TASEK PAUH blogspot

From AlJazeera - by Marwan Bishara, Al Jazeera's senior political analyst

"Dishonest", "misleading", "lying" and "spinning" are just some of the measured adjectives used in the mainstream US media to characterise George Bush, the president, and Stephen Hadley, his national security adviser, after they embraced the damning National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) summary report on Iran as proof of the effectiveness and success of the administration's Tehran policy.

The NIE judges "with high confidence that in the fall of 2003, Tehran halted its nuclear weapons programme", and that "Tehran's decision to halt its nuclear weapons programme suggests it is less determined to develop nuclear weapons than we have been judging since 2005".

It further said that "...Tehran's decisions are guided by a cost-benefit approach rather than a rush to a weapon irrespective of the political, economic and military costs". And that "this NIE does not assume that Iran intends to acquire nuclear weapons".

The White House seems to have known of much of this and more for some time, but chose to escalate the war rhetoric against Tehran.

Depending on which version of the story one believes, the White House knew about the "discovery" any time between last spring and summer.

Even when new intelligence compelled the National Intelligence Board (NIB) to make a 180-degree change in its estimate, rendering the Iranian threat anything but imminent, administration officials continued to speak of the threat of Iran's nuclear weapons programme until hours before its publication.

The White House sent its third carrier into the Gulf transforming its "crisis management" mode with Iran into direct "confrontation management" and sealing the war scenario against Tehran when the decision comes down.

President Bush also warned during a news conference on October 17 that an Iranian nuclear bomb could lead to "world war three" and asked Congress to pass the highest defence budget in the history of the country, mostly under the guise of an imminent Iranian threat that he knew did not exist.

Déjà vu

In a repeat of the dreadful and misleading escalation against Iraq prior to its 2003 invasion, the Bush administration escalated the war rhetoric against Tehran even though it knew with high confidence that it had no programme, no capability and, with moderate confidence, no intention of developing a nuclear weapons programme.

The leading presidential candidates followed suit.

Rudy Giuliani claimed: "As we all know, Iran is seeking nuclear weapons and they're threatening to use them."

Likewise, Senator John McCain insisted: "There's no doubt that [Iran is] moving forward with the acquisition of a nuclear weapon."

And Hillary Clinton, before giving the president another vote of confidence to go to war, insisted that "Iran is seeking nuclear weapons, and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard is in the forefront of that, as they are in the sponsorship of terrorism."

To the surprise of many Western observers, it turns out that the policies of the Iranian and Iraqi leaders were based on realistic "cost and benefit" grounds, not the irrational behaviour Washington accused them of as dangerous and unpredictable crazies.

On the other hand, the Bush administration's war policies towards Iraq and Iran have proven to be hardly cost and benefit driven even when calculating the oil and strategic interests.

Worse, the Bush administration lost all credibility when it went on to intimidate its allies and foes alike to punish Iran. It also attacked the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Mohamed ElBaradai, its director, for being soft on Iran, knowing all too well that they have been right all along.

Condoleezza Rice, the US secretary of sate, told ElBaradei that his body was not "in the business of diplomacy".

ElBaradei, to his credit, has long believed Iran possessed no nuclear weapons programme and made a deal under which it would answer long-standing questions about its nuclear activities.

Cover up

According to Senator Jay Rockefeller, chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Bush knew about the new information regarding Iran's nuclear programme, because he and his deputy on the committee were also informed, albeit in a more general manner, by the intelligence community.

Gary Sick, a US-based Iran expert, estimates that the president might have known some nine months ago, when according to him the Iranian deputy defence minister defected to the West.

On November 14, Mike McConnell, NIE director, told the Woodrow Wilson International Centre for Scholars that he was not going to make his report public. Which begs the question, why has the White House allowed the publication of this embarrassing report?

Two possible scenarios have surfaced since the publication:

First, Robert Gates, the US defence secretary, insisted on it. The Pentagon finances most of the programmes and departments that contribute to the NIE database.

