News items that look towards Ezekiel 38 & 39

[nChrist]

This is one fear I simply do not have.   Heaven help them if they think they can take over 100,000 of our soldiers and hold them "hostage" in Iraq and still have their home country be safe.

 

I'm beginning to wonder if ImANutJob is related to that fool in Baghdad who used to report that the forces of Iraq were winning on all fronts. Regardless, both of them are sad comedians, and they need to look for another line of work. Becoming a mime sounds good - just anything where we don't have to listen to them.   

[HisDaughter]

I'm beginning to wonder if ImANutJob is related to that fool in Baghdad who used to report that the forces of Iraq were winning on all fronts. Regardless, both of them are sad comedians, and they need to look for another line of work. Becoming a mime sounds good - just anything where we don't have to listen to them.  

Good one Blackeye Bart! 

[Shammu]

Iranian rep flees conference after being greeted by Israelis

Iran's representative to the annual gathering of the International Co-operative Alliance held in Singapore last week fled the conference and hurriedly returned to Tehran after coming in contact with the Israeli delegation.

One of 80 nations attending the conference, the Israelis saw the event as an opportunity to try to create dialogue and possible economic cooperation between the Jewish state and the Islamic Republic.

During the course of the opening event, Israeli representative Rami Mendel approached the Iranian and asked for material regarding cooperation with his country. As the two men sat down to a cup of coffee, Mendel revealed his nationality to the Iranian, who after several seconds of apparent shock and dismay hastily left the hall.

Participants at the conference said the Iranian never returned, even for the closing ceremony. It was later learned that he had returned to Tehran, fearing another encounter with the Israeli delegation.

Iranian rep flees conference after being greeted by Israelis

[Shammu]

Ahmadinejad: Iran in pressing need of martyrdom culture
Birjand, South Khorassan prov, Nov 7, IRNA

Iran-Martyrs-Ahmadinejad
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said here Wednesday that the country is more than ever in need of the culture of martyrdom, self-sacrifice and appreciation of martyrs, war veterans and the disabled.

Addressing a public gathering, President Ahmadinejad said culture of martyrdom and self-sacrifice would guarantee a bright prospect and prosperous life for the Iranian nation.

He said that the entire Iranian nation and mankind throughout history are indebted to martyrs, veterans and their bereaved families.

Elsewhere in his speech, Ahmadinejad said Iranian nation has today turned into a model for all the world nations and that's due to self-sacrifice and devotion of dear martyrs and war veterans.

Ahmadinejad: Iran in pressing need of martyrdom culture

[Shammu]

Iranian envoy says Iran playing key role in regional equations
Baghdad, Nov 8, IRNA

Iran-Turkey-Iraq
Iran's Ambassador to Baghdad Hassan Kazemi Qomi in an exclusive interview with IRNA on Thursday underlined that Iran's stands at Istanbul conference highlighted the country's vital role in regional equations.

Highlighting stance of Iran at Istanbul conference, he said Iran has adopted crystal clear and supportive stands in dealing with Iraq's neighbors but the latest proposal to save Iraq from current situation demonstrates Iran's significant role in regional equations.

Iran's stands at Istanbul conference focused on administration of Iraq's internal affairs by the Baghdad government, withdrawal of foreign troops from Iraq, forging the country's national unity and solidarity, postponement of referendum on future of Kirkuk and campaign against terrorism, he said.

Iran also called on neighboring states to contribute to Iraq's reconstruction, play an active role in restoring security to the war-stricken country, reopen their embassies and help rehabilitate Iraqi army.

In the conference, Iran's humanitarian aid and assistance were outlined for the audience, Qomi pointed out.

"We are now trying to liberate Iranian diplomats kidnapped by US troops in Iraq," Qomi underlined.

The Iraqi president who is pursuing the case is very optimistic about settlement of the issue and release of the Iranian diplomats as soon as possible, he said.

Reliable resources declare that the kidnapped Iranian diplomats might be freed on Friday.

Iranian envoy says Iran playing key role in regional equations

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Ahmadinejad underlines role of clergy in society
Birjand, South Khorassan prov, Nov 8, IRNA

Iran-President-Birjand
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad stressed Thursday morning the key role played by clerics in leading the society.

Addressing a meeting with local clerics in this eastern province, the president who is here on the fist tour of the second round of his provincial visits, said clerics should try to further relate people to religious teachings.

Later in the day, the president went to visit the poor in deprived suburbs of the provincial capital city of Birjand.

During his stay in the province, President Ahmadinejad and his accompanying cabinet members would follow up implementation of the projects approved during the first round of the president's visit to the province last year.

