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Sadr fighters lay down their weapons
Published: May 15, 2008 at 10:44 PM
BAGHDAD, May 15 (UPI) -- Forces loyal to Shiite cleric Moqtada Sadr laid down their weapons Thursday as reports emerged from Iraq of relative calm in the Baghdad district of Sadr City. -
U.S. claims Iranian weapons are in Iraq
Published: May 15, 2008 at 10:42 PM
BAGHDAD, May 15 (UPI) -- A spokesman for the U.S. military in Baghdad said emerging evidence suggests Iran is backing the so-called special groups targeting coalition and Iraqi forces. -
Sadrists' political future uncertain
Published: May 15, 2008 at 10:40 PM
BAGHDAD, May 15 (UPI) -- The Sadrist Movement emerged as an influential force in the post-Saddam era in Iraq, but its potency may be in decline, analysts say.
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Analysis: Indian agencies start blame game
Published: May 15, 2008 at 8:36 PM
By KUSHAL JEENA
UPI Correspondent
NEW DELHI, May 15 (UPI) -- India's intelligence and security agencies are indulging in a blame game over a recent foiled infiltration bid by militants on the Pakistani border, with one agency accusing the paramilitary forces guarding the border of lacking alertness. -
Iraq press roundup
Published: May 15, 2008 at 7:20 PM
By HIBA DAWOOD
UPI Correspondent
The daily Al Mashriq newspaper had an editorial Thursday titled "Last lines for the chaotic months" that said although Iraq has been in a war for five years, the government in the last few weeks has been chaotically carrying out quick military operations and offensives in many cities and areas around the country. -
Features: More graves found
Published: May 15, 2008 at 2:31 PM
By RICHARD TOMKINS
ZAHAMM, Iraq, May 13 (UPI) -- The number of human remains unearthed in an al-Qaida killing field northeast of Baghdad in Diyala province is nearing 70 with the discovery of more graves by villagers who had volunteered to search an abandoned pomegranate orchard. -
Analysis: USAF's cyber offense capability
Published: May 15, 2008 at 2:23 PM
By SHAUN WATERMAN
UPI Homeland and National Security Editor
WASHINGTON, May 15 (UPI) -- Procurement documents from the U.S. Air Force give a rare glimpse into the Pentagon's plans for developing an offensive cyberwar capacity that can infiltrate, steal data from and if necessary take down enemy information technology networks. -
Iraq Press Roundup
Published: May 14, 2008 at 3:49 PM
By HIBA DAWOOD
UPI Correspondent
The Association of Muslim Scholars' Al Basaer newspaper said in its editorial Wednesday that President Bush has divided the people of Iraq into five groups according to the five political groups in Iraq. -
Feature: Iraq's killing fields
Published: May 14, 2008 at 2:13 PM
By RICHARD TOMKINS
ZAHAMM, Iraq, May 13 (UPI) -- Farmers digging in part of an abandoned pomegranate orchard in the Diyala provincial village of Zahamm have uncovered the graves of more than 50 people murdered by al-Qaida-Iraq during their two-year reign of terror in the area.
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Most Popular
By HIBA DAWOOD
UPI Correspondent
The Kurdish Al Itihad Newspaper carried an editorial Monday with the headline: "Why is there no global agreement on the concept of terrorism?"
It said most researchers agree the world "hasn't reached yet a legal definition for the concept of the word 'terrorism.'”
"When we investigate the concept of the word terrorism academically, we realize there are various definitions for it; some call an incident a 'terror action' when it is only a violent action. Some others call it a terror action when a political crime occurs. And others call resistance terrorism even though it is legal according to the international law," the paper said.
The paper said the Arab League Accord to Fight Terrorism of 1998 defined terrorism as "any violent or threatening action that occurs according to an individual or a group’s criminal project, and aims to terrify people, or damage individual or public properties, or occupy them, or endanger any national resource."