Unlike the 2005 pro-war Rumsfeld, Gates does not want another Middle Eastern war as he told Congress recently, especially in light of the debacle in Iraq.

Second, it seems that congressional leaders who oppose Bush's Iran policy insisted that it be publicised after hearing or reading some of its preliminary conclusions.

In an election year, any such news is good news for the Democrats.

By default or by design?

Some believe that the Bush administration, famous for its political discipline, is none the less using the NIE in a clever, even if desperate, attempt to climb down from the hysterical "Carthage must be destroyed" line.

After all, how many times can you mention world war three without eventually having to start it?

Now that it is out, the new estimate could neutralise the neo-conservative fringe, and let the administration out of a rhetorical corner.

The White House announcement of the president's Middle East trip at the beginning of next year, following the attendance this week by Mahmoud Ahmedinejad, the Iranian president, at the Gulf co-operation summit, underlines the desire to relax tensions in the region following Annapolis and the relative "improvements" of the Iraq situation.

Today and in light of the NIE findings, some observers believe the central issue for the US and Iran is no longer the nuclear question but rather the future of Iraq.

The US understands that it "needs Iran for the endgame in Iraq", while for Iran, the recent developments in Iraq encourage it to make a deal with Washington before the latter strikes a deal with its adversaries.

Three scenarios

Now that the new estimate is out, something has got to give.

First, international and domestic pressure will build up against a pre-emptive strike and, my guess, at least two permanent members will stand against another UN Security Council resolution punishing Iran, despite its civilian programme that contradicts past resolutions.

Second, the NIE publication might pave the way to bilateral negotiations between the US and Iran without stiff preconditions in order to relax the tensions in the Gulf with the participation of Iran's Arab neighbours, as well as its European allies.

Now that the nuclear roadblock is out of the way, Washington will find it ever more necessary and ever more enticing to talk to Iran about a "helpful" and perhaps beneficial role for itself and Iraq in the Gulf.

Either way, the White House will certainly face more questions and inquiries regarding the discrepancies of timings and policies; as more insiders come clean on US policy towards Iran. Americans would want to know what Bush and Co knew, when did they know it and what have they done or not done about it?

As so many commentators have said the morning after Bush and Hadley embraced the NIE report, the central question begging for an answer revolves around how corrupt politics have lead to dangerous policies.

Labels: Iran, Islam Hadhari, Luar Negeri, U.S.

Labels: France, Iran, Luar Negeri, U.S.

May 25 - US air force airplanes have delivered military equipment to the Lebanese army, a Western diplomat and security officials have said.

The Lebanese government had requested more military aid from Washington after the eruption of fighting between the army and the Fatah al-Islam group in a Palestinian refugee camp in the north of the country.

Three military supply airplanes arrived at Beirut airport overnight, witnesses said.

"This shipment has previously been ordered by the Lebanese army, but it has now been accelerated because of the current urgent needs of the troops," a diplomat said.

"The fact the US is sending military aid will probably not go well with the oposition," Zeina Khodr, Al Jazeera's Lebanon correspondent, said.

She said the oposition accuses the Lebanese government of "working for the interests of the US and implementing a US-plan for what they are calling a 'new Middle East'".

Sporadic gunfire

The diplomat said the US would send eight airplanes carrying military equipment in total.

The Lebanese army has been fighting the Fatah al-Islam movement in the Palestinian refugee camp of Nahr al-Bared in north Lebanon.

"All the political parties [in Lebanon] are supporting the army," Elias Hanna, a retired Lebanese general, told Al Jazeera.

"The Palestinian Authority and the PLO are also denying Fatah al-Islam is [speaking for the] Palestinian [people] because it is a terrorist organistaion."

Sporadic gunfire exchanges punctured the lull in the fighting on Friday as the Lebanese army continued to build up around Nahr el-Bared, near the port city of Tripoli.

Speaking to Al Jazeera, a spokesman for the Fatah al-Islam group, said the group's fighters were committed to a truce with the Lebanese army.

The AFP news agency reported that death toll in the fighting had risen to 78.

Thousands of Palestinian refugees remain trapped inside.

