Monday Winds of War: May 23/05

Welcome! Our goal at Winds of Change.NET is to give you one power-packed briefing of insights, news and trends from the global War on Terror that leaves you stimulated, informed, and occasionally amused every Monday & Thursday.

Today's Winds of War briefing is brought to you by Bill Roggio of the fourth rail and evariste of Discarded Lies. Also have a look at Andrew and Joel's Iraq Report.

Top Topics

• Chester has a visual chart of the suspicious circumstances around the 3/11 Madrid investigation. See also Barcepundit's translations of the expose articles and Chrenkoff with the fast link roundup. This is looking really, really suspicious.

• Venezuela's Chavez wants nukes?

• Japan a superpower in waiting? Austin Bay doesn't see why not. And is China's military spending 70% higher than reported? RAND Corporation thinks so. Other experts disagree - and say it's 200-400% higher. See also Winds' China roundup post.

• Islamists have taken control of a border town in Uzbekistan. Dan Darling has more. The Uzbek death toll may top 1000, says GatewayPundit, who has an excellent roundup. Glenn Reynolds has lots of stuff on Uzbekistan. Instapundit nemesis StrategyPage basically say, point blank, the bad guys won this one.

Other Topics Today Include: no more incentives for Iran; Iran tries Russia enrichment ploy; Saudis repeal gravity, boil ocean, eradicate terrorism; Palestinian population numbers; port security; surprise Vegas terror drill; illegal immigrants in sensitive positions held; South Africa cracks down on mercenaries; Congo secessionists;US space ambitions; women in combat; Zarqawi poised to supercede Bin Laden; Bush asks IRA to disarm; Spain suing ETA for peace; Russian espionage in the UK and much more...

IRAN REPORTS

• Iran is proposing to have Russia enrich its uranium, to be able to resume its suspended activities but avoid being referred to the Security Council. The Europeans aren't biting.

• Barry Rubin doesn't think Iran will be stopped from getting its weapon.

• The US has ruled out offering Iran any more incentives.

• RegimeChangeIran has much more...

THE MIDDLE EAST

• The suspected mastermind of the recent attacks in Egypt "committed suicide" by bashing his head on his cell wall a lot. I've got a bridge to sell you...

• Swallow your drink, I'm not buying you a new monitor: the Saudis have almost eradicated terrorism.

• Has the Jihad entered a new phase in Egypt?

• Zarqawi's terrorists, on trial in Jordan for a chemical attack plot, are turning it into a circus.

• RAND Corporation predicts five million more Palestinians in five years. But can you really trust Palestinian population numbers?

• Why is it, despite their social popularity, that radical Islamic movements aren't taking over governments?

• Salon's Fred Kaplan brands Operation Matador a tactical success but a strategic failure for the US.

• Israel's catching netwar fever.

• Mubarak's newfound faith in democracy appears to be a sham given his actions.

AMERICAN DOMESTIC SECURITY & THE AMERICAS

• Domestic port security is improving, but it's still pretty much terrible.

• The administration is seeking to give the FBI power to obtain business records in terrorism investigations without judicial oversight.

• Vegas saw a surprise terrorism response drill.

• Cyberwarfare: the US faces IT security intrustion attempts more than daily.

• The FBI declared ecoterrorists and animal rights extremists to be the greatest current internal threat to the US.

• A number of "jihadist returnees" have turned up in Canada and some may be planning attacks.

• The ultraviolent MS-13 gang is using Arizona as a corridor into the country.

• The prospects for a revival of nuclear power for US energy independence look better with China's vow to build one reactor a year, leapfrogging the generation of neglect that nuclear technology has suffered.

• Two officers of a defunct Islamic charity/front operation for terrorist funding were arrested on charges of lying to authorities.

• Cuban terrorist Posada was charged with entering the US illegally, but US authorities have ruled out handing him over to Cuba or Venezuela.

• 60 illegal immigrants were arrested in six statesbecause they worked at "critical infrastructure locations".

• Scott McClellan said Jonathan Pollard will continue to serve his life sentence.

• The Minuteman project is coming to the California border in August.

AFRICA

• South Africa is applying its anti-mercenary laws to tamp down on mercenary activity, which embarrasses its government.

• 30 people were arrested for plotting the secession of the Katanga province from the Congo.

ASIA & AUSTRALIA

• The only surviving despicable bastard involved in Beslan was set to go on trial.

• The US and Pakistan are exploiting ethnic rifts in Al Qaeda, says this report.

• The Taliban is continuing its rampage on aid workers.

• Thai police seized Al Qaeda training videos in a raid on a madrassa.

• South Korea failed to get a North Korean pledge to return to the six-way talks but will resume regular cabinet-level talks.

• Australia pushed back by two years, to 2008, the final decision on whether to purchase $16 billion worth of the Joint Strike Fighter.

EUROPE

• President Bush's personal envoy asked the IRA to lay aside their arms soon.

• Fugitive Serbs are being hidden in Russia.

• Controversially, Spain is seeking peace with ETA.

• MI5 says that Russia has returned to Cold War levels of espionage against the UK.

• The UK is facing new challenges to its antiterrorism powers.

• Someone is finally being charged in the Omagh attack.

• Frank Gaffney looks at growing disturbing evidence that 3/11 was an inside job.

• Is the US abducting terrorists for rendition from Europe?

THE GLOBAL WAR

• Pakistan claims to have paralyzed Al Qaeda's ability to communicate.

• A French terrorism expert says Zarqawi is well-poised to surpass Bin Laden in importance.

• The chief of the nation's new National Counterterror Center, which puts together intel from 15 different spy agencies, is resigning.

• Congress is no longer confident that the military can simultaneously prosecute the global war on terror and fulfil its role in the war on drugs.

• May 17 was Armed Forces Day.

• This short analysis looks at America's space-based military capabilities, inadequacies, and ambitions.

• The Navy is fielding a new class of civilian-manned supply ships. Also, moisture-wicking shirts, T-72 tanks, Star Wars cutbacks, P-3 patrol planes, MH-60R Seahawks, Ohio-class submarines being converted from carrying cruise missiles to carrying Special Forces, and lots more at Joe's Defense Industry Daily.

• Congress wants to further tighten the rules on women being placed in combat roles. Here's a look at how commanders are using women in Iraq.

• The grenade that was found in Georgia was in fact a live grenade that failed to go off, said the FBI.

We try to close on a lighter note if possible.

• Is this the way to Armadillo?

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