Barak: Israel to proceed with power cut
John Smith – IMEMC
Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak on Sunday stated that the Israeli government will proceed with plans to limit the supply of electricty to the Gaza Strip, despite the Attorney-General’s ruling concerning the illegality of the move. Barak announced the move during a cabinet meeting on Sunday, telling fellow ministers that the process of restricting supplies had already begun.”We are in the process of restricting the fuel supplies to the Gaza Strip and power cuts are not far behind,we want to weaken Hamas’ ability to service its people,” the Defense Minister stated….

Read the full article / Leggi l’articolo completo: www.uruknet.de/?p=38101

More militia members join army, police
Alwan Hussain, Azzaman
In a surprise move, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has issued a ruling under which 18,000 members of Shiite militias are to merge with the country’s army, police and security forces. The decision sparked anger and deep concern from several political factions particularly Sunni groups who believe that major Shiite factions have infiltrated the country’s armed forces and police. The new militia recruits belong to the Dawaa party which Maliki leads and the Badr corps, the militia faction led by the Supreme Islamic Iraqi Council, Maliki’s main Shiite ally in the government….

Read the full article / Leggi l’articolo completo: www.uruknet.de/?p=38100

SADDAM’S CAPTURE: THE PERCEPTION VS. THE TRUTH
Malcom Lagauche
Saddam Hussein was not captured in a “spider hole” in December 2003. I wrote an article called “Saddam Hussein and Reality” that chronicled the capture and the following days. Unfortunately, almost four years after the apprehension of the president of Iraq, many people still believe the fairy tale version given by the U.S. Even Fidel Castro recently said that, unlike Saddam, he would have never allowed his adversaries to capture him in a hole. He would have shot it out with the enemy. I admire Fidel Castro and the Cuban revolution. In fact, parts of the Ba’ath revolution in Iraq were similar to those in Cuba, such as the astute medical and education systems. If Fidel Castro believed the propaganda, then we must be stronger in our attempts to get the truth out. Saddam was caught doing just what Fidel said he would do: battling the intruders. We all saw the photos in December 2003 of a disheveled Saddam Hussein after he was pulled out of a “spider hole” in a town near Tikrit. The administration laughed and the U.S. public made jokes about him and his hiding place. The room was dirty. There was an empty Spam can. The story was that he was holed up and was totally irrelevant to Iraq. His day was done and he was now in the hands of the liberators. Guess what? Nothing of this scenario was true…

Read the full article / Leggi l’articolo completo: www.uruknet.de/?p=38091

An Alternative Armistice Day.
Felicity Arbuthnot
An ‘alternative’ Armistice (Remberance) Day, has been held for four years in the ancient Somerset (UK) town of Bridgewater, whose early history is seeped in conflict. First mentioned in the Saxon Chronicles (800 AD) it was, with the region, divided under William the Conquerer, in 1066, amongst the French invaders. In the tumultuous 17th century, Bridport, a Royalist town, celebrated the failure of Guy Fawkes ‘gunpowder plot’ to blow up Parliament on 5th November 1605, with bonfire and fireworks display (a tradition continued since in what is now the world’s largest nigh time carnival.) (…) In 2003, after the invasion of Iraq, another rebellion took place in Bridgewater. Quakers, residents, anti-war activists decided: ‘to turn the war memorial into a peace memorial for Armistice Day’, says one of the initiators, Phil Parrett, an idea of local Charles Graham, to lay wreath of white, rather than red poppies (white poppies for peace have been a project of the London based Peace Pledge Union, since the early 1930's.)…

Read the full article / Leggi l’articolo completo: www.uruknet.de/?p=38114

Palestinian mother of seven dies due to lack of medication in besieged Gaza
Palestinian Information Center
The 31-year-old mother Aida Abdul Al has died of cancer after doctors could not provide necessary chemotherapy for her condition and she could not travel abroad due to the siege imposed on the Gaza Strip, medical sources said on Sunday. Zakaria Abdul Al, her husband, told the popular anti-sanctions committee that his wife died on Saturday evening after lack of necessary medication for her treatment. He said that his wife’s breast cancer was detected early this year and she traveled to Egypt where she had the necessary treatment and doctors managed to control the disease. Aida returned to Gaza in a stable condition but she could not have her second stage of chemotherapy, Zakaria elaborated….

