Only to think that they made us believe Hollande being the captain of a pedal boat. Not at all: He's the captain of a caravel !
That reminds me of an old joke:
Who is the greatest socialist in history ?
The answer is: Christopher Columbus.
When he left, he didn't know where he was sailing to.
When he arrived, he didn't know where he was.
And all that with the money of other people !
[Cartoon by Plantu in the influential French magazine L'EXPRESS, April 18 edition.]
Comment: Even though, Hollande won the presidential elections in France, it will be hard enough for him to reach a consolidation of his country's economy without those austerity measures planned by his competitor Sarkozy.
At the time when U.S. special forces killed Osama Bin Laden in Abottabad, Pakistan, lots of Al-Qaeda documents were captured and that have now been partly released to the Combating Terrorism Center (CTC). The 17 documents consist of electronic letters or draft letters, totaling 175 pages in the original Arabic and 197 pages in the English translation. The earliest letter is dated September 2006 and the latest April 2011. A general description of these declassified documents captured in the Abbottabad raid and released to CTC is available under the following link:
Description of the Abbottabad Documents Provided to the CTC
This is a letter authored by Osama Bin Laden and it is addressed to "Sheikh Mahmud" [`Atiyya `Abd al-Rahman], another high-ranking leader of Al-Qaeda. It can be assumed that this document came into being not before May 2010.
Bin Ladin’s letter is concerned with the mistakes committed by regional Jihadi groups, which have resulted in the unnecessary deaths of thousands of Muslim civilians. Bin Laden indicates that he would like to start a “new phase” so that the Jihadis could regain the trust of Muslims. He directs `Atiyya to prepare a memorandum to centralize, in the hands of Al-Qaeda's Command, the media campaign and operations of regional Jihadi groups.
Bin Laden's evaluation of certain regional Jihadi operations might have influenced his decision to decline a request for formal unity with Al-Qaeda by Somalia's Al-Shabab group. In fact, Al-Shabab only merged with Al-Qaeda after the death of Osama Bin Laden [Document SOCOM-2012-0000005].
Logo of Al-Shabab
The above mentioned quotation from document SOCOM-2012-0000019 is available in the original Arabic version as well as in the English translation on the following four screenshots:
Its a letter written either by Osama Bin Laden or `Atiyya `Abd al-Rahman and addressed to “Abu Basir” [Nasir al-Wuhayshi], the leader of Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. It is about Al-Qaeda's evaluation of Yemen under the rule of President Abdullah Saleh. Yemen is being regarded as some kind of safe haven for members of Al-Qaeda, and there is no use throwing over Saleh's weak government immediately:
" We do not see escalation as necessary at this point because we are in the preparation stage; therefore, it is not in our interest to rush in bringing down the regime. In spite of this regime's mismanagement, it is less dangerous to us than the one America wants to exchange it with. Ali Abdallah Saleh has been unable to suppress the Islamic activity and has been considered to be a non-Muslim man and supporter of the West during the past years. On the contrary, the Salafists and the Jihadist Salafists were able to take advantage of his regime and target America from Yemen, as some of the Mujahidin went to Somalia or traveled to us, which allowed us to assign our brothers to conduct international operations. "
Shortly after the Abottabad raid, Bin Laden's widows and their children, living in the same place, were put under arrest by Pakistani authorities. They have been released on April 27, 2012, and flown to Saudi Arabia.
In the frame of most violent demonstrations in the Abassiya neighbourhood of Kairo on Saturday, May 5, a prominent figure related to Al-Qaeda appeared among many protesters in support of Islamist candidate Hazem Abu Ismael, who is among a number of candidates disqualified from the May 23 presidential election.
Here now the latest news from Al-Arabiya TV cited from their website on Sunday, May 6, 2012. English translation provided by Ulysses / W.W.:
شقيق زعيم "القاعدة" يظهر في ميدان العباسية
الأخ الأكبر للظواهري شارك في الاحتجاجات ورفعت إلى جواره رايات التنظيم السوداء
Headline: Brother of al-Qaeda leader appeared on Abassiya Square [original: Field of the Abassides].
Headline: The eldest brother of [Ayman] Zawahiri participated in the protests [where], for his protection, banners of the "Black Society" were raised.
Info: Ayman Zawahiri is the successor of Osama Bin Laden as leader of Al-Qaeda organization. He originally came from
Egypt and is considered to be connected with the country's Muslim Brotherhood.
أظهرت مشاهد من أحداث العباسية أمس مشاركة محمد الظواهري، الشقيق الأكبر لزعيم القاعدة أيمن الظواهري، في التظاهرات. ورفعت إلى جواره أعلام تنظيم القاعدة. وكان الظواهري أُطلق سراحه بعد شهر واحد من تنحي الرئيس السابق محمد حسني مبارك، حيث كان معتقلاً على خلفية تورطه في عملية اغتيال الرئيس الراحل أنور السادات
Yesterday, a witness appeared with news from Abassiya Square [i.e. Abassides field], [claiming] a participation of Mahmud al-Zawahiri, the eldest brother of al-Qaeda's leader Ayman al-Zawahiri, in the demonstrations where, for his protection, banners of al-Qaeda organization were raised. And Zawahiri mentioned his liberation one month after the retreat of former president Mohammad Hosni Mubarak, [under whose rule] he was imprisoned on the background of being involved in an operation [directed] at the assassination of deceased president Anwar al-Sadat.
