Strategic Views

Threats of Wahabism

noreply@blogger.com (zhaider) — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 09:03:00 PST

The Menace of Wahabism

noreply@blogger.com (zhaider) — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 08:04:00 PST

Wahabism is a menace to human society and specially to Muslims. This menace started with Muhammad bin Abd-ul-Wahab who was a so-called 'reformist' hailing from Najd region of what is now ''Saudi'' Arabia.

His teachings have influenced and ''effected'' many in the Muslim world specially the people of kingdom of Saudi Arabia and other Islamic countries. Essentially it became a threat to shiism predominantly prevelant in Iran, Iraq and Syria. Wahabism specially had a deep impact on ''Deobandi'' School of thought in Pakistan and under its influence neighbouring Afghanistan aswell became effected.

Wahabism is a very strict school of thought which forbids reason and logic in overall picture and thats exactly what the followers of Wahabism do; they do not see the overall picture and they think they are practising Islam properly following Wahabi teachings when this is not the case at all.

Islam encourages critical thinking, research, logical argument and debate supported with reason so that the followers of Islam go deep and search for the answers. On the other hand Wahabism is totally against this concept.

Unfortunatley, this Wahabism has effected many Muslims and the effects of this are tremendously huge. With the LACK of Critical thinking, research, logical arguments and debate supported with reason and the PRESENCE of imposition of (very limited narrow minded) Divine understanding of the faith of Islam as taught in Wahabism, majority of Muslims in the 21st century since the advent of Wahabism are illiterate, backward, lacking reason and discourage research and free thinking. The end result is that some of these ''effected'' Muslims provide the recruits or foot soldiers responsible for most of the terrorism in today's world. The rest of the Wahabis and Wahabi-inspired schools of thoughts such as Deobandis do not condemn the acts of terrorism and do not try their utmost to get rid of terrorism.

The ordinary people are just followers and this has been the case and will always be the case in the world. But the real people who hold responsibility are the people who know what is going on and who are at the helm of affairs. They have to take steps to eduacte people about this menace of Wahabism to make this World a safer and better place to live.

Iran Runs Military Nuclear Office, Intel Report Alleges

noreply@blogger.com (zhaider) — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 14:08:00 PST

NTI
Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2010

An intelligence document being studied by diplomats in Israel and Western powers alleges that a secret Iranian office is charged with overseeing military elements of the nation's nuclear program, Der Spiegel reported yesterday (see GSN, Jan. 25).

The United States and its allies have expressed concern that Iran could tap its uranium enrichment program to generate nuclear-weapon material. Tehran has insisted its atomic ambitions are strictly peaceful, and the government has repeatedly informed the International Atomic Energy Agency that it has only one, nonmilitary organization involved in the country's uranium enrichment work.

The dossier, though, describes an Iranian Defense Ministry entity responsible for coordinating secret nuclear weapons development efforts. Referred to as the Expanded High-Technology Applications Department, or FEDAT, the office is said to be run by 48-year-old Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, a ranking member of Iran's Revolutionary Guard and a professor at Imam Hossein University in Tehran.

Seemingly adapted from the earlier Center for Aviation Technology in Tehran, the department is believed to split nuclear weapons development work with Iran's Atomic Energy Agency while competing with the agency in other respects. While the energy agency has generally concentrated on Iran's uranium enrichment program, the Defense Ministry department is assessed to have focused on efforts to develop a nuclear-capable warhead that could fit onto the nation's Shahab ballistic missiles, according to the report.

Such a weapon could be ready between 2012 and 2014, experts say.

The intelligence document indicates that Iran's nuclear weapons work is highly developed, according to officials familiar with the report.

The U.N. nuclear watchdog and Der Spiegel have both obtained documents detailing the office's scientific staff and purported organizational structure, but Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has dismissed the papers as forgeries aimed at incriminating his country.

The United States could begin a push for new U.N. Security Council sanctions against Iran once France begins its turn chairing the council next month, Der Spiegel reported. China is likely to maintain its opposition to tough economic penalties on the Middle Eastern state, though, a move that could force the United States and European nations to target Tehran independently of the international body (Der Spiegel, Jan. 25).

France yesterday called on other EU nations to move toward imposing additional sanctions on Iran, Agence France-Presse reported.

"The Europeans have to prepare the sanctions process," said Pierre Lellouche, European affairs minister for France. He said that Iran was prompting the new measures with its "refusal of all offers of a solution" to disputes over its nuclear activities.

"We have been in talks for six years," Lellouche said. "All the West's proposals have been rejected and now if we listen to the Iranian spokesman they are reaching 20 percent enrichment" of Iranian uranium, a development he said would place the country on the "threshold to [nuclear] militarization."

He added, though, that the European Union would not pursue its own penalties against Iran if the Security Council failed to agree on new sanctions (Agence France-Presse I/Spacewar.com, Jan. 26).

"We need to see what comes out of the Security Council discussions and the role the members play and then return to the subject," EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said after conferring with European foreign ministers, according to Deutsche Presse-Agentur.

"The sanction instrument is a very blunt one, so it should be used with extreme care," added Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt (Deutsche Presse Agentur/Monsters and Critics, Jan. 25).

Italy yesterday called for more participation by Arab states in addressing the nuclear dispute, AFP reported.

"We together have to prevent Iran from going nuclear. This is a concern for all of us -- for Western democracies, the United States and Europe, but for Arab states as well," Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said in Washington during a press conference with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

"We are in perfect agreement in broadening the consultation of a number of states in the region that can be interested and are interested in talking about what to do," Frattini said (Agence France-Presse II/Spacewar.com, Jan. 25).

Meanwhile, Iranian nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili's planned appearance in Moscow this week was delayed and no new date for the trip has been set, RIA Novosti reported.

The scheduled three-day visit was pushed back to permit further preparatory work, according to Iranian state media (RIA Novosti, Jan. 25).

Jalili had been expected to meet with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, AFP reported (Agence France-Presse III/Google News, Jan. 26).

Elsewhere, Tehran today demanded the extradition of U.S.-based members of an opposition group it blamed for the bombing death this month of Iranian nuclear physics professor Massoud Ali Mohammadi, Reuters reported.

The Swiss ambassador to Iran, whose embassy serves as a point of contact to Washington by Tehran, was called to the Foreign Ministry.

"Regarding the assassination which was claimed by [the pro-Iranian monarchy organization] Tondar, we asked the Swiss Embassy for an explanation on how the U.S. accepted to have this terrorist group in their country," said Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast. "They should be answerable about this and we want the criminals to be extradited to Iran," he said (Hossein Jaseb, Reuters, Jan. 26).

Pakistan Rejects Atom Bomb Material Cut - Off Talks

noreply@blogger.com (zhaider) — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 15:04:00 PST

The NewYork Times

By REUTERS

Published: January 25, 2010

GENEVA (Reuters) - Pakistan, citing a "clear and present danger" from its nuclear-armed rival India, ruled out on Monday global negotiations to ban the future production of material to make atomic bombs.

Confirming a Reuters report from January 22, Pakistan's ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, Zamir Akram, said such a treaty would leave Pakistan -- the most recent member of the nuclear club -- at a permanent disadvantage.