The president made the initiative to visit different provinces since he took office in 2005 in order to bring the government closer to the people.

Ahmadinejad underlines role of clergy in society

[Shammu]

Iran Chemical, Bio Weapons Threat Is Real

Wednesday, November 7, 2007 8:09 PM
By: Steven J. Allen

 An attack on Iran could trigger horrific retaliation against the U.S. and her allies in the Middle East with chemical and biological weapons including nerve gas, anthrax, and a germ similar to the devastating Ebola virus.

While the U.S. has not overtly threatened to bomb Iran’s burgeoning nuclear facilities, it has warned of using the “military option.” And Iran has countered if attacked it would retaliate.

Western intelligence experts doubt Iran has acquired a nuclear device and suggest she is several years from doing so.

But many agree that Iran has a program for chemical and biological weapons (CBWs) -- one more shrouded in secrecy than her nuclear program. Not only do analysts say the Islamic regime has stockpiles of CBWs, they also suggest that Iran also has the means to deliver the weapons to targets in Israel, Iraq and the United States.

“The threat of chemical and biological retaliatory attack by Iran is very real,” Dr. Dany Shoham, a chemical and biological weapons expert at the Begin Sadat Center for Strategic Studies in Israel, tells Newsmax. “Iran is prone to dare what Iraq did not, and has the needed operational capabilities.”

In response to a U.S. or Israeli attack, analysts maintain that Iran could strike U.S. forces in Iraq with artillery shells containing CBWs. Iran’s Shahab-3 missiles, with a range of up to 1,200 miles, could hit U.S. bases as far away as Oman, as well as Israeli targets in Haifa and Tel Aviv, experts say.

In addition to aerial bombardment, the Iranians could spray CBWs -- including anthrax -- from unmanned aerial vehicles, helicopters or boats. Iran could also employ suicide attackers to drive trucks filled with CBWs into target areas, experts add.

Military experts also fear that Iran’s retaliation might not be limited to the Middle East. CBWs – especially biological weapons, which take up little space – could even be smuggled into the U.S.

A single gram of anthrax spores, the size of a packet of artificial sweetener, represents 5 million to 100 million lethal doses via inhalation. Once in the U.S., CBWs could be used in countless forms of attack, from direct attacks on civilians at shopping malls or schools, to infection of livestock, to poisoning of water supplies, experts say.

By whatever delivery method, the Iranians could release any combination of the chemical agents they are believed to posses, including:

# Blister agents that damage the skin, eyes, and lungs

# Nerve agents that kill by fixing the nerves in victims’ bodies in the “on” position, causing paralysis and asphyxiation

# “Blood agents” that interfere with the energy-producing function of cells in the body

# Choking agents that attack the tissues of the respiratory system, leading to slow suffocation.

Iran is also thought capable of employing powerful toxins – poisons made from living things – that cause bleeding, paralysis, diarrhea, and organ failure by interfering with the normal chemistry of the body. Toxins can also cause long-term effects such as liver cancer.

Such attacks would not only create casualties, but could force Iran’s enemies to abandon some areas altogether, military experts fear. For example, CBWs could render impassable the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20 percent of the world’s oil supply is shipped.

The extent of Iran’s CBWs is hard to determine because CBW programs are easy to hide, analysts note. It is difficult for observers to tell the difference between legitimate chemical or biotechnology facilities and those that produce weapons.

A 2006 staff report by a subcommittee of the House Intelligence Committee complained that intelligence regarding potential Iranian CBWs was “neither voluminous nor conclusive,” although U.S. intelligence agencies had concluded that “Iran likely is pursuing chemical and biological weapons.”

Justin Logan of the anti-war Cato Institute wrote in USA Today that “Iran’s strategy of defense against a U.S. attack could involve . . . possibly chemical or biological attacks against either U.S. personnel in the region or against Israel.”

Even conservative columnist Norman Podhoretz, a prominent advocate for an attack on Iran, writes in Commentary Magazine that it is “plausible” that Iran “would attack Israel with missiles armed with non-nuclear warheads but possibly containing biological and/or chemical weapons.”

A recent report by the Center for Strategic and International Studies noted allegations of CBW production at facilities in Damghan and near Tehran. The center cites “credible-but-unverified reports” suggesting Iran may be stockpiling anthrax and botulinum toxin near Tabriz.

With regard to mustard gas and nerve gas, the CSIS report concludes that Iran possesses the technology to mass-produce those chemicals and deliver them to targets in artillery shells and bombs.

The American Federation of Scientists, meanwhile, estimates that Iran has several thousand tons of various agents, including sulfur mustard, phosgene, and cyanide agents. The FAS pegs Iran’s CBW production capability at around 1,000 tons per year.

