and her Spanish counterpart share deep concerns about the influence in Lebanon of outside forces, an apparent reference to Iran and Syria, which have backed Hezbollah.

She said while the process of government formation is just beginning, the prospect of a leading role for the Shiite militia and political movement is troubling.

Lebanon Ponders its Political Future

Margaret Besheer | Beirut VOA News Lebanon's political waters remained murky over the weekend, ahead of expected parliamentary consultations Monday on a new prime minister.  The big question on everyone's minds is whether Druse leader Walid Jumblatt will be able to deliver the Hezbollah-led opposition enough of his parliament deputies to give them the majority necessary to crown their candidate prime minister.

On Friday, Walid Jumblatt said his party stands with Syria and the resistance, a direct reference to Hezbollah.  But he stopped short of saying that he would deliver his 11 members of parliament to the opposition. Lebanese newspapers reported Saturday that Jumblatt met late Friday with the head of Hezbollah Hassan Nasrallah.

Most Lebanese suspect the political horse-trading will

UN Seals Indictment in Face of Hezbollah Threats

UN Lebanon Indictment Lodged;
Results Sealed

VOA News: The prosecutor of the United Nations tribunal investigating the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese prime minister Rafiq Hariri has submitted a confidential indictment to the pre-trial judge.

The indictment against suspects submitted by Daniel Bellemare will remain undisclosed until the judge approves it. The results will not be made public for six to 10 weeks.

The indictment comes as Lebanese President Michel Suleiman has postponed for a week talks on forming a new government.

NYT Journo Calls for US-Iranian Alliance

Author Advocates US-Iranian Alliance
Henry Ridgwell VoA News London

With the ongoing war in Afghanistan and a diplomatic tussle with Iran over its nuclear program, the Middle East remains at the top of the U.S. foreign policy agenda. A new book claims America is making the wrong friends in the region - and calls for a radical rethinking of policy towards the Middle East.

In his new book Reset the Middle East, former New York Times foreign correspondent Stephen Kinzer argues for a bold realignment of the West’s links in the region.

Lebanon’s Government Collapses With Cabinet Resignations

12 January 2011 VOA News Lebanon's government collapsed on Wednesday as members of the opposition Hezbollah party and its allies announced they were resigning from the Cabinet.

Eleven members of the 30-member Cabinet quit in protest over the U.N.-backed tribunal investigation into the 2005 assassination of the country's former prime minister, Rafiq Hariri.

The resignations took place as Hariri's son, Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri, discussed the crisis with U.S. President Barack Obama in Washington.

Media have reported that the U.N. indictments

Iran Calls for Obama to Release Hezbollah Operative

Iranians Appeal for US Release of Mother

VoA News: The twin daughters of an Iranian woman detained in the U.S. have appealed to President Barack Obama to release their mother as a New Year's gesture.

Iran's state-run Press TV aired the appeal from the teenage daughters of Shaharzad Mir Gholikhan Wednesday. In the video message, the twins said the New Year is a time when “families gather together and celebrate with joy,” and they want to celebrate with their mother. They urged viewers to send letters and emails to Mr. Obama.

Hezbollah Threatens UN Court

Hezbollah Leader Predicts UN Hariri Court Will ‘Disappear’

VoA News: The head of the [Iranian directed] Shi'ite militant terrorist group Hezbollah says the United Nations-backed tribunal investigating the 2005 murder of Lebanon's former prime minister, Rafik Hariri, will “disappear with the wind.”

Hassan Nasrallah called the tribunal a “conspiracy” and pledged to defeat its efforts to indict Hezbollah members or anyone else in Mr. Hariri's assassination.

Nasrallah spoke Thursday in a televised address to thousands of his supporters in Hezbollah's stronghold in southern Beirut, on the Shi'ite holy day of Ashura.

Expected Hezbollah Indictments Have Lebanese on Edge

22 November 2010 Heather Murdock | Beirut VOA News U.N.-backed tribunal investigating the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri is expected to issue indictments in the case soon. In Lebanon, that has raised concerns of possible violence if members of Hezbollah are implicated.

In some parts of Beirut, people say the court will deliver justice. In other areas, people call the court a Western political tool, set up to discredit Hezbollah - a key player in the Lebanese government and the nation's strongest militia force.

Hezbollah is considered a terrorist organization by the United States.

