Posted on 09/30/2006 10:18:39 AM PDT by DAVEY CROCKETT
Soldier honored for courage during Tacoma Mall shootings
KNDO/KNDU - Yakima,WA,USA
A Fort Lewis infantryman has been given the Army's highest award for
non-combat courage for saving lives at the scene of a shooting at the
Tacoma Mall last year ...
http://www.kndo.com/Global/story.asp?S=5818038&nav=menu484_2
See all stories on this topic:
<http://news.google.com/news?ie=utf8&oe=utf8&persist=1&hl=en&client=google&ncl=1112008195
Fort Pierce, PSL city halls closed while bomb threat investigated
Stuart News (subscription) - Stuart,FL,USA
By HILLARY COPSEY and TYLER TREADWAY. City halls in both Fort Pierce
and
Port St. Lucie were closed late this morning while police search for a
threatened bomb. ...
http://www.tcpalm.com/tcp/local_news/article/0,2545,TCP_16736_5216105,00.html
See all stories on this topic:
http://news.google.com/news?ie=utf8&oe=utf8&persist=1&hl=en&client=google&ncl=1111825515
[Too many bus accidents, about #36 is the drunk bus driver]
http://news.search.yahoo.com/search/news?c=&p=school+bus+accident&ei=UTF-8&xargs=12KPjg1fZSgoS8jfanBcmcBpTzsy9959Szhrp7DOVsHKFk5jIvBKZyCvyB55wmFvll6wzVzoPFr7IUKfCPmLO7JAj1HA3eYryhi8z1_o4-R_H8G3B0hv8d2KvZ3JydDBxmHzKFYd-Pmqf9JsphDmW_zpNb_QENzOlq8DaAw0MnIs-QiQE8rG3RIuoDvZDFqEL8a8umZrEhepGvjRKliKnY5MY1ofqhDD0KPBm1mF-4k0ZEFitvkLPxSX4sux3HgoepkNX6NOtCb3VnwnxB9Eam1V6v0Y5Sz0yLLYpDhG30eKswVNbilaIboB7nkcbo0enjzirveNvdJULhJxsuO0j5cyefDlaqJHQ--9aw3-niDdOOzIu2M7LyDzUlZJM23ILnLcVy5BAV_ngvOWaFJqWTh6d17tXH5SvqtmOAO2mUte8sgcdrEOBHroOFOjDBIHs2hxFYlXqGEpzb0Dc1vWxp6vN6Hvdrpg..&pstart=4&b=31&fr=yalerts-keyword&xargs=12KPjg0i1SgoS8jfanBcuxTJrjsy994Njvh7p7DOVsHKFk5jIvBKZyCvyB55wmFvll6wzVzoPFr7IUKfCPmLO7JAj1HA3eYryhi8z1%5Fo4%2DR%5FH8G3B0hv8d2KvZ3JydDBxmHzKFYd%2DPmqf9JsphDmW%5FzpNb%5FQENzOlq8DaAw0MnIs%2DQiQE8rG3RIuoDvZDFqEL8a8umZrEhepGvjRKliKnY5MY1ofqhDD0KPBm1mF%2D4k0ZEFitvkLPxSX4sux3HgoepkNX6NOtCb3VnwnxB9Eam1V6v0Y5Sz0yLLYpDhG30eKswVNbilaIboB7nkcbo0enjzirveNvdJWHHVupPT1M3C%5FauMdHYpToO4WqGZpdf1fUGu4P%5FGi28qU0UYScD%2DtGy%2DPE1sl7dzU5pFruoBNTluDIpAqJrWSY%5FlMmyykRsjO%5Fr8BrkKso7izW%5FqEfXVnXt4AvYruqcQ%2Dv7DCNJxCkDzsRQQpROlZ1TgBhz&pstart=4&b=1
1. School Bus Accident Open this result in new window
FOX 28 South Bend - Dec 14 2:33 PM
Cass County police and emergency crews deal with an accident between a school bus and car on M-62 and Redfield Thursday afternoon.
Save
2. No Students Injured In School Bus Accident Open this result in new window
WCCO Minneapolis/St. Paul - Dec 14 11:31 AM
A school bus accident Thursday morning in St. Cloud, Minn. injured the driver of a car that hit the bus, but no students were hurt. More Transportation News
Save
3. School bus, van in accident Open this result in new window
The Cincinnati Enquirer - Dec 13 11:50 AM
CAMPBELL COUNTY -- Police are on the scene of an accident involving a school bus and a van near Campbell County High School.
Save
4. 2 adults injured in school bus accident Open this result in new window
Fort Wayne News-Sentinel - Dec 15 7:05 AM
NEW WAVERLY — A school bus carrying special needs students collided with a car Thursday afternoon in north-central Indiana, injuring the car’s driver and a school bus aide.
Save
5. No Injuries in School Bus Accident Open this result in new window
Detroit Now - Dec 13 7:35 AM
Four children were onboard a school bus in Detroit when it was involved in an accident Wednesday morning. Authorities say no one on the bus was injured in the accident which occurred at Rossiter and Whittier on the city’s east side.
Save
6. One Injured In School Bus Accident Open this result in new window
WLWT ChannelCincinnati.com via Yahoo! News - Dec 13 1:04 PM
One person was hospitalized after a crash involving a school bus in Alexandria.
Save
7. Los Fresnos Bus Accident Open this result in new window
KRGV-TV Texas - Dec 14 3:12 PM
LOS FRESNOS - There's a school bus accident in Los Fresnos. It happened on Highway 100, just east of the city. A Pontiac Trans-am reportedly ran into the bus. There were students onboard at the time. There's no reports of any injuries.
