Militia Capitulates: Iraqi Army Enters Sadr City

Soldiers from Company A, 64th Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division set concrete barriers in place in the surroundings of the southern portion of the Sadr City district of Baghdad May 3. (US Army photo/Specialist Joseph Rivera Rebolled)

ثلاثة وعشرون مهدي جيب قتلت مقاتل يتلقّى يكون ب [أوس] وقوّات [إيرقي] منذ الالعصر شهر ماي
8. [أوس] خاصّ عمليات قتل أفرقة يشغل داخليّة [سدر] مدينة تسعة مهدي جيب مقاتل بما أنّ هم هاجموا عراقيّ و [أوس] قوّات يبني العالقة مادّيّ على [قودس] شارع. وجّه الفريق أيضا غارة جويّة أنّ قتل اثنان كثير مهدي جيب مقاتل. بالأمس, [أوس] قتل قوّات خاصّة اثنان مهدي جيب مقاتل في [سدر] مدينة.

[أوس] قتل جنديّ 12 كثير مهدي جيب مقاتل في [سدر] مدينة من شهر ماي 8-9. [أوس] استعمل قوّات [أونمنّد] جوّيّة عربة, هليكوبتر, [أبرمس] دباب, و [سملّ-رمس] نار [إين رسبونس تو] مهدي جيب هجوم داخليّة [سدر] مدينة.

Followers of rebel cleric Muqtada al Sadr agreed late Friday to allow Iraqi security forces to enter all of Baghdad's Sadr City and to arrest anyone found with heavy weapons in a surprising capitulation that seemed likely to be hailed as a major victory for Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki.

Twenty-three Mahdi Army fighters have been killed by US and Iraqi troops since the afternoon of May 8. US Special Operations teams operating inside Sadr City killed nine Mahdi Army fighters as they attacked Iraqi and US forces building the concrete barrier on Qods Street. The team also directed an air strike that killed two more Mahdi Army fighters. Yesterday, US Special Forces killed two Mahdi Army fighters inside Sadr City.

US soldiers killed 12 more Mahdi Army fighters inside Sadr City from May 8-9. US troops used unmanned aerial vehicles, helicopters, Abrams tanks, and small-arms fire in response to Mahdi Army attacks inside Sadr City.

Note on Oren, Power, Faith, and Fantasy: America in the Middle East, 1776 to the Present

The history of U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East by Michael Oren portrays American involvement in the region but without the usual canard that the American interest in the region is simply about oil. An historian and senior fellow at the Shalem Center in Jerusalem, Dr. Oren authored the recent bestseller Power, Faith, and Fantasy: America in the Middle East, 1776 to the Present to this end. With its fledging navy, the United States began as a nation dependent on trading. Two centuries before the oil boom, 20% of this trade was with the Middle East.

The pirates of the Muslim Barbary corsairs attacked the U.S. and Europe. Thomas Jefferson did not wish to employ bribery, as had been the case, and he violated his own anti-state tendencies to argue that the United States should build a naval force to protect its maritime interest. The John Adams argument advocated the continued policy of payoffs to building a navy. Finally, Jefferson's view prevailed and in fact one of the primary arguments for the U.S. Constitution was that a stronger federal government was needed to raise funds for just such a naval force.

In contrast to an emphasis on oil acquisition, Oren demonstrates that the earliest American presence in the Middle East has revolved around three themes: faith, fantasy, and power. He makes no bones about the American pursuit of power in the region, military, diplomatic, or economic as the case may be, in the pursuit of tangible American interests in the Middle East.

In addition, faith informed American thought on the Middle East as evangelists sought to impart their own faith to an unbelieving world. America was to be the "city on a hill" or that divine example of freedom, morality, and human rights all on display for the world.

Finally, the theme of fantasy informed the illusory and mystical images of the Middle East suggested to the minds of many Americans, who saw the Arabic tradition as a land of unrivaled romance and exoticism.

The overwhelming predominance of Americans who visited the Middle East in the 19th century traveled either to enjoy the exotic lands to be discovered there, or, they were there to convert Muslims, or at least educate them, to the American gospel.

In the twentieth century, U.S. policy toward the Middle East was dictated by the intersection of faith and power as exemplified by Theodore Roosevelt who insisted that the United States should declare war on the Ottoman Empire. He argued that the U.S. was obligated to spread its faith and its democracy to the backward and recalcitrant Turks. We should realize the failure of this policy once President Woodrow Wilson's refused to commit the U.S. During WW I then, more than a million troops from Britain and France were stationed in the Middle East but not one American soldier. The Frence and the British dictated post-War policy without the Americans.

Throughout the subsequent administrations, to that of Harry Truman in 1948, the U.S. faithfully endorsed Jewish restoration to the Holy Land while supporting the spread of democracy in the region.

In the final concluding section, Oren switches gears and describes the complex and nuanced policy of the U.S. in the Middle East.

The major takeway to consider is how the U.S. has had a nearly parallel history to that of the U.S. itself. This nation and the Middle East have been intertwined for nearly the same amount of time that the nation has existed. Partly based on a desire to promote faith in America's institutions, and exert power in the region, American presidents have sought to export America's faith in itself and its institutions, while being captivated and seduced by the exotic Middle East.
Today, many Middle Easterners are unaware of this history, not realizing that the United States has long enjoyed multifaceted and mutually beneficial relations in the region. Although its policies, perceptions, and motives have sometimes been a bit muddled, the United States has done vastly more good than harm in the Middle East over the course of more than two centuries, in unexpected ways that often foreshadowed some of this century's most complex challenges.

Daily Round-Up

The picture of AQ's failed hope of a collapsed Iraqi state: Baghdad, Anbar, Diyala, Kirkuk, Salah al-Din, Ninawa, and other parts of the governorate of Babel.

Graphic source: AQ

ال [إيرقي] عسكريّة يدّعى أبو [أوب] [أل] [مسري], [أق] زعيمة على قبض في [نينوا] محافظة. كان 14 من العلويّة 30 [أق] عميلات يقتل أو على قبض في الساحقة 3 شهور [أق] زعيمات في موصل, بما في ذلك 3 من [سودي ربيا]. 19 مهدي قتل مقاتلات. أكّد 539 مهدي يقتل في [سدر] مدينة منذ مارس - آذار 25. أمرّ الحكومة [إيرقي] أنّ ال [أل] [أهد] محلة لاسلكيّة, [سدر], يعطّل.

The Iraqi military claimed Abu Ayyub al Masri, AQ leader captured in Ninewa province.

14 of the top 30 AQ operatives killed or captured in the past 3 months were AQ leaders in Mosul, including 3 from Saudi Arabia. 19 Mahdi fighters killed. 539 Mahdi confirmed killed in Sadr City since March 25. The Iraqi government ordered that the Al Ahad radio station, Sadr's, be shut down.

AQ Disintegrating in Iraq

ئتلاف يجبر يقتل أو على قبض 50 أعضاء كبريات [أل] - [قدا] هذا شهر. من العشرة [أل] كبريات - [قدا] [نبّد] زعيمات, خمسة أمير, أو زعيمات, واحدة خليّة زعيمة, وخمسة [فسليتتور] وقنبلة صانعات يتلقّى يكون. [أل] [بغددي] يصحّ اكتشفت هويّة كان عقب إستجوابات مع [ا نومبر وف] [أل] - [قدا] زعيمات الذي كان أوقفت في [هديثا]. [أل-ربيا] عيّن الزعيمة والشبكة إذاعة صورته. قال ال [دوبي-بسد] شبكة الاسم حقيقيّ [أل-بغددي] حميد [دووود] [أل-زوي].


Coalition forces killed or captured 50 senior members of al Qaeda this month. Of the ten senior al Qaeda leaders, five emirs, or leaders, one cell leader, and five facilitators and bomb makers have been nabbed. Al Baghdadi’s true identity was discovered after interrogations with a number of al Qaeda leaders who were arrested in Haditha. Al-Arabiya identified the leader and the network broadcast his photograph. The Dubai-based network said the real name of al-Baghdadi is Hamid Dawoud al-Zawi.

Al Qaeda Network Nabbed, April-May 2008

Graphic source: Multinational Forces Iraq

While most of the good news from the front arises from Sadr City lately, the pressure has been kept on al-Qaeda as well. A list of the 10 most senior al Qaeda leaders killed or captured in April and May is now available. In April and May, US and Iraqi security forces have killed or captured 50 senior members of al Qaeda over the past month. Of the ten senior al Qaeda leaders, five emirs, or leaders, one cell leader, and five facilitators and bomb makers have been nabbed. Mosul remains hot. Three of the leaders captured were in Mosul, and one was responsible for operations in Bayji, close to Mosul. AQ's last major ratline into Syria spans to the west from Mosul into Tal Afar and the crossing point at Sinjar.

The Long War Journal lists several AQ bagged:

Senior AQ operatives killed or captured in Mosul, Baghdad, Salahadin Province:

Mosul:

• Ibrahim Ahmad Umar Nasir al Sabawi: Al Qaeda's emir of eastern Mosul. Sabawi facilitated the movement of foreign al Qaeda operatives into Mosul and worked closely with Abu Yasir al Saudi, also know as Jar Allah, one of two Saudi al Qaeda leaders killed in a US airstrike in Mosul in February.
• Ayyad Jasim Muhammad 'Ali: Al Qaeda's emir for northeastern Mosul.
• Adnan Muhammad: An Al Qaeda cell leader in Mosul.
• Nawaf 'Ali Muhammad Sultan: An Al Qaeda suicide car bomb cell leader in Mosul.
• Husam Asim Sayid Mahmud: An al Qaeda suicide car bomb facilitator for Mosul.

