Afghan observes end of one war amid violence
April 28th, 2010
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WRAP: Nation commemorates 1992 toppling of Soviet-backed regime, which led to civil war, rise of Taliban.
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Posts Tagged ‘nation’
"…The twilight of the Mubarak regime …"
April 13th, 2010
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In the WPR/ here
“… Since narrowly escaping the 1980 assassination plot that claimed the life of his predecessor, Anwar Sadat, Mubarak has obsessed over his grasp on power. He’s defined himself as a firm and cautious leader who shows little tolerance for any threats to his rule, whether real or imagined…… maintained the nation’s Emergency Law in effect ever since Sadat’s murder.
The law provides for an extension of police powers and the legalization of censorship, while limiting political demonstrations, suspending constitutional rights and barring all political parties that lack the official approval of Mubarak’s National Democratic Party (NDP). …….Mubarak’s obsession with political ascendance has come at the cost of economic progress, with the lines between political and military power blurred, civil institutions leveled, and the nation polarized.
Now, with October’s parliamentary elections on the horizon, Mubarak has ramped up efforts by his security services to crack down on the opposition…… ElBaradei has had little trouble garnering international attention since Mubarak’s health scare left the world considering an Egypt in transition. With a presidential election scheduled for 2011, rumors are rampant that ElBaradei will challenge either Mubarak, if the latter’s health allows, or Mubarak’s son Gamal, who has been groomed — albeit awkwardly and without public support — for succession.
For his part, ElBaradei has played coy regarding his political ambitions, publicly stating that he is not currently interested in public office, but rather anxious to use his personal clout to reform his homeland’s constitutional wasteland. In his own words, “Change will have to come from within [Egypt] . . . There is no one coming on a white horse that is going to do it for you.”
In response, the state-controlled media has maligned ElBaradei as a traitor to the nation whose campaign for political reform is “tantamount to a constitutional coup.” Following last Tuesday’s protests, his supporters have been beaten, arrested and allegedly tortured, all in full view of a watching world.
………ElBaradei will likely continue to play his political cards close to the vest. In a nation that’s short on democratic experience, barring an implausible change in Mubarak’s stance against political opposition, ElBaradei may have to content himself with the role of Egypt’s Critic-in-Chief. That would not necessarily weaken his message.
In his words, “The West talks a lot about elections in Iran, for example, but at least there were elections. Yet where are the elections in the Arab world? If the West doesn’t talk about that, then how can it have any credibility?” On the eve of this year’s parliamentary elections and the 2011 presidential vote, the time is fast approaching for the world to reconsider the shape and stature of Egyptian “democracy.” For nearly three decades, Mubarak has maintained his regime by presenting his allies with a simple choice: an oppressive dictatorship that is willing to work with and on behalf of U.S. and regional interests, or the triumph of radical Islamists. Mohamed ElBaradei is neither a pharaoh nor a fanatic, making his warning all the more noteworthy: Egypt may not suffer another strongman, and the West might not be able to afford one.
Categories: Arab Blogs Chief. That, Egypt, ElBaradei, health scare, Iran, Mubarak, nation, national democratic party, political demonstrations, U.S.
VIDEO: Fresh wave of Iraq attacks
April 4th, 2010
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Three separate attacks in and around Baghdad as nation in political limbo after no clear winner in polls.
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Islamic cleric warns on meddling in Nigeria
March 21st, 2010
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Nigeria’s top Islamic cleric warns foreigners against meddling in nation’s affairs over Muslim-Christian row.
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Cooking and dancing
February 24th, 2010
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King `Abdullah of Saudi Arabia is dancing. King `Abdullah of Jordan is cooking. The Arab nation is in safe hands. (thanks Fadi)
Categories: Arab Blogs Abdullah, arab nation, Fadi, Jordan, king, king abdullah of jordan, king abdullah of saudi arabia, nation, Saudi Arabia
Haiti versus Israel (and Mubarak)
January 21st, 2010
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“”But consider this: in fiscal 1998 Haiti received $106 million from the U.S, the No. 9 nation among foreign aid recipients. Ten years later, it didn’t even make the top 15 list. Compare that to the more than $5 billion paid out to Israel and Egypt.”" (thanks Sarah)
Categories: Arab Blogs aid, aid recipients, Egypt, foreign aid, Haiti, Israel, list, nation, Sarah, U.S.
Strong quake hits Haiti again -geologists
January 20th, 2010
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Earthquake measuring 6.1 strikes Caribbean nation, once again sending residents running to streets.
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World scrambles to help quake-hit Haiti
January 14th, 2010
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Rescuers, sniffer dogs, equipments, supplies head Caribbean nation in global response to horror earthquake.
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Sri Lanka faces pressure over war crimes
January 8th, 2010
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Island nation under duress to submit to war crimes probe after U.N. authenticated video on executing Tigers.
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"… Hamid Karzai is brilliant, well educated, non-violent, a politically astute deal maker …"
December 8th, 2009
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A Gen. Barry McCaffrey 11-page assessment written on behalf of Gen. Petraeus, the full report , here (some of the peals below!)
“… Thankfully, Secretary Gates, Generals Dave Petraeus at CENTCOM and General Stan McChrystal the ISAF Commander (with the deft political-military support of US Admiral Jim Stavridis the NATO Supreme Allied Commander in Europe) have unscrewed this mess,….”“…. Petraeus and McChrystal are the most effective counter-insurgency strategists and counter-terrorist fighters we have produced in nine years of war,…..”“We now have the most effective and courageous military forces in our nation’s history committed to this campaign,….. ”
“The superb leadership from Secretary Gates, Admiral Mike Mullen, General Dave Petraeus, and General Stan McChrystal is objective, experienced, non-political, and determined…….”
Politico’s Laura Rosen comments:
“McCaffrey’s lavish praise for the military geniuses contrasts with notable terseness regarding the whole rest of the operation in Afghanistan, though his assessment lists interviews with top US embassy officials in Afghanistan.
Note this point, for instance, in the summary: “The international civilian agency surge will essentially not happen —although State Department officers, US AID, CIA, DEA, and the FBI will make vital contributions. Afghanistan over the next 2-3 years will be simply too dangerous for most civil agencies.”
The State Department, USAID and CIA etc. are providing “vital contributions“? Ouch.
And then also quite peculiarly, McCaffrey seems to do a bit of gushing about Afghanistan’s controversially reelected president Hamid Karzai as well, who has been the subject of much handwringing by the Obama administration and the top US civilian leadership on Afghanistan in particular.
“The Afghan nation has an elected President –Hamid Karzai –who is: brilliant, well educated, non-violent, a politically astute deal maker in a nation where murder not compromise is the normal political tool; a man who deeply cares for his people; and who is a personally courageous Afghan patriot who is constantly at risk of assassination,” McCaffrey writes. “His popularity with his own people has fallen dramatically as the Taliban have surged to greater power in part because of the ineffectiveness of his government.”
When is the last time you heard anyone in the U.S. government describe Karzai as “brilliant”?
What is going on?
And by commissioning such an assessment and having it circulate so widely, what message is Petraeus trying to send?”
Learn To Read And Write Arabic
Find out all about the revolutionary secret technique for learning to read and write Arabic. Read the article here.
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