January 05, 2005

Terrorist Attacks in Iraq Declining

- Associated Press

BAGHDAD, Iraq - The number of insurgent attacks in Baghdad has dropped in recent weeks, and American forces are getting better at finding car bombs before they go off, a top U.S. general in Iraq said Wednesday.

[snip]

Chiarelli said that on average, for every car bomb that explodes in the capital, his troops find another one and defuse it. He refused to give details, but said his troops were getting better at finding insurgents' explosives.

[snip]

In the capital, Chiarelli said attacks were down since the U.S.-led invasion of Fallujah, an insurgent stronghold, that began on Nov. 8. He said he was pleased that Iraqis have been calling a tip line and paying attention to billboards around the city asking them to report weapons caches or suspicious activity.

"All I can tell you is that we've got billboards all over the city, and I take great joy in the fact that I see the insurgents trying to tear them down, and we put them back up," he said.


This is the first I've heard of the billboards the military has put up for a tip hotline. Whether or not terrorist attacks have gone down in recent weeks is hard to tell, however who is there better to trust than a Major General on the ground.

A one to one ratio for finding car bombs to car bombs detonating is not ideal, however it is remarkably better than the 1:5 ratio the military claimed close to two months ago in a press conference. There is still room for improvement, but I have no doubt the U.S. military and Coallition forces are doing their best to protect the Iraqi citizens.

Terrorists have changed directions within the past month to two months from targeting U.S. soldiers to targeting Iraqi military and Iraqi police. All along they have targeted Iraqi civilians however. Whether or not the fact terrorists have changed targets factored into Maj. Gen. Chiarelli's statement that attacks have gone down is not known.

Cross-posted at In the Bullpen

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Terrorist Numbers Increase Preceding Election

Almost every other week some new intelligence analyst or defenise minister comes out with a new number on how many terrorists are operating in either the world or just Iraq. This week is no exception to the rule.

CAIRO, Egypt - As many as 30,000 well-trained terrorists are actively operating throughout Iraq at the behest of former regime leaders based in Syria, Iraq's intelligence chief said in Wednesday edition of a pan-Arab newspaper.

Maj. Gen. Mohammed Abdullah al-Shahwani told the daily newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat that the men, who are well-organized and trained, include former Baath party members, Islamic militant groups and unemployed former army members.

"We officially call them terrorists," he told the London-based newspaper. "They are between 20,000 and 30,000 armed men operating all over Iraq, mainly in the Sunni areas where they receive moral support from about 200,000 people."


al Shahwani threw in the standard Syria plug as well which begs the question, will the Iraqis ever do anything about the Syrian border and the influx of terrorists that are killing them? Allawi has recently pledged retribution to countries bordering Iraq who have assisted the terrorists, but even Allawi stated it could take years before the Iraqis could defend themselves.

There was a report yesterday (I cannot find it now) that concluded terrorists outnumbered Coallition soldiers in Iraq. So just how many terrorists are inside of Iraq?

Frankly, who cares. The more emboldened the terrorists get the better chance they will meet their 72 virgins that much faster. The Coallition forces are literally wiping out the terrorists that have the 'marbles' to fight instead of the now-famous hit and run tactics they have been using on a more steady basis.

This is part of the reason why terrorists have increased targeting of Iraqis and Iraqi government leaders. They know the Iraqis at this time cannot defend themselves. Terrorists are in a struggle against the clock to derail the elections and they do not look like they will stop at anything.

The United States announced today they will have 35,000 soldiers (via Outside the Beltway) patrolling the streets of Baghdad on January 30. In a message to those terrorists who will try to derail the elections, Major General Peter Chiarelli said the following:

"We will find you, we will watch where you move, we will listen to you speaking to each other, we will fight and we will defeat you," he warned. "You cannot sleep, eat, move or meet without the clear understanding that you may be killed or captured at any moment. Cease your operations now and you will be choosing to live."

Nuts!