Baghdad:

• Abbas’ ‘Abd Ahmad Hamad: An al Qaeda car bomb maker for the South Karkh network.
• Riyad 'Abbas Husayn: Al Qaeda's sharia emir, or religious leader in charge of enforcing al Qaeda's Taliban-like religious rule, in South Karkh.
• Sa'ad Abdullah Salih: An al Qaeda bomb maker who facilitated the movement of foreign al Qaeda operatives into Baghdad.

Salahadin Province:

• Yusif Dhalaf 'Abd Fayyad: Al Qaeda's security emir in Bayji.
• Najah Husayn 'Ali Ismail: An Al Qaeda weapons facilitator in Tikrit.

Turning the Corner

US, Iraqi forces kill 18 Mahdi fighters during clashes, raids in Baghdad. The Iraqi government arrested 42 policemen for colluding with outlaws and arrested 35 hospital workers for assisting the Mahdi. Iraqi police discovered a weapons cache in the Imam Ali Mosque in the Al Ghadeer neighborhood in New Baghdad. 520 Mahdi have been killed in Sadr City since 25 March.

يقتل [أوس], قوّات [إيرقي] 18 مهدي مقاتل أثناء صدامات, غارة في بغداد. أوقف الحكومة [إيرقي] 42 شرطيات ل يتآمر مع يحظّر وأوقف 35 مستشفى عامل ل يساعد مهدي. اكتشف شرطة [إيرقي] أسلحة مخبأ في [إيمم] علي مسجد في ال [أل] [غدير] جوار في بغداد جديد. قتلت 520 مهدي يتلقّى يكون في [سدر] مدينة منذ 25 مارس - آذار.

Daily News

تباعد الجيش ال [أل-موستفا] ([أ.ك.] "[جيش] [أل-موستفا]") - [سونّي] مجموعة متمرّد أيّ قد ادّعى اعتمادات ل على الأقلّ ثلاثة عمليات مشتركة مع [أل-قيدا] "دولة إسلاميّة من العراق" ([إيس]) منذ يناير - كانون الثّاني 2008 يتلقّى فجأة علاقة مع ال [إيس], يتّهم قادته محلّية من يشبك في "تهديدات" و" عمليّة ابتزاز."
إئتلاف قتل 18 مهدي منذ شهر ماي 3. ما من [أوس] أفدت جنديّ كان يقتل في حادثات [أني وف ث].

The Army of al-Mustafa (a.k.a. “Jaish al-Mustafa”)—a Sunni insurgent group which has claimed credit for at least three joint operations with Al-Qaida’s “Islamic State of Iraq” (ISI) since January 2008—has suddenly broken off relations with the ISI, accusing its local commanders of engaging in “threats” and “blackmail.”
Coalition killed 18 Mahdi since May 3. No US soldiers were reported killed in any of the incidents.

Cole Killers Get a Free Ride

Graphic source: U.S. Navy / AFP file.

This photo from Oct. 12, 2000, shows the damaged port side of the guided missile destroyer USS Cole after an attack blamed on the al-Qaeda terror network during a refueling operation in the Yemeni port of Aden. Quote courtesy of MSNBC.

U.S. Sailors Dead; killers freed.

As frustating as that statement may be, that is about the size of it. The probe of the USS Cole bombing unravels as the plotters are freed by the state terrorists running Yemen. Al-Qaeda nearly sank the USS Cole with an explosives-stuffed motorboat, killing 17 sailors, all the defendants convicted in the attack have escaped from prison or been freed by Yemeni officials.

Jamal al-Badawi, a Yemeni who helped organize the plot to bomb the Cole on Oct. 12, 2000, has broken out of prison twice. He was recaptured both times, but then secretly released by the government last fall. U.S. officials have demanded the right to ensure he is actually jailed.

Two suspects, described as the key organizers, are being held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, beyond the jurisdiction of U.S. courts. They may never be tried by the military.

The United States government failed to bring al-Qaeda operatives to justice.

Other Cole conspirators have been freed after short prison terms and at least two went on to commit suicide attacks in Iraq.

Ali Soufan, a former FBI agent and a lead investigator into the bombing, was one of the most valuable assets the country had in the investigation and his frustration with the case is palpable. A riveting account of Soufan's clever investigation informs Lawrence Wright's, The Looming Tower about al-Qaeda.

Al-Qaeda celebrates the Cole attack as one of its signature victories. They are correct. The U.S. response has been tepid at best.

Very few of the individuals and countries who played a role in the Cole assault have been questioned.

The Cole investigation paled after 9/11.

Once dispatched to Yemen, the investigation was bogged down by internal bickering and the clash of culture between sophisticated FBI techniques and the backwardness of Yemeni culture.

The U.S. investigation, headed up by the FBI however, identified the ringleader as Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri, a Saudi national of Yemeni descent who served as al-Qaeda's operations chief in the Arabian Peninsula.

The Yemeni authorities protected him and U.S. officials could not arrest him.

Nashiri eventually left Yemen to prepare other attacks on U.S. targets in the Persian Gulf, U.S. officials said. He was captured in the United Arab Emirates in November 2002 and handed over to the CIA. He was detained in the CIA's secret network of overseas prisons until he was transferred to Guantanamo Bay in September 2006.

Another al-Qaeda leader, Tawfiq bin Attash, who also played an organizing role in the Sept. 11 hijackings, was arrested in Karachi, Pakistan, in May 2003 and confessed last year to overseeing the Cole plot.

Bin Attash and Nashiri were both named unindicted co-conspirators in the Justice Department's investigation into the Cole attack. A decision was made not to indict them because pending criminal charges could have forced the CIA or the Pentagon to give up custody of the men.

Quotes courtesy of © 2008 The Washington Post Company, URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24449741/.

Afghanistan Ambassador Calls Korea

Afghanistan expects bigger Korean role, at least this is what Afghanistan Ambassador Mohammad Karim Rahimi said. In an interview with The Korea Times the Ambassador hoped that Korea would take an active role in assisting Afghanistan. Korean troops were deployed during 2002 in Afghanistan as part of the International Security Assistance Force under the command of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), and stayed until last December. Korea decided not to renew the deployment. However, last month, the Korean government announced it would dispatch a dozen policemen to Afghanistan for training purposes.

The Ambassador went on to point out that security is still the biggest challenge in Afghanistan. He stressed terrorist threats in Afghanistan were a threat to the region and, at large, to the world, implying full-fledged action against it on the international level is needed to tackle the problem. The Ambassador stated: "Terrorism is an enemy of humankind. No matter where you live, in Korea, the U.S. or France. As human beings we need to join our hands to get rid of the common enemy." No secret there and it would be assisted solved effectively by the increasing presence of the international community. Most importantly for the U.S., it would lessen this country's stance of largely going it alone and Korea should increase its involvement to be more of a regional power.

To date, nearly 40 (NATO and some non-NATO) countries have a military presence in Afghanistan under the UN resolution working for reconstruction and stability of the war-torn country. In June 2008, member states of G8, neighboring countries and other countries that have contributed to Afghan reconstruction will meet at the Paris Conference.

مصر تدرس امكان اعادة فتح سفارة لها في بغداد

الإثنين 05 أيار 2008 05:58 GMT

أعلن وزير الخارجية المصرية احمد ابو الغيط أن القاهرة على اتصال مع حكومة المالكي لتأمين زيارة وفد أمني مصري بهدف درس امكان اعادة فتح السفارة المصرية في بغداد.
وأكد ابو الغيط عقب محادثات اجراها مع نظيره البحريني الشيخ خالد بن احمد آل خليفة أن الوفد جاهز للسفر فور تحديد موعد له. وقد اشترط وزير الخارجية المصرية توفير الأمن للبعثة اذا ما استأنفت عملها في بغداد****، فيما اعتبر وزير خارجية البحرين أن التواجد في العراق مهم للغاية، مذكّرا باستشهاد سفير مصر في بغداد ونجاة السفير البحريني من محاولة اغتيال.

Questions for The New York Times

Graphic source: Robert Nickelsberg/Getty Images, for The New York Times

In one of those annoying major news media stories that is misleading, factually incorrect, and unduly biased, a productive counter-insurgency move is missed by The New York Times.

The question is, why does The New York Times insist on missing the story and providing incomplete coverage? For example, in the misleading article written by Alissa J. Rubin, she does not explain how, even in her published news article, that you can see a road on the right hand side of the damaged vehicles. What she does not explain but you can see in the picture is that the hospital is on the left hand side of the road.

From the blast pattern, it is obvious that the GMLRS (Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System) hit across the road to the right and avoided the hospital.

Graphic source: Global Security.org

U.S. Army commanders and troops have come to view the missiles as their 70-kilometer sniper rifle, but the insurgents understand the weapon in a far more ominous light. The insurgents are calling it the 'Hand of Allah.' For the insurgents, the rockets seemingly come from nowhere. With their vertical trajectory, ability to cover 70 kilometers (43 miles) in 82 seconds and close-combat precision, the rockets are decisive.

Finally, how come Ms. Rubin does not publish a picture of the target and show the Mahdi compound and the criminal activities taking place? The U.S. military targeted and destroyed a Special Groups command and control center. The Special Groups are a unit of the Mahdi Army that receives backing from Iran's Qods Force, the foreign clandestine operations wing that has supported Shia terror groups in Iraq. The Mahdi Army used hospitals as staging areas for sectarian attacks and weapons storage depots. The target was selected for elimination precisely because it was an insurgent headquarters and located in a difficult to hit area because of its sensitive location.

And last but not least, who is Tareq Mahir, listed at the bottom of the article, who is he affiliated with, and if Rubin gets major credit in writing the article, what does Mahir have to do with the article? I think that The New York Times is performing a major disservice in not being upfront with its readers.

Who Said This and When?

And today we salute our unseen allies in occupied countries, the underground resistance groups and the Armies of Liberation. They will provide potent forces against our enemies......

There have always been cheerful idiots in this country who believed that there would be no more war for us if everybody in America would only return into their homes and lock their front doors behind them.

