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India sets up team to probe Jaipur blasts
Published: May 16, 2008 at 11:01 AM
NEW DELHI, May 16 (UPI) -- India has set up a special investigative team to probe Tuesday's bomb explosions in the city of Jaipur in which 64 people were killed. -
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.
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Feature: U.S. cites attacks despite truce
Published: May 16, 2008 at 2:34 PM
By RICHARD TOMKINS
BAGHDAD, May 13 (UPI) -- A new cease-fire has been declared between the Iraqi government and Shiite gunmen of radical cleric Moqtada Sadr, but U.S. and Iraqi forces say their troops are still coming under attack in Sadr City. -
Dogs of War: Blackwater, Najaf -- Take Two
Published: May 16, 2008 at 10:28 AM
By DAVID ISENBERG
WASHINGTON, May 16 (UPI) -- One aspect of private military and security contractors that is relatively ignored is their relationship with regular military forces. Such discussion, as there is, is generally limited to sound bites about the reported envy that soldiers have for allegedly better paid security contractors. -
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.
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By HIBA DAWOOD
UPI Correspondent
The Association of Muslims Scholars' Al Basaer Newspaper highlighted in an editorial titled "A superpower or a gang?" the United States and its relationship with the chaotic situation in Iraq.
The editorial said the failure of the U.S. occupation is a sign the term "superpower" doesn't apply to it anymore because the U.S. presence has turned out to be no more than a joke. It said the United States spent more than $600 billion to invade Iraq but the security, political and economic situation in Iraq is worse today than during the first years after the occupation.
Despite the death of U.S. troops and thousands of injuries, the United States can't control any city or even the Green Zone, the most "secure" area in Baghdad, the paper said.
"The U.S. uses 160,000 troops, 170,000 foreign mercenaries and 250,000 militia mercenaries who work for the Iraqi government of occupation," it said.
It said these large numbers are still incapable of making any real progress to save the lives of the innocent people of Iraq or in providing for their simple needs. The paper also said the United States as a "superpower" purposely pushed Iraqis to carry out elections to result in a Parliament that consists of members who sold themselves and their country to the "devil."
"The political process failed in presenting even one political bloc that gains any respect because they were well-known for being untrustworthy," the Sunni newspaper said.
It said after the militias within the Iraqi government fought each other -- a reference to the latest clashes in Basra -- the "superpower" couldn't find any solution except to beg Iran to interfere and end the clashes.
It said Gen. Kevin Bergner, special assistant to the president and senior director for Iraq, admitted in a briefing March 26 in Baghdad that Iran had a major influence in Basra and northeast cities of Iraq, and called upon Iran to intervene in order to end the violence among the Shiite Mahdi Army militia, Iraqi forces and other Shiite militias related to the Shiite Dawa and Supreme Iraqi Islamic Council parties.
The paper said five years after the occupation of Iraq and the loss of thousands of soldiers and millions of dollars, the United States is asking for the help of a neighboring country that is, according to the White House, an enemy or at least a threat to U.S. interests.
"A superpower is super if it can change the reality in a place, impose its experience on others or impose its will and not by begging others for interference," it said.
The reality of the situation is that the United States is no more than a state of gangs that plans and thinks and operate with a gang's mentality, it said. There is no difference between the U.S. administration and Congress or its journalists and experts who all talk loud when an incident is about to occur, but who become silent when it fails, it said.
"No matter how strong a gang is, it is impossible to consider it as a superpower," it said.
UPI Correspondent
The Association of Muslims Scholars' Al Basaer Newspaper highlighted in an editorial titled "A superpower or a gang?" the United States and its relationship with the chaotic situation in Iraq.
The editorial said the failure of the U.S. occupation is a sign the term "superpower" doesn't apply to it anymore because the U.S. presence has turned out to be no more than a joke. It said the United States spent more than $600 billion to invade Iraq but the security, political and economic situation in Iraq is worse today than during the first years after the occupation.
Despite the death of U.S. troops and thousands of injuries, the United States can't control any city or even the Green Zone, the most "secure" area in Baghdad, the paper said.
"The U.S. uses 160,000 troops, 170,000 foreign mercenaries and 250,000 militia mercenaries who work for the Iraqi government of occupation," it said.
It said these large numbers are still incapable of making any real progress to save the lives of the innocent people of Iraq or in providing for their simple needs. The paper also said the United States as a "superpower" purposely pushed Iraqis to carry out elections to result in a Parliament that consists of members who sold themselves and their country to the "devil."
"The political process failed in presenting even one political bloc that gains any respect because they were well-known for being untrustworthy," the Sunni newspaper said.
It said after the militias within the Iraqi government fought each other -- a reference to the latest clashes in Basra -- the "superpower" couldn't find any solution except to beg Iran to interfere and end the clashes.
It said Gen. Kevin Bergner, special assistant to the president and senior director for Iraq, admitted in a briefing March 26 in Baghdad that Iran had a major influence in Basra and northeast cities of Iraq, and called upon Iran to intervene in order to end the violence among the Shiite Mahdi Army militia, Iraqi forces and other Shiite militias related to the Shiite Dawa and Supreme Iraqi Islamic Council parties.
The paper said five years after the occupation of Iraq and the loss of thousands of soldiers and millions of dollars, the United States is asking for the help of a neighboring country that is, according to the White House, an enemy or at least a threat to U.S. interests.
"A superpower is super if it can change the reality in a place, impose its experience on others or impose its will and not by begging others for interference," it said.
The reality of the situation is that the United States is no more than a state of gangs that plans and thinks and operate with a gang's mentality, it said. There is no difference between the U.S. administration and Congress or its journalists and experts who all talk loud when an incident is about to occur, but who become silent when it fails, it said.
"No matter how strong a gang is, it is impossible to consider it as a superpower," it said.
© 2008 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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