News of the day from Al-Arabiya TV on Saturday May 5, 2012. English translation provided by Ulysses / W.W.:
تنظيم القاعدة يهدم مقاماً دينياً في شمالي مالي
Headline: Al-Qaeda organization fighting a spiritual center in Northern Mali.
هدمت عناصر من تنظيم القاعدة في بلاد المغرب الإسلامي، أول من أمس الجمعة، مقاماً دينياً في تمبكتو، المدينة السياحية في شمال مالي، والمدرجة على لائحة "اليونسكو" للتراث العالمي، ما أثار "صدمة" لدى السكان، كما أعلن مسؤول محلي السبت
Destruction of a religious place in Timbuktu, town of tourism in Northern Mali, by elements belonging to the Islamic Maghreb [branch] of Al-Qaeda organization, yesterday, Friday [May 4]. [The place] is being enrolled on a UNESCO list for global [cultural memorials]. There was "no shocking" [or: disturbing] of the inhabitants [during the destruction] declared a local responsible on Saturday.
العثور على جثة وزير النفط الليبي في نظام القذافي في نهر الدانوب
Corpse discovered in river Danube, belonging to Libya's [former] oil minister during Gaddafi era.
According to Al-Jazeera and BBC Arabic, the former oil minister of Libya, Shukri Ghanim (شكري غانم), has been found dead in Vienna / Austria, floating in the Danube river. He served Gaddafi until his spectacular defection during the most militant phase of the Libyan revolution and was recently living in Vienna.
The Arabic text below has been extracted from BBC Arabic on April 29 and is followed by my own translation:
وقال مصدر في الشرطة النمساوية إن غانم لم يكن يحمل إثبات هوية، لكن كان بحوزته وثيقة تفيد بعمله في إحدى الشركات
Austrian police says that Ghanim did not carry with him any proof [or: paper] of identity but it seems that a document in his possession is indicating his function in some company.
وكان وزير النفط الليبي السابق قد ترك ليبيا في شهر يونيو / حزيران الماضي بعد اندلاع الثورة الليبية وغادر إلى النمسا التي يعرفها جيداً حيث مقر منظمة الدول المصدرة للنفط التي كان يحضر اجتماعاتها بحكم منصبه السابق
The former oil minister of Libya, after having left Libya last June [in the wake of] the outbreak of the Libyan revolution, [defected] to Austria which he knew well as the location of the organization of oil exporting nations and where he prepared the conferences with the authority of his former position.
Site of Death: River Danube at Vienna
Latest News from Iran:
إيران تقول إن هناك مؤشرات على مشاركة طائرات أمريكية في المناورات الخليجية
Iran says [there are] indicators [hinting at] a contribution of U.S. planes in [Persian Gulf] manoeuvres.
[Source: Al-Jazeera, Arabic channel, on May 1at, 2012]
中新网4月27日电 据伊通社26日报道
Cable from "China News Network" on April 27, citing an Iranian news agency report published the day before.
伊朗驳斥以色列对其核计划指控 称“毫无根据”
Iran denounces Israeli accusations of its nuclear programme, calling them to be "utterly groundless".
伊朗常驻联合国代表穆罕默德•哈扎伊日前 …… 表示 …… 以色列拥有数百枚核弹和其它非法的大规模杀伤性武器，是国际和平和安全的威胁。 ……
The day before, Iran's permanent delegate to the United Nations, Mohammad Khazaee, indicated that several hundred atomic bombs and other illegal weapons of mass destruction owned by Israel are threatening international peace and safety.
他指出，以色列实施“政府恐怖主义”，杀害科学家，却无端指控伊朗进行武器走私活动。
He pointed out that Israel is carrying out [some kind of] "government terrorism" [when] murdering scientists, however, [at the same time and] for no reason accusing Iran of being active in weapon smuggling.
Israel getting Cautious
Headlines of Al-Arabiya on May 1st, 2012:
رائحة "الانتخابات المبكرة" تفوح بقوة في إسرائيل
أصبح أمر توجيه ضربة عسكرية لإيران أكثر تعقيداً وأقل وضوحاً.. إلا إن كان نتياهو يبيت مفاجأة
A smell of "early elections" is being spread by Israeli authorities.
The [developing] subject of an [increasing tendency] towards a military blow at Iran becomes more complex [or: difficult] and less precise ... meanwhile Netanyahu remains "surprising".
Christians of the Holy Land How they are treated by Israel
The day before (April 27, 2012), Al-Jazeera TV discussed the question of Christians in Israel in an English language comment. If quoted by Western media, that comment would most probably incite the usual repulsion by Israel and its supporters and who are constantly blaming the "lies of the Arabic TV stations" when it comes to keep an eye on Israeli proceedings towards their Palestinian neighbours.
That's why I tried to find additional information within the network of the Roman Catholic Church as they must have encountered mistreatment of their Palestinian brothers and sisters in belief if there was any.
Indeed, there is relevant information available: On February 23, 2009, the online magazine "Katholisches Magazin für Kirche und Kultur" wrote about that subject under the headline: Palestinian Christians: "Pope should cancel visit to Israel" [Palästinensische Christen: "Papst soll Israel-Reise absagen"].
