Diaoyu Island - Buying and Selling of Disputed Goods

人民日报：中国钓鱼岛岂容他人肆意“买卖”

People's Daily: China wouldn't tolerate the
willful buying and selling of Diaoyu Island.

Headline of an article on People's Network that appeared this morning and is quoting semi-official People's Daily, Beijing. The article presents a timeline of events regarding Diaoyu Island, starting from 1403 and intended to prove China's legitimate claim of territorial rights.

The article is reacting upon increasing tensions between China and Japan in the dispute over Diaoyu Island after Japan's government announced it would "buy" the island from its Japanese private owner. Here is an excerpt of what Louise Watt from Associated Press wrote some hours ago:

Japan's central government announced its own deal this week with the Japanese family it recognizes as the owner. Chief Cabinet Secretary Osamu Fujimura told reporters the government budgeted 2.05 billion yen ($26 million) for the purchase "to maintain the Senkakus peacefully and stably." Public broadcaster NHK said the government and the family signed a deal Tuesday.

The central government does not plan to develop the islands. Several experts interpreted the move as an attempt to block the plan by Tokyo Governor Shintaro Ishihara, which could have raised tensions further. Ishihara also had said he hoped to visit the islands in October. "Ishihara put the national government in a very difficult spot. He pushed them into doing this now," said Sheila Smith, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations in Washington. But she said this was a "good outcome" that should be seen as an attempt by Tokyo to sideline Ishihara. Japan cannot afford to let the dispute hinder its vital ties with China, its top trading partner, she said. Smith said Tokyo needs to be able to work through "different problems with Beijing in order to make sure the economic interdependence between those two countries continues to serve both nations' needs."

Beijing, however, responded with fury.

"The determination and the will of the Chinese government and military to safeguard their territorial integrity are firm," Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman Geng Yansheng said in a statement. "We are closely monitoring the development of the situation and reserve the right to take necessary measures." ...........

Meanwhile, two Beijing-sent patrol ships arrived near the disputed East China Sea islands in a show of anger over Tokyo's purchase of the largely barren outcroppings from their private owners.

Furthermore, Diaoyu Island has been mentioned for the first time in China Central TV CCTV's weather report for peripheral regions of China's territory.

To Whom it Concerns !
Cloudy days to come with temperatures reaching 25-27 °C

Another headline of People's Network / People's Daily from September 13 is referring to a Chinese discussion forum on foreign politics:

耍小聪明的“姿态”一钱不值（国际论坛）

The "position" of playing petty tricks is worthless money.

Based on the earlier mentioned article of People's Daily, published on September 11, here is some additional information on Diaoyu Island and its associated islets:

There's an early description of those islets in the early years of the Ming era [1368-1644]. A publication dating back to 1403 already mentioned them lying on the route of a ship that crossed the sea "from China's Fujian province to the Ryukyu Islands 福建往琉球".

During China's Ming and Qing era [i.e. 1368-1911], the imperial court successively sent 24 messengers to the Kingdom of Ryukyu, as laid down in the "Messenger's Ryukyu Record 使琉球录" that [practically] became a detailed recording of topography and landforms of Diaoyu Island [and islets].

The earliest of those Messenger's Ryukyu Reports is dating back to 1534 [Ming era].

Another important record came into being on behalf of the imperial court of the Qing dynasty in 1719.

Editor's Note:
The historic Kingdom of Ryukyu had its origin on Okinawa. Nowadays, all islands of the Ryukyu group, as marked on the below map, are under Japanese administration except the disputed Diaoyu Island and its neighbouring islets.

U.S.A. - Dirty Cooperation with Ghadafi ? - Syria

Blogspot has been updated until September 11 !

Abdullah Al-Senussi - The Face of Ghadafi's Secret Police

Nowadays, it is hard to be really surprised by the daily news. However, this is an item you should have read about:

المخابرات الأمريكية سلّمت معارضين ليبيين للقذافي

U.S. secret service handed over two Libyan opponents to Ghadafi.

ـ"هيومن رايتس" كشفت بتقريرها التعاون المخابراتي الأمريكي البريطاني الليبي

In their report, Human Rights exposed the cooperation of U.S., British and Libyan secret service.

أكدت منظمة "هيومن رايتس ووتش" أن الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية استخدمت تقنية الإيهام بالغرق على إسلاميين ليبيين معارضين للزعيم الليبي السابق معمر القذافي، وقامت بتسليمهم للنظام، حيث تعرضوا لمزيد من التعذيب خلال إدارة الرئيس الأمريكي السابق جورج بوش

"Human Rights Watch" organization confirmed that the United States of America used a "technique of suggestion" [to enable] a distinction between two Libyan Islamist opponents [maybe: groups of opponents] for the former Libyan leader Muammar Al-Ghadafi and undertook their handing over to the regime to where they would be meeting with exceeding torture during the administration of former U.S. president George Bush.

