Israel is a US client state and now we have confirmation that Washington essentially begged Tel Aviv to continue the illusion of a “settlement freeze” over the moribund “peace talks”. God help the Middle East.
Taxi
US terrorism alert dismissed as Obama politicking
Simon Tisdall and Richard Norton-Taylor
October 9, 2010
LONDON: A US terrorism alert issued this week about al-Qaeda plots to attack targets in Western Europe was politically motivated and not based on credible new information, senior Pakistani diplomats and European intelligence officials say.
The warning, which despite its vagueness led Britain, France and other countries to raise their terrorism alert levels, was an attempt to justify a recent escalation in US drone and helicopter attacks inside Pakistan that have ''set the country on fire'', said Pakistan's high commissioner to Britain, Wajid Shamsul Hasan.
Mr Hasan, a veteran diplomat who is close to Pakistan's President, Asif Ali Zardari, suggested the US President, Barack Obama, was playing politics with the alert before next month's mid-term congressional elections.
He also said Mr Obama was reacting to pressure to demonstrate that his Afghan war strategy and this year's troop surge, which are unpopular with the American public, were necessary.
''Such reports are a mixture of frustrations, ineptitude and lack of appreciation of ground realities,'' Mr Hassan said.
Dismissing claims of a developed, co-ordinated plot aimed at Britain, France and Germany, European intelligence officials also pointed the finger at the US, and specifically at the White House.
''To stitch together [the terrorist plot claims] in a seamless narrative is nonsensical,'' said one well-placed official.
While Abdul Jabbar, a Briton, and others killed by US drone strike on September 8 in Pakistan's North Waziristan tribal area were heard discussing co-ordinated plots, including possible ''commando-style'' attacks on prominent buildings and tourist sites in European capitals, security and intelligence officials said the plots were nowhere near fruition.
By making it clear that the US drone strikes were pre-emptive and were not in any way combating an imminent threat, European officials raised fresh questions about the legality of the attacks, which could be viewed as assassinations.
They said Washington was the ''driver'' behind claims about a series of ''commando-style'' plots and that the CIA - perhaps because it was worried about provoking unwelcome attention to its drone strikes - was also extremely annoyed by the publicity given to them.
Western intelligence agencies had been aware of the plot claims for months.
The German Interior Minister, Thomas de Maiziere, publicly expressed his scepticism about the US terrorism warning, describing the danger to Germany as ''hypothetical''.
The sharp rise in US unmanned drone attacks in Pakistan's tribal areas, coupled with several cross-border raids by US helicopter gunships, was destabilising Pakistan, Mr Hasan said. ''It is a threat to the democratic system.''
Mr Hasan said US politicians failed to understand how much the US needed Pakistan in the ''war on terror''. Nor did they realise that public anger over repeated US infringements of Pakistani sovereignty could boil over into attacks on American personnel and interests.
''The government does not want to go down this road,'' he said. ''But people feel abused. If they [the Americans] kill someone again, they [people] will react … There are 3000 American personnel in Pakistan. They would be very easy targets.''
1. 9/11 Connections and False Accusations Against Muslims
2. Israeli Connections in Many Conflicts
3. Many Disgusting Jewish Beliefs and Practices
4. Records of American False Flag Operations.
In Beyond Exposing 9/11 and Israeli Connection I have noticed that many people are not reading my materials due to censorship, inability or reasons not known to me. Yet, they are making silly remarks about me!
Is Faruque still Media Manager for the NSW TDA? Was his latest tirade, directed to "The Victorian Director General of Transport" (a position which doesn't exist in Vic.) and cc-ed to the media, representative of the NSW
TDA's views? The media probably thinks so which would explain why it rarely if ever approaches the NSW TDA for comment or interviews, preferring instead the more intelligent responses from the ATDA aka Jools.
Even if Faruque didn't sign off as NSW TDA Media Manager, it will be assumed that the 'letter' was from that association.
Snip...
> The commendable multicultural, Melbourne taxi drivers' spontaneous blockade/strike was a > genuine and legal one. No one should dismiss or minimise their great effort with blatant and > pseudo racism as we have witnessed recently.