US aid

On Thursday, Condoleezza Rice, the US secretary of state, gave her full backing to the Lebanese government.

"I certainly hope that the Lebanese government will be able to deal with these extremists," Rice said.

"It's just another example of extremists in the Middle East who are trying to destabilize democratic governments."

The Lebanese An Nahar newspaper said that a first US airplane had arrived late on Thursday from Kuwait, with two from Egypt on Friday.

Late on Thursday, a United Arab Emirates air force airplane also arrived with supplies.

The Lebanese military did not comment on the airlift, a sensitive issue in the country.

The remainder will be coming from other Arab states where the US maintains weapons depots, it said.

The United States provided $40m in military aid to Lebanon last year and already this year has supplied hardware worth $5m. alJazeera & Agencies

Labels: Lebanon, Luar Negeri, U.S.

Navy Stages Show of Force Off Iran Coast

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES, May 23 - The U.S. Navy staged its latest show of military force off the Iranian coastline on Wednesday, sending two aircraft carriers and landing ships packed with 17,000 U.S. Marines and sailors to carry out unannounced exercises in the Persian Gulf.

The carrier strike groups led by the USS John C. Stennis and USS Nimitz were joined by the amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard and its own strike group, which includes landing ships carrying members of the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit.

The Navy said nine U.S. warships passed through the narrow Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday. Merchant ships passing through the busy strait carry two-fifths of the world's oil exports.

Aircraft aboard the three carriers and the Bonhomme Richard were to conduct air training while the ships ran submarine, mine and other exercises.

The maneuvers came just two months after a previous exercise in March when two U.S. carrier groups carried out two days of air and sea maneuvers off the Iranian coast.

Before the arrival of the Bonhomme Richard strike group, the Navy maintained around 20,000 U.S personnel at sea in the Gulf and neighboring waters.

U.S. warships have frequently collided with merchant ships in the busy shipping lanes of the Gulf. - AP

Labels: Iran, Luar Negeri, U.S.

Australian Taliban returns home

Adelaide, May 20 - David Hicks, an Australian man who joined the Taliban, has been flown back to Australia after being transferred from the US prison in Guantanamo Bay.

Hicks was flown in a private jet to his hometown of Adelaide on Sunday morning to serve the remaining nine months of his seven-year prison sentence, Australian government officials said.

Hicks was taken directly from the airport to Yatala prison by a police convoy.

David McLeod, his lawyer, said Hicks was "elated" to be returning to Australia but that there were fears for his mental health after spending years in Guantanamo Bay.

"In the western world's most notorious prison, he's become institutionalised," Mcleod said.

McLeod said security at Guantanamo was at "fever pitch" on Hicks's departure and the former kangaroo skinner was restrained in his seat during the 24-hour flight via Tahiti. more..

Labels: Afghanistan, Australia, Luar Negeri, U.S.

Cortez, wearing a dress green uniform and flanked by his civilian and military lawyers, described how he, Spc. James Barker and a since-discharged soldier, Pvt. Steven Green, planned the attack over liquor and a game of cards. "While we were playing cards Barker and Green started talking about having sex with an Iraqi female. Barker and Green had already known..." Cortez said before breaking down. He bowed his head and remained silent, sniffling occasionally, for a full minute before continuing.

"Barker and Green had already known what, um, house they wanted to go to ... knew only one male was in the house, and knew it would be an easy target," Cortez said. Once at the house, Green, the suspected ringleader, took the girl's mother, father and little sister into a bedroom, Cortez said, while he and Barker took the teenager, Abeer Qassim al-Janabi, to the living room.

"She kept squirming and trying to keep her legs closed and saying stuff in Arabic," Cortez said. "During the time me and Barker were raping Abeer, I heard five or six gunshots that came from the bedroom. After Barker was done, Green came out of the bedroom and said that he had killed them all, that all of them were dead," Cortez said.

"Green then placed himself between Abeer's legs to rape her," Cortez said, sniffing audibly. When Green was finished, he "stood up and shot Abeer in the head two or three times." The entire crime took about five minutes to carry out, he added.

