Thursday, August 28, 2008

Welcome to World War III
欢迎在第三次世界大战

NEWS ALERT => November 21, 2008
- U.S. intelligence predicts global unrest -
=> for more information look further down !


最新

人民网的文件—2008年11月11日
格鲁吉亚抗议南奥塞梯士兵越境
有村民已经逃离


1)美军的化装突击队在格鲁西亚打开了冲突吗?
2)俄罗斯海军与美国海军集中兵力在黑海里,北大西洋公约组织的十架舰只在武器试验,俄罗斯的军队集中兵力在伏尔加河地区。—人民网的文件—2008年09月01日
3)俄罗斯总理的第五纵队在北约组织的德国:过去的《德意志民主共和国》的旧情报人员。

人民网的文件—2008年09月03日
“新冷战”已经来临了吗?

文件对“冷战”说的是“…因为冷战对双方均无好处,而且违背全世界人民的意愿,也为国际社会所唾弃”。但是“热战”可以开始很快!(Ulysses / W.W.)

人民网的文件—2008年09月08日
俄黑海舰队觅新家 进驻阿布哈兹回击北约


Its not unexpected that manifold NATO interests and Russian fears that Central Asia might be dominated by the U.S. and their allies are now facing each other in a most dangerous confrontation. Teasing the Russians by offering Georgia a NATO membership is one of the most offending diplomatic actions the West could take under the eyes of the Russian bear. Furthermore, its a stupid action as Georgia seems to be a fickle candidate who is expected to bring rather instability to the alliance, due to the personal disposition of its president, and whose military power is, as well, very much restricted.
If its for oil then one thing should be clear, once and for all: A growing military and economic power like Russia has to secure its own sources of oil and other natural resources and will never allow foreign nations to "invade its privacy". Such, the German chancellor's insisting on Georgia's future status as a NATO ally is not only an offence of Russian interests but a stupid remark that would rather disqualify Germany as a mature global player.


Another fact will underline this rigid position that seems to Russia of a vital importance: Russia's attitude towards Iran. While the U.S. and their European allies are blaming the Iranian leaders for developing nuclear weapons, an assumption that has never been proven up to now, Russia is steadily delivering highly sophisticated arms to Iran, adding to what this country's advanced armament industry is already able to supply.
Such, Iran is now able to defend itself and confront even Israel, once the only "superpower" in the Middle East. Any attack on Iran under the pretext of its nuclear program will therefore undoubtedly trigger off an Iranian response that could change the whole political landscape of the region. The fall of Israel, seen by most Arabs as a dirty mark on the map of the Middle East, could be in reach if there were not Israel's own nuclear capacities, silently accepted by all those nations who are now blaming Iran.
According to an article, published in 2003 by the British paper THE GUARDIAN / THE OBSERVER, "Israeli and American officials have admitted collaborating to deploy US-supplied Harpoon cruise missiles armed with nuclear warheads in Israel's fleet of Dolphin-class submarines, giving the Middle East's only nuclear power the ability to strike at any of its Arab neighbours." ... "Although it has been long suspected that Israel bought three German diesel-electric submarines ... [editor's comment: state-of-the-art submarines provided by Howaldswerke - Deutsche Werft AG, Kiel] ... with the specific aim of arming them with nuclear cruise missiles, the admission that the two countries had collaborated in arming the fleet with a nuclear-capable weapons system is significant at a time of growing crisis between Israel and its neighbours."


The Iranian president Mahmud Ahmadi Nejad
seeing Russian president Dmitry Medvedev:
Nejad has every reason to smile (Al-Jazeera)

Now, if it comes to war with Iran, what will the Russian position be? Will they stand aside and wait for a pro-Western state to be erected in the neighbourhood of their area of influence and where lots and lots of oil and natural gas are coming from. Or will they stand by their Iranian partners and risk to trigger off a war the world has never seen before ? I guess you can give yourself the answer to that question.


After the Russian recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent states: Russian marines move to strategic points in the disputed area as a "precaution against the U.S.", while a U.S. navy ship, the destroyer USS McFaul, has cancelled its visit to Poti, important harbour of Georgia, in order to avoid conflict with Russian military.