Save
8. School bus and beer truck collide Open this result in new window
KTVO-TV Kirksville - Dec 14 5:20 PM
(QUEEN CITY, Mo.) It's the second accident involving a Heartland school bus this week. The first happened Tuesday afternoon in eastern Mercer County. Thursday's crash happened in Queen City. No one was hurt in this crash.
Save
9. Students injured in school bus accident 7:58 AM Open this result in new window
WCNC Charlotte - Dec 12 12:36 PM
Six students and their bus driver were taken to the hospital after a school bus and utility truck collided near Uptown Tuesday afternoon. The accident happened around 2:30 p.m. at the intersection of E. 11th Street and the ramp to the Brookshire Freeway.
Save
10. Car Collides With School Bus In Standish Open this result in new window
WCSH 6 Portland - Dec 14 12:03 PM
Some kids got a scare on their way to school Thursday morning in Standish, when a car crashed into their bus. The accident happened at the corner of Fair Wind Drive and Manchester Road around 8:00 A.M.
Save
http://news.search.yahoo.com/search/news?c=&p=school+bus+accident&ei=UTF-8&xargs=12KPjg1fZSgoS8jfanBcmcBpTzsy9959Szhrp7DOVsHKFk5jIvBKZyCvyB55wmFvll6wzVzoPFr7IUKfCPmLO7JAj1HA3eYryhi8z1_o4-R_H8G3B0hv8d2KvZ3JydDBxmHzKFYd-Pmqf9JsphDmW_zpNb_QENzOlq8DaAw0MnIs-QiQE8rG3RIuoDvZDFqEL8a8umZrEhepGvjRKliKnY5MY1ofqhDD0KPBm1mF-4k0ZEFitvkLPxSX4sux3HgoepkNX6NOtCb3VnwnxB9Eam1V6v0Y5Sz0yLLYpDhG30eKswVNbilaIboB7nkcbo0enjzirveNvdJULhJxsuO0j5cyefDlaqJHQ--9aw3-niDdOOzIu2M7LyDzUlZJM23ILnLcVy5BAV_ngvOWaFJqWTh6d17tXH5SvqtmOAO2mUte8sgcdrEOBHroOFOjDBIHs2hxFYlXqGEpzb0Dc1vWxp6vN6Hvdrpg..&pstart=4&b=31&fr=yalerts-keyword&xargs=12KPjg0i1SgoS8jfanBcuxTJrjsy994Njvh7p7DOVsHKFk5jIvBKZyCvyB55wmFvll6wzVzoPFr7IUKfCPmLO7JAj1HA3eYryhi8z1%5Fo4%2DR%5FH8G3B0hv8d2KvZ3JydDBxmHzKFYd%2DPmqf9JsphDmW%5FzpNb%5FQENzOlq8DaAw0MnIs%2DQiQE8rG3RIuoDvZDFqEL8a8umZrEhepGvjRKliKnY5MY1ofqhDD0KPBm1mF%2D4k0ZEFitvkLPxSX4sux3HgoepkNX6NOtCb3VnwnxB9Eam1V6v0Y5Sz0yLLYpDhG30eKswVNbilaIboB7nkcbo0enjzirveNvdJWHHVupPT1M3C%5FauMdHYpToO4WqGZpdf1fUGu4P%5FGi28qU0UYScD%2DtGy%2DPE1sl7dzU5pFruoBNTluDIpAqJrWSY%5FlMmyykRsjO%5Fr8BrkKso7izW%5FqEfXVnXt4AvYruqcQ%2Dv7DCNJxCkDzsRQQpROlZ1TgBhz&pstart=4&b=1
[dated 12-15-06 and there have been prior alerts at this base if my memory is correct]
http://www.newsok.com/xml/rss/2986230/
Tinker building evacuated after threat
By The Associated Press
A bomb threat telephoned to Tinker Air Force Base led to the temporary evacuation of a building in the northeastern area of the base.
Building 3001, which holds large portions of the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center operations, was evacuated as a precautionary measure after the anonymous threat was received in a phone call, the base said in a release.
The building was checked. No dangerous devices were found and employees were allowed to return to the building.
http://www.newsok.com/article/2986064/?template=news/main
Hobby Lobby pulls Christmas lights
Safety lab labels questioned on products made in China, and sold in 380 U.S. stores.
By Paul Monies
Business Writer
Hobby Lobby Stores Inc. voluntarily recalled more than 2.3 million sets of Christmas lights Thursday after reports of mild electric shocks and melting wires.
The Oklahoma City-based retailer said the lights were made in China. They bore a mark from safety lab Underwriters Laboratories Inc., although UL said the mark may be counterfeit.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission received one report of a minor shock when a consumer touched a light string, while Hobby Lobby reported one instance of melting wires. The commission said the lights have undersized wires which can separate from the plugs or light sockets, posing an electrical shock and fire hazard.
"Customer safety is our top priority,” said Peter Dobelbower, Hobby Lobby's vice president. "We really want to make sure our customers are safe and they know about this.”
Hobby Lobby said the recall covered five sets of lights: 100-count indoor/outdoor super bright mini lights; 50-count classic indoor super bright mini lights; 150-count indoor/outdoor ribbon-style net lights; 100-count indoor/outdoor miniature trunk net lights; and 300-count indoor/outdoor hang-straight icicle lights. The lights come in a variety of colors.
The retailer sold the lights at its 380 stores across the country between June and early December. The lights ranged in price from $2.50 to $10. Consumers should return the lights to any Hobby Lobby store to get an exchange card of equal value.
