Middle East on fire

'Bushehr Plant efficiency tests finished'

The Russian contractor in charge of the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant construction project says efficiency tests have been completed ahead of schedule.

"Efficiency tests of the reactor equipment and supporting technological systems was held," Atomstroyexport said in a statement.

The company added that it had conducted hot water testing at the plant and that after reviewing the results it would be ready for launch.

IMO that's why Israel or the US haven't attacked Iran yet...

Because there's russian citizen around/in Iran nuclear facilities... And they remember what happened when Georgia killed a few russians... Russia invaded Georgia to stop the attacks.


US to help Israel's nuclear programs
Doesn't matter that Israel has not signed the NPT. Nor that this violates a number of US laws... Israel is above all laws... according to the feds.

West must listen to Iran in talks: Russia

The United States has secretly given a "written guarantee" to Israel that obliges Washington to sell Israel nuclear fission materials, Israeli sources say.

Iran warns of retaliation if fuel banned

Amid reports about a fuel ban on Iranian passenger planes, Iran has moved to protect the country's national interests by passing a law to retaliate against such punitive measures.

"We should definitely retaliate against the United Arab Emirates, Britain and Germany whose planes need transit fuel from Iran," he added.

However, Falahatpisheh reiterated that doors were still open to democracy, saying that, "Diplomacy has not failed."

Maybe Iran should just attack BP headquarters, BP oil fields and BP oil rigs. People in the west would support them at this point... BP is hated so much...

Israel asks US to boost weapons supply
Kinda old news...

'Iran to launch satellite in August'
I already know what the chicken hawks will say... ``This is proof that they can launch ICBMs``... yeah sure.

Obama: Turkey may look 'elsewhere for alliance' if snubbed by EU (Reuters)

YOU JUST FIGURED THAT OUT? You're just at least 5 years late you tard. You only care about Turkey when they've almost switch side? Reactionnary politics is BS.

The Italian ambassador: UNIFIL’s mission continues and we trust the government and its premier in solving problems.

Good.

The U.N. Security Council has approved a French request for the UNSC to convene an emergency meeting to discuss the latest skirmishes between UNIFIL troops and residents in southern Lebanon.
Hopefully they don't decide to withdraw or do something more drastic.

Syria Secretly Producing Missiles, Part of which to be Sent to Hizbullah, Report

It said Damascus has secretly established a factory for the production of missiles type M-600, adding that there is talk about a joint Syrian-Iranian plan to sent half of these projectiles to Hizbullah.

M600 missiles are quite something... better than scuds.

Former MP Mustafa Alloush said possibilities of war in the region was "almost inevitable, but not in the near future."
I tend to agree.

THis was first posted in January and nothing has happened,.
Nothing to show the REAL begin of a war.

Originally posted by Lil Drummerboy
THis was first posted in January and nothing has happened,.
Nothing to show the REAL begin of a war.

I know that.

But I can't change the title of the thread... I've been dead wrong... but I kinda converted this thread into a middle-east news thread...

Judge Grants Asylum to Former Israeli Spy Accused of Being Terrorist Threat
Ain't that nice?

Former US envoy calls for Afghanistan’s partition
And the big plan comes together... the ``Greater Middle-East`` plan...

It's fun to kill in Afghanistan, says top US commander
Yeewaaa eh?

Gaza aid ship to dock in Egypt after Israel pressure
No confrontation there.

Iranian fighter turned US spy: Tehran will attack Israel
Such BS...

Hezbollah says it has list of targets in Israel
Every military has that... and if they didn't they would be totally stupid.

Ben-Porat: Iranian missile, ammo convoy headed to Syria

Ben-Porat said that he had received the information from personal contacts located in the city of Irbil in northern Iraq. According to his sources, 75 trucks were in the convoy heading from Iran to Syria.

SURE THEY ARE. SURE.

James Clapper to be Tapped as New National Intelligence Director
James Clapper, major propagandist for Iraqi WMDs nominated... Obama needs some intelligence fixed around the policy Bush style?

Iran: Fuel rods ready in August 2010
And the attack grows nearer. If they bomb those reactors after they are full and in use, it will be way worse than if they are empty and not running obviously... But it won't be Chernobyl either...

