Puppet Masters
Three Mossad agents have been killed in the oil rich city of Kirkuk amid reports that the Israeli spy agency is active in northern Iraq.
Ukrainian lawmakers voted Tuesday to form a panel to investigate their country's weapons supplies to Georgia following Russia's war with that nation last month.
Ukraine has been a major supplier of weapons to its ally Georgia, whom it backed firmly in the conflict. Ukrainian military officials say the arms supplies are perfectly lawful and will not be halted.
But Valeriy Konovalyuk, a lawmaker from the opposition Party of Regions, which has ties to Moscow, told the legislature Tuesday that he believes Ukraine was engaged in "illegal weapons supplies." He did not elaborate.
Ukraine has been a major supplier of weapons to its ally Georgia, whom it backed firmly in the conflict. Ukrainian military officials say the arms supplies are perfectly lawful and will not be halted.
But Valeriy Konovalyuk, a lawmaker from the opposition Party of Regions, which has ties to Moscow, told the legislature Tuesday that he believes Ukraine was engaged in "illegal weapons supplies." He did not elaborate.
Azerbaijan and Israel enjoy broad cooperation aimed at averting the threat posed by Iran, an institute at the Washington University claims.
"The Israeli intelligence service, Mossad does whatever within its power to protect Azerbaijan from the threats posed by (the Islamic Republic of) Iran," Azeri daily Yeni Musavat quoted the political analyst at the University of Washington's institute for Middle East Studies, Alexander Morinson as saying.
He pointed out to what he called "extensive covert and overt preemptive cooperation in security, intelligence and military areas between Azerbaijan and the Israeli intelligence services, Mossad against the Iranian influence" in the ex-Soviet republic.
Morinson also referred to installation of "highly-advanced satellite espionage equipment on the Azeri soil, wiretapping centers in frontier areas, eavesdropping centers in the Caspian Sea and continuous training of Azeri intelligence and security agents in Israel" as instances of the collaboration.
"The Israeli intelligence service, Mossad does whatever within its power to protect Azerbaijan from the threats posed by (the Islamic Republic of) Iran," Azeri daily Yeni Musavat quoted the political analyst at the University of Washington's institute for Middle East Studies, Alexander Morinson as saying.
He pointed out to what he called "extensive covert and overt preemptive cooperation in security, intelligence and military areas between Azerbaijan and the Israeli intelligence services, Mossad against the Iranian influence" in the ex-Soviet republic.
Morinson also referred to installation of "highly-advanced satellite espionage equipment on the Azeri soil, wiretapping centers in frontier areas, eavesdropping centers in the Caspian Sea and continuous training of Azeri intelligence and security agents in Israel" as instances of the collaboration.
Syria: President Nicolas Sarkozy's two-day visit to Damascus got off to a bad start yesterday when it became apparent that he and the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad are engaged in a dialogue of the deaf regarding the Iranian nuclear programme.
Matters were further complicated when the Turkish prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan first cancelled his attendance at a meeting with Mr Sarkozy, Mr Assad and the Emir of Qatar here today, then relented on condition the summit be moved forward by an hour or more.
At a press conference in the Syrian presidential palace, Mr Sarkozy stressed repeatedly that he expected Mr Assad to convey to Tehran how serious the crisis over the Iranian nuclear programme has become. "I told [Assad] again Iran must not possess nuclear weapons," Mr Sarkozy said. "An Iranian nuclear weapon would be a threat to peace throughout the region and the world."
Matters were further complicated when the Turkish prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan first cancelled his attendance at a meeting with Mr Sarkozy, Mr Assad and the Emir of Qatar here today, then relented on condition the summit be moved forward by an hour or more.
At a press conference in the Syrian presidential palace, Mr Sarkozy stressed repeatedly that he expected Mr Assad to convey to Tehran how serious the crisis over the Iranian nuclear programme has become. "I told [Assad] again Iran must not possess nuclear weapons," Mr Sarkozy said. "An Iranian nuclear weapon would be a threat to peace throughout the region and the world."
"I'm in show business, why come to me?"
"War is show business, that's why we're here."
- "Wag the Dog" (1997 film)
Last week, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac had just announced record losses, and so had most reporting corporations. Unemployment was mounting, the foreclosure crisis was deepening, state budgets were in shambles, and massive bailouts were everywhere. Investors had every reason to expect the dollar and the stock market to plummet, and gold and oil to shoot up. Strangely, the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 300 points, the dollar strengthened, and gold and oil were crushed. What happened?
"War is show business, that's why we're here."
- "Wag the Dog" (1997 film)
Last week, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac had just announced record losses, and so had most reporting corporations. Unemployment was mounting, the foreclosure crisis was deepening, state budgets were in shambles, and massive bailouts were everywhere. Investors had every reason to expect the dollar and the stock market to plummet, and gold and oil to shoot up. Strangely, the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 300 points, the dollar strengthened, and gold and oil were crushed. What happened?
A female confidante of Dr David Kelly raised disturbing new questions last night over how the Ministry of Defence weapons inspector was able to kill himself.
After his body was discovered in woods near his Oxfordshire home in July 2003, a Government inquiry led by Lord Hutton ruled that he committed suicide by slashing his left wrist with a knife and taking an overdose of co-proxamol, a painkiller commonly used for arthritis.