Hobby Lobby said it was working with the Consumer Safety Product Commission to determine if the recalled lights had a fake UL mark. In a statement, UL said it was not familiar with the Christmas lights sold by Hobby Lobby.
"The recall states that the product contains undersized wires and is manufactured in China,” UL said. "Based on these product characteristics, we can speculate that the product contains a counterfeit UL mark.”
Instances of counterfeit UL marks have risen as the United States imports more goods from China. UL, whose 50 worldwide labs inspect 19,000 products for safety, spends about $2 million annually to fight counterfeit UL marks.
"The instances of counterfeiting are rather small compared to the 19 billion UL marks that go on products every year,” said John Drengenberg, UL's consumer affairs manager and an electrical engineer. "But we are very aggressive with anti-counterfeiting. We've got it contained. We know counterfeiting comes from China, and it's all certain product categories — the low-cost, high volume products like extension cords, nightlights and power strips.”
Drengenberg said UL requires certain products made in China to bear holographic UL labels, which are harder to counterfeit.
Company reviews policies
Hobby Lobby first received reports of problems in one of the light sets Dec. 4. The company sent the rest of the light sets to a lab for testing, Dobelbower said. After receiving those test results, the company began pulling lights from store shelves Dec. 8. He said about 1.6 million of the 2.3 million sets of lights were sold.
"This recall will cost us a significant amount, but it really pales in comparison to the safety of our customers,” Dobelbower said.
Hobby Lobby bought the lights from a broker, Allbright, in China.
"We are in the process of putting protocols in place to see why this happened and to make sure it never happens again,” he said.
http://www.ktre.com/Global/story.asp?S=5821175&nav=menu118_3
Europe concerned about possible Islamic terror over holidays
MADRID, Spain Happy holidays -- and watch out.
Intelligence and security officials around the world are warning of an
extremely high risk of a terrorist attack by Islamic militants during
the Christmas and New Year's travel season.
The biggest concern is a possible plot in which Europe is the target.
Already this year, plots were uncovered in four European countries.
That includes the one in Britain that targeted flights bound for the
U-S.
One senior French counterterrorism official says intelligence agencies
across Europe have yet to uncover any specific holiday plot, but that
"all of the warning lights are red."
U-S intelligence and law enforcement officials also say there's no
specific, credible information about any pending threat. They say
holiday-time worries are common since Nine-Eleven, but for now they're
more concerned about a possible attack in Europe than in the U-S.
Copyright 2006 Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Report: China weighs covert ops to overthrow North Korea's Kim
http://www.worldtribune.com/worldtribune/06/front2454071.064583333.html
Report: China weighs covert ops
to overthrow North Korea's Kim
Special to World Tribune.com
EAST-ASIA-INTEL.COM
Friday, December 15, 2006
China has begun drawing up plans to attack North Korea, according to the Paris-based Intelligence Online newsletter.
Hu Jintao, head of the Central Military Commission, has ordered the Chinese military to draw up the attack plan as a move "deliberately meant as a threat to the regime of Kim Jong-Il." The report said the plan was leaked to sources close to Western intelligence in Hong Kong.
The action follows China's displeasure at the Oct. 9 nuclear test, which Hu regarded as a snub to the International Affairs Leadership Group that he has headed since 2003.
The report said Hu has dealt with Kim in a conciliatory manner, unlike his predecessor Jiang Zemin, who disliked the North Korean ruler.
North Korean Leader Kim Jong-Il and his generals inspect a Korean People's Army Unit in this photo released by the Korean Central News Agency on December 6. AFP
According to the report, intelligence activities against the Kim regime also are being considered. The Chinese military intelligence service, known as 2 PLA, "is toying with the idea of a palace revolution that would kick out the 'Kim dynasty' and replace it with 'pro-Chinese generals,'" the report said.
China's top military officer on North Korea is said to be Gen. Yan Jiangfeng, current vice president and secretary-general of the China Institute for International Strategic Studies (CIIS), a think tank close to 2 PLA.
Yan was a military attaché in Pyongyang and is close to retired Gen. Xiong Guangkai, also at CIIS and who was close to Jiang.
Copyright © 2006 East West Services, Inc.
Plane Stuck At Fort Lauderdale Airport
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- An airplane is reportedly stuck on the taxiway
at
Fort Lauderdale Airport, the Broward Sheriff's Office is reporting.
Southwest Airlines flight No. 731 bound for Philadelphia was taxiing
for
takeoff when the brakes became stuck.
Passengers are being offloaded into several busses and returned to
their
original departure gate, B1.
Mechanics are going to evaluate exactly what caused the plane to
malfunction
and what needs to be done to fix it.
No injuries were reported and there was no interruption of service or
delay
in flights or normal operations.
There has also been an unrelated vehicle accident at the entrance to
the
airport on 595. It has caused some inbound traffic delays for people
trying
to get into the airport.
http://www.nbc6.net/news/10535658/detail.html?rss=ami&psp=news
Jet returns to LAX after light falsely warns of fire
A United Airlines jetliner turned back to Los Angeles International
Airport
and made an emergency landing Thursday after a warning light wrongly
indicated a fire in one of its wheel wells.
The plane was bound for Portland, Ore., with 110 passengers on board
and
five crew members. It landed safely just after 2:15 p.m., about half an
hour
after it departed.
Firefighters met the plane on the runway but found no burn marks or
other
evidence of a fire on board. Temperature readings taken from the wheels
and
brakes came back normal.
