Something Else is Up

[Shammu]

France to send only 200 extra troops to LebanonAdd story to my swissinfo panel
 
A woman looks out from her destroyed apartment in a southern suburb of Beirut

By Crispian Balmer

PARIS (Reuters) - France will initially provide only 200 extra troops for a new United Nations force in Lebanon, President Jacques Chirac said on Thursday, disappointing some U.N. officials who had hoped for a contribution of thousands.

Such a move could seriously delay the U.N. mission, seen as vital to securing peace between Israel and Hizbollah after a month-long war, or even scupper the operation.

However, Chirac left open the possibility that France might eventually provide more soldiers and said some 1,700 French troops positioned near Lebanon would be made available to the United Nations but would not be placed under U.N. control.

France's reticence follows disastrous peacekeeping operations over the past three decades, with its military losing 58 paratroopers in a 1983 bomb attack in Beirut and some 84 soldiers during a mission to Bosnia in the early 1990s.

In a statement, Chirac's office said he had discussed the situation with U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan. It added that Chirac was expressing the content of a proposal that France would submit to a meeting in New York on the U.N. force.

"(Chirac) said the mission, the rules of engagement and the means at the disposal of this force still have to be decided; likewise the breakdown of the contingents which have to reflect the engagement of all the international community," it said.

France already has some 200 troops in the existing, 2,000-strong U.N. Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) and leads the operation.

"(Chirac) announced to (Annan) that France was prepared to maintain its naval and air force presence off Lebanon," the statement said, adding that that presence comprised 1,700 men.

The United Nations last Friday gave the go-ahead for the force numbers to rise to 15,000 troops to patrol the peace between Israel and Hizbollah. The world body wants to send up to 3,500 troops to south Lebanon within two weeks.

READY TO KEEP LEADING

Many diplomats had expected France to provide at least 2,000 men. Italy has said it is ready to send between 2,000 and 3,000 troops to Lebanon but has also said it is waiting for the U.N. to clarify the new force's rules of engagement.

Chirac's office said France was willing to carry on leading an expanded UNIFIL mission and that once the "immediate emergency" had passed, the United Nations would decide the precise make-up of the force.

French reticence to commit to UNIFIL has surprised many U.N. officials, who had expected Paris's full backing for the operation after the central role French diplomats played in drawing up last week's resolution to end fighting in Lebanon.

However, the French military is clearly unhappy about rushing into the mission.

During negotiations on Friday's Security Council resolution, France insisted the force be under U.N. control as Lebanon had demanded, while the United States preferred a multinational operation separate from the United Nations.

France to send only 200 extra troops to Lebanon

[Shammu]

Germany to not send troops to Lebanon

Friday, August 18, 2006 (Berlin):

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Thursday that Germany would not send combat troops as part of the contemplated international peacekeeping force in Lebanon.

But the country may offer naval assistance to help secure Lebanon's coastline, she added.

Merkel said Germany was looking at "naval security" as part of its effort to support the force, after meeting with parliamentary leaders.

She said that it was still not clear whether her country would make other non-combat offers, such as logistical help, air transport, and aerial reconnaissance.

Parliament must approve any deployment and the German government has warned it won't make a concrete offer until conditions and rules of engagement are clarified.

German and Israeli officials have expressed concern for historical reasons about a situation that could lead to any confrontation between Israeli and German troops.

The legacy of Germany's Nazi past as perpetrator of the Holocaust makes sending German ground troops a touchy issue.

German leaders on the other hand have repeatedly stated that they have an obligation, precisely because of the Nazi past, to help guarantee Israel's security today.

Germany to not send troops to Lebanon

[Shammu]

Final Convoy of Military Hardware to Gyumri Leaves Akhalkalaki       other » News «
   / Civil Georgia, Tbilisi / 2006-08-17 16:54:04    
     

A convoy of Russian military hardware departed from Akhalkalaki military base headed for the Russian military base located in the Armenian town of Gyumri on August 17, the Georgian Defense Ministry reported.

The military hardware included four Strela-10 surface-to-air missile (SAM) systems, five ZU-23/2 anti-aircraft systems, a BRM-1 armored reconnaissance vehicle, and three BTC-4 middle tank tractors.

