
 |
A
UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter provides aerial security
in Afghanistan.
Photo
by Johnny R. Aragon / U.S. Army Photo
|
Afghanistan,
Pakistan to Increase Security on Border
The
Pakistani government is looking at a proposal by Afghanistan to
create
a joint force tasked with combating insurgents along their
shared border, the Afghan defense minister said.
“We
should have a combined joint task force for coalition, Afghan
and Pakistan to be able to operate on both sides of the border,
regardless of which side,” Abdul Rahim Wardak told reporters
at the Pentagon.
Wardak
said the concept of the joint task force was discussed a month
and
half ago at a tripartite meeting with prospective partner nations,
including Pakistan. “They say they are looking at it,” Wardak
said of the government in Islamabad.
(Full
Story)
World
Leaders Call for Efforts to Curb Growing Global Financial
Crisis
UNITED NATIONS
(VOA) — World leaders have expressed growing concern over
the turbulent state of the global economy, calling
for united action to stop it
from worsening. From United Nations’ headquarters in New York.
U.N.
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon opened the meeting warning that the world faces
multiple crises and urged the international community to take
a united approach in resolving them. (Full
Story)
Troops
Dismantle Drug Nest, Deal Blow to Taliban Finances
(AFPS) Coalition
and Afghan forces today dismantled a drug-making facility in
southeastern Afghanistan and destroyed 44 tons
of hashish in what military
officials say is a major blow to funding terrorists in the country.
“Todayâs
discovery clearly demonstrated the links between the Taliban
and drug trafficking,” said Army Col. Greg Julian, U.S.
Forces Afghanistan spokesman. “The huge amount of drugs
destroyed today will greatly hinder the Talibanâs ability
to fund their ongoing, hopeless struggle to subjugate the Afghan
people.” (Full
Story)
U.S.
Military Jury Sentences al-Qaida Aide to Life in Prison
(VOA) A military
jury at the U.S. prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, has sentenced
an al-Qaida operative to life in prison
for conspiracy, solicitation for murder,
and material support for terrorism.
Authorities
announced Ali Hamza al-Bahlul’s sentence on Monday, just hours
after they announced that he was convicted on Friday. Bahlul
can appeal his sentence if he chooses to do so. (Full
Story)
Chinese
Delegation Begins Historic Five-Day Visit to Taiwan
(VOA)
A Chinese delegation has begun a five-day visit to Taiwan aimed
at boosting economic ties between the two longtime
rivals.
Chen
Yunlin, who heads China’s Association for Relations Across the Taiwan
Strait, arrived in Taipei Monday and is the highest-ranking
Chinese official to visit the island since the two sides split
during a civil war in 1949.
Chen
and his 60-member delegation is expected to focus on finding ways
to cooperate in fighting the global financial crisis, and opening
cargo shipping links. They also will discuss expanding direct
passenger and cargo flights. (Full
Story)
U.S.,
Iraqi Forces Seize Weapons Caches, Detain Suspects
(AFPS) Coalition
and Iraqi forces seized weapons caches throughout and captured
suspected terrorists in Baghdad during operations
over the past several days.
Yesterday,
U.S. soldiers of the 25th Infantry Divisionâs Company
C, 1st Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, joined Iraqi soldiers
in seizing a cache north of Baghdad. The cache included 90
mm projectiles, 122 mm projectiles, a 120 mm mortar, powdered
aluminum, explosives, sulfur, washing machine timers, batteries,
radios, red detonation cord, and an assortment of insulated
wires. (Full
Story)
South
Korea to Spend Nearly $11 Billion to Stimulate Economy
SEOUL
(VOA) — South Korea has announced a robust government spending
plan to prevent its economy from slowing down too rapidly,
as a result of the worldwide financial crisis. With a potential
drop in exports on the horizon, this is the latest move by
Seoul to shield Asia’s fourth-largest economy from the global
credit squeeze. VOA’s Kurt Achin has more from the South Korean
capital.
South
Korean government ministers announced a spike in government
spending plans Monday, aimed at stimulating the economy in
the face of global slowdown. (Full
Story)
 |
RIA
Novosti Photo |
Libya
‘Ready to Host Russian Naval Base’
MOSCOW (RIA
Novosti) — Libya is willing to host a Russian naval base as
a means of security against any possible U.S. attack, a Russian
business daily said on Friday.
Libyan
leader Muammar Qaddafi will pay an official visit to Russia at
the
invitation of President Dmitry Medvedev from October 31 to
November.
The
Kommersant newspaper cited a source close to the preparations
for the
visit as saying that the Libyan leader was planning to raise
the naval base issue during talks with the Russian leadership. (Full Story)
Gatesâ Nuclear
Message Resonates in Research, Engineering Community
Defense
Secretary Robert M. Gatesâ concerns raised this week about the
state of the nuclear weapons program and a “serious brain
drain” at laboratories that design and develop them is
resonating within the research and engineering community.
It’s
also giving hope that the program, which some thought had lost
its
luster, is regaining its priority status. (Full
Story)
Seven
Police Injured in Blast in Ingushetia in North Caucasus
MOSCOW
(RIA Novosti) — Seven police officers were injured after two
bombs went off near a private house in the Republic
of Ingushetia in Russia’s restive
North Caucasus region, a local police source said on Sunday.
A
home-made bomb went off early on Sunday in the courtyard of a pensioner’s
house in the town of Ordzhonikidzevskaya in the Sunzha district.
No one was injured in the blast, the police source said over
the phone.
However,
when a police squad arrived at the scene, a second bomb exploded,
leaving seven police officers shell-shocked, the police source
said. (Full
Story)
Senator
Arrested on Federal Public Corruption Charges
BOSTON,
MA (FBI) — Eight-term Massachusetts State Senator DIANNE Wilkerson
was arrested this morning on public corruption charges stemming
from her acceptance of more than $20,000 in cash payments to
introduce legislation in the State Senate.
United
States Attorney Michael J. Sullivan, Warren T. Bamford, Special
Agent
in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation – Boston Field
Office and Police Commissioner Edward Davis of the Boston Police
Department announced today that DIANNE Wilkerson, 53, of 74
Howland Street in Boston, Massachusetts, was arrested on a
federal Complaint charging her with attempted extortion under
color of official right and theft of honest services as a State
Senator. (Full
Story)
Armed Palestinians Aim Anti-Tank Missles At IDF Forces
On Friday, October 31st, armed Palestinians aimed and fired two
anti-tank missles at IDF forces stationed near the Gaza Strip.
No injuries or damage was caused.
During
the morning hours, IDF forces identified the armed Palestinians
and their weapons. They opened fire and called for additional
forces. The terrorists fled the scene after firing the missiles.