For clues into Iran’s secretive weapons programs, analysts consider that:

# Except for Pakistan, Iran is the most advanced nation in the Muslim world in the production and use of industrial chemicals and in biotechnology.

# Iran came under repeated CBW attack during its long war with Iraq, gaining an appreciation of the value of such weapons, knowledge as to their battlefield use, and the opportunity to reverse-engineer the weapons used by the Iraqis.

# As early as the 1980s, Iran was conducting extensive research on mycotoxins (fungal poisons).

# In 1998, The New York Times reported that Iran was recruiting scientists who had worked in the Soviet biological weapons program.

# In 2001, the Undersecretary of State for Arms Control said that Iran had produced biological weapons, and the Department of Defense declared that Iran had stockpiled blister, blood, and choking agents for use in shells, rockets, and aerial bombs.

# According to multiple, credible reports, Iran has had access to CBW technology from the former Soviet Union, China, North Korea, and Cuba.

Iran Chemical, Bio Weapons Threat Is Real

[Shammu]

Russia confirms treaty suspension, weighs force deployments

by Christopher Boian Wed Nov 7, 2:59 PM ET

MOSCOW (AFP) - Russia's parliament voted Wednesday to suspend compliance with a key Cold War treaty limiting conventional forces in Europe as Moscow signalled it was weighing new force deployments on its western flank.

NATO quickly responded to the move, calling it a "regrettable step."

The lower house of Russia's parliament, the State Duma, voted unanimously to approve a Kremlin decision to suspend compliance with the 1990 Conventional Forces in Europe (CFE) treaty from December 12.

The CFE treaty "no longer responds to the security interests of the Russian Federation" in light of NATO expansion and other factors that have altered the European security landscape, according to the motion approved by the Duma.

The vote was confirmation of a decision announced by President Vladimir Putin last July. The upper house of parliament was expected to validate the Duma vote on November 16.

The 1990 pact, signed by the states of NATO and the Warsaw Pact, was modified in 1999 to take account of the breakup of the Soviet Union and the evolving security allegiances on the continent.

But Russia is the only party so far to have ratified the updated CFE pact. NATO members, led by the United States, have balked at ratifying the new deal until all Russian forces are out of ex-Soviet states Georgia and Moldova.

Russian officials insisted they had fully complied with the updated version and wanted the West to do the same.

"As far as the 1999 decision reached in Istanbul is concerned, Russia has fulfilled its obligations on all issues -- including the withdrawal of troops from Georgia and Moldova," Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.

Shortly before the Duma vote, a senior Russian defence official said Russia was looking at options for bolstering conventional force deployments on its western flank with Europe in light of the CFE suspension.

"Work is being done on this issue," Russia's deputy defence minister, General Alexander Kolmakov, was quoted as saying by domestic news agencies, adding that no decision had yet been taken.

Russia's armed forces chief of staff, General Yury Baluyevsky, was quoted by Interfax news agency afterwards as saying that Russia was in no rush to deploy more forces in the west of the country but "must have the right" to do so.

Baluyevsky said that as a result of its enlargement to take in former states of the Soviet-run Warsaw Pact, NATO had already largely exceeded the conventional force deployment limits spelled out by the CFE treaty.

Specifically, he said NATO had surpassed those limits by nearly 6,000 tanks, 10,822 armoured fighting vehicles, 5,000 artillery pieces, nearly 1,500 military aircraft and more than 500 strike helicopters.

"The destruction of the CFE treaty will be a massive, painful loss for the states of Europe," Baluyevsky said.

In Brussels, NATO spokesman James Appathurai voiced the alliance's displeasure with the Russian move, saying "each step that Russia takes toward the withdrawal of the treaty is a regrettable step."

The Duma vote and reports that Moscow was reviewing its conventional force configuration in Europe were the latest in a series of assertive defence policy changes that have ratcheted up tensions between Russia and the West.

Putin and other top Russian officials this year have threatened to retarget nuclear missiles at European cities, renewed long-distance strategic bomber patrols and threatened to withdraw from other bedrock disarmament treaties.

Russia has been particularly upset by US plans to deploy elements of its new missile defence system in Poland and the Czech Republic, saying the plan in its current state would harm Russian security.

The United States has said the plan is designed to protect Europe from missiles launched by "rogue states" like Iran and has rejected the Russian complaints, though the two sides continue to discuss the issue.