Who said this and when?

24 December 1943, Franklin Delano Roosevelt

Saif Al Adel, Al Qaeda Document, Zarqawi In Iraq Before Americans

On February 17 2008, Al-Ekhlaas which is the largest terrorist forum on the internet published an Al Qaeda document that talks about the life of Abou Musaab Al Zarqawi and indicates that Zarqawi came to Iraq before the war to prepare the terrorist insurgency against the US troops. According to the document Zarqawi arrived to the Sunni areas in central Iraq. This document was written by one of Al Qaeda top leaders called “Saif Al Adel”. There were many accounts about Zarqawi's presence in Iraq before the war in particular in Northern Iraq with “Ansar Al Islam” an active Al Qaeda affiliated terrorist group that was present in the Kurdish areas of Iraq long before the war started. The document also proves that Ansar Al Islam helped Al Qaeda members establish themselves in Iraq before the war started. The author of the document wrote that there were no relation between Saddam regime and Al Qaeda but this does not negate at all the most important fact that Al Qaeda was in Iraq before the war for the sole purpose of preparing for its most important front to fight the U.S and it is now in Iraq where Al Qaeda is suffering its most crushing defeat since its existence. It is very important to note that despite the author's denial of a relationship between Saddam regime and Al Qaeda, it does not mean that Saddam regime was not aware of Al Qaeda presence in Iraq. In fact the document clearly points out that Zarqawi went to the Sunni areas in Central Iraq before the war and these areas were totally controlled and loyal to the Saddam regime and it was very hard to imagine that Zarqawi stayed and prepared his terrorist sleepers cells in these Sunni areas without the approval of the Saddam regime.

30 April 2008 Order of Battle-Iraq

Iraqi troops are being improved as the Mahdi have collapsed in and around Sadr City.

Pulverizing Mahdi: GMLRS Deployed

14 Mahdi Army fighters have been killed during clashes over the past 24 hours.

The US Army targeted and destroyed a Special Groups command and control center in a Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System.

465 Mahdi Army fighters have been confirmed killed in and around Sadr City since March 25.

14 مهدي جيب قتلت مقاتل يتلقّى يكون أثناء صدامات على السابق 24 ساعات.

ال [أوس] استهدف جيب ودمّر مجموعة خاصّة يمرّ و [كنترول سنتر] في يرشد يتعدّد إطلاق صاروخ نظامة.

465 مهدي قتل جيب مقاتل يتلقّى يكون أكّدت في وحول [سدر] مدينة منذ مارس - آذار 25.

Rear Window

Rear Window is a 1954 film directed by Alfred Hitchcock, based on Cornell Woolrich's 1942 short story It Had to Be Murder. The movie stars James Stewart as photojournalist L. B. Jefferies, Grace Kelly as his fashion-model girlfriend, Lisa Carol Fremont, and Raymond Burr as the suspected killer, Lars Thorwald. The film combines its main theme, a murder mystery, with a critical examination of the ethics of marriage and voyeurism.

Hitchcock's fans and film scholars have taken particular interest in the way the relationship between Jeff and Lisa can be compared to the lives of the neighbors they are spying upon. Many of these points are considered in Tania Modleski's feminist theory book, The Women Who Knew Too Much. (ISBN 0-415-97362-7)[2]

* Thorwald and his wife are a reversal of Jeff and Lisa (Thorwald looks after his invalid wife just as Lisa looks after the invalid Jeff). However, Thorwald's hatred of his nagging wife mirrors Jeff's arguments with Lisa.
* The newlywed couple initially seem perfect for each other (they spend nearly the entire movie in their bedroom with the blinds drawn), but at the end we see that their marriage is in trouble and the wife begins to nag the husband. Similarly, Jeff is afraid of being 'tied down' by marriage to Lisa.
* The middle-aged couple with the dog seem content living at home. They have the kind of uneventful lifestyle that horrifies Jeff.
* The music composer and Miss Lonely Heart, the depressed spinster, lead frustrating lives, and at the end of the movie find comfort in each other (the composer's new tune draws Miss Lonely Heart away from suicide, and the composer thus finds value in his work). There is a subtle hint in this tale that Lisa and Jeff are meant for each other, despite his stubbornness. The piece the composer creates is called "Lisa's Theme" in the credits.

The film received four Academy Award nominations: Best Director for Alfred Hitchcock, Best Screenplay for John Michael Hayes, Best Cinematography, Color for Robert Burks, Best Sound Recording for Loren L. Ryder, Paramount Pictures. In 1997, Rear Window was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". This film was ranked #14 on AFI's 100 Years... 100 Thrills. It was ranked #48 on AFI's 100 Years... 100 Movies (10th Anniversary Edition). To this day, the film gets a 100% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes.

Cf. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rear_Window

Post, Wall, Barriers to Erect for Security/Understanding

Graphic source: Washington Post

Please note the bias on the part of the respected source. The red part of Quds Street is about 3.2 miles according to NIMA, the US mapping agency. The Washington Post, with a cohort of local stringers and the efforts of Columbia University types, still make a mistake. The scale is wrong on such a basic aspect of mapping at 7.5 miles. On the other hand, perhaps its a typographical mistake. In this case, the 4 on the miles scale should be a 1. In any event, the Washington Post's typo seems to have permit a bias. By making Quds Street appear 2.5 times longer than it really is, they want to send a message that this project is doomed, and that JAM (the Mahdi) is unbeatable. They are not. The incorrect scale should be about 1.5 miles, which is not a standard. Thus the scale was arbitrary and pulled out of a hat to serve a bias.

The recent attacks in Sadr City have centered around the barrier that U.S. Army engineers are building. The Mahdi Army attacks are hampering progress here on Qods Street, dividing the Ishbilyah and the Habbibiyah neighborhoods, which are controlled by the US and Iraqi military, from the northern neighborhoods. The four goals are: to restrict the movement of weapons and supplies into the southern neighborhoods, prevent the Mahdi Army from using these areas as launch sites for mortar and rocket attacks against the International Zone, establish the writ of the government, and provide humanitarian assistance to Iraqis living in these areas in order to wrest control from the Mahdi Army, according to the Long War Journal. A total of 465 Mahdi Army fighters have been confirmed killed in and around Sadr City since March 25. The Iraqi government has stated that the Sadrist political movement would not be able to participate in upcoming provincial elections if it failed to disband the Mahdi Army.

Terrorist Attack Rise: al Qaeda Kills 2,400 Children

Recruits of Saudi-born Islamic militant Osama bin Laden are seen marching in this frame grab from an undated training video at an undisclosed location in Afghanistan.

Graphic source: REUTERS/Stringer (I would imagine this is an AQ photographer. Who else would be allowed inside a training camp to take a picture? Reuters is not going inside.)

Attacks for which al Qaeda claimed responsibility killed or wounded 5,400 civilians, including 2,400 children, and Muslims accounted for more than 50 percent of al Qaeda victims, the center's data showed.

The number of people killed in attacks rose to 22,685, from 20,872 in the previous year, the U.S. National Counterterrorism Center said. Al Qaeda claimed responsibility for killing or wounding 5,400 civilians: including 2,400 children, and Muslims accounted for more than 50 percent of al Qaeda victims.

More non-Italians Than Italians In Italy Oppose Mosques

Recently I noted that Italy was plagued by a new appearance of al-Qaeda in an Italian website. Today, one out of three Italians oppose the building of new mosques according to a survey. There are an estimated one million Muslim immigrants in Italy and 258 mosques throughout the country. Rome's Grand Mosque is the biggest mosque in Europe. The survey commissioned by the government and conducted by Italian consultants, Makno Consulting, revealed that 31% of Italians are against the construction of new mosques. The Italians are afraid of intolerance of Catholicism and possible terrorist attacks by Islamists. Interestingly, non-Muslim immigrants showed even less tolerance than their Italian counterparts and 50% of them rejected the idea of opening new mosques. 55% of Italians think that immigration from Islamic countries is the biggest problem. The survey also found that Italians should take precedence over immigrants--legal or illegal0--for social services, schools, nurseries, hospitals and emergency care. Italians desired a greater police presence, a limit on the number of immigrants per classroom in schools, and more frequent checks of mosques, licenses and businesses.

12 Somali Insurgents Killed in American Airstrike

Twelve people have been killed in an air strike by American planes which targeted an Islamist insurgent organisation in Dusamareb, central Somali. Reuters carried a story with a biography of the insurgents killed.

Two commanders of the Islamist militia died in the attack. The air strike targeted senior Shabab and al Qaeda leader Aden Hashi Ayro. In a propaganda audiotape released by Shabab in November 2007, Ayro expressed his wishes of "someday beheading women and children in Addis Ababa." The second commander killed is Fazul Abdullah Mohammad. Fazul is al Qaeda's operations chief responsible for planning the 1998 bombings of the US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, as well as the 2002 car bombing attack in Kenya and missile attack on an Israeli airliner.

The insurgents form part of the Somali branch of al-Qaeda. Since being removed ousted by allied Somali and Ethiopian troops, the insurgents have continued guerrilla attacks. The successful strike is the fifth known US-led air strike against al Qaeda operatives in Somalia since the Ethiopian operation to drive the Islamic Courts from power was launched in late December 2006.

Bill Roggio Appears on al-Jazeera and Gets a Word In Edge-wise

Peace talks between the Pakistani government and Taliban rebels have collapsed as the government refused to pull its troops out of its tribal border region with Afghanistan.

Part II of the interview including Bill Roggio in which a Taliban apologist attempts to denounce Bill Roggio. Even the al-Jazeera talking head attempts to intervene on Roggio's behalf.