This is the last convoy to depart from Akhalkalaki to Gyumri, as the rest of the military hardware will be sent to Russia via railway.

According to the Georgian Defense Ministry, the withdrawal of Russian military hardware from Akhalkalaki will be completed by the end of 2006.

Final Convoy of Military Hardware to Gyumri Leaves Akhalkalaki

[Shammu]

Now you tie that together with the Pravda article of Russian political scientists stating;
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The pulling of the trigger leading to the tragic chain of events has been done. Syria and Iran will be pulled into the war right after Lebanon. Israeli and American attacks on Iran will lead to the interruption of oil exports into Europe and China. Their economies will suffer. In the conclusion there will be chaos all across Asia.

The detonation device for the new apocalypse has been set off by Americans, obviously. They believe that they have the power and the authority to regulate the world’s chaos.

<snip>

Very soon such participants as Turkey will inevitably get dragged into the funnel of war. In Iraq and Afghanistan anti-government militant groups will become very active. Finally the conflict will focus on the fighting for the control over the territories with major oil resources. That is exactly with the U.S. is after.

The eventual possession of the oil treasury by one of the conflicting sides will provoke harsh resistance from both Asia and Europe. Russia is also very likely to get provoked into becoming an active participant. In the end this might become the Ultimate Fifth Act, in which no one wishes to believe…

Nuclear war starting in 10 days?

[Shammu]

The calm before the storm.
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Iranian President to Visit Georgia      
Civil Georgia, Tbilisi
2006-08-18 16:58:34    
     

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is to visit Georgia this coming autumn, Georgian Deputy Foreign Minister Valery Chechelashvili said on August 18. No exact date has been set for the visit.

Chechelashvili said that a Georgian-Iranian intergovernmental group will meet in the near future to set a date.

President Saakashvili invited his Iranian counterpart during a meeting in Tbilisi with visiting Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Mehdi Safari on August 15.

President Saakashvili paid an official visit to Iran in July, 2004.

Iranian President to Visit Georgia

[Shammu]

DEFENCE: IRAN PREPARES NEW MISSILE TESTS
   
Tehran, 18 August (AKI) - Iranian state television has announced that Iran will begin new missile tests on Saturday in five different border regions including along the frontier with Afghanistan. The tests - which will last five days - appear to be a show of strength staged to impress ethnic minorities living in Iran's Kurdistan, Baluchistan and Khorasan provinces

"These manoeuvres serve to re-elavorate the defence doctrine of our nation," said General Mohammad Reza Ashtiani, of the Pasdaran revolutionary guards who will be conducting the tests.

DEFENCE: IRAN PREPARES NEW MISSILE TESTS

[Shammu]

 Costa Rica's Exit Leaves El Salvador With Lone Embassy in Jerusalem
17:57 Aug 18, '06 / 24 Av 5766

(IsraelNN.com) Jerusalem, once the home to embassies of 12 Latin American countries and The Netherlands, now hosts only El Salvador following the announcement by Costa Rica's president that he is fulfilling an election pledge and moving out of the Holy city. Costa Rica leaders said the move was made in order to improve relations with Arab countries.

The previous removal of nations' embassies from Jerusalem followed a 1980 United Nations resolution calling on countries to pull out. Paraguay and Bolivia have embassies in the nearby community of Mevasseret Zion.

El Salvador's president said his country would remain in the capital, at least for the time being. He stated that Costa Rica's decision "merits the respect of all members of the international community."

Costa Rica's Exit Leaves El Salvador With Lone Embassy in Jerusalem

[Shammu]

Beijing tells Chinese nationals to leave Israel amid fighting


China's Foreign Ministry on Thursday told Chinese nationals to leave Israel due to fighting on the Lebanese border, the government's main news agency reported.

"The conflict between Lebanon and Israel is increasing, so Chinese citizens in Israel should get as far from the battle area as possible," the notice said, according to the Xinhua News Agency.

Beijing tells Chinese nationals to leave Israel amid fighting

[Shammu]

Venezuela's Chavez withdraws ambassador in Israel

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said on Thursday he had ordered the withdrawal of Venezuela's ambassador in Israel.