"We couldn't find anything at all" -- even after using infrared cameras
to
search for hot spots, said Capt. Randy Keyes of Los Angeles Fire
Station 80.
United moved the passengers to another airplane and expected to get
them to
Portland by Thursday evening, a few hours late. Its mechanics were
examining
the jet, a Boeing 737, to determine what caused the warning light to
flash
on.
United Flight 708 took off from LAX around 1:45 p.m. Thursday. The
warning
light switched on several minutes into the flight, after the plane had
climbed and turned north. The pilot declared an emergency and looped
back
toward the airport.
The warning light turned off as the plane approached LAX and lowered
its
landing gear, but the pilot decided not to take a chance by resuming
the
flight. "If the indicator light comes on, they (have to) return to Los Angeles," United spokeswoman Megan McCarthy said.
A CNN correspondent, Chris Lawrence, was on board the plane and, in a
phone
call to his network, described what happened in the cabin. He said he
heard
a loud boom, and the plane "literally shook" for a brief moment.
Flight attendants, he said, came through the cabin and reassured
passengers,
but "some of the kids started to get a little scared and nervous."
McCarthy, the airline spokeswoman, said she had heard no other reports
of a
boom or shaking.
The plane has been flying for nearly 17 years and has not been involved
in
any significant accidents, federal records show. Service reports filed
with
the Federal Aviation Administration indicate that the plane underwent a
round of major maintenance and repairs last month; none appears to have
involved the wheel wells.
http://www.dailybreeze.com/news/articles/4924846.html
[unknown url]
Rats Cause Havoc on Saudi Airlines Flight
Arab News
TABUK, 15 December 2006 — Passengers of a Tabuk bound evening flight
of
Saudi Airlines 1563 were frightened by countless rats scurrying on the
floor
of the aircraft on Wednesday while they were cruising at a height of
25,000
feet. The flight captain immediately informed ground crews at Tabuk
airport
of the rodent infestation. On landing at the airport, officials
discovered
that the rats were the possessions of a particular passenger who had
kept 80
of them in a leather bag. He did not know how they managed to escape
from
the bag. The passenger was handed over to security authorities to
continue
investigations.
Passenger Arrested As Flight Arrives In Houston
(December 14, 2006)—The FBI was holding a 66-year-old Japanese
national
Thursday after the man was arrested and charged with interfering with a
flight attendant aboard a Continental Airlines jet that landed in
Houston
after a flight from Honolulu.
The man was scheduled to appear before a federal magistrate Thursday.
According to an FBI press release, witnesses told FBI agents the man
was
disruptive and combative and groped a female flight attendant during
the
last two-and-a-half hours of the flight.
The FBI said the man trashed a lavatory and eventually was restrained
with
flex cuffs to curb “his increasingly aggressive behavior.”
http://www.kwtx.com/news/headlines/4918326.html
[another version]
Officials say man arrested after mixing pills on flight
Passenger held on a charge of interfering with a flight attendant
A 66-year-old man who was arrested after a disturbance aboard a
Continental
Airlines flight to Houston had mixed his medication during the trip,
federal
authorities said Thursday.
Noboru Akao, a Japanese citizen and U.S. permanent resident alien, also
put
his hand up a flight attendant's skirt and "made a mess" in a restroom
after
mixing his pills, U.S. Magistrate Judge Frances Stacy said as she read
from
a criminal complaint in a hearing.
Federal prosecutor Michael Schultz declined to specify the medications
in
open court. Continental spokesman David Messing said he did not know
whether
Akao was served alcohol during the seven-hour flight from Honolulu.
Houston police arrested Akao on Wednesday morning and handed him over
to the
FBI after the flight arrived at George Bush Intercontinental Airport.
He was
charged with interfering with a flight attendant.
According to the complaint, Akao became "disruptive" and "combative"
during
the last 2 1/2 hours of the flight. He finally was restrained in
plastic
handcuffs and placed in a jump seat, away from other passengers.
Akao, who moved to the United States in 1986, communicated in court
through
his interpreter and frequently bowed toward the judge to indicate that
he
understood the proceedings.
If convicted, Akao faces a maximum of 20 years in prison and a $250,000
fine. A hearing to review evidence and consider bail is scheduled for
Monday.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/4403975.html
[unknown url, I did hear it reported on 850koa.com the radio station]
THANKS TONS.
Iran's Foreign Agents of Disinformation: More About VEVAK
Global Politician
November 17, 2006
© 2004 Global Politician
http://globalpolitician.com/articledes.asp?ID=2300&cid=2&sid=4
Professor Daniel M. Zucker - 11/17/2006
In September I presented a report (Iran's VEVAK: Disinformation, Inc.,
GP, September 17, 2006; see also
http://www.iranterror.com/content/view/229/46/ ) about Iran's Ministry
of Intelligence and Security (MOIS), or VEVAK as it is known in Farsi.
For those who did not see that article, I suggest that a look at its
first section will be helpful in order to understand VEVAK's
methodologies and operating procedures. The essay obviously hit a sensitive nerve
in Iran as a variety of regime web sites and one of its agents issued
belligerent replies. I would like now to continue to discuss a variety of
individuals and groups that serve the Islamic Republic of Iran as
agents for disseminating VEVAK's program of disinformation.