Pakistan's stance, triggered by nuclear and arms deals between India and the United States as well as with other nuclear powers, is a blow to the Obama administration's efforts to revive global disarmament.

It also raises a stumbling block to the U.N.-sponsored Conference on Disarmament, where members had proposed starting work on talks to halt production of the highly enriched uranium and plutonium used to make nuclear weapons in what would be known as a fissile material cut-off treaty (FMCT).

"A fissile material cut-off treaty that only bans future production of fissile material is unacceptable to Pakistan," Akram told reporters. "It would only accentuate the disparity and imbalance that exists and that simply is not acceptable."

DISAPPOINTED OPTIMISM

Akram said Pakistan was willing to negotiate a fissile treaty that encompassed reductions of existing stocks of material.

It also was ready to discuss other areas proposed at the 65-member conference: nuclear disarmament, limiting the militarisation of outer space, and "negative security assurances" -- promises by nuclear powers not to use atomic weapons on non-nuclear states.

The conference broke a 12-year deadlock last May when all members, including Pakistan, agreed on a programme of work, including talks on a fissile treaty.

But Pakistan subsequently refused to allow the talks to start.

Akram said Islamabad's initial optimism about the Obama administration's disarmament intentions, which had led it to back the conference programme, had quickly evaporated.

Other countries were selling India weapons, he said, and under the terms of a civilian nuclear agreement Washington signed with India in 2005, India was negotiating deals with the U.S. and elsewhere to acquire nuclear technology and material.

Akram neither disputed nor confirmed estimates that India already has twice as many nuclear weapons as Pakistan.

A civilian deal signed with France would provide India with fissile material for its reactors for 60 years, allowing it to use its own stocks for weapons, he said.

India's nuclear and other arms plans were complicating the environment for disarmament talks, he said, saying it was unclear why the United States was helping India build up its nuclear potential.

"But for us it presents us with a clear and present danger arising out of the asymmetry in strategic capabilities in South Asia," he said.

Pakistan would not block the conference but needed more than vague promises that the talks could also cover fissile stocks.

"I want to be clear before we start negotiations what are we talking about," he said.

But Akram said he did not believe states with nuclear weapons would agree to include stocks in the negotiations.

And he condemned nuclear powers for signing civilian deals with India that undermine the nuclear non-proliferation regime.

"Their motivation is greed.. They want to make money. But for us it's life and death," he said.

(Editing by Michael Roddy)

Operation Shudi Karan Rape Sikh Girls 1984

noreply@blogger.com (zhaider) — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 13:27:00 PST

Lithuanian Foreign Minister Resigns Amid CIA Prison Row

noreply@blogger.com (zhaider) — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 10:27:00 PST

January 21, 2010

Associated Press

VILNIUS, Lithuania—Lithuania's foreign minister said he was resigning Thursday after locking horns with the president over CIA secret prisons and relations with neighboring Belarus.

A parliamentary investigation in December found that Lithuania's national security agency had helped the U.S. intelligence service set up two detention facilities in the Baltic country, though it found no evidence that they actually held prisoners.

Foreign Minister Vygaudas Usackas has said two facilities set up in 2002 and 2004 were never used to interrogate terror suspects.

President Dalia Grybauskaite has said, however, that she believes suspects were held at the prisons, and she admonished the minister for publicly expressing a different viewpoint.

The minister has also clashed with the president over foreign policy, with Mr. Usackas advocating a tougher stance toward Belarus and its authoritarian leader, Alexander Lukashenko.

"Considering the present situation I am announcing my resignation," Mr. Usackas told reporters, adding he would hand in his resignation later Thursday.

Mr. Usackas, 45, is the third minister to resign from Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius's government since it took office in December 2008.

Analysts said Mr. Usackas' departure will not undermine the center-right coalition, which is grappling with a severe recession.

Why Pakistan will not mount new attacks on militants

noreply@blogger.com (zhaider) — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 10:08:00 PST

BBC News

16:15 GMT, Thursday, 21 January 2010


Pakistan's military thinks it has strong reasons not to attack the militants

With its announcement that it will launch no new offensives against the Taliban in 2010, Pakistan's army appears to have opened a new innings in its favourite game with the West, says the BBC's Syed Shoaib Hasan in Islamabad.

For the United States, the statement by the Pakistan army could not have come at a worse time.

Its main intelligence agency, the CIA, is still coming to terms with the death of seven personnel in a suicide attack in Afghanistan by an al-Qaeda "double agent".

That attack, the worst suffered by the agency in four decades, was apparently planned and carried out by Taliban militants in Pakistan's tribal areas.

Under pressure from the US, the Pakistan army launched an operation there in the main Taliban stronghold of South Waziristan in November 2009.

The army has since been able to secure that territory and push out the militants.

Hillary Clinton wants Pakistan to target militants in Baluchistan

While some have been captured, most senior Taliban and al-Qaeda leaders have fled the region.

Intelligence officials say they have now taken refuge either in other nearby tribal regions or the neighbouring Balochistan province.

Mission impossible

Top US officials, including Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, have been calling for the military to go after the militants in these regions.

All this comes at a time when Pakistan's government is already under a great deal of domestic criticism.

This is mainly due to increased missile strikes by the US targeting Taliban and al-Qaeda leaders in the tribal areas.

These have turned a sometimes ambivalent tribal population against the Pakistan military.

Analysts say the tribesmen see the strikes, which have claimed more lives of civilians than of militants, as contiguous with the military operation.

But US officials have continued to press for more action, painting doomsday scenarios for Pakistan.

The latest such warning comes from US Defence Secretary Robert Gates, who said in India that al-Qaeda was planning to carry out attacks to provoke war with Pakistan.

But the Pakistan military appears to have its own views on the subject, and their say is likely to count the most.

Pakistani troops hold their positions on a hill top in South Waziristan.

Their latest decision is likely to sends shivers through all Western capitals which have a stake in Afghanistan.

For Washington, in particular, the military's U-turn will have far-reaching consequences.

Without Pakistani soldiers pressurising the Taliban in the tribal areas, it will be mission impossible for US forces in Afghanistan.

Diplomatic wrangling

Even with the additional 40,000 troops, it will not be possible to contain the insurgents.

With 2010 already being called a defining moment in the current conflict, the military has risked the all-out ire of the US with its decision.

But it appears to have thought out the move, given that it has gone public at a time when the US defence secretary is in Pakistan.

The military believes it has strong reasons not to move against the militants.

Many senior military officials have been angered by what they see are recent moves by the US and the UK to expand India's involvement in Afghanistan.

They see this as being specifically targeted against Pakistani interests.

There is also the matter of promised US aid to Pakistan, most of which has been delayed due to diplomatic wrangling.

US officials say much of the aid has been held up because of delays in processing visas for officials attached to the projects.

Without Pakistani offensives, will it be mission impossible for US forces?

But Pakistani intelligence officials say that many of these officials actually end up involved in activities "beyond their charter of duties".

In common parlance, its means the officials are seen as spies.

Extremely unhappy

The military's decision has also put the Pakistan government, with which it has been at odds of late, in an embarrassing position.

The military's unhappiness at the government stems from what it sees as its pandering to US demands at every turn.

