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MSNBC - Madrid bombings tied to Muslim extremists?: "MADRID, Spain - A wave of bombings that killed at least 190 Madrid train commuters and left 1,240 injured Thursday could have been the work of Muslim extremists, Spanish officials said after finding a van with detonators and an Arabic-language tape containing verses from the Quran."

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الاثنين 19 محرم 1425هـ الموافق 8-3-2004م

PTI[ MONDAY, MARCH 08, 2004 10:28:44 PM ] : Israel planned to strike Pak nukes

WASHINGTON: Israel, which successfully destroyed an Iraqi nuclear reactor, also considered a pre-emptive strike to destroy Pakistan's nuclear facilities, according to State Department papers released by the National Security Archive, a private research agency.

Newly declassified papers obtained by the Archive shows that at a Friday morning session on September 14, 1979 of the US General Advisory Committee on Arms Control and Disarmament, Assistant Director of the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency Charles Van Doren discussed "apparent Israeli consideration of military action against Pakistan."

The United States itself, he said, had not discussed (with Israel) "pre-emption plans."

The declassified paper provides no further details but it is known that AQ Khan, Father of the Pakistani nuclear bomb , and others had described Pakistan's nuclear bomb as an "Islamic bomb" and rich Islamic countries like Saudi Arabia and Libya reportedly provided financing while China provided technical aid , nuclear materials and a design for the bomb.

Blueprints stolen by Khan from the Netherlands enabled Pakistan to build centrifuges to refine uranium to bomb-grade.

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Comments:

Indiatimes Id:naadanbaalma
Israel not only planned but also attempted in 1989. They entered Pak from Khuzdar (Balouchistan) but found out Pak air def and PAF ready to offer them a cup of tea. They had to run back with tail between their legs. They were later on given a message that if this stupid attempt is repeated they will get a nuke wedding gift in return.
Tuesday, March 09, 2004 10:09:49 pm

Republic of Iraq, al Jumhouriya al'Iraqia. National or official languages: Standard Arabic, Kurdi. 21,800,000 (1998 UN). Literacy rate 60% to 70%. Also includes Egyptian Spoken Arabic 450,000, Mandaic, Syriac, Turkish 3,000, Turkmen 227,000, Turoyo 3,000. Information mainly from A.M. Maclean 1893; T. Sebeok 1963; T.M. Johnstone 1967; H. Kloss and G. McConnell 1974; O. Jastrow 1978; W. Fischer and O. Jastrow 1980; B. Ingham 1982; R.D. Hobermann 1988a, b; M. Izadi 1993. Shi'a Muslim, Sunni Muslim, Yezidi, Christian. Blind population 75,000 (1982 WCE). Deaf population 1,205,930. Deaf institutions: 5. Data accuracy estimate: C. The number of languages listed for Iraq is 23. Of those, all are living languages. Diversity index 0.65.

Spoken living languages

ADYGHE [ADY] 19,000 in Iraq (1993). Alternate names: WEST CIRCASSIAN, ADYGEY. Classification: North Caucasian, Northwest, Circassian.
More information.

ARABIC, GULF SPOKEN [AFB] 40,000 in Iraq. Population total all countries 2,440,000 (1995). Alternate names: KHALIJI, GULF ARABIC. Dialects: ZUBAIR-FAAU ARABIC. Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic.

ARABIC, JUDEO-IRAQI [YHD] 100 to 150 in Iraq (1992 H. Mutzafi). Most in Israel. Alternate names: IRAQI JUDEO-ARABIC, JEWISH IRAQI-BAGHDADI ARABIC, ARABI, YAHUDIC. Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic.
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ARABIC, MESOPOTAMIAN SPOKEN [ACM] 11,500,000 in Iraq. Population total all countries 13,900,000. Alternate names: MESOPOTAMIAN QELTU ARABIC, MESOPOTAMIAN GELET ARABIC, BAGHDADI ARABIC, IRAQI ARABIC, FURATI. Dialects: ANATOLIAN CLUSTER, TIGRIS CLUSTER, EUPHRATES CLUSTER. Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic.
More information.

