Morning Posting.
- The volatile Lybian situation live streams here.
Live Blog Libya - Al Jazeera. here.
- Vengeance from the libyan sky.Libyan Air Force Could Be Gadhafi's Trump Card.Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi has always paid special attention to his air force, staffing it with his most loyal followers and supplying it with the best training and equipment. The recent bombing raids in Brega might just be a small foretaste of the overwhelming punch his air power can deliver.Although a large part of Libya's army has defected and joined the rebel forces, its air force appears to have remained almost completely loyal to Moammar Gadhafi. Indeed, it is one of the main factors still propping up the regime and the most serious threat to the insurgents who control the eastern part of the country.Libya's air force is made up of roughly 18,000 men and women, most of whom are staunch supporters of the regime. The elite military branch recruited from followers who were 100 percent loyal to the regime, and members of Gadhafi's Gadhadfa tribe and its closely allied Magariha tribe were given preference during the selection process for recruits. They have shown a blind obedience to their commander in chief. Only a handful of pilots and officers have switched sides to join the opposition.In return for their loyalty, Gadhafi has always made sure that members of the air force received the best training and equipment. The fighter wing is reportedly made up of roughly 100 MiG-21 and MiG-23 fighter jets as well as 15 Mirage F-1 and 40 SU-22 planes. The arms depots are thought to be filled to the rafters with munitions. The planes' missiles are from the arsenals of the former Soviet Union or of more recent Russian makes, according to a report by the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies. The report also states that Libya's air-defense system is very well equipped. As Lieutenant-General David Deptula, who recently retired from his position as an air force expert at the Pentagon, told Britain's The Economist, if the West decides to impose a no-fly zone over Libya, the country's surface-to-air missiles (SAMs) could present a serious danger to Allied jets. Even if Gadhafi has appeared somewhat mentally unstable during his recent televised appearances, Joshi believes Gadhafi's tactical maneuvers do not show "the decision-making of a man totally out of touch with reality."Libya could now be facing civil war. If Gadhafi should decide to continue fighting, the rebels' chances of victory are slim, argues Yehudit Ronen, a Libya expert at Israel's Bar-Ilan University. "The anti-Gadhafi alliance can only rely on the soldiers who have defected," Ronen says. Even if these soldiers were reinforced by volunteers, she adds, they would be facing an almost invincible enemy: the air force and the mercenaries, who have nothing to lose. Ronen predicts that the fighting will last a long time and that, afterwards, Libya "will no longer be like it once was."Hmmmmm.......One thing is for sure he is not a 'community organiser'.Read the full story here.
- Breaking News : Russia - Six dead as An-148 plane crashes in southern Russia.All six people on board were killed when an Antonov An-148 airplane on a trial flight crashed at 1040 Moscow time Saturday in the village of Garbuzovo in Belgorod region, an emergencies ministry spokesman said.Two test pilots were among the dead. No-one on the ground was killed, according to the local Emergencies Ministry.The aircraft, which belonged to the Voronezh Aircraft Plant, was being tested prior to delivery to Burma, which ordered two last year for government use, and at least two of those on board were Burmese nationals.Federal investigators are on their way to the crash scene, Russian Investigative Committee representative Vladimir Markin said."An investigative team from the Lipetsk region, which is the nearest to the crash site is en route," Markin said.There have been five serious technical incidents involving the aircraft, including landing gear and control system malfunctions.Read the full story here.
- Breaking News - Scores killed in mosque attack during prayers in Pakistan.Some 9 people have been killed by an explosion at a mosque in northern Pakistan during Friday prayers, according to official reports, which added that a further 33 people had been injured. The attack on the mosque occurred as hundreds of worshippers inside the building were partaking of Friday prayers, the most significant day of the week in Islam. The blast in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan, in the village of Akbar Pura in Nowhera district killed the worshippers as food was being distributed, according to police reports. It is unclear who perpetrated the attack, although authorities have suggested it was likely one of the Islamist insurgent groups operating in Pakistan.Source.
