Iraq signs military pact with Iran
BAGHDAD: Iraq signed a military pact with Iran on Wednesday in a breakthrough with a former foe, but al-Qaeda said it would kill Egypt’s kidnapped envoy and attack more diplomats to stop the government winning international support.
Defence Minister Saadoun al-Dulaimi signed a pact in Tehran agreeing to accept Iranian military training and other cooperation with the country Iraq fought for a decade under ousted leader Saddam Hussein.
Responding to the suggestion that the thaw in ties with Iran would anger Washington, Dulaimi said: "Nobody can dictate to Iraq its relations with other countries."
Iraq is anxiously trying to improve its ties with other Muslim countries to win legitimacy and undermine insurgent support. But mainly Sunni-led Arab states have been cautious about embracing the Shia-dominated, US-backed Iraqi authorities.
A double car bomb attack killed at least 13 people and wounded 27 overnight in al-Mashru, near Hilla south of Baghdad, in the worst bombing attack for several days, Polish forces in the area said. Locals blamed al-Qaeda.
"Only Shias are targeted," Raad Hadeed Salman, a witness, shouted amid an angry crowd at the scene of the blast.
"There were no police here, no Americans and no army soldiers. Zarqawi is targeting only Shias."
In Mosul in the north, where Kurds and Arabs have feuded for control, some 12 mortars aimed at a local government headquarters fell into a crowded neighbourhood of shops.
Hospital sources said at least 46 people were injured and three confirmed killed.
Zarqawi’s guerrillas are Sunni Moslems, allied with Iraqi Sunni insurgents against the Shia and Kurdish-led government in Iraq and its United States backers, although many Iraqi Sunnis reject the violence and foreign influence of Zarqawi’s followers. Iraqi leaders and US hope that a rift in the insurgency will bring more Iraqi Sunnis into politics.
Iraqi Sunni Arab groups took their biggest step into the political process on Wednesday, with 15 Sunni delegates joining the committee to draft a new constitution.
The American military said it was holding five US citizens, apparently including a Los Angeles filmmaker, among more than 10,000 detainees in Iraq.
Is this what were fighting for? Iraq signs military pact wit
Moderator: Super Moderators
Here's a little tidbit to add to this:
China ready to boost ties with Iran, President Hu
July 06, 2005
Chinese President Hu Jintao said on July 5 that China is willing to strengthen exchanges and cooperation with Iran in various fields and in international organizations.
In a meeting with Iranian First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref, who is in Astana to attend the fifth summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), Hu congratulated Iran on its becoming a SCO observer and said China welcomes and supports Iran's efforts to establish and develop ties with the organization.
China and Iran have maintained frequent high-level contacts over the past years, with mutual political trust deepening and both sides sharing consensus on many major regional and international issues, Hu said.
As developing countries, both China and Iran are faced with the same task of developing the economy and improving the living standards of their peoples, Hu said.
There is a solid basis for developing the friendly ties and cooperation between the two countries, which is in the common interest of both sides, Hu said.
China stands ready to boost friendly exchanges and cooperation with the Iranian side in various fields and at different levels, and strengthen their coordination in international and regional organizations like the United Nations and the SCO, the Chinese president said.
Hu said that the economies of China and Iran are highly complementary and their cooperation has been fruitful, with two-way trade growing steadily in recent years and energy cooperation making headway.
Noting that China and Iran have become important partners for economic cooperation, the Chinese president expressed the hope that both sides would work together to bring their economic cooperation to a new height.
Hu also said China is ready to grant Iran the status of a tourist destination for Chinese citizens.
Aref, noting China's important place in Iran's foreign policy, said bilateral friendly ties have been growing steadily, with both sides enjoying sound coordination and cooperation in major international and regional affairs.
There is huge potential for the two countries to expand relations, said Aref, adding that Iran welcomes more Chinese enterprises to participate in the economic construction of the country.
Aref also expressed the hope that the two countries will further promote personnel exchanges and enhance cooperation in such fields as culture and education.