A Jordanian relief mission plans to send a convoy of 30 vehicles to the Gaza Strip, which has been under an Israeli-imposed blockade for more than three years.
Interesting.

Libyan aid ship en route to Gaza

Israel warns Gaza-bound Libyan aid ship

Israel: Libyan ship will not reach Gaza

Turkey warns Israel of 'sanctions'
That would be funny. Finally someone with balls that put sanctions on war criminal Israeli government.

'US attack on Iran a matter of time'
Gee you think?

A senior Iranian lawmaker says the new round of anti-Iran UN Security Council sanctions is an open declaration of war against Iran by the six major powers.
Well yeah, it's basically a blockade on Iran and a blockade is an act of war.

Hezbollah senses intl. conspiracy

"We sense a suspicious international move…. All these are atmospheres trying to pressure the resistance," they noted. "They are preparing something for us but we are at the highest level of preparedness and calm. We will stay as far as possible from the fiery verbal rivalry because we want the summer of the Lebanese to be complete and pass safely despite all Israel's attempts to implement what it failed to do in 2006, namely, to incapacitate the resistance."

Indeed lots of provocations are done by Israel.

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, or UNIFIL, is in a delicate position "between two armed parties preparing for a possible new conflict
Well duh, it's your job to stop them from fighting again.

Gueant Rules Out War, Stresses No Pullout from UNIFIL
Good.

Security sources told Israel radio that in case of a deterioration in the situation, Israel would give an ultimatum for residents of the south to leave their homes to pave way for an attack on what the Jewish state claims to be depots inside villages.
So Israel will announce when they will start bombing?

Hizballah advances 20,000 troops to Israeli border

The United States may still be in the Afghanistan and Iraq region for another ten years, according to Gen. George Casey.
Only 10 years? You're optimistic! The original plan said until 2030s...

Stirrings of a New Push for Military Option on Iran
Basically saying that the big propaganda would start this autumn and the war would happen next spring... like Iraq. But I doubt they will be able to... the economy will take a dump between now and then... it'll be 2008 all over again. Nothing a good false-flag can't fix.

# 17:57
Ministers approve proposal to create security fence between Israel and Egypt (Israel Radio)

PLO: Israel's one-sided development of Jerusalem is a time bomb (Haaretz)

PLO making sense...

Hezbollah official warns Israel preparing attack in Lebanon (Army Radio)

Maybe so... They need to take out Hezbollah before attacking Iran... so if they are to strike Iran soon or early next year, their only timeframe to start something is before mid-august, depending on how fast they think they can defeat Hezbollah.

Turkish minister: September vote on reforms will boost bid to join EU (Reuters)

And if they join the EU, the extremists might be kicked out...

So if they bomb a working nuclear power plant in Iran does that mean they can blow up an american nuke station without being called cowards for after all they are just returning the faviour and it is america that is provideing the hardware even if they don't have the balls to do it themselves.

If all the crooks in the UN were doing the job they are being paid for instead of taking bribes from the zionists then many lives would be saved and thats what i call treason and those responcible need to be dealt with accordingly.

Now you can gurantee that if missiles start to fly then has luck would have it for iserail one missile is bound to hit the temple mount so they can build the new solaman tample ready for the blesid end times they seek.

Netanyahu going on Larry King to do his propaganda... ain't that a sign of something?

Rumors going around of unplanned rapid deployment of massive numbers of US special forces... destination unknown... probably Israel to go in Lebanon, Iran or Syria... my guess US special forces would be used to fight Hezbollah. That's the only way to defeat them...with a land force. If anyone can confirm, it would be great.

Now that the world cup is over, as Hamas said, plenty of boats will come and try to break the Israeli blockade once again.

Netanyahu: peace deal unlikely to be in place by 2012
With scum like you in charge, you're damn right.

Libyan aid ship vows to break Israeli blockade of Gaza
Confrontation planned for tuesday or wednesday.

Iran Guards making ‘astronomical profits’ from sanctions: Opposition leader
This is what they want. The hardliners in control = war almost assured.

Netanyahu: Only US military threats can stop Iran from making nukes
What about you stop your BS and fight your wars by yourselves?

20 kilos of 20 pct enriched uranium ready: Iran
Can't do much with that. You can do dirty bombs... and even those will be crappy. I don't think Iran will face national suicide using dirty bombs. That would be extremely foolish not even a five years old would do.