One example which intelligence officials quote at liberty, is the manner in which US special forces personnel are allowed to enter and move around Pakistan without being documented by immigration.

Officials say the military is extremely unhappy with the interior ministry on this count.

The shaky PPP-led government, for its part, is too busy rolling from one political crisis to another to really take this matter in hand.

On a more direct note, Pakistan's military has also been demanding that the US give it more advanced helicopters and transfer its drone technology.

They say as the frontline state against the Taliban, such equipment is needed for greater success.

The US has, however, rejected these demands so far.

U.S. plans flights to Afghanistan via Russian air: diplomat

noreply@blogger.com (zhaider) — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 14:02:00 PST

Xinhua News
2010-01-21 04:09:11

MOSCOW, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- The United States has planned to carry out 11 military cargo flights to Afghanistan across Russian air space, said U.S. Ambassador to Russia John Beryle here on Wednesday.

Beryle also told the Ekho Moskvy radio station that five such flights so far have been completed, denying earlier reports that only one such flight occurred.

During a Moscow summit between Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and his U.S. counterpart Barack Obama last July, the two countries reached an agreement to let the U.S. military cargo to Afghanistan transit through the Russian territory and bypass troubled Pakistan.

The agreement will be extensively used this year, said the diplomat, as President Obama has declared major troop reinforcements to the Central Asia state.

Analysts said the reason behind Russia's cooperative attitude toward the U.S.-led military operation in Afghanistan was that terrorism posed a threat to Central Asia, and drugs were being transported to Russia from Afghanistan.

A two-front threat emerging for Pakistan

noreply@blogger.com (zhaider) — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 13:32:00 PST

By: Shireeen M Mazari | Published: January 20, 2010
The Nation

ISLAMABAD – A nightmare security scenario for Pakistan seems to be emerging - that of a two-front military conflict. Pakistan is already facing an internal militancy aided and abetted from Afghanistan and is threatened with all manner of likely US boots actually coming into Pakistan. Already, the drone attacks on Pakistani soil have increased. For all these reasons, Pakistan has moved a large chunk of its forces away from its Eastern border with India and along the LoC, and moved them to the Western front along the international border with Afghanistan as well as into FATA.
Now India has upped the military ante against Pakistan after meetings between Indian officials and America’s Holbrooke and Gates. Hence we are seeing the unprovoked Indian military firing at Pakistani forces across the international border, the working boundary and across the LoC, which has resulted in death and injury for Pakistani soldiers. What can possibly be the Indian intent at this time to undertake such military adventurism? Had it been given some go-ahead by the Americans.
This new military provocation comes when there seems to have been a decision made by the British and Americans to give India a major military role in Afghanistan. The two allies are all set to spring this nasty decision onto Pakistan at the international conference on Afghanistan in London at the end of this month when it will be proposed that India train the Afghan National Army - something it is already doing at a small level covertly and on that pretext already has its operatives in Afghanistan. It is these operatives who are conducting the aid and assistance to militants within Pakistan.
In view of these developments, what are the immediate options for Pakistan which will protect its interests as well as signal an effective message to both the US and India?

First and most immediate, Pakistan needs to move its troops back to its Eastern front and cease operations in FATA. We need to distinguish between our militancy problem, which is certainly threatening and very real, but has multiple dimensions, and the misguided US ‘War on Terror’. On the Western front, it needs to realign its forces along the Chaman border area with Afghanistan where it is expected US boots may enter Pakistan on the ground.
Second, it needs to tell the US in no uncertain terms that it will not tolerate these Indian military incitements and may well up the ante also choosing its own time, place and type of response.
Third, Pakistan needs to categorically refuse to participate in the London Conference if the plan to train the Afghan National Army by India is even discussed informally. In fact, under the circumstances, if India participates in the Conference, Pakistan should consider the option of boycotting it. Let us see how far the US and UK get in Afghanistan without Pakistan’s active cooperation!
Fourth, it is time to demand that Indian operatives move out of Afghanistan and Indian consulates in Afghanistan along the border area with Pakistan be closed.
The fact that the Indian aggression has come immediately in the aftermath of the discussions between the Indians and visiting Americans including Defence Secretary Gates, and following on the heels of the visit to Kabul by India’s DG MI, shows only too clearly the Indo-US nexus in terms of presenting Pakistan with a possible two-front threat.

Hinduism: Racism in USA vs. Untouchability in India

noreply@blogger.com (zhaider) — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 13:09:00 PST

Indian Army uses rape as an interrogation technique

noreply@blogger.com (zhaider) — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 11:03:00 PST

FSB Contemplates Procuring Israeli UAV’s

noreply@blogger.com (zhaider) — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 07:45:00 PST

Jamestown Foundation
Roger McDermott
Jan 19, 2010

The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) has reportedly opened negotiations to purchase unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV’s) in Israel for use within the FSB border guard service. On January 13, Kommersant claimed that the FSB had entered discussions with the Israeli defense company Aeronautics Defense Systems, citing a starting price of $3 million dollars for an unspecified number of UAV’s. The FSB is interested in procuring at least five Orbiter high-performance UAV’s in order to enhance border security. The Orbiter has a tactical operating radius of up to 50 kilometers, capable of carrying a 1.5 kilogram payload (video camera and other equipment), with a flying time of two to three hours at a maximum altitude of 5,500 meters and a speed of 140 km per hour. Fitted with a noiseless electric engine, it can be controlled by a single operator requiring only ten minutes for a catapult launch (http://www.aeronautics-sys.com/_Uploads/dbsAttachedFiles/Orbiter.pdf; Kommersant, January 13).

That the FSB should express interest in UAV’s is unsurprising; there are a number of locations where they would enhance border security, ranging from the Russian-Kazakh border to potential conflict zones such as Abkhazia, South Ossetia as well as in the North Caucasus. The deterioration of the security situation in the North Caucasus is undoubtedly a factor in the timing of the FSB initiative, since special services are at the forefront of combating the rising tide of insurgency. The possible UAV procurement follows an earlier defense ministry purchase of twelve UAV’s from the same Israeli company at a cost of $53 million. Since the border service was subordinated to the FSB in 2003, the FSB has studied issues relating to the operational use of UAV’s and gained experience in conducting aerial reconnaissance using domestically produced platforms. For instance, the Voron helicopter UAV was designed for special operations in urban areas (Agentstvo Voyennykh Novostey, November 29, 2007). The FSB has used the Eleron-10 UAV in the North Caucasus and reportedly requested further technical modifications. Lieutenant-General Nikolay Rybalkin, the Deputy-Chief of the FSB border guard service claimed in May 2008 that his service constantly used domestically made UAV’s, describing them as the “least expensive” and the “most efficient means” of protecting the state borders. He made passing reference to possible interest in foreign systems, but emphasized that the FSB relied upon the achievements of the Russian defense industry (Kommersant, January 13).