In a letter directed to Pope Benedikt XVI, 40 Palestinian Christians demanded to link his planned visit in May 2009 with certain conditions, including easier access of Westbank Christians to holy places inside Israel and the abolition of Israeli taxation of ground belonging to the Christian Church. Above all, the letter was intended to avoid an "increase of popularity for Israel thus downplaying the suffering of Palestinians under Israeli occupation." That information was even confirmed by Israel's most important daily Ha'aretz.
The above cited action of Palestinian Christians is only highlighting a situation where Palestinians are mistreated and oppressed under Israeli rule in a way that did not essentially change during the past decades. Having learnt much from history after the days of my brainwashed youth when I felt sorry for the Jewish state being surrounded by "bloodthirsty Arabic subhumans", I am now convinced that further "digging" into the matter will certainly unearth further annoying details about Jewish behaviour towards their Semitic brethren in the region and who enjoy to have the same godfather above them, no matter if they call him Jehova or Allah.
If you still like to read the related Al-Jazeera comment, here are some screenshots taken from the mobile version of that comment and comprising the whole text written by Ben White, a freelance writer for Al-Jazeera, specialising in Palestine and Israel:
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Israel Immuring Itself
Site of a new wall along the Lebanese border where building has just begun (April 30, 2012): Adding to the notorious wall that separates the Jewish part of Palestine from Palestinian settlements.
News Update on April 8: Günter Grass banned from Israel over poem. [BBC]
News Update on April 11: Iranian oil exports to Germany have stopped and imports of EU products have been reduced. [Russia Today, Al-Arabiya]
News Update on April 15: German TV discussion on Günter Grass and his poem reveals different positions. => Complete report further down !
On the occasion of a new German submarine being delivered to Israel, one of the most distinctive literary figures in Germany has launched a public protest and warning. Günter Grass, winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature, and whose books are available in different languages, has published a poem where he describes the imminent danger of a devastating war originating from Israel. In the frame of a difficult relationship between Germany and Israel and that is based on historic developments during World War II, Günter Grass is giving a most interesting evaluation of the current conflict between Iran and Israel. As his poem has been controversially discussed by different pressure groups in Germany and abroad, I prefer to offer my readers an accurate translation of the original text into English and French rather than just another comment. Feel free to quote my translations. - Ulysses -
Günter Grass - What Needs To Be Said Günter Grass - Ce qui demande d'être dit
translation by / traduit par Wolfgang Wiesner
" Why do I remain silent, keep silent too long on what is obvious and has been drilled in manoeuvres, at the end of which the survivors among us will remain but mere footnotes.
" Pourquoi je me tais, garde le silence sur ce qui est évident et exercé dans jeux tactiques où, à la fin, ce sont nous, les survivants, qui ne sont que des notes au bas de la page.
It is the claimed right of a preemptive strike that could erase the Iranian people, being subjugated by a loud-mouth and directed to organized cheering, only because in that guy's sphere of control the manufacturing of a nuke is being suspected.
C'est le droit prétendu d'un coup préalable ce qui pourrait effacer le peuple iranien, subjugué par un fanfaron et dirigé à l'exultation organisée. Seulement parce que dans la sphère de celui-là la construction d'une bombe atomique est présumée.
But why do I forbid myself to name that other country by its proper name where for many years, even though secretly, a growing nuclear potential is already available, but out of control because out of examination ?
Pourquoi alors je m'interdit de nommer cet autre pays où pour des années, même en cachette, un potentiel nucléaire en accroissement est disponible mais qui se trouve hors de contrôle n'étant pas accessible à aucune surveillance ?
The common withholding the truth, my silence has subordinated to, I feel it as a burdening lie and constraint, a constraint promising punishment if ignored, and the verdict of "antisemitism" being too familiar.
La réticence de cet état de choses à quoi mon silence s'est soumis, je la sente comme mensonge grevant et pression qui fait entrevoir la punition en cas de non-observation. Voilà l'antisémitisme - le verdict étant bien connu.
But now, that out of my country, being repeatedly taken to task by its own incomparable crimes, another submarine should be delivered to Israel, once again and all businesslike, even though declared as compensation by a ready tongue. Another submarine, the special character of which being to direct all-devastating warheads to a place where the existence of a single nuke is still unproven, the fear of its existence yet accepted as a proof. But now, I say what needs to be said.
Mais maintenant et parce que à partir de mon pays, ce qui est rattrapé à maintes reprises pour l'admonestation par ses propres crimes sans pareils, un sous-marin en plus devra été livré à Israel: Enfin, je dis ce qu'il faut dire. Un sous-marin, livré une fois en plus, aussi en style d'affaires, même déclaré en éloquence comme sorte de réparation, - un sous-marin dont sa spécialité est de lancer des ogives à l'anéantissement total d'un lieu où l'existence d'une seule bombe atomique, bien que pas prouvé, fait foi par crainte.
But why did I keep silent until now ? Because I thought, my personal background, being tainted with an indelible stigma (*), might forbid me to pester Israel with the outspoken truth of the fact. Israel being a country I am obliged to and intend to remain obliged.
Mais c'est pourquoi que je me taisais jusqu'ici ? C'est parce que je pensais que ma naissance, atteinte d'une tache jamais ineffaçable, doit m'interdire de demander trop à Israel, pays auquel je me sente rattaché, ce que je veux rester, doit m'interdire de demander trop avec cette réalité sous forme d'une vérité bien prononcée.
