News, Prophecy and other

[Shammu]

Oh, I found an easy way to remember how to pronounce the Iranian leaders name.

Ahmadinjead = Imagine-A-Dud 

Now thats funny.........

[Shammu]

Iran defiant as world weighs action in atomic row
Wed Jan 25, 2006 9:06 AM ET10

 By Parisa Hafezi

TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran again threatened on Wednesday to start full-scale uranium enrichment if reported to the U.N. Security Council, while signaling interest in a Russian proposal aimed at calming its nuclear row with the West.

The council's five veto-wielding permanent members plus Germany plan to meet in London on Monday to try to resolve differences over whether to send Iran to the council at a crisis meeting of the U.N. nuclear watchdog on February 2, diplomats said.

They said foreign ministers of Britain, China, France, Russia, the United States and Germany would seek a consensus before the 35-nation board of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) gathers in Vienna to weigh what to do about Iran.

The United States and its European Union allies say it is time for the IAEA to turn Iran's nuclear dossier over to the Security Council. China and Russia have urged caution.

Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said his country would immediately halt voluntary dealings with the IAEA, which include snap checks on its atomic sites, if sent to the council.

He said he doubted the IAEA or European Union negotiators wanted to move toward "an uncontrollable situation".

Iran, going beyond its Non-Proliferation Treaty obligations, allows snap inspections by the U.N. nuclear watchdog.

Mottaki urged Britain, France and Germany to renew talks they halted when Iran said on January 9 it was resuming atomic fuel research and removed U.N. seals on uranium enrichment equipment.

Iran's top nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani said after talks in Moscow he was positive about the idea of setting up a joint venture with Russia to purify uranium on Russian soil.

He said the plan could be "perfected" during talks in Moscow scheduled for February 16 -- two weeks after the IAEA board meeting.

The proposal is designed to prevent Iran gaining technology that could be used for military purposes. The Iranians have said they are ready to discuss co-production of atomic fuel, but that they retain the right to enrich uranium at home.

CAUTIOUS WELCOME

British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw reiterated that the Russian proposal was welcome if it enabled Iran to receive nuclear fuel that was processed safely outside its borders.

"That may provide a solution," he told a news conference in Cyprus. "But what the world is also looking for is for Iran to stop the beginnings of running its centrifuges. That's essential if it is to avoid reference to the Security Council."

Larijani, who begins a visit to China on Thursday, warned that referral would prompt Iran to begin large-scale enrichment.

"In those conditions, our activities will not be limited to scientific research. Then we will start industrial production."

Iran has a pilot enrichment plant at Natanz, but is not known to have enough centrifuges for large-scale production.

Mottaki said there was no way Iran would suspend its atomic fuel research program -- a step the EU trio has made a condition for any renewal of talks that began in 2003.

Russia and China are reluctant to see Iran hauled before the Security Council, which has the power to impose sanctions, and do not back a draft EU resolution asking the IAEA for referral.

An EU diplomat said Moscow wanted the IAEA only to "inform" the council about Iran, which would allow the top world body to debate the issue, but nothing more. He said China had told the EU it had its own proposal, but had not submitted it in writing.

The West suspects a secret nuclear arms program is under way in Iran, which hid atomic research work from the IAEA for almost 20 years until it was exposed by Iranian exiles in 2002.

Iran says it only wants nuclear power for civilian use.

IAEA safeguards investigators led by deputy agency director general Olli Heinonen flew to Tehran on Tuesday to try to get Iran to reveal more about its past nuclear activities.

Diplomats close to the IAEA said Heinonen's team would press for access to the Lavisan military site that was razed before inspectors could reach it to test for radiation.

The inspectors also want details of Iran's nuclear black market activity and of a document Iran gave the IAEA that diplomats said described how to make the core of an atomic bomb.

Iran defiant as world weighs action in atomic row

[Shammu]

 Russian Atomic Energy Agency chief to visit Tehran in February
Moscow, Jan 25, IRNA

Iran-Russia-Nuclear
Head of Russia's Federal Atomic Energy Agency Sergei Kiriyenko said here Wednesday that Moscow's proposal over Iran-Russia joint uranium enrichment plan will be on his itinerary when he travels to Tehran.

Kiriyenko told reporters in Moscow that he will visit Tehran in late February.

