America’s long Afghan war

Twenty years ago this month, the last Soviet soldier left Afghanistan after a disastrous war that lasted nine years, seven weeks and three days. Barring military and political miracles, the United States will stay longer in Afghanistan than the Soviets did. Considerably longer.

Present U.S. plans to reinforce troops fighting a war that is, by most accounts, going badly, provide for up to 30,000 additional soldiers to be deployed over the next 12 to 18 months.

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, Kassam Rockets, Lebanon, Middle East, MidEast, Muslim, Operation Cast Lead, Palestine, Palestinian Authority, Qassam Rockets, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Terror, Terrorism, The Terror Journal, Turkey, U.N, U.S.A, UK, War, West Bank, World

Obama, Mideast and Islam

Why, just two weeks into a 209-week term, assess a new American president’s record on so esoteric a subject as the Middle East and Islam? In Barack Obama’s case, because of

(1) a contradictory record: His background brims over with wild-eyed anti-Zionist radicals such as Ali Abunimah, Rashid Khalidi and Edward Said, with Islamists, the Nation of Islam and the Saddam Hussein regime; but since being elected he has made predominantly center-left appointments and his statements resemble those of his Oval Office predecessors.

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, Kassam Rockets, Lebanon, Middle East, MidEast, Muslim, Operation Cast Lead, Palestine, Palestinian Authority, Qassam Rockets, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Terror, Terrorism, The Terror Journal, Turkey, U.N, U.S.A, UK, War, West Bank, World

24 people killed in Pakistan bombing

At least 24 people have been killed and 30 injured in a bomb attack on a religious procession in the Pakistani province of Punjab, police say.

The attack targeted Shia mourners in the town of Dera Ghazi Khan.

Mourners were leaving a Shia mosque when the bomb went off. It is not clear who carried it the attack or whether it was the work of a suicide bomber.

Filed under: Asia, Afghanistan, Al Qaeda, Children, Islamabad, Islamic law, Kabul, Militants, Pakistan, Sharia, Taleban, Terrorism, The Terror Journal, War

Sri Lanka captures key LTTE sea base

The Sri Lankan army says it has captured the last major naval base of Tamil Tiger rebels in the north-east of the island.

It says that about 15 rebel fighters – including three senior commanders – were killed in the fighting at Chalai.

There has been no independent confirmation of the report, and no comment from the rebels.

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

Sudan army takes key Darfur town

Sudan’s army says it has captured a strategic Darfur town after three weeks of clashes with rebels that have left 30 people dead and displaced thousands.

An army spokesman said his forces had entered the town of Muhajiriya and were pursuing fleeing Jem rebels there.

The rebel commander said they had withdrawn voluntarily to spare civilians from government air attacks.

Filed under: Africa, African Union, Aid, Civil war, Darfur, Foreign affairs, Genocide, International, International Criminal Court, Justice, South Africa, Sudan, Terrorism, The Terror Journal, U.N, United Nations, War, War Crimes, World

Israeli planes hit Gaza tunnels

Israeli planes have bombed smuggling tunnels on Gaza’s border with Egypt, the Israeli military says.

The raid came after a rocket fired from the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip hit the Israeli city of Ashkelon.

The attacks are the latest violations of ceasefires declared by both sides after an Israeli assault on Gaza meant to stop militant rocket fire on Israel.

Filed under: MidEast, Arab, Gaza, Gaza raids, Gaza strip, Hamas, IAF, IDF, International, Islam, Israel, Kassam Rockets, Middle East, MidEast, Muslim, Operation Cast Lead, Palestine, Palestinian Authority, Qassam Rockets, Terror, Terrorism, The Terror Journal, UK, War, West Bank, World

The Loyalty of Israeli Arabs

It seems everyone on the chaotic, slightly scruffy streets of the Israeli-Arab town of Nazareth is still seething about Israel’s operation in Gaza.

“Nobody agreed to this massacre,” says gently-spoken restauranteur Dokhol Safadi, 41, who swears by a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and condemns rocket fire against southern Israel.

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, Kassam Rockets, Lebanon, Middle East, MidEast, Muslim, Operation Cast Lead, Palestine, Palestinian Authority, Qassam Rockets, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Terror, Terrorism, The Terror Journal, Turkey, U.N, U.S.A, UK, War, West Bank, World

Hamas seize aid for Gaza

Hamas policemen have seized thousands of blankets and food parcels that were meant to be distributed to Palestinian civilians in Gaza, UN officials say.

A UN spokesman said policemen raided a UN warehouse on Tuesday after officials refused to hand over the aid to a Hamas-controlled ministry.

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, Kassam Rockets, Lebanon, Middle East, MidEast, Muslim, Operation Cast Lead, Palestine, Palestinian Authority, Qassam Rockets, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Terror, Terrorism, The Terror Journal, Turkey, U.N, U.S.A, UK, War, West Bank, World

Sri Lanka would accept only an “unconditional surrender”

The Sri Lankan government has rejected a call by international donors to the Tamil Tiger rebels to negotiate terms of surrender with the government.

Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa told the BBC that the government would only accept an “unconditional surrender” by the rebels.

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