Russia confirms treaty suspension, weighs force deployments

[Shammu]

King Abdullah Interviewed in Germany

Berlin, November 8 , SPA -- The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz has given a wide-ranging interview to the German newspaper "Frankfurter Allgemeine" dealing with Saudi-German relations, the international situation in the globalization era, the Middle East peace conference, the Saudi Arabia's efforts at the regional and international levels, international issues led by the situation in the Middle East region and Saudi Arabia's role at various levels.

Following is the text of the interview of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques:

Frankfurter Allgemeine: Beginning your journey to Germany, how do you view Germany and what do you expect from Germany politically and economically? Does the history of Germany constitute a burden on our (Germany's) image in the world?

King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz: Germany is a country of an ancient history and human civilization and a minaret of intellect. Its people have the right to be proud of it. It is illogical to diminish the image of Germany and its history or to blame its people for the mistake of a dark era it had lived and the German people were its first victim as the whole world suffered form the crimes of that era. I think Germany managed to overcome this historical era to come back as a great country with its political and economic status and contribute with great efforts to the support of international security and peace and human development. This is what we have felt through its membership and recent chairmanship of the European Union. During this period, there have been constant coordination and consultation at the level of efforts to solve the crises in our region and to bolster economic and cultural cooperation between our two countries.

Frankfurter Allgemeine: In a world where the power influence is currently shifting from the Western Europe to Asia and it is expected that the 21st century will be the century of China, can it also be the century of Arabs?

Chancellor Angela Merkel hosts King Abdullah in Germany on November 7, 2007. (Photo: SPA)King Abdullah: I think that the globalization era we are currently living managed to cancel all political, economic and cultural borders among all countries of the world and as an international community, we have become to live in a world whose concepts transcend geographical borders and there is inter-action among its parts despite distances and various cultures. This requires from us to boost joint cooperation to achieve human development. With their civilization reservoir, deep-rooted culture and human and material capabilities, Arabs are no doubt qualified to tangibly, essentially and importantly contribute to and participate in the world of the 21st century.

Frankfurter Allgemeine: You have been calling for reaching a comprehensive and lasting solution for the Palestinian cause and you presented the peace initiative adopted by the Arab League. The conference which will be held next month in Annapolis as a new attempt to gather parties concerned with the cause, do you expect it to succeed?

King Abdullah: The US president's initiative calling for holding the Middle East peace conference has an important element which is to tackle the main issues of the conflict which are to end the occupation: establish the independent and parts-joined Palestinian state; deal with the problem of refugees and Alquds; improve the state of the Palestinians and other issues constituting the core of the conflict. These positive elements have enjoyed the welcome of the kingdom and the Arab League. We hope the conference will deal with these core issues and be comprehensive in solving at all tracks according to a specific time table ensuring the success of the conference after the trials have proved failure of partial solutions which dealt with the consequences of the conflict and not its core. This will ensure the success of the conference since the US State Secretary has said that failure should not be an alternative. I think that it is time to move from the phase of talking about peace as a process to establishing peace as a reality through real and tangible steps.

Frankfurter Allgemeine: At the end of last week, an international conference was held in Istanbul to discuss ways of helping the Iraqis to restore security and stability. Do you notice any progress in this field - as the Iraqi government claims - and do you think that efforts made until now to integrate the Sunnis into the political life in Iraq are enough?

Chancellor Angela Merkel hosts King Abdullah in Germany on November 7, 2007. (Photo: SPA)King Abdullah: There is a complete regional, Arab and international agreement on the goals of maintaining the security, stability and reconstruction of Iraq under the umbrella of its independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity. The only way to guarantee realizing this goal is to achieve concord and national reconciliation among all people of Iraq with all their political affiliations, religious and sectarian beliefs and ethnicities; equality among all of them with no exception in rights and duties; sharing of wealth and giving priority to the national interest regardless of narrow sectarian interests. We have the impression that this goal has not been achieved yet at the domestic front. Thus, the Iraqi government and people have a historic responsibility to double efforts to achieve national reconciliation. At the external front, the neighboring countries are required to promote these goals by not dealing with Iraq from a sectarian perspective and to help all Iraqis with no bias against any sect especially when it comes to providing financial and humanitarian help and other kinds of aid.

Frankfurter Allgemeine: Turkey is currently threatening to invade Iraq's north to chase and fight the Kurdish rebels. What is the reaction of Saudi Arabia in this case?

King Abdullah: We condemn all forms of terrorism regardless of its sources or justifications and any infiltration across borders. We hope there will be joint efforts between Iraq and Turkey to stop these acts.

cont'd next post

[Shammu]

Frankfurter Allgemeine: On behalf of Gulf Cooperation Council, Saudi Foreign Minister - Prince Saud Al Faisal - presented a proposal for a multi-lateral mechanism to provide Iran with enriched uranium which it needs for its nuclear reactor. Do you think that all diplomatic efforts and economic sanctions will fail and inevitably a war between the West and Iran will eventually take place? Is a nuclear Iran a threat to the region and the world?