- Gaddafi forces break rebel lines in Zawiya.Forces loyal to Libya's longtime leader enter opposition-held city after overcoming rebel positions with heavy mortar shelling, machinegun fire. 'We're seeing battles and killings we haven't seen in Iraq. I consider it total genocide,' eyewitness says.Muammar Gaddafi's forces on Saturday broke through rebel lines at an opposition-held city that is closest to Tripoli, in a dawn attack that could prove crucial to the regime's defense of the Libyan capital, witnesses said. They said the forces loyal to the country's longtime leader were inside Zawiya, 30 miles (50 kilometers) west of Tripoli, after overcoming rebel positions with heavy mortar shelling and machinegun fire. They said the shelling damaged government buildings and homes.The forces fired from tanks at residential areas, Arabic satellite channels reported. "Now with all the artillery, tanks and armored vehicles, we're seeing battles and killings we haven't seen in Iraq. I consider it total genocide," said one witness who spoke to Al-Arabiya television."The battles have now entered the city. More than 15 armored vehicles entered two hours ago along with a tank. There is heavy firing in all the areas and mosques have announced 'jihad' against these brigades," the man told Al-Arabiya.The hours-long attack started at dawn and the rattle of gunfire and explosions could be heard as the witnesses spoke to The Associated Press by phone. They spoke on condition of anonymity, fearing for their own safety. "We will fight them on the streets and will never give up so long as Gaddafi is still in power," said one of the rebel fighters, who also spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals."Hmmmm......Let's see what the community organiser does?Read the full story here.
- HT:TranslatingJihad.Saudi Cleric: Gaddafi Is Not a Muslim.On the heels of allegations that Gaddafi is secretly a Jew, which has become a huge story all over Arab press, comes this accusation from a Saudi cleric that Gaddafi is not a Muslim.Riyadh: Days after reports were published regarding the Libyan leader coming from Jewish descent, a member of the Saudi Council of Senior Scholars, Shaykh Salih al-Luhaydan, declared Monday night that Mu'ammar al-Gaddafi is not a Muslim, describing him as ignorant, and a Bedouin. The electronic Saudi newspaper "Sabaq" transmitted from al-Luhaydan his denial of what was attributed to him by Libyan state television, regarding fatwas which prohibited attacking al-Gaddafi, with the purpose of stopping the bloodshed. He added that he does not think that "the government of al-Gaddafi is an Islamic government, because [al-Gaddafi] did not assume the position with the allegiance of the important leaders and religious people in the country, but rather came as a usurper, rebelling against those who came before him." He continued: "Al-Gaddafi ignored religious knowledge and denied the sayings of the Prophet, and said, 'The Qur'an is sufficient for us'." He also "rejected the companions [of the Prophet] and all of the Muslims." [Al-Luhaydan] pointed out that he is "a vulgar man, and an ignorant Bedouin, of military origins--he is not an Imam." Al-Luhaydan digressed, saying "This fitna, [which is causing so much] blood-shed, should cease." Al-Luhaydan spoke to the Libyans, saying "Zealously guard your security. But this man (al-Gaddafi) and his lackeys, if you can remove him without killing, that would be better." [...] (The rest of the article goes on to discuss the allegations that Gaddafi is a Jew.)Hmmmm......"In these matters the only certainty is that nothing is certain." Pliny the Elder.Read the full story here.
- Saudi Arabia drafts in up to 10,000 troops ahead of protests.Saudi Arabia is drafting in up to 10,000 security forces to the north eastern Muslim Shia provinces ahead of mass protests planned next week.Desperate to avoid mass uprisings against the House of Saud, security forces have deployed in huge numbers across the region. King Abdullah is also reported to have told neighbouring Bahrain that if they do not put down their own ongoing Shia revolt, his own forces will. In response to the massive mobilisation, protesters are planning to place women on the front ranks to discourage Saudi forces from firing on them. In Yemen, President Ali Abdullah Saleh set off a deadly battle for survival last night as he rejected an opposition peace proposal and ordered troops to fire on demonstrators, killing four. Efforts to suppress demonstrations by the key ally in the “war on terror” could jeopardise rising volumes of Western aid flooding into the country, diplomats warned. President Saleh rejected an opposition proposal that would have brought demonstrations to a standstill in return for a promise to step down by the end of the year. Yemeni troops used rockets and machineguns to attack demonstrators in the north of the country, killing four and injuring nine.Hmmmmmm.......The pressure in the 'Kettle'is building up, thank you for the 'good job' Mr President.Read the full story here.
