War in The Middle East

[Illuminator]

Re: War in The Middle East



TURKEY: TV PULLS HOLOCAUST FILM AFTER PRO-GOVERNMENT PAPER CRITICISES AIRING


Istanbul, 3 August (AKI) - Turkish state television broadcaster TRT's decision to drop from its programme schedule the Oscar-winning film "The Pianist" which deals with the Holocaust, has drawn criticism by those who say the axing was prompted by government pressure. The film which tells the story of a young Polish xxxish pianist who escapes the mass murder of xxxs by the Nazis during World War II was scheduled to be shown on Wednesday night. But without prior announcement an American film "Wall Street" was broadcast in its place.

Last week the daily Yeni Safak, which is considered close to government said the decision to show The Pianist represented "bad timing while Israel was continuing its bombing campaign in Lebanon."

On Thurday the liberal daily Radikal attacked TRT's decision to pull the film questioning its independence by suggesting that it had buckled to pressure from Yeni Safak.

TRT refused to comment on the reasons for its decision, but one official said the broadcaster had recieved many calls from the public asking it not to show the film.

TRT and several private TV channels have shown the film, which was made in 2002 and won three Academy Awards, including Best Director for Roman Polanski, several times in the past.

The government of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been highly criticial of Israel since it began its intervention in Lebanon three weeks ago.

Traditionally Turkey is one of the few Islamic nations to have had good relations with Israel.


(Vah/Aki)


Aug-03-06 16:30

http://www.adnki.com/index_2Level_English.php?cat=CultureAndMedia&loid=8.0.327387152&par=0

[Anonymouse]

Re: War in The Middle East

PLA Princeling Critiques US War on Terror

An unpublished essay by a leading Chinese military theoretician reportedly provides further insights into Beijing's view of the United States and its war with radical Islam.

Sources say the essay, by Liu Yazhou, has thus far been selectively circulated to top military officers and Communist Party officials, including President Hu Jintao and his Leading Small Group on foreign affairs.

Liu, as China Confidential has previously reported, is an extremely influential Lieutenant General and Deputy Political Commissar in the People's Liberation Army Air Force. A prolific author, Liu is best known for his essays and books on international affairs and strategy. The 51-year-old non-combatant officer is a dedicated nationalist and hardliner toward the US, Japan, and Taiwan--and the only serving PLA general to have visited the self-ruled island. He has traveled extensively overseas, including a stint in the US as a visiting professor at prestigious Stanford University.

Liu is also a son-in-law of the late Chinese president Li Xiannian, and a so-called princeling--meaning, a privileged offspring of a high Communist Party official--who has also been linked to the Shanghai clique led by China's unpopular former president, Jiang Zemin.

Liu's wide-ranging views include the idea that the West is engaged in a losing civilizational clash with rising, radical Islam, with which China must forge a strategic alliance via deepening ties to Iran. Like other PLA theoreticians, he extols the potential of "unrestricted warfare"--use of a variety of methods to isolate, weaken and ultimately defeat the enemy--and "winning without fighting" whenever possible, i.e. making maximum use of deception and diplomacy in the face of a technologically superior enemy, such as the "US hegemon." Liu also likes to talk in terms of the "Maoization" of the military, though it is not always clear what he means by this.

His clinical analysis of the US position with respect to radical Islam, however, is quite clear, according to our sources. Ironically, Liu's essay is supposedly in tune with the views of some US conservative critics of the Bush administration. His main point, reportedly, is that the US faltered following the 9/11 attacks when it failed to identify radical Islam, or Islamism, as its enemy and instead launched a "war on terror," sending a confused--and confusing--message to the American people. Sources say Liu argues that the reluctance to name Islamism as an enemy reflects (a) US unwillingness to completely break with decades of secretly supporting rightwing Islamic fundamentalism as a counterweight against secular radicals in the Middle East, and (b) US "weakness," by which he seems to mean an essentially idealistic and, in his opinion, ultimately self-defeating faith in its own democratic and humanitarian ideals, which prevent the US from taking truly drastic military action when necessary.

Liu reportedly refers to the Iraq war as a strategic blunder that nevertheless underscores the increasing importance of air power in modern warfare. He is said to argue that any force seeking to combat the US must develop its own air power--from the hijacked airplanes Al Qaeda terrorists used to attack the US on 9/11 to the rockets and missiles of Hezbollah.