Fourth
Pipe Bomb at Hawara Checkpoint This Month
(IDF) On
Friday, IDF forces manning the Hawara checkpoint just south
of Nablus caught a suspicious Palestinian youth carrying
a fully loaded pipe bomb. The youth, age 17, arrived to the
checkpoint
from the direction of Nablus. He was stopped by Givati
Brigade soldiers and a Military Police unit that were stationed
at
the checkpoint. The forces ordered him to halt all movement
until they had detonated the pipe bomb in a controlled
manner. Afterwards, the Palestinian youth was taken by security
forces
for questioning. (Full
Story)
 |
Ancient
Elah Fortress at Khirbet Qeiyafa.
Hebrew
University Photo
|
Earliest
Known Hebrew Text Unearthed at 3,000 Year Old Judean Fortress
(IDF) The
earliest known Hebrew text has been discovered in an ancient
city overlooking the area where David slew Goliath. The finding
predates the Dead Sea Scrolls by 1,000 years.
According
to Professor Yosef Garfinkel, the Yigal Yadin Chair of Archaeology
at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, this is the only site
in Israel where one can experience a story of the Young David
in its historical context. “The chronology and geography
of Elah Fortress at Khirbet Qeiyafa create a unique meeting
point between the history, historiography and origins of the
early Davidic Kingdom,” said Garfinkel. “This is
the oldest Judaean city uncovered to date, and its very construction
has unprecedented implications on our understanding of this
era.”
(Full
Story)
NASA
and Korea to Work Together for Future
(NASA/JPL)
During a meeting Thursday at the Ministry of Education, Science
and Technology (MEST) in Seoul, Korea, NASAâs Assistant
Administrator for External Relations, Michael F. OâBrien,
and MESTâs Director-General for Big Science, Munki Lee,
signed a joint statement of intent identifying potential interest
in cooperation in civil space and aeronautics activities.
According
to the statement, the two agencies agree to conduct discussions
to identify new cooperative activities related to space exploration,
Earth science, planetary science, human space flight and aeronautics
research. The fundamental goal of these discussions will be
to advance the interests of both nations through cooperation
in space and aeronautics programs. A joint report is expected
eight months from todayâs signing. (Full
Story)
 |
Senator
John McCain Releases Stance on Israel
“The
State of Israel stands as a singular achievement in many ways
and not the least is its achievement as the great democracy of
the Middle East…We were brought together by shared ideals and
by shared adversity; we have been comrades in struggle and trusted
partners in the quest for peace. We are the most natural allies
and like Israel itself – that alliance is forever.”
(John McCain, AIPAC Policy Conference 2008, Washington, DC)
“I
know it’s unusual for a Democrat to be endorsing a Republican…political
parties are important in our country. But they’re not more
important than what’s best for our country.” (Senator
Joe Lieberman)
For
nearly three decades John McCain has enjoyed a strong love, friendship
and appreciation for Israel and her citizens. His affection
for and understanding of the myriad of complex issues confronting
the Israeli people runs deep, as does our nation’s long alliance
with the State of Israel. (Full
Story)
Soldiers
Help Iraqi Neighborhood Councils Step Up
FORWARD
OPERATING BASE FALCON, Iraq — The soldiers of Company C, 4th
Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment, a mix of armor and infantry, assumed
responsibility
for the majority of southern Baghdadâs Risalah community,
an area made up of 12 neighborhoods and home to about 250,000
people, in October 2007. The companyâs third deployment to Iraq took the soldiers to the Iraqi
capitalâs Rashid district and introduced them to an area recovering
from the violence and turmoil of Iranian-backed groups and other enemy operatives
trying to impose their will on the Iraqi people. (Full
Story)
 |
RIA
Novosti Photo |
Russian
Warships Head to the Atlantic, Caribbean
MOSCOW (RIA
Novosti) — A Russian naval task force departed Monday on a
tour of duty in the Atlantic Ocean, including joint naval drills
with the Venezuelan navy in November, a Navy spokesman said.
“A naval
task force from the Northern Fleet, comprising the nuclear-powered
missile cruiser Pyotr Velikiy, the large ASW ship Admiral Chabanenko,
and support ships, left the Severomorsk base early Monday to
conduct training exercises in the Atlantic,” Capt. 1st
Rank Igor Dygalo said. (Full
Story)
Pakistan
Says 60 Suspected Militants Killed in 2 Days of Fighting
(VOA)
Pakistan’s military says its soldiers have killed about 60
suspected militants in two days of fighting in the northwest
of the country. Security
officials say at least 10 suspected militants were killed in the Bajaur area
Tuesday, while more than 50 insurgents and one soldier were killed in clashes
outside Peshawar a day earlier.
Officials
say the fighting is part of the continuing offensive against
suspected al-Qaida-linked militants in the region. (Full
Story)
Coalition
Forces Apprehend Suspects, Take Down Bombing Cells
(AFPS)
Coalition forces apprehended five suspected members of an Iranian-backed
terrorist group today during two separate
operations in New Baghdad, and captured
seven wanted men and 18 additional suspects in operations yesterday and today
throughout Iraq, military officials reported.
Acting
on intelligence information, coalition forces targeted suspected
key members of the Khataib Hezbollah network in two separate
locations today. The network allegedly funnels weapons and
materiel into Iraq from Iran, which is then used to conduct
attacks against coalition and Iraqi forces, officials said. (Full
Story)
Narcotics
Trade Fuels Afghanistan Insurgency
LOS
ANGELES — The poppy trade that fuels terrorists and insurgents
in
Afghanistan is a problem that must be addressed but doesnât
have a military solution, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs
of Staff said last night.
Speaking
at a dinner hosted by the Pacific Council on International
Policy, Navy Adm. Mike Mullen said the narcotics trade serves
as the baseline for Afghanistanâs economy.
Farmers
in a country that ranks among the poorest in the world, Mullen
said, have little choice but to cultivate poppy to sell to
insurgents, who turn profits from opium trade on the black
market despite Afghan drug laws and national drug controls. (Full
Story)
Steel
Rises, New Yorkers Rebuild Lives on 9/11 Anniversary
NEW YORK,
New York (VOA) — Visitors
to New York will find construction underway on a memorial and
museum at the former site of the World Trade Center, destroyed
seven years ago in the September 11 terror attacks. Nearly
3,000 people died that day, most of them in the collapse of
the World Trade Centerâs twin towers. Seven years later,
the work of rebuilding is also ongoing in the lives of survivors,
as they remake their own lives while remembering those who
were lost. (Full
Story)
Family
Members, Survivors Remember at Pentagonâs 9/11 Memorial
A
group of family members, survivors and first responders shared
their thoughts about 9/11 while visiting the nearly completed Pentagon
Memorial here yesterday.