The two also exchanged views on international and regional issues of common concern.
Hu briefed Aref on China's position on the reform of the United Nations and Aref said he fully agreed.
The views and concerns of the developing countries should be taken into serious consideration in the process of UN reforms, Aref said, adding that the reforms should help consolidate the unity of member states and improve the world body's efficiency.
Source: Xinhua
China ready to boost ties with Iran, President Hu
July 06, 2005
Chinese President Hu Jintao said on July 5 that China is willing to strengthen exchanges and cooperation with Iran in various fields and in international organizations.
In a meeting with Iranian First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref, who is in Astana to attend the fifth summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), Hu congratulated Iran on its becoming a SCO observer and said China welcomes and supports Iran's efforts to establish and develop ties with the organization.
China and Iran have maintained frequent high-level contacts over the past years, with mutual political trust deepening and both sides sharing consensus on many major regional and international issues, Hu said.
As developing countries, both China and Iran are faced with the same task of developing the economy and improving the living standards of their peoples, Hu said.
There is a solid basis for developing the friendly ties and cooperation between the two countries, which is in the common interest of both sides, Hu said.
China stands ready to boost friendly exchanges and cooperation with the Iranian side in various fields and at different levels, and strengthen their coordination in international and regional organizations like the United Nations and the SCO, the Chinese president said.
Hu said that the economies of China and Iran are highly complementary and their cooperation has been fruitful, with two-way trade growing steadily in recent years and energy cooperation making headway.
Noting that China and Iran have become important partners for economic cooperation, the Chinese president expressed the hope that both sides would work together to bring their economic cooperation to a new height.
Hu also said China is ready to grant Iran the status of a tourist destination for Chinese citizens.
Aref, noting China's important place in Iran's foreign policy, said bilateral friendly ties have been growing steadily, with both sides enjoying sound coordination and cooperation in major international and regional affairs.
There is huge potential for the two countries to expand relations, said Aref, adding that Iran welcomes more Chinese enterprises to participate in the economic construction of the country.
Aref also expressed the hope that the two countries will further promote personnel exchanges and enhance cooperation in such fields as culture and education.
The two also exchanged views on international and regional issues of common concern.
Hu briefed Aref on China's position on the reform of the United Nations and Aref said he fully agreed.
The views and concerns of the developing countries should be taken into serious consideration in the process of UN reforms, Aref said, adding that the reforms should help consolidate the unity of member states and improve the world body's efficiency.
Source: Xinhua
We must, indeed, all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately. B. Franklin
I have always believed that Osama Bin Laden has been living quite comfortably in West China for the past few years in exchange for his promise to cool down tensions among Chinese Muslims in that area. Maybe I am wrong about this, but it certainly does seem plausible, doesn't it?
"Fuggedah about it, Jake --- it's Chinatown!"
http://www.whatreallyhappened.com/alqmaryland.html
I think that this article is finally getting to the core of things as they say!
I think that this article is finally getting to the core of things as they say!
A silent mouth is sweet to hear. joequinn wrote: I have always believed that Osama Bin Laden has been living quite comfortably in West China for the past few years in exchange for his promise to cool down tensions among Chinese Muslims in that area. Maybe I am wrong about this, but it certainly does seem plausible, doesn't it?
Yes and it could be the main reason that US Intel and The Special Forces of The USA cannot get him and take him Out of Action
http://www.rense.com/general67/rumor.htm
this article has something to do with canceling all military leaves.......but rense is not sure if this is a rumor or something else.
If someone else hears anything let us know....OKIE...dokie..?:D
this article has something to do with canceling all military leaves.......but rense is not sure if this is a rumor or something else.