وفي تقرير جديد يكشف التعاون بين المخابرات المركزية الأمريكية والبريطانية مع جهاز المخابرات الليبية في عهد معمر القذافي بعد اتهامات أطلقها معارضون ليبيون سابقون اعتقلهم الأمريكيون وسلموهم الى معمر القذافي في منتصف العقد الماضي

The new report demonstrates the cooperation of America's CIA and the British secret service with the secret apparatus of Libya in the time of Muammar Al-Ghadafi, according to accusations by former Libyan opponents of being arrested by Americans and being [handed over] to Muammar Al-Ghadafi in the middle of the last decade.

وكشفت منظمة "هيومن رايتس ووتش" الحقوقية في تقرير لها شكل التعامل السري بعد أن قابلت 14 سجيناً سابقاً بعد سقوط القذافي غالبيتهم ينتمون الى الجماعة الإسلامية الليبية المقاتلة التي عملت من أجل إسقاط نظام القذافي لمدة 20 عاماً

"Human Rights Watch" organization investigated the legitimacy of a report [from their part and] the manner of [its] propagation only after 14 former prisoners [had to recognize], after the fall of Ghadafi, that most of them were members of the Islamic community of Libyan fighters who acted with the goal to topple Ghadafi's regime during a period of 20 years.

واستندت المنظمة أيضاً في تقريرها إلى وثائق تضم اتصالات سرية بين أجهزة المخابرات الثلاث عثر عليها في مكتب موسى كوسا في مبنى الأمن الخارجي بعد انهيار نظام القذافي كشفت حجم التعاون لتسليم المعارضين الفارين

The organization in their report also referred to documents about confidential relations between the three secret organizations, discovered in Moussa Koussa's office in the building [hosting Libya's] external security after the collapse of Ghadafi's regime, and that showed the dimension of collaboration in the handing over of [fugitive] opponents.

[Source: Al-Arabiya on September 6, 2012]

Editor's Note (UPDATE):

Moussa Koussa was a central figure in both of his top positions under Ghadafi rule, as a head of Libyan Intelligence Agency until 2009 and as a Minister of Foreign Affairs from March 2009 until his defection in March 2011. He was a key figure, as well, in the normalization of relations between the Ghadafi regime and many NATO nations, including the United States and the United Kingdom.

There is still another person to be considered in the affair: It is Abdullah Al-Senussi, brother-in-law of Muammar Al-Ghadafi and his security chief. After his office had been invaded by Libyan rebels, a reporter from Al-Jazeera, probably the first on the scene, found some documents regarding secret foreign relations and that were simply lying on top of his desk as if someone had intentionally left them. Only much later, these documents were assembled by rebel forces. I still remember the pictures on Al-Jazeera.

An earlier blogspot of mine dealt with that matter, quoting rebel forces who said that Senussi had most probably died in the fightings. However, he managed to escape to Mauritania where he was finally arrested. He is now awailing his trial in Libya. Maybe, the documents found on his desk were intended to blame Moussa Koussa who is being considered the author of any cooperation with Western nations. By the way, the linked blogspot of mine has not been changed. Therefore, it is just another proof for the existence of those secret documents referred to by Human Rights Watch.

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Daily News from Syria:

رئيس فرع الأمن الجنائي في دمشق ينشق عبر "العربية"ـ

The chief of criminal investigation department in Damascus let out [information] to Al-Arabiya.

مقتل 20 شخصاً في قصف على مخيم اليرموك للاجئين الفلسطينيين بدمشق

20 persons have been killed in the shelling of Yarmouk Camp [which is] for the Palestinian [brethren] in Damascus.

[Source: Al-Arabiya on September 7, 2012]

Editor's Note:

Yarmouk Camp is a district of Damascus township, populated by Palestinians, with hospitals and schools. It is located 8 kilometres from the center of Damascus and inside the municipal boundaries but when established in 1957 was outside the surrounding city. Yarmouk is an "unofficial" refugee camp; it is home to the largest Palestinian refugee community in Syria. As of June 2002, there were 112,550 registered refugees living in Yarmouk.

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Part of visitors' statistics for "blueprint news"
showing identified visitors on September 10, 2012.

The statistics are proving an exclusive choice of
visitors from around the world and are underlining
my policy of strict neutrality towards any visitor
disregarding whoever he/she is.

APEC 2012 - Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation

The first day of the 20th APEC ministerial meeting comes to close in Vladivostok, Russia. Support for multilateral trade systems, trade and investment liberalization and regional economic integration were on the agenda.

As to the choice of Vladivostok for the 24th business summit, Russia's foreign minister Sergey Lavrov and who took over APEC's chairmanship for 2012 dismissed concerns that Russia's focus of foreign interest shifted to the east.

Lavrov said the development of the Far East and Siberian Federal District are the priorities of Russia’s regional development. Some work in this field will be done together with the Chinese partners, who’ve been one of the key regional investors in Russia’s East.

[Source: The Voice of Russia on September 5]

国家主席胡锦涛将于9月6日至9日出席在俄罗斯符拉迪沃斯托克举行的亚太经合组织第二十次领导人非正式会议。

From September 6 to 9, China's president Hu Jin Tao manages to attend APEC's 20th informal meeting of leaders held in Vladivostok, Russia.