Common Sense in Foreign Policy

Having worked with Diplomats & Warriors and having met a number of Politicians, Foreign Policy and Politics intrigue me, annoy me, and astound me.  While I recognize that "RealPolitik" is a reality that however distasteful, will not change, it seems that many blatantly ignore reality and prove falsehoods by simple repetition and the loudest bullhorns. 

Realpolitik means that DoD costs will always be higher than necessary, because unless a DoD supplier employs people in the widest number of Congressional Districts, some other company will get the contract.  I don't like that costs needlessly increase with transportation costs, but Congressman reality prevents change.

On the other hand, and my focus here, blatant denial of reality makes no sense.  And I'll offer several instances of it.  Let's begin with Iran:

For the last 3 decades, the Islamist regime in Iran has made a mockery of US attempts at Diplomacy.  The most obvious symbol of this is the fact that the US Embassy in Tehran is occupied as the Headquarters of the Revolutionary Guard, spraypainted with anti-American graffitti.  In diplomatic and international terms, that literally means that Iran is occupying US soil.

Threats to United States

World War I was supposed to be the "war to end all wars," and the Fall of the Wall was supposed to usher in a new era of peace and tranquility as the a tyrannical system (Communism) that threatened a global empire was put to rest.  Neither of these predictions came true.  Today, the world is as dangerous as it has ever been though there is less recognition of the individual or allied threats to the United States and her citizens, as well as those of other nations who love freedom.

(Map: Green represents Islamist governments and strongholds.  Red represents communist and nationalist governments.  Yellow represents governments at risk of falling to antagonistic elements.)

While we'll discuss the primary recognized threat of terrorism, we'll also address the threats of renewed communist movements, rival nation-states, international criminal organizations, and internal threats.

Hezbollah: UN Tribunal Playing Unfair

Hezbollah Leader Calls for Boycott of International Tribunal

Heather Murdock | Beirut VoA News: Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah criticized the U.N.'s Special Tribunal for Lebanon on Thursday after his organization was accused of staging an attack on court investigators in Beirut on Wednesday. Leaders of the Western-backed Lebanese ruling party say Hezbollah orchestrated the attack, in an effort to derail the international tribunal that is investigating the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.  

Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hezbollah, called on the Lebanese people to boycott the U.N. tribunal in a television broadcast.

Activist Convicted of Spying for Hezbollah

VOA News 27 October 2010 A prominent Arab-Israeli human rights activist has been convicted of spying for Lebanon's Shiite militant group Hezbollah.

The Israeli state prosecutor's office says Amir Makhoul pleaded guilty Wednesday to charges that include "contact with a foreign agent" and "conspiring to assist an enemy during a time of war."  In a plea bargain, Israel dropped a more serious charge of "assisting an enemy in a time of war."

Makhoul heads the Union of Arab Community-Based Associations, a group known as Ittijah.  The organization is a network of Arab advocacy groups.  

23 Oct 1983: Beirut Bombing

It was our first major taste of the terrorism that would not be ignored. It was a sad truth from which we would reel back. We came in peace. Our Nation was changed on that day. The world was changed on that day. We would not know the meaning of that day for years to come.  An unknown (at the time) group named Hezbollah was responsible for the attack.  Iran had quickly exported their brand of terrorism to Lebanon and it would take over the terrorist movement there as well as the South of the Nation in relatively short time. 

Hezbollah Slams UN Report on Lebanon

VOA News 20 October 2010 The Shiite militant group Hezbollah is criticizing U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon for saying Lebanon has been hit by a "worrying pattern" of armed incidents.

Mr. Ban made the comments Monday in a report on security council resolution - Resolution 1559 - that calls for an end to non-governmental forces in Lebanon.

The report was released shortly after Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad visited Lebanon and met with officials, including Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah.

Hezbollah says the report shows

Ahmadinejad Addresses Hezbollah Rally in Lebanon

VOA News 13 October 2010 Tens of thousands of people gathered at a soccer field in southern Beirut, Wednesday, as Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad addressed a rally for the militant group Hezbollah.

Supporters cheered and waved flags as Mr. Ahmadinejad spoke in the stronghold area for the Iranian-backed group.   

