Sunday, February 26, 2006

Askariya Shrine Bombed




Before and after the bombing.

The US must decide how the country of Iraq should be governed after they toppled Saddam's government. Initially the plan was to produce one government- run at first by the Us and then handed over to an elected Iraq government policed and directed by the US military. However if the US military were to loose control- by Iraqis requesting the US leave or by a change in control in American politics, and the country was left to it's own then the potential that a radical anti- American government could come to power and the US would be no better off than we started. There is even potential for a uniting between Iran and Iraq which would make the US (and Israel ) in a far worse position.

The solution: break Iraq up into three smaller states- The dissolution of Iraq into a Shi'ite state, a Sunni state and the separation of the Kurdish part.

What would be the justification? That the Iraqi's just can't get along as a unified country. So it has been suggested that the destruction of this shrine was actually done by the US/British to stir up infighting, or a civil war. That has been accomplished.

The last memo from Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld ends with :
¶Assist in accelerating an aggressive federalism plan, moving towards three separate states — Sunni, Shia, and Kurd. (See memo here-bottom of page)- poated by Paul Grant (follower of Basho)


Askariya Shrine Bombed

“A large explosion heavily damaged the golden dome of one of Iraq’s most famous Shiite shrines Wednesday, spawning mass protests and triggering reprisal attacks against Sunni mosques,” reports the Associated Press. “It was the third major attack against Shiite targets this week and threatened to stoke sectarian tensions. Shiite leaders called for calm, but militants attacked Sunni mosques and a gunfight broke out between Shiite militiamen and guards at the offices of a Sunni political party in Basra. About 500 soldiers were sent to Sunni neighborhoods in Baghdad to prevent clashes between Shiites and Sunnis, Army Capt. Jassim al-Wahash said.”

It makes absolutely no sense for Sunnis to bomb Shia mosques; this would be akin to Baptists bombing Catholic churches. Sectarian violence, dividing Iraqi society, does not serve Iraqis, either Sunni or Shia. It does, however, serve the occupation forces and also begins to realize the plan sketched out in Oded Yinon’s “A Strategy for Israel in the Nineteen Eighties” (the balkanization of Arab and Muslim society and culture), an objective shared by Jabotinsky Likudites and Straussian neocons.

“No group claimed responsibility for the 6:55 a.m. attack on the Askariya shrine in Samarra, 60 miles north of Baghdad, but suspicion fell on Sunni extremist groups such as al-Qaida in Iraq led by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. The shrine contains the tombs of two revered Shiite imams, descendants of the Prophet Muhammad.” Of course, it stands to reason the bombing was carried out by “al-Qaida in Iraq” and the dead Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, in other words it was a black op carried out by the Anglo-American occupation forces, designed specifically to create religious violence, the worst sort. Only vicious and crazed Muslims would blow up the remains of descendants of the Prophet Muhammad—or American, British, and Israeli intelligence operatives or their double agent Arab lunatics, or crazies incited by Rumsfeld’s Proactive Preemptive Operations Group (P2OG), designed to “stimulate” terrorist reaction.

Recall the remarks of an anonymous senior military officer on April 22, 2004, declaring a spate of bombings in Basra had “all the hallmarks” of “al-Qaeda.” Several months later, two British “undercover soldiers” wearing “traditional Arab headscarves” were caught red-handed by Iraqi National Guard “driving a booby trapped car loaded with ammunition.”

Michel Chossudovsky: “Has the US [and Britain] created as part of a covert intelligence operation, a bogus ‘resistance movement’ made up of its own Al Qaeda sponsored ‘terrorists’? Their suicide attacks target Iraqi civilians rather than the US military. The suicide bombings tend to encourage sectarian divisions not only within Iraq, but throughout the entire Middle East. They serve Washington’s interests. They contribute to undermining the development of a broader resistance movement uniting Shia, Sunni, Kurds and Christians against the illegal occupation of the Iraqi homeland.”

The Askariya shrine that was bombed Wednesday is among Iraq's most sacred sites for Shiite Muslims, drawing pilgrims from around the world.

It contains the tombs of the 10th and 11th imams, Ali al-Hadi who died in 868, and his son, Hassan al-Askari, who died in 874.

Both are descendants of the Prophet Muhammad and Shiites consider them to be among his successors. The landmark golden dome was completed in 1905 under Muzaffar al-Din Shah.

The shrine is near the place where the last of the 12 Shiite imams, Mohammed al-Mahdi, disappeared. Al-Mahdi, known as the “hidden imam,” was the son and grandson of the two imams buried in the Askariya shrine. Shiites believe he is still alive and will return to restore justice to humanity.


The shrine is in Samarra, 60 miles north of Baghdad, one of four Shiite holy cities in Iraq, which has majestic ruins stretching along the eastern bank of the Tigris river.

It was built by Caliph al-Mutasim in 836 to replace Baghdad as the capital of the Abbasid Caliphate, and abandoned by Caliph Al-Mutamid in 892.