[Source: People's Network, Beijing, on September 6]




China and Russia 2011:
China's Communist Party
leader Wen Jia Bao in a
meeting with Russia's
strongman Vladimir Putin
in early November 2011.

Syria - Electronic Warfare

Electronics of War Against
Weapons of the Internet

كلمة سر "إيميل" بشار الأسد المخترق 1234

Email password of Bashar al-Assad cracked: 1234

[Editor's Note: This was Assad's email-password in April 2011 according to activists quoted in today's article of Al-Hayat.]

قال قائد الفريق الذي قام بعملية اختراق "إيميل" الرئيس السوري بشار الأسد عبد الله حاجم الشمري لصحيفة "الحياة" اللندنية: "إن لديه نحو 7500 رسالة إلكترونية للأسد تضم كنزاً من الأسرار والفضائح"، و"رسائل مثيرة من الحلقة الضيقة له".ـ

The leader of a group engaged in accessing the email of Syrian president Bashar al-Assad, Abdallah [Kajam al-Shamari], said in the London [published Arabic] journal "Al-Hayat" that "Assad has about 7500 emails [in his mailbox, among them] secret and scandalous ones" and "provoking letters of fear [or: distress, uncertainty]".

[Source: Al-Arabiya on September 5, 2012]

As to the leader of the Syrian group mentioned above, here are some more facts about him. [Source: Al-Hyat on September 5, 2012]:

درس الشمري (45 عاماً) الطب في بلغاريا. وعمل في شركة خاصة في السعودية، وأنشأ مع «فريق» أول شبكة معلومات عربية على الإنترنت وتولى إدارتها

The 45 years old [Shamari] studied medicine in Bulgaria. He [then] worked for a specialized company in Saudi-Arabia and founded with "Fariq" the first Arabic informatics network on the internet and took over its administration.

Hacking for Syria

China - Military Partnership Resumed

印度官方宣布中印联合军演明年恢复

India's government announced to resume joint military maneuvers between China and India next year.

据法新社报道，印度国防部长A. K. 安东尼4日宣布，中印两军拟于明年恢复中断四年的两国联合军事演习。

According to AFP [news agency], India's defence minister A.K. Antony announced on September 4 that China's and India's armed forces are planning for next year to resume both countries' joint military maneuvers that had been suspended for four years.

[Source: China Daily, Chinese edition, quoted by 21CN新闻 on September 4, 2012]

For a basic evaluation of China's new foreign policy you should read that article: Chinese defence minister in India, part of effort to ease tensions, published by The Hindu Business Line on September 4, 2012.

News from India come on the same day when U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrives in Beijing for talks about recent disputes between China and other countries over territorial claims in the South China Sea where she proposes a "code of conduct" for the parties involved. Even though her hostile remarks about China have reached her Chinese counterparts, she will be granted a highest-level reception in Beijing.

For a better evaluation of the U.S. position in the actual conflict, you should refer to the following article published by the Los Angeles Times on September 4, 2012: Clinton draws criticism from Chinese ahead of talks.

China’s Defence Minister Gen Liang Guanglie with the Indian Defence Minister A.K. Antony in New Delhi on Tuesday September 4, 2012.

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Visitor access points to "blueprint news" for Hongkong (above).

South Korea - Putting Pressure on Japan

韩政府拟在本月联合国大会上提日军慰安妇问题

The government of South Korea intends to put forward the question of the Japanese army's "comforting wives" in front of the United Nations General Assembly this month.

[Source: The Epoch Times 大纪元时报 published outside China and several Chinese news publications for today September 3, 2012]

Editor's Note:
The expression "comforting wives" is referring to the Japanese army's "comfort battalions" during World War II. These "battalions" consisted of women from regions occupied by Japan and who were forced to serve in Japanese army brothels. Neither apologies nor compensations for these women, who essentially came from Korea, China and South East Asia, have ever been granted by post-war Japanese governments. The actual revival of that subject by South Korea might be due to increasing tensions between South Korea and Japan in the frame of an island dispute between both countries. However, the Korean race has always been seen by proud Japanese nationalists as a minor race that only recently succeeded in ranking equal with their former colonial power when South Korea's economy began to boom while Japan's economy declined.

Chinese girl belonging to a Japanese "comfort battalion" after her liberation by allied troops (above).

Japanese military camp for "Korean volunteers" before 1940 (above). The Japanese flag is accompanied by a German Nazi flag on the occasion of Colin Ross, an Austrian of Scottish descent, visiting Japan's protectorate of Chosen (Korea). Colin Ross was a well-known traveler and pro-Nazi book author on geopolitical subjects at that time. He enjoyed high-ranking support in, both, Germany and Japan.

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Map of the region and visitor access points to "blueprint news" for South Korea activated during the last 14 days (above).

Visitor access points to "blueprint news" for Hongkong and Guangzhou (Canton) activated during the last 14 days (above).

Earth-like Planets in the Kepler 47 System

Astronomers of the Kepler Mission for the detection of earth-like planets have detected two new candidates in the Kepler-47 system, a pair of orbiting stars that eclipse each other every 7.5 days from NASA's vantage point on Earth. One star is similar to the sun in size, but only 84 percent as bright. The second star is rather small, measuring only one-third the size of the sun and less than 1 percent as bright.