In August 2008, as tension increased in South Ossetia and Abkhazia, Army-General Vladimir Pronichev, the First Deputy-Director of the FSB and head of the border service claimed that border aviation including UAV’s had been mobilized. Earlier, in 2007, the Izhevsk Company Bespilotnyye Sistemy (Unmanned Systems) won a tender to deliver ZALA UAV’s to the FSB (both the aircraft and helicopter versions, ZALA 421-04M and ZALA 421-06 respectively). Pronichev stated in May 2009 that drones were deployed in border areas with “challenging terrain” (RIA Novosti, May 31, 2009). Two of these new platforms were delivered in October 2009, although the exact numbers in the contract remain unknown. Nonetheless, in the aftermath of the Russia-Georgia war in August 2008 both the defense ministry and the FSB carried out unsuccessful tests of domestically manufactured UAV’s. Not only were these unable to accomplish their assigned missions, there was also a case of one UAV (Irkut-10) crashing during the tests. In October 2008, Anatoliy Mikheyev, the Deputy-Chief of the technical development directorate of the FSB Border Guard Service said that advanced command and control systems and UAV’s were being considered for wider introduction. He noted that the border troops had experimented with UAV’s on the Russian-Kazakh border and in the Caspian region (Interfax, January 12; Kommersant, June 23, 2009).

While the Russian defense ministry procurement of UAV’s from Israel has undoubtedly set a precedent that can be utilized by the FSB, the distinction between the platform types is significant. The defense ministry purchases from Israel related to new generation tactical I-View MK150 (operating radius of up to 100 km) and the medium-class Searcher MKII (operating to a maximum of 250km). Whereas, the lightweight Orbiter is in direct competition with the domestically produced Eleron-10 and Irkut-10, the FSB interest in foreign procurement may indicate service dissatisfaction with these Russian made UAV’s (Kommersant, January 13).

On January 16, Nezavisimoye Voyennoye Obozreniye assessed the reports of FSB interest in foreign procurement. Analyzing the possible reasons for leaking the fact that this option is being considered, the article portrayed the FSB as using this mechanism to exert additional pressure on the defense industry. Such pressure is now mounting from various quarters, including the defense ministry, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov. However, this seems limited to dressing down the management of defense companies, calling for greater competitiveness and expressions of confidence that the country is still capable of manufacturing high quality products (Nezavisimoye Voyennoye Obozreniye, January 16). Yet, despite fresh injections of capital, protection from the impact of the financial crisis and the optimistic pronouncements of government officials, the system is simply failing to meet the needs of domestic security customers.

The FSB has now joined the chorus of complaints from the army and air force, demanding superior quality drones. In November 2009, Colonel-General Aleksandr Zelin, the Commander-in-Chief or the Russian Air Force rejected domestic UAV’s, characterizing them as inadequate in terms of “speed, altitude or the resolution of the equipment installed on them” (Interfax, November 27, 2009).

However, whereas the defense ministry purchased foreign platforms that were beyond the present capability of the Russian defense industry, the FSB’s expression of interest in lightweight UAV’s is the clearest signal yet of the underlying weaknesses in domestic produce. It may also indicate that the FSB has proven unable to procure sufficient numbers of these drones, and is consequently compelled to look abroad, perhaps also in the hope that it might stimulate future domestic orders. Moreover, it also inadvertently reveals that the Russian state cannot adequately protect its borders using modern technology without foreign assistance.

Black flags greet Gen Kapoor in Nepal

noreply@blogger.com (zhaider) — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 10:57:00 PST

Hindustan Times
Kathmandu, January 19, 2010

An off-the cuff remark reportedly made last month could overshadow all other issues on agenda during Indian Army chief General Deepak Kapoor’s four-day Nepal visit that began on Tuesday.

Black flags greeted Kapoor on his arrival at Tribhuwan International Airport and nearly 1200 Maoists staged demonstrations outside Indian Embassy and Singha Durbar—the official seat of Nepal government--to register their protest against his statement and alleged Indian interference in Nepal.

In the past weeks, a lot of media space and political hype has followed Kapoor’s alleged statement expressing reservation on en mass integration of former Maoist rebels into the Nepal Army.

The comment made at an official dinner during his Nepalese counterpart General Chatraman Singh Gurung’s India visit had led Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) chief Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda to term it as India’s “naked interference” in Nepal’s internal affairs.

The Indian Embassy tried to do a delayed damage control by issuing a statement this month that media reports had “highly distorted” Kapoor’s remark and it didn’t reflect the Indian government’s position, but it failed to act as a balm.

Although External Affairs Minister SM Krishna expressed India’s displeasure at baseless mudslinging by Maoists during his meeting with Prachanda on Saturday, the former prime minister and his party colleagues have not put an end to their anti-India rhetoric.

On Monday, the opposition Maoists, who have launched a national awakening against foreign powers, boycotted parliament seeking a reply from Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal on Kapoor’s remark.

Kapoor’s goodwill visit is expected to increase defence cooperation between both neighbours. He will meet the Nepalese Prime Minister, Defence Minister, Nepal Army chief and visit several military training establishments as well.

Kapoor will also be conferred the honorary rank of General of the Nepal Army by President Ram Baran Yadav on Thursday as per tradition between both nations. The Nepal Army chief was also conferred the similar title during his India visit.

The Army chief’s reported statement made last month on the need for India to develop capability to engage in a two-front war with Pakistan and China has also led to lot of negative reactions in Pakistan.

US diplomats in Pakistan visa row

noreply@blogger.com (zhaider) — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 06:18:00 PST

Thursday, 17 December 2009

By M Ilyas Khan
BBC News, Islamabad

Some strong anti-American sentiment is expressed in Pakistan

US diplomats have complained that Pakistan is delaying the extension of visas of more than 100 US officials.

They say that those affected are engaged in diplomatic, military and aid services and may not be able to return to Pakistan after the Christmas break.

There are also reports of US diplomatic vehicles being repeatedly stopped and searched at Pakistani checkpoints.

But Pakistani foreign office spokesman Abdul Basit told the BBC there was "no question of delaying tactics" on visas.

The claims come at a time when the US administration is calling for international support for its "war on terror".

The latest developments indicate a new low in US-Pakistan relations.

Visa clampdown

"At least 135 visas are being held up by the Pakistani authorities," the chief spokesman of the US embassy in Pakistan, Richard Snelsire, told the BBC News website.

More and more US officials are applying to go to Pakistan

"Extensions of these visas have not been denied, but they are being delayed," he said.

But Mr Basit said that Pakistan had good relations with the United States, so there was no question of any deliberate initiative to inconvenience the Americans.

"The delays may be due to procedural constraints," he said.

"It happens in other countries as well. Many Pakistanis sometimes get visas very late, or are refused."

The Associated Press news agency quoted an unnamed US diplomat as saying the visa clampdown and the US vehicle searches were a reaction to widespread anti-American sentiment in Pakistan, and were probably temporary.

American officials say that those employees likely to be affected by the visa delays include aid workers and others bringing help to Pakistan.

US President Barack Obama signed into law a $7.5bn (£4.6bn) aid package for Pakistan last October for economic and social programmes.

Under the law, a large number of American workers must be deployed in Pakistan to carry out accounting and aid-monitoring procedures.

American diplomats believe this additional deployment may increase the strength of the US embassy staff from about 500 to nearly 800.

Various quarters in the Pakistani establishment have been critical of this impending increase in US diplomatic activity in the country.

The Pakistani army has also publicly criticised some provisions of the US aid package as "intrusive meddling" in the country's internal affairs.