Read the full article / Leggi l’articolo completo: www.uruknet.de/?p=38104

Abbas brands Hamas a “dark force” during Arafat commemoration
John Smith – IMEMC
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Sunday described the Hamas movement as a “dark force,” insisting that he would refuse to re-establish dialogue with the organisation until it relinquished the gains made in its “black coup.” Speaking at a commemorative rally for the late Palestinian President Yasser Arafat in Ramallah, Abbas accused Hamas of betraying Arafat’s legacy and seekinng to destroy the future of the Palestinian people.”These forces of darkness willnot be able to hijack our history or close the windows to our future…Hamas cannoy earse Arafat’s achievements,” Abbas said….

Read the full article / Leggi l’articolo completo: www.uruknet.de/?p=38102

A Radical Cleric Gets Religion
Rod Nordland | NEWSWEEK
It wasn’t so long ago that U.S. commanders considered Moqtada al-Sadr to be the greatest threat to stability in Iraq. Now the Shiite firebrand’s stock among the Americans may be rising. Since declaring a ceasefire for his Mahdi Army militia last August, Sadr has effectively disappeared from public life, designating five trusted aides to speak on his behalf. NEWSWEEK has learned that some of those deputies have been secretly meeting with Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, to discuss cooperation on improving security, according to two sources who declined to be identified because of the subject’s sensitivity. The general’s spokesman, Col. Steven Boylan, qualified that assertion, explaining that while Petraeus has not met with Sadr, “the command has indeed had direct engagements with some of his people within the [Sadr] organization … to assist with reconciliation efforts.”

Read the full article / Leggi l’articolo completo: www.uruknet.de/?p=38106

Iran and Pakistan finalise gas deal; signing in a month
Gulf Times
Iran and Pakistan have finalised a contract for a multi-billion-dollar gas export deal scheduled to be signed within a month, the Iranian oil ministry’s news service Shana reported yesterday. “The content of the Peace Pipeline contract has been finalised and all the points prepared by the two sides’ legal experts have been re-read and agreed by the two sides,” Iran’s deputy minister in charge of the project, Hojatollah Ghanimifard, was quoted as saying….

Read the full article / Leggi l’articolo completo: www.uruknet.de/?p=38103

IRAQ: Aid agencies struggle to support over two million displaced Iraqis
IRIN News
As violence continues to force an average of 60,000 Iraqis from their homes every month, according to the UN refugee agency (UNHCR), aid agencies are warning that limited access to the displaced is causing a deterioration of their living conditions, and with cold winter months upon them, the situation is likely to get even worse. “We expect the situation to worsen. Winter is approaching and many displaced families are still without blankets and heaters. Children don’t have enough clothes to protect themselves,” Mayada Marouf, spokeswoman for non-governmental organization Keeping Children Alive (KCA), said….

Read the full article / Leggi l’articolo completo: www.uruknet.de/?p=38115

PA sources: Israel told the PA of its intention occupy the Gaza-Egypt borderline
Palestinian Information Center
The IOA informed the PA leadership in Ramallah about its intention to invade the Salahuddin borderline between the Gaza Strip and Egypt at the pretext of preventing the smuggling of arms and funds to Gaza, and destroying alleged tunnels deployed along the border, according to Palestinian sources. The sources confirmed that the Israeli government also told some countries of the region about its intention to wage a large-scale military operation in the Gaza Strip after the autumn conference. According to the same sources, the PA leadership in Ramallah was informed about the Israeli intention to invade the borderline from the Rafah crossing to Khan Younis in the first stage and later the Israeli military operation will expand to the central and northern Gaza Strip…

Read the full article / Leggi l’articolo completo: www.uruknet.de/?p=38105

“While the siege continues and the world watches with disbelief”
Dr. Mona El-Farra, From Gaza, with Love
From Gaza I write to let you know that at least 7 patients reported to die while waiting permit to leave Gaza for treatment inside Israeli hospital , many patients die slowly while waiting for referral for further treatment outside Gaza , we don’t have good reporting system to report the actual number of patients , who eventually will die due to lack of their treatment in Gaza ,if we have this proper reporting facilities ,the patients will die , good reporting will not end the cruel siege against Gaza . The referral process of patient indeed for treatment is long, time consuming, demoralising and distressing for the patients and their families, , many died while waiting for referral, I remember the death of my friend MrMansour….