- Saudi oil disruption is unlikely: bank.Unrest will not probably spread to Kingdom following massive social initiative.A major oil supply disruption in the world’s largest crude exporter Saudi Arabia is unlikely as the Gulf nation has sufficient financial resources to satisfy public needs and prevent unrest, a French bank said on Saturday.Credit Agricole said the current turbulence in the Middle East and North Africa showed that markets often overreact to crises, citing the surge in oil prices to their highest level since August 2008.“If we learned anything during the most recent financial crisis it is that markets can get it wrong. During the recent Egyptian crisis, oil prices spiked over concerns about the transhipment of oil via the Suez Canal….markets today are beginning to price contagion effects spreading from North Africa to, principally, Bahrain. Although it is hard to predict the political outcome in the Gulf island, markets are pricing a premium on the risk of contagion to neighbouring Saudi Arabia,” the Bank said in an article written by John Sfakiankis, chief economist at Banque Saudi Fransi (BSF).“Aside from making any definite calls on the future outcome of Bahrain, we remain reassuring about Saudi Arabia. The chances of disruption to oil production remain distant as is the likelihood of major unrest.”It said Saudi Arabia’s ability to carry out “distributive” policies is obvious, particularly in areas that have important social significance.Hmmmm......With all due respect...i think they are dead wrong!Stop thinking as a banker and start thinking as an Islamic radical!Read the full story.
- Report: US favors reforms over uprisings.Wall Street Journal says Obama's administration settling on Middle East strategy that favors keeping long-time Arab allies who are willing to make positive changes in power, even if it means full democratic demands of citizens may have to wait.US President Barack Obama's administration is settling on a Middle East strategy that favors keeping long-time Arab allies who are willing to reform in power, The Wall Street Journal reported late Friday. Citing unnamed officials and diplomats, the newspaper said the administration is leaning toward this approach even if that means the full democratic demands of Arab citizens might have to wait.Instead of pushing for immediate change – as it did in Egypt and now Libya – the United States is urging protesters from Bahrain to Morocco to work with existing rulers toward what some officials and diplomats are now calling "regime alteration," the report said.The moderate US approach has emerged after lobbying by Arab governments who were alarmed that Obama had abandoned Egyptian leader Hosni Mubarak, The Journal said.The Arab rulers were worried that, if Washington did the same to the king of Bahrain, a chain of revolts could sweep them from power too, the paper noted."What we have said throughout this is that there is a need for political, economic and social reform, but the particular approach will be country by country," The Journal quotes the unnamed official as saying.Hmmmmm..........Read the full story here.
- Iran: Islam opposes nukes.Development of nuclear weapons contradicts Iran's religious beliefs, foreign minister says.The development or use of nuclear weapons contradicts Iran's religious principles and would violate the tenets of Islam, the country's Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi said Friday.In an interview with the Euronews channel in Germany, the minister dismissed Western claims that Tehran was working to acquire nukes. "Islamic Republic authorities have reiterated that nuclear arms are against the country's religious principals," he said. "We have been committed to the NPT and believe that the proliferation of a nuclear bomb is against the tenets of Islam." Salehi also claimed that Iran maintains a positive relationship with the International Atomic Energy Agency, which he said closely monitors Iran's nuclear program. "We have very good relations with the IAEA which has been explicitly stated in agency's recent report. IAEA inspectors do their job regularly and their cameras are working non-stop," he said.Hmmmmm......."Following the Iranian revolution of 1979, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khomeini is said to have issued a fatwa against nuclear weapons—some now claim he never uttered such words, while others claim his statement mysteriously disappeared. Iran’s current Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khameini, issued an anti-nuclear fatwa in September 2004. While sourced by a variety of Iranian authorities, the fatwa itself has yet to be officially released or found."( Source )Read the full story here.
- HT:IonaInstitute.By Tom O'Gorman.Christianity the reason for West's success, say the Chinese.In the West we are doing our best to destroy our Christian heritage but in China, Chinese intellectuals are coming around to the view that it is precisely this heritage that has made the West so successful.Former editor of the Sunday Telegraph, Dominic Lawson, in a review in the Sunday Times of Niall Ferguson's new book, ‘Civilisation: The West and the Rest’, carries a quote from a member of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences in which he tries to account for the success of the West, to date.He said: “One of the things we were asked to look into was what accounted for the success, in fact, the pre-eminence of the West all over the world. “We studied everything we could from the historical, political, economic, and cultural perspective. At first, we thought it was because you had more powerful guns than we had. “Then we thought it was because you had the best political system. Next we focused on your economic system. “But in the past twenty years, we have realised that the heart of your culture is your religion: Christianity. That is why the West is so powerful. “The Christian moral foundation of social and cultural life was what made possible the emergence of capitalism and then the successful transition to democratic politics. We don’t have any doubt about this.”Note the source. It isn't from a religious leader, or some religious think-tank. The Chinese Academy of Social Sciences is an instrument of the Chinese Communist government which spends a not inconsiderable amount of time and money persecuting Christians and is officially atheistic.If this is the conclusion it has come to, maybe Europe needs to reconsider whether it mightn't be an idea to encourage rather than eradicate Christianity.Lawson refers to a quote in the book from a prominent Wenzhou business leader, a Mr Hanping Zhang, who argues that “an absence of trust had been one of the main factors holding China back; but he feels he can trust his fellow Christians because he knows that they will be honest in their dealings with him”.It has long been accepted that Christianity is one of the core elements of Western civilisation; it is too little understood that it is also one of the secrets of the stunning success of that civilisation.Hmmmm........And this my friends is the difference something called "Al-taqiyya" makes.Read the full story here.
