1 September 2008

'US HANDS OVER KEY IRAQ PROVINCE

'The US military is handing over Anbar province, once the centre of Iraq's Sunni insurgency, to Iraqi control at a ceremony in the provincial capital.

'Anbar province began a transformation in 2006 a former insurgents turned against al-Qaeda and became US allies. [Not as difficult as it might seem, since "al-Qaeda" is (in effect) a CIA creation, and a continuing false-flag "organization" for US petro-imperialism.]

'More than a quarter of all US soldiers killed in Iraq have died in Anbar, which is Iraq's biggest province.

'With Anbar's transfer Iraqi forces will control security in 11 of the country's 18 provinces.'

(BBC Ceefax, p.109)

2 September 08

In the US, riot police were used against a 10,000-strong hostile crowd of demonstrators outside a Republican Party meeting.

3 September 08

'"FIFTEEN KILLED" IN PAKISTAN RAID

'Officials and witnesses in north-west Pakistan say at least 15 people have been killed in attacks involving US-led forces from Afghanistan.

'The attack is said to have involved helicopters in the tribal area of South Waziristan, close to the Afghan border.

'The US-led coalition in Afghanistan told the Associated Press that it had no report of any such incident.

'Security has deteriorated sharply in recent weeks along the Pakistani border with Afghanistan.

(BBC Ceefax, p.119)

'CHENEY OPENS EX-SOVIET STATE TOUR

"US Vice-President Dick Cheney is in Azerbaijan at the start of a tour of the region aimed at supporting US allies in the former Soviet Union.

'Mr Cheney will also visit Ukraine and then Georgia, a month after fighting erupted between Russia and Georgia in the breakaway region of South Ossetia [though Russian forces extended deeper into Georgia].

"The tour is likely to infuriate Moscow, which sees those three states as part of its sphere of influence.

'However, the US views them as key allies in Russia's backyard. [Does anyone remember the spurious facilitators "al-Qaeda" and the "war on terror" anymore??]'

The new Pakistani PM has escaped a gun attack.

4 September 08

'TIMES[:] Plans are being prepared to oust Sir Ian Blair from his position as lead of Scotland Yard in an attempt to halt the collapse of morale in the Met [London Metropolitan Police].'

(ITV Teletext, p.321, reviews of British papers)

This may mean no more than the replacement of one Soviet apparatchik by another, of course. The inane Blair's predecessor was John(?) Stevens, who was equally supportive of police-state measures in pursuit of the "war on terror".

But we can hope (against hope?) there's a chance this is a sign of the terminal decay the seven-year reign of 9/11's Black (would-be) Empire.

One week to the seventh anniversary of 9/11.

5 September 08

'PAKISTAN FURY OVER "US ASSAULT"

'Pakistan has condemned an alleged raid by foreign troops based in Afghanistan which officials say killed at least 15 villagers in a north-west [sic] tribal area. [See above, under 3 Sept. 08.]

'The South Waziristan raid could be the first ever ground assault into Pakistan by foreign forces from Afghanistan.

'Pakistan says the raid was a violation of its sovereignty. On Thursday [4 Sept. 08] a US missile killed at least five people in nearby North Waziristan, officials say.

'US-led and Nato forces have said they have no reports of any troop incursion.'

(BBC Ceefax, p.142)

6 September 08

'TELEGRAPH[:] Children as young as eight have been recruited by councils to snoop on neighbours and report petty offences such as dropping litter.'

(ITV Teletext, p.321, reviews of British papers)

Am I being naive to hope that the ISI "house of horrors" will now begin to crack open? ...

'BHUTTO WIDOWER WINS VOTE

'The widower of murdered former leader Benazir Bhutto will succeed Pervez Musharraf as president of Pakistan after a landslide election victory.

'Partial results announced by officials show that Asef Ali Zadari won an overwhelming majority of the votes.

'But the vote was overshadowed by a suicide attack at a checkpoint in the north-west which killed at least 12 people on the outskirts of Peshawar.'

(ITV Teletext, 6 Sept. 08, p.309)

... or will Zadari meet the same fate as his wife?

7 September 08

'SUNDAY TELEGRAPH[:} Anti-terrorist laws are being used to monitor the movements of private citizens by three quarters of Britain's [local] councils.'