Samarra also is the site of the ninth century Great Mosque with a 170-foot spiral minaret that is one of the most recognized landmarks in Iraq. The town also holds remains of the residence built by Caliph Al-Mutasim in 835.

Monday, February 20, 2006

U.S. Marines 'Devastated' After Crash


Sgt. Jonathan E. McColley, 23

U.S. Marines 'Devastated' After Crash

By STEVE HARTSOE, Associated Press WriterMon Feb 20, 2:36 AM ET

Ten U.S. service members died when a pair of Marine Corps helicopters from a unit based in North Carolina crashed off the coast of Africa, U.S. military officials confirmed Sunday.

The two CH-53E choppers, carrying a dozen crew and troops from a U.S. counterterrorism force, went down during a training flight Friday in the Gulf of Aden, near the northern coastal town of Ras Siyyan in Djibouti.

Two crew members who were rescued were taken in stable condition to the U.S. military's Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany.

The aircraft and eight Marines were from Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 464, based at Marine Corps Air Station New River. Two Air Force airmen killed were from bases in Washington state and Virginia.

'We were devastated,' said Marine Corps 1st Lt. Paul Tremblay, who is based at Camp Lejeune, the huge post on the Atlantic Ocean that's next to the New River air station. 'It hits us very hard as Marines when we lose anyone.'

The Pentagon said the Marines killed in the crash were:

• 1st Lt. Brandon R. Dronet, 33, of Erath, La.

• • Sgt. Jonathan E. McColley, 23, of Gettysburg, Pa.

• Capt. Bryan D. Willard, 33, of Hummelstown, Pa.

Also killed in the crash were Senior Airman Alecia S. Good, 23, of Broadview Heights, Ohio, of the 92nd Communications Squadron at Fairchild Air Force Base, Wash.; and Staff Sgt. Luis M. Melendez Sanchez, 33, of Bayamon, Puerto Rico, of the 1st Communications Squadron, Langley Air Force Base, Va.

"Our deepest sympathy and heartfelt prayers go out to the family members, friends, loved ones and co-workers of our fallen brothers- and sisters-in-arms," said Maj. Gen. Timothy Ghormley, commanding general of the counterterrorism force. "We mourn their loss and honor their memory."

John McColley of Gettysburg, Pa., said his son was less than two months away from being rotated out of Africa and it was difficult to wait for news after the first reports of the crash.

"That news affected every member of the contingent, 40 or 50 families," McColley said. "Every family's heart sank."

Margaret Levens, of Long Beach, Miss., said she was proud that her son, Donnie Levens, had a chance to do what he loved.

"He was there to serve his country and to keep his family and country safe," Margaret Levens said. "It was what he wanted to do. He was there for us ... in fact he had reenlisted for four (more) years."

The remains of the eight Marines and two airmen were sent back to the United States on Sunday, task force spokeswoman Maj. Susan Romano told The Associated Press by telephone from Djibouti.

One of the two crew members who were rescued was Marine pilot Susan Craig, 28, who called her parents, Pat and Lewis Sackett of Fall Creek, Wis.

"She's bruised and swollen, and her arms and legs got hurt, but no broken bones," Pat Sackett said.

She said her daughter was not sure what caused the crash.

Military officials were investigating why the aircraft when down in shallow water. They said there was no indication of hostile fire, and visibility was good with light wind.

The Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa, set up in the former French colony in June 2002, is responsible for fighting terrorism in nine countries in the region: Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Sudan, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Somalia in Africa and Yemen on the southwestern corner of the Arabian Peninsula.

The impoverished region is home to a sizable Muslim population. U.S. officials say it has been used by terrorists as a place to hide, recruit operatives and stage attacks.

The region has suffered four attacks either claimed by or attributed to Osama bin Laden's al-Qaida network, including bombings of the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania; and the 2002 attack on the USS Cole in Yemen.

___

Associated Press writers Rodrique Ngowi in Nairobi, Kenya, and Valerie Bauman in Jackson, Miss., and Bob Lentz in Philadelphia contributed to this report.

___

On the Net:

MCAS New River: http://www.newriver.usmc.mil/

Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 464: http://www.2maw.usmc.mil/MAG29/HMH464/default.asp

Sunday, February 19, 2006

Willie Plays for Troops Injured in Iraq - Forbes.com

Willie Plays for Troops Injured in Iraq - Forbes.com: "

Willie Nelson warmed up for a concert by playing a long freebie gig for soldiers injured in Iraq.

For the second straight year, Nelson squeezed in a show at Brooke Army Medical Center on Friday while he and his band were in San Antonio to play at the city's annual rodeo.

'I have a lot of respect for the military,' said Nelson, 72, an Air Force veteran. 'I like to show them that I support them every chance I get. ... We get as much out of it as (the soldiers).'