- Sebelius Cracks! Admits the Obamacare Books Were Cooked.The House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee invited Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to swing by and have a little chin wag about the budgetary implications of ObamaCare. Representative John Shimkus (R-IL) noticed that the rather large sum of $500 billion was dedicated to both sustaining Medicare and funding ObamaCare. When he asked Sebelius which destiny awaited those five hundred billion clams, she replied, "Both."That's right, folks: another part of the ObamaCare fraud involved double-counting half a trillion dollars. Shimkus said he was "shocked" to learn this. "We knew the health care law's actual cost was much greater than originally told to the public," he declared. "And now, the truth is slowly coming out in administration reports and testimony." In other news, Shimkus was equally "shocked" to discover there was gambling going on at Rick's Café.Hmmmm......."Let me be clear"?Read the full story here.
- Federal Workforce Continues to Grow Under Obama Budget.Since the beginning of the last recession (December 2007) the private sector workforce has shrunk by 6.6% while shedding more than 7.5 million jobs. Over that same time period, the federal government workforce (excluding Census and Postal workers) has grown by 11.7% while adding 230,000 jobs.This trend has continued throughout the Obama Administration. Since President Barack Obama was sworn into office, the private sector workforce has shrunk by 2.6% while shedding 2.9 million jobs while the federal workforce (excluding Census and Postal workers) has grown by 7% while adding more than 144,000 jobs.Now, President Obama’s FY 2012 budget proposes adding even more people to the federal payroll. Specifically, the President wants to create an additional 15,000 federal government jobs including 4,182 additional Internal Revenue Service employees 1,054 of which will be needed to implement Obamacare alone.The problem with all these additional government jobs is that government spending does not create the economic growth needed to sustain private sector job growth.Hmmmm......Someone creating his own loyal 'pretorian' followers?Read the full story here.
- Al-Qaeda No. 2 calls for Islamic rule in Egypt.Ayman al-Zawahri warns Egyptians, Tunisians not to allow America install puppet regimes. Osama bin Laden's deputy is urging fellow Egyptians to establish Islamic rule after the ouster of President Hosni Mubarak. In an Internet audio message, Ayman al-Zawahri warns the "honest and free people" of Egypt and Tunisia not to allow America and others steal the fruits of their uprisings by allowing them to install puppet regimes.Meanwhile, authorities in Egypt said referendum on amendments to Egypt's constitution will take place on March 19. The Egyptian government issued the statement on its Facebook page, quoting the ruling Supreme Council for the Armed Forces.Hmmmm......Meanwhile the Obama administration promised 1,57 Billion Dollars to Egypt in 2012,go figure it?Read the full story here.
- Egypt's top archaeologist Zahi Hawass warns of looting,and states "I Quit"!Egypt's top archaeologist, Zahi Hawass, warned that the country's antiquity sites were being looted by criminals amid the country's political upheaval as he announced he would no longer serve in his ministerial post in the government.Hawass was quoted in the Friday editions of Cairo's dailies as saying he would not participate in the new government to be led by prime minister designate Essam Sharaf. Hawass, the longtime head of Egypt's antiquities office, was elevated to Cabinet-level antiquities minister on Jan. 31, when ousted President Hosni Mubarak named a new government led by longtime friend Ahmed Shafiq.Shafiq resigned Thursday amid calls by protesters for his removal, and Sharaf has been tasked with naming a new government.Hawass said he was no longer able to protect the country's antiquities because of what he called the absence of police protection and because he was the victim of a campaign against him by senior officials at his ministry.Egypt's antiquities, he warned, were in "grave danger" from criminals. He called on the youth groups behind the 18-day uprising that forced Mubarak to step down Feb. 11 to help protect antiquity sites."Since Mubarak's resignation, looting has increased all over the country, and our antiquities are in grave danger from criminals trying to take advantage of the current situation," he wrote on his website.On his website, Hawass listed some two dozen archaeology sites that have been raided by thieves since Mubarak's ouster. The sites include the warehouse used by archaeologist from New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art at Dahshour, a pyramids site on the outskirts of Cairo. Hawass also said illegal construction has taken place on antiquity sites.The list includes ancient Egyptian tombs, Islamic sites and warehouses and are spread across much of the country from the outskirts of Cairo, the Sinai Peninsula and the southernmost city of Aswan.The looting is part of a crime wave that has gripped Egypt since Jan. 28, when the police mysteriously disappeared from most of the country following deadly clashes with the anti-government protesters. The army was called out to restore order, but it has been unable to fully take on a policing role.Hawass has for more than decade been the international face of Egypt's archaeology, with his trademark "Indiana Jones" hat turning him into an instantly recognizable global icon. Hawass, however, has been the target of a recent series of heavily publicized protests by archaeology graduates who accused him of corruption and seeking publicity for himself."The world cannot sit by and permit unchecked anarchy to jeopardize the cultural heritage of one of the world's oldest, greatest, and most inspiring civilizations. We echo the voices of all concerned citizens of the globe in imploring Egypt's new government authorities ... to protect its precious past. Action needs to be taken immediately."Hmmmm......Perhaps the Western Museums should have given more Egyptian artifacts back to Egypt?Anyway we know how well Radical Islam takes care of "expressions' of other religions.Read the full story here.
