Does U.S owe Muslims apology

Every new president flatters himself that he, kinder and gentler, is beginning the world anew. Yet, when Barack Obama in his inaugural address reached out to Muslims with “to the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect,” his formulation was needlessly defensive and apologetic.

Is it “new” to acknowledge Muslim interests and show respect to the Muslim world? Obama doesn’t just think so, he said so again to millions in his al-Arabiya interview, insisting on the need to “restore” the “same respect and partnership that America had with the Muslim world as recently as 20 or 30 years ago.” Astonishing.

Filed under: Think Tank, Arab, Arab Media, Barack Obama, E.U, Egypt, European Union, France, Gaza, Gaza raids, Gaza strip, Hamas, IAF, IDF, International, Iran, Iraq, Islam, Israel, Israel Air Force, Jordan, Lebanon, Middle East, MidEast, Muslim, Operation Cast Lead, Palestine, Palestinian Authority, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Terror, Terrorism, The Terror Journal, Turkey, U.N, U.S.A, UK, War, West Bank, World

US, EU, others urge LTTE to surrender

The United States, European Union, Japan and Norway on Tuesday urged Sri Lanka’s Tamil Tigers rebels to consider surrendering to avoid more deaths, including among thousands of civilians trapped in the war zone.

The call for the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) to discuss a surrender came as the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said civilians were fleeing a hospital that had been shelled for a fifth time in three days.

Filed under: Asia, Australia, Canada, Chennai, Colombo, Elephant Pass, Guerrilla Group, Guerrilla war, India, Jafna, London, LTTE, Madras, Mahindra Rajapaksa, Mullaitivu, Sri Lanka, Tamil, Tamil Nadu, Terror, Terrorism, The Terror Journal, Toronto, UK, Velupillai Prabhakaran, War

West shifts policy on Zimbabwe

Britain expressed skepticism on Tuesday about Zimbabwe’s new coalition government but pledged support because of the suffering of the population, indicating a shift in the West’s stance on the crisis.

The comments from Mark Malloch Brown followed a similar marked shift of tone from Washington since opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai agreed to enter a power sharing government with President Robert Mugabe last week.

Filed under: Think Tank, African Union, Aid, Civil war, Genocide, International, International Criminal Court, South Africa, Terror, The Terror Journal, U.N, War, War Crimes, World, Zimbabwe

The Israeli solution

Operation Cast Lead caused many people to reassess the viability of the sacrosanct “two-state solution.” A growing number of observers have pointed out that Hamas’s Iranian-sponsored jihadist regime in Gaza is proof that Israel has no way to ensure that land it transfers to the PLO-Fatah will remain under PLO-Fatah control.

This reassessment has also provoked a discussion of the PLO-Fatah’s own failures since it formed the Palestinian Authority in 1994.

Filed under: Analysis, Arab, Arab Media, Barack Obama, E.U, Egypt, European Union, France, Gaza, Gaza raids, Gaza strip, Hamas, IAF, IDF, International, Iran, Iraq, Islam, Israel, Israel Air Force, Jordan, Lebanon, Middle East, MidEast, Muslim, Operation Cast Lead, Palestine, Palestinian Authority, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Terror, Terrorism, The Terror Journal, Turkey, U.N, U.S.A, UK, War, West Bank, World

Israel warns of imminent attack after rocket fire

Following a Grad-type rocket attack in Ashkelon on Tuesday morning, the IDF warned residents of Rafah, in the south of the Gaza Strip, that they should leave their homes lest they be caught in an IAF air strike.

Mortar squad terrorist killed in IAF strike in southern Gaza Strip

The recorded messages, in Arabic, said people who work in tunnels, live near them or are “giving logistical help to terrorists” should evacuate the area immediately, residents said.

On Sunday, the IAF launched strikes against Hamas installations and smuggling tunnels throughout Gaza in response to more than 15 rockets and mortar shells fired at southern Israel by Gaza terrorists throughout that day.

Filed under: MidEast, Arab, Arab Media, Barack Obama, E.U, Egypt, European Union, France, Gaza, Gaza raids, Gaza strip, Hamas, IAF, IDF, International, Iran, Iraq, Islam, Israel, Israel Air Force, Jordan, Lebanon, Middle East, MidEast, Muslim, Operation Cast Lead, Palestine, Palestinian Authority, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Terror, Terrorism, The Terror Journal, Turkey, U.N, U.S.A, UK, War, West Bank, World

Sri Lanka hospital attacked again

The Red Cross in Sri Lanka says a hospital in territory held by the Tamil Tigers has been shelled again.

A health worker told the BBC that six people were injured in the attack on the hospital in Puthukkudiyiruppu town in Mullaitivu district.

Aid workers say the hospital was hit three times over the weekend, with nine people killed. The government says it is not responsible.

Filed under: Asia, Australia, Canada, Chennai, Colombo, Elephant Pass, Guerrilla Group, Guerrilla war, India, Jafna, London, LTTE, Madras, Mahindra Rajapaksa, Mullaitivu, Sri Lanka, Tamil, Tamil Nadu, Terror, Terrorism, The Terror Journal, Toronto, UK, Velupillai Prabhakaran, War

Attacks batter Gaza ceasefire

Israel carried out air strikes and Palestinians launched mortar bomb attacks Monday despite a ceasefire in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip, but Israel’s defense minister said a wider offensive was not imminent.

Responding to Egyptian efforts to broker a long-term truce, a Hamas spokesman said it would be prepared to halt hostilities for a year if a deal could be reached on lifting Israel’s blockade of the Gaza Strip and reopening border crossings.

Filed under: MidEast, Arab, Arab Media, Barack Obama, E.U, Egypt, European Union, France, Gaza, Gaza raids, Gaza strip, Hamas, IAF, IDF, International, Iran, Iraq, Islam, Israel, Israel Air Force, Jordan, Lebanon, Middle East, MidEast, Muslim, Operation Cast Lead, Palestine, Palestinian Authority, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Terror, Terrorism, The Terror Journal, Turkey, U.N, U.S.A, UK, War, West Bank, World

Sri Lanka asks civilians to leave

The Sri Lankan government has told civilians to leave an area where it is fighting Tamil Tiger rebels, saying it cannot guarantee their safety.

A statement said the battle in the north-east was at a “decisive stage”.

It is unclear how the tens of thousands of people caught up in the fighting can escape. The rebels deny preventing people from leaving the area.

Filed under: Asia, Australia, Canada, Chennai, Colombo, Elephant Pass, Guerrilla Group, Guerrilla war, India, Jafna, London, LTTE, Madras, Mahindra Rajapaksa, Mullaitivu, Sri Lanka, Tamil, Tamil Nadu, Terror, Terrorism, The Terror Journal, Toronto, UK, Velupillai Prabhakaran, War