He also referred to his meeting with Iranian head of Iran-Russia Joint Economic Commission saying that the trip will also make preparations for holding the commission session.

He said that in his talks with Iranian official he will broach the subject of the joint uranium enrichment.

"I also intend to visit Bushehr nuclear powerplant in this trip." The Russian official is to confirm the date of commissioning of the Bushehr plant in his talks with Iranian officials.

Kiriyenko discussed Tuesday peaceful nuclear cooperation with Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Asia and Pacific Affairs Mehdi Safari in Moscow.

Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Ali Larijani and his Russian counterpart, Igor Ivanov, stressed here Tuesday the importance of finding a diplomatic solution to Iran's nuclear case under the auspices of the United Nations' nuclear watchdog.

Larijani and Ivanov, meeting for more than three hours, declared at the end of their talks that the Iranian and Russian delegations would continue their discussions on Iran's nuclear case.

Iran's top security official arrived in Moscow Tuesday morning to hold talks with Ivanov on a visit in line with the usual exchange of visits by officials of the two countries.

Larijani traveled to Moscow on the invitation of his Russian counterpart who visited Iran in November.

The two sides also discussed issues of mutual interest including current cooperation between Tehran and Moscow as well as major regional and international issues.

Russian Atomic Energy Agency chief to visit Tehran in February

[Shammu]

President Putin Suggests Building Global Nuclear Center in Russia

Created: 25.01.2006 15:24 MSK (GMT +3), Updated: 15:24 MSK, 16 hours 9 minutes ago

MosNews

Global infrastructure should be established to give all interested countries access to nuclear energy with reliable guarantees that the nuclear non-proliferation regime will be observed, President Vladimir Putin was quoted by RIA Novosti as saying Wednesday.

Putin said Russia was ready to build an international center “to offer nuclear fuel cycle services, including [uranium] enrichment under the control of the IAEA”.

The Russian leader said the center, under the control of the International Atomic Energy Agency, the UN’s nuclear watchdog, would be open to every nation.

He said technological innovations were needed to build new-generation reactors and fuel cycles, and this required broad international cooperation.

“We will propose this approach to G8 member states during our presidency and all our partners in the sphere of peaceful use of nuclear energy,” Putin added.

Russia is presiding over the club of the world’s eight most industrialized nations in 2006.

Moscow has long proposed having Iran’s uranium enriched in Russia, then returned to Iran for use in the country’s reactors — a compromise that could provide more oversight and ease tensions with the United States and European Union over Iran’s questionable nuclear program.

President Putin Suggests Building Global Nuclear Center in Russia

[Soldier4Christ]

President Putin Suggests Building Global Nuclear Center in Russia

This comes as no surprise.

[Shammu]

China, Iran warm to Russia nuclear proposal
Thu Jan 26, 2006 8:52 AM ET171

 By Lindsay Beck and Ben Blanchard

BEIJING (Reuters) - China and Iran expressed support on Thursday for a Russian proposal to resolve Tehran's nuclear standoff, and both said they opposed the threat of sanctions from the U.N. Security Council.

Top Iranian nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani, on a one-day trip to Beijing seeking China's support, said the Russian proposal -- that uranium be enriched on Russian soil -- needed further discussion.

"The Russian suggestion is a useful one, but needs to be discussed further," Ali Larijani told a news conference in Beijing.

He told Reuters later that Iran was willing to show flexibility on the issue, but rejected the "language of force", an apparent reference to the threat of sanctions.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan told a news conference earlier that China wanted other countries to consider the Russian proposal which is aimed at preventing Iran gaining technology that could be used for military purposes.

"We think the Russian proposal is a good attempt to break this stalemate," Kong said.

Earlier this month, Iran removed U.N. seals on uranium enrichment equipment and resumed nuclear fuel research. It says it does not want nuclear weapons, and has the right to enrich uranium at home.

The United States and its European Union allies, who fear Iran might move to developing nuclear weapons, say the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) should turn Iran over to the United Nations' Security Council.

But China said U.N. sanctions would only complicate matters.

"We oppose impulsively using sanctions or threats of sanctions to solve problems," Kong said.

The comments seemed to contradict the message China gave U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick, who left China on Wednesday after a three-day visit.