UPDATE 29/08/2008 NEWS ALERT

北约战舰云集黑海 俄军亮出“航母杀手”

U.S. navy and Russian fleet
gathering in the Black Sea


Yesterday, the editor for military affairs of PEOPLE'S DAILY, online edition, Beijing, presented an overall article on military proceedings in the Black Sea. In that article several isolated news have been summmarized:

On August 25,in the middle of the Georgian crisis, the Russian cruiser "Moscow" headed for the Black Sea in order to "perform a weaponry test" of its guided missiles.


cruiser Moscow

Russian news agency report: Gathering of NATO ships in the Black Sea, including two U.S. war ships and four ships of the Turkish navy and equipped with more than 100 "Tomahawk" cruise missiles.

Pentagon declares: U.S. destroyer "McFaul" reached Georgian coast on August 24 in order to deliver "humanitarian aid".

According to a NATO official, the gathering of war ships in the Black Sea is expected to perform a manoeuvre and "not related to the actual conflict between Russia and Georgia". "But Russia finds fault in it and estimates, both, the manoeuvre and the supply of humanitarian aid, as a pretence for the display of military power."

Xin Hua agency report: Earlier this month, the "Moscow" already entered the Black Sea as the flagship of its combat group. It is equipped with SS-N-12 anti-ship missiles.

Translation from Chinese language article by "Ulysses"
Wolfgang Wiesner, editor of BLUEPRINT magazine


U.S. behind Georgian conflict ?
- News, views and interviews -

Here's a series of brandnew videos to that subject

END OF UPDATE


UPDATE 02/09/2008 NEWS ALERT

* Georgia breaks off diplomatic relations with Russia.

* Russia declares having withdrawn all of its troops
from South Ossetia until the day before.

END OF UPDATE


Background and Development
of so-called Caucasus Conflict

Source: Reuters AlertNet (August 24, 2008):

* The Russia-Georgia conflict broke out on Aug. 7-8 when Georgian troops tried to retake South Ossetia during the Olympic Games in Beijing. A Russian counter-offensive pushed into Georgia proper, crossing its main east-west highway and nearing an oil pipeline from Azerbaijan.

* Russian soldiers man checkpoint at key Georgian port Poti, outside a security zone that is officially kept under control of Russian peacekeepers and hundreds of kilometers away from South Ossetia.

* U.S. warship "McFaul" delivers aid to Georgian port Batumi. Original destination port of Poti has been given up because of Russian presence there.

* Blast hits Georgia's main east-west railway, vital to the economy of the country. Oil cargoes are being held up.

* Ukraine's President Viktor Yushchenko says his country - home to a large ethnic Russian population - must boost its defences and speed up its efforts to join NATO.

* Efforts of Georgia and Ukraine to join NATO are opposed by Russia which sees the ex-Soviet republics as part of its legitimate sphere of influence.

* France calls for EU meeting on crisis.



UPDATE 07/09/2008 NEWS ALERT

Dangerous Encounter

* Another U.S. warship carrying "humanitarian aid" is being unloaded in Poti, Georgian harbour still held by Russian "peacekeeping forces". Russia says they are delivering weapons not aid.

* Russian president Medvedev condemns gathering of NATO warships in the Black Sea. According to an earlier Chinese report (September 1), NATO fleet in the Black Sea has been increased to 10 warships.


* Another Chinese report (September 1) says, Russian troops are being deployed in the nearby Volga / Ural river region, north of the Caspian Sea, for manoeuvre.



Al-Jazeera citing an earlier remark made by Paul Wolfowitz, once deputy secretary of state under Donald Rumsfeld.

END OF UPDATE


UPDATE 09/09/2008 NEWS ALERT

* According to an official, Russia is going to establish diplomatic relations with Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
La Russie va établir des relations diplomatiques avec l'Ossétie du Sud et l'Abkhazie (officiel russe)(BFM TV, France).

* Russia will terminate any cooperation with NATO organisation, if Georgia's access to the Western alliance "enters a practical stage".
La Russie cessera toute coopération avec l'OTAN si la Géorgie accède au Plan d'action en vue de l'adhésion (BFM TV, France).