Tom Heidenberger, 62, lost his wife, Michele,
when American Airlines Flight 77 plunged into the Pentagonâs west wall
on Sept. 11, 2001. Michele was the senior flight attendant aboard Flight 77,
said Heidenberger, a former commercial airline pilot who lives in Chevy Chase,
Md. (Full Story)
New
York Guardsmen in Afghanistan to Commemorate Terror Attack
Anniversary
CAMP
PHOENIX, Afghanistan — Men and women of the New York Army National
Guard who served at Ground Zero are commemorating the terrorist
attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, in Afghanistan this year. A ceremony
is planned tomorrow at this base in the Afghan capital of Kabul,
and it will be timed to coincide with the first plane strike
at the World Trade Center at 8:46 a.m. EDT.
More
than 1,700 members of New Yorkâs 27th Infantry Brigade
Combat Team are serving here with Combined Joint Task Force Phoenix,
part of Combined Security Transition Command Afghanistan. Its
mission is to mentor and train the Afghan National Army and police,
and provide assistance to the government of Afghanistan and its
people. (Full
Story)
US,
Pakistan Shift Approach in Bin Laden Hunt
(VOA)
An American newspaper says U.S. and Pakistani officials are
shifting tactics in their search for al-Qaida leader
Osama bin Laden, intensifying the
use of unmanned, but lethal, spy planes in western Pakistan.
The
Washington Post Wednesday quotes the officials as saying
the number of missile attacks by pilotless Predator drones in
Pakistan
has more than tripled in the past year. They say Pakistani
officials reported 11 such strikes this year, compared to
three strikes in 2007. (Full
Story)
 |
RIA
Novosti Photo |
Four
Years On, Russia Remembers Beslan School Tragedy
MOSCOW
(RIA Novosti) — Russia marks the fourth anniversary of the
Beslan school tragedy during which 331 people died, including
186 children. One of the most shocking and widely publicized
events in recent world history began on September 1, 2004 when
a group of terrorists seized
School No. 1 in the town of Beslan, 30 km northwest of Vladikavkaz,
the capital of the Russian
republic of North Ossetia.
September
1 is known in Russia as the ‘Day of Knowledge’ and is when
schoolchildren all over the country return to or begin their
studies. (Full
Story)
U.S.,
Pakistani Military Leaders Meet Aboard USS Lincoln
U.S.
and Pakistani military leaders continued their ongoing dialogue
about the war on terrorism during a meeting aboard
the USS Abraham Lincoln in the Indian Ocean.
Navy
Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told
Pentagon
reporters today his meeting with Gen. Ashfaq Parvez Kayani,
the Pakistani armyâs chief of staff, was constructive
and focused on the challenges posed by extremists in the
federally administered tribal area and the North West Frontier
in Pakistan.
The Taliban and al-Qaida are using the areas to plan and
train for attacks in Afghanistan. (Full
Story)
USS
Kearsarge Delivers International Aid in Haiti USS
KEARSARGE (AFPS) — Aerial delivery of relief supplies to Haiti
began from USS Kearsarge Sept. 8, as three helicopters
launched from the flight deck to
transport food and water to areas suffering from the after-effects of tropical
storms Fay, Gustav and Hanna and Hurricane Ike.
U.S.
Southern Command directed the U.S. 4th Fleet to divert the
amphibious ship from its humanitarian and civic assistance
mission in Colombia to assist the U.S. Agency for International
Development in mitigating human suffering and loss of life,
officials said. (Full
Story)
Bomb Kills Pro-Syrian Lebanese Politician East of Beirut
(VOA)
Lebanese
officials say a bomb has killed a pro-Syrian Druze politician
east of the capital, Beirut.
Officials
say Sheikh Saleh Aridi was in a car when the bomb went off
Wednesday in the village of Baissour.
Aridi
is the first public figure to be assassinated in Lebanon in about
a year. The attack comes days before Lebanon’s pro-Western
and pro-Syrian factions are due to begin talks on national reconciliation.
Lebanese
President Michel Suleiman has called for the dialogue to start
on September 16.
The
Druze sect is an offshoot of Islam and makes up less than 10
percent of Lebanon’s population.
 |
RIA
Novosti Photo |
Russia
Says Navy Ready to Thwart Any Threat to Security
MOSCOW
(RIA Novosti) — Russia’s Navy remains a strong force capable
of repelling any attack by a potential aggressor, a Navy spokesman
said.
“The
Navy remains a serious deterrent prepared to thwart any threat
to Russia’s national security, and if necessary provide an
adequate response to any act of aggression,” Capt. 1st
Rank Igor Dygalo said.
Russia
announced on Tuesday it will send a naval task group, comprising
nuclear-powered missile cruiser Pyotr Velikiy (Peter the Great)
and support ships, for a sortie in the Atlantic Ocean, and
to participate in joint naval drills with the Venezuelan navy
in November.
(Full
Story)
Iraqi
Surge Was Keystone to Success in Iraq
At
the end of
2006, Iraq seemed on the verge of a civil war. Al-Qaida was
inciting divisions between Sunni and Shiia Iraqis. The
newly elected government seemed ineffectual. Militia groups
roamed neighborhoods and intimidated those who did not
agree with them.
More
than 100 U.S. servicemembers per month were being killed in fighting
in the country. Today, that number has dropped dramatically,
thanks largely to the troop surge and a new strategy that
senior military officials credit with laying the groundwork
for success throughout Iraq. (Full
Story)
Afghan
Forces Detain Three Suspects
(AFPS)
With support from coalition forces, Afghan troops detained
a suspected insurgent and heavy-weapons facilitator
today in the Tarin Kot district of
Afghanistanâs Oruzgan province, military officials reported.
The
suspected facilitator is a former Afghan National Police checkpoint
commander and is accused of supplying insurgents in Oruzgan
province with heavy machine guns and rockets, as well as
aiding suicide bombers. The arrest was made as part of
ongoing Afghan investigations to remove corrupt individuals from
positions of power, officials said. (Full
Story)
Marines
Look for Breakthroughs While Developing New Vehicles
The
Marine Corps, like the Army, is “still waiting for that technological
breakthrough” needed to build a combat vehicle thatâs
light and agile but also protects crewmembers inside, the Marine
Corps commandant said yesterday.
“So
we continue to wait,” while exploring best options available
now, Marine Gen. James T. Conway told reporters during a Pentagon
news briefing.
Both
the Army and Marine Corps have sent mine-resistant, ambush-protected
vehicles, with their V-shaped hull that deflects underbelly
blasts away from the crew compartment, into Iraq and Afghanistan.
The 10,000th MRAP rolled off the assembly line in early July,
marking a milestone for the joint MRAP program that began as
a Marine Corps initiative. (Full
Story)
Afghan,
Coalition Forces Kill Over 100 Enemy Fighters
(AFPS)
Afghan and coalition forces killed more than 100 enemy fighters
during
combat operations in Afghanistanâs
Helmand province over the last three days, military officials
reported.