Iranian President Ahmadinejad reportedly to visit Lebanon soon (News Agencies)

Gonna be interesting.

Well, i guess i know where im going next summer. Hahaha, wonder if ill see combat.

The report (if true, and we should treat it with caveats) that Hezbollah are putting forces on the border with Israel, is if true, a dream for Israel, and means Hezbollah have fallen into the Israeli trap.


Israel talks of war, Hezbollah finally decides to send forces to the border with Israel as a precaution, and to offer support to Iran should Iran be attacked.

What could happen next? Easy. With the Israel trap snapped shut by this mobilisation of Hezbollah, Israel screams Hezbollah are mobilising on their border, launches 'pre-emptive strike' on Hezbollah, and perhaps an invasion of Lebanon.

Hezbollah and elements of Lebanese army respond and defend Lebanon, and launch rockets at Israel.

Israel screams these Hezbollah attacks are funded by Iran and Syria, and finally get the pretext they feel they need to attack Iran, and Syria.

A portion of Iraqi Shias, seeing their Iranian Shia bretheren in Iran and Lebanon being bombed, launch a revolt in Iraq, targeting US Soldiers, the US being seen to support Israel's attacks.

Israel rubs it's hands with glee, claims the attacks on US Soldiers in Iraq, as well as the Taliban and the overall Afghan and Iraqi insurgency, are funded by Iran, who are supported by Syria and state how the US and Israel are "fighting the same fight".

The US, with members of the US public swallowing this, bay for Iranian blood and to support Israel to the hilt.

Obama, if he does not want war, is stuffed, as is Middle East peace and possibly beyond.

This is just one pretext Israel could use to attack Iran.

The summer is the most dangerous time for world peace....the hot long days that drag on, and the fact that diplomats who could defuse tensions tend to go on holiday, as well as their being national holidays, mean wars can be sparked when any other time they would be defused by international diplomats and beauracrats and goverments at their stations.

The UN stirs at these times, slower than ever.

Prime examples of summer wars in recent years of course were Lebanon 2006, and the South Ossetia War of 2008.

Syrian President Assad on Middle East Crisis (Video)


Syria's Bashar al-Assad warns of Middle East conflict


From the link:

Syria's Bashar al-Assad warns of Middle East conflict

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has said Israel's raid on the Gaza aid flotilla has increased the chances of war in the Middle East.

In an interview with the BBC's Middle East editor Jeremy Bowen, he said Syria was working to prevent a regional war.

But he added that there was no chance of a peace deal with the current Israeli administration, which he called a "pyromaniac government".

Mr Assad also rejected claims he was arming Hezbollah militants in Lebanon.

Nine Turkish activists died during last month's raid on the Free Gaza ships attempting to break Israel's blockade of the Gaza Strip.

Asked if the Israeli raid had increased the chance of war in the Middle East, Mr Assad said: "Definitely, definitely."

"When you don't have peace, you have to expect war every day, and this is very dangerous," he said.

More (Link)

Tensions between Lebanon and Israel at high levels (Video)


Lebanon UN force urges co-operation with peacekeepers

From the article:

Lebanon UN force urges co-operation with peacekeepers


The head of the UN peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon has appealed for calm, following recent incidents in which villagers attacked soldiers.

Locals were angered by what they saw as plans by the UN force to undermine the Hezbollah militant group in the event of a renewed conflict with Israel.

The area is a Hezbollah stronghold.

In an open letter to residents, Maj Gen Alberto Asarta Cuevas said the best way to deal with any concerns was through dialogue, not by beating peacekeepers.

In the latest of the clashes, villagers on Saturday disarmed a French patrol of UN peacekeepers in the village of Tuline and attacked them with sticks, rocks and eggs before the army intervened.

Residents have complained that Unifil has stepped up its patrols in southern Lebanon, which has been under the de facto control of Hezbollah since the withdrawal of Israeli forces in 2000

Link


UN Peacekeepers stepping up patrols, creates tension as the UN peacekeepers, in the villagers' eyes, become more intrusive, when for a long time, UNIFIL and the Lebanese have had a good relationship.

UN peacekeepers know something we don't? Oncoming war? Could be linked to Hezbollah's reported re-deployment to the border, Israel beating the war drums....