ARABIC, NAJDI SPOKEN [ARS] 900,000 in Iraq. Central Najdi is spoken by bedouin in the western desert, North Najdi by bedouin in the south between the rivers up to the Syrian border. Dialects: NORTH NAJDI (SHAMMAR), CENTRAL NAJDI. Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic.
More information.

ARABIC, NORTH MESOPOTAMIAN SPOKEN [AYP] 5,400,000 in Iraq. Population total all countries 6,300,000 (1992). Alternate names: SYRO-MESOPOTAMIAN VERNACULAR ARABIC, MOSLAWI, MESOPOTAMIAN QELTU ARABIC. Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic.
More information.

ARABIC, STANDARD [ABV] Middle East, North Africa. Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic.
More information.

ARMENIAN [ARM] 60,000 in Iraq. Dialects: WESTERN ARMENIAN. Classification: Indo-European, Armenian.
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ASSYRIAN NEO-ARAMAIC [AII] 30,000 in Iraq (1994) out of up to a reported 2,000,000 ethnic population. Population total all countries 210,000 or more speakers. 4,250,000 reported ethnic population. Alternate names: LISHANA ATURAYA, SURET, SURETH, SURYAYA SWADAYA, ASSYRIAN, NEO-SYRIAC, ASSYRISKI, AISORSKI, ASSYRIANCI. Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, Aramaic, Eastern, Central, Northeastern.
More information.

AZERBAIJANI, SOUTH [AZB] 300,000 to 900,000 or more in Iraq (1982 estimate). Kirkuk city, Arbil, Rowanduz, towns and villages southeast from Kirkuk as far as Al Miqdadiyah, Khanaqin, and Mandali; also several places in the Mosul region. Dialects: KIRKUK. Classification: Altaic, Turkic, Southern, Azerbaijani.
More information.

BAJELAN [BJM] 20,000 (1976 Sara). Alternate names: BAJALANI, GURANI, SHABAK, CHICHAMACHU. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Iranian, Western, Northwestern, Zaza-Gorani.
More information.

BEHDINI [BDF] Also spoken in Germany. Alternate names: BAHDINI, BANDINANI, KURDISH BANDINANI. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Iranian, Western, Northwestern, Kurdish.
More information.

CHALDEAN NEO-ARAMAIC [CLD] 100,000 to 120,000 in Iraq (1994). Population total all countries 200,000 (1994 H. Mutzafi). Alternate names: CHALDEAN, KILDANI, KALDAYA, NEO-CHALDEAN, MODERN CHALDEAN, SURETH, LISHANA KALDAYA, FELLIHI, FALLANI. Dialects: MANGESH, ALQOSH, TEL KEPE, TISQOPA, BARTILLE, SHIRNAK-CHIZRE (BOHTAN), ARADHIN, DIHOK. Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, Aramaic, Eastern, Central, Northeastern.
More information.

DOMARI [RMT] 50,000 in Iraq (1970). Alternate names: MIDDLE EASTERN ROMANI. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Central zone, Dom.
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FARSI, WESTERN [PES] 227,000 in Iraq (1993), 1.2% of the population (1989). Alternate names: PERSIAN. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Iranian, Western, Southwestern, Persian.
More information.

HAWRAMI [HAC] Also spoken in Iran. Alternate names: HAWRAMANI, GURANI, GORANI. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Iranian, Western, Northwestern, Zaza-Gorani.
More information.

HERKI [HEK] Also spoken in Iran, Turkey (Asia). Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Iranian, Western, Northwestern, Kurdish.
More information.