Chavez, a vocal critic of the US Government, has condemned Israeli incursions into Gaza and Lebanon, and frequently expresses support for the Palestinian people.

Venezuela's Chavez withdraws ambassador in Israel

[Shammu]

French Ambassador to Israel to leave post in September

French Ambassador to Israel Gerard Araud will conclude his position during the month of September, at the end of a three-year tenure.

Araud was appointed to be general manager of the security-diplomacy department in the French Foreign Ministry.

French Ambassador to Israel to leave post in September

[Shammu]

From an Italian source:
A quote from another site: These are NOT my words.

The Subtle Play.

They are doing everything they can to pursuade the world that they are going to launch a nuke. The religious dogma. The military maneuvers. The anouncement of missle tests. References to the 12th Inman. References to the 22nd of August.

They are inviting a preemptive strike at the missle launch point and or other strategic areas of Iran. My guess is they will have a missle launch pad with a missle on it capable of hitting Israel and capable of carrying a nuclear bomb. They will make sure we know about it.

In any event, when Israel bombs it. Or when we bomb it. We will have triggered Iran's use of a nuclear bomb located not on a missle site in Iran, but instead, a nuclear bomb either brought into Israel already or delivered short range into israel vis a vis Syria, Lebannon, Palestine or else where.

That is the play. They are too smart to use what to them is a precious resource (a nuke - assuming they have one)to stick it on a launching pad for easy arial destruction or alternatively on a missle which, as we saw with North Korea, may or may not make it out of Iran itself.

No way. Why launch it when they have had every opportunity to transport it by land or sea to the territories surrounding israel. My guestimate is that you will find your nuke in Syria now, but in a few days it will be found in Lebannon and a few days after that it will be found in Israel but most likely blowing up while residing therein.

This is the play. They invite pre-emptive stike on their county. Then, having just cause to strike back, they let loose with the big one on Israel from an ajoining Territory. Maybe, they don't have a nuke perhaps chemical, biological, etc.. Perhaps a combination.

In any event, this play within a play is excellent and certainly would be preferable to just putting a nuke on some unreliable missle in the hopes it doesn't get bombed while on the pad, shot out of the air while in flight, or otherwise malfuncioning and flying off in some unknown direction.

My guess is someone is already looking into this possiblity which of course is nothing more than that, as it is based upon rampant, though reasoned, speculation.

Something to think about.

Sorry I can't post the link for this one.
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By themselves they don't mean much. Put together a different story is starting to appear.

[Shammu]

 Jordanian figure warns Israel against any fresh raid on Lebanon
Amman, Aug 19, IRNA

Jordan-Israel-Keiali
A Jordanian politician on Saturday warned the Zionist regime of Israel against launching fresh retaliatory strike on Lebanese Hizbollah in future.

"The US and Israel want to harm Lebanese Islamic Resistance because Hizbollah is firmly and strongly resisting their plots in Lebanon and has emerged triumphant in the regime's war on Lebanon," said Secretary General of Jordanian National Action Front Tariq al-Keiali in an interview with IRNA here on Saturday.

Al-Keiali said all official stances of Israel and its main supporter, i.e. the US, show that they want to harm and take revenge on Hizbollah immediately after suffering defeat from the militia.

He asked, "Having all these in mind, how can some individuals in Lebanon and Arab states demand disarming Hizbollah?"
He stressed that Hizbollah's power should be preserved for resistance against any sort of aggression on Lebanon. He added that disarmament is an issue which is in favor of the US and Israel.

The politician pointed out that US-Israel plots failed in the Middle East because the Middle East nations are powerful and awakened, being ready to defend their legitimate rights under any condition.

Jordanian figure warns Israel against any fresh raid on Lebanon

[Shammu]

LET'S CONSIDER THE FACTS!!

The continued attempts to “re-write” history by this contemporary culture and its journalistic confusion has caused enormous difficulties in coming to righteous conclusions about Israel, its right to exist and its God-given right to its land. Consider these facts:

1. ISRAEL became a nation over 3000 years ago, long before Islam ever existed!

2. Arab refugees began calling themselves “palestinians” in 1967 after the Six-Day War - 20 years after ISRAEL became a Nation once again!