US troops kill 28 Mahdi fighters in Sadr City

An additional 27 Mahdi Army fighters and a senior Special Groups leader were killed during a series of engagements in the afternoon and throughout the night in Sadr City. The US troops were attacked with rocket propelled grenades and small arms fire as they were building a concrete security barrier in Sadr City to prevent rocket attacks on the Green Zone. US soldiers responded and killed three Mahdi fighters. Ten minutes later, US troops killed seven Mahdi Army fighters as they attacked the soldiers with mortars and machine guns. No US casualties occurred in either incident.

US troops killed another 17 Mahdi Army fighters in a series of engagements throughout the day as they transported weapons, set up rockets for launching, planted roadside bombs, and attacked US troops in Sadr City.

Coalition Special Forces also conducted a daylight strike today inside Sadr City to target a known Iranian-sponsored senior Special Groups leader. The leader was killed.

463 Mahdi Army fighters have been killed in recent fighting.

The unprecedented buildup of forces indicates the Iraqi government and the US military are serious about advancing into Sadr City beyond the southern third of the district being hemmed in by the security barriers being erected.

Sadr City Cleaning Up for Fall Elections

U.S. troops killed six Mahdi Army fighters in a series of engagements, while the Iraqi government reported that 925 have been killed since fighting broke out in Sadr City at the end of March. 435 Mahdi Army fighters have been killed in and around Sadr City since the fighting broke out on March 25. Maliki seems committed against the militias. Clearing the impoverished areas will allow humanitarian groups in, will permit legitimate political activity without the intimidation of an armed group of thugs, and the Fall elections can continue on schedule. The rule of law came to Fallujah in ridding the area of AQ which is happening in Sadr.

وّات قتلوا ستّة مهدي جيش مقاتلات [إين ا سريس وف] إلتزامات, بينما الحكومة [إيرقي] أفاد أنّ قتلت 925 يتلقّى يكون منذ يتنازع [بروك ووت] في [سدر] مدينة في النهاية مارس - آذار. 435 مهدي جيش قتلت مقاتلات يتلقّى يكون في وحول [سدر] مدينة بما أنّ ال يتنازع [بروك ووت] في مارس - آذار 25. [مليكي] يبدو يرتكب ضدّ الميليشيا. سيسمح يخلي المناطق ناضب مجموعة إنسانيّة داخل, سيسمح نشاط شرعيّ سياسيّة دون التخويف من مجموعة مسلّحة سفّاح, والسقوط إنتخابات يستطيع استمرّت على جدول. أتى ال [رول وف لو] إلى [فلّوجه] في يخلّص المنطقة من [أق] أيّ يكون يحدث في [سدر].

Syrian Nuke Nuked

The Syrian reactor bombed by Israel last 6 September had the capacity to produce enough nuclear material to fuel one to two weapons a year according to CIA Director Michael Hayden. It could have produced enough material for at least one weapon. The reactor was of a "similar size and technology" to North Korea's Yongbyon reactor, Hayden said. This is the first we have really heard and seen the Syrian operation from an American view, a development that for the world's sake seems like a good thing to destroy.

28 Mahdi Killed in U.S. Rescue/Ambush

Another heavy-duty day found U.S. troops killed 28 Mahdi fighters during a Sadr City ambush. A four-hour battle in southern Sadr City erupted after a US soldier was wounded by gunfire and U.S. forces began to evacuate the soldier. In a standard tactic used by insurgents, during the evacuation, Mahdi Army fighters triggered three roadside bombs and fired rocket propelled grenades and machineguns at the U.S. patrol. Five more soldiers were wounded in the attacks; none of the soldiers' injuries are reported as life-threatening.

Daily Round-Up

US, Iraqi troops killed 41 Mahdi Army fighters in Baghdad clashes; there were no U.S. Soldier or ISF casualties in the attack. 11th Iraqi Army Division and MND-B Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division, attached to 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, were attacked by a large group of criminals engaging with small-arms fire while manning a security checkpoint. U.S. Soldiers used 120 mm fire from M1A12 Abrams tanks and small-arms fire to kill 22 criminals, forcing remaining enemy forces present to retreat. The criminals’ small-arms fire was ineffective. The same day, US soldiers killed 16 Mahdi Army fighters during a series of engagements in northeastern Baghdad. There were no U.S. casualties. US and Iraqi troops have killed 151 Mahdi Army fighters in northeastern Baghdad since Sadr issued his threat on April 20.

تل [أوس], قوّات [إيرقي] 41 مهدي جيش مقاتلات في بغداد صدامات; هناك كان ما من [أو.س.] جندية أو [إيسف] إصابات في الهجوم. [11ث] [إيرقي] جيش هاجمت تقسيم و [مند-ب] جنديات من [1ست] فرقة, [64ث] درع فوج, [3رد] ماشية تقسيم, يربط إلى [3رد] لواء قتال فريق, [4ث] ماشية تقسيم, كان بمجموعة كبيرة مجرم يشبك مع [سملّ-رمس] نار بينما يجنّد أمن نقطة تفتيش. [أو.س.] استعمل جنديات 120 [مّ] نار من [م112] [أبرمس] دبّابة و [سملّ-رمس] نار أن يقتل 22 مجرم, يجبر [إنمي فورسس] متبقّي حاضر أن ينسحب. المجرم [سملّ-رمس] كان نار غيرفعّال. [ث سم دي], [أوس] قتل جنديات 16 مهدي جيش مقاتلات أثناء [سري] الإلتزامات في بغداد شماليّ شرقيّ. هناك كان ما من [أو.س] إصابات. قد قتل [أوس] وقوّات [إيرقي] 151 مهدي جيش مقاتلات في بغداد شماليّ شرقيّ بما أنّ [سدر] أصدر تهديده في أبريل - نيسان 20.

"Truth Is the First Casualty of Warfare"

Graphic source: BBC

This is what happened today:

"US, Iraqi troops killed 41 Mahdi Army fighters in Baghdad clashes"

This is how NPR reported this event on "Morning Edition" today.

The statement was: "38 people killed in Iraq in the past 24 hours."

If you had not really listened, or since NPR did not identify who was killed, the unfortunate impression is that any number of random persons were killed, civilians and such, and many listeners would understand that simply more violence occurred. Buried within the story is that many fatalities were in fact, "militants."

On NPR's website, the story was re-written: "In Baghdad, the U.S. military is reporting the deaths of 38 Iraqi militants who launched attacks during a sandstorm."

The Philadelphia Inquirer did not run the story.

The BBC world edition ran: DOZENS KILLED IN BAGHDAD CLASHES, as the headline, in small print, "Thirty-eight Shia militia fighters have been killed in two days of fierce clashes in the Iraqi capital Baghdad, the US military has said."

CNN reports the story thusly, "U.S. authorities in Iraq reported more attacks in Baghdad's heavily fortified International Zone Monday following the deaths of 38 militants in battles on Sunday in the eastern section of the city."

In this version, it sounds as if damaging attacks occurred once militants were killed, as if so many were killed and then a counter-offensive followed.

The point I'm trying make here is that news sources are not reporting in a forthright manner. The alternative news sources are scooping the major outlets. Today, you have to look for the news to find a semblance of the truth.

Europol Votes for Jolly 'Ole England

Europol, the European police force, reports that terrorist plots linked to groups in Pakistan had been "almost exclusively focused on the UK." Just last week it was revealed that 15 plots to attack British targets have been foiled in the three years since the London bombings. British authorities said that 203 people had been arrested on suspicion of terror offences in 2007, representing a 30 per cent increase on the previous year. The motivation is attributed to Islam. In contrast, only 201 people were detained in the rest of Europe. French police made 91 arrests.

Pentagon Readying for Catostrophic Plans: and, Drones to Buzz U.S. Citizens

The Pentagon will be prepared by the Fall with the first specially trained task force designed to rapidly respond to a catastrophic attack against the U.S. The unit will consist of between 4,000 and 4,500 people. Interestingly enough, the Pentagon may also use unmanned aerial vehicles over the continental United States. The drones, remotely controlled aircraft, are considered a “critical enabler” that has proved its worth by helping firefighters battle wildfires and border patrol agents protect the northern and southern borders. The Air Force used the Global Hawk unmanned surveillance aircraft during the southern California wildfires last fall.

More Than Tang

Years ago the Universities were tied to the military establishment and they produced harmful chemicals. Then again, there were supposed to be advantages behind the millions poured into the space race. I would hope though for all the money spent there would be more than just Tang. The gaming video application dealing with PTSD from troops in Iraq has civilian applications as well for anyone struggling with a traumatic event.

Coalition Advance in Sadr: Karzai Escapes

US air weapons team killed seven Mahdi Army fighters in Sadr City on Saturday and early Sunday morning. Iraqi and US troops currently control the Ishbilya and Habbibiyah neighborhoods and have walled off these areas to restrict the movement of weapons and supplies. Afghan president Hamid Karzai narrowly escapes assassination after Taliban gunmen attack a military parade he attended in Kabul.

An Iraqi Army soldier used a flashlight to signal cars to turn off their headlights as a sandstorm enveloped central Baghdad, Iraq on Sunday. Militants fired rockets in the heavily guarded Green Zone, taking advantage of the sandstorm that blanketed the Iraqi capital and forced US helicopters and drones, which usually track militant activites, to be grounded.

Source: The Christian Science Monitor

Graphic source: Khalid Mohammed/AP

وس] [أير وبون] قتل فريق سبعة مهدي جيش مقاتل في [سدر] مدينة على يوم السّبت ومبكّر يوم الأحد صباح. يحتشد عراقيّ و [أوس] حاليّا تحكّم [إيشبيلا] و [هبّيبيه] جوارات ويحوّط من هذا أمنان أن يقيّد الحركة من أسلحة وإمداد تموين. يهرب رئيس [أفغن] حميد [كرزي] بشقّ النّفس إغتيال عقب [تليبن] رجل مسلّح يهاجمون إستعراض عسكريّة هو حضر في كابول.