Mr. Ahmadinejad criticized Israel, accusing the Jewish state of violating Palestinian rights by carrying out indiscriminate killings and attacking aid convoys in international waters. He also called Lebanon a

UN Court Seeks Evidence in Hariri Assassination

VOA News 11 August 2010

A U.N. tribunal investigating the 2005 assassination of Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri has asked Hezbollah militants to submit any evidence that could help solve the case.

A spokeswoman for the Special Tribunal for Lebanon said the prosecutor's office is seeking all evidence relevant to the attack against the former Lebanese prime minister and will carefully assess any information Hezbollah offers.

On Monday, Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah accused Israel of carrying out Hariri's assassination, citing purported Israeli surveillance video and confessions from former Israeli spies.

Israel to Deploy Hi-Tech Anti-Rocket System

VOA  Robert Berger | Jerusalem 20 July 2010

Israel's new anti-rocket system, called the Iron Dome, has passed final tests and will be deployed near the country's borders by November.  The system was produced by the state-owned Rafael Arms Development Authority and is partially financed by the United States.

The Iron Dome will help neutralize the rocket threat from Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in the Gaza Strip.  The two Islamic militant groups have bombarded Israel with rockets in the past, exposing a strategic vulnerability.

The system uses

Lebanon's Top Shi'ite Cleric Dies

VOA News 04 July 2010

Lebanon's top Shi'ite Muslim cleric, whose influence reached beyond Lebanon, has died at the age of 75 after a long illness.

Grand Ayatollah Mohammed Hussein Fadlallah was admitted to a Beirut hospital on Friday with internal bleeding and died on Sunday.  

He is to be buried Tuesday at the Hassanein mosque in southern Beirut where he preached.  Crowds of mourners are gathering at the mosque.  

Lebanon's Hezbollah movement says

South Lebanon Tense for 10th Anniversary of Israeli Withdrawal

VOA  Edward Yeranian | Cairo 24 May 2010

Monday marks the 10th anniversary of the Israeli pullout from southern Lebanon, and as Israel conducts military maneuvers and drills along the border, tensions are rising.  Tough talk from neighboring Syria is causing more worries.

Israel withdrew from southern Lebanon, very suddenly and weeks ahead of schedule, this day 10 years ago.  People gather to hear a song that celebrates the event, capturing the enthusiasm of many Lebanese Shi'ites, who had fought a guerilla war of attrition against Israel until that day.

As the Lebanese government officially marks the day that it refers to as the "liberation of the south," tensions along the border with Israel, and  throughout the region have reached a frenetic pitch.  Many Lebanese politicians

Newly Crowned Miss USA Has Family Roots in South Lebanon

VOA  Paige Kollack | Beirut 23 May 2010

The new Miss USA, Rima Fakih, has family roots in a Shi'ite town in south Lebanon.   Despite some of the controversy in the wake of her selection, many Lebanese say they are happy with her win, that she has brought honor to Lebanon, and has offered a different image of Shi'ite Muslims often stereotyped as radicals.

Audio File

Fakih, 24, is from the U.S. state of Michigan.  The raven-haired beauty beat out fellow contestants in three categories - gown, swimsuit and interview - to take the title, which comes with a crown and $100,000 in scholarships and prizes, including the opportunity to complete a master's degree at a top American university.  But Fakih, who studied economics and business management, has sparked some controversy because she was born in the Middle Eastern nation of Lebanon, where her family hails from a Shi'ite Muslim town in the south commonly associated with the Shi'ite militant group Hezbollah.

Ms USA 2010: Shi'a, Arab, Immigrant

Arab American Miss USA at Center of Controversy

David Byrd | VoA News, Washington 21 May 2010

For the first time since it was founded in 1952, the Miss USA beauty pageant has crowned an Arab American as its winner.  Rima Fakih, 24, - who was born in Lebanon -  has been at the center of controversy since winning the crown. Some say as a Muslim she shouldn't be in beauty pageants while others say she has every right to wear the crown.

Hear David Byrd's entire interview with Rima Fakih:

In front of a worldwide television audience on NBC May 16, Rima Fakih was crowned Miss USA.  Born in Srifa, Lebanon Rima and her family immigrated to the United States, settling first in New York and later in Dearborn, Michigan.  She graduated from the University of Michigan, Dearborn with a degree in economics and hopes to become a lawyer.

Fakih is the first Arab American to win the Miss USA pageant. Rima told VOA that it took her a while to realize that she had won the crown.