Liu's essay apparently conforms with current PLA thinking about the war in Lebanon between Israel and Iran's proxy army. Yesterday, China Confidential reported that PLA analysts contend that Hezbollah cannot be decisively defeated and disarmed without World War II-style flattening of the 20 or more Lebanese villages in which Hezbollah hides and houses its Iranian-supplied missiles. An aerial bombardment of this magnitude would mean massive civilian casualties--which increasingly isolated Israel can't afford. Therefore, PLA strategists are said to argue, Israel is restrained by sensitivity to world opinion from militarily crushing its enemy.

http://chinaconfidential.blogspot.com/

[Anonymouse]

Re: War in The Middle East

Tuesday, August 08, 2006

Chinese Mideast Envoy Behind Arab Demands

The mastermind behind the coordinated Arab demand for an immediate Israeli troop withdrawal from Lebanon is China's special envoy to the Middle East, Sun Bigan, who is currently visiting the region.

Sun, who is a veteran diplomat and one of China's leading Arabists, called Monday for an immediate unconditional ceasefire in the war between Israel and the Lebanese proxy army of Beijing's non-Arab Islamist ally, Iran.

"Israel and Lebanese Hezbollah should end hostilities immediately to avoid further deterioration of humanitarian crisis in Lebanon," Sun told a press conference in Damascus following a closed-door meeting with Syrian Vice President Farouk al-Shara.

Sun expressed China's willingness to intensify "consultation and coordination" with Arab nations.

As China Confidential reported on Sunday, Beijing is maneuvering to become a trusted intermediary--and maybe even a mediator--in the Middle East conflict. Sun is advancing the argument that the United States has lost credibility and influence in the region as a result of its steadfast support for Israel, and that a more neutral power--such as China-- is urgently needed to help end the fighting and reduce regional tensions.

The real objective is to weaken the US position--and ultimately drive the US from the region altogether.

Toward this end, China has been a major arms supplier to Hezbollah's sponsor. In the context of energy deals, Beijing has sold Iran tanks, planes, artillery, and cruise, anti-tank, surface-to-surface and anti-aircraft missiles. Chinese-designed missiles--including some that have been upgraded and improved by North Korea--have found their way into Hezbollah's arsenal of aerial terror.

China is also providing covert technical assistance to Iran's disputed nuclear development program--and supporting Iran diplomatically with a promise to block meaningful United Nations Security Council sanctions against the wannabe nuclear power.

http://chinaconfidential.blogspot.com/

Notice how China is subtly but slowly asserting itself as a regional power? It's aim is to present itself as a more balanced mediator since the U.S. has lost its credibility in its blind support for Israel. By doing this China is ensuring itself as a more balanced peace broker and mediator and to potentially disturb the U.S. hegemony in the region, which if history and recent events are any indicator, is headed to the gutter.

[skhara]

Re: War in The Middle East

Vive la France!!!

With France now backing the Lebanese cease-fire terms, the rest of the security council will as well. I'd imagine the next step would be to start putting pressure on the UK with the goal being to isolate America?

What are the chances at breaking up the UK-US alliance here?

Anyway, the opposing axis in the Caucasus, Central Asia, and the Middle East is forming.

With the

Central Asian former Soviet Republics, Russia, Armenia, Iran, Syria

vs

Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey, Israel, America

[Anonymouse]

Re: War in The Middle East

Crisis atmosphere builds in Israel
By Mike Head
9 August 2006

Israel’s fragile Kadima-Labour coalition government is facing mounting popular unease, both with the atrocities being inflicted on Lebanon and with the collapse of the government’s initial claims of a swift victory in the month-old war.

According to media opinion polls, the first two weeks of the conflict produced a dramatic turnaround in the previous dissatisfaction with the performance of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, who replaced the comatose Ariel Sharon as Kadima leader, and Defence Minister Amir Peretz, the former trade union federation boss who ousted Shimon Peres as Labour Party leader.

Polling published in Maariv indicated that 78 percent of respondents were satisfied with Olmert’s performance, up from just 43 percent in just two weeks. Satisfaction with Peretz had jumped from 28 percent to 61 percent.