3. Jews ruled the Land of ISRAEL for 1000 years, and in spite of the conquests of Rome, and attacks by Islam and the Ottoman Turks, they have maintained a presence in this Land for over 3000 years!

4. The only time in history when anything close to arab conquest occurred was in 633 BC, and lasted just 22 years!

5. For over 3000 years, JERUSALEM was (and still is!) the capital of ISRAEL and was never the capital of any arab or muslim entity, even under Jordanian rule. Not only was JERUSALEM not made the capital by others, but no ahab leader ever came to visit it!

6. JERUSALEM is mentioned over 800 times in the Bible by various names, but not once is it mentioned in the quran.

7. King David established JERUSALEM as the capital; mohammed never set foot in the city!

8. When Jews pray they face JERUSALEM; when muslims pray they face mecca. If they are between the two cities, muslims also face mecca with their backs to JERUSALEM!!

9. In 1948, arab leaders urged the arabs in ISRAEL to leave, promising to “cleanse the land of Jewish presence.” 68% of them fled without ever setting their eyes on any Israeli soldier!

10. Some 300,00 to 600,000 arabs (the figures are radically different in all reporting) left ISRAEL in 1948, while one million Jews were forced to leave the muslim countries due to violence and programs.

11. In spite of having vast territories at their disposal, the arab refugees were deliberately prevented from assimulating into their host countries to which they fled.

12. Arabs (technically islam) started all five wars against ISRAEL, and lost every one of them.

13. Under Jordanian occupation, Jewish holy sites in JERUSALEM (and elsewhere!) were vandalized and were “off limits” to Jews; Under ISRAEL’s rule, all muslim and Christian holy sites are accessible to all faiths and people.

14. Out of 175 UN Security Council resolutions, 97 were against ISRAEL; Out of 690 General Assembly Resolutions, 429 were against ISRAEL!

There are problems on all sides of the issues facing the Middle East. There have been terrible things done in the name of religion and political negotiation. But, it is time to face the facts and start consulting with the only historically accurate book about ISRAEL in the world, the BIBLE, the whole BIBLE, and nothing but the BIBLE!

[Shammu]

Qaradawi calls for jihad against Israel

 
Leading Islamist preacher peace that Arab leaders are calling for in Mideast is in fact capitulation.

 
CAIRO - Prominent Islamist preacher Sheikh Yusef al-Qaradawi has called for a holy war against Israel, an Egyptian newspaper reported Wednesday.

"Muslims must carry out jihad to liberate all the land of Islam. Palestine does not belong only to the Palestinians but to all Muslims," Qaradawi was quoted as saying by the Al-Masri Al-Yom independent daily.

The Egyptian-born cleric, best known for his regular appearances on the Qatari satellite channel, Al-Jazeera, said that the Islamic world "needs men like those of Hezbollah: in Egypt, Iraq, Jordan and everywhere".

"There isn't even an Arab willingness to fight Israel," he complained at a seminar at the University of Cairo, adding: "The peace that the Arab leaders are calling for is in fact a capitulation."

Qaradawi, who now lives in Qatar and has close links to the opposition Muslim Brotherhood, said that Islamic law, or sharia, dictated "if a land of Islam is occupied, the entire population must resist and start jihad."

The 78-year-old achieved star status with his appearances on Al-Jazeera's weekly religious affairs programme "Al-Shariaa wa Al-Haya" (Islamic Law and Life) and has consistently defended Palestinian suicide attacks against Israel.

Qaradawi calls for jihad against Israel

[Shammu]

Iranian army ready for Israel action after Lebanon war

A senior Iranian army commander said on Saturday the armed forces were prepared for any action by Israel after what Iran has called the Jewish state's defeat at the hands of Lebanon's Hizbullah guerrillas.

Ataollah Salehi, commander-in-chief of Iran's army, made his comment on the first day of army wargames, which started in the south of the country but will later extend to other areas. He did not say how long the maneuvers would last.

Iranian army ready for Israel action after Lebanon war