Clinton Blasts Syria Arms Transfers to Hezbollah

VOA  David Gollust | State Department 30 April 2010

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Thursday said Syria's transfer of missiles and other weapons to Lebanon's Hezbollah militia poses grave dangers to the Middle East. She shared a stage in Washington with Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak who said Israel would hold the Lebanese government responsible for any new flare-up of fighting along their mutual border.

Clinton had harsh words for the Syrian government, which is reportedly stepping up its already considerable arms shipments to Hezbollah, which the United States considers a terrorist group.

But at the same time she defended the Obama administration's plan to send

Egypt Convicts 26 Men on Terror Charges

Accused said to belong Hezbollah cell plotting attacks on tourist and commercial sites

VOA  Elizabeth Arrott | Cairo 28 April 2010

An Egyptian court has sentenced 26 men to prison terms ranging from six months to life on charges of plotting attacks on tourist and commercial sites.  The men were accused of belonging to a cell of the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.

The prisoners maintained their innocence throughout the trial, saying they were just trying to help Hamas, the Hezbollah ally in the Palestinian Gaza Strip, across the Egyptian border.

But prosecutors argued successfully that the men had spied on ships in the Suez Canal and on tourist sites, with the aim of launching strikes against them.  Those convicted include

US Unsure of Possible Syrian Scud Missile Transfer to Hezbollah

VOA News 20 April 2010

The United States said Tuesday it had not determined if Syria transferred Scud missiles to Hezbollah militants based in Lebanon.

State Department spokesman Philip Crowley commented Tuesday, a day after his department summoned a top Syrian diplomat to protest potential missile transfers.

Crowley says the U.S. is still looking into whether any transfers took place.  He said arming Hezbollah

US Concerned About Alleged Syrian Missile Transfer

VOA News 14 April 2010

The United States has voiced concern about allegations that Syria has transferred long-range Scud missiles to the Lebanese-based militant group Hezbollah.

White House spokesman Robert Gibbs says the U.S. has relayed its concern to the Syrian government.

State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley says any such missile transfer would put Lebanon at "significant risk."

The remarks came a day after Israeli President Shimon Peres accused Syria of supplying Scud missiles to Hezbollah that threaten Israel.

Iran, Hezbollah Leaders Meet in Syria

VOA News 26 February 2010

The head of Lebanon's Hezbollah militant group has met with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in Syria.

Part of their Thursday evening meeting aired on Syrian television.

The Syrian Arab News Agency said the men met at a dinner hosted by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.  Hezbollah's Al-Manar television says Mr. Ahmadinejad and Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah discussed "the latest developments" in the region, and Israeli threats against Lebanon and Syria.

Earlier this month, Iranian state media reported Mr. Ahmadinejad vowed to stand by Hezbollah and urged the militant group to "get rid" of Israel once and for all if a war breaks out.

Base of Islamism - 5: Prophecies Fulfilled

In the last several chapters of the book, Bodansky repeatedly notes that Al-Qaeda is preparing for global “spectacular attacks” to include inside the US, with specific targets of Washington DC and New York.  In one message from the enemy, it notes that airliners and their passengers are legitimate targets.  Completed in 1999, the book sounds the alarm for 9/11, though it does not note the kind of attack we witnessed.  The elements of information are there, but not put together to make the precise prediction of either time or type.

Bodansky illustrates the type of propaganda used but gives too much credence to the hierarchy of Islamism in believing their hype.

Ah, but I promised you the hypocrisy of OBL and Al-Qaeda.  I only promised one cornerstone crumbled.  I’ll give you multiple: Al-Qaeda has killed more Muslims than has any other force in the 21^st Century.  It has purposely targeted Muslim Civilians in Iraq, to include both Shi’a and Sunni, even when no foreign troops were present.

It is a cardinal sin to commit suicide, according to the Koran, yet OBL trains recruits to commit suicide.  OBL himself has a plan for his death in the case of imminent capture, but it is not by his own hand.  His loyal bodyguards are charged to kill him, as even he won’t take the chance on suicide.

 

Al-Qaeda and the myriad of terrorist organizations/names used by it fund themselves by alliance with organized crime, to include atheists, apostates, and polytheists, by means of drug trafficking and prostitution.  Al-Qaeda controlled prostitutes include Muslim women of the former Soviet Union.

On multiple occasions, Al-Qaeda has purposely murdered its own supporters or fighters in order to claim atrocities by the West.