The demo got fantastic media coverage and except for a couple of shock-jocks, all of it complimentary and supportive. Not one report was racist.
> These taxi drivers do not have cameras, a global positioning system, workable afety shields > or anything in this so called 21st century Victorian work environment.
All cabs in Melbourne have cameras and GPS, and screens as in NSW are available but optional. Faruque's claim therefore makes him look like an ill-informed idiot.
> Surely, a student or any workers poverty should not deny or diminish their basic industrial
> and safety related rights.
It is estimated that around 30% of Melbourne taxi drivers are foreign students, the vast majority of them from India. No doubt some of them can drive a car and speak sufficient English to make themselves understood, butfew of them have sufficient proficiency to become taxi drivers let alone the ability to deal with drunks, violent hooligans and lunatics.
If Faruque was genuinely interested in their safety, he would be advocating that no foreign person should be allowed to study for a taxi driver authority unless he has had an Australian drivers licence for 2 years, is proficient in English and has passed an advanced driving course. That would save a considerable number of foreign students (and others) from being robbed, bashed and even killed. It would also help lift the profile of cabbies in general and give us the public respect which we so badly need.
According to taxi operators I have spoken to in Melbourne 70-80% of all accidents involving their taxis also involve foreign drivers who have been driving in Melbourne for less than 2 years.
Evidently Faruque doesn't want to recognize inexperience as major danger to especially foreign students and as a crippling cost to the industry. Instead, he demands that every idiot stepping off a plane from Mumbai should be allowed to drive a cab on arrival or he will yell "racial discrimination".
Well Faruque, if you truly care about driver safety, especially Indian student and new migrant safety, you would suggest to them that until they learn to drive a car in a big city, understand what the traffic signs and passengers are saying and have some idea of the local culture and geography, the last job they should seek is that of a taxi driver. They are much safer working for McDonalds or K-mart - and they would earn more money.
Faruque is not interested in the safety of his 'brothers'. He is not after racial equality. He want's his 'brothers' to go out and get killed in the name of racial equality. And he is the official voice of the NSW TDA. Struth!!!
BY THURSDAY Alan Jones was screaming like a race caller whose horse was coming home. "I'm the person that's led this charge here. Nobody wanted to know about North Cronulla, now it's gathered to this." The riot was three days away and Sydney's top-rating breakfast host had heaps of anonymous emails to whip his 2GB listeners on. "Alan, it's not just a few Middle Eastern bastards at the weekend, it's thousands. Cronulla is a very long beach and it's been taken over by this scum. It's not a few causing trouble, it's all of them." Sunday's trouble was brewing all week on talkback, - especially 2GB.
Radio doesn't get much grimmer than Jones's efforts. He was dead keen for a demo at the beach: "A rally, a street march, call it what you will. A community show of force." He assured his audience he "understood" why that famous text message went out and he read it right through again on air: "Come to Cronulla this weekend to take revenge. This Sunday every Aussie in the shire get down to North Cronulla to support the leb and wog bashing day …"
Daily he cautioned his listeners not to take the law into their own hands, but he warmed to those who had exactly that on their minds. On Thursday Charlie rang to suggest all junior footballers in the shire gather on the beach to support the lifesavers. "Good stuff, good stuff," said Jones.
"I tell you who we want to encourage, Charlie, all the Pacific Island people because, you want to know something, they don't take any nonsense. They are proud to be here - all those Samoans and Fijians. They love being here. And they say 'Uh huh, uh huh. You step out of line, look out.' And of course, cowards always run, don't they." When John called on Tuesday to recommend vigilante action - "If the police can't do the job, the next tier is us" - Jones did not dissent. "Yeah. Good on you John." And when he offered a maxim his father had picked up in the war - "Shoot one, the rest will run" - Jones roared with laughter. "No, you don't play Queensberry's rules. Good on you, John."