"In contrast to a single planet orbiting a single star, the planet in a circumbinary system must transit a 'moving target.' As a consequence, time intervals between the transits and their durations can vary substantially, sometimes short, other times long," said Jerome Orosz, associate professor of astronomy at San Diego State University.

For the full text on NASA's latest discovery use the following link:
NASA Website on Kepler Mission

In December 2011, NASA reported about another earth-like planet, Kepler 22b, found in the sky region of Cygnus (Swan) and Lyra. This planet is orbiting a sun similar like ours and in a distance that would make human life possible, i.e. where liquid water could exist which is essential for the existence of human tissue.

Only two months later, in February 2012, they discovered a probably habitable "Super-Earth". Its sun Gliese 667C of which planet GJ 667 Cc is being considered belongs to a triple-star system in the constellation of Scorpius.

As these three examples are demonstrating, climatic conditions resembling those of our Earth can be expected even in such solar systems consisting of more than one central star.

Artistic perception of a planet in the Kepler 47 system (above).

Morsy in Tehran - Unexpected Speech

Important UPDATE on Iran for September 2, 2012, further down !

On Thursday, August 30, the Egyptian president Mohamed Morsy held a speech at the 16th meeting of non-aligned nations in Tehran that was intended to find a solution for the Syria conflict.

Morsy's visit in itself raised much astonishment in the West and, perhaps, new fears of a possible alliance between the Muslim Brotherhood of Egypt and the Islamic Republic of Iran. However, the fact that Morsi chose to accept the Iranian invitation to be in Tehran, with which Cairo has not had full diplomatic relations for three decades, was itself a revolutionary move.

Astonishment could have been nourished as well by some religious remarks Morsy made in his speech. After his usual reference to the Prophet Mohamed, he praised the Prophet's family which could have been seen as a positive signal towards his predominantly Shia hosts.

But Morsy went further than that and paid the most unusual tribute in a political speech at an international summit to the "close associates" of Prophet Mohamed: Abu Bakr, Omar, Othman and Ali, accepted by Sunni Muslims as the first four pious and rightly guided rulers or caliphs. After Ali, the following dynasty of caliphs installed their capital in Damascus.

" The reference to Ali, the most holy member of the Prophet Mohamed's family in the eyes of [Shia Muslims], could have been perceived by Morsi's Shia audience in the conference hall as flattering had it not come after references to Abu Bakr, Omar and Othman, who are abhorred by Shias and whose role in early Muslim history is not even mentioned in the history books of Iranian schools " [Quotation from the Egyptian source ahramonline on August 30, 2012].

This and further unexpected remarks should have left Morsy in the memory of his auditorium as a remarkable politician of a brandnew generation with strong religious and historic ties. His remarks probably intended to define a common cultural background for the countries whose delegates he was facing during his speech.

The following quotations have been taken from an article on Al-Arabiya's website on August 31, 2012:

ترحيب عربي بالترضية عن أبو بكر وعمر في قلب طهران

Warm Arabic welcome of satisfaction for Abu Bakr and Omar in the center of Tehran.

ليذهب كل رؤساء العرب إلى إيران إذا كانوا سيصدحون بالحق مثل مرسي

As to the departure of all Arabic presidents to Iran there would [have been called] Morsy with the same right.

إيران تقحم البحرين بخطاب مرسي وتحذف أبوبكر وعمر

Iran is [challenging] Bahrain with a speech of Morsy and [its reminding of Bahrain's] suppression [by] Abu Bakr and Omar.
[Editor's Note: This text is referring to historic fighting of rebels in the early times of Islam.]

As to the legal background of the Tehran summit, it should be added that an Islamic intellectual and Saudi activist, Doctor Saliman Auda, had appealed to the leaders of non-aligned Arabic and Islamic states to leave for Tehran which in some way reduced the official role of the Iranian regime and might have made it easier for Morsy [or others] to attend that conference.

Morsy in Tehran - Arabic Press Review (above)

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Further News from Iran

إيران تجري مناورات ضخمة لأنظمة الدفاع الجوي

Iran is realizing considerable maneuvers under the aspect of air defense.

الجيش والحرس الثوري يشاركان في محاكاة لمواقف طارئة

Army and revolutionary guards participating in an imitation of extraordinary situations.

[Source: Al-Arabiya on September 1, 2012]

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Iran's Alliance with North Korea

台湾中广网9月2日援引伊朗国家电视台消息称，伊朗和朝鲜签署了一项科技合作协议。内容涵盖资讯科技、能源、环保和农业。同时，两国还将合作设立实验室，科研人员也会进行交流。

On September 2, Taiwan's [broadband network] quoted the [following] news from Iran's National TV:
Iran and North Korea signed an agreement on cooperation in science and technology. Its content [is comprising] the provision of [information] on science and technology, energy resources, environmental protection and agriculture. At the same time, both countries intend to work together in the setting up of laboratories.