 

While proclaiming its cause as the liberation of “holy sites” of Mecca, Medina, and Jerusalem, Al-Qaeda has taken little action against any entity involved with the control of those locations.  It ignores the plight of Palestinians and has chosen to attack the United States, primarily.  In fact Al-Qaeda declared in the late 90's that America itself was the enemy, that it would attack us, not the Israelis, not the Europeans, not the governments of the Middle East.

Al-Qaeda does engage in charity,

Base of Islamism - 3: Islamist Alliances

Osama, as with many rich leaders, headed not only the “charity,” Al-Qaeda, but also for-profit corporations, primarily construction companies but also financial institutions, and terrorist organizations.  Though of Yemeni descent, he was born in Saudi Arabia, and returned from the Soviet-Afghan war a favored son of the Saudis, a hero, whose father had a special relationship with the King himself.

Enamored with the Afghan success, marketed as a hero, and believing the hype, when Saddam invaded Kuwait and threatened the Saudi Kingdom, he offered to lead the mujhadeen veterans in defense of the two kingdoms against the secular tyrant.  His enormous pride was wounded when his offer was rejected by the King, in preference of the more tested, but secret ally’s offer: the United States. 

Pragmatism overruled ideology and religion in the decision.  The world’s 4^th largest military (Iraq) would be challenged by the last superpower, not the ragtag force that had taken down the other superpower.  The firebrand Osama took great offense that the King had less confidence in his military abilities.

The Wahhabi sect (based in Saudi Arabia) of Sunni Islam has some of the strictest ideologies, but the Islamism of Osama was of greater radicalization.  The Shi’a sects of Islam also have historical political implications from which the Shi’a Islam was incubated.  One would expect the militants of these two to be even more opposed than the populace, but in most places, to include Iraq, Shi’a and Sunni have traditionally lived together in peace.

UnderReported Terrorist Ties

Some things really make you wonder.  Perhaps there's some "justification," but it's simply hard to imagine what excuse would make sense why the government joins with the media in ignoring the ties of terrorists.  The documentation is  there and has been to demonstrate the ties between Al-Qaeda, the Taliban, Hezbollah, Hamas, Hizb-i-Islami, Islamic Jihad, the Muslim Brotherhood, just to name a few of  the more well known groups, and other Terrorists.  It is no secret that Osama, Mugniyah, Zawahari, Turabi, are and have been working closely with Iran and The Sudan for decades.

One would hope but sees little evidence, that the intelligence agencies and political leadership of this Nation knows and understands that basically all of the tangled webs of islamist terrorism lead back to Tehran, and many through Khartoum, The Sudan.  While the administration at the time may be forgiven for not knowing in 1993 or 1983 that the battles they fought in Mogadishu and Beirut were against the proxies of Tehran, today's leadership doesn't have the luxury of ignorance that history has removed.

The American Citizenry is at a disadvantage because they have been fed the false impression that each terrorist organization is a separate group that just happens to espouse very similar goals, or perhaps the same goals but a different ultimate leader of it.  While lying and misdirection are normal tools of the enemy, we expect our media and governments to shed light on the truth, NOT repeat enemy misportrayal and propaganda.

Yemeni Muslims Flee Iranian Backed Terrorists

More Civilians Fleeing Conflict In Northern Yemen
By Lisa Schlein VoA News Geneva 10 November 2009

The U.N. refugee agency says it is extremely concerned about the recent escalation of the conflict in northern Yemen between the government and rebel Houthis. The UNHCR says there has been a significant increase in recent days in the number of civilians fleeing the embattled Saada governorate to safer areas of the country.

A group of forcibly displaced people in north Yemen (file photo)

The UNHCR says it is unable to reach people in the embattled areas who are deprived of protection and essential aid. The agency is appealing for secure and unhindered access for humanitarian workers to deliver assistance.  

U.N. refugee spokesman Andrej Mahecic says more people are fleeing Saada governorate and continue to arrive at al-Mazrak camp in Hajja governorate.  

"On average, 130 to 140 families arrived to Al Mazrak camp both on Saturday and Sunday and another 80 families yesterday, which is a total of about 2,000 people.  Elderly people, single mothers and children represent the majority of new arrivals. Most of them are coming from Khuba area where they had taken refuge after having fled the fighting in Saada. This means it is their second or third displacement," said Mahecic.