Our first subject is Kam Zarrabi, a naturalized Iranian who came to the
United Stares in 1956 to study at UCLA before returning to Iran to work
in the oil industry for the Shah's government. Mr. Zarrabi left Iran in
1979 and claims to be non-religious. His writings are political and
invariably suggest that Iran is not a threat to either the United States
or Israel. In article after article Zarrabi suggests that the US should
come to terms with Tehran and distance itself from Israel. In a shrewd
attempt at masking their intentions, he attacks Vali Nasr and Ali
Gheissari for their article in the December 13, 2004 New York Times entitled
"Foxes in Iran's Henhouse". But despite this "attack" on the two
Iranian academics, Zarrabiâ's bottom line is similar - the US should not
confront Iran but rather come to an accommodation with the regime.
Like the traditional VEVAK agent, he tells the truth 80% of the time
and bends it sideways or upside down about 20%. When he lies, he doesn't
lack for hutzpah, the following being a good example of "reality
according to Zarrabi: "Curiously, no mention has ever been made of the fact
that not a single American has ever been killed, not even by mistake, by
an Iranian anywhere in the world; while the same is not true of the
Saudis, Egyptians, Israelis, Colombians, Iraqis, Afghans, etc, etc."
("Speaking of Tolerance", Asia Times Online, March 22, 2005) It seems that
Mr. Zarrabi has conveniently justified himself by the fact that VEVAK
traditionally covers its tracks by using proxies. He certainly is
sidestepping the fact that Iran is supplying the arms, munitions, funding,
training and direction to the Shiite militias in Iraq that are causing a
high percentage of American military fatalities and casualties in Iraq,
and have been doing so since late 2003. However, it seems that
Zarrabi's memory has had a lapse; the following was published in Iran Focus on
August 14, 2005: The attack [on the Marine barracks in Beirut] killed
241 U.S. service members. Two years ago, a U.S. federal court order
identified the suicide bomber as Ismail Ascari, an Iranian national. In
July 1987, Iran's then-Minister of Revolutionary Guards, Mohsen
Rafiqdoost, said, "Both the TNT and the ideology which in one blast sent to hell
400 officers, NCOs, and soldiers at the Marines headquarters were
provided by Iran".
If Mr. Zarrabi is not an employee of VEVAK, he must be a "true
believer" as he is a good spokesman for the policy objectives of the Islamic
Republic of Iran and a fine apologist for the regime. However, as far as
his commitment to a democratic Iran is concerned, that seems to be a
different story.
Our next subject is Hooshang Amirahmadi, founder and president of the
American
Iranian Council. Amirahmadi, born in Iran and completing his
undergraduate studies in 1969 in Tabriz, continued his education in the US but
maintained ties with his homeland, receiving scholarships from Tehran.
The change in regimes did not seem to cause him problems as he has done
economics research for the Islamic Republic's Ministry of Plan and
Budget, published in Tehran in 1986 and 1991, as well as written for a
variety of ministries in the early 1990s and served as consultant to the
Center for Scientific Research and Middle East Strategic Studies, a think
tank in Tehran in 1994. Last year (June 2005) he returned to Iran to
run as a candidate in the presidential elections, saying: "I have never
done anything against the Islamic Republic of Iran", which however, did
not stop his disqualification from candidacy by the Guardian Council
because of his American citizenship.
Amirahmadi has consistently called for dialogue and accommodation with
the regime, suggesting that it has been a belligerent American policy
that rebuffed all of Tehran's overtures that is the cause of the present
impasse with the Islamic Republic, and that it is only through
constructive engagement that Iran can be transformed over time into a
democracy. Like his less sophisticated compatriot, Kam Zarrabi, Amirahmadi
blames Israel for the tensions between Tehran and Jerusalem, conveniently
forgetting that it is Ahmadinejad, KhameneÃ, and Rafsanjani that have
threatened to wipe Israel off of the map and not Olmert, Sharon or
Netanyahu that threaten to send Iran back into the stone age. Again, it may
be that Amirahmadi is not on the VEVAK payroll, but his lengthy history
of service to the current regime and his longstanding avowed policy of
reconciliation with the present regime indicate his being what used to
be termed a "fellow traveler". When the regime's support of
anti-American terrorism is so well documented, today such a position as
Amirahmadi's seems to reveal to whom and where are his real loyalties and
sympathies.
Iranian born, American reared and educated Karim Sadjadpour, based
until late 2005 in Tehran, first as a journalist for National Geographic
and for the past three years as an analyst for the International Crisis
Group, a Brussels based international liberal think tank, is next on the
list. Sadjadpour's frequent and long sojourns in Iran should cause us
to ask how he is permitted by the regime to report about it without its
approval. Remember, censorship and managed news is the order of
business in the Islamic Republic of Iran. No one gets past the censor's red
ink. Foreigners that offend the regime are invited to leave immediately
if not preceded by a detour to prison, and don't receive return visas.
But Karim doesn't offend the regime; he defends it by saying that the
United States can only deal with Iran by opening up direct diplomatic
relations with the regime and assuring Tehran that regime change is not on
the agenda. By continually discrediting any of the opposition groups
both in- and outside of Iran, Sadjadpour sets the equation as a binary
choice between confrontation (including the possibility of use of the
military) or diplomatic and economic engagement which he claims will help
promote reforms and the development of democracy in Iran. I guess that
our experience with China is not a relevant example for Sadjadpour, but
in my book, more than thirty years of engagement with China has not
done much in the way of democratizing that country. It has made China a
burgeoning super-power that has surpassed Russia, but as for democracy,
no such luck. Indeed, since Sadjadpour's May 18th testimony before the
Senate Foreign Affairs Committee, the limited attempts at engagement
offered by Secretary of State Rice and the 5+1 have resulted in nothing
but more belligerent and bellicose talk from Ahmadinejad and a total
refusal to stop unclear enrichment. The regime has changed the signals on
its front-man without informing him.