In recent weeks, the Pakistani media has carried prominent reports of incidents of American officials "resisting" Pakistani law enforcement officials conducting searches of their vehicles at security checkpoints.

The Americans believe the practice is meant to harass US diplomats.

Elite US troops ready to combat Pakistani nuclear hijacks

noreply@blogger.com (zhaider) — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 13:15:00 PST

Times Online
January 17, 2010

Christina Lamb in Washington

Professor Shaun Gregory, director of the Pakistan security research unit at Bradford University, has tracked a number of attempted security breaches since 2007. “The terrorists are at the gates,” he warned.

In a counterterrorism journal, published by America’s West Point military academy, he documented three incidents. The first was an attack in November 2007 at Sargodha in Punjab, where nuclearcapable F-16 jet aircraft are thought to be stationed. The following month a suicide bomber struck at Pakistan’s nuclear airbase at Kamra in Attock district. In August 2008 a group of suicide bombers blew up the gates to a weapons complex at the Wah cantonment in Punjab, believed to be one of Pakistan’s nuclear warhead assembly plants. The attack left 63 people dead.

A further attack followed at Kamra last October. Pakistan denies that the base still has a nuclear role, but Gregory believes it does. A six-man suicide team was arrested in Sargodha last August.

Fears that militants could penetrate a nuclear facility intensified after a brazen attack on army headquarters in Rawalpindi in October when 10 gunmen wearing army uniforms got inside and laid siege for 22 hours. Last month there was an attack on the naval command centre in Islamabad.

Pakistani police said five Americans from Washington who were arrested in Pakistan last month after trying to join the Taliban were carrying a map of Chashma Barrage, a complex in Punjab that includes a nuclear power facility.

The Al-Qaeda leadership has made no secret of its desire to get its hands on weapons for a “nuclear 9/11”.

“I have no doubt they are hell-bent on acquiring this,” said Mowatt-Larssen. “These guys are thinking of nuclear at the highest level and are approaching it in increasingly professional ways.”

Nuclear experts and US officials say the biggest fear is of an inside job amid growing anti-American feeling in Pakistan. Last year 3,021 Pakistanis were killed in terrorist attacks, more than in Afghanistan, yet polls suggest Pakistanis consider the United States to be a greater threat than the Taliban.

“You have 8,000-12,000 [people] in Pakistan with some type of role in nuclear missiles — whether as part of an assembly team or security,” said Gregory. “It’s a very large number and there is a real possibility that among those people are sympathisers of terrorist or jihadist groups who may facilitate some kind of attack.”

Pakistan is thought to possess about 80 nuclear warheads. Although the weapons are well guarded, the fear is that materials or processes to enrich uranium could fall into the wrong hands.

“All it needs is someone in Pakistan within the nuclear establishment and in a position of key access to become radicalised,” said MowattLarssen. “This is not just theoretical. It did happen — Pakistan has had inside problems before.”

Bashir Mahmood, the former head of Pakistan’s plutonium reactor, formed the Islamic charity Ummah Tameer-e-Nau in March 2000 after resigning from the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission. He was arrested in Islamabad on October 23, 2001, with his associate Abdul Majeed for alleged links to Osama Bin Laden.

Pakistan’s military leadership, which controls the nuclear programme, has always bristled at the suggestion that its nuclear facilities are at risk. The generals insist that storing components in different sites keeps them secure.

US officials refused to speak on the record about American safety plans, well aware of how this would be seen in Islamabad. However, one official admitted that the United States does not know where all of Pakistan’s storage sites are located. “Don’t assume the US knows everything,” he said.

Although Washington has provided $100m worth of technical assistance to Islamabad under its nuclear protection programme, US personnel have been denied access to most Pakistani nuclear sites.

In the past fortnight the US has made unprecedented formal protests to Pakistan’s national security apparatus, warning it about fanning virulent anti-American sentiment in the media.

Concerns about hostility towards America within elements of the Pakistani armed forces first surfaced in 2007. At a meeting of military commanders staged at Kurram, on the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan, a Pakistani major drew his pistol and shot an American. The incident was hushed up as a gunfight.

‘Anti-terror strategy in six months’

noreply@blogger.com (zhaider) — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 10:14:00 PST

By Azaz Syed
Sunday, 17 Jan, 2010

ISLAMABAD: The National Counter-terrorism Authority (NACTA), a newly established civilian government body, has formally undertstarted the formulation of new counter-terrorism policy.

“We are trying to formulate the new counter-terror policy in next six months, the new policy will be prepared with the consultation of all the stakeholders,” said Tariq Pervez the chief of NACTA while talking to the participants of a round table , closed door , simulation conference , specially held to gather recommendations from the experts of different segments of life.

The closed door meeting was first of its kind in which almost ten experts of different schools of thoughts were invited like the gray haired Inaam ul Haq the former Foreign Minister who once remained a key player in formulating the country’s foreign policy supportive of the armed militants.

Ahmed Rashid, renowned Pakistani journalists who is viewed as a Pro-American analyst in the Pakistani military establishment was also present with his lethal but realistic arguments.

“We have invited you all to help government to formulate new counter-terror policy,” Tariq Pervez , inviting the participants for their point of views, after giving detailed briefing on the organization and proposed working of Nacta.

Tariq Pervez, who has earned respect and fame as one of the top counter-terror experts, also suggested the participants to give their opinions about the definition of terrorism and the future role of NACTA.

Inaam ul Haq, a former foreign minister who is still considered a favourite of the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI), while opening the discussion raised two important questions

“We should define terrorism knowing that we should not include the national liberation organizations in the orbit of terrorism. And the role of NACTA should also be defined _ whether it is an advisory body or has some operational role.”

Tasneem Noorani, a former interior secretary, pointed out the weakness of the education system, saying that it had led to an alternative in the shape of Madrassah education. He said that Nacta should also review the education policy.

Journalist Ahmed Rashid addressed the most important question of the entire session by bluntly asking Tariq Pervez: :Have you taken ISI on board?

Tariq Pervez replied: “Yes. ISI is on board and I have held a number of meetings with the current DG, Lt.Gen.Ahmed Shuja Pasha, who is supportive of Nacta’s role.”

China terms Indian Generals statement as ‘unfriendly’

noreply@blogger.com (zhaider) — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 04:24:00 PST

Jan 14, 2010‎

ISLAMABAD, (SANA): Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan, Lau Zhaohui has expressed his concern over the statement of Indian Chief of Army Staff, Deepak Kapoor that it can take on Pakistan and China at the same time, what he termed,” as very unfriendly” remark.

In an interview with a local news paper, he said that his statement adversely affected regional peace and security and did not help Sino-lndia relations.

He termed such kind of (irresponsible) statements unfriendly and not beneficial to regional peace, stability of the region, saying and it also have certain impacts on Sino-Indian relations.

To a question about the defence cooperation between Pakistan and China he said the ties between the two countries are time tested and cooperation, technical and scientific assistance to Pakistan is an answer to that. Last year JF-17, Khalid Tank and Frigate-22 are recent developments and elaboration of cooperation between two friendly countries, he added.

To another question he said Pakistan and China have commonality of views, strategy and stance on the peace and stability in the region including Afghanistan issue. “We have same purpose and targets and we had always cooperated in using the same language and with same actions,” he added.