Daily News

Mohammed Jahim al-Harbuni, an Iraq AQ operational head in Salaheddini, was killed in the Al-Jillam district northeast of Samarra, also killed were 2 Iraqis and 1 Saudi. The U.S. military reported a relative lull in fighting Saturday.

British troops in Afghanistan could hand control of key areas to Afghan forces in Helmand.

محمّد [جهيم] قتلت [أل-هربوني], العراق [أق] رأس عمليّاتيّة في [سلهدّيني], كان في ال [أل-جيلّم] من شمال شرق [سمرّا], أيضا يقتل كانوا 2 عراقيّ و1 [سودي]. ال [أو.س] أفاد جيش خمود نسبيّة في يتنازع يوم السّبت.

قوّات [بريتيش] في أفغانستان استطاع ناولت تحكّم من أمنان أساسيّة إلى قوّات [أفغن] في [هلمند].

"Let the soldiers of this Administration go to hell."

Graphic source: Actualite Internationale

Zawahiri pictured with Osama Bin Laden

On April 18th , a new 15-minute 52- second audio message by Al-Qa’ida's second-in-command Ayman al-Zawahiri entitled: "Five years after the Invasion of Iraq and Decades of Injustice by the Tyrants" was released. The message is produced by Al-Sahab Media Production Organization, the media wing of Al-Qa'ida organization. The following includes excerpts from the full translation of Al-Zawahiri’s audio message.

"Let the soldiers of this Administration go to hell."

Zawahiri summarizes and associates Americans, Asian colonialism, the French-British mandate, and Truman's decision to deploy atomic weapons. He states: "The age of the Monroe Doctrine, the Opium War, the Sykes-Picot Agreement, and the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki has gone, and the age of rejecting peace, capitulation, and normalization; the age of confronting the invaders in Chechnya, Afghanistan, Iraq, and Palestine, has begun."

The fact that Iraq is central to terrorist aims is clear. He states: ""Iraq today is now the most important arena in which our Muslim nation is waging the battle against the forces of the Crusader-Zionist campaign."

The young should "must transfer their anger to the streets. . . . high schools [are] . . . centers for supporting jihad and resistance." The entire Ummah (Islamic nation) must unite, everyone, including "children," in order "to drive out the Crusader and Jewish invaders from the land of Islam and establish the Islamic state that rules by the Islamic sharia."

Major Political Benchmark Possible

One of the unmistakable indications of counterinsurgency victory, and the recent promotion of Petraeus is a sound indication that events in Iraq have recently gone well, is when the insurgents stand down and join the political process. The Sunnis are formally announcing their intention to rejoin the Maliki government. What seemed unthinkable a year ago, the parties that walked out of Iraq's government have agreed to rejoin, in what could amount to a long-awaited political breakthrough. The necessary military step achieved by Petraeus and the surge allowed sufficient breathing room for the chaotic Iraqi political process to develop in a positive direction. And with this latest political development, the main Sunni Arab bloc, the Accordance Front, said it intended to submit a list of candidates for cabinet positions within days and could be back in Maliki's government soon. Its return has been a major goal of the United States.

Sadr Rebellion Quelled.

In less than a week the Sadr threat to rebel against the Iraqi government and US forces has collapsed. Muqtada al Sadr, the leader of the Mahdi Army, has called for his fighters to maintain the self-imposed cease-fire. The Maliki government has proved its mettle.

Interview: Not!

I find the indiscretion of a time gap on a resume amusing in this cartoon. Maybe its just me but I think its funny. What not to say in an interview.

Daily Iraq Story

ISF (Iraqi Security Forces) have demonstrated on the streets of Basra over the course of the last month that the rule of the law exists. Basra will be settled soon and this may actually be the tipping point in what continues to be a long struggle, and will persist as such.

A more recent development is the emerging rift within Al Qaeda. Al Qaeda's chief strategist, Ayman Zawahiri, felt compelled to solicit online questions and he responded. In a more than an hour and a half statement, Bin Laden's second-in-command tried to defuse the growing anger in the ranks.

Typical of the rift with AQ circles is the statement of Saudi cleric Salman Awdah who sent an open letter to Bin Laden in September. Awdah condemned violence against innocents and said Al Qaeda was hurting Muslim charities by its purported ties to them.

Along the same lines, the list of defectors is growing. In London this week, former extremists launched the Quilliam Foundation, an organization dedicated to discrediting Al Qaeda and other Islamic extremists.

And finally, the U.S. military could not confirm a report that Izzat Ibrahim al Douri is in custody. Douri was Hussein's right hand man.

And last but not least U.S. troops killed 15 Mahdi Army fighters during clashes in Baghdad. Iraqi security forces captured three Mahdi Army fighters and seized weapons during sweeps in Basrah. Coalition forces killed one al Qaeda operative and detained five during raids north of Mosul. Iraqi troops detained two al Qaeda leaders in Mosul.

Military Historian Weighs In

Military historian General Barry McCaffrey (Ret.) presented the Donald J. Sutherland University Lecture in the Liberal Arts, "Iraq, Foreign Policy and the 2008 Elections," on April 22, 2008.

Sadr Sadder

Iraqi and US military ignore Muqtada al Sadr's threat to conduct a third uprising. US troops killed 15 Mahdi Army fighters in Baghdad yesterday and have killed 56 fighters since Sadr issued his threat last weekend. General Mohan al Freiji, the chief of the Basrah Operational Commander and leader of the security operation in the province, has issued warrants "for 81 people," The Associated Press reported.

Iraqi forces seized a cache containing more than (1000) mortar rounds of different calibers, explosive equipment, and improvised explosive devices.

Twenty-seven Mahdi Army fighters were killed during clashes in Sadr City and Baghdad on April 20. US troops killed five Mahdi Army fighters in Sadr City and another seven fighters in New Baghdad on April 21. US soldiers killed another fifteen Mahdi Army fighters inside Sadr City on April 22.

Sadrist politicians appear to be working to disband the Mahdi Army and conduct negotiations with the US to end the fighting.

The assassination of Riyad al Nouri, Sadr's brother-in-law and a senior aide in Najaf, continues to spark reports that his death was carried out from within the Sadrist movement. Nouri was pushing for the Sadrist movement to disband the Mahdi Army and US military officers believe he was killed because of his views.

تجاهل عراقية و [أوس] جيش [موقتدا] [أل] [سدر] تهديد أن يوصل ثورة ثالثة. [أوس] قتل قوّات 15 مهدي جيش مقاتل في بغداد بالأمس ويقتل 56 مقاتل بما أنّ [سدر] أصدر تهديده نهاية أسبوع متأخّر. جنرال [موهن] قد أصدر [أل] [فريجي], الرئيس من [بسره] قائد عمليّاتيّة وزعيمة من الأمن عملية في المحافظة, أميات "ل 81 الناس," الصحافة موحّدة يفاد.

على قبض قوّات [إيرقي] مخبأ يحتوي أكثر من (1000) مدفع هاون دورات من العيار مختلفة, تجهيز مادّة متفجّرة, و [إيمبروفيز] أدوات مادّة متفجّرة.

[تونت-سفن] مهدي جيش قتلت مقاتل كان أثناء صدامات في [سدر] مدينة وبغداد في أبريل - نيسان 20. [أوس] قتل قوّات خمسة مهدي جيش مقاتل في [سدر] مدينة وآخر سبعة مقاتل في بغداد جديد في أبريل - نيسان 21. [أوس] قتل جنديات آخر خمسة عشر مهدي جيش مقاتل في [سدر] مدينة في أبريل - نيسان 22.

[سدريست] يظهر سياسيات أن يكون عملت أن يحلّ مهدي جيش وأوصلت مفاوضة مع ال [أوس] أن ينهي ال يتنازع.

يستمرّ الإغتيال من [ريد] [أل] [نووري], [سدر] الصهر ومساعد كبريات في [نجف], أن ينشّط تقرير أنّ موته كان وفيت من ضمن [سدريست] حركة. دفع [نووري] كان ل [سدريست] حركة أن يحلّ مهدي جيش و [أوس] ضابطات عسكريّ يصدقون هو كان قتلت بسبب منظره.

Students Want Gaming

Students Want More Use of Gaming Technology in Schools
Results from annual survey reveal disconnect between students', adults' views on technology in schools
By News Report

Project Tomorrow's fifth annual Speak Up Survey -- which addresses the attitudes and opinions of K-12 students, teachers, parents and school administrators toward the use of technology in education -- reveals this year that online or electronic gaming is one of the technologies that students use most frequently, and that educational gaming is one of the emerging technologies that students would most like to see implemented in their schools. Yet, only one in 10 teachers has adopted gaming as an instructional tool.

Project Tomorrow collected the data through online surveys conducted last fall and verified the results through a series of focus groups and interviews with representative groups of students, educators and parents.

During the past four years of the survey, the technology that students most wanted to see in their classrooms was a personal laptop for each student. For the first time this year, laptops for students also topped the list of teachers' and school leaders' most desired technologies.

However, this year's survey also reports that gaming is now listed by students as a classroom must-have.

In fact, 64 percent of students in grades K-12 say they play online or electronic-based games regularly. On average across all grade levels, students are playing electronic games about eight to 10 hours a week. More than 50 percent of students in grades three through 12 would like to see more educational gaming in their schools -- yet only 19 percent of parents and 15 percent of administrators favor the idea.

"What was really interesting to see in this year's survey is how the pervasiveness of gaming has really taken a stronghold," said Julie Evans, Project Tomorrow's chief executive. "Students are really articulating their interest in gaming, as well as the many benefits educational gaming can provide, such as helping them to learn difficult math concepts. Even the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics recognizes the huge potential for gaming technologies (in education)."

Just over half of the students surveyed (51 percent) said they're interested in educational gaming because games make it easier to understand difficult concepts. Fifty percent said gaming would make them more engaged in the subject, 46 percent said they would learn more about the subject, and 44 percent said it would be more interesting to use gaming when practicing math and science problems.