* Yesterday, Washington cancelled an examination by the U.S. Congress of an agreement with Russia on the civil use of nuclear energy.
Washington a annulé hier l'examen par le Congrès d'un accord sur le nucléaire civil avec la Russie (BFM TV, France).

* Russia declares its intention to abandon its "checkpoints" in (the Georgian) seaport of Poti during next week (Al-Jazeera, Arabic program, Qatar).
روسيا تعلن أنها ستفكك نقاط التفتيش في ميناء بوتي خلال أسبوع

* Georgia accepts responsibility for the non-application of force against South Ossetia and Abkhazia (Al-Jazeera, Arabic program, Qatar).
جورجيا تتعهد بعدم استخدام القوة ضد أوسيتيا الجنوبية و أبخازيا

* After the recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent states, the flagships of the Russian Black Sea fleet are now stationed in Abkhazia in order to fight back NATO military if necessary. That regional fleet, recently based in Abkhazia's naval base of Soukhoumi, comprises 62 vessels and 52 aircraft, manned with 22.000 Russian marines (人民网).


aircraft carrier Kusnezoff


Abkhazia - port of Soukhoumi

Latest news of the day:
Russia says it will keep 7.500 troops in the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia (Al-Jazeera, English program)

END OF UPDATE


UPDATE 17/09/2008 NEWS ALERT

Facing growing tensions with NATO, Russia has expanded its 2009 defense budget by 27%. The projected NATO membership for Ukraine and Georgia is upsetting Moscow. While breakaway tendencies of former ally Ukraine have temporarily been stopped by political tensions within the ruling coalition, Georgia's plans remain unchanged.


As the economic background of two adversary parties often decides between peace and war, here an interesting link describing the actual state of the U.S. financial market.

END OF UPDATE


UPDATE 19/09/2008 NEWS ALERT

U.S. secretary of state Condoleeza Rice warns Russia from pursuing its actual choices that might lead Moscow on a "one-way path to self-imposed isolation and irrelevance".

In addition to the Georgia conflict where U.S. and Russian warships are already close to each other, the Russian donation of some aged bombers to Venezuela might be hinting at further Russian plans to oppose the U.S. at very sensible points of North American interest.



END OF UPDATE


UPDATE 23/09/2008 NEWS ALERT

Géorgie:
L'Union européenne devrait déployer "un peu plus de 300" observateurs en Géorgie au lieu de 200. [BFM TV / France]

French sources indicate: The European Union might send "something more than 300" observers to Georgia instead of 200 previously planned.

END OF UPDATE


UPDATE 12/11/2008 NEWS ALERT

The European Union and Russia

[Summary of news from Al-Jazeera TV, international edition / November 12, and from People's Daily online, Chinese edition / November 11]

The European Union EU decided on Monday to resume partnership talks with Russia. Lithuania opposes the EU decision and states that Russia hasn't fulfilled the ceasefire deal with Georgia. In fact, Russia has recognised Georgia's former provinces South Ossetia and Abkhazia as independent states and maintains several thousands of troops in both regions. People's Daily reported that Georgia launched a protest against South Ossetia for having invaded the frontier region of Georgia with some 80 soldiers on November 8. A Georgian settlement with 1000 inhabitants has been overrun. Peasants are reported to flee from that area.

Russia has called for a new European security umbrella and threatened to deploy short range missiles in Kaliningrad. The Russian seaport of Kaliningrad is an enclave between Poland and Lithuania. As was earlier reported, the U.S. have installed a missile battery in Poland that should be able to intercept long-range missiles from Iran, this military measure being strongly opposed by the Russian government.

Nevertheless, EU has to come to terms with Russia as Europe depends on Russia for much of its energy. Russia has the world's largest known natural gas reserves. Earlier this year, Russia already cut gas supplies to Ukraine over a debt debate.

Furthermore, Russia's huge cash reserves could help Europe's ailing economies.

Russia, country of 140 M people, is still a significant global power and an important trade partner for Europe. Therefore, EU wants to narrow differences before next G-20 summit in the United States.