(ITV Teletext, p.321, reviews of British papers)

'SURVEILLANCE POWERS USED

'Surveillance powers aimed at tackling terrorism and serious crime are being used by councils to tackle relatively minor problems, figures have shown.

'Some 89 out of 115 councils said they had instigated investigations under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act over the last year.

The powers were used to tackle problems such as anti-social behaviour, noise, benefit fraud and dog fouling.'

(ITV Teletext, 7 Sept. 08, p.315)

8 September 08

The US military is to reinvestigate an Afghan airstrike that killed scores of women and children, that it has denied responsibility for, after it received "new information".

— This was mobile-phone footage of bodies, from an Afghan doctor.

'MEN FOUND GUILTY OF TERROR PLOT [But ...]

'Islamic extremist Abdullah Ahmed Ali has been found guilty of conspiring to kill hundreds of people in a terrorist bombing campaign.

'The 27-year-old was the leader of an east London al Qaeda-inspired cell, a jury at Woolwich Crown Court found.

'He planned to detonate home-made liquid bombs in attacks on targets including Heathrow. [And we all remember the great MI5-inspired Iraq-invasion-facilitating Heathrow-Airport terror campaign of February 2003 (see February 2003 diary).] Two other men were found guilty of conspiracy to murder.'

(ITV Teletext, p.303)

... But the jury failed to agree on the main prize, the "plot to blow up seven British airliners in mid-flight". The men were arrested in August 2006 after police/MI5 surveillance went critical. Or was it timed to distract attention from possible high-ranking MI5 arrests for spying military commanders, royals etc? (See August 2006 diary, under 8 Aug. 08 et seq.)

The prosecution wants a retrial for all the defendants. The defendants themselves (British Muslims) claim their suicide videos were "fakes", a protest against Government policy. The prosecution said they were genuine. "Al-Qaeda deputy Abu ____ al-Masri" appears. The men also "had links to" the 21/7 would-be chappati bombers, etc.

9 September 08

'US President George W Bush is set to announce plans to withdraw about 8,000 troops from Iraq by February [2009] and to send additional forces to Afghanistan. ...

'There are currently 146,000 US troops in Iraq and 33,000 in Afghanistan.'

(BBC Ceefax, p.108)

Here's an odd one ...

'IRAN[:] Al-Qaeda deputy Ayman al-Zawahiri has accused Iran of collaborating with the US in a video message and on the Arab satellite news channel, Al-Jazeera.'

An attempt to convince the world that Al-Qaeda is not a false-flag facilitator for US foreign policy?

11 September 08

'US "must target Pakistan havens", Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff told Congress's Armed services Committee (on 10 Sept. 08). 'But Pakistan insistes it will not allow foreign forces onto its territory.' (BBC Ceefax)

12 September 08

'BUSH "APPROVED" PAKISTAN ATTACKS

'President George W Bush has authorised US military raids against militants inside Pakistan without prior approval from Islamabad, the BBC has learned.

'An unnamed senior Pentagon official told the BBC the classified order had been made within the past two months. ...'

(BBC Ceefax)

Funny this never happened before Musharraf was set to topple.

A missile strike killed at least 10 people near the capital of North Waziristan, Pakistan (just across the border from Pakistan). Intelligence officials and eyewitnesses say the missile was fired by a US drone.

US air strikes in Pakistan have, of course, been going on for years.

Posturing, or a countdown to World War III? ...

'USA[:] The Russian invasion of Georgia was "unacceptable", and the US may have to go to war if it is repeated, [Republican presidential candidate] Sarah Palin said.

'In her first TV interview [on ABC News] she took a hard line on national security and also warned of the threats from Islamic [sic] terrorists and a nuclear Iran [this is a bit rich ...].

'She warned that if [sic] Russia invades Georgia, the US may have to step in under the terms of the Nato treaty [whatever NATO has to do with it].'

(ITV Teletext, 12 Sept. 08, p.320)

Venezuela's president Hugo Chavez has expelled the US's ambassador. America made a tit-for-tat reprisal.

Recently it was announced that Venezuela and Russia are to hold joint naval exercise.

Surprise surprise!

Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas says a peace deal with Israel is far off.