Yet, while more than 50 percent of teachers said they would be interested in learning more about integrating gaming technologies into their teaching and 46 percent would be interested in professional development on this topic, only 11 percent said they are currently incorporating some gaming into their instruction.

What's more, there seems to be a disconnect between what students want from their own education and what the adults in charge think is best.

According to the survey, students' frustration with school filters and firewalls has grown since 2003, with 45 percent of middle and high school students now saying that these tools designed to protect them inhibit their learning. And 40 percent of students in grades six through 12 cite their teacher as an obstacle to their use of technology in school.

As one high school student in a recent focus group told Project Tomorrow, his vision for the ultimate school is one where the teachers and the principal actively seek and regularly include the ideas of students in discussions and planning for all aspects of education -- not just technology.

"This is our future, after all," said the student. "Our ideas should count, too."

Cf. Converge

Clinton Takes PA, No Thanks to the Young

The lowest percentage of voting age blocs, 12% are voters 18-29 years old; the next lowest percentage, 19%, derives from 30-44 year olds; 37% of the 45-59 year old contingent votes; and, 32% of those 60+ years or older voted. Clinton was elected by older, female, working-class, and Catholic voters, all of whom have made up Clinton's base so far.

Daily Round-Up

US and Iraqi forces killed 27 Mahdi Army fighters in Baghdad and captured 40 in Nasariyah as Sadr threatens to withdraw the cease-fire. Coalition forces killed four al Qaeda operatives north of Baqubah and captured 22 suspects in northern Iraq.

Daily Round-Up Iraq & Afghanistan

Graphic source: Khaldoon Zubeir/Getty Images

Iraqi forces cleared out the Hayaniya neighborhood of Basra with little resistance on Saturday. By evening, with Coalition assistance, Basra calmed.

Iraqi soldiers took control of the last bastions of the cleric Moktada al-Sadr’s militia in Basra on Saturday, and Iran’s ambassador to Baghdad strongly endorsed the Iraqi government’s monthlong military operation against the fighters. An Afghan child was killed and two others injured during an insurgent rocket attack near an army base in eastern Kunar province. Afghan soldiers killed four Taliban in Kandahar after thwarting an ambush against their convoy in the Panjwai district.

أخذ جنديات [إيرقي] تحكّم من الحصن متأخّرة من الرجل دين [موكتدا] [أل-سدر] ميليشيا في البصرة في يوم السّبت, وإيران سفيرة إلى بغداد بقوّة ظهر ال [إيرقي] حكومة [مونثلونغ] عملية عسكريّة ضدّ المقاتلات. قتلت طفلة [أفغن] كان واثنان أخرى يجرح أثناء صاروخ متمرّد يهاجم قرب [أرمي بس] في شرفيّة [كونر] محافظة. قتل جنديات [أفغن] أربعة [تليبن] في [كندهر] بعد يثبت كم ضدّ قافلتهم في [بنجوي] من.

Daily Run-Down

Iraqi troops captured 35 "wanted men" during sweeps in Basrah. Iraqi troops have surrounded a Sadrist office in Basrah. Border troops prevented 164 German and Italian-made mines from being smuggled into the country from Iran. US troops captured a Special Groups cell leader in Baghdad's Rashid district. Coalition forces detained 12 al Qaeda operatives during raids near Samarra, Baghdad, and Mosul.

Sadr Bluster Fails

I am going to say the Iraqi move against Sadr was about time. Today, the Iraqi Army, with Coalition advice, moved into the Hayaniyah District in Basra. Although it is too early to tell, this may be the last major military move in Iraq. The way is not easy but the corner on military offensives has certainly been turned now.

Sadr Retreats, al-Maliki Advances

I am beginning to think the al-Maliki government is more than just bluster. The government has pursued Sadr and has been tenacious. No doubt Sadr will claim a victory regardless but it looks like he is losing his grip. His fighters are not following him, he is having the shots called from Iran, and he is on the defensive against the Iraqi government. All told, this is a dramatic turn around from the story just a year ago. Much has gone under the bridge in the meantime.

Brief Daily Summary

Bara bin Malek Front Commander killed in Pakistani shootout. He was a Taliban and behind the 2005 shootdown of a US Army Chinook. Coalition forces killed 9 Taliban in Ghazni. A Coalition UAV team killed 4 Mahdi in Basrah. Iraq's Sunnis have agreed to return to the Shiite-led government of al-Maliki.

AQ leader begs Sunni fighters who joined Americans to come back.

[برا] خانة مالك قائد أماميّة يقتل في [شووتووت] [بكيستني]. هو كان [أتليبن] وخلف ال 2005 [شووتدوون] من [أوس] جيش [شنووك]. إئتلاف قتل قوّات 9 [تليبن] في [غزني]. إئتلاف [أوف] قتل فريق 4 مهدي في [بسره]. العراق قد وافق [سونّيس] أن يرجع إلى ال [شييت-لد] حكومة ال [أل-مليكي]. [أق] يتسوّل زعيم [سونّي] مقاتلات الذي تلاقى [أمريكنس] أن يعاود.

Summary of AQ Degeneration: March - April 2008

Graphic source: The Long War Journal

US and Iraqi forces killed or captured 53 senior members of AQ in Iraq’s network over the past month. The 10 senior AQ leaders include 5 emirs, 3 cell leaders and 2 facilitators. 9 of 10 seniors have been captured, allowing interrogations.

The following data was compiled by the Long War Journal:

• Abd-al-Rahman Ibrahim Jasim Tha’ir: Al Qaeda in Iraq’s Military Emir in Mosul. He was responsible for the planning and execution of operations in the city. He was the former Military Emir of Bayji. Tha’ir was captured on March 2nd.

• Ahmad Husayn Ghanim ‘Ali: Al Qaeda in Iraq's Security Emir for East Mosul. [Captured]

• Abu Mansur: Al Qaeda’s Deputy Emir for Mosul who also served as a judge for al Qaeda’s sharia courts in the city. “His job was to try to cloak their corrupt ideology with religious sanction,” Bergner said. [Killed]

• Muhammad Fathi Hammad Husayn: An al Qaeda cell leader in Sharqat. [Captured]

Senior Al Qaeda in Iraq operatives killed or captured in Baghdad and the Center

• Mahmud ‘Abd-al-Hamid ‘Isa ‘Aaywi: Al Qaeda’s Military Emir for South Karkh. “His operations focused on trying to use car and truck bombs in East and West Rashid, Karrada and Mansour,” Bergner said. [Captured]

• Jasim Najm Khalaf Muhammad: A leader in al Qaeda’s network in Khark. Muhammad was attempting to rebuild al Qaeda’s network in the Baghdad Belts. [Captured]

• Ali Mustashar ‘Ali: An Al Qaeda in Iraq facilitator for car bombs in Baghdad. [Captured]

• Hamid ‘Awayd Muhammad: An Al Qaeda in Iraq facilitator for truck and car bombs in Baghdad. Muhammad was al Qaeda Emir for Anbar province prior to moving operations in Baghdad. [Captured]

• Tu’mah Khalaf Mutar Hassan: An al Qaeda cell leader in Samarra. [Captured]

• Muqdad Ibrahim ‘Abbas Husayn: The Military Emir for Jalam. Husayn coordinated operations with leaders in Tikrit, Samarra, and Mosul. He also facilitated meetings with al Qaeda’s leadership. [Captured]

All the News That's Fit to be Missed

This story is one of those choice matters of material and information that is shaped and framed in certain ways. Major news outlets are deceptively presenting events in Iraq. The story I'm thinking of is The New York Times' Michael Gordon who describes the desertion of an Iraqi company in Sadr City. The story is factually accurate and this is the main focus of the article. The soldier's action, although true, is a serious breach of military discipline. But is it the whole story?

Gordon notes how the Iraqi and U.S. military scrambled to replace the recalcitrant unit, and he mentions how other Iraqi units held, he states they “fought hard.” The import of these minor comments are lost in the bombast of his key point.

This episode was a blow to the American effort to push the Iraqis into the lead in the struggle to wrest control of parts of Sadr City from the Mahdi Army militia and what Americans and Iraqis say are Iranian-backed groups.

Although one company broke, the remainder of the Iraqi Army fought well. But Gordon fails to relate that the broken unit is less experienced and is likely a young brigade from the 11th Division. The 44th Brigade of the 11th Division, which is in Sadr City, went through what is called “Unit Set Fielding”--where a unit is formed and receives its equipment--in December of 2007. The 43rd Brigade went through the training in January of this year. The 11th Division was commissioned to form in November 2007.

Bill Roggio of the stellar Long War Journal points out that we can know which unit broke from the meticulous tracking from the Iraqi Security Forces Order of Battle, updated monthly at The Long War Journal. If the Journal can do it, can't the prestigious and seemingly limitless resources of the Times do the same?

The big picture is lost to readers of the Times. What was unthinkable and impossible for Iraqi units to perform in 2006 - 2008, in just three weeks in 2008 when the Iraqi security forces took on the Mahdi Army in Basra, which sparked fighting in Baghdad, the Iraqi Army is 1/3 of the way into Sadr City.

The story of a major accomplishment by the burgeoning Iraqi security forces is missed by readers of the Times. The Times is not telling the truth.

Coalition in Basra

Graphic source: The Long War Journal

The Coalition continues to press insurgents in Basra.

Today's Bad News Summary for Insurgents

US troops killed 5 criminals in engagements last night through this afternoon. 2 criminals threw grenades and 2 more criminals engaged in small arms fire. The Abrams Tanks and Bradley Vehicles fired 25mm and 1 x 120mm HEAT round and killed all 4. At 3 a.m. an air weapons team reported 5 armed criminals with 2 PKCs (machineguns) and multiple AK-47s. Once split the team engaged and killed 2 criminals with a Hellfire. A team engaged a minivan identified in a mortar attack. The criminal was killed.