Cortez said the girl knew her parents and sister had been shot while she was being raped. He said she screamed and cried throughout the assault."

The terror regimes of USA and UK are abusing, torturing, raping, killing innocent Iraqis, yet the world is keeping silent over whatever is going on there. May Allah destroy these kuffars regimes and give victory to our Mujahideen. KC

Labels: Iraq, Luar Negeri, U.S.

TEHRAN, IRAN, April 11 — Iranian state television showed hospital images Wednesday of the Iranian diplomat who has accused the CIA of torturing him during his detention in Iraq.

State TV also reported that the Iraqi ambassador to Iran and an official from the International Committee of the Red Cross visited Jalal Sharafi in the hospital Wednesday.

Sharafi was shown in a hospital bed with injuries to his right foot, while Iraqi ambassador Majid Sheikh and Peter G. Stocker from the ICRC examined him.

During the examination, the voice of a doctor could be heard describing how Sharafi had been beaten by a cable during his detention. Claims of torture have not been independently verified.

Following his visit, Stocker confirmed to The Associated Press that he saw wounds on Sharafi's body that "were several weeks old," but said he did not know how the injuries occurred.

"I cannot say who did it and where it happened," he said. "I can only say that it happened during his detention."

Earlier in the week, Sharafi's doctors reported that holes had been drilled into his foot, but the TV images were not clear enough to indicate whether the small, red marks on his foot were indeed holes.

Doctors also reported earlier that he had suffered a broken nose, serious injuries to his back, bleeding in his digestive system, and damage to his ears. None of these injuries has been independently verified, nor were they discernible from the TV footage.

A spokeswoman for the ICRC in Tehran, Katayoun Hosseinnejad, confirmed the visit took place and said it was initiated by the Iranians. Stocker was not immediately available for comment, and Hosseinnejad said she could not comment on whether Sharafi's injuries indicated torture.

Sharafi was released from Iraq last week and later reported that the CIA had questioned him about Iran's relations with Iraq and assistance to various Iraqi groups during his detention.

U.S. officials allege that Iran provides money and weapons to Iraqi Shiite militias; Iran denies the charges.

At the time of his disappearance, Iran alleged Sharafi had been abducted by an Iraqi military unit commanded by American forces — a charge repeated by several Iraqi Shiite lawmakers. U.S. authorities have denied any role in his disappearance. AP

Labels: Iran, Luar Negeri, U.S.

March 27 - The US navy has begun its largest demonstration of force in the Gulf since the invasion of Iraq in 2003.

The exercises, just off the coast of Iran, involve more than 10,000 US personnel.

Kevin Aandahl, a US navy commander, declined to say when plans for the exercises had been drawn up.

The manoeuvres bring together two strike groups of US warships and more than 100 aircraft to conduct simulated air warfare in and above the crowded Gulf shipping lanes.

Military exercises involve the USS John C Stennis and the USS Dwight D Eisenhower, marking the first time that the two strike groups have operated in a joint exercise under the Fifth Fleet, the navy said.

"Two air wings from the aircraft carriers will conduct air warfare exercises while the surface components will conduct exercises in three general disciplines: anti-submarine, anti-surface and mine warfare," it said.

The Fifth Fleet is based in Bahrain, an island state that lies across the Gulf from Iran.

The US exercises come after Iran's capture, last week, of 15 British sailors and marines who had, Iran said, strayed into Iranian waters near the Gulf. Britain and the US navy have insisted the British sailors were operating in Iraqi waters.

Aandahl said the US manoeuvres were not meant to threaten the Islamic Republic, whose navy operates in the same waters.

Aandahl said the US warships would stay out of Iranian territorial waters, which extend 12 miles off the Iranian coast.

French presence

A French naval strike group, led by the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, was operating simultaneously just outside the Gulf. But the French ships were supporting the Nato forces in Afghanistan and not taking part in the American manoeuvres, officials said.