The longer the war has dragged on, however, the more disenchantment has surfaced. Over the past week, in particular, Olmert’s claims to have already decimated Hezbollah have backfired. In another survey published by Maariv on August 4, only 55 percent of respondents said Israel was winning the war, while 3.5 percent said Hezbollah was winning and nearly 38 percent said “no one” was winning.

The loudest voices, at least in the media, are those from within the military and political establishment demanding even more aggressive action. After 12 Israeli soldiers and three civilians were killed by rockets last weekend, military analyst Ze’ev Schiff, writing in Haaretz, called for “a prompt, more extensive aerial and ground operation.”

Echoing Schiff, Agriculture Minister Shaul Simhon said the Israeli army should push beyond the Litani River to the Alawi River, 25 kilometres further north. “We have to get it into our heads that this is not just a military operation; this is war,” Simhon said. “We’ve got to stop going for surgical strikes and put down massive fire. We’ve been treading water.”

Confronted by unexpectedly strong resistance in Lebanon, increasingly strident calls are emerging for the “cleansing” or “purging” of south Lebanon. “We need to use a few divisions who will have to flush southern Lebanon up to the Litani River,” Ben Caspit, a Maariv columnist, wrote. “With tremendous force, with a massive amount of armour and fire. Why? Because there is no other choice.”

In a Haaretz column, Gideon Levy, a critic of the war, cited other media commentary calling for even greater barbarity in Lebanon: “Haim Ramon ‘doesn’t understand’ why there is still electricity in Baalbek; Eli Yishai proposes turning south Lebanon into a ‘sandbox’; Yoav Limor, a Channel 1 military correspondent, proposes an exhibition of Hezbollah corpses and the next day to conduct a parade of prisoners in their underwear, ‘to strengthen the home front’s morale.’ ”

Others are publicly calling for the extension of the war to Syria and Iran in order to take full advantage of Washington’s backing. In a Jerusalem Post op-ed last piece week, former public security minister Uzi Landau declared that Syria “must also pay a direct price.” He continued: “Any further Hezbollah attacks on our citizens will result in more extensive and harsher attacks on Syria.... This war, forced upon us, is a one-time opportunity to disrupt the plans of Iran and Syria while most of the democratic world still supports us.”

Last Sunday, the Jerusalem Post reported that Israeli defence officials had told the newspaper that they were receiving indications from the US that America would be interested in seeing Israel attack Syria.

At the same time, anti-war protests are growing, together with anger over the war’s physical and financial impact on the working class. On August 5, the largest demonstration to date was held in Tel Aviv, joined by more than 5,000 people, according to Haaretz. The turnout was more than twice the number that organisers had agreed upon with police in order to secure permission for the rally.

Among the speakers was Zohar Milgrom, a reserve soldier who announced his refusal to serve in Lebanon. “Under no circumstances am I ready to be a partner in the war crimes that the country is committing,” he told the crowd. He became the third to face jail for refusing to fight in Lebanon.

Another speaker referred to the underlying social polarisation in Israel, as well as in Lebanon. Dr. Gadi Algazi of Tel Aviv University said: “This war is being committed on the back of the most poor, both in Israel and in Lebanon. Those who cannot escape are paying the heaviest price in this war.”

Thousands of Arab Israelis marched through Umm al-Fahm last week, despite fear of official and police victimisation. Their chants included “Israel is a terror state” and “Our people in Gaza and Lebanon will not surrender.”

While still relatively small, more than 100 anti-war demonstrations have been staged in Israel over the past month, even though the leaders of the former protest movement, Peace Now, have backed the war and the Israeli media has largely refused to report the protests.

Protesters have bitterly denounced Peretz, who took office as an avowed supporter of negotiations with the Palestinians and claimed to oppose the severe cuts to welfare and working class living standards imposed by the previous Likud-Labour government of Sharon and Peres.

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2006/aug2006/isra-a09.shtml

[Anonymouse]

Re: War in The Middle East

The IDF is preparing for a major scale ground incursion. Right now they try to engage in propaganda and psychological warfare.

I think I read that now they are going to increase the force to 30,000 to accomodate the bigger operation.

[skhara]

Re: War in The Middle East

This will force the aloof IDF to push even harder into Lebanon.