Cross-posted at In the Bullpen

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Two Kuwaiti Soldiers Charged for Plot Against U.S.

- Reuters

KUWAIT (Reuters) - Kuwait said on Wednesday two soldiers would stand trial in a military court on charges of plotting attacks against U.S. forces in the pro-Western Gulf Arab state.

Army Chief of Staff Yousef Abdelrazzak al-Mulla told state news agency KUNA that the two soldiers had been charged while an unspecified number of other detained military personnel were released after it was proved they had no links in a plot to attack "coalition forces."

"The two accused soldiers will be transferred to military courts to continue the legal procedures," Mulla said, without identifying the soldiers.


It still amazes me there are some Kuwaitis who hate the United States following the 1991 Persian Gulf War. After all, it was a coallition put together by President George H.W. Bush that freed the nation from the tyranny of Saddam Hussein. At the time, infants were taken off of incubators, women raped, towns pillaged and Iraqi soldiers ran amok in the cities of Kuwait.

Cross-posted at In the Bullpen

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Some Recieving Aid From US See Political Motives

Will the Muslim leaders in Indonesia reject the aid given by the United States?

Posted by: Chad at 01:54 PM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
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Sunni Leader Killed

- AFP

BAGHDAD (AFP) - A member of Iraq's main Sunni Muslim party was kidnapped and later killed in Mosul, the party said in a statement.

"Yesterday Omar Mahmoud Abdullah, a senior leader in the Iraqi Islamic Party was kidnapped from his pharmacy and hours later was killed," it said Wednesday.

Another party official said Abdullah's bullet-riddled body was found seven hours after he was kidnapped dumped in the Al-Wihda neighbourhood on the eastern side of the city.

The party, which had recently announced its withdrawal from January's legislative elections, has also cast doubt over the legitimacy of the whole process.


A party that has withdrawn from the election questioning it's legitimacy is not a shock at all. In fact, every party that has dropped out already has said they do not believe the election will be valid. Unfortunately they cannot see this single statement helps the people who killed their leader, nor will any other group who will drop out prior to January 30.

Cross-posted at In the Bullpen

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Allawi: Election Will Quell Violence

- AFP

BAGHDAD (AFP) - Iraq's Prime Minister Iyad Allawi insisted that holding elections on time on January 30 was crucial to defeating the insurgency and quelling the unrelenting violence.

"The violence, terrorists and the outlaws will not be allowed to stop the political process and destroy the country," he told reporters in Baghdad.

"The Iraqi government and myself personally urge Iraqis to vote and participate in the political process," he said Wednesday.


While Allawi believes if the elections go through as planned violence in Iraq will be lessened, I do not believe it will have much of an effect. Some Iraqis will stop waging war because they will realize Democracy exists in Iraq, however other Iraqis will see whatever result as being forced upon them and will rebel.

Terrorist groups inside of Iraq will presumably change their course of action of targeting Iraqi government and Iraqi personnel to U.S. and Coallition targets. They will spread propoganda that the U.S. rigged the election and that it is invalid. Some outside governments will do the same aiding the terrorists whether that is intentional or not.

Having the elections on January 30 as promised is needed, however it is not the fix all that Allawi believes it will be. More problems will arise due to number of terrorists operating inside of Iraq. I hope I'm wrong, but only time will tell.

Cross-posted at In the Bullpen

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Group Wants to Trade Story for Palestinian Prisoners

- Associated Press

JERUSALEM - A group calling itself "The Free People of the Galilee" claimed Wednesday that it abducted an Israeli-American woman in 2003 and demanded that Israel release 1,000 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for information about her fate.

The group, through a leaflet and a militant spokesman, said it kidnapped U.S.-born Dana Bennet, who was 18 at the time of her disappearance in the summer of 2003.

The leaflet, sent to The Associated Press, contained no proof that the group was involved in the kidnapping or knew anything about Bennet's whereabouts. The group is not previously known.