Afghan
and coalition forces were conducting security patrols related
to
an ongoing operation in the province when they were attacked
multiple times by insurgents using small-arms, rocket-propelled
grenade and mortar fire, sparking numerous engagements, officials
said. (Full
Story)
Marines
Stay Focused on Afghan Police Mission
U.S. Marines
in Afghanistan face daunting challenges in legitimizing the
Afghan police and turning them into an effective counter-terrorist
force, but perseverance and focus have served them well, a
Marine officer said.
“Probably
the biggest challenge has been the size of our area of operations,” Marine
Corps Lt. Col. Richard D. Hall, commander of 2nd Battalion,
7th Marine Regiment, said during a call with online journalists
and military bloggers. “And to answer how weâve
overcome that challenge, I summed it up in one word: Marines.” (Full
Story)
Security
Advancing, Closer
to Mission Success in Iraq
BAGHDAD
— The view from the sky indicates the tide in Iraq may be turning.
Soldiers
of 4th Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, made the move from
Camp Taji to Camp Stryker at the Baghdad International Airport
about a month ago. Army Maj. Parker Frawley, the unitâs operations
officer, said the squadron already is seeing the difference U.S.
forces are making across Iraq.
In
Camp Taji, 4-3rd ACR was involved in an intense battle for
Sadr City.
The soldiers fought daily, to defeat Iranian-backed “special
groups” in Baghdadâs Sadr City district and to
eliminate the indirect-fire threat to Baghdad. (Full
Story)
Admiral
Fallon, U.S. Navy Commander CENTCOM, Speaks Before the Senate
Armed Services Committee on the U.S. Coalition’s Presence
in the Horn of Africa
The
nations of the Horn of Africa, Djibouti, Somalia, Ethiopia, Eritrea,
Kenya, and the Seychelles, are plagued by border tension, insurgencies,
corruption, terrorist infiltrations, and poverty. Moreover, Coalition
pressure on al-Qaida and other extremist networks in Iraq, Afghanistan,
and elsewhere increases the potential for some of these terrorists
to migrate to the Horn as a place to plan, conduct, and coordinate
terror attacks. (Full
Story)
 |
RIA
Novosti Photo |
Russian
Strategic Bombers Land in Venezuela
MOSCOW (RIA
Novosti) — Two Russian Tu-160 Blackjack strategic bombers have
landed at a military airfield in Venezuela, Russia’s Defense Ministry
said.
The
Tu-160 Blackjack is a supersonic, variable-geometry heavy bomber,
designed to strike strategic targets with nuclear and conventional
weapons deep in continental theatres of operation.
The
bombers will conduct a number of training flights over neutral
waters in the next few days and later return to their home
base in Russia, the ministry said in a statement.
(Full
Story)
U.S.,
Pakistani Leaders Build Relationship
USS
ABRAHAM LINCOLN – U.S. and Pakistani military leaders continued
their ongoing dialogue about the war on terrorism during an
August 26 meeting aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln in the Indian
Ocean.
Navy
Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told
Pentagon
reporters today his meeting with Gen. Ashfaq Parvez Kayani,
the Pakistani armyâs chief of staff, was constructive
and focused on the challenges posed by extremists in the federally
administered tribal area and the North West Frontier in Pakistan.
The Taliban and al-Qaida are using the areas to plan and train
for attacks in Afghanistan. (Full
Story)
Coalition
Forces Detain Suspects in Iraqâs Hamrin Mountains
(AFPS) Coalition
forces detained eight suspected terrorists yesterday and today
as they continued to run down the al-Qaida
in Iraq network, especially in the
Hamrin Mountains region, where they detained four wanted men, military officials
reported.
One
of the wanted men, captured yesterday near Qara Tappa with
one alleged
associate, is believed to be a senior advisor for al-Qaida
in Iraq operations around the Hamrin Mountains. Three other
wanted men in the region were captured in an operation today,
along with one additional suspect. (Full
Story)
Senior
Hamas Terrorist Shihab Na’atsha Killed in Arrest Operation
(IDF) Tonight
in Hebron, Shihab Na’atsha, a senior operative of the Hamas terror
organization in the city and among the designers of the double
terror attack in Dimona about half a year ago, was killed by IDF
forces during an arrest operation.
IDF,
Border Police and ISA forces carried out a joint operation
this evening in Hebron to arrest wanted persons. During the
attempted arrest of Na’atsha, Hamas terror operatives opened
fire and launched explosive devices at the forces. The apartment
where the terror operative was located housed explosives that
were intended to be used in terror attacks. (Full
Story)
 |
Hot
gas detected by Chandra in X-rays is seen as two pink
clumps in the image and contains most of the “normal,” or
baryonic, matter in the two clusters. The bullet-shaped
clump on the right is the hot gas from one cluster, which
passed through the hot gas from the other larger cluster
during the collision. Click here for
animation.
NASA
Photo / Full Caption
|
A
Clash of Clusters Provides Another Clue to Dark Matter
(NASA/JPL)
A powerful collision of galaxy clusters has been captured with
NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory and Hubble Space Telescope.
Like its famous cousin, the so-called Bullet Cluster, this
clash of clusters provides striking evidence for dark matter
and insight into its properties.
Like
the Bullet Cluster, this newly studied cluster, officially known
as MACSJ0025.4-1222, shows a clear separation between dark
and ordinary matter. This helps answer a crucial question
about whether dark matter interacts with itself in ways other
than
via gravitational forces.
This finding is important because it independently
verifies the results found for the Bullet Cluster in 2006. The new results
show the Bullet
Cluster is not an exception and that the earlier results were not
the product of some unknown error. (Full
Story)
 |
NASA’s
Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity climbed out of “Victoria
Crater” following the tracks it had made when it descended
into the 800-meter-diameter (half-mile-diameter) bowl nearly
a year earlier. The rover’s navigation camera captured
this view back into the crater just after finishing a 22
foot drive that brought Opportunity out onto level ground.
Photo
by NASA/JPL-Caltech
|
NASA
Mars Rover Opportunity Ascends to Level Ground
(NASA/JPL)
NASA’s Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity has climbed out of
the large crater that it had been examining from the inside since
last September.
“The rover is back on flat ground,” an
engineer who drives it, Paolo Bellutta of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, announced
to the mission’s international team of scientists and engineers.
Opportunity used its own entry tracks from nearly
a year ago as the path for a drive of 6.8 meters (22 feet) bringing the rover
out over the top of the inner slope and through a sand ripple at the lip of Victoria
Crater. The exit drive, conducted late Thursday, completed a series of drives
covering 50 meters (164 feet) since the rover team decided about a month ago
that it had completed its scientific investigations inside the crater.
“We’re headed to the next adventure out on
the plains of Meridiani,” said JPL’s John Callas, project manager for Opportunity
and its twin Mars rover, Spirit. “We safely got into the crater, we completed
our exploration there, and we safely got out. We were concerned that any wheel
failure on our aging rover could have left us trapped inside the crater.” (Full
Story)
Georgia
Urges OSCE to ‘Respond’ to Expansionist Russia
VIENNA (RIA
Novosti) — Georgia’s foreign minister accused Russia on Thursday
of expansionist behavior and urged the Organization for Security
and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to take appropriate measures.