Read the full article / Leggi l’articolo completo: www.uruknet.de/?p=38107

Rice denies US on warpath with Iran
AFP
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice denied Sunday that the United States was bent on war with Iran and renewed an offer of reconciliation talks if the Islamic republic renounces its nuclear drive. Interviewed on ABC television, Rice was pressed on a Senate resolution passed in September that labeled Iran’s Revolutionary Guards a terrorist operation — a step that critics said had brought war nearer. She said that President George W. Bush was clear “that he’s on a diplomatic path where Iran comes into focus.” “Obviously, it can be the case that he will never take his options off the table, but this particular resolution has nothing to do with that from our point of view,” Rice said referring to the prospect of military force on Iran….

Read the full article / Leggi l’articolo completo: www.uruknet.de/?p=38116

US Arms for Iraq Went to ‘Private Arms Bazaar’
Broken Supply Channel Sent Weapons for Iraq Astray
ERIC SCHMITT and GINGER THOMPSON, NYTimes
As the insurgency in Iraq escalated in the spring of 2004, American officials entrusted an Iraqi businessman with issuing weapons to Iraqi police cadets training to help quell the violence. By all accounts, the businessman, Kassim al-Saffar, a veteran of the Iran-Iraq war, did well at distributing the Pentagon-supplied weapons from the Baghdad Police Academy armory he managed for a military contractor. But, co-workers say, he also turned the armory into his own private arms bazaar with the seeming approval of some American officials and executives, selling AK-47 assault rifles, Glock pistols and heavy machine guns to anyone with cash in hand — Iraqi militias, South African security guards and even American contractors…

Read the full article / Leggi l’articolo completo: www.uruknet.de/?p=38108

Ba’ath Party: Al-Qaeda and the occupation behind civilians deaths
Roads to Iraq
Radio Sawa says [in an audio interview] that Ba’ath Party [Al-Duri wing] refuses any negotiations with the Iraqi government, and for the first time Ba’ath Party attacks Al-Qaeda saying they [Al-Qaeda] and the occupation forces are behind the killing of civilians in Iraq, also he denied that there are two splits or wings inside the Ba’ath Party:Q: Other faction like “Jihad and Reform” announced that they are ready to involve in talks with the Iraqi government, what is your position in Liberation and Jihad from this? A: We are with any reconciliation plan that negotiates the rights of Iraqis, but we don’t recognize this Iraqi government, we don’t recognize the whole political process and we don’t recognize the occupation….

Read the full article / Leggi l’articolo completo: www.uruknet.de/?p=38111

Fox News: Guilty of Incitement to Terrorism?
Sarah Meyer, Index Research
Recently, a “lyrical terrorist’ was convicted in the UK over hate records. I was not aware that the UK, like the US, had a law against “Thought Crimes.” Surely this woman is not as guilty of incitement to terrorism as Fox News?…

Read the full article / Leggi l’articolo completo: www.uruknet.de/?p=38099

A Message…
Layla Anwar, An Arab Woman Blues
…There is no doubt in my mind we will overcome the destroyers of Iraq in whatever guise they may appear. But we do need to remember Khalid Ibn Al-Walid from the Rashidun Army of the Prophet. I am not sure about the timing – but Divine Victory will come – of that am certain. In the meantime, I am to hide on some balcony, on the outside…in the coldness of Exile…..