据报道，伊朗总统内贾德与到德黑兰出席不结盟运动峰会的朝鲜人民会议委员长金永南一同出席了协议签署仪式。内贾德说，“美帝国主义”除了压迫朝鲜，还压迫伊朗，因为美国不希望这两个国家独立，不希望他们变得强大。

According to the news report, Iran's president Nejad and Kim [Yong Nan], chief of the delegation of North Korea's People's Conference attending the summit of the non-aligned [nations'] movement in Tehran, came together for the signing ceremony of an agreement. Nejad said that U.S. imperialism in addition to oppressing North Korea also oppresses Iran, because the U.S. don't wish both countries' independence and don't wish they might become powerful.

[Editor's Note: The above mentioned Korean family name of Ahmadi Nejad's counterpart is "Kim" while his first name can only be given in the Chinese Pinyin romanization.] [Source: sina.com on September 2, 2012]

Obama's Militant Opposition and Quarrelling Allies

Yesterday, August 29, the following report appeared on Al-Arabiya's website. It was the same day that Mitt Romney was nominated the Republican's candidate for the presidential elections to come.

اعتقال أمريكيين خططوا لقلب الحكم وقتل باراك أوباما

[U.S. citizens] arrested who planned to topple the authorities and kill Barack Obama.

مجموعة عسكرية تحولت إلى جماعة معادية للحكومة تطلق على نفسها اسم "FEAR"

A military group that changed into a community for a [revision] of the government named itself "FEAR".

According to Al-Arabiya, this information should have been given by a speaker of the [prosecuting attorney's office] in the U.S. State of Georgia yesterday, Tuesday August 28, 2012. Furthermore, it was said the group mentioned above should have branched off weapons being worth some 87.000 U.S.$.

Two arrested members of FEAR (Forever Enduring Always Ready) organization (above).

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U.S. on Dispute among Allies:

韩媒：美国呼吁韩日就独岛和历史问题保持克制

South Korean Media: America appealing to South Korea and Japan to exercise restraint on the subject of Solitary Island as a historic item.

人民网8月31日讯：据韩联社消息，美国国务院一名高官30日在记者招待会上表示，最近韩日两国之间的紧张局势让美国深感担忧，并呼吁韩国和日本就独岛和历史问题保持克制，冷静应对，发挥政治协商能力。

Message from People's Network on August 31: According to South Korean joint agencies' news, a high official of the U.S. State Department indicated on a press conference held [the day before] on August 30, 2012, that a tense situation which recently emerged between South Korea and Japan has caused America to feel deeply worried. He [therefore] appealed to South Korea and Japan to exercise restraint on the historic item of Solitary Island, [to prefer] calm replies and to give full play to [their] capacities for political consultations.

此前，美国国务院发言人纽兰23日曾在例行记者招待会上表示，韩日之间发生纠纷对美国来说是一件“不太舒坦”的事情。

Earlier on August 23, U.S. State Department's spokesman Nolan once indicated at a routine press conference that dispute, having emerged between South Korea and Japan, is being spoken of by the U.S.A. as some "not very comfortable" matter.

[Source: People's Network, Beijing, on August 31, 2012]

Island Conflict - Collected Opinion from China

日美军演的记事
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News Update on August 29, 2012:

China's Legal Network reacted on a protest from the Japanese embassy in Beijing and Japan's foreign minister. The protest referred to an incident that took place on August 27 when a Chinese male had snatched the Japanese flag from the ambassador's car while it was forced to stop in the streets of Beijing.

迫车拔旗 不是爱国是添乱

Approaching the car to seize the flag is not patriotic but [creating] disorder.

[Source: Legal Network on August 29, 2012]

港媒：钓鱼岛有石油并无根据 中国一直保持理智

Hongkong Media:
It's a groundless [assumption] that Diaoyu Island has oil. China anyway keeps its senses.

[Source: ifeng.com on August 29, 2012]

军报：安保条约成不了日本侵犯中国利益保护伞

Military Newspaper:
The security pact will not succeed in Japan violating China's umbrella [i.e. protected zone] of interest.

[Source: Newspaper of the People's Liberation Army quoted by People's Network on August 29, 2012]

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News Update on August 28, 2012:

On August 28, China's Strategic Network quoted the Hongkong daily "Sun" with the following words:

港报：解放军陆海空两栖攻击夺岛演习警告日本

Hongkong newspaper: The Liberation Army's ground forces, navy, airforce and amphibious forces are accusing the "Seizing Islands Manoeuvre" and are warning Japan.

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News Update by ifeng.com on August 26, 2012:

蔡英挺反对美把钓鱼岛列为美日安保条约适用对象

Cai Ying Ting opposes America's putting Diaoyu Island on a list of suitable targets for a treaty on security protection by America and Japan.

Editor's Note: 中国人民解放军副总参谋长蔡英挺
Cai Ying Ting is vice-chairman of the general staff for the People's Liberation Army of China. He made his remarks about Diaoyu Island during his actual visit to the U.S.A..