- HT:RightTruth.Human Rights Abuses of Women in Iran Spotlighted New the U.N.Quoting the findings of exiled Iranian lawyer, Zohreh Arshadi, Mr. David Kilgour, co-chair of the Canadian Friends of a Democratic Iran intoned, "the Iranian penal system is a principal means of sustaining inequality of genders. Its ludicrous premise is that women are deficient in abilities." He added that Arshadi stresses that Iranian women, "have managed to achieve equality in one field only: equal right to imprisonment, exile, torture, being killed and now being slaughtered..."Speaking of the many Iranian women who are unjustly imprisoned, tortured and often sentenced to death for crimes they did not commit, Mr. Kilgour relayed the narrative of Sakineh Ashtiani, a mother of Turkic descent (a minority known to be targeted for human rights abuses, especially in Teheran) who did not speak Farsi or understand her charge of alleged adultery. "She was incarcerated and beaten, then humiliated in front of her family by a public lashing. Her plight and narrow escape from death by stoning became a successful test case for the global community's response to the regime's misogyny," he said.Calling for the disqualification of Iran's membership in the UN Commission on the Status of Women, Mr. Kilgour suggested that the CSW convene a special session to discuss women's rights in Iran and act in its capacity to stop the repression of women. "It is our responsibility to act in robust solidarity with the struggle for women's rights everywhere across Iran," he concluded.Highlighting the ubiquitous phenomenon of trafficking in or girls and women, Ms. Zamani said that the UN Special Rapporteur reported that, "most of the trafficking is said to occur in the eastern provinces, which are mainly Baluchi areas, where women are kidnapped, bought or entered into temporary marriage in order to be sold into sexual slavery in other countries." Concluding with an oft quoted phrase used amongst Iran's women human rights defenders, she said, "We are both women and minorities; so, in the Islamic Republic of Iran, we are doubly accused.""I am absolutely opposed to the imposition of Sharia law," declared Shabnam Assadollahi, the producer and host of the Canadian based Hamseda Persian radio program. "Sharia law tells us that female hair has evil energy and those women's rights activists in Iran who refused to wear head coverings were beaten and tortured while their children watched," she said. She detailed gruesome accounts of torture of women in Iran saying, "young girls and virgins were raped prior to being executed and after execution their bodies were burned and electrocuted."Fulminating at the decision to include the Islamic Republic of Iran on the UN Commission on the Status of Women, Ms. Assadollahi said, "There is no place for Iran on this commission. Just think about the arrogance of this regime to judge others concerning gender equality and human rights."Hmmm....Never there has been committed a greater injustice to women on this planet ,then when they gave a seat to Iran on UN Commission on the Status of Women!Read the full story here.Much More here.