Pak, China to work closely to address strategic issues

noreply@blogger.com (zhaider) — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 06:23:00 PST

Zee News
Jan 11. 2010

Islamabad: Pakistan and China will work closely to address regional security and strategic issues, including "intra-regional disputes and posturing of involved states," an apparent reference to a purported report which claimed that India is preparing for a two-front war with both.

During talks between a Pakistani team led by Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee Chairman Gen Tariq Majid and Gen Ma Xiaotian, deputy chief of the People's Liberation Army yesterday, the two sides focussed ways of addressing "the tenuous spectre of strategic stability in the region," an official statement said.

The latest round of the Pakistan-China Defence and Security Talks also decided to address the "intra-regional disputes and posturing of involved states."

Ma is heading a Chinese delegation that is holding talks with Pakistan's top military leadership.

Though the statement did not mention the specific "intra-regional disputes" that were discussed, analysts believe it was an apparent reference to Indian Army chief Gen Deepak Kapoor's purported comments that his force is preparing for a two-front war involving Pakistan and China.

The bilateral defence and security talks are aimed at "sharing perspectives on the fast-evolving regional security situation for developing common insight into emerging scenarios and coordinating common responses," the statement said.

The comments purportedly made by Kapoor have been widely criticised by Pakistan’s civil and military leadership.

An unnamed official was quoted by the influential a newspaper as saying that the dialogue had a "greater significance" because it took place against the backdrop of Kapoor’s reported remarks about a "proactive strategy of simultaneously waging a war against Pakistan and China."

Both sides have taken the remarks seriously and "vowed to frustrate attempts to jeopardise regional security," the official said.

Gen Majid described the "time-tested multi-dimensional Pakistan-China strategic partnership as the bedrock of stability in the region."

He said: "As the world grows more complex and regional situation more challenging, it has become even more critical to add greater depth and dynamism to this relationship."

During yesterday's discussions, the two sides also discussed the impact of "changing global security dynamics, progress in efforts against terrorism and violent extremism (and the) revised US strategy for Afghanistan," the statement said.

The discussions also focussed on threats related to terrorism by the East Turkestan Islamic Movement, a militant group fighting for an independent state in China’s Xinjiang province, and measures for the security of Chinese nationals working in Pakistan.

The ETIM is believed to have close links with al Qaeda and militants based in Pakistan’s tribal belt.

The Pakistani and Chinese military officials conducted a "comprehensive review of bilateral military cooperation and the progress of various ongoing defence projects."

They made specific proposals for "mutually beneficial future collaboration in operational, training, intelligence, logistics and defence industrial fields, including indigenisation projects and joint ventures."

The statement did not give details about these projects. Pakistan has received two of four F-22P frigates ordered from China and plans to induct 42 JF-17 Thunder combat jets, which are jointly developed by the two countries, into its air force over the next few years.

Pakistan is also set to receive four airborne warning and control system aircraft from China by 2012.

General alert in Pakistan

noreply@blogger.com (zhaider) — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 02:13:00 PST

Asia Times
Jan 8, 2010
By Syed Saleem Shahzad

ISLAMABAD - At a time when Islamabad is trying to implement a United States-sponsored initiative for a spirit of dialogue between Pakistan and India, an Indian general has stirred up a hornet's nest, eliciting a belligerent response from across the border.

Indian General Deepak Kapoor, according to media reports, last week said in a closed-door seminar that his country could take on Pakistan and China simultaneously and "bring it to a satisfactory conclusion in 96 hours", and even suggested that a "limited war under a nuclear overhang" was possible in South Asia.

Pakistan, tightly allied with the United States-led "war on terror" and tied down with its commitment to Washington to focus on its western border with Afghanistan rather than on India, chose not to officially respond to the Indian general's remarks.

However, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, General Tariq Majeed, who by virtue of his designation becomes the operational head of all Pakistan's armed forces in the event of war, spoke out.

"Leave alone China, General Deepak Kapoor knows very well what the Indian armed forces cannot do and what the Pakistani armed forces can pull off militarily ... I have doubts that he can be so outlandish in strategic postulations as to put India on a self-destructive path," said Kapoor, known for his anti-American attitude. If the report were correct, he said, the uncalled-for rhetoric only depicted a lack of strategic acumen.

Kapoor identified five thrust areas that would drive a new Indian doctrine.

1 -While the armed forces prepare for their primary task of conventional wars, they must also factor in the eventuality of "a two-front war" breaking out. In tune with this, after acquiring a greater offensive punch along the entire western front with Pakistan by the creation of a new South-Western Army Command in 2005, India was now taking steps - albeit belatedly - to strategically counter the stark military asymmetry with China in the eastern sector. There is now "a proportionate focus towards the western and northeastern fronts".

2-The armed forces need to "optimize" their capability to effectively counter "both the military and non-military facets" of asymmetric and sub-conventional threats like weapons of mass destruction, terrorism, cyber warfare, electronic warfare and information warfare.

3-The armed forces have to substantially enhance their strategic reach and out-of-area capabilities to protect India's geopolitical interests stretching from the Persian Gulf to the Malacca Strait. "This would enable us to protect our island territories; and also give assistance to the littoral states in the Indian Ocean region."

4-Interdependence and operational synergy between the army, navy and air force must become the essence of strategic planning and execution in future wars. "For this, joint operations, strategic and space-based capability, ballistic missile defense and amphibious, airborne and air-land operations must be addressed comprehensively."

5-India must strive to achieve a technological edge over its adversaries. "Harnessing and exploitation of technology also includes integration of network centricity, decision-support systems, information warfare and electronic warfare into our operational plans."

Pakistan's Majeed, a four-star general, was in mid-2008 twice offered the position of chief of army staff by former president Pervez Musharraf when Musharraf turned against the incumbent army chief, General Ashfaq Parvez Kiani. Each time, Majeed refused, as he prefers to stay in the background, although he has emerged as a leader on several issues.

The bulk of the Pakistan army was against Asif Ali Zardari when he announced his decision to run for president, a position he assumed on September 9, 2008. Majeed, however, rallied the top brass, urging that the democratic process should be given a chance and that if the political forces wanted Zardari, their decision should be respected.

Naturally, Zardari was thankful and offered to elevate Majeed, including to a position with complete command and control over all of the branches of the armed services. Majeed declined but continued to exert what influence he had.

From mid-2009, he was at the forefront of the initiative to start a dialogue process with the Taliban, an issue he discussed with senior visiting US military officials. This raised the ire of some sections of Pakistan's strategic quarters which were closely allied with the American war in Afghanistan. Some officers even boycotted Majeed's meeting with his American counterpart, Admiral Mike Mullen, in violation of all protocols.

However, Majeed continued to air his views, which emphasize dialogue with militants. He believes that the American war machine has been badly sucked into Afghanistan and that Pakistan should distance itself from being pulled into that quagmire.

Gradually, Majeed's arguments have taken hold and in the past few weeks there have been some developments concerning Pakistan's dealings with the US.

A stringent mechanism has been adopted in issuing visas to Americans, which has restricted American defense contractors in Pakistan. Their growing presence in the country has for some time been a bone of contention. US diplomats, too, have been under pressure, such as being forced to use regular immigration counters at airports.