……蔡英挺在华盛顿接受中国驻美媒体采访时表示，代表团在访问期间向美方强调了中国人民和军队的强烈主权意识，中方坚决反对美国把钓鱼岛作为美日安保条约的适用对象。

On a press conference in Washington for [representatives of the] Chinese media residing in the U.S.A., Cai Ying Ting made clear that [his] delegation during their visit to the U.S. [always] underlined the strong consciousness of sovereign rights among, both, China's people and their armed forces. China resolutely opposes the American view that is making Diaoyu Island a suitable target for the U.S.-Japanese treaty of security protection.

……
随蔡英挺一同访美的成员还包括：北京军区参谋长王宁、济南军区副司令员兼济南军区空军司令员郑群良、广州军区参谋长贾晓炜、战略规划部副部长陈守民等。

[The delegation that] accompanies Cai Ying Ting on his visit to America is including the following members: The chairman of general staff for the Beijing military region Wang Ning, [two high-ranking officers] from the military region of Jinan province, the chairman of general staff for the military region of Guangzhou province Jia Xiao Wei, and the second director of the department for strategic plannings Chen Shou Min.

[Source: "ifeng.com" on August 26, 2012, quoting an earlier cable that has been released the day before by New China Agency's Washington office.]

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News Update by People's Network, Beijing, on August 25, 2012:

外交部：对日本首相损害中国领土主权的言论表示强烈不满

[China's] Foreign Ministry: As to Japan's prime minister damaging China's territorial sovereignty, a strong verbal expression might not be enough.

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News Update by Liberation Daily, Shanghai, on August 24, 2012:

日本众院通过涉钓鱼岛问题决议，我外交部发言人强调——借决议霸岛，日方做法非法徒劳

Japan's House of Representatives passed a resolution involving Diaoyu Island [while] China's foreign ministry spokesman emphasized:
" Using the resolution as a pretext for hegemonist power over an island, Japan's practice is an illegal and fruitless effort. "

Two days earlier, on August 22, the Shanghai based daily was cited by People's Network with the following headline:

解放日报：日本切勿一错再错

Liberation Daily: Japan - Be sure not to do commit your mistake twice !

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The following text is quoting the Hongkong Asia Times that is discussing the actual island conflict in the frame of modern geopolitical constellations in the East and South China Sea:

Headline:

港媒：岛屿争端挑战美国在亚洲的关系

Hongkong media: The islands conflict is challenging the U.S. in the frame of their Asian relationships.

这正是美国在将战略重心移向亚洲的过程中依赖更加自信的日本的根本缺陷。日本的民族主义者非常渴望在地区内担任积极角色。

This is exactly a move of America's strategic focus towards Asia's development which [now] depends on an increase of self-confidence [despite] Japan's fundamental shortcomings, [while] Japan's nationalism is extremely longing to claim the active part in the region.

Editor's Note: This chapter is referring to Japan's traditional imperialism, now seen in an alliance with the U.S..

此外，任何一种推动日本军事积极行动的举动都会导致该地区各个国家民族主义的激烈反应。在东亚地区，历史民族情绪可以压倒地缘政治，过去的伤口非常深重。

Furthermore, whatever is driving Japan to act in a vigorous military operation, can cause a fierce [outbreak] of nationalism in the countries of this region. In the East-Asian region, historic nationalism can prevail over geopolitics [because of] former wounds being deeply cut and serious.

美国一旦推动被视为日本新军国主义的路线，那么对于韩国、菲律宾和越南政府和人民而言，美国根本不可能是可靠的战咯合作伙伴。一旦美国支持日本增强军力，中国政府肯定会充分对该地区的反日情绪加以利用。

In case America is giving impetus to what is regarded as the line of Japan's new militarism, that [would raise] talk among the governments of South Korea, the Philippines, Vietnam and [their] peoples. It is unlikely that America simply is [just] the reliable and cooperative [Yankee] partner. In case America is backing Japan to strengthen [its] military power, China's government will certainly know how to fully utilize anti-Japanese sentiments in the region.

[Source: Hongkong Asia Times Online on August 23, 2012, quoted by People's Network]

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Voices from China and Japan:





[Source: Weekly Review on NKK World TV, Tokyo, on August 26, 2012]

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Daily audience statistics for "blueprint news" on Sunday August 26, 2012:

Iran - Pro-Assad Terrorism ?

طالب المرشد الأعلى الإيراني آية الله علي خامنئي قوة فيلق القدس التابعة للحرس الثوري الإيراني بالتكثيف من عملياتها الإرهابية ضد الغرب وحلفائه، وذلك لدعمهم المعارضة السورية التي تطالب برحيل الرئيس بشار الأسد

Iran's Supreme Guide [of Islam] Ayatollah Ali Khamenei ordered the [Al-Quds brigade] attached to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard to concentrate their terrorist operations against the West and its allies [because of] their assistance of the Syrian confrontation which is demanding an emigration of president Bashar al-Assad.

ووفق ما نقلته صحيفة "التلغراف" عن المخابرات الغربية، فإن خامنئي دعا لاجتماع سري مع مجلس الأمن القومي الإيراني في طهران لمناقشة تقرير حول الآثار المترتبة على إيران جراء قلب نظام الحكم في سوريا

[It should be] agreed not to [spread this via] the journal "Telegraph" to Western intelligence agencies. Then, Khamenei called for a reunion of the [brigades] with the Iranian National Security Council in Tehran for discussing a decision on what [consequences] to take on the part of Iran concerning an overthrow of the ruling system in Syria.