King Abdullah: We are keen to make the Middle East free from nuclear arms and weapons of mass destruction. The world fears that Iran's nuclear program will lead to development of nuclear arms. Iran has announced that uses of its nuclear program are peaceful. If this is the case, we see no justification for the language of escalation, confrontation and challenge which only complicates matters more.

Therefore, we call for solving this crisis peacefully through dialogue among the parties to ensure Iran's and any other country's right in the peaceful use of nuclear energy according to standards of the International Atomic Energy Agency and under its supervision. These standards should be applied to all countries in the region with no exception.

German President Koehler hosts King Abdullah in Germany on November 7, 2007. (Photo: SPA)The proposal to build a complex for enriching uranium in a neutral country is part of our diplomatic efforts to solve this crisis peacefully. This proposal is also to ensure building the complex according to the highest standards of human and environmental safety under the supervision and control of the International Atomic Energy Agency. It also ensures supplying countries with enough enriched uranium for their peaceful uses.

Frankfurter Allgemeine: In view of Lebanon's failure to reach a solution for the presidency there, are you worried about the increased tension in Lebanon? What can Saudi Arabia provide for stability in Lebanon?

King Abdullah: The tension in Lebanon is a source of great concern for us all especially in view of the painful civil war which occurred there. Saudi Arabia is continuing its efforts at the bilateral level, through the Arab League and at the international level to solve the current disagreements and achieve national concord among the Lebanese. We hope the current efforts will solve the presidential election problem.

Frankfurter Allgemeine: Damascus has recently showed some positive signs with regard to Lebanon and Palestine. Do you actually see changes in Syria's behavior and policies ?

King Abdullah: We hope and look forward to the Syrian role to be as a peace-maker, a supporter of a solution and an assistant in achieving unity either in Lebanon or Palestine.

Frankfurter Allgemeine: Saudi Arabia has recently played the role of a leader in the Arab world, has this formed a burden on you?

King Abdullah: The Kingdom does not seek leadership, but it undoubtedly is keen on shouldering its responsibilities and confronting the challenges facing it as a homeland, Arab world, Islamic nation and world economy.

We do not see a burden in confronting the urgent issues threatening the security of the region and the world or in the search for ways and means to enable our people to enjoy freedom and stability and to contribute to the comprehensive development of their society. We believe that this explains the meaning of responsibility and gives it reason and logic existence.

Frankfurter Allgemeine: Saudi Arabia began following serious and ambitious steps of reform in various fields. What are the next steps in this framework and what are your recommendations and advice to others in the fight against terrorism, especially the Kingdom has largely and unexpectedly succeeded in the fight against terrorism?

King Abdullah: The reform project in the Kingdom began with the foundation of Saudi modern state by late King Abdulaziz bin Abdulrahman who laid the frameworks of the cotemporary state. His sons, the Kings, marched on this way after him. The reform project is based on the principles of the Islamic Sharia, laws, purposes and Arab inherited traditions. It also pursues the principle of knowing prevailing views and trends in society. It is characterized by causing gradual and incremental changes in the infrastructures and the structures of the state institutions and the civil society leading to the comprehensiveness in presentation, integration in the implementation, timely programming and simultaneous preservation of the identity of the Saudi society and its deep-rooted and old heritage.

During the last two decades, Saudi Arabia has witnessed a number of reform steps which resulted in expanding the national participation in many political, economic, social, legal, administrative, educational and other fields allowed by the regulations of basic government; bolstering the role of the Shoura Council; the election of municipal councils and the emergence of many civil society institutions which support decision making and effectively participate in performing vital roles that government agencies alone can not perform.

The kingdom will continue its reforms in cohesion with the nature of life and requirements of our times which require movement, change and renewal toward the best, God willing.

On terrorism, it remains the overwhelming danger threatening our security as an entire international community, aiming at destabilizing our peoples and countries regardless of gender, religion, ethnicity or culture. In the kingdom, we achieved major steps in confronting this phenomenon due to unity of the Saudi people in the face of this phenomenon which is alien to Islamic values and ethics. We will not stop until we uproot this malignant scourge.

On bolstering international efforts to confront the phenomenon of terrorism, the kingdom hosted an international conference on fighting terrorism. Many countries of the world participated in it at the level of experts and specialists in their security sectors. The conference made many important and practical recommendations to develop international cooperation in fighting terrorism. We hope these recommendations will be implemented especially the one concerning the establishment of an international center for fighting terrorism allowing us to speedily exchange information, expertise and experiments in this field.