KOY SANJAQ SURAT [KQD] 800 to 1,000 (1995 H. Mutzafi). Northern Iraq, town of Koi-Sanjaq and nearby village of Armota. Alternate names: KOI SANJAQ SOORIT, KOY SANJAQ SOORET. Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, Aramaic, Eastern, Central, Northeastern.
More information.

KURDI [KDB] 2,785,500 in Iraq, 18% of population including all Kurdish in Iraq, most of whom speak Kurdi (1986). Population total all countries 6,036,000. All Kurd speakers in all countries: 11,000,000 (1999 WA). Alternate names: KURDY, SOUTHERN KURDISH, SORANI, SURANI. Dialects: ARBILI, KHUSHNAW, PIZHDAR, MUKRI, GARRUSI (BIJBRI), ARDAIÂNI (SANANDAJI), SULAYMÂNI (SULEIMANIYE), WARMÂWA, GARMIYÂNI, KOLYÂ'I, ZANGANA, KIRMÂNSHÂHI. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Iranian, Western, Northwestern, Kurdish.
More information.

KURMANJI [KUR] Alternate names: NORTHERN KURDISH, KERMANJI, KIRMANJI. Dialects: HAKARI, JEZIRE (BOTAN). Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Iranian, Western, Northwestern, Kurdish.
More information.

LURI [LRI] Alternate names: LUR, LORI. Dialects: LURI, FEYLI, LEKI, BAKHTIARI. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Iranian, Western, Southwestern, Luri.
More information.

SHIKAKI [SHF] Also spoken in Iran, Turkey (Asia). Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Iranian, Western, Northwestern, Kurdish.
More information.

SURCHI [SUP] Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Iranian, Western, Northwestern, Kurdish.
More information.

"US pressured me", says Blix

March 10, 2004

The UN's former weapons inspector claims he was urged to help build a case for war against Iraq. Walter Pincus reports from Washington.

The United Nations' former chief weapons inspector, Hans Blix, has claimed that the United States tried to pressure him to tell the Security Council that Iraq was in violation of UN resolutions just two weeks before Baghdad was attacked.

On March 6, 2003, the day before Dr Blix was to make his last report to the Security Council, US Assistant Secretary of State John Wolf asked "in a rather discourteous tone" why Dr Blix did not conclude that the discovery of an Iraqi aerial drone and a cluster bomb for delivering chemical weapons were violations of Iraq's obligations, Dr Blix writes in his new book, Disarming Iraq.

Dr Blix said Mr Wolf "tossed photographs of a drone and a cluster bomb on my table", which further irritated the former Swedish diplomat because of the possibility that the pictures had been leaked by someone on his staff or that his secure fax system had been penetrated.

In Dr Blix's account, his inspectors had examined Iraq's pilotless aircraft, "and while Iraqi explanations had not been very satisfactory, we had not yet come to any conclusion about whether the drones were legal".

And although Dr Blix himself had not been briefed about the recently found cluster bombs, his staff later told him they were "copies of South African munitions imported by Iraq long ago... and appeared to be scrap from the past rather than something of current interest".

The exchange with Mr Wolf was one of several last-minute manoeuvres at the UN that were undertaken to head off the fighting that began on March 19.

"The policy of containment was abandoned in the case of Iraq and counter-proliferation was applied," Dr Blix concludes.

He compares the $US80 million annual cost of his 200 inspectors to the $US80 billion annual cost of the US-led invasion force of some 300,000.

Dr Blix repeatedly notes that until early 2003, he too believed that Iraq might have retained some chemical or biological weapons, or at least stockpiles of agents, based on inadequate accounting by Baghdad of weapons or agents that had been destroyed.

In a broader sense, Dr Blix writes that without the US military build-up beginning in the autumn of 2002, there would not have been a resumption of inspections.

But, he suggests, had a moderate build-up of US and British forces continued into 2003, and had inspections continued with no denials of access to sites or interviews with Iraqi technical people, "Iraq could have shown in time that there were no weapons of mass destruction".