[Source: Al-Arabiya, Arabic website, on August 22, 2012]

There are lots of comments given by readers of the Al-Arabiya article. One of them came to my attention because it compares the situation in the Arab world with that of South-East Asia where the most populated Islamic states can be found:

كثير من الدول الاسلاميه غير عربيه مثل ماليزيا و اندنوسيا و غيرها لاكن لم ينصب لهاالعداء مثل ماينصب لايران اذن المشكله ليست قوميه بل هيه مذهبيه صرفه

Many non-Arabic but Islamic countries like Malaysia and Indonesia as well as others didn't install the contradictions [in their inside] like Iran did install them. Furthermore, the difference [between those countries and Iran] is not in nationalism but in ideological morphology.

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Background Information on Iran:
Report from the Arabic / English magazine "Akhbar al-Aan أخبار الآن" in Dubai on April 17, 2012.

Iranian officials observed North Korean rocket launch

" The Telegraph newspaper said that information and data revealed a clue on the cooperation between North Korea and Iran. The Telegraph also reported that Iranian officials were present in North Korea last week to witness the failed rocket launch.

The high-profile rocket launch, which took place to mark the 100th anniversary of the birth of North Koreas founder, was reportedly attended by 12 officials from the Shahid Hemmat Industrial Group (SHID). The organization, which is the subject of a number of international sanctions, attended in order to witness the launch at first hand, according to Yonhap news agency reports. The Iranians undoubtedly were there to observe the missile launch and receive test data from North Korea.

News of North Koreas guests from Iran is likely to cast the spotlight onto the suspected relationship between the two nations in terms of the exchange of ballistic missile technology, and the nuclear files. US President Barak Obama threatened with more sanctions against Iran in case talks between biggest countries and Iran ended this week, remained in its place. Obama expressed his stand in refusing the Iranian attempts to delay and exploit talks to gain time, Obama added that he made this clear to Iran and negotiating parties.

The failed missile launch received a wide international denunciation while Iranian participation stirs many questions about how much Iran is serious in keeping its nuclear program peaceful, and the reasons that made many Iranian experts attend the failed missile experience in North Korea. "

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Al-Jazeera's news on Israel's military preparations
[Report from August 20, 2012]:

موفاز يطلب عقد لقاء مع رئيس الحكومة الإسرائيلية لبحث نوايا الأخير تجاه الملف النووي الإيراني

Mofaz requires a [formal] meeting with Israel's prime minister for the study of plannings of the most extreme facing of Iran's nuclear [dossier => subject].

Editor's Note: Lt. General Shaul Mofaz, born in Tehran, is the current Chairman of the Kadima Party which is the largest party by seats in the current Knesset. As a former Chief of the General Staff and in other high-ranking military positions he has very much influenced the development of Israel's military in the past decade. In his actual political position he could now become an important partner to prime minister Netanyahu when it comes to a nuclear attack against Iran.

الجيش الإسرائيلي ينشر صواريخ القبة الفولاذية في مدينة إيلات على البحر الأحمر

Israeli forces deploy missiles "Dome of Steel" in the town of Eilath at the Red Sea.

East Asia - Who is Ruling the Sea ?

A Chinese website in the frame of People's Network is dealing with the subject of Japan and America striving for hegemony in the East China Sea. This site is referring to joint manoeuvres of Japanese and U.S. naval units from August 21 until September 26, 2012. It is maintained by two reporters of China's People's Daily. One of them is reporting from the U.S.A. and the other from Japan.

Title of Website:

夺岛作战—日美联合军演

Fighting to Seize Islands - Joint Manoeuvres of Japan and the U.S.

Title of the above picture:

美日举行首次护岛军演 假设解放军攻占钓鱼岛

The first military exercise for the "protection of islands" staged by Japan and the U.S. and assumed to liberate Diaoyu Island from military occupation.

This website is including different articles. The main article on August 21 has been checked and partly translated:

人民日报：美日夺岛作战演习是张废牌

People's Daily: The U.S.-Japanese fighting to seize islands is putting on display a used brand.

明知是一张“废牌”，却打得热火朝天，这究竟是意在激怒中国的战术小聪明，还是战略上的不自信？日美两国想必心知肚明。

[While they are] fully aware of that "used brand", yet being on terms of intimacy and buzzing with activity, should all that what actually happens [only] be meant to excite China's tactical cleverness and [its] missing strategic self-confidence ? Japan and the U.S., both, are most probably knowing [the answer] in their innards !

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North Korea immediately reacted on the joint manoeuvres of Japan, South Korea and the U.S., renouncing the military drill near its territory.

According to NHK World in Japan, North Korean TV said:

" The drill is the most serious act of destruction of the armistice of the Korean War. We are ready to use force and take physical counteraction to safeguard our sovereignty. "

Only some days ago, North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un had visited an island disputed between North and South Korea (photo below). [Source: Japan's NHK World TV on August 21, 2012]

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On August 20, Al-Jazeera reported the death of a Japanese journalist:

مراسل الجزيرة: مقتل صحفية يابانية في قصف مدفعي على حي سليمان في حلب

A reporter of Al-Jazeera [says] that a female Japanese journalist died during the artillery shelling of Saliman neighbourhood in Aleppo.