King Abdullah Interviewed in Germany

[Shammu]

Merkel Backs King’s Peace Initiatives
Khaled Almaeena

BERLIN, 8 November 2007 — Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah yesterday began a landmark state visit to Germany where Chancellor Angela Merkel offered her country’s full support to the king’s peace initiatives to resolve global conflicts.

“We know that you have dedicated your efforts to settle conflicts through peaceful means. We’ll cooperate with you in this area to solve all problems peacefully. This applies not only to your region but the whole world,” Merkel told the king.

King Abdullah’s talks with Merkel focused on the Middle East peace process and the Iran nuclear crisis. Merkel’s spokesman said that apart from bilateral issues and trade relations, the two leaders would discuss the Middle East conflict ahead of the peace conference called by US President George W. Bush later this month. The standoff over Iran’s nuclear enrichment program, the crisis in Pakistan and the situation in Afghanistan were other possible themes, he said.

Merkel was holding talks with the king in the chancellery ahead of a state banquet hosted by President Horst Koehler at his official Berlin residence, Schloss Bellevue. During the banquet, Koehler conferred on the king Germany’s highest medal while Abdullah gave the president the King Abdul Aziz Medallion of the First Order.

Abdullah will visit Berlin’s Brandenburg Gate and City Hall today before leaving the country tomorrow.

Merkel visited Riyadh in February, and Abdullah was last in Germany six years ago, as crown prince. Abdullah is on a European tour, his second after becoming king in August 2005. Previous stops on his current trip were London, Geneva and Rome, where he held a historic meeting with Pope Benedict XVI.

King Abdullah proposed the new Arab Peace Initiative, which was relaunched at the Arab summit in Riyadh in March, 2007. It offers Israel peace and normal ties if it withdraws from all land seized in the 1967 Six-Day War and allows for the creation of a Palestinian state and return of Palestinian refugees.

Merkel’s meeting with the Saudi monarch comes before leaving tomorrow for weekend talks with President Bush in Texas, which she says will focus on Iran’s nuclear program.

“I appreciate the great role being played by Germany at the European and international levels, and its contributions toward solving regional and global issues,” the king told Merkel while addressing a luncheon hosted by her at the chancellery.

Abdullah highlighted the problems facing the Middle East and sought Germany’s help to defuse the explosive situation in the region, remove weapons of mass destruction and enhance international cooperation to combat terrorism in order to reinforce peace and stability in the world.

“Germany with its strong economic and political position is qualified to play an effective role to establish peace in the world,” the king said. He also emphasized the Kingdom’s desire to strengthen cooperation with Germany. “I am confident that the future of Saudi-German relations will be bright,” he added.

On her part, Chancellor Merkel said the royal visit would take Saudi-German relations to new heights, not only in the economic sectors but also in areas of political, cultural and scientific importance.

Merkel commended the king for meeting Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican on Tuesday during his visit to Italy. “We have been following up your meeting with the pope with great interest. It was a fruitful meeting and we know that you support interfaith dialogue to resolve all issues and problems,” she said. At the Vatican on Tuesday, Abdullah became the first Saudi king to have an audience with the pope.

Speaking to the Saudi Press Agency, former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder expressed his appreciation of the great efforts being made by the king to promote the progress and prosperity of his people, and establish giant economic and scientific projects.

Schroeder said the king’s visit to Germany was highly important. Being an important country in the Middle East, Saudi Arabia has contributed to solving many issues and conflicts in the Islamic world, he said.

He noted King Abdullah’s efforts to reconcile Palestinian groups by inviting them for a meeting in Makkah. “Germany intends to have a strong strategic partnership relation with Saudi Arabia, considering its vital position in the Arab and Islamic world and its economic weight.”

Saudi Ambassador to Berlin Dr. Osama Shubokshi said the royal visit would strengthen Saudi-German relations, which date back to more than 78 years. “King Abdullah’s visit has political, economic and cultural importance,” he added.

Shubokshi also spoke of the efforts to stop anti-Saudi smear campaigns in the Western press by removing misconceptions about the Saudi position on violence, extremism and terrorism. He said he refuted allegations against the Kingdom while taking part in a number of seminars.

Merkel Backs King’s Peace Initiatives

[Shammu]

In reading King Abdullah's German interview, did you happen to notice his non-recognition of Israel, and that he only refers to her as 'Palestine'

[Shammu]

King Abdullah pays visit to Turkey

11/09/2007 11:32    

Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah arrived in Turkey for a visit. He discussed Iraq problems, Middle East peace and growing bilateral trade ties.