And why not earlier but now I say this, in my elder years and with a rest of ink ? Why saying now that Israel's nuclear power is endangering a global peace being fragile anyway ? Because there must be said what might come too late even by tomorrow. As well, because we Germans, already burdened down by guilt, could now become suppliers of a crime, predicted and expected, thus making it impossible to wipe out our complicity by using the usual excuses.
Et c'est pourquoi que je le dis si tard, dans mes dernières années et avec le fond de l'encre, que la puissance nucléaire d'Israel mets en danger la paix globale, fragile de toute façon ? Parce que ce qu'il faut dire c'est ce qui pourrait arriver trop tard le lendemain prochain, aussi que nous, les allemands si accablés, pourraient devenir les fournisseurs d'un crime, assez prévisible pour que notre complicité ne soit pas rachetable par des excuses habituelles.
And I admit: I don't keep silent any more while being fed up with Western hypocrisy. Moreover, there will be hope that many others free themselves from opportune silence and might, instead, demand from those responsible for visible danger to refrain from using force. And then likewise demand that unhindered and permanent control by means of international authorities of, both, Israel's nuclear potential and Iran's nuclear facilities should be accepted by both countries' governments.
Et je l'admets: Je ne me tais plus parce que je me dégoûte de l'hypocrisie occidentale. Qu'on puisse espérer également que beaucoup plus d'autres pourraient se libérer du silence et qu'ils demandent la renonciation à la violence de ceux qui causent la violence visible, aussi bien qu'ils insistent pour que les gouvernements des deux pays acceptent un contrôle permanent et sans obstacles du potentiel nucléaire israélien et des installations nucléaires iraniennes par une autorité internationale.
It's only such that help can be brought to all of them, Israelis and Palestinians, and even more, all quarrelling people that are densely inhabiting this region and which is occupied by madness. This, in the end, would even help us. "
Et c'est ainsi, seulement, que l'aide peut arriver aux peuples d'Israel et de la Palestine et, plus encore, à tous les hommes vivants, serrés et réciproquement hostiles, dans cette région et qui est occupée par l'égarement humain. Et c'est ainsi que l'aide peut arriver aussi à nous. "
(*) = While speaking about the stigma of his personal background, Günter Grass is referring to the days of his youth when he was serving in Hitler's elite forces ("Waffen-SS"), yet without being a decided follower of nazi rule. His literary works that came into being after World War II always underlined that he had learnt his lesson like many others of his generation. It's already years ago that I learnt more about Günter Grass and enjoyed some of his works with growing respect for the author. - Ulysses -
German submarine U-33 (above) powered by most advanced fuel cell technology (below).
UPDATE for April 15:
A German TV discussion on Channel 1 dealing with the above mentioned Grass poem on Israel has unearthed the following positions:
Michael Wolffsohn, a Jewish historian born in Israel considers the Grass poem as including an antisemitic tendency. He is mainly supporting the official position of Israel, yet trying to weaken the facts predicting a feasible Israeli assault on Iran and playing down the importance of German weapons delivery to Israel.
Dirk Niebel, German minister for aid to developing countries and who personally learnt about strict treatment of Palestinian citizens even in their territories. He prefers some kind of "matter-of-fact" evaluation of Israeli policy that enables the possibility of further German-Israeli talks. Like Wolffsohn he is playing down the importance of German weapons delivery to Israel.
Michael Degen, famous German actor and survivor of the holocaust is lacking understanding of the Grass poem and feels himself unable to classify it as free from antisemitism. On the other hand, Degen is not in favour of Israel's policy that supports or ignores Jewish settlements in the Palestinian territories.
Jakob Augstein, a well-known German journalist, acknowledged son of "Spiegel" magazine founder Rudolf Augstein, fully supports the intention behind the Grass poem and underlines its necessity, thus distinguishing himself from many of his German colleagues. As to an earlier remark of Günter Grass hinting at "gleichschaltung" of the German press when it comes to critisize Israel, Augstein confirms his view of a press in "secret agreement" on the publishing of positions that might be unwelcome [and therefore hazardous to the career of a journalist].
Heide Simonis, a former regional prime minister [state of Schleswig-Holstein] and personal friend of Günter Grass is critisizing the Grass poem in style but not necessarily in its basic content. What has to be critisized from her part is German Chancellor Merkel's public address in front of Israel's parliament [Knesseth] and that should ensure Israel of Germany's "intrinsic debt to guarantee the very existence of Israel", that declaration being critisized for creating a legal problem in the frame of Germany's constitutional law. Furthermore, Frau Simonis is an opponent of any weapons deal between Germany and Israel as German constitution forbids any delivery of weapons whatsoever to crisis area.
German Chancellor Frau Merkel in her 2008 Knesseth speech.
" You will find the most vehement of mankind in hostility to those who believe (to be) the Jews and the idolaters (*). And you will find the nearest of them in affection to those who believe (to be) those who say: Behold! We are Christians. That is because there are priests and monks among them, and because they are not arrogant. "
[The Holy Quran 5:28]
(*) = The idolaters are those who worship the Golden Calf or any other idol.
Temple of the Golden Calf
A 3-Stars-Location
News of the Day from Al-Arabiya's Arabic website:
رفسنجاني اتهم الرئيس الإيراني بنسف العلاقة مع الرياض
[Former Iranian president] Rafsanjani accuses the Iranian president
[Ahmadinejad] of damaging relations with Riadh [Saudi Arabia].