A top Arab militant said on condition of anonymity in a telephone call that Bennet was abducted in 2003. He reiterated the demand made in the leaflet that Israel release 1,000 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for information about her fate.


When I read this article, I immediatly though of the movie The Vanishing. "Drink this and you shall know."

On a more serious note however, this is just an odd story for a group to approach the AP around two years later wanting a release of prisoners for information about someone's fate. The Israeli woman is already dead, though the group wants to use her "death story" as a bargaining chip. The Israelis haven't given in for live people, what makes this group think they would trade 1,000 prisoners for a story on how someone died?

Cross-posted at In the Bullpen

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Helen Thomas Needs New Glasses

In her recent column, Helen Thomas laments on the retirement of Bill Moyers from PBS, stating that "Bill Moyers was the last liberal voice on national television." Well, now we know the reason she sat in the front row of the White House Press Room. She can't see. Blurred are the images of Peter Jennings, Perky Couric, Diane Sawyer, Mike Wallace, Ed Bradley, Charles Gibson, Leslie Stahl, Sam Donaldson, George Stephanopoulis, Barbara Walters, Jane Pauley, Andy Rooney, yada-yada-yada.

Companion post at Interested-Participant.

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January 04, 2005

Report: Two Israeli Soldiers Abducted

- World Net Daily

Two Israeli Defense Force soldiers are feared kidnapped by Fatah, the terror organization likely to prevail in the upcoming Palestinian elections, an IDF source told WorldNetDaily.

Fatah claimed to the IDF to have abducted the soldiers hours ago from Maale Adumim, a large West Bank Israeli settlement about 8 miles north of Jerusalem that borders several Arab villages. They made the same claim on official Palestinian radio. Within minutes of the reported abduction, the IDF called all soldiers to determine their whereabouts and placed reserves on high alert, warning of intelligence indicating possible further abductions, the source said.

Check points in the West Bank and Gaza were immediately tightened, and army commanders just ended a meeting where it was decided if the abductions are confirmed, the IDF will enter Palestinian villages.

"The army is hoping it doesn't have to go into Palestinian areas because it will disrupt the elections next week," said the source.


I plan on keeping a watch of this story and hopefully the report is inaccurate.

Cross-posted at In the Bullpen

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Must Read

Ed. It should be noted that the Asia Times Online has had a tendency in the past to exagerate and prefers the extraordinary in reporting news.

There is an interesting article that appears in the Asia Times Online that is a must-read for those interested in terrorism, Al Qaeda specifically. It discusses the transgression of the terrorist group to a certain extent, however it addresses many topics that are not exactly known to the public including but not limited to:

By the time the Taliban had emerged as a force in Afghanistan in the mid-1990s, the Egyptian camp had settled on its strategies, the most important being:
  • To speak out against corrupt and despotic Muslim governments and make them targets, as this would destroy their image in the eyes of the common people, who interrelate state, rulers and nation.

  • Focus on the US role, which is to support Israel and tyrant Middle Eastern countries, and make everyone understand this.

    • The Egyptian camp in question is one of two sides of the Afghanistan War fighting the Soviet Union, often refered in general as the mujahadeen. There were two distinct camps that compromised the mujahadeen and two distinct after-war trangressions by the two camps.

    The article also goes into depth as to why Al Qaeda is now targeting Arab regimes, however based upon several transcripts of communiques and tapes, both audio and video, I'm not sure the real reason is retribution against actions supporting the United States as the article suggests.

    Cross-posted at In the Bullpen

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    Kurdish Media Holds Zarqawi Capture as Authentic

    In an update to the continued rumor concerning the arrest of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi (Abo Mossab Zarqawi depending on which spelling you choose to use), an Iraqi blogger notes the news stems from Kurdish sources inside of Iraq (via Hyscience).

    Again there are strong indications from the Kurdish sources about the news of the arrest of Abo-Mosaab Al-Zarqawi in Baqoba. Whether or not this terrorist was arrested and awaiting the DNA analysis we will get it live as soon as we know more.