As I said, Summers are dangerous times, more dangerous than usual, and that's saying something.


Hold on to your hats and hope not....

[edit on 12-7-2010 by Regensturm]

I think your scenario is probably what would happen...

1:38pm VDL: The explosions and sirens heard in southern Lebanon were caused by military maneuvers by the Israeli army in the areas opposite from the villages of Maroun al-Ras and Yaroun.

Another Israeli provocation aimed at raising tensions today...

Israeli Military Sources: Netanyahu Could Go on 'Military Adventure' against Hamas or Hizbullah

You got that right.

Syria Reportedly Warned U.N. against Taking Sides
Yeah IMO if war breaks out, the UNIFIL could be stupid enough to join Israeli troops and invade southern Lebanon.

Russia says Iran moving closer to nuclear weapons
Well duh it's 1940s technology. Anyone with enough time and money can do it. Who cares. Mao thought that nuclear weapons were a paper tiger against China and did not invade any country...

Tehran stock hits all-time high
Seems like their stock market is manipulated too!

Israel navy on alert over Libyan ship


Today is the 4th anniversary of the Lebanon War of 2006.

If UNIFIL sides with Israel, then that's the true end of any perceived so-called neutrality of the UN by the Lebanese and people in the Middle East in general and further.

In short, the UN would never be able to step again in Lebanon with the same hospitality granted to them by the Lebanese as has previously been the case. They would be greeted with bullets, in short.


Russia saying Iran is close to nuclear weapons can be seen from different viewpoints.

One, that Russia is towing the Israeli-US line because it's getting something out of this support down the road in geopolitical and geostrategical terms. The so-called capture (or giving up) of those Russian spies, some of whom amount to glorified lobbyists, may do much to support this school of thought.

The pro-Israeli lobby in Moscow is certainly building in strength, hence the believed suspension of selling the SS-300 to Iran and may have led to this meeting as well:

Mideast peace talks take center stage at Lavrov’s meeting with US Jewish board



The Second school of thought, that Russia is supporting Iran, is not supporting Israel and the US, but by supporting sanctions and suggesting in agreement with the US and Israel that Iran are close to nuclear weapons nonetheless, are recognising an oncoming crisis and are trying via the diplomatic route to stop Israel and/or the US from attacking Iran by trying to appear co-operative in the so-called diplomatic route so there is no ready Israeli and/or US excuse to attack Iran.

[edit on 12-7-2010 by Regensturm]

Yeah if UNIFIL does that, they are screwed.

I really hope they do. That'll show the world how scummy UN forces are.

Two important dates coming up.

July 26 : New European sanctions on Iran
August 8 : End of the deadline for Iran for compliance with the sanctions.

State Dept.: Turkey agrees to stay out of international debate over Iran's nuclear program (AP)

Heavy diplomacy behind the scenes uh?

Hizbullah tunnels under northern border

Concerns are mounting in the defense establishment that Hizbullah may be digging tunnels from Lebanon to Israel to attack a border community or IDF outpost.

The propaganda is getting stronger everyday to basically force the Israeli people to believe that making a preemptive strike on Lebanon is better...

IDF preparing for forceful interception of Libya-sponsored aid ship bound for Gaza
It should be intercepted tomorrow night around 5-6PM eastern...

The Libyan-chartered, Moldovan-flagged freighter, Amalthea, is about 95 miles due north of Alexandria, traveling at 8.5 knots, on a course of about 106 degrees. It is about 250 miles from the Gaza shore. At course and speed, that should put it near the area where the Rachel Corrie was seized by the IDF last month in about 24 hours.

Erdogan still bristling over Flotilla attack
What will Erdogan do if Israel kill people again on that Lybian aid boat?

Israel eyes Boeing's stealthy F-15E

If you want to follow the aid ship real time...

A three front war?