Yemen Signs US Military Cooperation Agreement as It Fights Iranian Backed Terrorists

Yemen, US Sign Military Cooperation Deal
By VOA News 11 November 2009

Yemen's official news agency says the country has signed a military cooperation deal with the United States, as Yemen battles a growing Shi'ite rebellion in the north.

Saba news agency reports the military and security cooperation agreement was signed Tuesday in the capital, Sanaa, after two days of talks.

U.S. officials did not immediately confirm that report.

Israel Shows World: Iranian Rockets/Weapons Captured en route to Hezbollah

Israel Displays Huge Weapons Cache From Captured Ship
By Robert Berger Jerusalem 05 November 2009

Israel is displaying a vast array of what it says are Iranian weapons from a ship captured on the high seas.  

Israel has invited foreign diplomats to view the booty from a ship seized by Israeli commandos in a daring raid Wednesday near Cyprus. Officials say hundreds of tons of Iranian arms, including rockets, missiles, mortars, grenades and anti-tank weapons, were headed to the Islamic guerrilla group Hezbollah in Lebanon. Hezbollah denies the charge.

Hezbollah television said the group was not involved in the weapons shipment and it accused Israel of "piracy in international waters." State-run Iranian TV described the arms ship as "Israeli propaganda."

Israel Captures "Aid" Ship Full of Iranian-Hezbollah Weapons

Israel Seizes Ship Loaded With Weapons
By Robert Berger VoA News Jerusalem 04 November 2009

Israel says it has seized an arms shipment on the high seas and it is pointing a finger at Iran.

Israeli naval commandos stormed onto a ship loaded with weapons near Cyprus and took it to Israel's southern port of Ashdod. The vessel was flying an Antiguan flag and disguised as an aid ship. The military says 54 metric tons of weapons were on board, including missiles, anti-tank weapons and mortars. Israeli military officials say the weapons were from Iran and the shipment was destined for the Islamic guerrilla group Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Iranian officials had no immediate comment on the allegations.

Shaul Mofaz, an Israeli parliamentarian and former army chief of staff, says a radical axis of Iran, Syria, Hezbollah and the Palestinian militant group Hamas in Gaza are trying to destabilize the Middle East.

On This Day in History (Terrorism): October 23, 1983 Beirut Barracks Bombing

It was our first major taste of the terrorism that would not be ignored. It was a sad truth from which we would reel back. We came in peace. Our Nation was changed on that day. The world was changed on that day. We would not know the meaning of that day for years to come.

The Sunni-Shi'a Myth

Shortly after Al-Qaeda attacked on 9/11, an acquaintance asked if Iran or Iraq were involved.  My primary focus before that day was not on terrorist organizations, though I had maintained a degree of attention.  Terrorism had long been a threat, but I had not expected the US would ever take serious measures against it.  I knew enough to be dangerous.  I expressed what would become popular perception:

"Saddam and OBL were enemies.  Al-Qaeda and Hezbollah were rivals.  Iran would be pleased to see Saddam and Al-Qaeda fall."

That response failed an overriding Middle East principle: "The enemy of my enemy is my friend."  It also was ignorant of key facts and details, some of which had already been published on 9/11 and others that would not be published for a few more years.

A key strategy and tactic of the Middle East and Islamism is deception including outright lies.  Perhaps the most complete lie perpetuated on the average Western citizen is that Sunnis and Shi'a have irreconcilable differences, that they will fight each other to the same extent if not greater extent than they will fight Christians, Jews, Atheists, Animists or Apostates. (Listed in order of disdain according to the Koran which considers Christians and Jews as misguided religious brothers.)

Explosion at Home of Hezbollah Leader Raises Eyebrows

Casualties Reported in Lebanon Explosion
By VOA News 12 October 2009

An explosion at the home of a Hezbollah official in a small Lebanese village has killed at least two people.

Officials say the blast happened Monday evening in Tayr Filsi, a village near the coastal city of Tyre.  Authorities are investigating the cause of the explosion and have not said whether the Hezbollah official was among the casualties.  In July, an explosion at a suspected Hezbollah arms depot in southern Lebanon near the Israeli border raised concerns about the group's weapons caches.

The militant Hezbollah movement fought a 34-day war with Israel in 2006 that killed about 1,200 people in Lebanon and 160 in Israel.