- Turkey - Reactions mixed over new wave of Journalists detentions.The detention of 10 people -- mainly journalists -- as part of an investigation into Ergenekon, a clandestine network accused of plotting to overthrow the government, has sparked mixed reactions in Turkey and abroad, with some analysts calling on everyone to refrain from any comment that could be seen as pressure on the judiciary and some others defining the detentions as a “severe blow to freedom of the press.” Turkish police searched the homes and offices of 11 people on Thursday and detained 10 of them. The detainees are accused of membership in the Ergenekon terrorist organization. They are currently being interrogated by civilian prosecutors involved in the Ergenekon case about their suspected links to the clandestine group. They had neither been set free nor arrested by the time Today’s Zaman went to print.The fact that eight of the detainees are journalists has drawn huge public anger among some circles in Turkey.Critics of the Ergenekon investigation claim the detentions were aimed at punishing journalists because they wrote books or articles critical of the government.Industry and Trade Minister Nihat Ergün, however, dismissed the claims, saying, “People are not taken into custody just because they wrote books or criticized the government,” adding that everyone should wait for an explanation from prosecutors as to the reason behind the detentions.Interior Minister Beşir Atalay declined to comment on the detentions, saying only the judiciary has the right to comment. “If a statement should be made about the detentions, then the judiciary should do it,” he noted. (Meaning 'shut up'?)He also stated he had no opinion as to why the journalists were detained.European Union Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Füle said the EU is concerned about the detention of journalists in Turkey. “The European Commission is following with concern the recent police actions against journalists,” Füle said in a statement late on Thursday. Füle also said freedom of expression and media were fundamental principles that should be upheld in all modern democracies.“As a candidate country, we expect Turkey to implement core democratic principles and enable varied, pluralistic debate in public space,” he said and added, “Turkey urgently needs to amend its legal framework to improve the exercise of freedom of the press in practice and in a significant manner.”State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley told a news briefing the United States was monitoring the case, urging a transparent investigation and an independent, pluralistic media. “We have concerns about trends in Turkey, as we have indicated publicly. We continue to engage Turkish officials on these developments and we will follow these cases very closely.”In addition, Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatoviç called on Turkish authorities to immediately stop intimidating media following the detentions. “This unprecedented conduct by the authorities violates basic OSCE media freedom commitments. It targets and suppresses differing and critical voices,” Mijatoviç said.She also said detentions have a strong chilling effect on media freedom. “It clearly illustrates the need for Turkey to reform its media laws, as noted repeatedly by my office,” she said. “I call on the Turkish authorities to stop intimidating and threatening journalists. The detained journalists should be immediately released without any conditions.”Protestors from the Turkish Journalists Union (TGS) and 25 different press organs marched from Taksim Square to Galatasaray. In Galatasaray Square, TGS Chairman Ercan İpekçi read aloud a statement on behalf of the protesting group. İpekçi started by yelling, “We will not keep quiet!”İpekçi pointed out dozens of journalists are currently behind bars on various charges. “That means that freedom of the press and expression is being violated. The pressure on journalists has reached an unbearable level. Those who claim journalists are being arrested for membership in a terrorist organization but not due to their professional efforts are committing a crime of slander in accordance with the Turkish Penal Code [TCK],” he said.Protestors later chanted slogans for an immediate release of the journalists. They also carried banners that read: “You cannot cover up Ergenekon in this way,” “Today Ahmet and Nedim, who is next tomorrow?” “No to censorship and raids,” “AK Party, take your hands off the media,” “Freedom to journalists,” “Freedom for democracy” and “Freedom to jailed pens.”Some journalists in Ankara marched with their mouths covered by ribbons that signified the alleged clampdown by the government on expression.Hmmmmm.......Obama's 'friend and ally' Erdogan.Keep Turkey out of the European Union!Read the full story here.
- Turkey - TÜSİAD head Ümit Boyner slams mass punishment of bloggers.Turkish Industrialists and Businessmen’s Association (TÜSİAD) President Ümit Boyner yesterday slammed the mass punishment of bloggers due to a ban imposed by a Turkish court on Google’s famous blog-hosting service, blogspot.com/blogger.com. The ban, which was imposed early this week, came in the wake of complaints by digital satellite platform Digiturk on the grounds that it violated the company’s broadcasting rights to Turkey’s top football division.Speaking at a ceremony yesterday during which a TÜSİAD report on the banning of websites in Turkey was introduced, Boyner said: “The ban imposed on the blogsite/blogger is a situation that emerged due to the violation of the commercial rights of a company. It is impossible for us to approve of a violation of intellectual and commercial rights; however, imposing a ban on the entire website and preventing thousands of people from having access to their blogs is not the right thing to do.” Turkey’s Telecommunications Directorate has blocked more than 1,000 websites since last year under the law against cyber crime, which includes offenses such as insulting the memory of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of the Turkish Republic.Hmmmm.....Meanwhile it's also a good way to 'silence' the opposition?Iran nodding in approval.Read the full story here.