The IDF is preparing for a major scale ground incursion. Right now they try to engage in propaganda and psychological warfare.

[Armenian]

Re: War in The Middle East

At least 15 IDF soldiers killed Wednesday in south Lebanon

By Amos Harel and Eli Ashkenazi, Haaretz Correspondents, and Agencies

Fifteen Israel Defense Forces troops were killed on Wednesday, the IDF announced late Wednesday night, as fierce fighting with Hezbollah guerillas raged in the southern Lebanon villages of Ayta al-Shaab and Debel. The 15 IDF soldiers were killed in a series of firefights across the front. In the most serious incident, nine reserve paratroopers were killed and 11 wounded by antitank missiles fired on a house in the village of Debel, in the central sector. Four reservists from an armored brigade were killed in a tank explosion, apparently caused by antitank missiles, in the town of Ayta al-Shaab. An infantryman was killed late Wednesday when he was hit by a mortar in Marjayoun. Twenty-five soldiers were wounded in Wednesday's actions, six seriously. Two of the seriously wounded were members of the standing army; the rest of the wounded were reservists. http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/747820.html

I am loving every minute of this. This will force the aloof IDF to push even harder into Lebanon. If the Hizbollah and Syria play their military cards right, there will be a major massacre of IDF troops in Lebanon in the coming weeks. I only hope that Syria and Hizollah do not panic or lose their nerves. They have the military home field advantage, they only need to be patient, disciplined and maintain high mobility while conducting their operations.

[Illuminator]

Re: War in The Middle East

MIDDLE EAST: TURKEY SCRAPS MULTI-MIILLION DOLLAR ISRAEL DEFENCE DEAL

Jerusalem, 8 August (AKI) - Turkey has scrapped a 500 million US dollar defence industry deal with Israel in protest with the xxxish state's offensive in Lebanon, an Israeli newspaper reported Tuesday citing a senior military official. Israel would have upgraded 50 Turkish airforce Phantom jets, according to the agreement, the online site of the Israeli daily, Yedioth Ahronoth, said.

"They are old costumers, and the cancellation of the deal is a very bad sign," a senior military official was quoted as saying by the Ynetnews.com website. The Israel Aircraft Industries, which was to have carried out the upgrades refused to comment on the decision, the reoport said.

Turkish defence ministry sources contacted by Adnkronos International (AKI) also refused to comment.

Turkey's interest in Israeli military products has long been considered as a "goldmine" in Israel, Ynetnews said.

"Turkey was conceived as a replacement for South Africa and Iran, who were big customers of Israeli weapons," said the Israeli official who was not identified in the report.

Since the war in Lebanon opposition parties in Turkey have increased pressure on the government to cut military ties with Israel.

Turkey is one of the few Muslim nations to have good relations with Israel.



(Rak/Aki)


Aug-08-06 16:12

http://www.adnki.com/index_2Level_English.php?cat=Security&loid=8.0.328723583&par=0

[Illuminator]

Re: War in The Middle East

EGYPT: COURT AGAINST ISRAELI WAR CRIMES SET UP, ATTORNEYS' GROUP

Cairo, 9 August (AKI) - A group of attorneys and jurists in Egypt has created a 'popular tribunal' on Israeli war crimes in Lebanon, Egyptian independent daily 'Al Masri Al Yom' reported on Wednesday. The lawyers claim to have documents proving that Israel committed war crimes in Lebanon. The decision to create the tribunal was reportedly taken after a meeting on Tuesday night at the Egyptian Organization of Human Rights in Cairo during which participants agreed that Shiite militia Hesbollah are a legitimate resistance group and not a terror organization.

The daily also reported that some group members mean to file a lawsuit with an international court against Israel and the United States on charges of violating international laws at the expence of Arab countries.

Rights groups and the public opinion in Egypt have staged many rallies against Israel's offensive in Lebanon and in support of Hezbollah.

On Tuesday night, Egypt's main opposition group, the Muslim Brotherhood, organized a march in Cairo asking Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak to break diplomatic ties with Israel.


(Ale/Aki)


Aug-09-06 11:36

http://www.adnki.com/index_2Level_English.php?cat=Politics&loid=8.0.329003369&par=0