Pity poor Berta - "not of a Middle Eastern family" - who reported hearing "really derogatory remarks" aimed at Middle Eastern people on Cronulla beach. Jones cut her off: "Let's not get too carried away, Berta. We don't have Anglo-Saxon kids out there raping women in western Sydney." Yesterday 2GB broadcasters claimed two thirds of calls to the station supported "what happened" on Sunday. But Alan Jones is not around to deal with the aftermath. He's having a well-earned holiday.
The US appears in no mood to blink first in its tense showdown with Israel after reportedly handing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a blueprint to start moribund peace talks.
"The United States thinks it can't compromise with its national interests," political analyst Amjad Atallah from the New America foundation said.
"I'm not sure the Israelis have adjusted yet to this."
Mr Netanyahu was met with widespread media derision Thursday as he returned home after three days of meetings in Washington with no signs of a break in the impasse, triggered by Israel's refusal to back down on settlement building.
As Israeli media said he been showered in humiliation, the White House sought to give an upbeat tone to Mr Netanyahu's trip.
"We are making progress on important issues," spokesman Robert Gibbs insisted as President Barack Obama flew to Iowa on Air Force One.
Israeli government spokesman Nir Hefetz similarly claimed Israel and its closest ally had edged closer to an understanding, insisting "there is a narrowing of the gaps between the positions of Israel and the positions of the United States on this issue".
However, there was an unusually opaque news blackout throughout the visit, no concrete achievements were reported and the Israeli leader was given none of the trappings usually reserved for visitors such as photo op and press conference.
Early on Thursday Defence Secretary Robert Gates was even at pains to renew administration warnings that Israeli-Palestinian tensions harm US security interests in the Middle East.
"The lack of progress toward Middle East peace is clearly an issue that's exploited by our adversaries in the region," Mr Gates said adding it "does affect US national security interests in the region."
Mr Netanyahu reportedly returned to Israel carrying a written blueprint to get the peace process moving again, about 15 months after it was suspended following Israel's assault on the Gaza Strip in late 2008.
The document covers all issues, including Jerusalem, which need to be resolved to end the deadlock, The Washington Post said.
It includes Mr Obama's demand to freeze all settlement construction in east Jerusalem and the West Bank, Israeli radio said.
Mr Netanyahu is supposed to sell the plan to his cabinet.
But Israeli media said a briefing that Mr Netanyahu had intended to give his inner forum of seven senior ministers had now been postponed until Friday. Mr Netanyahu's office would not comment.
The row erupted into the open during a visit to Israel by Vice-President Joe Biden when the Israeli interior ministry announced the construction of 1600 new settlement homes in Arab east Jerusalem.
But experts say the settlement issue is not really the root cause of the worst dispute between the two allies in years.
"The reason the fight continues is not the settlements, it's because they haven't convinced Netanyahu to proceed toward a final status agreement," said Mr Atallah.
Others have also noted a new determination on Washington's part, despite the nation's strong pro-Israel lobby, some of whom gathered for this week's conference of the powerful American Israel Public Affairs Committee.
"Picking a fight with an Israeli prime minister the week before AIPAC's meeting in Washington will strike many foreigners as a gutsy move," said Walter Russell Mead, from the Centre of Foreign Relations.
Totally misguided, brutal and destructive Crusades, Inquisition and Conquistador are vanishing from memories! However, carefully crafted and nurtured Islamic Terrorism and 72 Virgins are overtaking almost every dinner tables and political discussion forums!
A Palestinian kid who is playing in mum’s cradle, backyard and schoolyard is a terrorist because another group of people racing from four corners of the world to the holy land with passports from God. These peoples are claiming;
1. “We are the chosen people.
2. We are the superior race.
3. God gave us this land.
4. Our God gave us permission to ethnically cleanse non-Jews i.e. Christians, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, … .”
72 virgins wait for any Muslim or even Arab who commit suicide. However, no one waits for non-Muslims!! Therefore the question is, "why non-Muslims commit suicide"?
According to the ever-growing myth, the Australian Government is obliged to provide 144 000 virgins for 2000 Australian citizens who have committed suicide last year alone! However the United Nations Organisation is not providing (80 000 X 72 = how many virgins?) virgins to 80 000 farmers of the world who have committed suicide in the year 2007 too!! Legend says most of these farmers are neither Muslims nor religious!!!