He was said to be anguished about being named as the source of a BBC report, which alleged that Tony Blair 'sexed up' a dossier justifying the invasion of Iraq.
But five years after his death at 59, his close friend, American military linguist Mai Pederson, has come forward to dispute this account.
After his body was discovered in woods near his Oxfordshire home in July 2003, a Government inquiry led by Lord Hutton ruled that he committed suicide by slashing his left wrist with a knife and taking an overdose of co-proxamol, a painkiller commonly used for arthritis.
He was said to be anguished about being named as the source of a BBC report, which alleged that Tony Blair 'sexed up' a dossier justifying the invasion of Iraq.
But five years after his death at 59, his close friend, American military linguist Mai Pederson, has come forward to dispute this account.
Comment: See also:
Who Ordered the Assassination of Dr. David Kelly?
Police could not find any fingerprints on Dr Kelly's 'suicide' knife
Who Killed Dr David Kelly? The Murder theory that just won't go away
Fingerprint doubt over David Kelly 'suicide'
Iraq whistleblower Dr Kelly WAS murdered to silence him, says MP
Police failed to find the body of missing Government scientist David Kelly despite using a helicopter with heat-seeking equipment and flying over the exact spot where his corpse was later discovered.
Dr Kelly's body was found in July 2003 at the height of the controversy over Britain's invasion of Iraq.
Unusually, no inquest into his death has ever been held. Instead, the Hutton Inquiry was set up by Tony Blair to investigate the circumstances surrounding his death.
Dr Kelly's body was found in July 2003 at the height of the controversy over Britain's invasion of Iraq.
Unusually, no inquest into his death has ever been held. Instead, the Hutton Inquiry was set up by Tony Blair to investigate the circumstances surrounding his death.
©2008 All Rights Reserved. Contact author for permission to repost or mirror
*Kakistocracy is government by the very worst, least principled, and most incompetent people. You will be forgiven for thinking that the word, kakistocracy, perhaps derives from the word, "caca", itself derived from the Latin, "cacare". In fact, kakistocracy derives from the Greek, kakos, meaning "bad".)
Let me make myself clear from the outset: I am not running for President of the United States, I just am *not doing* it, though I am constitutionally fully qualified, and, truth to tell, would be much better for the country in many ways, on many levels, than the current, thug occupant of the White House (notice that I do not refer to him as "President"). But, no, I really and truly do not aspire to be President of this godforsaken Kakistan masquerading as the USA.
Now that that crucial non-announcement is out of the way, permit me to set forth a couple of the many reasons for my subdued, cyberspace non-campaign for the Oval Office.
*Kakistocracy is government by the very worst, least principled, and most incompetent people. You will be forgiven for thinking that the word, kakistocracy, perhaps derives from the word, "caca", itself derived from the Latin, "cacare". In fact, kakistocracy derives from the Greek, kakos, meaning "bad".)
Let me make myself clear from the outset: I am not running for President of the United States, I just am *not doing* it, though I am constitutionally fully qualified, and, truth to tell, would be much better for the country in many ways, on many levels, than the current, thug occupant of the White House (notice that I do not refer to him as "President"). But, no, I really and truly do not aspire to be President of this godforsaken Kakistan masquerading as the USA.
Now that that crucial non-announcement is out of the way, permit me to set forth a couple of the many reasons for my subdued, cyberspace non-campaign for the Oval Office.
Edition: 2 Section: A Page: A1
An elite U.S. Army study center has devised a plan for enforcing a major Israeli-Palestinian peace accord that would require about 20,000 well-armed troops stationed throughout Israel and a newly created Palestinian state.
There are no plans by the Bush administration to put American soldiers into the Middle East to police an agreement forged by the longtime warring parties. In fact, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld is searching for ways to reduce U.S. peacekeeping efforts abroad, rather than increasing such missions.
But a 68-page paper by the Army School of Advanced Military Studies (SAMS) does provide a look at the daunting task any international peacekeeping force would face if the United Nations authorized it, and Israel and the Palestinians ever reached a peace agreement.
An elite U.S. Army study center has devised a plan for enforcing a major Israeli-Palestinian peace accord that would require about 20,000 well-armed troops stationed throughout Israel and a newly created Palestinian state.
There are no plans by the Bush administration to put American soldiers into the Middle East to police an agreement forged by the longtime warring parties. In fact, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld is searching for ways to reduce U.S. peacekeeping efforts abroad, rather than increasing such missions.
But a 68-page paper by the Army School of Advanced Military Studies (SAMS) does provide a look at the daunting task any international peacekeeping force would face if the United Nations authorized it, and Israel and the Palestinians ever reached a peace agreement.
Israel's leadership resolved, in top-level strategic discussions three months ago, to do whatever it takes to prevent Iran from having nuclear bombs. This is Maariv's front-page headline on Friday.
Comment: While the primary purpose of the Georgian provocation is probably not to distract from Fannie and Freddie's woes, it's certainly a welcome secondary result. Ms. Eden does a nice job of highlighting just how many neocons are still working "backstage" in the current presidential campaigns.