Sunday, November 23, 2014

Iran - Nuclear Issue Still Difficult




الدول الكبرى تبحث مع إيران تمديد مفاوضات النووي

The Big Powers Discussing with Iran an Extension of the Nuclear Talks.


صرح مصدر دبلوماسي إيراني في فيينا لوكالة "فرانس برس" أن إيران تفكر في تمديد المفاوضات النووية لستة أشهر أو سنة، وفقاً لشروط اتفاق جنيف المرحلي المبرم في نوفمبر 2013، في حال عدم التوصل إلى اتفاق سياسي بحلول مساء الأحد.ـ

An Iranian diplomatic source in Vienna made it clear to the French [news] agency [AFP] that Iran is considering an extension of the nuclear talks for six months or one year, in accordance with conditions of the Geneva step-by-step treaty from November 2013, in case a political agreement could not be reached until Sunday evening.


[Source: Al-Arabiya العربية on November 23, 2014]


وكالة: لافروف يصل إلى فيينا الاحد للمشاركة في المحادثات مع إيران

Agency: [Russia's foreign minister] Lavrov is calling for participation in negotiations with Iran in Vienna on Sunday.


[Source: Reuters on November 23, 2014]


Related article Nathan L. Fuller - New York Times blames Iran for US sanctions published on November 20, 2014. That article is partly referring to "blueprint news".




Iran - Who is Threatening Whom ?

Iran - Obama Offers Cooperation in Fighting ISIS


Thursday, November 20, 2014

The Silent Community of Al-Qaeda




ضربة أميركية جديدة ضد "خراسان" في سوريا

New U.S. blow against " the silent [community] " in Syria.


نفذت الولايات المتحدة ضربة جوية ضد "مجموعة خراسان" الجهادية في شمال غرب سوريا، في آخر هجوم جوي ضد هذه المجموعة المقربة من تنظيم القاعدة، كما أعلنت القيادة الأميركية الوسطى المكلفة في المنطقة، الأربعاء.ـ

The United States realized an air raid against the militant " silent community " in North-Western Syria, in [the frame of] another air-borne attack directed against that community familiar with Al-Qaeda organization, as the central U.S. command in charge of the area declared on Wednesday.

وأوضحت القيادة الأميركية أن الطيران الأميركي "ضرب ودمر موقع تخزين على علاقة بشبكة لمقاتلين سابقين في القاعدة أطلق عليها أحيانا اسم مجموعة خراسان التي يحضر عناصرها هجمات خارجية ضد الولايات المتحدة وحلفائها".ـ

And the U.S. command explained that two U.S. planes " attacked and destroyed a warehouse in relation with the network of former fighters for Al-Qaeda [who are] sometimes called ' the silent community ' [and who are] preparing their [i.e. Al-Qaeda's] followers for attacks abroad [directed] against the United States and their allies. "


...............................


Another headline quoted from today's breaking news of Al-Arabiya :

واشنطن قلقة من علاقة محتملة بين متطرفين في ليبيا والتنظيم المتطرف في سوريا والعراق

Washington is alarmed by a probable connection between extremists in Libya and the extremist organization in Syria and Iraq.


[Source: Al-Arabiya العربية on November 20, 2014]

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" Europe Calling "
( Visitors from Europe )





Ajaccio in Corsica where Napoléon Bonaparte was born in 1769.






Bremen in Germany and Amsterdam in the Netherlands
share a long tradition as West-European seaports and
still count among Europe's important trading centres.




In 1285 the township of Tallinn, then known as Reval, became the northernmost
member of the Hanseatic League – a mercantile and military alliance of German
-dominated cities in Northern Europe. Nowadays, Tallinn still enjoys a strategic
position at the crossroads of trade between North-Western Europe and Russia.




After Abdulrahman I founded the Emirate of Córdoba in 756,
he ordered to build the largest mosque of his time next to the
Kaaba on the banks of Guadalquivir River. When Ferdinand III
of Spain conquered Córdoba in 1236, he transformed it into a
Christian cathedral the same year. Most architectural changes,
however, were realized after 1500. Among further remnants of
Islamic rule, the Alhambra in Granada needs to be mentioned.


Thursday, November 13, 2014

ISIS Leader Still Alive and Kicking


Important UPDATE added on November 16



داعش تنشر تسجيلا صوتيا لأبي بكر البغدادي

ISIS is spreading a sound record from Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi


في التسجيل, الذي يدحض إشاعات موت البغدادي, يدعو البغدادي أنصاره إلى تنفيذ هجمات في جميع أنحاء الدول العربية

In the record that negates rumours of Al-Baghdadi being dead, Al-Baghdadi calls his supporters to carry out attacks in all parts of Arabic countries.