"No doubt, if you read the above definition, you will find that it is a political text that lacks legality, taking in consideration that international law distinguishes between terrorism and violent actions, between terror and horror, and between terror and occupation," the editorial said.
The paper commented that after the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the unipolar world, “the concept of terror became subject to U.S. political desire."
"A need for a unified legal definition of the word 'terrorism' became important," Al Itihad said, “but the U.S. continues to define it politically."
The paper said terrorism had become an international action that could be used, not only by individual or groups, but by countries.
"Thus the diversity of people defining the term and the people who practice it are the main obstacles for determining a unified legal definition of the word terrorism,” the editorial said.
"An Islamist … aim of defining the word terrorism differs from somebody who wants their country to be internationally recognized as independent," the paper said.
Iraqi Hezbollah’s Al Baina newspaper asked in an editorial: "Who is behind disfiguring Islam’s image around the world?"
It said there are Islamic organizations inside the United States that have carried out protests in front of the Saudi Embassy in Washington, calling for Saudi Arabia, the country that adopts a "terrorism mentality," to stop its calls, which have been "the reason behind the bad reputation Islam has in the eyes of the entire world."
"Such protests, especially in such countries, raise again the issue of financial and moral support for the terror groups, which took from the word Islam a cover to carry out their shameful crimes against the innocent around the world," the paper said.
The editorial said whenever one hears about an explosion in a Western country or a trial against a terrorist group in another country, "it might give Islam a negative reputation; a religion that is a symbol of humanity, tolerance and love."
UPI Correspondent
The Kurdish Al Itihad Newspaper carried an editorial Monday with the headline: "Why is there no global agreement on the concept of terrorism?"
It said most researchers agree the world "hasn't reached yet a legal definition for the concept of the word 'terrorism.'”
"When we investigate the concept of the word terrorism academically, we realize there are various definitions for it; some call an incident a 'terror action' when it is only a violent action. Some others call it a terror action when a political crime occurs. And others call resistance terrorism even though it is legal according to the international law," the paper said.
The paper said the Arab League Accord to Fight Terrorism of 1998 defined terrorism as "any violent or threatening action that occurs according to an individual or a group’s criminal project, and aims to terrify people, or damage individual or public properties, or occupy them, or endanger any national resource."
"No doubt, if you read the above definition, you will find that it is a political text that lacks legality, taking in consideration that international law distinguishes between terrorism and violent actions, between terror and horror, and between terror and occupation," the editorial said.
The paper commented that after the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the unipolar world, “the concept of terror became subject to U.S. political desire."
"A need for a unified legal definition of the word 'terrorism' became important," Al Itihad said, “but the U.S. continues to define it politically."
The paper said terrorism had become an international action that could be used, not only by individual or groups, but by countries.
"Thus the diversity of people defining the term and the people who practice it are the main obstacles for determining a unified legal definition of the word terrorism,” the editorial said.
"An Islamist … aim of defining the word terrorism differs from somebody who wants their country to be internationally recognized as independent," the paper said.
Iraqi Hezbollah’s Al Baina newspaper asked in an editorial: "Who is behind disfiguring Islam’s image around the world?"
It said there are Islamic organizations inside the United States that have carried out protests in front of the Saudi Embassy in Washington, calling for Saudi Arabia, the country that adopts a "terrorism mentality," to stop its calls, which have been "the reason behind the bad reputation Islam has in the eyes of the entire world."
"Such protests, especially in such countries, raise again the issue of financial and moral support for the terror groups, which took from the word Islam a cover to carry out their shameful crimes against the innocent around the world," the paper said.
The editorial said whenever one hears about an explosion in a Western country or a trial against a terrorist group in another country, "it might give Islam a negative reputation; a religion that is a symbol of humanity, tolerance and love."
© 2007 United Press International. All Rights Reserved.
This material may not be reproduced, redistributed, or manipulated in any form.
This material may not be reproduced, redistributed, or manipulated in any form.
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