END OF UPDATE


UPDATE 21/11/2008 NEWS ALERT

Intelligence Agencies:
U.S. Decline and Global Unrest

A new report published by the U.S. National Intelligence Community (NIC) predicts U.S. decline and global unrest:
- U.S. influence is on the decline.
- U.S. dollar will decline over the next two decades.
- U.S. will share "world power" status with China and India by 2025.
- Global trends forecasting a tense, unstable world that is shadowed by war.
- Some European nations could be taken over by organised crime.
[Source: Al-Jazeera]


END OF UPDATE

Obama officially nominated


Only some minutes ago, Barack Obama has been officially nominated by acclamation as the presidential candidate of the Democratic Party on their convent in Denver, Colorado.
Obama already announced Joe Biden, Senator of Delaware and a former presidential candidate himself, to become the Democrats' candidate running mate for vice-presidency.

Monday, August 18, 2008

伊朗的最新火箭和新型战头机


=> => => 看近况在下! <= <= <=



إيران تطلق بنجاح صاروخا يمكنه حمل قمر اصطناعي
الصاروخ الجديد الإيراني



طائرة قاصفة جديدة


昨天伊朗成功发射了携带“希望”号卫星的“使者”号火箭。另外伊朗空军装备新型战斗机飞行三千公里不需加油。

UPDATE 22-24/08/2008:

伊朗称将在10年内把首名宇航员送入太空用《使者》火箭。

伊朗电视在2006年申说了他们的新型战头机比美海军的《大黄蜂》F-18一样,但是俄罗斯2007年卖给伊朗的二百五十架Su-30MKM战头机比F-18很想象的。因此俄罗斯的战机比伊朗最新的《雷电》战机也可能相同的。但是F-18 的旧时难题是短程,不是《雷电》的难题。


伊朗的《雷电》与俄罗斯的Su-30MKM
都也是轰炸机



美军的《大黄蜂》
近来的型号EA-18G


根据以色列恐惧伊朗展开核武器,从此《雷电》战头机与伊朗的《流星3》远程导弹都可以对以色列进行打击。


德国日报《世界》在七月十九日出版了以色列教授的文件分析了中东近况,文件的著者《本·莫里斯》是《本·古里翁》大学有名的教授。他说的是因为伊朗的核武发展大计所以以色列应该打击伊朗在2008年的末期

伊朗革命卫队高官称“手指不离扳机”



Sunday, August 17, 2008

Paraguay: New Member of the Latin American Revolution

August 15 Agosto:
Inauguration of newly elected president Fernando Lugo.
Toma de posesión del nuevo presidente Fernando Lugo.



Lugo promete combatir contra la pobreza durante su gestión:
"Reconstruimos el sueño de justicia y equidad social."
"Prometió salvar los niños de la calle y dar un futuro a los jóvenes."

El presidente afirma que se suma al cambio que ocurre en latínoamerica. Signo de ése: Entre los invitados hay Hugo Chavez, el presidente de la República de Venezuela y la portavoz de las naciónes no alineadas. Otro invitado, el presidente de la República de Ecuador Rafael Correa, habla de Fidel Castro y Hugo Chavez como los dos lideres de la nueva revolución latínoamericana.

Lugo says he would fight against poverty during his period of office:
"Lets restore the dream of justice and social equality."
"I promise to save the street urchins and offer a future to young people."

The president confirms he would dedicate himself to the change that is developing in Latin America. A sign of that: Among his guests is Hugo Chavez, the president of Venezuela and spokesman of the non-aligned nations. Another guest, the president of Ecuador Rafael Correa, praises Fidel Castro and Hugo Chavez as the two leaders of a new Latin American revolution.

Monday, August 11, 2008

Voice of Palestine Died مات محمود درويش

Only some hours ago, Al-Jazeera reported the funeral of Mahmoud Darwish, best-known Palestinian poet abroad. He found his last rest on a cemetery in the new quarter of Ramallah where his funeral took place in the presence of a delegation from Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas.

One might ask why it's just the death of Mahmoud Darwish that is being mentioned in my newsblog as there are so many others dying those days, in Palestine or elsewhere in the Middle East.