Russia
officially recognized South Ossetia and Abkhazia on Tuesday despite Western
warnings, saying the move was needed to protect the regions
following Georgia’s August 8 attack on South Ossetia. (Full
Story)
 |
The
late William Kingsland’s New York City apartment, found
stuffed with hundreds of works of art after his death.
ICE
Photo
|
Stolen
Art Uncovered: Is it Yours? (FBI)
Talk about a surprising discovery. In 2006, a treasure trove of
all kinds of art work—some of which has subsequently been
identified as stolen—was uncovered in a New York City apartment.
In an effort to track down the rightful owners, the FBI and the
Public Administrator of New York County have posted pictures of
the most important pieces here on our website.
More
than 300 works of art—paintings, sketches, sculptures,
and other pieces by such artists as Pablo Picasso, John Singleton
Copley, Alberto Giacometti, Giorgio Morandi, and Eugene Boudin—were
discovered after the death of the apartmentâs occupant,
William M.V. Kingsland. (Full
Story)
Engel
Gets 100% for Supporting Middle Class
WASHINGTON,
DC — For the fifth consecutive year, U.S. Congressman Eliot Engel
received a 100 percent rating from the non-partisan Drum Major Institute
for Public Policy (DMI) for his votes on legislation supporting the
middle class.
Since
2003, the DMI has issued annual scorecards analyzing the impact of
domestic legislation on Americaâs current and aspiring middle
class, and evaluating members of Congress based on their votes on
this legislation. For each of those years Rep. Engel has received
100 percent for his voting record. (Full
Story)
ICE
Fights Human Trafficking and Human Smuggling
(ICE)
Human trafficking and human smuggling represent significant risks
to homeland security. Would-be terrorists and criminals can often
access the same routes and utilize the same methods being used by
human smugglers. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcementâs
Human Smuggling and Trafficking Unit works to identify criminals
and organizations involved in these illicit activities.
Human
Trafficking is the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision,
or obtaining of a person for labor or services, through the use of
force, fraud or coercion for the purpose of subjection to involuntary
servitude, peonage, debt bondage or slavery. (Full
Story)
Southern
Wall of Jerusalem from the Second Temple Period Discovered
in Excavations on Mt. Zion
The
Southern Wall of Jerusalem, dating to the time of the Hasmonean dynasty,
was discovered on Mount Zion.
(IFM)
An exciting discovery in Jerusalem, constituting extraordinary remains
of the wall of the city from the time of the Second Temple (second
century BCE-70 CE) that was built by the Hasmonean kings and was
destroyed during the Great Revolt, and also the remains of a city
wall from the Byzantine period (324-640 CE) which was built on top
of it, were uncovered in an extensive excavation that is currently
underway on Mount Zion. The lines of these fortifications delineated
Jerusalem from the south in periods when the ancient city had reached
its largest size. (Full
Story)
 |
RIA
Novosti Photo |
Leopard
Project Moves Pipes Aside
MOSCOW (RIA
Novosti) — Southern Primorye Territory is to host a guarded
nature reserve for 30 Amur leopards (P. pardus orientalis),
the world’s rarest big cats. To this end, the route of the
Eastern Siberia – Pacific Ocean (ESPO) oil pipeline will be
altered, costing its builders another $3 billion. But there
is one more facility jeopardizing the leopard project – a gas
pipeline, which is planned to be laid across the nature reserve.
Amur
leopards have long, thick fur that allows them to survive in
northern
territories. They are disappearing before our very eyes: there
are as few as 40 Amur leopards left on earth: 30 of them live
in Russia, and the rest in China. If poachers kill just two
or three more females, the population will never be restored.
(Full
Story)
Vets
Treat Hundreds of Animals in Kenya
MANDA
BAY, Kenya (CJTF-HOA) — A Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa
civil affairs team worked side by side with host nation veterinarians
and other locals to vaccinate and treat more than 400 animals for
various ailments during a veterinary civil action program that
kicked off on Manda Island in Kenya’s Lamu District.
Members
of CJTF-HOA’s 350th Civil Affairs Command, Functional Specialty
Team, joined their local partners at a “cattle crush” and
attended to 441 goats and sheep and a dozen dogs brought to the
VETCAP by local herdsman. (Full
Story)
 |
CRDT
Photo |
Fight
to Save Cambodian Dolphin Continues
KRATIE, Cambodia
(VOA) — Once
upon a time, the Mekong River from Laos to Vietnam was teaming
with thousands of freshwater dolphins, before more than thirty
years of warfare and over-fishing nearly killed them off. But
a recent study by the World Wildlife Fund found just 71 left,
living in a short stretch of river from northern Cambodia to
southern Laos. An effort to protect the endangered species
by way of an eco-tourism project was begun several years ago,
but is it too little, too late? (Full
Story)
Iran
Says Bushehr Nuclear Plant to
Go Online in October
TEHRAN
(RIA Novosti) — The Bushehr nuclear power plant being built
in
Iran will be launched in October, a high-ranking Iranian nuclear
official said.
Russia
is building the $1-billion facility, Iran’s first nuclear power
plant, in the south of the country in accordance with a 1995
contract, and under UN supervision as Iran is under international
scrutiny over its compliance with the nuclear non-proliferation
regime. (Full
Story)
US
Pushing for New UN Sanctions Against Zimbabwe
(VOA)
A U.S. draft resolution is being circulated at the United Nations
that calls for new travel and financial sanctions
against Zimbabwe’s government
in response to that nation’s political crisis.
A
copy of the draft resolution obtained by VOA calls for freezing the
assets and restricting the travel of President Robert Mugabe
and 11 other top Zimbabwe government officials. The proposed
resolution also seeks to expand an arms embargo against the
government. (Full
Story)
Russia
to Deliver Six Mi-35 Attack Helicopters to Indonesia
JAKARTA
(RIA Novosti) — The Indonesian Armed Forces will soon receive
a delivery of six Russian Mi-35 Hind attack helicopters, the Antara
national news said.
Nikolai
Kireyev, head of the state-run arms exporter Rosoboronexport’s
office in Jakarta, said 15 Indonesian pilots and technical specialists
have been undergoing training at the Kazan helicopter manufacturing
plant in Russia’s Volga area since March 2008. (Full
Story)
Italian
Defence Minister Visits Deployed Troops in Afghanistan
(NATO)
The Italian Minister of Defence, Ignazio La Russa, along with the
Italian Chief of Defence, General Vincenzo Camporini, and Italian
Joint Operational Commander, Lieutenant General Giuseppe Valotto,
visited the Italian troops deployed in Regional Command West. This
visit is the first for Mr. La Russa after he recently took over
his duty as Minister of Defence.