في أعقاب الضجة التي أثارها هاشمي رفسنجاني من خلال تصريحاته التي انتقد فيها سياسة الحكومة الإيرانية في التعاطي مع ملف العلاقات السعودية الإيرانية والمفاوضات مع كل من مصر والولايات المتحدة الأمريكية جاء الرد عليه اليوم من على منبر صلاة الجمعة في العاصمة الإيرانية على لسان أحمد خاتمي إمام جمعة طهران المؤقت
In the aftermath of all that fuss which has been raised by Hashemi Rafsanjani on the basis of his declaration and that disapproves the Iranian government's policy concerning Saudi-Iranian relations as well as negotiations with Egypt and the U.S.A., [finally] came the repercussion ex-cathedra at today's Friday Prayers in Iran's capital by means of Ahmad Khatami, the provisional Imam of all Tehran.
رجل دين إيراني يتهجم على السعودية ويدافع عن الأسد
Religious man from Iran attacking Saudi Arabia and defending Assad.
Ahmad Khatami - Provisional Imam of Tehran
وتعليقاً على تصريحات رفسنجاني بخصوص المفاوضات مع الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية ووصفه للعلاقات بواشنطن بالضرورة العقلانية قال أحمد خاتمي: لا أحد في البلاد يحظى بالمكانة التي تسمح له بالحديث حول المفاوضات مع أمريكا لأن المرشد الأعلى هو الوحيد الذي بهذه المكانة وليس أي شخص آخر
Moreover, as a comment on Rafsanjani's proclamations, regarding those negotiations with the U.S.A. and the specific character of relations with Washington [and that should] necessarily be of a rational quality, Ahmad Khatami said: " Nobody in the country benefits from any authority that allows itself a conversation on changes in the negotiations with America because the supreme [leader] has to be the only authority [to decide] this matter and no-one else. "
For a better understanding:
Hashemi Rafsanjani = A former president of the Islamic Republic of Iran (1989-1997), now regarded as an elder statesman and pragmatic conservative, seeking to avoid conflict with the U.S. and the West.
Global distribution of the last 200 visitors to
- blueprinteditor.blogspot.com - according
to external webstatistics of April 18, 2012:
Click to the picture for a better resolution !
The tip of the iceberg:
Global visitors to - blueprinteditor.blogspot.com - and who are interested in Günter Grass and his political poem " What needs to (or: must) be said ", as recorded by web-statistics.
Please note: Only such visitors have been detected together with the region they came from who are using a final country tag (i.e. ".us", ".de", ".au" etc.) in their address. Personal identification should be almost impossible and probably irrelevant as this site only presents legal content. In rare cases when visitor statistics might enable the identification of visitors in "problematic" regions, such data are neither given away to interested parties nor stored anywhere. - Ulysses -
Further global visitors to that blogspot, yet not using a special reference to Günter Grass, came from different places in Germany, from Taipeh (Taiwan), Saint-Étienne in the French Rhone-Alpes region (Centre Régional Des Oeuvres Universitaires Et Scolaires), Vienna (Austria), Valencia in Spain (Universidad de Valencia), Sofia (Bulgaria), Halifax in the Nova Scotia region of Canada (Dalhousie University), Sydney and another location in the New South Wales region of Australia, Moscow (Russia) and from Iowa state in the U.S.A.. Additional British visitors came from Essex and Richmond-Upon-Thames.
Global distribution of visitors referring to my English translation of Günter Grass:
Israeli drone According to Israeli sources, Azerbaijan should have granted Israel access to four of its military airbases. After an earlier deal between Azerbaijan and Israel, comprising the delivery of arms and material provided by Israel's aircraft industry, Israel might now be able to attack the Islamic Republic of Iran directly from its northern border.
Up to now, any attack by Israeli warplanes would have required their refuelling in the air. While the arms deal has already been confirmed and reported in another blogspot of mine, the alleged use of Azerbaijani airbases by Israel was only considered as a possible option by some global security website. The new development became officially known today by People's Network, Beijing, and related Chinese sources referring Israeli media. The day before, a German TV broadcast presented a satellite image showing one of those bases in question. It should be located north of Azerbaijan's Caspian seaport of Baku.
以色列欲借道阿塞拜疆袭击伊朗？
Does Israel wish to use Azerbaijani runways in an attack on Iran ?
[Headline for People's Network, Beijing, on April 2
and referring to "recent" U.S. diplomatic reports]
In the past, Azerbaijan became known as some kind of save haven for terrorists of all kind, an old map showing the camps of Islamist and pro-Taliban groups as well as of Turkish nationalists (Grey Wolves). One airfield in Southern Azerbaijan should even have served as a training camp for pilots connected to alleged terrorist groups. It is therefore unclear to what extent Azerbaijan can now be regarded as a stable pro-Western community that could serve Israeli pilots as a base of action against the Islamic Republic. The official conditions of use for the above mentioned airfields are unknown either. Maybe, Israel could try to resort to some kind of hit-and-run strategy when using Azerbaijani facilities for an attack, using the help of Azerbaijan's secret service.
In another Chinese article from XinHua-News-Network, dating back to February 2, 2012, Israeli sources are cited that Israel is decided to attack up to 27 targets in Iran and that are related to the development of nuclear weapons.