Overall, the exercises involve more than 10,000 US personnel on warships and aircraft making simulated attacks on enemy shipping with aircraft and ships, hunting enemy submarines and finding mines. Agencies

Labels: Iran, Luar Negeri, U.S.

Major Troy Gilbert's F-16 fighter jet crashed on November 27 on a combat mission in an area just northwest of Baghdad.

His complete body was never recovered but about a week later he was declared as having been killed in action following DNA tests on remains found in the wreckage of his aircraft.

"His body was removed from the crash site by anti-coalition personnel before US forces could arrive to secure the area," the air force said overnight.

This week the so-called Islamic State in Iraq, an umbrella organisation of Sunni insurgent groups in Iraq, released an image of Gilbert's US military "Geneva Conventions Identification Card" on an Internet site.

A statement accompanying the image of the card - issued to US servicemen in Iraq - said the group would shortly release a video entitled The Missing.

"We are aware of the attempts by anti-coalition forces to exploit Major Gilbert's death," said Lieutenant General Gary North, commander of United States Central Command Air Forces.

"It is appalling and cowardly that they did not treat his remains with the respect deserved of an honourable warrior," he added.

Gilbert had been based in Balad airbase in central Iraq as part of the 332nd Aur Expeditionary Wing, part of the 140,000-strong US military force in Iraq. news.com.au

Labels: Iraq, Luar Negeri, U.S.

US justifies erasing attack footage

March 10 - The US military has said that a soldier was justified in erasing journalists' footage of the aftermath of a suicide bombing and shooting in which at least eight Afghans were killed.

In a letter to the Associated Press news agency a military spokesman said publication could have compromised an investigation and led to false public conclusions.

"Investigative integrity is one circumstance when civil and military authorities will reluctantly exercise the right to control what a journalist is permitted to document," Colonel Victor Petrenko, chief of staff to the US commander in eastern Afghanistan, said on Friday.

Labels: Afghanistan, Luar Negeri, U.S.

March 6 - US forces in Afghanistan tried to confiscate video and destroy photographic evidence taken after a shooting incident that left at least 10 civilians dead, witnesses have told Al Jazeera.

Footage obtained by Al Jazeera shows the scene in Nangarhar province immediately after US forces opened fire following a car bomb attack on their convoy.

The footage shows local people in shock, treating the wounded and pulling bodies from the debris left by the shooting.

After the Nargarhar incident, a separate Nato air raid in northern Afghanistan left nine civilians dead, according to a local official.

'Complete lie'

Witnesses say the suicide bomber had acted alone, that there were no accomplices and that US troops had panicked, firing at anything that moved immediately after the attack.

One told Al Jazeera: "There were no gunmen, this is a complete lie. This is a peaceful area, we don't have guns."

The dead included an 80-year-old man, whose grandson said: "A bomb exploded, my grandfather sat in a car and at that time American soldiers were shooting into my grandfather's car."

Hamid Karzai, the Afghan president, condemned the killings earlier on Monday and ordered an investigation into Sunday's attack.

His office and the Afghan interior ministry on Monday put the death toll at 10 civilians while the coalition late on Sunday said eight Afghans were killed and 35 wounded.

Response

Responding to Al Jazeera's discovery of the footage, a spokesman for the US contingent within the international force insisted US troops acted in self-defence.

"We regret the loss of life of the Afghan civilians, but coalition forces were attacked by both a suicide bomb vehicle and small arms fire.

"Our forces returned fire in self-defence against numerous enemy positions," said Lieutenant Colonel David Accetta, coalition forces spokesman.

"We don't train or order our troops to fire on unarmed civilians, and it's uncertain at this time what caused the casualties.

"But it's important to note that the extremists conducted this attack in an area that they knew would cause civilian casualties," he said. alJazeera

Labels: Afghanistan, Luar Negeri, U.S.

March 5 - US soldiers opened fire on innocent bystanders after a suicide bomber struck an American convoy in eastern Afghanistan and then deleted footage of the incident taken by reporters to destroy evidence of the atrocity.