The reason is that Darwish has been mentioned years before by BLUEPRINT magazine and in the frame of my view on Arabic literature, accessible from the BLUEPRINT main page. He has been presented as a witness and voice of the Palestinian people who are still suffering from al-Nakba النكبة, the catastrophe of loosing their homeland.
Furthermore, I remember having seen a booklet of his poetry in the German translation and which I found on a regional German bookfair.

Therefore, I think it's worth to remind my visitors of that small text I once presented on my website and that might be a hint at how Palestinian people are really feeling today:


Please note !
I am an Arab

My hair is like coal
My eyes are like coffee

Particular signs:
A keffyé on my head with its rope well tied
And my palm is hard like a stone
Crushing the other when shaking hands

My favourite dishes are
Olive oil and thyme

My address:
I come from an isolated village
Where the streets don't have names any longer
And everybody, in the quarry and in the fields as well,
Is fond of communism

Please note !
I am an Arab - And now you are furious !


UPDATE August 14, 2008:
Today, AL-JAZEERA TV (English broadcast) dedicated part of its program to Mahmoud Darwish. We learnt that Darwish was a member of the PLO Executive Committee for a certain time but no hardliner at all. Such, many voices from all over the world now mourn the loss of a peace-loving man and a great poet.



The following lines from Mahmoud Darwish I found on the webblog of some Saudi-Arabian translator who recently sent me a comment:

..موسيقى
في أعماقِي موسيقى خفيةٌ
ِأخشَى عليهَا
..منَ العزفِ المنفرد

Deep inside me,
there lies a hidden symphony,
I fear for it from solo playing.


Thursday, July 24, 2008

Obama in Berlin - Speech on Transatlantic Partnership

Barack Obama, presidential candidate of the U.S. Democratic Party on his trip to Berlin / Germany, addressing more than 200.000 people in front of the famous Pillar of Victory (Siegessaeule).
His keynote speech on foreign politics has been transmitted live by CNN, Al-Jazeera and German TV (ARD). When the German cameras were already switched off, Al-Jazeera and CNN continued with background information and interviews.






There's even some time for German culture left:
German TV: We close punctually (German "Feierabend").
At the city hall: Tradition of signing the Golden Guest Book
("Wer schreibt, der bleibt" or "Writing is staying forever").



"We must renew the goal of a world
without nuclear weapons."

"Europe must stand by the U.S. in
bringing stability to Afghanistan."

"This is the moment when we must all
come together to save this planet"




The whole text of Obama's Berlin Speech is now available from The New York Observer.



奥巴马和德国外交部长Steinmeier
不同意于德军的增加在阿富汗。



10万人聚柏林听奥巴马演说
"像天王巨星光临"

伊朗—战云密布



伊朗—战云密布—美国对伊朗政策大转变

布什已经示意:
以色列可随时对伊朗核设施登动袭击
世界的石油价:紧张局势推升油价



《看中国》日报 20080723


请看到有关的新闻

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Forjar una América Latina independiente

22 de Julio 2008, hora local de La Habana:

"Mesa Redonda", una emisión regular de la Televisión Cubana, hoy sobre el tema "Forjar una América Latina independiente".

Los países mencionados son Bolivia, Chile, Cuba, Nicaragua,
Venezuela y Rusia. Aqui unos aspectos de ésta emisión:

Recientemente, el Presidente de Nicaragua, Daniel Ortega,
y el Presidente de Venezuela, Hugo Chávez, se encontraban
para celebrar 29 años de victoria revolucionaria en Nicaragua
y para hablar de la necesidad de forjar una América Latina
independiente de los Estados Unidos. Indicando un mapa del
norte de América Latina, Chávez hablaba de "iniciar en éste
territorio una nueva revolución socialista".



Hay unos proyectos cubanos y venezolanos en otros países
latínoamericanos (alfabetización, electrificación, proyectos
médicos).



Hoy, en Moscú, el Presidente Chávez habla de la importancia de buenos contactos con Rusia. Afirma Chávez que Venezuela y Rusia coinciden en política exterior.