If someone else hears anything let us know....OKIE...dokie..?:D
Bush Administration Files 11th Hour Papers Blocking the Release of Darby CD Photos and Video Of Abu Ghraib Torture
Synopsis
On July 22, the Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR) denounced the latest efforts of the Bush Administration to block the release of the Darby photos and videos depicting torture at Iraq’s Abu Ghraib prison facility. On June 2, 2004, CCR, along with the ACLU, Physicians for Human Rights, Veterans for Common Sense, and Veterans for Peace filed papers with the U.S. District Court, charging the Department of Defense and other government agencies with illegally withholding records concerning the abuse of detainees in American military custody. Since then, the organizations have been repeatedly rebuffed in their efforts to investigate what happened at the prison.
In June, the government requested and received an extension from the judge stating that they needed time in order to redact the faces of the men, women and children believed to be shown in the photographs and videos. They were given until today to produce the images, but at the eleventh hour filed a motion to oppose the release of the photos and videos, based on an entirely new argument: they are now requesting a 7(F) exemption from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act to withhold law enforcement-related information in order to protect the physical safety of individuals. Today’s move is the latest in a series of attempts by the government to keep the images from being made public and to cover up the torture of detainees in U.S. custody around the world.
Joseph Darby was the U.S reservist who turned over the photos and videos to U.S. Army officials and touched off the Abu Ghraib scandal in April 2004.
“This is absolutely unacceptable,” stated Michael Ratner, President of the Center for Constitutional Rights. “We can not move forward from this scandal until we have a full public accounting and independent investigation into what happened at Abu Ghraib. The government cannot continue to hide evidence of torture. The time to release these photos and videos was a long time ago.”
Expectations are that the FOIA request will release more than 100 photos and 4 videos, all believed to document deplorable human rights violations by U.S. military personnel against Iraqi civilians.
Barbara Olshansky, Deputy Legal Director of the Center for Constitutional Rights, stated, “The public must be informed of what is being done in our name. It is this Administration that has put our troops at risk and caused world-wide anger by fostering policies that promote torture and refusing to hold those responsible publicly accountable.”
The Center for Constitutional Rights once more calls for a complete, transparent independent investigation into the torture and abuse of detainees that goes all the way up the chain of command and demands that the Administration apply the Geneva Conventions to every detainee being held in U.S. custody around the world.
This is part of the request under the Freedom of Information Act filed by the the Center for Constitutional Rights, the ACLU, Physicians for Human Rights, Veterans for Common Sense and Veterans for Peace. The FOIA lawsuit is being handled by Lawrence Lustberg and Megan Lewis of the New Jersey-based law firm Gibbons, Del Deo, Dolan, Griffinger & Vecchione, P.C.
What's he so afraid of if this war was really legal..? Is he hiding his torture chambers and dead? That is right folks I said : dead"......because if we investigate this we will be furthered down the road to more murder by our very own.....
so many want us out ...they know why they want us out of there.
They know what is really happening is " genocide" neither party wants this to come out as some or all knew if it did it would hang them but damn good.
Bush knows.....and he at the present time is so " happy that the patriot act is going thru ....making his job easier to continue his plan of " I am king and this world is my kingdom" dream.....
I can not support the dems or the repugs on this as they are coming from the same place.....
I want change and I want back what this nation was 45 years ago when I was just a wee one....thinking only of dangling my feet in the pond and catching fireflies at night.....wouldn't it be great? To think of how to waste our time on things that really
kept us away from the "scare & fear" that we wake up to every morning!
I want this for all of us this ...children and their children....I want the american nation to wake up! are you really happy living this way? Is your life full..or full if it ?
Bombings and threats everyday of our lives explode into our faces as we turn on the tube....with more to come....can't you see where this is going?
Then ask yourself this question.....WHY?..........who's plan made this possible? WHY ..are things getting worse then better...?
Who profits? Your children will know of nothing sane or better or safe.....
TPTB will take everything you have " like vampires they lurk in the dark waiting to strike. Scary picture? It is no longer a picture.
You are staring at it straight away!
Synopsis
On July 22, the Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR) denounced the latest efforts of the Bush Administration to block the release of the Darby photos and videos depicting torture at Iraq’s Abu Ghraib prison facility. On June 2, 2004, CCR, along with the ACLU, Physicians for Human Rights, Veterans for Common Sense, and Veterans for Peace filed papers with the U.S. District Court, charging the Department of Defense and other government agencies with illegally withholding records concerning the abuse of detainees in American military custody. Since then, the organizations have been repeatedly rebuffed in their efforts to investigate what happened at the prison.