Abdullah's visit to Ankara is the last stop of a four-nation European tour, which included Britain, Italy and Germany. It is the king's second visit to Turkey in less than two years in a sign of Ankara's growing ties with the oil-rich kingdom.

Turkey has massed tens of thousands of its troops in the southeast of the country following a series of attacks by Iraq-based rebels of the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, that has left nearly 50 dead since September.

Turkey is facing international pressure to avoid a wide-scale cross border attack on PKK bases in northern Iraq, out of fear such an operation would destabilize what has been the calmest region in the country.

The Saudi king's visit is also taking place as Turkey is playing an increasing role in bringing together the sides in the Middle East conflict. Next week, Israeli President Simon Peres and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will both address Turkey's parliament.

Turkey is Israel's closest ally in the Islamic world and has been forging close ties with the Arab world over the past few years.

Last week, Foreign Minister Ali Babacan visited Arab nations, including Saudi Arabia, for talks on the Middle East peace efforts and to explain his country's military planning for an incursion into northern Iraq.

Arab governments have been trying to strike a balance amid the mounting crisis between Iraq and Turkey, seeking to avoid openly criticizing Ankara and urged dialogue between the two sides, a reflection of Arab countries' fears of a widening of the Iraq conflict.

The king was schedueld to meet Gul at the presidential palace, where he will be received in a ceremony with military honors and also hold talks with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The king will be decorated with Turkey's highest state medal during his stay.

Abdullah last came to Turkey in August 2006. It was the first visit by a Saudi monarch in 40 years. Trade ties between the two countries have increased by threefold over the past five years, to reach US$3.3 billion, a statement from Gul's office said.

In Italy, Abdullah was received at the Vatican by Pope Benedict XVI in the first-ever meeting between a pontiff and reigning Saudi king, the protector of Islam's holiest sites. In Britain, the king discussed terrorism and the Middle East peace process with Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

King Abdullah pays visit to Turkey

[Shammu]

Reforms Will Make Saudi Arabia A True Ally
The New Republic: Regime's Current Policies Foster Terrorism, Islamic Extremism
Nov. 8, 2007

On October 19, in a letter to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, President Bush declared, "I hereby certify that Saudi Arabia is cooperating with efforts to combat international terrorism and that the proposed assistance will help facilitate that effort." U.S. law requires this step to allow previously appropriated financial assistance to be delivered to Riyadh. But the President's certification comes amid debate over a much more consequential form of assistance to Saudi Arabia - a deal to sell $20 billion worth of arms to the kingdom and other Gulf states over ten years. First proposed in July and currently pending further action by the White House, the terms have met opposition in Congress, where concerns about the real level of Saudi commitment to fighting terrorism remain. A letter by Representative Anthony Weiner (D-NY), signed by a bipartisan group of 114 members of Congress, argues, "Saudi Arabia has not behaved like an ally of the United States. They have exported fighters and suicide bombers to the war in Iraq. They have provided funding for terrorist activities throughout the world."

But this, and most other recent criticisms of Saudi Arabia, omits what may be the most troubling aspect of the country's behavior and the most threatening to long-term U.S. interests: The appalling state of human rights and the lack of meaningful political reform in the kingdom. The problem is not that the Saudi regime directly encourages terrorist activity, as Weiner's letter suggests, but rather that the political situation in the country provides the conditions that spur disenchanted Saudis to violence. Surprisingly few U.S. politicians - and none of the leading presidential candidates - have raised this concern in response to the arms deal, even though Saudi repression isn't exactly a secret.

Empirical studies increasingly point to the lack of democracy as a key cause of terrorism. Drawing on the findings of their important 2003 study of terrorist attacks, Princeton's Alan Krueger and Czech scholar Jitka Malecková noted that "the only variable that was consistently associated with the number of terrorists was the Freedom House index of political rights and civil liberties." Their conclusion is a troubling one, particularly in a region where our closest allies in the war on terror are among the most repressive: "Countries with more freedom were less likely to be the birthplace of international terrorists." In a 2006 paper, Harvard University's Alberto Abadie uses a different data set of terrorist incidents, but confirms Krueger and Jitka Malecková's findings, observing that "lack of political freedom is shown to explain terrorism ... Over most of the range of the political right index, lower levels of political rights are associated with higher levels of terrorism."