Otros artículos sobre la alianza latinoamericana y Hugo Chávez:

14 de Mayo 2008
Las relaciones entre el "diablo rojo" Hugo Chávez
y la cancillera alemana "Angelito" Merkel.


5 de Diciembre 2006
Es una nueva época - Hugo Chávez
gana las elecciones de Venezuela.

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

OBAMA on Iraq and Terrorism - GUANTANAMO Torture

Important UPDATE further down !

奥巴马
当选后将在16个月内从伊拉克撤出美军


أوباما

يؤكد ان اولى لحظات عهده ستشهد دعوة الى انهاء الحرب في العراق


Obama's Keynote Speech
on Iraq and Terrorism


Here's the gist of U.S. Senator Obama's programmatic speech on Iraq and Terrorism, as transmitted by AL-JAZEERA TV, English service:

"(The stage of) the war on terror is not Iraq, and it never was."

"I will make the fight against al-Qaeda and the Taliban, the top priorities that should be. This is a war we have to win."

Seizing Iraqi prime minister Maliki's demand of a U.S. withdrawal from his country, Obama stated:
"George Bush and John Mccain don't have a strategy for success in Iraq. - They have a strategy for staying in Iraq. They said we couldn't leave when violence is up, and they now say we can't leave when violence is down."

Obama added he would withdraw all U.S. combat brigades within 16 months from Iraq. Two brigades, i.e. about 7.000 to 10.000 men, should be transferred to Afghanistan that has to receive further economic aid as well.

On the other hand, non-military assistance has to be trickled to Pakistan within the next decade to reverse anti-American sentiments there, unless the U.S. want to "face mounting popular opposition in a nuclear armed nation at an axis of terror in radical Islam".

UPDATE (July 24, 2008):
Obama's keynote speech on foreign politics, held during his visit to Berlin / Germany.


Obama: "I've seen worse".


Tortured Youth in Guantánamo





Pictures from a video showing a 16 year old Canadian
boy, held in Guantanamo Bay and who is begging his
Canadian interrogator to kill him. The boy is showing
his scars obtained from torture by U.S. personnell.
The boy's portrait has been taken at the age of 15
when he was captured and transferred to Guantanamo.

That video, transmitted by AL-JAZEERA, CNN and CUBAVISION, has been illegally published by a Canadian official. The Canadian public is known to broadly oppose Canada's military involvement in Afghanistan and Iraq.



This comes only some days after parliamentary trouble in the UK because of a similar detention camp that has been secretly erected within the precincts of another U.S. base on Diego Garcia Island, a tiny British colony in the Indian Ocean. AL-JAZEERA showed treacherous satellite photos of that camp.
AL-JAZEERA (March 3, 2008): UN official has evidence for secret detention
美国也把“恐怖分子”运送到美军官办的“劳改”在英国具有的殖民地迪戈加西亚岛上,英国的国会不满足。


迪戈加西亚岛是美国的“印度洋上不沉的航空母舰”

Friday, July 11, 2008

IRAN - 伊朗革命卫队高官称“手指不离扳机”

Latest UPDATE further down !

In a situation of looming danger of war and only two days after Iran's latest long-range missile test:
A high official of the Revolutionary Guard's air force states,
"We are not going to pull the trigger".

文件:伊朗革命卫队高官称“手指不离扳机”
文件::BLUEPRINT伊朗的长远导弹
文件::BLUEPRINT伊朗反对美国

The missiles that are able to reach Israel and parts of Europe (source: Al-Jazeera TV, July 9, 2008):


The name "Shahab" given to that series of missiles would mean "meteorite" in Arabic. In the Persian language which is usually rather different from Arabic it might nevertheless have a similar meaning.

Headline of Al-Jazeera, Arabic online service, on July 11:
"Israel is making preparations to attack Iran".
Even though Israel is busy to deny any intention, there are signs hinting at Israel planning to install F 15 fighters in Iraq.
以色列可能想到战斗伊朗用伊拉克的飞机基地。

战斗伊朗的美军基地:
阿富汗
吉尔吉斯斯坦
迪戈加西亚岛

Friday, June 13, 2008

AFGHANISTAN - 阿富汗未来局势进入 9/11 以来最严峻时期

Latest update from July 06, 2008, further down:


The Taliban launched a well-prepared attack on an Afghan prison in Kandahar that held Taliban prisoners as well as criminals. Suicide bombs and rockets were used. A Prison official said: "Most of prisoners escaped". NATO confirms prison attack but has no details up to now (source: CNN, June 13, 21:30 GMT).