يحدّد البغدادي في التسجيل، الذي يبلغ طوله 17 دقيقة، أعداء داعش الحقيقيين: الدول العربيّة. وهو يدعو أنصاره إلى تنفيذ هجمات في الدول العربيّة: المغرب، تونس، الجزائر، ليبيا، السعودية، اليمن وسيناء، وبالإضافة إلى ذلك، يرحب أيضًا بمقاتليه في اليمن وسيناء، الذين بايعوا داعش مؤخرا. ويشكّل هذا الترحيب من البغدادي إثباتا على أنّ التسجيل قد سُجّل مؤخرا.ـ

In the record which has a length of 17 minutes, Al-Baghdadi defines the Arabic nations as the true enemies of ISIS. And he calls his followers to carry out attacks in the Arabic countries: In Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Libya, Saudi Arabia, Yemen and [on the] Sinai [peninsula]. Furthermore, to welcome as well his fighters in Yemen and Sinai [....]. And that welcome by Al-Baghdadi [is founded on prove even though recording had already stopped].


[Source: Al-Masdar Online المصدر أونلاين, pan-Arab news service specialized in uncensored information on Israel, November 13, 2014]

..............................


UPDATE for November 16:



فيديو استعراض وحشي.. داعش يذبح 15 رجلاً

Video of a cruel parade ..... ISIS cutting the throats of 15 men.


A new video from ISIS is showing a group of military personnel, officers and pilots, allegedly belonging to a unit of Nusayri-'Alawis, a Shiite sect that is prominent in Syria. Each enemy is guarded by an ISIS fighter who then takes a knife already prepared for him. Afterwards, the enemy soldiers are put to earth by their guards and each of them gets a knife put to his throat. That's when the video stops.




فيديو جديد لداعش.. ذبح علني للأميركي بيتر كاسيغ

New video from ISIS ..... Public slaughtering of the American Peter Kassig.


Another video, including comments in English, is showing a masked ISIS member announcing the killing of Peter Edward Kassig, a former U.S. soldier. And he calls U.S. President Obama a liar when Obama says he returned all troops from Iraq. Instead, U.S. troops would soon return in even greater number, however, all troops Obama is going to deploy in Iraq would be killed in the same way. Furthermore, Obama's regional allies would be of no benefit to him.

[Source: Al-Arabiya العربية on November 16, 2014]

................................






[ In Morocco, mobile internet services are available without signing a contract. ]


Sunday, November 09, 2014

Der Berliner Mauerfall vor 25 Jahren




Udo Lindenberg und die " Gespenster aus der kalten Heimat "


Als heute vor 25 Jahren, am 9.11.1989, der erste Riss durch die Berliner Mauer ging und damit auch durch die umfangreich gesicherte Grenze zwischen beiden deutschen Staaten, war noch nicht vorauszusehen, dass die DDR innerhalb weniger Tage und Wochen zerfallen würde. Ein Staat, der seine gesamte Stärke aus einer straffen Hierarchie bezog, die auf militärischem Gehorsam und politischer Linientreue beruhte, ging unter, weil in wenigen Stunden einer Nacht die Befehlskette unterbrochen war und die DDR-Grenzschützer, ungewohnt selbständige Entscheidungen zu treffen, sich nicht anders zu helfen wussten, als dem Druck der Bürger nachzugeben.

So weit, so gut. Man darf aber nicht glauben, dass mit dem Untergang des alten Regimes und der Wiedervereinigung alle politischen Probleme gelöst waren. Schließlich sind die alten Genossen und ihre Spitzel nicht von einem Tag zum anderen aus dem Leben geschieden, genausowenig wie die alten Nazis 1945 nach dem Zusammenbruch des Dritten Reiches.

Anders als 1945 ist aber nach dem Ende der DDR im Jahre 1989 kaum ein Halunke nach Südamerika geflohen, abgesehen von Parteichef Erich Honegger, den man aus humanitären Gründen nach Chile ausreisen ließ. Die Verbrecher des alten Regimes fanden nach 1989 auch ein leichter erreichbares Ziel um unterzutauchen, nämlich die Bundesrepublik. Vor allem Südbayern bot sich hier an, weil München und seine Umgebung schön weit weg von der ehemaligen Hauptstadt der DDR entfernt liegen. Aber auch deshalb, weil sich hier niemand ernsthaft mit dem Wesen des zweiten deutschen Teilstaates DDR beschäftigt hatte.