Comment by Ulysses:
In recent days, the war drums against Iran are being beaten even more forcefully than ever before. Even though U.S. President Obama has not yet decided to resort to war on Iran, influential pressure groups inside the U.S. are demanding an immediate attack:
The Republican candidates, at least, are seemingly eager to teach the Iranians a lesson they would never forget. Seen in the frame of U.S. preelections, such behaviour makes sense especially for those politicians who are unable to present a real new concept for solving the actual problems of U.S. economy including unemployment and social decay. While not being in charge of essential military decisions to be taken in case of war, and therefore being far away from any personal responsibility, it is an easy game for such people to rely on popular stances.
Even more dangerous, however, are those voices inside the U.S.A. that are in favour of Israel, the only partner in the game who is really interested in a military conflict with the Islamic Republic of Iran for most practical reasons.
Unfortunately, U.S. media seem to "jump" at the Iranian subject in the actual situation of political incertainty and confusion. We should only remember recent "developing stories" presented by Wolf Blitzer in CNN's "situation room":
March 24, 2012
The "Iranian A-Team", allegedly consisting of hundreds of Hezbollah agents and being paid by Tehran to inflict inside damage to the U.S.A.. By the way, the same U.S.A. which is known to be the Iranian cash cow. Just a new idea: Hitting the place where you earn much of your money.
March 28, 2012
Another related subject in Wolf Blitzer's situation room was considering a nuclear attack on Washington DC. A new study was used to demonstrate how the White House would be erased for sure because of its unshielded position within the skyline of Washington, while the Pentagon might still remain unaffected.
Now that "common sense" of U.S. citizens is being driven to realize the need for another war in the Middle East, after the U.S. "having done" with Iraq and Afghanistan, we can nothing but wait for the next desaster to come and which will blow up the whole region in a splendid TV presentation of fireworks. It can be predicted that we will, sooner or later, meet with some old enemies at the war site, as Russia is not really amused by the idea of America and Israel making trouble in Putin's Kaspian backyard. Even China might take it the wrong way. It could be just like a former commanding general for U.S. CENTCOM already put it: "If you liked Iraq and Afghanistan, - you will love Iran."
However, the time window for war with Iran is being expected to close in a very near future as a commentator for Al-Jazeera recently put it. Even if Israel succeeded in some hazardous attack on Iran's nuclear facilities, the Islamic Republic would probably need just another year to complete its first nuclear weapon and which would be celebrated by the people of Iran. In the end, an Israeli attack could only delay but not completely stop the development of Iran's military power. Once U.S. preelections are over, the surviving Republican candidate and Obama's competitor might need to row back in front of all those internal problems that are haunting the U.S.A., and a less emotional view on foreign affairs might return sooner or later. Same goes with the European Union and their initiative for international sanctions against Iran, as soon as recent election campaigns in France and Germany and the temporary settling of imminent economic problems have come to an end. - It's just the actual period of uncertainty and chaos that is most dangerous to peace as it might seduce Israel into making a decisive mistake of historic dimensions.
Cited Chinese sources:
以色列媒体：阿塞拜疆允许以色列使用4个空军基地 来源：人民网-国际频道2012年03月30日
Israeli media: Azerbaijan granting Israel access to four [Azerbaijani] air bases.
以色列媒体称以可能使用阿塞拜疆基地攻击伊朗 来源： 人民网 新华网 2012年03月30日
Israeli media saying that Israel might probably use Azerbaijani bases in an attack on Iran.
以色列军方确定打击伊朗核设施27个目标 来源： 人民网 2012年02月02日
Israel's military determined to hit 27 targets among Iran's nuclear facilities.
俄罗斯军事改革基本结束 发生“革命性”变化 来源：人民网-《人民日报》 2012年03月30
Russian military reform basically completed - "revolutionary" changes being accomplished.
伊朗强调与敌人对抗不退缩 称美国阴谋令人厌恶 来源：中国新闻网 2011年10月16日
Iran emphasizes it would not shrink back from their enemies in case of war and is naming the U.S. as the disgusting leader in a conspiracy.
UPDATE from March 31, 2012:
روسيا "الشيعية" و ثورة سوريا العربية
Russia's "sectarianism" and the Arabic revolution in Syria
................. is the title of a comment that appeared in today's edition of Al-Jazeera's Arabic website. It is discussing the subject of Russia's individual position within an international community in favour of foreign interference in Syria and Iran. Here some quotations related to the conflict between Iran and the Western alliance comprising America, Israel and the European Union, thus showing the complexity of the subject: الكتيبة المتقدمة لروسيا و إيران مما تخشي موسكو وتل أبيب ؟ ليست طائفة و الثورة العربية
Is it the avantgarde of Russia and Iran that Moscow and Tel Aviv are fearing ? It's not the same class [who made] the Arabic revolution.
This quotation might be hinting at the new economic forces growing inside Russia and Iran, decided to efficiently control the distribution and use of crude oil and other natural resources from the so-called "belt of benediction" between Russia and Iran. هنا القراءة الشاملة للمشهد تُعطي كل المؤشرات بأن الحبكة الإيرانية الروسية المباركة باهتمام من تل أبيب قد اكتملت، وأن عواصم الغرب بالفعل أعلنت رسميا رفضها لتسليح الضحية, وهذا الأمر صداه بارز في واشنطن وباريس وغيرهما من عواصم التأثير الغربي, في حين أن المليشيات وجسر السلاح الإيراني والسلاح الروسي لا يتوقف, والتواطؤ الغربي واضح
It is the total view of the scene that is providing all indicators [how] the Iranian-Russian "belt of benediction" came to the attention of Tel Aviv after its completion, and [why] the Western Uncle Sam definitely and officially declared his rejection of [their] victim's armament. And this affair was calling for war in Washington, Paris and [elsewhere] under the Western influence of Uncle Sam. At the moment, militias dared the armament of Iran and Russian armament didn't stop, the Western conspiracy [became] visible.