Zoellick gave a positive assessment of China's role in the nuclear stand-off, saying Washington and Beijing had no major differences on the issue. Kong, the Chinese spokesman, declined to directly endorse that assessment, simply repeating Beijing's general stance.

URANIUM ENRICHMENT

In Moscow on Wednesday, Larijani said referring Iran's nuclear activities to the U.N. Security Council would prompt Tehran to start uranium enrichment. But he also signaled interest in the Russian plan.

Larijani held morning-long talks with Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing and met State Councillor Tang Jiaxuan in the afternoon.

"We have the same idea that these issues should be considered by the IAEA and in a peaceful manner," Larijani said, referring to Iran and China.

"They (China) oppose these rushed actions that have come from some European countries. They are against that. They do not agree with that."

Russia and China wield veto power in the U.N. Security Council along with the three other permanent members the United States, Britain and France.

China is also hosting stop-start six-party talks, including Russia and the United States, aimed at ending North Korea's nuclear weapons program.

Analysts say despite its objections, China would be more likely to abstain from a vote than use its veto. But Kong said Iran should have the right to peaceful nuclear power.

"All Non-Proliferation Treaty countries' rights to peacefully use nuclear power should be respected, but we must emphasize that these countries should also strictly abide by the relevant regulations," he said.

Kong said all the countries involved should "intensify diplomatic efforts" to broker a solution before the IAEA meets on February 2 to debate sending Iran to the Security Council.

The Council's veto-wielding permanent members plus Germany plan to meet in London on Monday to try to resolve differences over what to do about Iran.

Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki has said that if sent to the Security Council, his country would immediately halt voluntary dealings with the IAEA, which include snap checks on its atomic sites.

Mottaki urged Britain, France and Germany to renew talks they halted this month after Iran resumed its nuclear fuel research.

Kong said China has received no "formal invitation" from Iran to take part in the kind of compromise Russia proposed.

"We hope all sides will use their wisdom to provide new proposals that will create conditions for reviving negotiations," he said.
China, Iran warm to Russia nuclear proposal

[Shammu]

Top U.S. General Says Army 'Stretched'

By NICK WADHAMS, Associated Press Writer
42 minutes ago

DIWANIYAH, Iraq - The top U.S. general in Iraq acknowledged Thursday that American forces are "stretched" but said troop withdrawals will be dictated by war strategy and not the strain faced by the soldiers.

Gen. George Casey's remarks contrasted sharply with statements made on Wednesday by U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, who disputed findings of an unreleased study conducted for the Pentagon that said the Army is overextended because of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. President Bush shrugged off the report Thursday.

"The forces are stretched ... and I don't think there's any question of that," Casey said of U.S. armed forces deployed in large numbers in Afghanistan and Iraq. "But the Army has been for the last several years going through a modernization strategy that will produce more units and more ready units."

Casey spoke after attending a ceremony in which Polish troops transferred leadership of the south-central region of Iraq they control to Iraqi forces, the first such large-scale handover since the Iraq war began in 2003.

The transfer of authority for the Multinational Division-Center South, which includes about 25 percent of the country, was part of a larger U.S.-led coalition strategy to build up the Iraqi army and give it greater control ahead of a future withdrawal.

Casey told reporters he had discussed whether troops were stretched too thin with Gen. Peter J. Schoomaker on Wednesday and that the Army chief of staff believes he can still sustain missions around the world. Casey, too, was adamant that the troops, including more than 130,000 in Iraq, were getting the job done.

"So, yep, folks are stretched here but they certainly accomplish their mission, and the forces that you've seen on the ground are absolutely magnificent," Casey said.

Casey said early recommendations for reductions were based on the overall U.S. strategy of building up the Iraqi army and police, and cuts were always made based on the situation on the ground. He rejected the idea that early plans for troop withdrawals had been made because of strain on the military.

"That's not true, and the recommendation to begin the reduction of forces came from me based on our strategy here in Iraq," Casey said. "I made my decision based on operational reasons and I'll continue to do that. As I've said all along, I will ask for what I need to accomplish this mission."

On Tuesday, The Associated Press reported that an unreleased study conducted for the Pentagon said the Army is being overextended because of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and may not be able to retain and recruit enough troops to defeat the insurgency in Iraq.

A day later, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld disputed that, asserting that "the force is not broken."