- "The War On Christianity".Critics Slam ABC Pilot 'Good Christian Bitches' for 'Inappropriate' 'Damaging'title.An ABC pilot called “Good Christian Bitches” has religious and women’s groups up in arms over what they describe as an extremely offensive and distasteful show title.The dramedy, based on Kim Gatlin’s novel of the same name, will be brought to life by famed “Sex and the City” and “90210” executive producer Darren Star. The plot centers on the life of reformed “mean girl” Amanda, played by “Talladega Nights” actress Leslie Bibb, who returns to her hometown of Dallas to find herself fodder for malicious gossip from the women in the Christian community. Still in the early stages, the pilot has not been guaranteed a spot on ABC’s lineup. And though the show’s title may change before it goes to broadcast, “Good Christian Bitches” is already causing uproar.“In the past, we’ve raised concerns about changing language standards for television," Henson said. "Once a particular profanity or obscenity has been embraced by a particular show, it quickly becomes mainstream.”And Yana Walton from the Women’s Media Center said Christians aren't the only ones who should be upset.“It is not an appropriate term to use to describe any woman, regardless of their faith,” Walton said. “Entertainment media, especially music and films, have been normalizing misogynistic language for years.”Hmmmmm.....Just try to imagine if the show would be called "Good Muslim B......"?Read the full story here.
- HT:AIM.Did Muslim Lobby Force Firing of Popular Radio Host?Washington, D.C. radio station WMAL is once again being accused of firing a popular talk show host because of his criticism of radical Muslims. The station, a major source of news and information for the nation’s capital, claims that popular morning host Fred Grandy resigned on his own, but Grandy tells AIM that he was essentially forced to leave after his wife, who is also outspoken about radical Islam, was cut from the program.The growing controversy over Grandy’s departure has resulted in some Grandy supporters charging the station with being “Sharia-compliant,” a reference to Islamic law, and with bending under pressure from the Council on American Islamic-Relations (CAIR), a Muslim lobbying organization that combats what it calls “Islamophobia” in the media.Grandy, a former actor and Republican member of Congress, told AIM, “My wife and I have used our program over the last several months to warn about the spread of radical Islam at home and abroad. Last week, Catherine (known on the show as Mrs. Fred) delivered a very tough indictment against stealth jihad, and for her efforts she was told she was off the show. I then told management without Mrs. Fred at the microphone, I could not remain either and have resigned effective this morning.”James Lafferty of the Virginia Anti-Shariah Task Force, who insists that Grandy was “forced to walk away” from his program after the banning of his wife from the show, blames the controversy on CAIR. “CAIR frequently criticized Grandy for reading FBI reports and court documents on his radio show which labeled CAIR as ‘an unindicted co-conspirator’ in the federal Holy Land Foundation terror finance trial,” Lafferty said.But CAIR Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper acted surprised by the news of Grandy’s resignation and responded, “What is their evidence for that claim?,” when informed that his group was being blamed for his departure.Lafferty told AIM, “I heard from two very good sources that CAIR was involved in this and not only targeting Grandy but Sean Hannity.” He said CAIR’s strategy was to knock Grandy off the air and then go after Hannity, a nationally syndicated radio host carried by WMAL in the afternoon. Hannity also hosts a Fox News Channel TV show.Lafferty has urged supporters of the Grandys to protest on Monday, March 7, and Tuesday, March 8, during “Call Out WMAL Days.” He wants the public to call WMAL at (202) 895-2350 and (202) 686-3100 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. each of those days and tell the station, “you will not listen to their station until Fred and Mrs. Fred Grandy return.”“America expects radio stations to be committed to free speech and the truth,” he says. “We expect WMAL to grow a backbone and stand up to CAIR and the other radicals. Call early and often.”At 10 a.m. Wednesday, March 9, Lafferty wants supporters of the Grandys to meet at WMAL’s studios (4400 Jenifer St., NW, Washington, DC 20015) with signs “to demonstrate our support for Fred Grandy and his wife and their courageous stand against radical Islam.”Hmmmm......Another topic for Congress man King his list to do?Read the full story here.
- "We have seen the 'light'?Poll: Unpopular With Evangelical Christians Obama, 6% View Him Favorably, 94% Unfavorably.A new poll spotlighting the faith community’s outlook on the 2012 campaign shows that evangelicals have high views of Mike Huckabee and Sarah Palin, less-than-enthusiastic views of Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney, and low views of President Obama.The Barna survey is the latest round of good polling news for Huckabee, the former Arkansas governor and Southern Baptist minister who is weighing whether to run for the Republican nomination. He already has said he will not participate in the early GOP debates, set to begin this spring. The fact that he leads among evangelicals is no surprise — he rode the wave of evangelical support in 2008 to a second-place primary finish — but it does show that his base of support has not eroded. Among evangelicals, Huckabee’s ratings (88 percent favorable, 11 percent unfavorable) led those of Palin (79 percent favorable, 21 percent unfavorable), Gingrich (57 percent/37 percent), Romney (56 percent/29 percent and Ron Paul (51 percent/26 percent). Obama, though, is viewed favorably by only 6 percent of evangelicals. Ninety-four percent view him unfavorably.Hmmmm......Mat 7:15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.Read the full story here.