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Mike Mullen also expressed reservations from time to time. The Joint Chiefs and former CENTCOM commanders know better than most experts that Iran has formidable asymmetrical retaliatory capabilities, from the narrow Straits of Hormuz that still handles 25 percent of the world's oil traffic; to Bahrain (U.S. Fifth Fleet headquarters where the population is two-thirds Shiite and the royal family Sunni); to Dubai, where some 400,000 Iranians reside, many of them "sleeper agents" or favorable to Tehran; to Qatar, now the world's richest country with per capita income at $78,000, which supplies the United States with the world's longest runway and sub-headquarters for CENTCOM, and whose LNG facilities are within short missile range of Iran's coastal batteries; to Saudi Arabia's Ras Tanura, the world's largest oil terminal, and Abqaiq, nerve center of Saudi's eastern oilfields) all are vulnerable to Iranian sabotage or hundreds of Iranian missiles on the eastern side of the Gulf, from southern Iraq down to the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran is way more ``dangerous`` than Iraq ever was.

The temptation for Obama to double down on Iran will grow rapidly as he concludes that Afghanistan will remain a festering sore as far as anyone can peer into a murky future, hardly a recipe for success at the polls in November. With a war in Afghanistan, which is bound to get worse, and a military theater in Iraq replete with sectarian violence, the bombing of Iran may give Obama a three-front war -- and a chance to retain both houses of Congress.

Indeed. Not to mention stupid americans mostly vote ``for a war president`` otherwise they see themselves as anti-patriotic... And for now the Obamabots love obama, once Obama bombs Iran, they will still love him, and the neo-con crowd and zionist crowd will cheer Obama too. The only ones against Obama will be those who have woken up...which is not a lot.

Speaking at the Aspen Institute in Colorado last week, United Arab Emirates Ambassador to the United States Yousef al-Otaiba said publicly -- before denying it -- "I think despite the large amount of trade we do with Iran, which is close to $12 billion, there will be consequences, there will be a backlash and there will be problems with people protesting and rioting and very unhappy that there is an outside force attacking a Muslim country; that is going to happen no matter what."

And he added, "If you are asking me, 'Am I willing to live with that versus living with a nuclear Iran, my answer is still the same -- 'We cannot live with a nuclear Iran.'"

A former Arab leader, in close touch with current leaders, speaking privately not for attribution, told this reporter July 6, "All the Middle Eastern and gulf leaders now want Iran taken out of the nuclear arms business and they all know sanctions won't work."

The arabs don't want Iran to have nukes...


Things are really getting hot, almost as hot as this summer, the hotter in most parts of the world in decades.

Here's some more on what Medvedev had to say about Iran's nuclear research programme

Iran advancing in nuclear research - Medvedev

From the link:

Iran advancing in nuclear research - Medvedev

The Islamic Republic “is getting closer to possessing the potential that in principle can be used to create a nuclear weapon,” Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has said.

Medvedev added that breaking up the dialogue with Tehran would become “our common failure.”

“It is time to finally abandon simplified approaches to [the Iranian nuclear problem],” Medvedev said on Monday at a meeting in Moscow with Russian ambassadors and permanent representatives, Interfax cites.

However, the Russian head of state noted that possessing such potentials is not prohibited by the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty which “is one of the problems” arising from the imperfection of international regulations.

Medvedev has reiterated the stance Moscow has long been pursuing: sanctions hardly ever lead to positive results. However, he went on, there is a point in imposing sanctions and that is sending “a signal which stimulates the negotiating process.”

“We should now be patient and resume the dialogue with Tehran as soon as possible. That is, we believe, the key goal of the new UN Security Council resolution on Iran,” the Russian president said.


If diplomacy misses a chance for resuming talks with the Islamic Republic, “it would be a common failure of the entire international community,” Medvedev stressed.

Meanwhile, “Iran is not acting in the best way,” the Russian leader noted. Moscow is constantly calling on Tehran to show openness and cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). He noted that the so-called Group of Six international intermediaries has an even bigger responsibility.

Russia's ambassador to the UN Vitaly Churkin was at the meeting with the president and told RT that he hopes diplomatic efforts over Iran's nuclear dispute will be renewed soon.

The Western media concentrates on just "Russia says Iran close to nuclear weapons!" But read between the lines, read the article, and we may actually be seeing Russia trying to make Iran not step into any trap laid by Israel and to co-operate diplomatically so as not to enable Israel a ready-made excuse to attack.


Note the stressing of diplomacy, and how breaking dialogue with Iran was a "failure", but how Iran is not "acting in the best way." perhaps Russia is worried that Iran is doing exactly what will make them fall into Israel's trap.