أوس] قتل قوّات 5 مجرم في إلتزامات ليلة متأخّرة من خلال هذا العصر. 2 رمى مجرم قنبلة يدويّة و2 كثير مجرم يشبك في صغيرة [أرمس] نار. [أبرمس] أطلق النار دباب و [بردلي] عربة [25مّ] و1[إكس][120مّ] حرارة مستديرة وقتل كلّ 4. في 3 صباحا [أير وبون] أفاد فريق 5 يسلّح مجرم مع 2 [بككس] ([مشنغنس]) ويتعدّد [أك-47س]. مرّة انقسمت الفريق يشبك وقتل 2 مجرم مع [هلّفير]. فريق شبك [مينيفن] يعيّن في مدفع هاون هجوم. قتلت المجرم كان.

Post-Saddam Perks

Iraqis are enjoying perks after Saddam's fall: satellite TVs, cell phones, and access to the Internet.

Summary of Daily Bad News for Insurgents

In a recent Pakistani poll Bin Laden's popularity fell off in just six months, to about 24%. British troops killed 7,000 Taliban in 2 years. The German army’s chief of staff seeks to increase its troops in Afghanistan. Magdi Allam, Egyptian journalist, converts to Christianity. US troops killed 6 criminals in Sadr City. Coalition killed 1 AQ operative and detained 14 suspects. Iraqi security arrested 29 insurgents in Baghdad.

فى احدث استطلاع للالباكستانيه بن لادن شعبية سقطت قبالة في ستة اشهر فقط ، الى حوالى 24 ٪. 7.000 جندى بريطانى قتل طالبان في 2 سنوات. الجيش الالماني غير قادر على رئيس الاركان ويسعى الى زيادة قواته في افغانستان. مجدي علام ، والصحافي المصري ، المتحولون الى المسيحيه. القوات الامريكية قتلت 6 من المجرمين في مدينة الصدر. التحالف قتل عبد القدير 1 المنطوق ، واعتقلت 14 شخصا من المشتبه بهم. الامن العراقية اعتقلت 29 من المتمردين فى بغداد.

Not L'Amour Any More

A popular Islamofascist web forum, the al-Qaeda Ekhlas website, has launched a section in Italian, previously the forum was entirely in Arabic. The new site seems to replace the blog of former imam of Carmagnola, Abdul Qadir Fadlallah Mamour and his wife, Barbara Farina. The blog was closed by Italian postal police in February, and it was the first al-Qaeda website in Italian. The Italian section is edited by Nahir al-Murtadin, which in Arabic means "killer of apostates." In February, the Italian postal police closed four pro-Islamic blogs which posted proclamations by al-Qaeda leaders in Italy and which were hosted by Splinder, an Italian web server. All of these blogs called on Muslims to wage "a holy war against the unbelieving Westerners". The most recent web site will be more difficult to close because it is hosted by web servers that are not located in Italy.

Bedtime for Bin Bonzo?

An Afghan policeman patrols in a village in Tarnak Wa Jaldak district in Zabul province April 11, 2008.

Graphic source: Reuters

Steve Coll, of Ghost Wars fame, writes an intriguing article today in the L.A. Times with a salient point. Bin Laden may be at his most vulnerable since 2001 since his popularity in Pakistan has dropped drastically. Since AQ has been more recently viewed as nihilistic killers, Pakistanis have had a significant change of heart. The turnaround seems to have been the murder of two-time former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto in December. He writes: in a poll, Terror Free Tomorrow, a Washington-based nonprofit group, found that Bin Laden's popularity had fallen by half over just six months, to about 24%. The precipitous drop in popularity may be enough for some loyalists to turn turncoat and blow the whistle on Bin Laden. It couldn't happen to a nicer guy.

Steve Coll is president of the New America Foundation and a staff writer at the New Yorker; his latest book is The Bin Ladens: An Arabian Family in the American Century. His previous book won the Pulitzer Prize for nonfiction in 2005.

Terrorism Against the West Not a Problem?

England's Home Secretary Jacqui Smith stated:

We now face a threat level that is severe. It's not getting any less, it's actually growing. . . . We task the police and the security agencies with protecting us ... There are 22,000 individuals they are monitoring. There are 200 networks. There are 30 active plots,

she commented in an interview published in the News of the World.

Daily Bad News for Insurgents

The prolonged offensive is weakening the Sadr party and the Mahdi. Iraqi forces captured 14 criminals. 14 suspects were arrested, and a large number of roadside bombs, missiles, machine guns, and air defense guns were seized. The Iraqi army captured Abu Huzhayfa, leader of AQ in Abu al-Khasib, Basra province. A US helicopter crew killed one criminal in Jabella. Iraqi forces killed 15 insurgents; killed 11 insurgents near Baiji; Coalition forces captured 5 AQ operatives.

يضعف ال يمدّد هجوم [سدر] حزب مهدي. على قبض قوات عراقيّة 14 مجرمات. 14 أوقفت مشبوهات كان, و [ا لرج نومبر وف] حافة الطريق قنبلات, صواريخ, مدفع رشّاش, ودفاع جوّي مسدّس مدفع كان على قبض. على قبض الجيش عراقيّة أبو [هوزهفا], زعيمة ال [أق] في أبو [أل-كهسب], البصرة محافظة. [أوس] هليكوبتر قتل طاقم بحّارة واحدة مجرمة في [جبلّا]. قتل قوات عراقيّة 15 متمردات; قاربت يقتل 11 متمردات [بيجي]; إئتلاف على قبض قوات 5 [أق] عميلات.

Sadr's Nadir

With Sadr's nadir, the line that there is a popular front against a Coalition occupation is wearing thin. If there really were a popular Shi'ite movement, Sadr would be it. He, nor no one else, is. The Western media bias against U.S. efforts is unmistakable. They do no like to report the good news that the U.S. military is clearing Iraq of its derelict elements.

Note on Dean Hamer, The God Gene

In Dean Hamer's The God Gene he defines the God gene. He states in an interview:

"The God gene refers to the idea that human spirituality has an innate genetic component to it. It doesn’t mean that there’s one gene that makes people believe in God, but it refers to the fact that humans inherit a predisposition to be spiritual--to reach out and look for a higher being."

The book is an easy and quick read. It is mostly summary of recent scientific work. He takes issue with Daniel Dennett but a more substantial examination would be necessary to really glean anything of value from the disagreement.

Sadr's Rogues eliminated.

As rogue elements are eliminated, and Iraqi forces are growing stronger, the war appears to be what Petraeus describes, with substantial progress but coupled with a possibility of sliding backwards at any time. The Coalition is eliminating far more than they are losing.

13 قتلت رجل مسلّح كان في بغداد في يوم السّبت.

المتأخّر كان يتنازع في بغداد شرقيّ [سدر] مدينة ضاحية, قلعة المؤيّد [موقتدا] [سدر].

في يوم الجمعة, [ريد] قتلت [أل-نوري], قريبة ومفتاح مساعد من الرجل دين, كان برجل مسلّح في المدينة [نجف].

Iraqi Army Test

The latest round of fighting involving the Iraqi Army is a test of their strength and endurance. The test will be if they hold. No one is seriously questioning whether the Coalition can do the job, regardless of the sniping and Western press bias against American efforts.

For example, from the B-Roll of Coalition forces at the Multi-National Division comes news from a Baghdad operation in which an unmanned aerial vehicle observed a large group of criminals with rocket-propelled grenade launchers and a mortar tube in northeast Baghdad at approximately 9:30 p.m. April 10. The UAV fired a Hellfire missile, killing six heavily armed criminals.

Another Islamic Bomb Plot Thwarted by China Olympians

As finally we see that it is not only the U.S. that has major issues with Islamic terrorism, China says that thirty five were arrested in an Olympics bomb plot. The plan was to attack Beijing, Shanghai, and other Olympic locations with poisonous gas and explosives. Authorities arrested the suspects during a 10-day series of raids. The raids were in Urumqi, the capital of the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region. The Xinjiang autonomous region in northwestern China is home to about 19 million people, most of them Muslims. The terrorists planned to target hotels in Beijing and Shanghai that were frequented by foreigners, government buildings, and military bases. In a previous January raid, ten people were arrested in connection with another plot targeting the Games. China stated that both plots are linked to the East Turkestan Islamic Movement Organization, a terrorist group based outside China which sent its leader Aji Mai Mai Ti to China late last year "to accelerate the preparation on terrorism activities" targeting the Beijing Games.

Another Bad Day for Insurgents, Sadr Calls Off March

The clashes have continued against the Mahdi Army

which I think is a good thing because it keeps the pressure on Sadr. The pressure may be having an effect since Sadr called off the massive demonstration that he had proposed.

"I Shoulda' Been a Contendah"

Graphic source: HP

I'd have to get my hands on one to really thrash it around but a contender for the education market in a mini-PC would have to be the latest offering from HP. The Mini-Note will have to compete with the Eee PC which is the current niche leader. The Mini-Note is heavier than the Eee PC, and it has less battery life, and is marginally more expensive, but it does offer a much wider range of options and a large, well-appointed screen.

Just So You Know

Earlier in the year--15 January 2008--Abdul Hameed Bakier outlined (Volume 5, Issue 2) for the Jamestown Foundation how a solitary terrorist could be activated in the U.S. In an article entitled: "The `Lone Wolf' and al-Qaeda Sleeper Cells in the United States," he was quite clear. An individual with the pseudonym "Al-Muhajr" suggests the following procedure to guide a sleeper on the necessary skills to be successful.