So konnte es geschehen, dass mir alleine in München drei Gespenster aus der kalten Heimat begegneten; von zwei weiteren erfuhr ich durch die Erzählungen anderer. Wie zu erfahren war, handelte es sich bei den letzteren um höhere Stasi-Offiziere, die nicht integrationsfähig waren und von ihrer neuen Umgebung abgelehnt wurden. Bei einigen weiteren, die mir begegneten, liegt aus bestimmten Gründen der Verdacht nahe, dass sie entweder Stasimitarbeiter oder SED-Mitglieder waren, sei es dass sie durch die Anwendung typischer Stasi-Tricks auffielen oder sich völlig unnötig konspirativ verhielten, wobei ihr DDR-Hintergrund bereits bekannt war. Es kommt hinzu, dass ehemalige "Sicherheitsorgane" der DDR im Westen schnell einen neuen Job als Wachmänner fanden, z.B. am damals neu eröffneten Flughafen Franz-Josef-Strauss in München. Dieser Sachverhalt erregte allerdings den Unwillen des ehemaligen bayerischen Ministerpräsidenten Edmund Stoiber (Zitat: "Das sehe ich mir nicht mehr lange mit an !"). Als dann die Wachdienste am Flughafen ausgewechselt wurden, stellte sich heraus, dass etliche Schlüssel verschwunden waren, worauf die teure Schließanlage komplett ausgetauscht werden musste.

Es gibt in diesem Zusammenhang deutliche Hinweise dafür, dass die Bundesanstalt für Arbeit in den ersten Jahren nach der Wiedervereinigung auch ehemalige DDR-Bürger zur Teilnahme an Umschulungsmaßnahmen nach München einlud. Da versammelte sich dann, wie man feststellen musste, ein recht eigenartiges Völkchen dubioser Typen, neben denen die normalen regionalen Arbeitslosen eher untergingen.

Wenn der einst ausgebürgerte DDR-Liedermacher Wolf Biermann bei seinem musikalischen Auftritt anlässlich einer Gedenkstunde im Berliner Bundestag nun eine Spitze gegen die ihm gegenüber sitzende Fraktion der Linken richtet und allen Ernstes sagt, dass " diejenigen, die hier sitzen der elende Rest dessen ist, was zum Glück überwunden ist ", so erscheint das zwar vordergründig lustig, muss aber auch zwangsläufig Widerspruch erregen.

Man mag zwar von den Linken und ihren Protagonisten halten was man will, der letzte und zum Teil unbelehrbare Rest der DDR sitzt jedoch eher ganz woanders. Ich könnte ihm vielleicht sogar den einen oder anderen aus dieser Truppe zeigen.

Und überhaupt sollte man Herrn Biermann darauf aufmerksam machen, dass seine damalige Ausbürgerung, um die ihn mancher ausreisewillige DDR-Bürger vielleicht beneidet hätte, eher eine harmlose Strafe war, verglichen mit dem, was einen weniger bekannten Künstler mit einer ähnlich großen Schnauze in der gleichen Situation erwartet hätte. Für einen guten Bekannten von Margot Honecker, die ihn sogar persönlich in seiner Wohnung aufsuchte um mit ihm zu schimpfen, und einen Lebensgefährten von DDR-Publikumsliebling Eva-Maria Hagen, die 1961 zur Betreuung der Grenztruppen an die gerade errichtete Mauer fuhr, waren jahrelange Stasihaft und brutaler Psychoterror von vorneherein ausgeschlossen, um die DDR nicht vollständig zu blamieren.

Auch kam Biermann mit seinen Liedern und Gedichten im Westen gerade zur rechten Zeit an, um ordentlich Westmark zu verdienen. Und dass er in den Jahren zwischen dem Bau der Berliner Mauer und seiner Ausbürgerung (1961-1976) dieselben Reiseprobleme wie die meisten seiner Landsleute gehabt hätte, ist nicht sehr glaubhaft. Es war wohl eher so, dass man ihn irgendwann einfach nicht wieder in die DDR einreisen lassen wollte. Man könnte ihn auch als einen Nutznießer der DDR-Verhältnisse ansehen, der einmal zu weit gegangen war und dennoch, dank seiner guten Beziehungen, noch einmal die Kurve gekriegt hat.