This does not mean that Pakistan overnight has become anti-American, or that its cooperation with the US will suddenly cease. These are critical times, though, for both the US and Pakistan, the former embroiled in Afghanistan, the latter struggling with spreading militancy, and what are now just trends could evolve into something bigger.

Three important appointments in Pakistan this year could have an influence on such trends, including Majeed's sentiments.

The director general of the Inter-Services Intelligence, Lieutenant General Shuja Pasha, is due to retire in March. The government has so far not shown any interest in extending his tenure. Army chief Kiani is due to step down in November. Washington is keen to see his term extended, as he dovetails perfectly with American policies on the region. Majeed, too, is slated to retire in October, which leaves him a matter of months to push his views.

Russian company 'ordered hit'

noreply@blogger.com (zhaider) — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 12:09:00 PST

John Helmer

Times Live
Jan 2, 2010 10:40 PM | By JIM JONES

Three men armed with guns and fake papers purporting to be from Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) were arrested after attempting to enter Helmer's Moscow office. Helmer, suspicious of the men, called the police.

Under interrogation, the men allegedly told police they were from a detective agency owned and hired by aluminium group Rusal and its controlling shareholder, Oleg Deripaska.

Helmer, who has reported from Moscow for 20 years, has written extensively on the aluminium group's business activities in Russia, South Africa, Guinea and Nigeria. His latest articles have focused on Rusal's parlous financial state and Deripaska's attempts to avoid litigation over his alleged defrauding of a Rusal co-founder.

Rusal itself is chaired by Viktor Vekselberg, an oligarch who sits on South Africa's Presidential International Investment Council.

In South Africa, Vekselberg and his company Renova have interests in United Manganese of Kalahari and Transalloys as well as links with the ANC's Chancellor House investment arm.

Shortly before Christmas, Helmer had been warned by the Australian Foreign Ministry in Canberra that his personal security was under threat.

Helmer took the information to the police who, along with the FSB, provided him and his wife with covert protection.

When the three would-be attackers were arrested, police found them carrying plans of Helmer's offices, photographs of his wife, of his home and office as well as documents allegedly linking the gang and its agency directly to Rusal.

The men claimed that they had been hired to check on the Helmers' whereabouts. They were employed by Alfa-Inform, a Moscow detective agency.

Helmer has been reporting on alleged racketeering by Vekselberg and into the business practices that have stymied Deripaska's attempts to gain stock exchange listings and raise funds for Rusal in London and Hong Kong.

Rusal is the largest Russian investor in sub-Saharan Africa but has recently fallen foul of the governments of Guinea and of Nigeria.

Before the economic crisis, while Rusal's African and Russian aluminium interests were booming, Deripaska had been tagged as the world's ninth-richest man.

Indian Military ready for war against China, Pakistan

noreply@blogger.com (zhaider) — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 11:30:00 PST

The Nation
December 30, 2009

India Army ready for war against China, Pakistan
Shimla-based Indian Army Training Command, headed by Lt-General A S Lamba is getting ready for something Indian Military never was ready before. Indian Air Force, Navy, and Army is ready to face Pakistan and China at the same time.
India's 1.13-million strong Military is now panning to handle two major war fronts at the same time. India considers Pakistan and China as part of the same camp. India knows the next war will be between India and Pakistan+China. India will get indirect support from America and Russia, but Indian Military will have to fight the two war at the same time.
Indian Military has been training for the mini giant war against two nuclear powered nations at the same time. China has used Pakistan for a long time to keep India busy. Now time has come for India to recognize a massive threat from China and Pakistan at the same time.
Indian Army chief General Deepak Kapoor emphasizes that India is ready for the successful firming-up of the cold start strategy (to be able to go to war promptly) in the multiple fronts against multiple different militias at the same time.
The plan is a full thrust assault into multiple anomies at the same time with massive Air Force superiority. If attacked by Pakistan and china at the same time, India will launch self-contained and highly-mobile `battle groups'', with Russian-origin T-90S tanks and upgraded T-72 M1 tanks at their core, adequately backed by far superior air cover and artillery fire assaults, for rapid thrusts into enemy territory within 96 hours.

India plans to end the war decisively within the first 96 hours forcing the other sides into a fast submission of ceasefire.
People's Liberation Army is aware of the capacities of Indian Army and Air Force. It will be exactly opposite of 1962 war. That is why they are busy building massive infrastructure in the Indian border areas especially in Aksai Chin and Tibet.
The real war in that scenario will be between India and China while Pakistan will be used by China to create adequate disturbance for Indian Military.
That is the reason why Lt-General A S Lamba of Indian Army is so keen a massive thrust into Rawalpindi to quiet Pakistanis within 48 hours of the start of assault.
India's biggest advantage is the its software capabilities in integrating signal intelligence with ground intelligence. India will use algorithmic seek and scan technology to counter the Chinese threats in the North and possible Pakistani nuclear threat in the West.
India is focused on integrating its Navy, Army and Air Force into an integrated command and Control system completely controlled and dominated by the superior software algorithms that can prove deadly in the war front. (India Daily)

Could the Deteriorating Situation in Daghestan Again Trigger a Wider War?

noreply@blogger.com (zhaider) — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 13:52:00 PST

Georgian Daily
December 29, 2009
Paul Goble

According to a Daghestani analyst, “the campaign to destabilize” his republic both from within and without “is gathering force and is no longer under the control of either the Kremlin or Makhachkala,” a situation that means “private political games could lead to the largest armed conflict in the North Caucasus in the 21st century.

In a comment posted on the Polit.ru portal today, Magomed Suleymanov catalogues some of the murky events of the last few weeks in that North Caucasus republic that was both a casus belli in 1999 and that because of the nature of its population could now lead to an even larger conflict with more parties involved

A few days ago, Suleymanov notes, the FSB “accused” Tbilisi of preparing “a diversionary-terrorist group” that it planned to send into Daghestan to engage in “terrorist acts against the heating and energy system and the railway transport network,” plans that the Moscow special service said it was countering by beefing up Russian border guard facilities.

Given Georgian President Mihkiel Saakashvili’s statements about the North Caucasus, the way in which conflicts over the lack of heat and electric power led to public protests last winter, and uncertainty in Makhachkala over who will be the next republic leader, these charges appeared plausible even if they were completely self-serving from the FSB’s point of view.

Then today, Suleymanov continues, a Caucasus opposition website featured an interview with Said Khachuyev, head of the Chechen diaspora in Hamburg, who called on Georgia to recognize both Chechnya, which he said was “no longer” part of Russia, and Daghestan, if Tbilisi wants to play “big role” in the region.

In this way, the Polit.ru commentator says, “in the struggle for Daghestan are included not only local elites but external to Daghestan groups: Chechen Wahhabi groups and the Georgian special services,” a situation that is likely to be on display first in Derbent where a repeat election is scheduled and then in Makhachkala when a presidential candidate is named.

With regard to the first, Suleymanov notes, “not only electoral commissions are preparing for the new round of Derbent voting but also band formations,” a pattern that tragically has been true of the voting in that North Caucasus republic in the past and one certain to be on display as the date for the Derbent election approaches.