    We have to mention that the same Kurdish sources were the first to announce the arrest of Saddam and his deputy even before the US forces did so.


    While the U.S. government still denies they have Zarqawi in custody, it is interesting to note that local Iraqi media have not dismissed the claim.

    Cross-posted at In the Bullpen

    Posted by: Chad at 05:23 PM | Comments (6) | Add Comment
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    If Zarqawi is Arrested, What Now?

    If Abu Musab al-Zarqawi was in fact arrested, what could this mean in terms of the future GWOT?

    Posted by: Chad at 02:57 PM | Comments (9) | Add Comment
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    New Fox Programming

    This post just made me crack up. It centers around new Fox programming following their hit last night "Who's Your Daddy."

    I must admit, I did watch some of the show because I found the first half of the Sugar Bowl boring. I couldn't believe where they found these people though. One of the rarities in my life is that I've actually dated five different women who were adopted. I know, I know, most guys never even date one. While I always wondered if they wanted to meet their real fathers, only one of those women actually cared who her biological parents were.

    Then there are, I guess, women like the one who appeared on the show who cried at the thought she might meet her father. Instead of wanting a genuine meeting, she chose to go on a reality television program and make a fool out of herself, weeping the entire time and making the show look completley fake and melodramatic.

    Anywho, go read this post for a good laugh.

    Posted by: Chad at 02:38 PM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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    70,000 Trained in Afghanistan

    - BBC

    Some 70,000 people received weapons training and religious instruction in al-Qaeda camps, German police says.

    The claim came at the retrial of Mounir al-Motassadek, a Moroccan man accused of involvement in the 9/11 attacks, which were partly planned in Germany.

    A German police officer told the court recruits at the camps were taught they had a duty to kill US citizens.


    The full extent of Al Qaeda's base of operations in Afghanistan is not known, though in my view 70,000 trained in Afghanistan seems like a very low number. Al Qaeda is a well organized, vast terrorist network with sleeper cells in nearly every country around the world.

    For the sake of argument, let's assume the 70,000 figure is accurate. Osama Bin Laden would have to be able to effectively communicate with heads of various cell leaders in order for the terrorist group to operate. We have learned Al Qaeda in the past has communicated via email extensively, though reports now indicate the majority of communications are being made via couriers. How many of these 70,000 terrorists are just couriers?

    I do make the presumption that Al Qaeda has trained couriers, communications experts, hackers, etc. in the art of warfare based upon a key part of the training camps being indoctrinating jihadists with the ideology. The training camps do not just teach bomb making and marksmanship, they teach those willing to participate who their enemy is and why their enemy threatens Islam.

    We do know this based upon the outreach program that has reached Europe, where hundreds of terrorists are attending mosques and learning the ways of jihad. The operational methods of Al Qaeda are most likely similar to that of the military of most nations. There are grunts, leaders, engineers, etc., but they are all trained with at least the basic combat tactical methods.

    Cross-posted at In the Bullpen

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    Zarqawi Captured?

    In a somewhat funny twist of fate, I have received unconfirmed reports that Abu Musab al-Zarqawi may have been captured in a raid in the Baghdad area.

    (Simultaneously launched by Bravo Romeo Delta from Demosophia, The Jawa Daily News, & Anticipatory Retaliation)

    Posted by: Bravo Romeo Delta at 11:37 AM | Comments (12) | Add Comment
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    Baghdad Regional Governor Killed

    - Associated Press

    BAGHDAD, Iraq - Gunmen assassinated the governor of the Iraqi province that includes Baghdad, Ali al-Haidari, on Tuesday, police officials said.

    Al-Haidari was shot dead while in his car in Baghdad's northern neighborhood of Hurriyah, said the police officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity. He was a target of another assassination attempt last year.