Die Revolte der "Generation Biermann" - Versuch einer Bewertung


Wolf Biermann wurde während seiner "Freigänge" aus der DDR schnell zu einer Ikone der 68er Bewegung im Westen, die er mit seinen aufmüpfigen Liedern in einer Weise befeuerte, wie sie in der DDR selbst unerwünscht war.

Die gleiche 68er Bewegung, die mit ihren Anfängen in das Jahr 1967 zurückreicht, wo ein als Westberliner Polizist getarnter Stasi-Spitzel mit der Tötung des eher harmlosen Theologie-Studenten Ohnesorg am Rande einer Demonstration für großen Wirbel gesorgt hatte. Ein politischer Skandal, der noch heute als ein Auslöser späterer Revolten angesehen wird. Nach Enttarnung des Westberliner Polizeibeamten Karl-Heinz Kurras wurden schließlich auch die Ermittlungen von 1967 wieder neu aufgenommen (Tagesspiegel 2012) und lieferten tatsächlich Hinweise darauf, dass es sich seinerzeit um eine gezielte Tötung gehandelt haben könnte, ganz so wie es viele Bürger von Anfang an bereits vermutet hatten.

So sieht also der Beginn und die musikalische Untermalung einer Bewegung aus, die schließlich auch zu den politischen Morden der Roten Armee Fraktion führte, wobei dann die Mörder der RAF ihren "Erholungsurlaub" unter Stasi-Obhut in der DDR verbringen durften. Das Ziel der RAF, " alles zu beseitigen, was an der BRD noch gut war ", wurde dabei konsequent durchgesetzt. Alle ihre Mordopfer waren angesehene Stützen der Gesellschaft, denen niemand etwas persönlich vorwerfen konnte.

Damit soll die allgemeine Protestbewegung in Westdeutschland, so wie sie in jenen Jahren das Bewusstsein der Öffentlichkeit prägte, nicht etwa als Gesamtkunstwerk der DDR und ihrer Organe verstanden werden. Sie war aber in jedem Fall im Interesse des Ostberliner Regimes, denn viele Einzelaktionen zielten eher darauf ab, die staatlichen Institutionen des Westens zu diskreditieren oder Andersdenkende zu diffamieren als echte gesellschaftliche Probleme zur Sprache zu bringen. Eine von den Protagonisten der 68er Bewegung häufig beschworene "revolutionäre Situation" existierte dagegen nur als ein Hirngespinst in deren Köpfen. Es war schon eher eine Revolte von gut behüteten Bürgerkindern gegen die von ihnen als bedrückend empfundene Scheinheiligkeit ihrer eigenen faschistischen Väter. Es gab aber eben nicht nur diese, sondern eine ganze Nachkriegsgeneration, die in einer Zeit zunehmenden Wohlstands aufwuchs und ihre eigenen Zukunftspläne machte, ohne dabei das reaktionäre Gedankengut der alten Nazis zu pflegen.



Wolf Biermann: "Drei Kugel auf Rudi Dutschke" (1968)
Nach dem Anschlag auf den linken Studentenführer.


Der überwiegende Teil der Bevölkerung stand deshalb dem "Kasperltheater" einer sogenannten Außerparlamentarischen Opposition eher verständnislos gegenüber. Angeführt wurde diese APO von Studierenden der Gesellschafts- und Geisteswissenschaften, die in einem chaotischen Umfeld aus Gleichgesinnten agierten. Viele Akademiker aus anderen Fachbereichen waren in dieser Zeit zwar ebenfalls politisch sensibilisiert, ließen sich aber nicht beliebig von den Aktivisten jener "Neuen Linken" manipulieren. Und dass auch die Stasi in diesem Chaos mitzumischen versuchte, ist ebenfalls überliefert, jedenfalls soweit es die Hochschulen in Westberlin betraf.

Immerhin zeigte die 68er Bewegung, dass die alte Bundesrepublik mit ihrem demokratischen Grundkonzept elastisch genug war, um einer Herausforderung dieser Art zu begegnen. Dies obwohl auch die freiheitlich-demokratische Gesellschaftsordnung einige Federn lassen musste, weil die rauhbeinigen Methoden der Linken folgerichtig einen auf Sicherheit und Ordnung bedachten Staatsapparat auf den Plan riefen. Die generelle Einführung Mitte der 70er Jahre von Sicherheitsüberprüfungen für Bewerber im öffentlichen Dienst war vor allem ein Ärgernis für Hochschul-Absolventen, die eine zeitlich befristete Assistentenstelle an ihrer Uni annehmen wollten, um an ihrer Promotion zu arbeiten.