Our next subjects are Ardeshir and Eleanor Ommani, founders two years
ago of the American-Iranian Friendship Committee. Ardeshir is an
Iranian-American who has been in this country for decades but who returned to
Iran during the 1979-1980 revolution as well as this past spring along
with his wife Eleanor Ommani. Both the Ommani's political stances match
the Tudeh (Iranian Communist) Party in that they support ultra-leftist
workers' party political goals and yet defend the Khameneà theocratic
regime. In a recent article, Eleanor Ommani attacked leftist feminist
Jennifer Fasulo for her op-ed that criticized Hugo Chavez's support for
Iran as a sell out of women's rights. Defending the Venezuelan
strong-man as a true socialist and friend of Castro, Ommani also defended the
Islamic Republic in its treatment of women. Her defense of the IRI was
one that would make Massoumeh Ebtekar ("Tehran Mary") proud.
Ms. Ommani tries to gloss over the fact that the IRI continues to
practice stoning for the crime of adultery, calling it â?othe rare and
out-dated practice of stoningâ?. But as Ommani knows, this barbaric
practice still takes place--a man and a woman were stoned to death just this
past May in Mashad and another nine women and two men await such
execution (according to the state-run daily "Rooz") - and stoning is enshrined
in the IRI's law code (it applies to both genders, but as Moslem men
are permitted polygamy, relations with an unmarried woman is not
considered adultery). Citing statistics of Iran's successful birth control and
family planning campaign as well as Iran's progressive laws concerning
maternity leave, and the integration of female students into the
educational system, Ommani attempts to paint a picture of Iran as a
completely progressive society. Indeed, Iran has made great progress in these
areas. However, she conveniently ignores or forgets that which she
doesn't want to admit: Ahmadinejad has just begun a new campaign to once
again substantially increase the Iranian population. Ommani also fails to
mention that the IRI regards women's testimony in court as carrying only
half the weight of that of a man, and that a similar ratio applies as
to the value of a woman's life. So too, Ommani "forgets" that women have
virtually no rights to their children in cases of divorce, or that
women must receive the written and notarized permission of a male relative
(husband or father) to be able to travel abroad. Ommani neglects to
mention that all buses are segregated by gender (women sit in the rear),
all Islamic prayer rooms strictly segregated, and that segregated
instruction in schools and segregated seating at the universities is the way
of the IRI. Ommani also neglects to mention that all medical treatment
is strictly segregated, that women may not sing alone in public, or for
that matter, be seen in public with a male who is not their relative.
Ommani makes no mention of the strict enforcement of the hejab laws
which require all women in Iran to be covered from head to ankle with only
hands and face visible on pain of lashes (or imprisonment for multiple
offenses).
Ommani also skips over the Shiite practice of "sigheh" ("mutaah")
"temporary marriage"(many in Iran and abroad would term it a legalized form
of prostitution) which permits men to take an unlimited number of
temporary wives (for as short a period as an hour) but which is regarded as
adultery if the woman is already married. Men may contract such
"marriages" at any time, but women must wait three monthly cycles between such
marriages to prove that they are not pregnant. Should the temporary
husband die before the termination date of the marriage, the woman does
not inherit from him. Ommani neglects to mention that the IRI reverted
legally to the old Islamic view that girls are regarded as reaching
majority age for the purpose of marriage at age nine, and may even wed
earlier if both fathers give consent! Ommani also has conveniently
overlooked the new law passed by the Majlis since Mahmoud Ahmadinejad became
president that prohibits women from owning and running any business by
themselves; all businesses, including restaurants, require a male partner
in order currently to conform to the law.
Ms. Ommani demonstrates her â?oobjectivityâ? when she portrays the
IRIâ?Ts terrorist proxy Hizballah, as the innocent victim of Israeli
aggression. Eleanor: "fess up" - it's time to admit that you are an agent of
a foreign government!
Ardeshir Ommani, like his wife Eleanor, has a distinct attitude of
"workers of the world, unite!", which would seem to suggest that he be
critical of the theocratic IRI regime which has not only refused to allow
the bus drivers of Tehran to unionize, but also has arrested and
imprisoned the group's leaders. The same story applies as regards the Mine and
Industry Commission's anti-labor approach to the mine workers from
eastern Tehran and Keraj. But this is not the case! Just like the old
Iranian communist Tudeh Party which sold out on its socialist principles and
backs the IRI regime, so does Ardeshir Ommani defend the IRI,
describing it as a modern, independent nation fighting the imperialist United
States! Like his wife, he claims that women are not debilitated (his
words) in their social status in the Islamic Republic. He also defends the
regime's nuclear program, calling it popular and the absolute right of
the Iranian nation. Like his wife, he neglects the poll that found over
two thirds of Iranians opposed to the expenditures involved in the
current enrichment program. His opposition to the Iraq war should come as
no surprise, but the fact that he fails to suggest that an immediate
withdrawal will leave Iraq in even greater chaos demonstrates that he is
following Khamenei's party line in order that Iran have a free hand in
turning Iraq into a carbon copy of Iran. Shame on both the Ommanis for
failing to admit that Iraqi women have suffered a reversal of their
civil rights not because of the fall of Saddam Hussein but because the
Iranian trained and supplied Shiite militias (SICRI's Badr Organization and
al-Sadr's Justani al-Mahdi) have forcibly applied Sharia (Islamic law)
upon the regions they control which includes almost all the southern
half of Iraq. The Ommanis prove that the world is round: the far left
comes and supports the fascist Islamist mullah regime of Tehran. Are the
Ommanis paid by VEVAK? They know what is the truth as regards this
question, but they definitely are helping VEVAK to do its job of
disseminating disinformation.