    The officials said al-Haidari left his house in the western al-Jama'a neighborhood and when he arrived in al-Hurriyah gunmen riddled his car with bullets. He died instantly, they said.


    Sad news, yet those in charge of the government inside of Iraq have been targets of various terrorist groups for a very long time.

    Update Al Qaeda in Iraq has claimed responsibility for the assassination on al-Haidari and has released a video. The video may be downloaded at Terrorist Media (registration required).

    Cross-posted at In the Bullpen

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    January 03, 2005

    Tsunami Survivor Rescued 100 Miles Out To Sea

    Here's a bit of good news from an otherwise sad situation. A 23-year-old woman was rescued 100 miles out to sea by a Malaysian-registered fishing boat after clinging to an uprooted palm tree for five days. Weak, dehydrated, and badly sunburned, Malawati of Kampung Denon in Banda Aceh, survived on rainwater and fruit from the palm tree. Malawati relayed that she had been washing clothes at her home about 2 kilometers from the ocean when the tsunami came and swept her out to sea.

    News of her miraculous survival spread quickly. When the boat docked Monday, she was joyously met by officials, politicians, medical personnel, and the media.

    Companion post at Interested-Participant.

    Posted by: Mike Pechar at 10:36 PM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
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    Criminals Target Tsunami Victims

    From an ABS-CBN Interactive report:

    Thieves, rapists, kidnappers and hoaxers are preying on tsunami survivors and families of victims in Asian refugee camps, hospitals and in the home countries of European tourists hit by the wave.

    Reports and warnings came in from as far apart as Britain, Sweden, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Hong Kong on Monday of criminals taking advantage of the chaos to rape survivors in Sri Lanka or plunder the homes of European tourists reported missing.

    There have also been reports of sexual abuse of women and girls in rescue shelters and during unsupervised rescue operations. Thieves in Thailand have been masquerading as police and looting hotels of the belongings of tsunami victims. Along the coasts of Sumatra, pirates pose a constant danger to relief efforts. In a related report, Prime Minister Goeran Persson stated that Swedish authorities are withholding the names and addresses of victims to preclude home burglaries.

    Companion post at Interested-Participant.

    Posted by: Mike Pechar at 10:26 PM | Comments (5) | Add Comment
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    Jan Egeland Explained

    The "Stingy" Western nations remark made by Jan Egeland is still being debated by the pundits days after it was first made.

    The Associated Press attempts to clear things up for us. From CNN.com:

    Norway was highest [giving as a percentage of GDP], at 0.92 percent; the United States was last, at 0.14 percent.

    Such figures were what prompted Jan Egeland -- the United Nations' emergency relief coordinator and former head of the Norwegian Red Cross -- to challenge the giving of rich nations.

    Damn generous, those Norwegians. But let's put things into perspective. Here is an actual photo of .92 percent of Norway's GDP.

    FishHeads.jpg


    (cross posted at Cranky Neocon)

    Posted by: Neocon at 09:18 PM | Comments (10) | Add Comment
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    Allawi on Iraqi Call-In Show

    - Associated Press

    BAGHDAD, Iraq - Interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi simply smiled during the live television show when a man called to praise terrorist mastermind Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. The Iraqi leader then moved on, offering to find information about a woman's detained son and see why a student didn't get into the graduate program of his choice.

    The surprisingly frank hour-long call-in program, "The Iraqi Podium," is a rarity for the region, giving Iraqis the chance to pepper Allawi with questions, from the mundane to the serious. Judging by the show's popularity, Iraqis are taking advantage.


    Unfortunately the show is on the United States funded Al-Iraqiya and not on an Arab owned television network, however it is still a positive sign that Iraqis are calling in to talk to Allawi. It is the basic understanding of Democracy, no matter what you say, that needs to be demonstrated to the Iraqi people. This show helps this process by allowing direct access to a candidate and can hopefully solve a few problems existing in Iraq along the way.

    Cross-posted at In the Bullpen

    Posted by: Chad at 07:52 PM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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