13 September 08

'VENEZUELA[:] Authorities have detained a US navy officer on suspicion of involvement in a purported plot to overthrow President Hugo Chavez.'

(ITV Teletext, p.320)

Twenty killed in bombings of markets, etc, in New Delhi. Some mujaheddin group "claimed responsibility".

14 September 08

'GCHQ "MONITORED OMAGH BOMB CALLS"

'The UK's electronic intelligence agency GCHQ recorded mobile phone exchanges between the Omagh bombers on the day of the attack, the BBC has learned.

'The BBC's Panorama programme [to be broadcast tomorrow evening on BBC 1) says the calls were monitored as the bombers drove the car bomb into the County Tyrone town [in Northern Ireland].

'It raises new questions about whether the blast, which killed 29 people and unborn twins, could have been prevented and the culprits brought to justice.

'The attack on 15 August 1998 was the worst single atrocity of the Troubles.'

(BBC Ceefax, p.111)

15 September 08

'PAKISTAN SOLDIERS "CONFRONT U.S."

'Pakistani troops have fired shots into the air to stop US troops crossing into the South Waziristan region of Pakistan, officials say.

'Reports say nine US helicopters landed on the Afghan side of the border and US troops then tried to cross the border.

'South Waziristan is one of the main areas from which Islamist militants launch attacks into Afghanistan. ...'

(BBC Ceefax, p.116)

16 September 08

Iran continues to be a "slow" next petro-target ...

'IRAN NUCLEAR PROBE GRIDLOCK

'UN efforts to investigate claims that Iran tried to make nuclear arms have run into a dead end, the International Atomic Energy Agency has said.

'It claimed in a report that Tehran had steadfastly blocked all its efforts to probe the accusations.

'"We've arrived at a gridlock" said a senior UN official, describing the document as "a progress report without progress". [who, judging by his language and position, is a — right-wing — American.]'

(ITV Teletext, p.316)

18 September 08

Sixteen killed in bomb, rocket and machine-gun attack at entrance of US embassy in Yemen. No Americans hurt. "Al-Qaeda" set up to be blamed.

Oil down to $90 a barrel.

'Russia is becoming increasingly authoritarian at home and aggressive abroad, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has said. ...' (BBC Ceefax)

Coming from this arch petro-imperialist, this is, to say the least, a bit rich.

20 September 08

In Pakistan, a massive truck-bomb attack on the American-owned Marriott Hotel in the capital Islamabad has killed thirty to forty people and destroyed the hotel.

The explosion left a crater 20 feet deep and 50 feet wide.

The hotel was favoured by foreigners and the "Pakistani elite".

The blast came hours after a speech by new Pakistani president Zadari on criticising both terrorism and US border raids.

"Experts say" bomb was warning from Islamist militants to new Pakistani government. (ITV Teletext) Or from CIA satellites the ISI? ...

22 September 08

'MENEZES INQUEST TO BEGIN

'Protests are expected as the inquest opens into the death of Jean Charles de Menezes, who was shot dead by anti-terror police in 2005.

'The inquiry is the first chance for de Menezes family members to question those involved in the shooting of the 27-year-old at Stockwell Tube station [in London].

'The inquest is expected to present the greatest challenge to the Met [Metropolitan Police] since the Stephen Lawrence inquiry in 1999.'

(ITV Teletext, p.309)

22 September 08

Pakistan leaders' 'narrow escape'
BBC News online

'Pakistan's top leaders were to have been in the Islamabad Marriott hotel when it was bombed — but changed venue at the last minute, officials say. ...'

Was the attack intended to wipe them out, or did the "leaders" intend to make it look that way? ...

24 September 08

The US military trial has begun in Guantanamo of "9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed". As ever, there are no photographs.

On a previous video of the detained man, the face was invisible (turned away).

Is there in fact any evidence that the "trial" is anything other than a Stalinesque/1984 farce involving a non-existent (perhaps because long-dead) person?

26 September 08

'GUARDIAN[:] Israel gave serious thought to launching a military strike on Iran's nuclear sites but was told by [US] President George W Bush that he would not support it.'

(ITV Teletext, p.321, reviews of British papers)

'INDEPENDENT[:] The [UK] Government was accused of cynically targeting immigrants to boost support for its £4.7 bn compulsory identity cards scheme.'

(Ibid.)