In Washington on Thursday, Bush also shrugged off the report. He predicted victory in Iraq and said, "Our commanders will have the troops necessary to do that."

The region that was turned over to Iraqi control on Wednesday makes up about 25 percent of the country and has been relatively quiet compared to hotspots of Baghdad in the center, Fallujah and Ramadi to the west and Mosul to the north. Casey and the Polish and Iraqi generals who were there made clear that the Iraqis were not ready to run the area by themselves, but could take the lead.

"Being in the field, our Iraqi partners distinguished themselves with courage and commitment which in many cases inspired even the coalition soldiers, Polish Gen. Piotr Czerwinski, coalition commander for the region, said in a ceremony marking the handover. "You can be proud of your soldiers and officers."

Top U.S. General Says Army 'Stretched'

[Shammu]

 Minister: No power can prevent Iranian nation from attaining Revolution goals
Ahvaz, Khuzestan Prov, Jan 26, IRNA

Iran-Interior Minister
Interior Minister Mostafa Pour-Mohammadi said here Thursday that Iran's enemies know that their plots plots cannot make the Iranian nation given in to enemies and no power can prevent them from attaining the goals of the Islamic Revolution.

Speaking at the special funeral service held for the martyrs of recent bombings in Ahvaz, he said the enemies of Muslim nation of Iran seek domination over the rich natural resources of the Middle East region.

Global arrogance has brought amassed its forces in the Middle East region and never hesitate to kill others to attain its goals, he said.

All plots hatched by the enemies are doomed to fail and the traitors would be punished, he said.

A number of officials and a large group of people took part in the funeral service to pay tribute to six civilian people martyred in Ahvaz bombings.

Minister: No power can prevent Iranian nation from attaining Revolution goals

[Shammu]

 Iran, China discuss ways of expanding mutual cooperation, nuclear issue
Beijing, Jan 26, IRNA

China-Iran-Nuclear
Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani conferred here Thursday with the Chinese Communist Party international minister on expansion of mutual ties as well as Iran's peaceful nuclear activities.

Referring to resumption of Iran's nuclear research, Larijani said peaceful application of nuclear technology is among the legitimate rights of Iran.

"Iran suspended all its uranium enrichment activities two and a half years ago but in this period the Europeans only showed us mirage and we now want to conduct nuclear research as the least expectation of the Iranian people," he said.

Tehran is ready to have extensive cooperation with other countries to this end and China as one of Iran's friends can observe Iran's limited nuclear research, he said.

"Our sincere explanations have removed misunderstandings with the IAEA to a large degree and an IAEA delegation is now in Tehran," he pointed out.

The Chinese official, for his part, expressed hope that the issue of Iran's nuclear program would be solved through negotiations.

China believes that the issue should be resolved within the framework of IAEA and that it is the legitimate right of Iran to benefit from peaceful nuclear technology.

Iran, China discuss ways of expanding mutual cooperation, nuclear issue

[Shammu]

Fake Passport Ring With Terror Ties Busted

By JOSHUA GOODMAN, Associated Press Writer Fri Jan 27, 1:44 AM ET

BOGOTA, Colombia - Colombian has dismantled a false passport ring with links to al-Qaida and Hamas militants, the acting attorney general said Thursday after authorities led dozens of simultaneous raids across five cities in collaboration with U.S. officials.

In Washington, however, Justice and Homeland Security officials were surprised by the announcement of the investigation, which they said involved people posing as members of Colombia's largest rebel army, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC — not al-Qaida or Hamas.

Colombian officials said the gang allegedly supplied an unknown number of citizens from Pakistan, Jordan,
Iraq, Egypt and other countries with false passports and Colombian nationality without them ever setting foot in the country.

An undisclosed number of those arrested are wanted for working with the al-Qaida terror network and the militant Palestinian group Hamas, said acting Attorney General Jorge Armando Otalora.

The counterfeit Colombian, Spanish, Portugese and German passports were used to enter the United States and Europe, he said.

But Justice Department spokesman Bryan Sierra said an indictment unsealed Wednesday in Miami charges 10 foreign nationals with smuggling "people that they thought were members of FARC into the United States."

"We are not alleging any connections to any terror organization other than the FARC," said Justice Department spokesman Bryan Sierra.

He said the U.S. will seek to extradite the 10 alleged smugglers, of whom eight have been arrested.