Once
his plane landed at Herat airport, the Italian defence minister
was welcomed by RC-W Commander Brigadier General Francesco Arena
and rendered with honours by a national joint platoon. Minister
La Russa came in RC-W Headquarters just for a short call with Brigadier
General Arena and then he went on to address the Italian troops.
(Full
Story)
Palestinian
Terrorists Arrested, Killed; Israelis Wounded in Attack
(IFM)
During this past week, IDF forces continued operating against
terror infrastructures in the regions of Judea, Samaria and the
Jordan Valley. IDF forces arrested 53 wanted Palestinians in
the area, among them three Tanzim terror operatives who were
involved in producing explosive devices. Additionally, nine explosive
devices were detonated at IDF forces in Judea, Samaria and the
Jordan Valley.
Three
Israeli civilians were shot and wounded – severely, moderately
and
lightly – while hiking near the Israeli community of Halamish
in Judea and Samaria. The wounded were initially treated on
location and later evacuated by helicopter for further medical
treatment in hospital. (Full
Story)
Afghan
ISAFâs Turkish Battle Group Changes Command
KABUL,
Afghanistan (NATO) — ISAFâs Turkish Battle
Group in Regional Command Capital held a change of command
ceremony at Camp Dogan on June 26
where Lieutenant Colonel Ayhan Saygin, Turkish Battle Groupâs commander,
handed over command to Lieutenant Colonel Murat Atac.
The
commander of RC-C, Brigadier General Federico Bonato, led the ceremony.
The Turkish Kabul Embassy Counselor Erdogan Odabas, Kabul Governor
Haci Din Muhammed, local Malekâs, and Afghan civilians
also attended the ceremony. (Full
Story)
Israel
Reopens Gaza Border Crossings After Day without Rocket
Fire
(IFM) Israel
reopened four Gaza crossings and for the first time in a year allowed
the transfer of dry cement for construction.
A
Kassam rocket fired from northern Gaza
landed
in an open field near Kibbutz Miflasim in the western Negev
as dozens of teenagers were celebrating the beginning of
summer vacation at the kibbutz’s pool. No injuries or damage were
reported.
Israel
views the rocket fire as a clear and flagrant violation of the
understandings
of the “state of calm.” FM Livni: “I do not
care which organization fired the rocket, Israel must respond
militarily and immediately.” (Full
Story)
 |
The
culprits of this $12 million arson at a Vail, Colorado
ski resort were caught and convicted.
FBI
Photo
|
Putting
Intel to Work Against Eco-Terrorists
From
the Federal Bureau of Investigation
In
early 2006, eco-terrorist Eric McDavid and two associates met in
a secluded cabin in Dutch Flat, California to discuss making improvised
explosive devices and to choose targets to bomb. Soon after, they
began casing the targeted facilities and buying supplies to make
bombs. But before they started mixing the ingredients, we swooped
in and arrested them.
How
did we know what McDavid was up to? How were we able to prevent
attacks that could have caused thousands or millions of dollars
in property damage and possibly harmed people?
In
a word, intelligence. (Full
Story)
Six
Killed in Militant Attacks in Chechnya in North Caucasus
GROZNY
(RIA Novosti) — Three police and three civilians have been killed
in two separate clashes with militants in the North Caucasus
Republic of Chechnya, a local law-enforcement official said.
A
police officer and a civilian were killed when attackers opened
fire on the police station in the village of Elistanzhi in the
southern Vedeno district in the early hours.
In
a separate attack, another two policemen and two civilians were
ambushed and killed in a forest near the village of Roshni-Chu
in the Shatoi district also in southern Chechnya.
Chechnya
saw two Kremlin-led military campaigns in the 1990s-early 2000s
against separatist forces. Although the active phase of the operation
was completed, frequent militant attacks occur in Chechnya and
neighboring republics.
STEREO
Creates First Images of the Solar System’s Invisible Frontier
GREENBELT,
Maryland (NASA/JPL) — NASA’s sun-focused Solar Terrestrial Relations
Observatory, or STEREO, twin spacecraft unexpectedly detected
particles from the edge of the solar system last year. This helped
scientists map the energized particles where the hot solar wind
slams into the cold interstellar medium.
The
two STEREO spacecraft were launched in 2006 into Earth’s orbit
around
the sun to obtain stereo pictures of the sun’s surface and
measure magnetic fields and ion fluxes associated with solar
explosions. (Full
Story)
 |
The
Isaiah scroll – the most complete biblical Dead Sea
scroll ever found.
Photo
by the Israel Museum
|
Great
Isaiah Scroll on View to the Public
Swords
into plowshares: The Isaiah scroll and its message of peace, the
most complete biblical Dead Sea scroll ever found, will be on view
to the public for the first time in over forty years in the Shrine
of the Book at the Israel Museum from May 19 through August 30.
(IFM) On
the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the State of Israel, the
Israel Museum presents two major sections of the Great Isaiah Scroll – the
most complete biblical Dead Sea Scroll document ever found and
one of the worldâs greatest archeological treasures – in
a special installation in the Shrine of the Book. (Full
Story)
Village
of Hope Students Keep Canals Flowing in Iraq
FORWARD
OPERATING BASE KALSU, Iraq — Students of the Village of Hope in
Hawr Rajab, Iraq, began cleaning irrigation canals in the area
June 26 in an effort to improve the flow of fresh water to nearby
farms.
The Village of Hope is a program that teaches
construction skills to former members
of the “Sons of Iraq” citizen security group. The new skills help
them transition to other productive jobs in their community. (Full
Story)
 |
Sally
Dahl, a military child, exchanges hats with Army Staff
Sgt. Dewey Vinaya, assistant team leader for 101st Airborne
Division Screaming Eagle Parachute Demonstration Team,
prior to the second annual AT&T National Golf Tournament
in Bethesda, Maryland. Five members of The Screaming
Eagles conducted a choreographed jump onto the the green.
DoD
Photo / Photo by Molly A. Burgess
|
AT&T
National Golf Tournament Honors Military
BETHESDA,
Maryland – They
may not be on the pro tour yet, but two military children got a
taste of the big time when they helped pro golfer Fred Couples
kick off the second AT&T National at Congressional Country
Club here today.
Jeffrey
Dahl, 9, of New Jersey and Margaret Rollins, 13, of Virginia, teed
up with Couples to hit the ceremonial “shot from around
the world” to conclude the opening ceremonies and officially
start the weekâs tournament-related events.
The
two were excited about the opportunity as they waited for their
15 minutes
of fame. Jeffrey, whose father, New Jersey Air National Guardsman
Maj. Thomas Jeffery Dahl, is serving in Pakistan, had even
set a goal for the day.
“I want to hit it straight and far,” Jeffrey said. “Probably
my best drive is about 135 yards.” (Full
Story)
 |
RIA
Novosti Photo |
President
Medvedev Meets Henry Kissinger in the Kremlin
MOSCOW
(RIA Novosti) — Russian President Dmitry Medvedev met former U.S.