Al-Jazeera (Arabic service) reporting from Kabul: "Thousands" of prisoners now on the run including 400 Taliban fighters (21:40 GMT).
[In its original message, Al-Jazeera really used the Arabic plural of "thousand" while a later report (June 15) reduced the number of missing inmates to 870.]
Arabic Update (15/6/2008)


Related news:
Some weeks ago, the provincial government of Northern Pakistan, under the guidance of the newly elected central government, negotiated a ceasefire with the Taliban who are showing a strong presence in the tribal areas of Northern Pakistan.
Only recently, Pakistani troops perished under "friendly fire" of U.S. troops in that region. The new liberal government of Pakistan, now replacing the military rule of former General Musharraf, launched an immediate protest (Al-Jazeera, English service).

Another news blog on Afghanistan by Ulysses

阿富汗未来局势进入"9/11"
以来最严峻时期(626日)

文件1
文件2





《新闻的后面》—两边的声音
Al-Jazeera (Arabic) 6月28日

从伊斯兰堡与华盛顿等两方来的写稿著
者的两个人谈论〈塔利班〉的新上升:

美国国防部长申明他恐惧的是〈塔利班〉
的攻打在阿富汗渐渐地上升了。

攻打上升的百分比是百分之四十在今
年第一的五月。

巴基斯坦的没有作法催办〈塔利班〉可
能导致猛烈爆炸,就华盛顿恐惧的是巴
基斯坦的失败。

但是巴基斯坦反驳美国的非难,申明的
是没有〈塔利班〉的活动。

也申明的是巴基斯坦想到管制他们的南
部地区。但是巴基斯坦和阿富汗等两国
的同境现在不是在两国的管制下。

翻译:W.W. / Ulysses




July 7, 2008:

In an interview with Al-Jazeera, the governor of Pakistan's North-West frontier province, Owais Ahmed Ghani, expressed his opinion that "all trouble we have came from Afghanistan".



As the subtitle of the above picture shows, another suicide bomb in Afghanistan targets EU troops. This comes only some days after the German governments' decision to allow German troops of its ISAF contigent to participate in direct military action against "insurgents". Up to now, all German troops' activity was restricted to civil aid and "logistic support" for U.S. combat troops in southern Afghanistan. That logistic support essentially includes the provision of airborne reconnaissance for U.S. military in the combat zone of Helmand province and elsewhere.

On the same day:
20 civilians killed in a bombing led by U.S. forces in Afghanistan.

Wednesday, June 04, 2008

Obama Nominated for Presidency


Click to above image to get a better resolution !
Important UPDATES on keynote speeches can be found further down !


2:40 GMT
After the primary in South Dakota, its clear to everybody that Obama will be nominated for U.S. presidency by the Democratic Party.
Though 8 of 13 votes in South Dakota went to Clinton, it was just the differing 5 votes that made Obama cross the critical delegate mark of 2.118. Official results of the Montana primary, where Obama is reported to be leading, are not available at this time. Nevertheless, 2.119 delegate votes are already secured for Obama.



3:00 GMT
First results of the Montana elections show Obama leading with 2.132 votes. Obama "man of the day" with "Killary Hinten" still luring in the background.


Above:
Distribution of federal states in favor of Obama (dark blue) or Clinton (light blue) at one moment of the campaign's final phase

The Audacity of Hope: Obama's book and his program, a review by the WASHINGTON POST (October 19, 2006).

UPDATE: Obama on Iraq and Terrorism
Senator Obama's keynote speech on July 15, 2008 !

UPDATE: Obama on Transatlantic Partnership
Obama's keynote speech on foreign politics, held in Berlin / Germany on July 24, 2008 !




Next target:
McCain - back from the graveyard of history.