If that had not been shown by July 2003, Dr Blix writes, "a majority of the Security Council might have been ready to authorise armed intervention".

- Washington Post : This story was found at: http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/03/09/1078594361094.html

DefenseLINK News: CPA Chief Approves Iraq's Interim Constitution: "CPA Chief Approves Iraq's Interim Constitution
By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, March 9, 2004

CPA Chief Approves Iraq's Interim Constitution
By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 9, 2004 – Coalition Provisional Authority administrator L. Paul Bremer III signed a letter approving the Iraqi interim constitution late March 8, CPA chief spokesman Dan Senor said today in Baghdad.

Senor told reporters that Bremer, the top American official in Iraq, thanked Iraqi Governing Council President Mohammed Bahr al-Ulloum and the council's other 24 members for their efforts.

Senor then read from a letter Bremer had forwarded to Bahr al-Ulloum:

"Dear Mr. President: The Coalition Provisional Authority congratulates you and the Governing Council on the signing today of the transitional administrative law for the state of Iraq. The law joins the best traditions of the Iraqi people with the commitment to democratic ideals under the rule of law.

"The Coalition Provisional Authority approves the transitional administrative law. Its adoption inspires all who share our common goal of forging a free, democratic and unified Iraq," Senor said.

Bremer's statement, Senor continued, noted that Iraqis "soon will have their own representative government dedicated to the rule of law, built on a separation of powers and committed to honoring and protecting the liberties of all Iraqis, irrespective of religion, ethnicity or gender."

Meanwhile, U.S.-coalition operations targeted against former Saddam-regime die- hards and other terrorists in Iraq continue, noted Army Brig. Gen. Mark Kimmitt, deputy operations director for Combined Joint Task Force 7.

In the past 24 hours, Kimmitt said U.S.-coalition forces had conducted 1,464 patrols, 26 offensive operations and 13 raids. And 66 anti-coalition suspects, he added, were captured during that timeframe.

Biography:L. Paul Bremer III


Ambassador Bremer's schedule today:-
He started off his morning meeting with a team that has recently arrived from the Department of Justice relating to the Iraqi Special Tribunal and the trial -- future
trial -- future Iraqi trial of Saddam Hussein. He's just meeting with technical experts. Later in the day he has been meeting with various
members of the Iraqi Governing Council, including Dr. Mowaffak Rubaie and the current president. He had his regular meeting with the
president of the Governing Council, Dr. Bahr Uloum.
Secondly, last night Ambassador Bremer signed a letter of approval that is being transmitted to the Governing Council today with regard to the transitional administrative law. Pursuant to the November 15th agreement, both the Governing Council and the Coalition
Provisional Authority must approve the transitional administrative law. These approvals must be documented in writing.


Samawah Teacher Training Institute


Ministry in a Box

STUPID !

Turkey - A demonstrator in Ankara chants slogans as he holds a placard that reads: 'No to war'.




Indonesia - Protesters wearing white funeral shrouds lie in front of the US embassy in Jakarta.





Bangladesh - Bangladeshi women demonstrate in Dhaka.




Nepal - Protesters gather in the streets of the Nepalese capital Katmandu.




Philippines - Roman Catholic priest Father Robert Reyes celebrates mass and prays for peace in a street near the American embassy in Manila.




Korea - Wearing a mask of US president George Bush, a demonstrator holds a toy shotgun during an anti-war rally in Seoul.




Hong Kong - Protesters chant at a demonstration outside Hong Kong's legislative council building. The banner reads, 'Don't use war as an excuse for peace.'




Spain - Spanish opposition members of parliament hold a banner reading 'No war. Aznar resignation'.




Britain - Student demonstrators in London's Parliament Square




USA - Demonstrators march in Buffalo, NY, protesting the war in Iraq.

Guardian Unlimited Politics | Special Reports | Remember Suez?: "advice on the legality of the war in Iraq"

Should we say in unison :
"Thank you Mr. Bush" ?