2. Father was gunned down by the Israeli terrorists,
3. Sister was dishonored by the Jewish criminals and
4. Life is empty and hopeless.
In desperation, if this Palestinian kid threw his/her body against all of those injustices and barbaric crimes. However, some good people in the "west" love to find 72 virgins and many cruel comments like Nazi-Zionists/Israelis/"Jews".
One must wonder how the hell prejudice, bigotry, double slandered and hypocrisy mentioned above growing every year?!
The Israelis are not Semites in the first place! According to many credible Jewish, Christian and Muslim documentations the Jews died with Moses as they broke their covenant with God and Moses in many times! Yet, they use anti-Semitism to cover up their crime spree! We are not even allowed to question them!! However, they are free to insult anyone at anytime as some Israeli channels making fun of Jesus and Virgin Mary and broadcasting The God and Virgin Marry Sex Video too.
Right now, 11 times more soldiers than the old crusaders are occupying and terrorising Muslims’ countries! Now, could you kindly let me know, who is terrorising who and who is the real terrorist?
JERUSALEM: The Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, returned to Israel last night after an apparently disastrous meeting with the US President, Barack Obama, in Washington.
According to leaked accounts reported in the Israeli media, Mr Obama humiliated Mr Netanyahu by leaving the meeting early.
''I'm going to the residential wing to have dinner with Michelle and the girls,'' Mr Obama reportedly said, adding that Mr Netanyahu should consult his aides about goodwill gestures Israel was prepared to make towards the Palestinians before renewed peace talks. '''I'm still around,'' he said. ''Let me know if there is anything new.''
The talks were shrouded in an unusual news blackout, with no statement issued after the meeting and no official photographs released. US officials said the two met alone for about 90 minutes. Mr Netanyahu then huddled with staff separately for 90 minutes before requesting a second meeting with Mr Obama.
When the President returned, Mr Netanyahu is said to have made a counter-offer which Mr Obama did not accept.
In an Israeli TV interview before leaving for Israel, Mr Netanyahu said he had made progress in his meeting with Mr Obama. "I think we are finding the golden mean between the traditional policy of all the Israeli governments, and our desire to find a way to renew the peace process. I think we made progress today."
Relations between Israel and the US were shaken this month when, during a visit by the US Vice-President, Joe Biden, Israel announced plans to build 1600 Jewish homes on Palestinian land in occupied East Jerusalem.
One congressman who met Mr Netanyahu after his White House meeting said: ''It was awful. Netanyahu looked excessively concerned and upset. He waved around those pages, eager to persuade us that because of the complicated approval process for issuing construction permits in Jerusalem, one could never know in advance when a decision would be published on the issue.''
Writing in the Israeli Maariv, columnist Ben Caspit said there was no humiliation exercise the Americans did not try on Mr Netanyahu. ''Bibi received in the White House the treatment reserved for the president of Equatorial Guinea,'' Caspit wrote.
Yedioth Ahronoth said the White House ambushed Mr Netanyahu. ''Everything was scrupulously planned, most likely, and the Israeli Premier, perhaps the most sought-after personage in the Oval Office in the past two decades, was received like the last of the wazirs from Lower Senegal.''
The consensus among Israeli commentators is that the US will continue to exert more pressure on Israel to move swiftly towards the creation of a Palestinian state.
''The US is abandoning us and effectively turning into Europe,'' Caspit wrote. ''From now on, we are completely alone. The entire world, from one end to another, talks about a Palestinian state inside territory similar to 1967.''
''Obama wants to know whether Netanyahu is there. In explicit words, in writing, not with hints, not with a 'maybe,' not with a 'yes, but'. A simple question that requires a simple answer.''
US and Israeli officials are working on a document dubbed ''the blueprint,'' which covers all issues, including Jerusalem, that need to be resolved to let talks go forward.
Mr Netanyahu will try to sell it to his cabinet while the US Middle East envoy, George Mitchell, will take it to Arab and Palestinian officials for approval