A year ago, the singer wore out his voice singing 11 songs at the Army hospital and had to cancel his performance at the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo.

Hundreds of patients, family members and hospital staff clapped and cheered Friday as Nelson walked into the hospital's atrium.

He opened, as usual, with "Whiskey River." After more than an hour and 22 numbers - including standbys like "On the Road Again" and "Mamas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys" - he finally set down his well-worn acoustic guitar and was mobbed by fans.

Sgt. 1st Class Alan Hornaday, badly wounded in a suicide car bombing in Baghdad in 2004, had a front-row seat for the concert.

"This is really cool, him being able to come out and visit soldiers and entertain them," said Hornaday, a National Guardsman from Fordyce, Ark., who also saw Nelson here last year. "It picks everybody's spirits up. ... It means a lot

10 U.S. Troops Found After Djibouti Crash, Military Says

10 U.S. Troops Found After Djibouti Crash, Military Says: "10 U.S. Troops Found After Djibouti Crash, Military Says

Associated Press
Sunday, February 19, 2006; A15

NAIROBI, Feb. 18 -- Rescue crews called off operations Saturday after the U.S. military said it had accounted for 10 American troops who went missing after two transport helicopters crashed into the sea but declined to reveal their fate until family members were notified.

The U.S. military normally acknowledges any successful rescue of servicemen, as it did Friday when it announced that two injured crew members were recovered from the crash site.

In saying that the 10 previously missing crew members had been accounted for, the U.S. military command in Djibouti did not indicate that they had been recovered alive.

'We are not giving additional details on the status or condition of the crew out of respect for the next-of-kin,' said Maj. Susan Romano of the U.S.-led Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa.

The CH-53E choppers, carrying a dozen crew members and troops from the counterterrorism force, went down Friday in the Gulf of Aden, near the northern coastal town of Ras Siyyan.

The two rescued crew members were flown Saturday to the U.S. military's Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in southern Germany, Romano said. They were in stable condition.

Authorities "

Saturday, February 18, 2006

Brent Scowcroft on Iraq Sanctions, lead-up to Iraq War

Brent Scowcroft faces a hostile questioner regarding the sanctions against Iraq. He places the blame of the suffering on Saddam Hussein.

See also :
Chronology of main events 1990-2001

Notes on Iraq Sanctions: Humanitarian Implications and Options for the Future - Security Council - Global Policy Forum

BRENT SCOWCROFT: Don't Attack Saddam





Brent Scowcroft

Brent Scowcroft Born: 19-Mar-1925
Birthplace: Ogden, UT
Religion: Mormon
Race or Ethnicity: White
Occupation: Government, Military

Nationality: United States
Executive summary: National Security Advisor to Ford and GHWB

Military service: USAF (Lt. Gen., retired)

Wife: Marian Horner Scowcroft (d., one daughter)

University: BS, West Point
University: PhD International Relations, Columbia University

White House National Security Advisor
Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board Chairman 2001-
George Bush Presidential Library Trustee
America Abroad Media Advisory Board
American Academy of Diplomacy
American Council on Germany Board of Directors
Atlantic Council Director
Atlantic Institute for International Affairs
Bretton Woods Committee
Center for Strategic & International Studies
Council on Foreign Relations
Eisenhower Fellowships Trustee
Forum for International Policy Trustee
Inter-American Dialogue
International Republican Institute
Nixon Center Board of Directors
Pacific Council on International Policy
Presidential Medal of Freedom 1991
National Security Medal
Knight of the British Empire 1993

Saturday, February 11, 2006

Video: Documentary :The Neocon Agenda

Notes from this video:

1. Neocons were the d riving force for war agenda in middle East- Iraq, Iran & Syria
2. Neocons are closely tied to Israel right wing
3. Goal was/is to weaken and destabilize Israels enemies- internal-Palestinians- and external enemies,
4. All were looking for a comprehensive solution for Israel's needs.
5. Iraq hasd been a key geostrategic spot that for that purpose of destabalizing Palestinian support.
6. Neocons tried to promote the idea that it wasn't only Israel in danger, but also the US.
7. Cheney brought the neocons into the Administration in 2001- Cheney was a member of Jewish Institute for National Security affairs and he and his wife were in Neocon organizations(like PNAC)
8. Collin Powell was one of the people who stood against military aggression against Iraq - prior to 9/11
9. Bush was a convert after 9/11
10. The plan was already prepared to attack Iraq- so all that needed to be done was create a compelling reason = weapons of mass destruction.

posted by Paul Grant (follower of Basho)

Thursday, February 09, 2006

In perspective

Detroit native Jerome Bettis, whose final NFL game was be played in yesterday's Super Bowl, was recently given a key to the city of Detroit. The last person given the key to the city was Saddam Hussein (1980).

Thursday, February 02, 2006

Video: Stephen Colbert roast Bush part 2

 


Back to Complete 
War News Index


part 2 - Stephen Colbert

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