Iran is stronger than Iraq was in 2003, because Iraq had been under 18 years of crippling UN sanctions, akin to placing Iraq under medieval siege. Medicine was made scarce, and the people were weakened and made ill. Iraq's military also could not receive new parts and rusted away.

One could say with Iraq that it was the plan all along, make Iraq so weak it could no longer maintain an effective defence, and then attack in 2003 after the long seige had weakened them.

Equally, Iran is stronger than Iraq in 1990. Iraq had just emerged from an exhaustively grinding and bloody war with Iran before sending it's forces into Kuwait.

Iran is stronger, it has better equipment than Iraq, is bigger, and has learned the lessons of what happened to Iraq.

It has no doubt watched and learned from what has happened in Serbia, Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Iraq, what these countries did right in war, and what they did wrong.


It's possible that there could be a few years of sanctions before any war happens, but Israel is impatient, thinks it can handle Iran, and the US is not far behind.



Something else to add to the mix:



Missing Iranian scientist appears at embassy in US


From the link:

Missing Iranian scientist appears at embassy in US


A missing Iranian nuclear scientist, who Tehran says was kidnapped a year ago by the CIA, has taken refuge in the Iran section of Pakistan's US embassy.

A spokesman from Pakistan's Foreign Office, Abdul Basit, told the BBC that Shahram Amiri was seeking immediate repatriation to Iran.

In June videos purportedly of Mr Amiri but containing contradictory information on his whereabouts emerged.

The US rejected Tehran's claims that it was behind Mr Amiri's disappearance.

Iranian media say Mr Amiri worked as a researcher at a university in Tehran, but some reports say he worked for the country's atomic energy organisation and had in-depth knowledge of its controversial nuclear programme.


ABC News reported in March that he had defected and was helping the CIA, revealing valuable information about the Iranian nuclear programme.

But earlier this month, Tehran said it had proof he was being held in the US.

The allegation came after three videos purportedly of Mr Amiri emerged - the first said he had been kidnapped, the second that he was living freely in Arizona, and the third that he had escaped from his captors.

Diplomatic standoff

The BBC's former correspondent in Tehran, Jon Leyne, says that Iran's version of the story seems to be backed up by events unfolding in Washington DC.

Our correspondent says Mr Amiri's sudden appearance is a major embarrassment for the American spy agencies and could lead to a diplomatic stand-off.

More here


What Amiri has to say will be very interesting, perhaps too interesting for the CIA.


If he's escaped his kidnapping, amazing. But consider this.

What if he has been kidnapped by the CIA and Saudis, successfully turned into an asset, and all this talk and videos of escaping their clutches is actually a clever ruse to have the Iranians take him back, where he can give info to the US, Israel and the Saudis from the Iranian side while at the same time being seen as a hero in Iran?


Interesting to see what happens next..

[edit on 13-7-2010 by Regensturm]

too many here seem to think Iran has lost the war before it's started.

All it takes is a flash of biological agents to be smashed in the streets of a major city and the economys of the west will stop over night and the public wil turn on the goverment for dragging them into a war that they have created and the people never wanted.

Facist Germany started a war, it didn't win

People in the west won't even pull themselves away from the TV screen but those being attacked will march all night and having seen how the americans treat people in Iraq they are not going to fall for the BS that the americans are going to be liberators.

Don't poke that bees nest else your going to get stung.

If Iran is attacked, Iran will not take it laying down, they will fight the war imposed upon them, and they will do their level and justifiable best to do hurt to those who hurt them, and attack those who attack them, and who are seen to support their attackers.

In short, if a war arrives at their doorstep, if war is brought to them, waged on them, they will fight that war. They will defend themselves. And their friends, and people who consider Iranians family, such as the Shia in Iraq and Lebanon and possibly elsewhere, may well feel compelled to aid them.

Iran has a proud and lengthy history, based on the foundations of an ancient civillisation.

Just because their government is unpopular in certain quarters of the country does not mean that should war be waged on their country, Iranians will not rally around their government, around their flag, and defend their country, and confront their attackers.

It happened when Iraq invaded Iran in 1980, people who disliked the government, including members of the military who had served under the Shah, turned to defend their country.