The data strongly supports what has long been an intuitive argument - when legitimate avenues for expressing grievances and influencing policy are unavailable, people are more likely to resort to radicalism and political violence. In this context, it is hardly surprising that Saudi Arabia has been a main source of international terrorism - not only were 15 of the 19 September 11 hijackers Saudi, but, according to various reports, more suicide bombers and foreign fighters in Iraq are from Saudi Arabia than from any other country. The kingdom, a font of Wahhabi ideology and dominated by retrograde clerics, produces so many radicals that the regime has long followed a policy of funding militants to fight abroad rather than face their wrath at home. This practice dates to the early 1980s, when the royal family began issuing visas and providing other support to citizens willing to fight in Afghanistan, a strategy that diverted extremists away from the Arabian Peninsula.

The established link between tyranny and terror means that Saudi Arabia's internal political situation should be cause for much greater alarm. The country is among the world's most undemocratic, according to every respected independent assessment. Freedom House ranks the Saudi regime as one of the seventeen most repressive governments in the world. There is no "opposition" to speak of - political parties of any kind are banned. Human rights activists, and anyone else who publicly criticizes the regime, are routinely jailed, barred from foreign travel, and blacklisted in the press. Meanwhile, the notorious mutaww'in, or morality police, have broad discretion to harass anyone not meeting arbitrary standards of propriety. In one particularly tragic incident, the mutaww'in prevented rescuers from saving fifteen girls trapped in a burning school, because the students weren't wearing their headscarves. The introduction to a recent Amnesty International report states bluntly that "fear and secrecy permeate every aspect of the state in Saudi Arabia." It is a consistent, unambiguous picture drawn by nearly all international observers. Furthermore, most empirical studies show that it is political repression - not poverty or unemployment - that is most responsible for generating terrorism. In fact, many of those who have turned to extremism, including most of the 9/11 hijackers, have been relatively well-educated, and middle or upper-middle class.

That is not to say that there have been zero positive steps recently. The king has promised a huge increase in education spending and begun a review of textbooks to address concerns of fostering intolerance and extremism. And notably, the government recently announced a judicial reform plan which includes $2 billion for training judges and building new courts, as well as provisions for separate family, commercial, and criminal courts, and an appeals process. Perhaps most importantly, the reforms will create a Supreme Court which will be more independent from the religious establishment than its predecessor, the Supreme Judicial Council. The new Court will be staffed by the king rather than by ultraconservative clerics, and it may provide the first opportunity for reform-minded elites to influence the judiciary.

Despite these reforms, Saudi Arabia remains an absolute monarchy, in which the king is the highest judicial authority, able to rule by decree. Officially, the Koran is the Saudi constitution. A code of laws known as the "Basic Law" governs issues not discussed in the Koran, but its authority is subordinate to the monarchy and the religious establishment.

Other much-heralded reforms have been underwhelming. Even the 2005 municipal elections, lauded by the United States as a major step, saw little voter interest in an election for local councils with no real power. The move was a cosmetic gesture, meant to appease liberals and ease pressure for change. This is not a new story in the Middle East, where regimes have become increasingly adept at using piecemeal "reforms" to distract the international community and deflect citizen demands.

Yet policymakers should not mistake the difficulty of reform for the intractability of autocracy; America can leverage its support to shape Arab regimes' decisions on democratization. This is particularly true for the ruling al-Saud family, which is intimately tied to the U.S. and dependent on its military backing. The arms deal presents an opportunity for Washington to exert influence in Riyadh. This opening should be seized to push the Saudis along the path of reform, the only path that will lead to long-term security.

We have leverage, and we should use it. First, all arms sales should be contingent on the implementation of the promised educational and judicial reforms. Second, the United States should require progress on political reform, beginning with greater freedoms of press and assembly, and allowing public dissent on policy matters. Beyond this, deadlines should be set for long-awaited Shura (Consultative) Council elections, followed by benchmarks for the steady evolution of the council from an advisory role to a genuine legislative body. Third, transparency and fairness in the justice system, even when dealing with terror suspects, should be required. Such measures can be enforced much as Saudi cooperation on counterterrorism efforts is maintained today - through a certification process mandated by law.

Making assistance, and particularly large weapons deals, conditional upon clear, political reform benchmarks will not only offer hope for the beleaguered Saudi population, but also chip away at the repression that breeds the very terrorists whom we need the Saudis' help in fighting. Only then can Saudi Arabia be rightly considered a true ally in the fight against terror.

Reforms Will Make Saudi Arabia A True Ally

[Shammu]

I don't believe these reforms will make a difference.

1: They are a Islamic nation....We are a Christian nation
2: As an Islamic nation they automatic hate Israel...We support Israel
3: They have a dictator form of government....We are democratic
4: They don't have elections....We do
5: Women have no rights.........Here they do

Some of those changes would have a huge impact on their life style. I don't see that happening, those in power won't give up their control.