"The operation was, in fact, a sting operation led by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement," he said, adding that Colombian law enforcement were "an active and critical part" of the investigation

The Colombian attorney general's office said 19 people were arrested in Thursday's raids, adding they were carried out in collaboration with U.S. authorities.

Four Jordanian citizens were among those arrested, Manuel Saenz, head of foreign immigration for the DAS secret police, said on Caracol television. Eight people are being sought inside the United States for extradition to Colombia, Otalora said.

Colombian authorities began to covertly trail and film suspects to unveil a criminal network with the help of their U.S. counterparts.

The eight wanted by federal authorities in Florida on charges of abetting illegal immigration rings and collaborating with terrorist groups include a Jordanian national and a DAS detective, Colombian authorities said.

Colombian officials didn't say if they believed any Colombian terrorist groups were involved in the scheme.

U.S. officials have long feared al-Qaida could take advantage of corrupt government officials and weak institutions to launch an attack from south of the border.

Fake Passport Ring With Terror Ties Busted

[Shammu]

Campus holy war over 'gay' posters
Teachers opposed to homosexuality refuse order to display rainbow flag
Posted: January 26, 2006
1:00 a.m. Eastern


© 2006 WorldNetDaily.com

A holy war over homosexuality has erupted on the campus of a San Francisco Bay area high school, as five teachers are refusing orders to display a pro-"gay" banner because of their religious beliefs.

The rainbow-flag poster with pink triangles and other symbols of homosexual pride carries the message, "This is a safe place to be who you are. This sign affirms that support and resources are available for you in this school."

The banner, designed by the Gay-Straight Alliance at San Leandro High School south of Oakland, Calif., was ordered by the school board in December to be posted in all classrooms.

"This is not about religion, sex or a belief system,'' district Superintendent Christine Lim, who initiated the policy, told the San Francisco Chronicle. "This is about educators making sure our schools are safe for our children, regardless of their sexual orientation."

Amy Furtado, principal of San Leandro High School

Principal Amy Furtado believes every teacher will eventually comply with the order from the district, saying she intends to personally work with those who have thus far refused.

"We work in a public school," she said. "I have no wish to change anyone's personal belief, but we want all kids to feel safe. That's where we have common ground."

Art teacher Tom Laughlin, a homosexual who supervised the design of the poster said he was surprised by the intolerance for homosexuals when he began teaching at the campus five years ago, even being called a "fag" by one student.

"There was a real need to do this," he told the Chronicle. "A lot of students didn't know about gay people in general."

Computer-science teacher Rick Styner is proudly displaying two of the banners in his class, one by the entryway so it's the first thing students see upon entering.

"I'm glad that it gets out there instead of being hidden away like a secret,'' Styner said of any intolerance of homosexuality. "As teachers, we have to address these things. Students start to feel unsafe in the classroom."

The five teachers who are refusing to follow the district's orders have not made any public statement about the matter, but a colleague at the school, business teacher Robert Volpa, says he won't hang the poster, even though he agrees with its message.

"I think it's outstanding. Any hate language is not permissible," he said. But he added, "I have a problem with the district mandating anything that could be political."

[nChrist]

Hello Dreamweaver,

All of this rainbow flag garbage and trying to force it into classrooms is sick and disgusting beyond any words I have right now. SO, I'll just say nothing else for right now except that I feel sorry for the kids trying to get an education in a freak show environment.

[Shammu]

Hello Dreamweaver,

All of this rainbow flag garbage and trying to force it into classrooms is sick and disgusting beyond any words I have right now. SO, I'll just say nothing else for right now except that I feel sorry for the kids trying to get an education in a freak show environment.

I know brother, but that is the reason for this thread.    To show how close to tribulatiion, and how sick this world is...

[Soldier4Christ]

I know brother, but that is the reason for this thread.    To show how close to tribulatiion, and how sick this world is...

Another reason for more action like what was done to the TV show "Book on Daniel".

[justthomas]

A Christian Prophesy conference is being held at Calvary Chapel Tri-City in Tempe, az this week-end. Jan 28-29.  I have put a link to the conference on www.ThirdStep.org/ The entire conference can be viewed via the internet live. It starts about 9:15 am both days. It is free and well worth the visit to check out.

God Bless,
Justthomas