Associated Press reported that US soldiers at the scene deleted photos taken by a freelance photographer working for The Associated Press and video taken by a freelancer working for AP Television News.

US military authorities are investigating the event that took place Nangarhar province in which no American soldiers were injured.

Stone throwing protesters shouted "Death to America, Death to Karzai" as they clashed with the local police.

US military officials asked media personnel not to report that it was the American soldiers who shot and killed the innocent civilians citing such news reporting could cause rioting in other towns and cities across Afghanistan exacerbating an already deteriorating security situation there.

See also US troops kill Afghan civilians - Agencies

Labels: Afghanistan, Luar Negeri, U.S.

March 4 - At least eight Afghan civilians have been killed after forces opened fire following a car bomb attack on a military convoy.

The explosion on Sunday was in eastern Afghanistan on the road to Pakistan.

Officials said the deaths sparked a large protest, but it remained unclear whether the Afghans had died in the blast or the shooting.

Noor Agha Zawok, a spokesman for the governor of Nangarhar province, said a bomber hit an American convoy with a minivan.

Zawok said US soldiers opened fire after the attack, killing or wounding some civilians. Neither US nor Nato officials had any immediate information about the incident.

Protests

Ghafoor Khan, the spokesman for the provincial police chief, said hundreds of Afghans gathered in a large protest after the violence, throwing stones at police.

Nato's International Security Assistance Force also announced on Sunday that two soldiers had died in fighting in southern Afghanistan on Saturday. It did not give their nationalities. Agencies

Lihat U.S. military says 16 Afghans killed after attack - theStarOnline

Labels: Afghanistan, Luar Negeri, U.S.

March 3 - The leader of the Taliban's military operations has criticised Pakistan and Arab nations for helping the US and its allies.

Speaking in interview with Al Jazeera aired on Friday, Mullah Dadullah (picture left) said that the Taliban's acitivities had suffered more from Pakistan's operations than from American and coalition activities.

"The Pakistani government has a strange policy that no-one can understand," Dadullah said.

"We have not suffered as much from America, Britain or any Islamic or Arab country as from the oppression and aggression we suffered from Pakistan."

"The targets which were firstly bombed were by the help of Pakistani intelligence and the first batches of invading forces entered from Pakistan."

He also said that Iran's Shia had not given any assistance to the Taliban, a Sunni movement: "Iran has never adopted any Jihadi agenda while the leaders of Arab countries are just followers of America and Britain." more..

Labels: Afghanistan, Luar Negeri, U.S.

February 28 - The US will not meet any request by Italy to extradite 26 Americans, most thought to be CIA agents, to stand trial over the kidnapping of a Muslim imam, the US state department's legal adviser has said.

John Bellinger, at a news briefing in Brussels, said on Wednesday: "We've not got an extradition request from Italy.

"If we got an extradition request from Italy, we would not extradite US officials to Italy."

A Milan judge earlier this month ordered the Americans to stand trial with Italian spies for kidnapping a Muslim imam and flying him to Egypt, where he says he was tortured.

Among those indicted for the 2003 abduction are the former heads of the US Central Intelligence Agency in Rome and Milan, and Nicolo Pollari, the former head of Italy's SISMI military intelligence agency, defence lawyers in Italy said.

'Renditions' trial

Bellinger's comments confirm widespread expectations that Washington would not hand over the indictees, who will now most likely be tried in absentia when the trial begins on June 8.

The trial will be the first criminal case over "renditions" - one of the most controversial aspects of the US president's "war on terror".

Prosecutors say a CIA-led team, with SISMI's help, grabbed terrorism suspect Hassan Mustafa Osama Nasr, also known as Abu Omar, off a Milan street in February 2003, bundled him into a van and drove him to a military base in northern Italy.

From there, prosecutors allege the CIA flew him via Germany to Egypt where he says he was tortured with electric shocks, beatings, rape threats and genital abuse.

A European Parliament report published this month concluded that renditions were illegal and had gone on with the collusion of a number of European governments and their secret services.