In June, the government requested and received an extension from the judge stating that they needed time in order to redact the faces of the men, women and children believed to be shown in the photographs and videos. They were given until today to produce the images, but at the eleventh hour filed a motion to oppose the release of the photos and videos, based on an entirely new argument: they are now requesting a 7(F) exemption from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act to withhold law enforcement-related information in order to protect the physical safety of individuals. Today’s move is the latest in a series of attempts by the government to keep the images from being made public and to cover up the torture of detainees in U.S. custody around the world.
Joseph Darby was the U.S reservist who turned over the photos and videos to U.S. Army officials and touched off the Abu Ghraib scandal in April 2004.
“This is absolutely unacceptable,” stated Michael Ratner, President of the Center for Constitutional Rights. “We can not move forward from this scandal until we have a full public accounting and independent investigation into what happened at Abu Ghraib. The government cannot continue to hide evidence of torture. The time to release these photos and videos was a long time ago.”
Expectations are that the FOIA request will release more than 100 photos and 4 videos, all believed to document deplorable human rights violations by U.S. military personnel against Iraqi civilians.
Barbara Olshansky, Deputy Legal Director of the Center for Constitutional Rights, stated, “The public must be informed of what is being done in our name. It is this Administration that has put our troops at risk and caused world-wide anger by fostering policies that promote torture and refusing to hold those responsible publicly accountable.”
The Center for Constitutional Rights once more calls for a complete, transparent independent investigation into the torture and abuse of detainees that goes all the way up the chain of command and demands that the Administration apply the Geneva Conventions to every detainee being held in U.S. custody around the world.
This is part of the request under the Freedom of Information Act filed by the the Center for Constitutional Rights, the ACLU, Physicians for Human Rights, Veterans for Common Sense and Veterans for Peace. The FOIA lawsuit is being handled by Lawrence Lustberg and Megan Lewis of the New Jersey-based law firm Gibbons, Del Deo, Dolan, Griffinger & Vecchione, P.C.
What's he so afraid of if this war was really legal..? Is he hiding his torture chambers and dead? That is right folks I said : dead"......because if we investigate this we will be furthered down the road to more murder by our very own.....
so many want us out ...they know why they want us out of there.
They know what is really happening is " genocide" neither party wants this to come out as some or all knew if it did it would hang them but damn good.
Bush knows.....and he at the present time is so " happy that the patriot act is going thru ....making his job easier to continue his plan of " I am king and this world is my kingdom" dream.....
I can not support the dems or the repugs on this as they are coming from the same place.....
I want change and I want back what this nation was 45 years ago when I was just a wee one....thinking only of dangling my feet in the pond and catching fireflies at night.....wouldn't it be great? To think of how to waste our time on things that really
kept us away from the "scare & fear" that we wake up to every morning!
I want this for all of us this ...children and their children....I want the american nation to wake up! are you really happy living this way? Is your life full..or full if it ?
Bombings and threats everyday of our lives explode into our faces as we turn on the tube....with more to come....can't you see where this is going?
Then ask yourself this question.....WHY?..........who's plan made this possible? WHY ..are things getting worse then better...?
Who profits? Your children will know of nothing sane or better or safe.....
TPTB will take everything you have " like vampires they lurk in the dark waiting to strike. Scary picture? It is no longer a picture.
You are staring at it straight away!
Yes we did and I know that I warned in a postingIris wrote: Good post. We saw this one coming, didn't we? You think this is "yet more" reason for Bush to now go to war with Iran?
prior to the invasion of Bagdad that a civil war between the sects would errupt. But Dumb old Bush wanted to retreive something his father left behind.
The only advantage I see would be to get a foot hold back inside
Iran
"Speak softly and carry a big stick" Teddy Roosevelt