Month: February 2007

Shift in US diplomatic strategy seeks to engage regional states, including Iran and Syria, to discuss the realities of Iraq’s instability: U.S. to Join Iran, Syria in Iraq Talks (Los Angeles Times) US Switch on Iran Adds ‘Missing Link’ (BBC News) Canadian parliament quashes bid to extend provisions forcing testimony in court and “preventive” arrests…

One member of the ‘Mideast Quartet’ Russia has reversed its policy toward the Palestinian government: Russia in Favor of Lifting Palestinian Aid Embargo (RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty) Shi’as, Sunnis and Kurds all reach initial agreement that could affect the economic future of Iraq: Iraqis Reach an Accord on Oil Revenues (New York Times) Sectarian execution-style killings are down,…

Op-ed in Jakarta Post slams Indonesian government for not doing to more to fulfill its promises to increase privatization of the economy:  State Minister Dreams of Cutting the Number of SOEs (Jakarta Post)  Indonesian economic minister says existence of democracy and rule of law are essential to economic prosperity:  RI Years from Sustainable Economy, Democracy…

Defense seeks the rest of the evidence to see if any of it is real: ·     Evidence Against Muslim Charity Appears Fabricated: An Official Summary of an FBI-wiretapped Conversation Contains Anti-Semitic Slurs that Do Not Appear in the Actual Transcript (LA Times) Rania wants Muslims to reject terrorism … ·     Jordan Queen Urges Muslims to Reject…

Most “of the tip-offs about supposed secret weapons sites provided by the CIA and other US intelligence agencies have led to dead ends when investigated by IAEA inspectors, according to informed sources in Vienna:” · US Intelligence on Iran Does Not Stand Up, Say Vienna Sources (Guardian Unlimited) Canada rejects secret evidence: · Canadian Supreme…

Security forces ‘abduct’ human rights activist from Pakistani jail hours before his scheduled release: Pakistan Activist Vanishes Again (BBC) Charity, sponsored by businessmen, to set up a call center to boost Palestinian economy: Call Centre Plan for Palestinians (BBC) A new French Revolution?  The rise of suburban, immigrant interest in politics threatens the elite status…

Mr. Gonzales, can you please tell me one more time, how many ‘terrorists’ were caught?  Audit Finds U.S. Anti-terror Statistics Inflated (Associated Press)  Fighting terrorists networks outside the rule of law maybe more acceptable to some in America…  Court Rules Against Guantanamo Detainees (Associated Press)  …but not so in Europe:  Europe’s Rising Unease Over ‘Terror…

Quagmire in Iraq and support for repressive regimes have allowed Al-Qaeda’s influence to extend into North Africa: North Africa Feared as Staging Ground for Terror (New York Times) Terrorist Networks Lure Young Moroccans to War in Far-Off Iraq (Washington Post) Disclosure of US plans to attack Iran include wide list of military targets and would…