Read the full article / Leggi l’articolo completo: www.uruknet.de/?p=38098

GI Special 5K7: Record Year For Afghan US KIA – November 10, 2007
Thomas F. Barton
… The six deaths brings the number of U.S. troops killed in Afghanistan in 2007 to at least 101, according to a count by The Associated Press — the highes. The war has evolved into an increasingly bloody counterinsurgency campaign.
Mohammad Daoud Nadim, Nuristan deputy police chief, said the ambush happened in the remote province’s Waygal district, about 40 miles from the border with Pakistan. Nadim said he had no information on any casualties among the militants. “It was a complex ambush.” It was not clear if they were killed in the ambush or subsequent fighting, he said. It wasn’t immediately clear how many militants were involved in the ambush. Three Afghan soldiers were also killed in Friday’s ambush, while eight Americans and 11 Afghans were wounded. The battle produced the highest number of U.S. casualties — 14 — of any battles in Afghanistan this year, Accetta said. The incident was the “highest casualty-producing ground engagement” in the east since ISAF took command of the area in February, Accetta added. Until this week the north had seen relatively little of the violence which has rocked the insurgency-hit south and east.

Read the full article / Leggi l’articolo completo: www.uruknet.de/?p=38097

Maliki demands U.S. hand over prisoners for execution
Reuters
Iraq’s prime minister accused the U.S. military on Sunday of thwarting attempts to execute former members of Saddam Hussein’s government and demanded they be handed over so their sentences could be carried out. A court in September upheld the death sentences against Saddam’s cousin, Ali Hassan al-Majeed, former Defence Minister Sultan Hashem, and a former army commander, Hussein Rashid Muhammad. Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said the U.S. embassy had played an “unfortunate role” in preventing the handover of the three prisoners, who, like many other high-ranking members of Saddam’s government, are in U.S. military custody. “We insist on implementing the verdict against all the defendants and they should be delivered so the decision against them can be implemented,” he told reporters in Baghdad….

Read the full article / Leggi l’articolo completo: www.uruknet.de/?p=38095

RACIAL PROFILING ~~ PRELUDE TO GENOCIDE?
A DesertPeace Editorial
Interesting how racial profiling takes on different venues in different countries. My own observations in Israel are as follows…. There has ALWAYS been a separation of sorts between the Jewish and Palestinian population here. In the 80's all Arab taxi drivers had license plates that began with the numbers 666…. this was interesting as the concept is taken from the New Testament, not the Old. Coincidence? I think not… It was a way to ‘alert’ prospective Jewish passengers that the driver was ‘one of them’….’not one of us’ very subtle, but very damaging to the person trying to earn a living….

Read the full article / Leggi l’articolo completo: www.uruknet.de/?p=38094

Nazzal: Palestinian people will not allow Abbas to undermine their sacrifices
Palestinian Information Center
Mohammed Nazzal, the prominent Hamas political leader and member of its political bureau, said Saturday that the Palestinian people will not allow PA chief Mahmoud Abbas to tamper with their aspirations and their sacrifices. “Our Palestinian masses that offered everything precious to preserve, protect, and continue the resistance against the occupation will not allow Abbas to undermine their sacrifices, destroy their aspirations, waste blood of their martyrs and agonies of their captives”, affirmed Nazzal in an exclusive interview with the PIC….

Read the full article / Leggi l’articolo completo: www.uruknet.de/?p=38092

A moment before the lights go out
Amira Hass, Haaretz – Via Axis of Logic
Alan Johnston, the BBC corresponded kidnapped in Gaza, related in an interview that at a relatively early stage, he started suffering from all kinds of aches because of the water he drank. This was the same water that the kidnappers drank, but Johnston’s unaccustomed body sent warning signals: This is not water that is fit for drinking. And this is the water that reaches most of the taps in the Gaza Strip. Salty, in a few places brackish to contaminated, with an oily consistency. That is clearly felt when bathing. The reason is an ancient one: overpumping because Gaza must make do with the waters from its aquifer alone. It is as if we were to say to the residents of Be’er Sheva: make do with the water that flows nearby. The water sources in the rest of the country are not for you…

Read the full article / Leggi l’articolo completo: www.uruknet.de/?p=38112