Our next subject is an entire group, and especially its leaders. I
refer to CASMII "the Campaign Against Sanctions and Military Intervention
in Iran" (www.campaigniran.org) which was founded by Professor Abbas
Edalat in London on December 1, 2005, with a branch in the US headed by
Rostam Pouzal and includes Behrad Nakha and Daniel M Pourkesali among its
board-members. CASMII is connected to similar groups throughout Europe.
Whereas military intervention in Iran may be proscribed by many in the
United States and the wisdom and efficacy of sanctions can be debated
for many hours, it is the support for the positions of the Islamic
Republic of Iran that gives away the real identity of this group. It is a
cleverly disguised front for the IRI and engaged in promoting VEVAK's
disinformation campaign. Let's take a look at some of its "information".
In an editorial entitled "Opposing Theocratic Repression in Iran or
Playing into the Hands of US Warmongers?" from June 11, 2006, the anonymous
writer at CASMII wrote:
"The US and Israel are intent to deprive Iran of its 'inalienable
right' under Article IV of the Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT) to develop a
civilian nuclear program -- a right which belongs collectively to the
nation and which will benefit each individual. It is this 'inalienable
right' which CASMII is striving to defend and which must be granted to
Iran as a sovereign nation."
If such were indeed the case, the US would have worked to prevent the
building of the nuclear plant at Busheir. It is the history of Iran's
long clandestine nuclear research program (eighteen years of secrecy)
coupled with Iran's lack of genuine cooperation with the IAEA in
permitting full access to all sites that has driven
the US and EU concerns. Ahmadinejad's threats to Israel's existence
have not done anything to help the matter either, however well they sit
with his Pasdaran cronies. The CASMII editorial counters with the
following statement:
â?oThe west is accusing Iran of having a covert nuclear program, an
accusation used by the US and Israel to justify sanctions and military
intervention in Iran. However, hundreds of intrusive snap visits in three
years by the inspectors of the International Atomic Energy Agency, when
the Iranian government accepted to enforce IAEA safeguards well beyond
the Additional Protocol, have failed to produce any shred of evidence
of this.â? The operative word in the above statement is found in the
middle of the second sentence and is the word "when". When the IRI
allowed IAEA inspections, it did not find clear evidence of military usage,
but the inspections were not carried out at all times that the IAEA
wanted to hold them. The editorial continues, giving away the real concerns
of CASMII: "Today, we are witnessing a far graver interference: the
threat of military action and regime change by the US neoconservatives who
condemn the ~repressive regime" of a handful of "unelected clerics" in
Iran and vow to support the Iranian people to liberate themselves from
the "tyranny of the mullah."
Wow! If one condemns the repressive regime of a handful of unelected
mullahs, vowing to support the Iranian people to liberate themselves from
the tyranny of the mullahs, one must be the enemy! CASMII could hardly
be clearer; its members don't want to see a regime change that would
end the current Islamic government controlled by the mullahs!
The CASMII editorial, a commentary on the Iran Petition Letter of the
"Campaign for Peace and Democracy", criticizes it, saying:
"However, by giving even more weight to an analysis of 'repression' in
Iran and by calling for a regime change by the people of Iran when the
US military attack is imminent your petition severely undermines its
opposition to the warmongers and unwittingly aids the chorus in the
western media in the prelude to a new war. Our foremost task in the west is
to fight against the imperial aspirations of our own governments and in
this effort we should not assist the imperial bandwagon in publicly
condemning a sovereign country for lack of democracy when it could soon be
facing a military attack by the US."
Did I read correctly? CASMII says: "We should not assist the imperial
bandwagon in publicly condemning a sovereign country for lack of
democracy." In other words, don't criticize the IRI, and certainly not for its
dismal human rights record (the Islamic Republic of Iran has been
condemned 52 times by the U.N. for its abuse of human rights). Who but a
spokesman for the IRI would write such a line?
CASMII's republication of the pro-regime website Peyvand article by
Soraya Sepahpour-Ulrich, entitled "MEK, the West, and Iran" (November 1,
2006) and her cooperation with CASMII leaders in writing articles
demonstrate CASMII's role as propagandist for the IRI. Her article attacks
the Mojahedin-e Khalq (MEK) in a manner that is only done by the regime,
because only the regime has any real reason to fear the MEK.
Sepahpour-Ulrich claims that the vast majority of Iranians hate the MEK, but the
facts are otherwise. The MEK's disclosures of Iran's secret nuclear
program and details of its missile program have only been possible because
of the extensive cooperation of many ordinary Iranians within the
country with members of the MEK to supply the necessary information for
these revelations to take place. So too, the appearance of placards with
the photos of the MEK leaders, Massoud and Maryam Rajavi, at anti-regime
rallies in Tehran and other Iranian cities demonstrates the popularity
of the MEK. Remember: to be caught with such a placard in hand is to
receive a one way ticket to the notorious Evin Prison, and frequently an
appointment with the gallows. And yet the placards appear.
CASMII, in its efforts to connect with the left-wing anti-war movement
in this country and internationally, serves the purposes of the Islamic
Republic which wants to remove American and British--indeed all
Westernâ?"influence from the Persian Gulf region. Even more than the Ommanis,
the members of CASMII are serving the interests of the Iranian regime.
Their training and techniques indicate their familiarity with VEVAK.
VEVAK's chief, cabinet minister Hojatoleslam Gholam-Hussein
Mohseni-Ezhei, must be very pleased with what they are trying to do for the regime.