Bellinger rejected the findings of the parliament report as "unbalanced, inaccurate and unfair". Agencies

Labels: Abu Umar, Berita, Luar Negeri, Mesir, U.S.

Kabul, February 27 - A Shaheed attack has killed around 20 karzai militants and american soldier, at Bagram air base in Afghanistan, where Dick Cheney, the US vice president, is visiting, international mass-media reported.

The attack occurred inside one of the security gates surrounding the heavily guarded occupation base 60km north of Kabul.

Kabir Ahmad, Bagram district puppet "governor", said: "It was a suicide bombing. It took place between the main gate and the gate guarded by american soldiers.

Zemarai Bashary, an karzai regime spokesman, said: "Reports are stating that 18 people were killed and three of them are foreign soldiers.

"The 15 others are civilian Afghan workers who wanted to enter Bagram air base for their work. On injuries we do not have exact reports." Other source informed that 18 karzai militants eliminated and at least 3 american solder have been killed.

US military officials confirmed what they called a "direct attack" on the base.

A spokeswoman for Cheney said the vice president was safe.

Senior Master Sergeant Richard Simonsen in the Bagram media office told Agence France-Presse: "We have reports of one US soldier having been killed."

Cheney stayed at the base overnight after planned talks with Hamid Karzai, were delayed by weather.

Later on Tuesday, the US vice president arrived in Kabul to meet Karzai. KC

See also Cheney targeted in Taliban attack - AlJazeera & Agencies

Labels: Afghanistan, Berita, Luar Negeri, U.S.

Malaysia Stands Out Among Muslim-Majority Countries, US Praises

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 27 (Bernama) -- The United States Tuesday praised Malaysia as its success story in the Muslim world demonstrates clearly the capacity for Islam to resume the leadership role it once played among the world's civilisations.

Speaking at an intellectual discourse, US ambassador to Malaysia Christopher J. LaFleur said Malaysia was clearly a success story in Southeast Asia, and also a success story in the Muslim world.

He said the country's economic and social achievements and its tradition of religious pluralism stood out among Muslim-majority countries in the world.

"I believe that the Malaysian example demonstrates clearly the capacity for Islam to assume once again the leadership role it played among the world's civilisations."

The US ambassador was speaking at the "The US and Malaysia in 2007: Focusing on Our Political-Economic-Commercial Relations" at Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang. The event was organised by UPM's Faculty of Human Ecology and attended by students and academicians.

Tracing back Washington-Kuala Lumpur long relationship, LaFleur said that US supported Malaysia's independence from Britain some 50 years ago and was one of the first to recognise the young nation at that time and also supported Malaysia in the Confrontation with Indonesia.

Malaysia too, he said, had backed the US in the Vietnam War and sent military personnel there to assist the US during the Cold War period.

"I believe this shows that even in the earliest years of Malaysia's existence as a nation, we shared a strong common interest in peace and stability in this region."

LaFleur said the ties between the US and Malaysia were based on a variety of common interests -- political, defence and security, in the fight against terrorism and in the economic, cultural and educational fields.

"And where we do have common interests, it's not a one-way thing favouring either side but a strong, mutually beneficial relationship that profits both sides," he added.

The U.S. has large direct investments in Malaysia and in 2004, it invested US$8.7 billion and currently about 150 U.S. firms are doing business in Malaysia including Intel, Dell, Mattel and Western Digital.

LaFleur stressed that the strong common economic ties could become even stronger with a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) which both were currently negotiating.

Later speaking to Bernama, LaFleur said that America-Malaysia relationships had matured a lot compared to at the beginning of establishing diplomatic ties.

"We have a very good bilateral relations...and our leaders in fact get together more often since the current Prime Minister (Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi) and our President (George W.Bush) took office.

"Obviously, we don't agree on everything and we have frank dialogue...we respect very much what the Prime Minister (Abdullah) is attempting to do in encouraging the economic and social development in the Islamic world.

And, we also respect the fact that Malaysia represents a very important role model in practising tolerance and respect for diversity. That's an example I think many other countries might benefit," he said.