And concerning the second, the problems in Makhachkala are intensifying with each passing day that the Kremlin has failed to nominate its candidate for the top job – especially since it published a list of five names, including incumbent Mukhu Aliyev, more than a month ago.

Marko Shakhbasov, the editor in chief of Makhachkala’s weekly “Novoye delo,” told Suleymanov that “the behavior of many deputies completely coincides with the attitudes dominating now in the republic’s bureaucracy” where “ no one knows who will be the new president and each fears to take any step” which might offend the individual chosen.

These tensions were exacerbated by the appearance of what purported to be a letter from the deputies to Russia’s procurator general Yury Chaika concerning the situation in the republic. After its appearance on a local website, Suleymanov says, several of its signatories denied that they had even seen the appeal, let alone signed it.

One deputy, Rizvan Isayev, said that he did nto know “who stood behind this initiative,” describing it as “a typical provocation.” When he heard about it, he said he would not sign such a thing, and the appearance of a document bearing his signature among others was thus a falsification: “the signature which is on the appeal,” he said, “is not mine.”

Daghestan, as many Moscow commentators have pointed out, is with the possible exception of Ingushetia the most unstable republic in the North Caucasus. That has the effect of encouraging those on all sides interested in fishing in troubled waters, even if any particular report may not be in fact true.

But there is another reason for focusing on Daghestan as a potential detonator of a broader conflict in the region, albeit it is one that Suleymanov does not mention. His republic is far and away the most Islamic of any in the entire Russian Federation, something that ensures that what happens there will affect the more than 20 million Muslims of Russia.

Just how Islamic Daghestan now is was underscored by Maksud Sadikov, rector of the North Caucasus University Center of Islamic Education. He noted that 55 percent of all mosques in Russia are in Daghestan, 85 percent of Russia’s hajis live there, and 90 percent of all Islamic educational institutions are on its territory

China vows to deepen military co-op with Pakistan

noreply@blogger.com (zhaider) — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 04:16:00 PST

Xinhua News
2009-12-18 23:12:01

BEIJING, Dec. 18 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese armed forces would like to improve friendly and cooperative relations with the Pakistani armed forces, a senior Chinese military official said here Friday.

Chinese Defense Minister Liang Guanglie made the remarks when meeting with Noman Bashir, visiting Pakistani chief of the naval staff.

China attached great importance to its traditional friendship with Pakistan, Liang said, adding that the two countries had conducted comprehensive and multi-level military exchanges and cooperation in various areas.

The Pakistani armed forces and people cherished their friendship with the Chinese armed forces and people, Noman Bashir said, noting that Pakistan would like to work with China to promote the comprehensive and cooperative partnership.

The Kaiga warning

noreply@blogger.com (zhaider) — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 03:36:00 PST

The Economic Times

2 Dec 2009, 0431 hrs IST, ET Bureau
The Recent incident of water in one particular water cooler at the Kaiga Nuclear Power Plant in Karnataka being spiked with a small dose of heavy water serves as a wake-up call on industrial safety, days before the 25th anniversary of the Bhopal gas tragedy. We need higher safety standards and their rigorous implementation at locales dealing with hazardous substances.

Employee sabotage at a nuclear plant is shocking, but not implausible, and so must be taken into account in the security protocol. Of course, the Kaiga incident in which 55 employees had to be hospitalised is nowhere on the scale of the Bhopal tragedy. But given the huge expansion that has been envisaged in the nation’s nuclear programme, foolproof safeguards against any untoward incident become

against any untoward incident become all the more vital.

Given that expansion and the historic international recognition and acceptance of our nuclear programme and capabilities, one could also argue that India’s nuclear establishment no longer needs to be cloaked in excessive secrecy. Ushering in greater transparency would boost national and global confidence in our safety and security procedures. Indeed, that in itself would be an important aspect of India settling into the role of a fully-established and responsible nuclear power. And safety standards are not just about engineering, as the theft of vials of heavy water at Kaiga shows. Standards must cover human conduct in their scope.

The destructive potential of nuclear energy, if not handled with utmost care, is too horrific to contemplate. The Chernobyl disaster proved how far-reaching and long-lasting the destructive effects of radioactive poisoning can be. As had the Japanese hibakusha, survivors of the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki who eked out painful lives and passed on mutant genes to their next generations. And as nuclear energy becomes increasingly more important for India, both because it helps us reduce our dependence on imported oil and because it is a cleaner source of energy, we cannot afford to let down our guard. Incidents like Kaiga must not recur, ever.

Radioactive water poisons 55 at Indian nuclear plan

noreply@blogger.com (zhaider) — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 03:31:00 PST

The Irish Times - Monday, November 30, 2009

INDIAN AUTHORITIES have begun investigating the radioactive contamination of a drinking water cooler at a nuclear power plant in southern Karnataka state that led to some 55 workers being treated for poisoning, senior government officials said yesterday.

Routine tests on Wednesday showed employees at the Kaiga plant, 450km northwest of Bangalore, had been exposed to increased levels of tritium, used in nuclear reactors, in the cooler.

Exposure to tritium – also known as Hydrogen-3 and used in research, fusion reactors and neutron generators – increases the risk of cancer.

The chairman of the overarching Atomic Energy Commission, Anil Kakodkar, speaking to the Headlines Today television network, blamed the incident on sabotage.

Mr Kakodkar claimed that an insider had “played mischief” by spiking the cooler with the radioactive material and attempted to allay fears of an attack on the facility.

Mr Kakodkar said security was “fool-proof”, and there was no chance of an outsider gaining access to the atomic plant.

The Nuclear Power Corporation of India, which operates the country’s civil nuclear facilities, said in a statement that preliminary enquiries revealed no radioactive leak or security breach.

“It is possibly an act of mischief,” the statement said. No one needed to be hospitalised after the incident and everyone tested returned to work, it declared, adding the incident had not affected public safety.

The operational and safety record of India’s highly secretive Department of Atomic Energy has been somewhat questionable.

In the late 1990s the country’s nuclear facilities recorded at least 134 mishaps, or what they termed “Safety Related Unusual Occurrences”.

In 1998 the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board claimed that 28 of these incidents occurred in nine nuclear power stations, but none were “serious”.

Five of these, however, including a fire, led to plant closures, and another in 1997 to the death of a scientist after exposure to poisonous gas at a heavy water plant in Andhra Pradesh state.

In 1992 a major radioactive leak from ill-maintained pipelines near the Cirus and Dhruva reactor complex at the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre near Mumbai was found to have caused severe soil contamination, reportedly affecting people living nearby.

India also concluded a deal with Canada at the weekend for access to much-needed nuclear technology and uranium after a gap of 34 years.

Prime minister Manmohan Singh, who negotiated the deal with counterpart Stephen Harper on the sidelines of the Commonwealth heads of government summit in the Caribbean, said the development “augurs extremely well” for ties between the states.

Canada ended nuclear co-operation with India in 1974 after it used plutonium from a Canadian-supplied reactor for its first atomic bomb.

Last year the Nuclear Suppliers Group of countries agreed to lift the three decade-plus ban on civilian nuclear trade with India, even though New Delhi declined to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.