Our final subject is Gary G. Sick. While not a direct agent of VEVAK,
Sick has done more to assist the Tehran mullah government than any other
non-Iranian American since Oliver North and Robert McFarlane. Dr. Sick,
formerly at the NSC during the presidencies of Ford, Carter and Reagan,
now is Adjunct Professor of International Affairs at Columbia
University and chairs Human Rights Watch's Middle East Advisory Committee. Dr.
Sick has consistently criticized US foreign policy for not dialoging
with the IRI. Sick has suggested that dialogue will bring Tehran to modify
its animosity towards this country and the West in general, and will
also cause it to promote liberalization in the area of human rights and
civil liberties. As the EU has been engaged in dialogue with the regime
for decades without any apparent success "indeed Ahmadinejad's
presidency witnesses a regression in these area" why should an Iranian-American
dialogue fair any better? Sick has been recorded being interviewed by
Iranian state television stating that he knows that the IRI's nuclear
program is strictly "kosher".
His chairmanship of Joe Stork's HRW Middle East Advisory Committee
produced the May 18, 2005, bogus report of human rights abuse among the
Mojahedin-e Khalq (MEK) ("No Exit: Human Rights Abuses Inside the
Mojahedin Khalq Camps") which was based on telephone interviews with known
agents of VEVAK, several of whom claimed to be in Iraq "in MEK captivity"
at times that they were known to be elsewhere. Amongst other proof of
the salacious nature of the HRW report is the testimony of US Army
officers in charge of Camp Ashraf who totally contradict the HRW report.
Similar salacious reports were issued by HRW in 1992 and 1997, the 1997
report being tossed out by the UN special rappateour for Iraq as
"fictional". The 1992 report was answered by MEK leader Massoud Rajavi who
invited Joe Stork and HRW to come to any of the MEK camps in Iraq to
investigate "on site" for themselves; HRW never responded to Mr. Rajavi's
invitation. HRW's February 15, 2006 review of the criticisms of last year's
â?oreportâ? did nothing to correct its shoddy methodology; in essence,
it was a self-appointed whitewash. For what it is worth, Daniel Pipes
of the Middle East Forum had this to say about Dr. Sick: "When
commenting on America 's dealings with Iran, Sick has often expressed sympathy
with Tehran's oppressive, terrorism-sponsoring Islamic fundamentalist
regime. While characterizing the Bush administration as 'belligerent', he
lauds the Iranian government for being "meticulous in complying with
the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty". He also opposes allowing American
victims of Iranian-sponsored terrorism to sue Tehran for damages."
Gary Sick has proven himself to be a friend of the regime. Without
access to his financial records it's hard to tell why. But for someone who
served in the NSC during the 1979-1981 444 day Tehran embassy hostage
crisis, friendship towards the regime seems a strange position to take.
Update on Dr. Vali Reza Nasr: Baztab, the VEVAK website, carried an
article by former Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC/Pasdaran) chief
Mohsen Rezai (now Secretary of the IRI's State Expediency Council) on
October 26, 2006 praising Nasr's rise to prominence as an expert on
Shiite political power. The article notes that both Bush and Secretary of
State Condoleezza Rice have met with Nasr, but that Nasr's advice that
the US should accept Iran as a regional power, and start negotiations
and come to terms with Iran's leaders has not yet been accepted as yet.
Rezai calls Nasr's policy recommendations as "realistic and inclusive"
as they accord the Shiites more power, as opposed to Orientalist Bernard
Lewis' approach that gave greater control to the Sunni with hopes to
democratize Iraq and the region. Rezai's article has disappeared from
Baztab in the last few days, but it seems that he feels Vali Nasr is doing
a good job. Given Rezai's background and his current position in the
regime, we should wonder why Nasr is receiving his approval. Looks like
Vali is telling it just like Tehran wants it told.
Professor Daniel M. Zucker is a Chairman of Americans for Democracy in
the Middle-East.
You are welcome.
http://noiri.blogspot.com/2006/12/france-to-ditch-euro-china-new.html
China, France, Iran
Money, oil, the Euro and more finiance info.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1754001/posts
Iran Wants to Enter Chinese Auto Market
Pan Asian Biz ^ | Dec 14, 2006 | Bill Bellew
Posted on 12/15/2006 8:35:46 AM PST by hfartalot
The Chairman of Irian Khodro Auto Parts Supply and Distribution says that the Iranian passenger car, Samand, is the best chance for Iran to enter the Chinese auto market.
Okay, I'll admit that I didn't have a clue that Iran had their own car. Goes to show you what I know.
It seems everyone wants a share of the Chinese auto market. Why shouldn't Iran be interested as well?
China and Japan are neck and neck in investing in the research and development areas of automobile - $136 billion and $130 billion respectively.
Iran wants China to invest some of that money in one of their cars.
Fat chance, perhaps. But everyone can dream of doing big business in China...even Iran
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1754509/posts?page=5
Rafsanjani ahead of conservative rival in Iran vote
AFP via translation ^ | December 16, 2006
Posted on 12/16/2006 11:18:21 AM PST by HAL9000
Excerpt -
TEHRAN (AFP) - Centrist cleric Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani was running well ahead of his ultra-conservative rival Mohammad Taghi Mesbah Yazdi in elections for Iran's Assembly of Experts, with half the votes counted, state television said.
Both clerics were standing to be one of the 16 men who will represent Tehran province in the Assembly of Experts, the body which chooses and supervises the supreme leader.
~ snip ~
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
Thanks.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.