Arabic author of above cited comment
UPDATE from April 2, 2012:
Another article from Al-Arabiya's Arabic website [April 2, 2012] is touching the subject of foreign interference in Syria which is critisized by Iran and that has already been chosen as the next target of military intervention:
عسكري إيراني يدعو دمشق إلى معاقبة داعمي الثوار
العميد مسعود جزائري: حان الوقت لتمريغ أنوف القوى الأجنبية في التراب
Iranian military is calling Damascus to punish those who support the rebels.
For a better understanding: The brigadier doesn't target Syrians engaged in uprising but foreign countries in support of them, thus following their own interests.
Brigadier Massoud Djasairi: It is time to turn down the arrogance of foreign powers in [their] suspicion.
في تصريحات شديدة اللهجة، هدد مساعد الأركان العامة للقوات المسلحة الإيرانية العميد مسعود جزائري، في مقابلة له أمس الأحد الدول الداعمة للثوار السوريين، مطالباً نظام الرئيس بشار الأسد بمعاقبة الضالعين في اضطرابات سوريا
In an interview granted yesterday, Sunday [April 1], and where he gave his declarations in a rough dialect, the man second-in-rank within the general command of Iran's armed forces, brigadier Massoud Djasairi, said those countries in support of [Syrian] rebels, i.e. of "Syrians demanding the punishment of president Bashir Al-Assad's system", are only accomplices of revolutionary turmoil.
Latest UPDATE from March 21 / 23 at the end of this blogspot ! استمرار حصار المشتبه فيه بهجوم تولوز على مدرسة يهودية المشتبه فيه الذي زعم أنه على صلة بتنظيم القاعدة 21/3/2012
snapshot of culprit [French TV station]
مقتل أربعة أشخاص و إصابة أخرين في اطلاق نار أمام مدرسة يهودية في تولوز بفرنسا Four persons killed and others hurt in a shootout in front of a Jewish school in Toulouse / France.
الحادث يأتي بعد أسبوع من مقتل عسكريين في إطلاق نار مماثل في مونتوبان The incident occured one week after the killing of two soldiers in a similar shootout in Montauban.
السلطات الفرنسية تفرض أعلى مستوى انذار ضد الإرهاب جنوب البلاد بعد الهجوم على مدرسة يهودية في مدينة تولوز French authorities are considering a high-level anti-terror alert for the Southern part of the country after the attack on a Jewish school in the town of Toulouse.
[Source: Al-Jazeera, Arabic channel, on March 19] ...................................................................
Additional news from Radio France Info on March 19: According to a witness and police investigation, the terrorist used a 9 mm weapon [ later a .45-calibre gun ] when targeting children at the Jewish school in Toulouse. Three children of the age up to ten and one teacher died in the course of that shooting spree. ...................................................................
Quotations from The Telegraph, London, on March 20:
"He was calm and determined. In cold blood he assassinated them as if he was killing animals," said Nicola Yardeni, the regional president of CRIF, France's Jewish organisation, after viewing CCTV footage of the shootings from surveillance cameras.
"You see a man park his motorcycle, start to shoot, enter the school grounds and chase children to catch one and shoot a bullet into her head. It's unbearable to watch. He was looking to kill."
Police began a huge manhunt, erecting roadblocks across Toulouse, and put extra security outside religious schools across France. The attack is being linked with two other shootings in the Toulouse area in little more than a week, prompting fears that France is dealing with a racist serial killer. Last Thursday, three soldiers were shot as they stood by a cash machine in Montauban, 30 miles north of Toulouse, by a gunman dressed in black and riding a motor scooter. Two of the victims, aged 26 and 24, died immediately. They were of north African descent. The third, 28, who is in a coma in hospital, is from the French overseas region of Guadeloupe. A witness described how the gunman approached one soldier who was wounded and attempting to crawl away, turned him over with his foot and fired three more shots into him before getting back on his scooter and making his escape.
Four days previously in Toulouse a 30-year old soldier from the 1st Parachute Logistics Regiment was shot dead – again by a gunman on a motor scooter. The victim was also of north African origin. One of the weapons used at the school was the same calibre as that used in the attacks on the soldiers – a .45 calibre automatic pistol.
There were reports in France that police were looking for three former soldiers of the logistics regiment sacked for "neo-Nazi" activities. The men were all ejected from the army in 2008 after a photograph emerged of them making Nazi salutes in front of a swastika. "Police are interested in locating those men to see if there may be some connection," said a source close to the investigation.
The prospect of a serial killer targeting religious and minority groups spread fear across the nation and is likely to raise questions over controversial remarks made during the presidential campaign relating to faith and immigration.
President Nicolas Sarkozy, who is seeking re-election with votes in April and May, has come under attack by religious leaders and from within his own party for veering to the Right. Presidential campaigning was suspended yesterday as Mr Sarkozy visited Toulouse, followed later by his socialist challenger, François Hollande. ................................................................... Latest UPDATE on March 21:
According to French authorities, the serial killer of Toulouse has finally been identified as 24-year-old Mohammed Merah, a French citizen of Algerian origin. The man has already been surrounded for hours in his Toulouse apartment where he is holding contact with security forces. Merah already confirmed being the serial killer and claimed working for Al-Qaeda.