- 'First day on the job".Germany’s New Interior Minister: “No Proof Islam is Part of Germany”.Germany’s freshly appointed Interior Minister Hans-Peter Friedrich has sparked controversy on the first day of his new job when talking about the role of Islam in German society.Friedrich, who succeeds Thomas de Maiziere, now defense minister, at a news conference in Berlin said there was no proof in history “that Islam is part of Germany.”De Maiziere and his predecessor Wolfgang Schaeuble had tried to launch a debate with Germany’s Muslim community to improve integration efforts.Friedrich said he would take integration of Germany’s estimated 4 million Muslims “very seriously,” adding that he would continue the dialog with the Muslim community, the so-called Islam Conference.His statements, which weren’t exactly tactful, were a repetition of his critique of a speech delivered by German President Christian Wulff, who said in October that Islam is a part of German society. Both politicians are members of German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservatives.On the first day of his new job, Friedrich was criticized for what the opposition and Muslim groups said were inflammatory remarks.“Friedrich has only been interior minister for 24 hours and he starts by smashing the porcelain,” Deutsche Welle Online quoted Renate Kuenast, of the opposition Green Party, as saying.Hmmmm...."The proverbial "Bull in a China shop"?Read the full story here.
- Union supporters disrupt GOP state senators' restaurant meal.After the vote on Senate Bill 5, seven Republican senators, including President Tom Niehaus, R-New Richmond, grabbed dinner at the Easy Street Cafe. As the lawmakers neared the end of their meal, a group of five to 10 union supporters angry about the passage of the bill hours before burst into the restaurant and began shouting.The commotion eventually led to pushing and shoving with the restaurant staff and owner, before police arrived to calm the situation as a police helicopter hovered overhead. No senators were involved in the physical altercations, and no charges have been filed."It could have (gotten physical)," said Sen. Frank LaRose, 31, a Fairlawn Republican who served as a Green Beret. "The group was agitated and they were shoving the owner, and he had nothing to do with this."LaRose said it didn't take special intelligence training to notice that while the lawmakers were eating, a woman walked past the window several times, poked her head in the door and got on her cell phone."It was planned," LaRose said. "They gathered as a group and waited until they had about 10 people before they caused a disturbance."Hmmmmm.....History repeating itself?Read the full story here
- Slumdog Millionaire child star loses everything.Rubina Ali watched helplessly as her family home in Mumbai was gutted in a huge fire.Rubina Ali, the 'Slumdog Millionaire' child star watched helplessly last night as her family home was destroyed and all its contents were reduced to ashes in a huge fire in Mumbai.The 12-year-old, who played Latika in Danny Boyle’s 2008 Oscar-winning film, said she had lost everything, including her photographs, newspaper clippings and film memorabilia, reported 'Mail Online'.More than 500 huts were destroyed in the city centre blaze, near the Bandra Railway Station, in which at least five people were reported missing.The youngster said: ‘Along with my house, all my good memories of my time on the film have been reduced to ashes. My new school books have been totally burnt. However, I feel relieved to see all my family members safe. The fire is so huge, it could have cost us our lives.’More than 25 fire engines had been sent to try to save the area.Rubina’s father, Rafiq Ali, said: ‘After my daughter’s fame, this house had become all the more special for me.‘Seeing it burnt to ashes in front of my eyes, I feel like I have lost everything. This was all we had.’The fire that broke out in one of the houses in the early evening quickly spread to around 500 houses in the locality. Last night the fire was reported to be spreading due to strong winds blowing into the city.Read the full story here.
- HT:interested-participant.And now for something completely different !Study: Staring at breasts increases heart health.Guys, listen up. A study says it is actually healthy to stare at a woman's breasts.Five-hundred men participated in the German study. Half were told to refrain from looking at breasts for five years, the other half were told to ogle them daily.The study found the men who stared at breasts more often showed lower rates of heart problems, a lower resting heart rate and lower blood pressure.The authors of the study recommend that men stare at breasts for 10 minutes a day.Hmmmm......Meanwhile there are off course the side effects from staring at them, when your other half catches you at it.Read and SEE the full story here.More here.