• The sleeper should have excellent command of the local language, accent and slang.
• The sleeper’s appearance must not reveal their Arab or Islamic origins. To pretend to be of Hispanic extraction is preferable; therefore sleepers should learn Spanish and use Hispanic aliases.
• The sleeper must carry false identity documents, which are easily obtained in the United States. False identities must be used when buying munitions, shotguns or night vision equipment, etc. from licensed Wal-Mart stores or other shopping centers.
• Sleepers must choose their place of residence very carefully. The preferred choice of residence is in multicultural neighborhoods while eschewing areas frequented by drug dealers to avoid scrutiny from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
• The sleeper should learn martial arts and keep fit for personal protection.
• The sleeper must become highly literate in computers and the internet.
• The sleeper should become an expert in surveillance, counter-surveillance and observation.
• The sleeper should train with sniper rifles, especially U.S.-made weapons that are easily obtainable within the country. Al-Muhajr recommends five different types of U.S.-made rifles.
• The sleeper should train with assault pistols with silencers, the weapon of choice for assassinations.
• The sleeper should learn to prepare explosive belts and explosive charges big enough to booby-trap a small car.

I think the summary is important to summarize here and to expand the awareness for the general public.

Latest Order of Battle: Iraq

The latest Iraqi Order of Battle has been released. In the MoD (Ministry of Defense) the Iraqi Army is putting 118,000 Personnel a year through basic training (18,830 per eight-week cycle), and is expanding the training to 130,000 men a year. The MoI (Ministry of the Interior) is growing in numbers and professionalism. The forces could approach a strength of 500,000, requiring a robust logistical and infrastructure building program to support this growth. MoI training is planned to grow to 117,000 per year by mid-2009. It is at 73,000 as of February. The Facilities Protection Service (FPS) graduated its first class of 103 students at Baghdad Police College under a new program to provide professional development training for all FPS guards in Iraq. The FPS is a professional guard force with approximately 107,787 guards that protect the Iraqi government's critical facilities and its infrastructure. Approximately 89,000 guards will eventually become part of the Ministry of Interior and undergo this same training. Focus on expansion of the Iraqi National Police (INP) continues to have priority in MoI. The INP is authorized at 2,500 personnel, with 721 currently assigned. Training of the Department of Border Enforcement (DBE) continues to be deferred while their training facilities are used for INP. Current force remains at adding forts to a planned total of 712.

Slow Progress Intelligence Estimates

A new National Intelligence Estimate on Iraq cites significant security improvements and progress toward healing sectarian political strife. The classified document provides a more upbeat analysis of conditions in Iraq than the last major assessment by United States spy agencies. The N.I.E. update confirmed that the surge strategy the president announced in January of last year is working. No one will be foolish enough to say the work is done, but progress has obviously been made. The document was described by American officials on both sides of the Iraq debate, including officials who favor rapid withdrawals of American troops. National Intelligence Estimates represent a consensus of America’s 16 intelligence agencies. Numerous leading Democrats are, surprisingly, asking for the report to be declassified in order for Americans to be aware and clear as the Presidential elections are looming.

Patrolling Sadr City

In the initial conflict, an inexperienced Iraqi Army unit, ordered in by an overeager Maliki, clashed with experienced Mahdi Army troops in Sadr City but the Iraqis held their own. Today, fighting between the Coalition and Mahdi Army fighters broke out. A U.S. Army helicopter fired a Hellfire missile which killed nine "criminals" in Sadr City. Troops moved in with Bradleys, Abrams Tanks, as well as Strykers." An air weapons team [AWT] fired a Hellfire missile and killed three criminals after they were observed firing rocket-propelled grenades at the Iraqi Army soldiers; thereafter, the team identified four more criminals fleeing the scene and attempting to hide weapons in a vehicle. The AWT fired a missile and destroyed the vehicle and killed the six criminals. No US or Iraqi Army casualties were reported.

China's No Blood for Oil

The Iraqi Ministry of Oil confirms that the China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) will develop the Ahdab oil field. It did not take the world's fastest growing economy to move into Iraq for the oil. I wonder if China will become a terrorist target. In fact until now, the deal could not be implemented due to U.N. trade sanctions which have been lifted in the aftermath of the 2003 U.S. liberation. In the deal, China would recoup its $1.2 billion investment through a production sharing agreement. The Chinese estimate that the field could produce an average of 115,000 barrels a day over more than 20 years. Its proven reserves are estimated at 1.4 billion barrels.

Foxy Camels

Graphic source: BBC.

Camel, camel, who is the foxiest camel in the land? The BBC reported that the UAE is staging its sixth camel beauty contest. No, I am not making this story up. In a tape released by the BBC the camels were judged somehow, I saw no women in public on the tape. The story related that ten thousand camels fluttered their long eyelashes. The contest was held in Abu Dhabi and is one of the richest and biggest events of its kind, with more than $9m (£4.5m; 5.8m euros) and 100 cars in prizes up for grabs. The organisers are said to hope that the contest will remind Emiratis of traditional desert values. Hmmm, what values would that be exactly?

The ruler of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed, has sponsored the event because he wants Emiratis to help preserve their national identity through the respect of an animal central to Arab culture. Well, ok then.

Traditionally, the camels were the main measurement of wealth in the region, along with horses and falcons. Enjoy.

Beatles Update

The tracks blogged about before are also supposed to include Maurice Williams' "Do You Believe," though Billboard was unable to verify their existence, "Twist and Shout," "I Saw Her Standing There," "Hippy Hippy Shake," "A Taste of Honey," "Money," and "Ask Me Why," which can be heard in other recorded Beatles performances at the Star Club. Steve Marinucci, who runs Abbeyrd's Beatles Page, only "A Taste of Honey" is unheard, and the "Lovesick Blues" cover isn't even by the Beatles at all. As for the sound quality, Marinucci says they are no better than earlier "Star Club" releases, which are decidedly lo-fi. The saga continues.

Profiling Killers

Graphic source: AP Photo

In this undated combination handout photo issued, Thursday, April 3, 2008 by the Metropolitan Police, the eight men on trial accused of planning to bomb airliners bound for the United States and Canada are seen, from the left, top row, Tanvir Hussain, Assad Sarwar, Umar Islam, aka Brian Young, Waheed Zaman and from the left, bottom row, Mohammed Gulzar, Arafat Waheed Khan, Ibrahim Savant and Abdul Ali, aka Ahmed Ali Khan. Eight men are accused of conspiracy to murder and a charge of planning to smuggle components for improvised explosive devices on board airplanes. Both charges carry maximum sentences of life imprisonment. The trial was due to begin on Thursday, with prosecutors outlining their case, a judge said. (AP Photo/Metropolitan Police, HO)

Profiling to recognize those who planned to harm others is not a bad idea; here are the miscreants who planned to blow up planes to kill an estimated 1,5000 people.

A Starr Is Born: Beatles Release Held Up

Graphic source: Live At The Star Club, back cover, Lingasong, Catalogue No. LNL 1, Release date 2nd May 1977.

Bootleg recordings, supposedly the first time Ringo Starr performed with the Beatles at the Star Club in Hamburg, Germany, will not be released until the case of ownership is resolved. A federal judge approved the agreement between Apple Corps Ltd., the London-based group formed by the Beatles, and Miami Lakes-based Fuego Entertainment, Inc. Allegedly, these are recordings the band made in 1962. Eight unreleased tracks are said to be among the recordings, including Paul McCartney singing Hank Williams' "Lovesick Blues" and McCartney and John Lennon singing "Ask Me Why."

I'm not sure where "Lovesick Blues" is from as it is not listed as a track on any live performance at the Star Club, c. 21-31 December 1962 in Richie Unterberger's The Unreleased Beatles Music and Film. However, "Ask Me Why" is included at that time although the tune is available on the German and the U.S. 1977 LP versions of The Beatles Live! At the Star-Club in Hamburg, Germany, 1962 recording. "Ask" is included which became only their second B-side original and released in 1963.

World Bank States Obvious

World Bank president Robert Zoellick noted that the rising economies of China and India, along with other nations will act as alternative growth poles for the global economy. Well, duh. Zoellick’s comments coincide as U.S. Federal Reserve chairman Ben S Bernanke acknowledged for the first time that the US economy may be in a recession. The timing couldn't be worse. Where the fortunes of nations decline significantly are when developing nations are on the rise. Its therefore not so much that the U.S. economy has slowed, it has, but the slowdown coincides with dramatic emerging markets. Globalisation characterizes the economy of China, India, and Brazil in particular. In 1993, there were skepticism in regards to both China’s and India’s prospects however by 1998, the world looked to China to maintain currency stability amidst the turmoil of East Asia. Zoellick stated that 33 countries face potential social unrest because of the steep hike in food and energy prices.

Tactical Victory for Iraqi Security

I believe its a mistake to `tag and release' which is happening to some Mahdi fighters; however, three days after Muqtada al Sadr ordered the Mahdi Army to withdraw from the fighting in Baghdad and the Shia South, the Maliki government continued the fight. The "criminal elements" are being targeted just as the U.S. military has done. Simultaneously, the Iraqi security forces are continuing operations in Basrah. At least some military analysts are saying the Iraqis were defeated by the Sadr thugs but the good news is that they were able to logistically carry out the most sophisticated military offensive since the Saddam era, and hold their own against combat troops for the first time.

Qatar Christian?

In a non-nondescript building in Doha, Qatar's first church Our Lady of the Rosary, just opened only two weeks ago which is the first physical appearance of Christianity in that Middle Eastern country. So as not to offend Muslim sensibilities, no cross or visible sign exists to earmark the building as a Catholic church. The church does feature a metal detector though and police maintain a presence in the building.

The Catholic Church is now in negotiations to open a church in Saudi Arabia, the only country in the world where churches are not allowed.

An estimated 150,000 Christians live amongst the Muslim population of 750,000 in Qatar. The Christians are almost all foreigners from around 70 countries but the majority are from the Philippines, India, and Nigeria.

In addition to the Vatican, there was pressure from Washington to convince the Qatar emir that opening a church would promote the international image of the country.