Satellite view of Toulouse: Photos marking Jewish school (above) and Merah's home (below).
As to the children Merah cornered and murdered in a Jewish school, he said he was avenging the killings of Palestinian children while his killings of three soldiers should be seen as a protest against the deployment of French troops in Afghanistan. Earlier expectations blaming a "racist serial killer" with "neo-Nazi background" for the linked shooting sprees in Toulouse and in the neighbouring community of Montauban have therefore been dropped. [Source: Al-Jazeera - Doha, German TV channel 1, Haaretz - Tel Aviv]
Another snapshot of Mohammed Merah as published by a French TV channel, the photo's origin and date remaining unknown [cited from People's Network, Beijing, on March 23]. 法国当地电视台曝光的梅拉照片，日期及来源不详. Merah was finally shot by French police on the same day.
Postscript: It was only one day after Merah's death that French police accused his brother of complicency. According to Radio France International, his brother was quoted having praised the killings, and there must have been other evidence as well. Maybe, this affair is just showing the "top of the iceberg" of a general disapproval of French society among some underprivileged youngsters of North African origin. Up to now, nobody really knows how far this is going, even though, the problem itself has already surfaced in different uprisings in the suburbs of Paris since the 1990s.
The following lines have been cited from People's Network, Beijing, on March 17, 2012:
近日，欧盟联合美国、日本，就中国限制出口包括稀土、钨、钼等在内的17种原材料，向WTO提出诉讼。这是西方国家再次采取一致步调，在稀土等稀缺资源问题上向中国施压。全球的稀土呈现出什么样的供应格局？谁掌握着稀土定价权？不了解这些，也就无法明白东西双方在这个问题上的是非曲直。 Recently, the European Community, in alliance with the U.S.A. and Japan and with regard to China's export restrictions on 17 raw and processed materials including the Rare Earths, Tungsten and Molybdenum, raised [accusations] at the WTO [World Trade Organization]. This is just another step in sequence taken by the West to apply pressure on China when it comes to the [extreme] shortage of natural resources like the Rare Earths. The whole world's Rare Earth [material] emerges from what kind of supply structure ? And who has in his hands the power to fix the price of that Rare Earth material ? Those who don't find out are unable as well to understand the rights and wrongs of that matter affecting, both, the East and the West.
稀土具有明显的稀缺性，在全球分布不均。数据显示，全球已探明的1亿吨稀土储量中，中国占36%，俄罗斯占19%，美国占13%，澳大利亚占5.5%。南非开普省斯廷坎普斯克拉尔的磷灰石矿伴有独居石，是世界上唯一的单一矿脉状独居石稀土矿。 The Rare Earth [elements] are obviously [characterized by their extreme] shortage, their global distribution being uneven. Data are proving that from one hundred million tons of globally verified Rare Earth reserves, 36% are held by China, 19% by Russia, 13% by the U.S. and 5.5% by Australia. Monazite [mineral embedded in] Apatite deposit from South Africa's ... is the world's only single mineral ore accounting for Rare Earth mining from Monazite.
Comment by Ulysses:
Monazite is a mineral consisting of Rare Earth Phosphate while the main mineral Apatite is some kind of Calcium Phosphate. The Rare Earth material applied for technical use includes Cer and Lanthan as the main constituents. Usually, all other Rare Earth elements are present as well because of their particular character that makes it difficult to refine one single element by chemical means. As far as I know, Rare Earth metals are additives like Tungsten and Molybdenum, all of them used in the making of special steel for high-performance applications. The Rare Earth elements are used as well in catalysts (especially for oil cracking) and in laser applications.
The Chinese adaptation of the South African mine's local name has been skipped.
As to the use of Rare Earths in steel, refer to the following news item:
10月28日，中国钢研集团公司与寿光市宏达稀土材料有限公司签署合作协议暨共同出资组建钢研集团稀土科技有限公司。... On October 28, 2011, China Steel Research Group and Hong Da Rare Earth Materials Ltd. in Shou Guang municipality signed an agreement of cooperation for the jointly financed foundation of Steel Research Group's Rare Earth Science and Technology Ltd. ...
寿光宏达拥有5000吨钕铁硼废料回收生产线、1500吨金属及钕铁硼原料生产线等。 Hong Da Ltd. in Shou Guang owns 5000 tons of Neodynium-Iron-Boron waste material that has been recycled to reenter the production line as well as 1500 tons of metal added Neodymium-Iron-Boron raw material of production line quality.
[Source: Website of the "Morning Sunlight" New Materials Ltd. (or: Chen Guan Rare Earth 晨光稀土) in Ganzhou (or: Jiangxi Province) 赣州晨光稀土新材料股份有限公司 on November 1, 2011.]
موريتانيا تعتقل عبد الله السنوسي رئيس الاستخبارات الليبية السابق Mauritania has imprisoned Abdullah al-Sanussi, chief of former Libyan intelligence service. [Source: Al-Jazeera, Arabic service, on March 17]
Pictures from Central Europe:
Lakeside in Winter - Frozen Leaf Lakeside in Spring - Early Catkins