Going back further, Churchill in Britain was not universally popular, but people rallied around him as their war leader to confront the Nazi threat. When that threat was vanquished, Churchill was voted out.


Remember the Libyan Aid Ship bringing aid for Gaza?

Reuters is now reporting this.


Israeli navy makes contact with Gaza bound ship


From the link:

Israeli navy makes contact with Gaza bound ship

13 Jul 2010 12:15:02 GMT
Source: Reuters
JERUSALEM, July 13 (Reuters) - The Israeli navy made contact with a Libyan aid ship bound for the Gaza Stripon Tuesday, but its commandos have not boarded the vessel, the Israeli military said.

"The navy just began its process of trying to stop the ship," a military spokeswoman said. "At this time the process of communicating with them has begun." (Writing by Ari Rabinovitch; Editing by Jeffrey Heller)

Link

It's an ongoing situation as I type.


EDIT: It's starting to receive attention on the broader media wires now...



Libyan ship "will continue to Gaza'


From the link:

Libyan ship 'will continue to Gaza'


Organisers of a Libya-sponsored aid ship have said they will continue their attempt to break the naval blockade of the Gaza Strip, despite Israeli claims that the vessel would instead sail to Egypt.

Yousseuf Sawani, a director of the Gaddafi International Charity and Development Foundation, told Al Jazeera that there were no plans for the Al-Amal to dock at the port El-Arish.

"This is definitely a part of the campaign against the ship, a campaign of distortion, but we are definitely heading towards Gaza, because that is where aid should be heading to," he told Al Jazeera.

"This is a purely humane mission, it is neither provocative nor hostile," he said.

The ship set sail from Greece on Saturday, carrying 2,000 tonnes of humanitarian aid for the Gaza Strip, but the Israeli foreign ministry said that it had reached an agreement with Greece and Moldova to have the ship diverted to Egypt.

Israeli request

Israeli authorities also reportedly contacted Omar Suleiman, the Egyptian intelligence chief, to request that the ship be allowed to dock in El-Arish, close to the border with the Gaza Strip.


But Hossam Zaki, a spokesman for the Egyptian foreign ministry, said that he was not expecting the ship to travel to the Egyptian port.

"This ship is not headed Egypt. We did not get any official request from the Libyan side for the ship to dock in Egypt," he said.

"Its not about the Israelis' request. Its up to the will of the organisers of the ship.

"They said they are heading to Gaza, they did not approach us. The situation as far we are concerned is a ship heading to Gaza."

The boat was chartered by a charity headed by the son of Muammar Gaddafi, the Libyan leader, and is carrying "a number of supporters who are keen on expressing solidarity with the Palestinian people in the plight amidst the siege imposed on Gaza".

More


Al Jazeera report that they have a correspondent on board.

[edit on 13-7-2010 by Regensturm]

Israel said they would intercept the boat only in Israeli waters. That they would ``take it slow this time``...

US warships source of 'insecurity' in PG

Israel resumes razing Palestinian homes
Provocations are so fun uh?

Iran, Russia drafting energy road map
More energy contracts between Russia and Iran... which makes a war even more dangerous.

Castro: US provoking war on Iran
Yep.

Iran plane fuel crisis remains unsolved

NATO: Afghan exit emboldens Taliban
Let's stay there forever! Yay! Let's all forget that they need those troops to attack Iran...

Captain of Libyan aid ship en route to Gaza: We'll sail to El-Arish (Haaretz)

El Arish is in Egypt. It seems the aid ship crisis is ``over``...

But...
Organizers report radio contact with Israel, pledge to steam on for Gaza; aid ship had previously agreed to dock at el-Arish in Egypt, but appears to have changed intentions.
So who knows.

Israeli authorities have given a Gaza-bound Libyan aid ship an ultimatum of midnight on Tuesday to change course, in a radio contact with the vessel, an organiser of the mission on board said.

“Israeli authorities have given us until midnight tonight to change course and head to the (Egyptian) port of El-Arish, otherwise they are threatening to intercept the boat with their navy,” Mashallah Zwei said.

It's something like 1:20AM now in Israel...

Clinton: I am determined to prevent the isolation of Israel internationally (Haaretz)

Why don't you move there instead? You clearly talk like if you were an Israeli politician, not an American one.

Turkish FM: Ankara will continue to push for international flotilla probe (AP)

Good.