Der 68er Bewegung in der BRD stand die vom Volk getragene Revolution in der DDR von 1989 gegenüber, an der ein rigider und orientierungsloser Staat letzten Endes zerbrach. Und was den künstlerischen Unterhaltungswert beider Bewegungen betrifft, so scheint mir der kleine pfiffige Einzelgänger im Sonderzug nach Pankow schon lange authentischer als jener ostdeutsche Leitwolf mit der großen Klappe auf seiner Mission im dekadenten Westen. Auch wenn er sich in der alten DDR zunehmend unbeliebt gemacht hatte, so hat er sich doch auch im Westen selbst überlebt. Irgendwie scheint den Menschen ihre freie Entfaltung und ihr persönliches Glück wichtiger zu sein als die Polemik des Klassenkampfes.


Artikel zum 20. Jahrestag der Wiedervereinigung: DDR - Die ruinierte Auferstehung




Chinesischer Humor: Bericht von der Gedenkfeier zur Beerdigung der DDR.


Der chinesische Artikel zeigt lediglich die
kommentarlosen Photos und weist dann im
Text lapidar auf "Aktivitäten zum Gedenken
an den Fall der Berliner Mauer vor 25 Jahren"
hin. Detaillierte Erklärungen über Ort und
Zusammenhang der einzelnen Bilder fehlen.
[Quelle: XinHua vom 10. November 2014]


Friday, November 07, 2014

Iran - Obama Offers Cooperation in Fighting ISIS




رسالة سرية بين أوباما وخامنئي والبيت الأبيض لا يعلق

Secret letter between Obama and Khamenei,
however, not confirmed by the White House.


بعد أشهر عديدة من نفي ادارة الرئيس الأميركي باراك أوباما لوجود أي نية للتعاون مع إيران ضد داعش، خرج الخميس إلى العلن خبر مفاده أن أوباما بعث في أوكتوبر الماضي رسالة إلى المرشد الإيراني علي خامنئي تتعلق بالتعاون المشترك بين البلدين لمحاربة داعش.ـ

On Thursday [Nov. 6], after several months of denying the existence of [its] intention to cooperate with Iran [in its fight] against ISIS, the administration of U.S. President Barak Obama came with the news that, last October, Obama had sent a letter to Iran's [spiritual leader] Ali Khamenei in which he referred to a joint cooperation between both countries in fighting ISIS.


[Source: Al-Arabiya العربية Nov. 7 update of Nov. 6 article, 2014]

..............................


On today's homepage of Iran's news agency IRNA, there is an article named:
[ Analyst advises President Obama to use time to agree with Iran ].

" Obama administration’s job will get tougher with coming to power of a Republican majority in the US Senate, which is why the US President had better use the remaining short time for cracking a deal with Iran,” Ali Khorram, an international affairs analyst said on Wednesday.

Also addressing the Iranians who keep beating on the drums of opposing the nuclear comprehensive agreement, Khorram said that there is no time to waste in case of this file.

“The Iran P5+1 negotiations must bear result by November 24, and those who out of ignorance play unharmonious tunes must wake up, as the country’s national interests will be put at stake as a result of the failure of these talks,” he said.





Ali Khorram


Editor's Note:
Ali Khorram, the author of the above quoted article, seems to be an influential Iranian political analyst who already supported Mohammad Javad Zarif on his way to become the actual foreign minister of Iran under the new president Hassan Rouhani, saying that nobody else could help the Islamic Republic of Iran to resolve its common problems with world powers and Arab states.
Therefore it might be interesting to read as well an article written by Khorram's "protégé" Zarif about [ what Iran really wants ].




Iran's president Rouhani and foreign minister Zarif


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Visitor from suburban Paris referring to the above article.




Recent visitors from the Washington area and who are interested in the Iranian subject.


Tuesday, November 04, 2014

Saudi Arabia - Terrorism Alert




The Saudi Arabian interior ministry mentioned nine suspects that had been arrested
after an armed confrontation. The location of arrest was published for six of them.
[Al-Arabiya]


Saudi police have arrested six men on terror charges after an incident where five people were killed and nine others wounded in a machine gun attack late on Monday, November 3, in al-Dalwah, a town in al-Ahsa governorate and a population center for the Shia minority in the Sunni-ruled monarchy.