Secretary
of State Henry Kissinger in the Kremlin. The Russian
president said he was glad to have an opportunity to get to know
the prominent politician, who was U.S. Secretary of State in 1973-77,
and to discuss with him Russia-U.S. relations.
Kissinger,
85, said it was a great privilege for him to meet Russia’s
new president, who was inaugurated on May 7 this year and
wished him every success. (Full
Story)
Russia
Delivers 3,000 Tons of Flour to North Korea
MOSCOW
(RIA Novosti) – Russia completed the delivery of almost 3,000
tons of flour to North Korea.
The
Russian government resolved to send the shipment as part of Russia’s
voluntary contribution to the UN World Food Programme
(WFP) for 2008.
“The first deliveries of the humanitarian load…arrived
in North Korea on June 11 and will be distributed among the population
through WFP structures,” the statement says.
 |
Kevin
Nelson, military working dog trainer, practices techniques
with his dog Charlie during a recent
training
event.
Photo
by Eric Schloeffel / U.S. Air Force Photo
|
Four-Legged
Defenders Sniff Out Trouble
KIRKUK REGIONAL
AIR BASE, Iraq — Prompted by a few words of command by his
handler, military working dog Charlie sprints ahead and attacks
a simulated enemy during a training session.
For Charlie,
a German shepherd deployed here, this attack is no less a
priority than if it were a real insurgent attempting to harm coalition forces.
Despite
temperatures hovering near the century mark, Charlie makes no bones about
pushing his paws to the limit for the seemingly small reward of some praise from
his
handler.
While these military working dogs may be unable to comprehend their important
contribution to the global war on terrorism while playing “the game,” their
capabilities are vital to the safety of coalition forces both inside and
outside the base perimeter.
Air
Force dog handlers at Kirkuk are assigned to either 506th Expeditionary
Security Forces Squadron or 732nd Expeditionary Security
Forces Squadron. Both squadrons have separate kennels and missions. (Full
Story)
(–More
News–)

Keep
Jerusalem United
Speech
by former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
Israel can
succeed!
We
can succeed in every field – in building a prosperous economy,
in developing advanced technology, in fostering excellence in
education, in creating a strong society, in combating crime
and violence and in so much more.
Some
of these efforts are already underway. The free market reforms
we implemented
filled the state coffers with billions of shekels that can
now be directed toward helping those who are truly needy.
With
courageous leaders who can make tough decisions and implement fundamental
reforms, we can finish the job.
Pentagon
Worker Remembers 9/11 in Her Own Way
Cheryl
Irwin says she can tell those who were at the Pentagon the
day terrorists flew a commercial jet into its walls. They are
the ones who, while standing in its open center courtyard,
will look up at a passing commercial jet and pray it continues
flying by.
Irwin
is one of thousands here who will commemorate the terrorist
attacks
tomorrow in their own way. She will not be at her desk.
In
an ironic twist of fate, her best friend happened to be at
the World
Trade Center plaza that same morning. So, on the dayâs
anniversary every year, the two take leave from their jobs
and travel together.
Russian
Jews Choose People of the Year
MOSCOW
(RIA Novosti, by Marianna Belenkaya) — The presentation of
the Man of the Year 5766 title by the Federation of Jewish
Communities of Russia was
held, as the world’s Jewish community celebrates Hanukkah, the Festival
of Lights.
Chief
Rabbi of Russia Berl Lazar said: “Presenting the
Man of the Year title during the Hanukkah week has become
a tradition.”
New
U.S. E-Passports: Terrorists Next Weapon?
(ITToolbox)
In a few short months, all new US passports are going to go RFID.
These passports will have an embedded RFID chip containing all
your personal information. The US State Department has made it
a point to convince the populous that strong security measures
have been taken to prevent ‘data theft’.
Let’s examine these safeguards, shall we?
The
Agenda of Islam – A War Between Civilizations
(TI)
The war has started a long time ago between two civilizations
– between
the civilization based on the Bible and between the civilization
based on the Koran. And this must be clear.
There
is no Fundamental Islam
Fundamentalism is
a word that came from the heart of the Christian religion.
It means faith that goes by the word of the Bible. Fundamental…
Musharraf:
Muslims Must Correct Western Misperceptions About Islam
(VOA)
Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf says the Muslim world must
correct Western misperceptions created by clerics about Islam
as a religion that fosters militant extremism.
He told a meeting of the World
Islamic Economic Forum in Islamabad the rise in extremism in
the Muslim
world has been caused by semi-literate clerics who hold sway
over the masses. He said this is the critical malaise that spawns
terrorism.
Searching
for Moral Truth or Ex-Nazi’s Negative PR
MOSCOW
(RIA Novosti, by Anatoly Korolyov) — On the eve of publishing
his autobiographical book Peeling the Onion,
Nobel Prize winning author Gunter
Grass made a sensational statement that he had served in the Waffen SS in 1945.
It
all looks like suicide, but it is very effective…
Grass
had for many years pushed the pedals of morality and anti-Fascism,
asserting his moral authority. His brilliant talent made
it more convincing.
Will
Olmert Give Up Sderot Too?
(DEBKAfile)
No sooner had Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert taken off
for London, Paris and Berlin – against the
advice of security experts – when
defense minister Amir Peretz vetoed the IDF high commandâs package
of comprehensive measures to scotch the ongoing Hamas all-out missile offensive.
E-Homo
Sapiens:
Already at the Door
MOSCOW (RIA
Novosti, by Alexander Narinyani) — Man has entered a new phase
of evolution. As we enter the gateway to the
information technology world,
that world is also entering us.
Russia
Getting Rid of Floating Chernobyls
MOSCOW
(RIA Novosti, by Viktor Litovkin) — I’d like to start with some
figures. During the Cold War, the Soviet Union built more nuclear-powered
ships than any other country – about 250 nuclear missile submarines,
five surface ships, including several heavy missile cruises of
the Admiral Ushakov class, eight ice-breakers, the most famous
of which bore Lenin’s name, and one lighter carrier ship Sevmorput.
But no infrastructure was built
for scrapping these ships after decommissioning.
Take
Action to Prevent ‘Growingâ Problem
SHAW
AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. (AFPN) — It was just two months ago
when I sat in my friendâs living room sharing pictures
from her past. It was her high school year book, 1967, and something
very striking caught my eye.
“Wow,
all of you were skinny!”
My
friend laughed, and staring at the picture responded, “You
are right, I had not thought or noticed it.” Not one
adolescent in her senior class appeared overweight.
The
Million Person Gap: A Critical Look at Palestinian Demography
(BESA)
Population statistics and predictions of the Palestinian
Central Bureau
of Statistics (PCBS) are unreliable. A BESA study that subjects
Palestinian demography to rigorous analysis shows that the
2004 Palestinian population of the West Bank and Gaza stood
at 2.5 million; not the 3.8 million claimed by the Palestinians.