The following day, August 21, Japan's NHK World TV identified her as Mika Yamamoto, a 45 year old journalist working for an independent Japanese news agency. Her father said she was there to report on women and children in need in the combat zones of Syria.

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Footnote on Syria: Assad's Chemical Weapons

Today, U.S. President Obama directed a severe warning towards Syria that any use or relocation of chemical weapons would cause an adequate reaction of the United States. Such is the U.S. reaction on Assad's decision to apply such weapons in case of any interference of foreign troops in his country. As to the chemical agent Sarin, probably used in Syrian grenades and missiles, an earlier blogspot of mine has already dealt with that subject.

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Another "Postcard" from Washington D.C.:

Syria - Sad Ending of Ramadan - UPDATE

Updates for August 19 / 20 further down!

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Latest UPDATE of the day (August 18):
According to the rebels, Syria's vice-president should have defected. [Source: CNN]
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الشبكة السورية: 134 قتيلا اليوم معظمهم في جمشق و ريفها و حلب و دير الزور

According to Syrian networks 134 [persons] died today, most of them in Damascus, Rifa, Aleppo and Dir al-Sur [Derisur].

Damaged building in Dir al-Sur (Derisur) on August 18, 2012 (above).
View of Aleppo township (below).

Seven [persons] died and some tens were wounded during the shelling of [a village] in Aleppo province.

Refugee camp at the Jordanian border (above) and the Turkish border (below).

لاجئون سوريون يستعدون للاحتفال بعيد آخر في ظل المعاناة و عدم الاستقرار في بلادهم

Syrians are not inspired to prepare for the celebrations of ending [the period of fasting] in the shadow of being tried [by desaster] and the absence of stability in their country.

Calligraphy depicting the holy month of Ramadan that is ending today (above).

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Further News on Syria:

Al-Arabiya reported on August 17, 2012, the arrest of a leading personality of the pan-Arabic Ba'ath Party that once came to power in Syria and Iraq and was later abolished in Syria by Hafiz al-Assad, the father and predecessor in power of Bashir al-Assad.

النظام السوري يعتقل الرجل الثاني في حزب البعث

The Syrian regime arrested the Ba'ath Party's No.2.

فرع الحزب في اليمن دعا الرئيس السوري بشار الأسد إلى التنحي

The party's Yemenite branch called Syrian president Bashir al-Assad to resign.

Could it be that Bashir al-Assad is still in fear of the Ba'ath movement that was founded in 1947 in Syria ? Ba'athism originally calls for the renaissance or resurrection and unification of the Arab world into a single state. Its motto, "Unity, Liberty, Socialism", refers to Arab unity, and freedom from non-Arab control and interference. As a political orientation for the post-Assad era, the principles of Ba'athism might become interesting again for some of those who are now engaged in the revolutionary process of the Arab Spring, not only in Syria....

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On August 19, 2012, the Lebanese daily Ya Libnan once again referred to the case of Michel Samaha, a former Lebanese minister and friend of Bashir al-Assad with a pro-Syrian attitude:

Lebanon President Michel Suleiman said on Saturday that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad should call him and explain the transfer of weapons from Syria to Lebanon in the car of former Information Minister Michel Samaha.

“ The Lebanese judiciary accused a Syrian official of sending weapons to Lebanon, and I expect the Syrian president to call me and explain the incident. I hope this call will take place,” National News Agency quoted Suleiman as saying.

Earlier this month, Lebanese security forces arrested Samaha in a case linked to a bombing plan aimed to create a strife in Lebanon.

Background information on that subject in my August 11 blogspot Syria - Days of Decisive Battles and in the August 9 Update of my blogspot: Syria - Increased Activity.

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Due to increasing mistrust between Lebanese and Syrian citizens in the frame of alleged plans of the Assad regime to destabilize Lebanon, kidnappings of Syrians by Lebanese groups and vice versa have occurred in recent days. [Source: Al-Jazeera, August 20, 2012]

عشيرة آل المقداد تطلق سراح مواطن سوري كانت قد اختطفته يوم الجمعة الماضي في بيروت

The tribe [Aal al-Maqdad] released a Syrian citizen after his kidnapping last Friday in Beirut.

لجنة دعم المعتقلين و المفقودين اللبنانيين تطالب بوقف مسلسل الخطف المتبادل بين اللبنانيين و السوريين

The committee for the assistance of Lebanese prisoners and disappeared [persons] demands to put an end to the chain of [futile] kidnappings between Lebanese and Syrian [citizens].

As to Syria, things cannot be expected to ameliorate after the international mission ended without result:

أعضاء بعثة المراقبين الدوليين في سوريا يغادرون دمشق بعد يوم من انتهاء مهمتهم رسميا

Members of the international observers mission in Syria are leaving Damascus after the day their official mission expired.

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A list of visitors to "blueprint news" coming from Lebanon (August 11-19):