According to an interior ministry spokesman, simultaneous operations in al-Ahsa and al-Khobar in the eastern province of Saudi Arabia, and Shaqra, near the capital Riyadh had led to the arrest of these six people allegedly involved in terrorist crime.

Fears have risen that members of the Shia minority in Saudi Arabia might become the target of militant ISIS sympathisers who pursue any Muslimic group regarded as apostates to Islam with their brutal tactics. Such fears are based on the fact that thousands of Saudis have already joined the ranks of jihadi fighters in Syria and Iraq, many of them encouraged by clerics who stir up religious sentiment against non-Sunnis.

While the Saudi government has cracked down on jihadi sympathisers, Islamist extremist groups share some aspects of the conservative strain of Wahhabi Islam propagated in the kingdom.

[Sorce: Financial Times / Al-Arabiya on November 4, 2014]


Related blogspot: Saudi Arabia - Shooting Targeting Diplomats from January 14, 2014.

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Visitor to "blueprint news" coming from the eastern province of Saudi Arabia.


Saturday, November 01, 2014

China's Latest Moon Mission




China's moon mission began on October 24 and ended on November 1st, 2014.


探月工程三期再入返回飞行试验获得圆满成功

The Lunar Mission: An experimental flight [including] three
phases of reentry and return gained satisfactory success.


北京时间11月1日6时42分,再入返回飞行试验返回器在内蒙古四子王旗预定区域顺利着陆,我国探月工程三期再入返回飞行试验获得圆满成功。

On 1st November, 06:42 Beijing Time, the returning device made a successful landing in the predetermined region of [Siziwangqi 四子王旗] in Inner Mongolia, [in what can be called] an experimental reenter-return flight. China's project for exploring the moon in an experiment that included three phases of reentry and return gained satisfactory success.





What makes China's moon mission so special is the
"smooth" landing technique of its returning device.




[Source: People's Network / Xin Hua Agency 人民网—新华社, 1st November 2014]

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Friday, October 31, 2014

Russia's Plannings for the Polar Region




俄明春将向联合国申请北极120万平方公里领土

Next spring, Russia will contact the United Nations to apply for
[control of] 1.2 million square kilometres in the North Pole region.


俄罗斯近年来对北极科考与开发加快脚步。2007年7月,俄科学家曾乘潜艇深入4000多米的北冰洋海底,放置俄罗斯国旗和时间胶囊以宣示主权。在2013年2月普京签署的北极开发战略规划纲要中,北极大陆架开发是其中的重点,目前俄第一个北极大陆架资源开发项目在去年底正式完工。该名为普里拉兹洛姆内伊的油田储量7200万吨,年产量可达660万吨。此外,俄军方还准备未来在俄北极领土建立13个机场和10个技术雷达站,以确保俄在“该地区的军事安全”。

In recent years, Russia has speeded up its pace in North Polar studies and development. In July 2007, Russian scientists in a submarine went more than 4.000 m deep to the bottom of the Arctic Ocean, leaving behind a Russian flag and a time capsule to declare sovereign rights.

In February 2013, the outline of a strategic plan for developing the North Pole and which was signed by Putin [included] the development of the North Pole's continental shelf as its focal point. At present, Russia's No.1 item, the development of natural resources on the North Pole's continental shelf, [should have been] officially completed by the end of last year. [As to] the 72 million tons reserve of the Prirazlomnaya oil field, a yearly output of 6.6 million tons could be reached.





Editor's Note: The article uses a Chinese adaptation for the Russian name of the industrial oil platform Prirazlomnaya (普里拉兹洛姆内伊). The platform is being considered the first Arctic-class ice-resistant oil rig in the world.

Furthermore, Russia's future military plannings include the building of 13 airfields and 10 technical radar stations in Russia's North Polar territory in order to ensure Russia's "military safety in that region".


[Source: People's Network - Global News 人民网-环球时报 on October 31, 2014]

..............................


Some reliable background information on oil exploration in the Arctic region can be found in an article named "Arctic extraction presents huge potential but high risks", written by the Norwegian policy analyst Håvard Bergo. Here are a few relevant quotations from that article:

The Arctic was once of interest only to polar scientists and adventurers, but this is rapidly changing as a warmer climate is making the region increasingly accessible for resource extraction. Some studies estimate that the region contains close to a quarter of global unexplored petroleum resources, as well as substantial mineral reserves, including massive deposits of crucial rare earth metals in Greenland. Most of the region is already carved up, with the exception of the area around the North Pole itself.