The 1997 PCBS population survey – which has been widely
used as the basis for subsequent studies – inflated numbers
by including over three hundred thousand Palestinians living
abroad and double-counting over two hundred thousand Jerusalem
Arabs included in Israelâs population survey.
The
Delusion of U.S. Aid
Before
Israel disburses the billions of dollars in US aid – to defray
the cost of another Israeli retreat (“Realignment”) – the
US has to approve such an aid package. However, the chance
of approving such a package is identical to the chance of Israel
receiving US financial aid for previous retreats from Southern
Lebanon, Northern Samaria and Gaza – Zero!
Funding
Abu Mazen’s Hate Education
Abu
Mazen’s hate-education has benefited from US foreign aid ($3BN), which
has been extended – since 1994 – to the Palestinian
Authority (PA), to Palestinian NGOs (all of which are
controlled by the
PA) and to international organizations, which assist
the PA (e.g. UNRAW).
The
Palestinian Terrorist Act 2006 (H.R. 4681) – introduced
by Representatives Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and Tom Lantos – would
stop such misused funding to the PA.
Should
the U.S. Stop Foreign Aid to Palestinians?
The
11 year non-scrutinized annual US foreign aid to Palestinians
has been
counter-productive. It has not moderated the Palestinian Authority,
has not averted PA anti-US hate education and incitement, has
not produced a compliant PA, has not stopped homicide bombing
(which have generated PA homicide-bombing family allowances)
and has not caused Abu Mazen to end PA terrorism and stop harboring
Hamas terrorists. Non-scrutinized US foreign aid to Palestinians
has – unintentionally – nurtured the largest terrorist
base in the Middle East, the Palestinian Authority.
On
Hallowed Ground
ROYAL
AIR FORCE LAKENHEATH, England (USAFENS) — As an Air Force
fighter pilot in England, Iâve been afforded a special
perspective of America. Yes, America. On every mission I
fly here I am literally surrounded by our American history.
What
I see are beautiful green fields, small English villages
and hundreds of airfields. It is truly an amazing sight .
. . an
absolutely unique view of this Earth.
Is
Israel Forgetting Jerusalem?
“If
I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning.
If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the
roof of my mouth; if I prefer not Jerusalem above my highest
joy.”
Psalm
137
In
July 2000, at Camp David, then Israeli Prime Minister Ehud
Barak, offered one-half of Jerusalem, including the Temple
Mount, to the Palestinian terror master, Yasir Arafat. Arafat
said “no” and launched the second intifada.
Personal
Recollection of the Expulsion from Gush Katif
Oct.
15 2005 (TI) — It
is now almost 2 months since the pogrom, although it has
taken me until now to sit down and write about it. Actually,
I haven’t
been able to sit down and read or write anything lately.
I seem to have developed a short attention span and inability
to concentrate. I am afraid I will not remember everything
— people have a tendency to forget things that are awful.
What I seem to have disengaged from are my emotions. I feel
as cool as a cucumber and suddenly I find myself bursting
out
into tears for no apparent reason.
A
Muslim in a Jewish Land
(MWT) As
I boarded EL AL flight LY 0008 for Tel Aviv on November 14,
2005 with my wife, Kiran, my mind was busy arranging and re-arranging
the list of things I intended to accomplish. I wanted to use
my first visit to Israel to feel the strength of the Jewish
spirit that refuses to give in to evil forces despite thousand
of years of anti-Semitism. It was not Israel’s suicidal sacrifices
that I wanted to investigate but the foundations of Israeli
determination to live in peace.
Then
and Now Americans Support Their Troops
The
two of us were born more than 50 years and nearly 160 miles apart.
But we are connected to each other — and to so many of our fellow
Americans — in ways that easily surpass both age and geography.
We were born and raised in Kansas.
Both of us are Army veterans. And both of us nearly lost our
lives on the battlefield.
A
Refugee in My Own Country
(TI)
When Yael Ben Yaakov from Mevo Dotan in northern Samaria
describes the brit milah ceremonies she held for her three sons
in her
home, she taps on the four tiles on which the chair the circumcision
took place stood. “Here in Mevo Dotan my sons were circumcised.
I held their bar mitzvah ceremonies here, and there,” she
points toward the cemetery, “Zamir, my husband, who
died eight months ago, is buried … Then, those who were
murdered
in [terror] attacks were buried.”
Eagle
Eyes
In a world
where Islamic extremists are involved in elaborate plans to
force earth’s civilization into their vision of Islamic domination
through terror attacks, people are being taught to pay attention
to their surroundings, to be observant, and if suspicious activities
are seen, report it to law enforcement officials. As we have
seen since 9-11, what one man or woman reports can save many
lives. People have found that things out of place can be reason
for concern. Many citizens have also discovered thus far important
oddities; such as a person behaving strangely in a certain
setting or circumstance, a vehicle out of place, or a man nonchalantly
trying to light his shoe on fire while on an aircraft. Observance
and reporting suspicious activities is encouraged, as seen
with the US military in Eagle Eyes.
The
Impact of “Disengagement” on U.S. Interests
The
impact of “disengagement” of Israeli land on U.S. interests
prompts incidents of terrorism against Israel and confuses war
on terror issues. Point one; the morally/strategically justifiable
demolition of terror regimes in Iraq and Afghanistan is inconsistent
with the creation/bolstering of a terror regime in Gaza, Judea
and Samaria. The 1994-6 series of disengagement from 85% and 40%
of the territory (and 100% and 95% of the population) of Gaza
and Judea and Samaria have established the largest terrorist base
in the world, led/harbored by PLO/PA graduates of terrorist camps
in Iraq, Yemen, Sudan, Lebanon, Syria, Libya and Tunisia. Since
1993 the PA has harbored anti-US terrorists. US GIs in Afghanistan
and Iraq were encountered by Palestinian terrorists.
What
Retreat from the Territories Means for Israel’s Water Supply
(TI)
Except perhaps in a rain forest, deciding who controls
the water supply has been a major direct and indirect reason for
hostilities between neighbors since ancient times.
In the Holy Land, there is a long
history of water disputes way back to the time when our fathers
Abraham and Isaac were digging wells for water for their flocks,
wells that were subsequently seized by the Philistines[1] based
around the present-day Gaza strip under their king Abimelech.
Eventually Abraham…
 |
Tears
in Lady Liberty’s eyes depict the sorrow and loss Americans
feel for the victims of the 9-11-01 terrorists attacks and
the courage of our heroes who fought to save lives. The “God
Bless America” mural, by a Los Angeles artist, is located
on a building in Westwood.
|
We
Will Never Forget:
In tribute to those whose lives were lost on September 11th, 2001
and the heroes who continue to work around the clock, we dedicate
this section to make sure this Holocaust of the 21st Century is
never forgotten.
(Past Editorials)
|