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Today's Winds of War briefing is brought to you by Colt of Eurabian Times and USMC_Vet of The Word Unheard.
Top Topics
- Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld put forth one of his famous 'snowflakes' in October 2003 asking direct and open-ended questions regarding the prosecution of the War on Terror. Resulting from that was a study on precisely how to win the War on Terror. Expected shortly is an unclassified version of the signed and adopted report, "National Military Strategic Plan for the War on Terrorism". (Speaking of plans, have you seen the new Army Force Structure revisions?)
- General Jack Keane says that over 50,000 Iraqi insurgents have been either killed or captured by American and Iraqi forces in Iraq since the beginning of 2005.
- Egyptian authorities were tipped off to an impending attack at Sharm al-Sheikh, but tightened security around casinos rather than hotels. A passionate exchange involving an Egyptian parliament minister, Hamadein Sabahi, on an Egyptian television network is stunning. The minister praises al Qaida 'when it kills Americans...Any kidnapping and slaughtering of an Amerinca in Iraq is good.' His counterpart condemns al-Qaeda and bin Laden...because they do not lend material support to Islamic Jihad and Hamas in Palestine and Tel Aviv is still standing.
These are among the leaders of Egypt, the country to whom Israel is going to turn over security along the Philadelphi Route along the Gaza-Egyptian border in October.
- The British bombers who failed in their attack attempts on 7/21 were seen by neighbors returning to their apartment to rearm themselves for another attack. While British intelligence and police search their land for terrorists, Kofi Annon hopes old Irish nuns receive equal scrutiny.
Other Topics Today Include:
Iran resuming enrichment, no matter what, now; The Rise of the IRGC; Algerian diplomats killed in Iraq; Army Force Structure revised; Mullah Omar calls for Jihadist unity as Arab Afghans name an Egyptian as head; Syria in the crosshairs; Has al Qaeda infiltrated the CIA and FBI?; School for suicide bombers discovered in northern Italy and much, much more.
IRAN REPORTS
- Surprise! Iran will resume nuclear enrichment “regardless of what proposals the European Union makes in the coming days to change its mind,” says Khatami. Three cheers for ‘negotiation’. If Iran persists, this is a clear indicator that Iran is close enough now to weapons-grade material that the facade of negotiations is no longer needed.
- The new rise of the IRGC: A Tipping Point for Tehran.
- Iran obtaining nuclear components from EU via South Korea.
IRAQ REPORTS
- Algerian diplomats killed by Zarqawi’s terrorists after abduction. Algeria confirms.
- Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld dropped in on Iraq unannounced as the US urged Iraq to meet its Constitution deadline and General Casey suggested that substantial US troop reductions in Iraq could begin shortly after.
- Three card-carrying ‘Friends of Thar’ were captured in Baghdad. The three are suspected of being involved in recent bombings.
AFGHANISTAN REPORTS
- 50 Taliban killed earlier this week in ongoing operations since the launch of Operation Vigilance, which was aimed at preventing a Taliban/al Qaeda spring offensive. So well are things going for the Taliban, they have been reduced to conscripting children to fill their ranks.
- Mullah Omar sends a recorded message in an attempt to keep anti-US forces unified, urging them to focus on attacking Americans and leave civilians alone. That, of course, can wait until the public soccer stadium hangings, beheadings and dismemberments can begin again in earnest.
- Speaking of unity among Taliban loyalists, it seems the Arab 'Afghans' have named a new leader for themselves...an Egyptian.
THE MIDDLE EAST
- Syria is again in the crosshairs as the US Congress is holding hearings regarding Syrian support for terrorists operating in Iraq, including the syphoning off of billions from the Oil-for-Food scam.
- Islamic Jihad fires more rockets into Israel.
- China Arms Sales continues to strain US-Israel relations.
- Previous Egyptian MP tyrade notwithstanding, it appears that in the wake of the Sharm al-Sheikh bombings, Egypt might just be coming around...and 'looking inward for answers'.
AMERICAN DOMESTIC SECURITY
- There is now an official investigation in to Democrat Senators for leaking secret satellite systems information.
- Andrew Cochran notes, following an LA Times article, that al-Qaeda attempts to infiltrate the CIA, FBI et al is a given, and may well have succeeded.
AFRICA
- Mugabe treks to China where Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao “believes that mutual-beneficial cooperation and respect to each other's choice of developing mode are the foundation to further develop China-Zimbabwe ties.” Surely Wen meant Zimbabwe’s ‘devolving’ mode.
ASIA & AUSTRALIA
- Pakistan Journalist bombed at home, most likely for refusing to print provocative militant statements. Three have been detained in connection to bombing
- Pakistani government cracking down on militant Islamic clerics and their venomous sermons? 210 arrested in Punjab alone. 125 released after promises.
EUROPE
- A ‘school for suicide bombers’ has been found in the northern Italy province of Lombardy.
- Van Gogh murderer receives Life Sentence.
- Failed British bomber arrested…an immigrant from Somalia.
- Britain & France deport 40 Afghans in illegal immigration crackdown.
THE GLOBAL WAR
- It finally appears as if the voices of moderate Muslims are beginning to pierce the wall of silence. MEMRI has an excellent compilation of recent moderate Muslim voices from around the world, scolding Europe (particularly Britain) for allowing extremists to exploit European freedom and challenging Muslims to take control of their religion from extremists and terrorists. This is a very, very important read.
- Another important read is Donald Sensing's Islamism's War Against the West, a history of Arab terrorism.
- US naval forces arrived in Indonesia Monday to conduct joint operations under the CARAT program. They met Indonesian commanders on the island of Java.
- Gitmo troops berate Senators Kennedy and Akaka during ‘Gulag’ visit.
On a lighter note…Jane Fonda is about to take her vegetable oil burning bus on tour across America protesting...another war. Rumor has it that when it treks eastward from Los Angeles through the Midwest enroute, the bus will don a Greyhound Bus paint scheme and the ack-ack will be covered with a tarp. According to schedule, the tarp will be removed and the bus refitted with its original tie dye and peace symbol scheme somewhere just outside of Philadelphia.
(In the event the above was not much of a 'lighter note' for you and just made you angry all over again, this oughta make you feel better. Much better.)
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And why are we supporting this government? Isn't more of the same discredited policy of supporting known thugs in the hope of stability?
huh?
garrett:
Was that in reference to the Joint Ops with Indonesia?
CARAT has been running since 1995. On one hand, I would understand your frustration. On the other, it isn't as if we are giving them much. It keeps a channel open and keeps us close-by in the region with a plausible purpose.
Whether or not one cares for the nature of Indonesia is irrelevant, and as such, I'm all for it.
I think Garrett is talking about Egypt. See Winds' article How Do You Solve A Problem Like Mubarak?
I guess garrett kinda makes his point. When we have to say 'which one?' its kinda hard to argue.