Labels: Berita, Islam Hadhari, Malaysia, U.S.

US generals to quit if Iran attack is ordered

Washington, February 26 - Some of America’s top military chiefs have threatened to quit if the US decides to attack Iran, according to media reports.

As many as five generals and admirals have said they are willing to resign if faced with the prospect of having to approve a strike on Tehran.

The news comes as fears grow about a US attack, with Dick Cheney ramping up the rhetoric on Sunday when he said that all options “including military action” were on the table.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has also said his country would not withdraw from its nuclear path.

The London based Times newspaper says that sources with ties to British intelligence have said the depth of feeling amongst many of Americans top brass is strong.

The source said: “There is simply no stomach for it in the Pentagon, and a lot of people question whether such an attack would be effective or even possible.”

The paper also quoted a British defence source as saying: “Nobody wants to do it and it would be a matter of conscience for them. There are enough people who feel this would be an error of judgment too far for there to be resignations.”

But not everyone in the US thinks that an attack on Iran is inevitable.

General Peter Pace, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff in Washington, said recently there was “zero chance” of a war with Iran.

He also recently refuted claims by the Pentagon that Iran is supplying insurgents in Iraq with weapons, a view which has also been backed up by British intelligence officials. Agencies

Labels: Berita, Iran, Luar Negeri, U.S.

The special planning group was established within the office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in recent months, according to an unidentified former U.S. intelligence official cited in the article by investigative reporter Seymour Hersh in the March 4 issue.

The panel initially focused on destroying Iran's nuclear facilities and on regime change but has more recently been directed to identify targets in Iran that may be involved in supplying or aiding militants in Iraq, according to an Air Force adviser and a Pentagon consultant, who were not identified.

The consultant and a former senior intelligence official both said that U.S. military and special-operations teams had crossed the border from Iraq into Iran in pursuit of Iranian operatives, according to the article.

In response to the report, Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said: "The United States is not planning to go to war with Iran. To suggest anything to the contrary is simply wrong, misleading and mischievous.

"The United States has been very clear with respect to its concerns regarding specific Iranian government activities. The president has repeatedly stated publicly that this country is going to work with allies in the region to address those concerns through diplomatic efforts," Whitman said.

Pentagon officials say they maintain contingency plans for literally dozens of potential conflicts around the world and that all plans are subject to regular and ongoing review.

The article, citing unnamed current and former U.S. officials, also said the Bush administration received intelligence from Israel that Iran had developed an intercontinental missile capable of delivering several small warheads that could reach Europe. It added the validity of that intelligence was still being debated.

The article also included an interview conducted in December with Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, who said that while he had no interest in initiating another war with Israel, he was anticipating and preparing for another Israeli attack sometime this year.

Israel launched a cross-border offensive against Hezbollah in Lebanon last July.

Nasrallah also said he was open to talks with Washington if such discussions "can be useful and influential in determining American policy in the region," but they would be waste of time if the purpose was to impose policy.

Labels: Berita, Iran, Luar Negeri, U.S.

Israel denies plan to attack Iran

Occupied Jerusalem, February 24 - Israel on Saturday denied a report that it has asked the United States for permission to fly its bombers over Iraq to attack Iran's nuclear plants.

Britain's The Daily Telegraph quoted an unnamed Israeli official as saying that negotiations were taking place with the US-led coalition in Iraq.

"One of the last issues we have to sort out is how we actually get to the targets in Iran. The only way to do this is to fly through US-controlled airspace in Iraq," the Israeli official told the newspaper, adding that the effort is "unprecedented” in Israel's history.

Deputy Defence Miniter Ephraim Sneh denied the report. "There has never been such a request, it is obvious," he told public radio.

He said it was the machination of "international sources who wish to dodge dealing directly with Iran and invent reports that we allegedly want to attack Iraq in order to relieve themselves from the responsibility."

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had called for Israel to be wiped off the map. Iran's nuclear aims and increasing influence over the Middle East have also stirred unease in the region and the West. Agencies

Labels: Berita, Iran, Israel, Luar Negeri, U.S.