The region is already important for the petroleum industry. In 2010, 10% of global oil production and 22% of natural gas production came from here. Russia is predicted to have the largest unexplored reserves (41% of total arctic oil resources and 70% of total natural gas resources), ahead of Alaska (28% of oil and 14% of gas) and Greenland (18% of oil and 8% of gas), leaving smaller but still significant deposits in Canada and Norway. Importantly, most undiscovered resources are presumed to be offshore, necessitating huge investments for exploration, drilling and infrastructure to make the projects commercially viable.


..............................




Chinese Language Flooding the Web - Russian Oil Feeding China's Industry




Visitors from Novosibirsk in Russia, using different equipment and internet provider,
and who came from the same neighbourhood. They might even know each other !




Sunday, October 26, 2014

U.S. Military Support for the Syrian Opposition


UPDATE for October 27 / 29 included further down !



الأميركيون يضعون هيكلاً للمعارضة السورية المسلحة

The Americans are establishing an infrastructure for the armed opposition in Syria.


قدم الأميركيون خطوة مهمة جداً في التعاطي مع الشأن السوري، وأكدت مصادر المعارضة السورية أن قيادة المنطقة الوسطى الأميركية لديها خطة بوضع هيكلية للمعارضة السورية خصوصاً العسكرية، وتريد إنشاء "مجلس عسكري" جديد ويشمل قوى المعارضة السورية المسلحة، ويكون التعاطي من خلال المجلس في شؤون التدريب والتسليح.ـ

The Americans [advanced plannings concerning how] to deal with the Syrian affair, and sources in the Syrian opposition confirmed a plan of the U.S. central command for the region to establish a particularly military infrastructure for the Syrian opposition. The [regional command] wants the creation of a new "military meeting" including the armed force of the Syrian opposition. And there will be exercises in the frame of that meeting regarding instruction and arming.


[Source: Al-Arabiya العربية on October 26, 2014]


U.S. military is obviously targeting the Free Syrian Army to become a partner in their "military meeting" which would make it easier to find support from Turkey. On the other hand, U.S. support for the Kurdish army in Syria is seen with an uneasy eye by Ankara in the frame of Turkey's own interests regarding all regional Kurdish communities.

كوباني.. الأكراد ينفون موافقتهم على دخول الجيش الحر

Only two days before, on October 24, Al-Arabiya reported that Kurds in Syria had refused their consent to the Free Syrian Army entering Kobane after an opposing declaration made by Turkish president Erdogan and regarding the transit of 1300 troops to the besieged town. The Kurdish Alliance for Democracy in Syria was quoted as saying that a second front against ISIS would make no sense.


UPDATE on October 27 / 29:

On October 27 another ISIS attack should have been beaten back in the northern part of Kobane. Kurdish forces are now waiting for reinforcement by Iraqui Peshmerga units, already on their way to Kobane and armed with modern U.S. weaponry.

[Source: IRIB Radio - Voice of Iran on October 27, 2014]

That news has been partly confirmed by ChinaNews Network 中国新闻网 on October 29. The Chinese source is quoted as saying that 150 Kurdish fighters from Iraq are expected to help their Syrian brethren fighting ISIS in Kobane.



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Friday, October 17, 2014

Nigeria - Ceasefire with Boko Haram ?


Last UPDATE: October 25, 2014

Boko Haram, Islamist organization in Northern Nigeria, should have agreed to a ceasefire with government troops and should be ready to return 219 Nigerian girl students they had abducted already months ago. Such information was independently released by Nigeria's government and military, however, confirmation by Boko Haram is still missing. That agreement should have been reached with the participation of the neighbouring Republic of Chad.

According to a French expert, some political deal of the kind is considered as realistic because the Nigerian girls could be exchanged against Boko Haram fighters including their commanders that have fallen into the hands of government troops. It was mentioned that a similar deal had already been reached between Boko Haram and the government of Cameroon where some abducted member of parliament and his wife were released following direct negotiations.

Furthermore, it was indicated that Boko Haram might soon confirm the agreement in the frame of a video which seems to be their major form of communication with the outside.

[Source: France Info on October 17, 2014]


Additional information on similar abductions by Boko Haram is provided by sources in Cameroon:
17 Cameroonians and 10 Chinese hostages were delivered to Cameroonian authorities after their release by Boko Haram. The government of Cameroon has not said how they were freed, but a security source told AFP that "a ransom" was paid and around 20 imprisoned Islamists were freed in exchange.
The Chinese were seized in May from a construction camp in Waza, near the border with Nigeria in an attack that left one Cameroonian soldier dead. The Cameroonians, including the wife of one of Cameroon's deputy prime ministers, were abducted in July during two simultaneous assaults, also blamed on Boko Haram, in which at least 15 people died.

[Source: allAfrica on October 14, 2014]


Suspected militant Islamists have shot and slaughtered people in three villages in north-east Nigeria, despite government claims that it had agreed a truce with them, residents say.

[Source: BBC News on October 20, 2014]


Chad said it believed Nigeria's secret deal with Boko Haram Islamists to free more than 200 kidnapped Nigerian schoolgirls would go ahead despite the breakdown of a truce, and revealed that the key to the agreement was a prisoner swap.
.....
Moussa Mahamat Dago, the No. 2 official at Chad's foreign ministry, said it appeared some Boko Haram factions were refusing to abide by the deal, brokered by the Chadian foreign minister with two representatives of the Islamist group and two Nigerian negotiators at meetings in Chad on Sept. 14 and 30.

[Source: Reuters on October 24, 2014]




Boko Haram video mocking the Nigerian campaign
that is intended to get the abducted girls back home.
(May 15, 2014)

View in fullscreen mode and activate English subtitles !
The Boko Haram video is in Arabic and Hausa language,
"Boko Haram" meaning "Western education is forbidden".
Boko Haram is being regarded as an Al-Qaeda affiliate.


The following quotations from the Holy Book of Islam should be compared with violent stances made by Abubakar Shekau, the leader of Boko Haram, in the above video. They might serve as an example for tolerance, Muslims are obliged to practise towards Christians and Jews, and contrast sharply with Abubakar's hostile position. The so-called "Hadith", quoted by Abubakar, are a secondary source of Islam not included in the Qur'an, even so some of these "prophet's talks" are regarded as "holy" or directly perceived from Allah. However, it's not quite clear which of them have been quoted by Abubakar.

Quotations from the Holy Qur'an - Surah 5 Al-Ma'idah
القران الكريم - سورة المائدة





44. Indeed, We sent down the Torah [to Moses], in which was guidance and light. The prophets who submitted [to Allah] judged by it for the Jews, as did the rabbis and scholars by that with which they were entrusted of the Scripture of Allah, and they were witnesses thereto. So do not fear the people but fear Me, and do not exchange My verses for a small price. And whoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed - then it is those who are the disbelievers [Al-Kafirun].




46. And We sent, following in their footsteps, Jesus, the son of Mary, confirming that which came before him in the Torah; and We gave him the Gospel [Evangelium], in which was guidance and light and confirming that which preceded it of the Torah as guidance and instruction for the righteous [Al-Muttaqun / the pious].




48. And We have revealed to you, [O Muhammad], the Book [this Qur'an] in truth, confirming that which preceded it of the Scripture and as a criterion over it. So judge between them by what Allah has revealed and do not follow their inclinations away from what has come to you of the truth.
To each of you We prescribed a law and a method. Had Allah willed, He would have made you one nation [united in religion], but [He intended] to test you in what He has given you; so race to [all that is] good. To Allah is your return all together, and He will [then] inform you concerning that over which you used to differ.

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Monday, October 13, 2014

ISIS - Turkey Finally Moving ?



Above: U.S. planes landing on Turkish air base.


تركيا تفتح قواعدها لدول التحالف لضرب "داعش"ـ

Turkey opens its [military] bases for allied countries to strike at ISIS.


وافقت تركيا على أن تستعمل الولايات المتحدة قواعدها الجوية، خصوصا قاعدة انجرليك، في إطار الحملة الدولية ضد تنظيم "داعش"، حسب ما أعلن، الأحد، مسؤول أميركي في وزارة الدفاع.ـ

Turkey showed its approval of the United States using its air force bases, particularly Incirlik base, in the frame of an [international] attack directed against ISIS organization. That can be supposed after what has been proclaimed by an American official from the [U.S.] department of defence on Sunday.


[Source: Al-Arabiya العربية on October 13, 2014]

According to BBC, the new Turkish commitment should include the " training of moderate Syrian opposition forces on Turkish bases and territory " (quotation: U.S. national security adviser Susan Rice) and which complies with U.S. President Obama's anti-ISIS strategy announced last month.

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