Clinton says Iran scientist free to come and go (Reuters)

Yeah especially when you kidnap people eh?

Victims of Hezbollah rockets during Second Lebanon War sue Al-Jazeera (Ch. 10)

Four years later eh?

Freedom Fleet-2 to Break Gaza Siege after Ramadan
That's in September.

The Turkish foreign ministry has denied reports that Ankara agreed with a US call to stop diplomatic efforts to find a peaceful solution to Iran's nuclear issue.

The European Union has strongly condemned Israel for evicting Palestinians and destroying their homes in East al-Quds (Jerusalem).

Iranian scientist surfaces in US


From the link:

Iranian scientist surfaces in US


The Pakistani foreign ministry has confirmed that an Iranian nuclear scientist, who Iran claims was abducted by the US, has taken refuge at their embassy in Washington DC.

The scientist, Shahram Amiri, was "dropped off" on Monday night, according to Abdul Basit, a spokesman for the Pakistani foreign ministry in Islamabad.

Iran and the US have no diplomatic relations, so Tehran's interests in Washington are handled by an "interests section" at the Pakistani embassy.

The interests section, where Amiri was dropped off, is separate from the main Pakistani embassy in Washington.

Iranian authorities have repeatedly said that Amiri was seized by the CIA as he visited Saudi Arabia last year. US officials have denied those allegations.

Iranian state media reported that Amiri asked for a "quick return" to Iran, and Basit said Iranian authorities were making arrangements to get him out of the United States.

The US state department said on Tuesday that Amiri was "free to go," and that there was no evidence he was mistreated during his time in the US.

Amiri 'handed over'

Iran's semi-official Fars news agency claimed Amiri was handed over to the embassy by US agents, calling it a defeat for "America's intelligence services".

"Because of Iran's media and intelligence activities, the American government had to back down and hand over Amiri to the embassy on Monday night," Fars said.

Iranian state television has broadcast the text of what it claims is an interview with Amiri conducted on Tuesday. But the authenticity of the interview is impossible to confirm.

"After the film of my interview was published in the internet [which lead to] the disgrace of the US government because of [their responsibility in] the kidnapping," the interviewee said.

"They intended to send me back home without much noise in order to cover up the kidnapping through denying the whole case, but they couldn't do that in the end," it said.

More


A couple of things about this article.


1) Iran's semi-offical news agency Fars reportedly claiming Amiri was handed over to the embassy by US agents.

Certainly, Al Jazeera's cameras at the scene picked up some men in suits hanging around big cars in the street outside, but Al Jazeera also reported they were told Amiri was handed to the embassy by Iranians, suggesting to me Amiri had linked up with Iranians who had got him to the safety of the embassy if he was indeed fleeing kidnapping.


2) The statement by Amiri in an interview that because of Iran's media and intelligence services, the US Government had to "back down". Did Amiri meet with Iranian agents while on the run, who got him to the embassy?


3) The statement by Amiri that the US government wanted to just send him home without much "noise" in order to cover up the kidnapping....but if Amiri had been recaptured, surely the US Government would have forced him to make another video saying how happy he was in the US as the theory goes with the video where he denied being kidnapped?


CNN report ( via a female blonde correspondent whose name I forget) that former US intelligence agents had told them that Amiri's family in Iran had been threatened and that's why Amiri, having defected, was now returning to Iran.


Plausible theory perhaps, but the correspondent insisted on this theory as acknowledged fact, talking about it endlessly, offering no alternative theory as to the affair and implying that was the end of the story.

If this is the new CNN analysis after the more level-headed approached analysis from the sacked Octavia Nasr, who would offer many sides to a story, then that is worrying but perhaps unsurprising.



Now let's think about this. Suppose there has been a deal between the US and Iran.

Those three US 'hikers' held by Iran, who Iran suspect as spies, being handed over to the US in return for Amiri in a swap.


The reported account by Fars News Agency of Amiri being handed over by US Agents may add credence to this.


The deal is a long-time in the making, and the US now have to trust that Iran releases the three hikers in return.


But the US sits pretty, for Amiri is now an asset for the CIA/Mossad/The Saudis, and he goes back to Iran, his escape story passed into heroic status.

Meanwhile, the three US 'Hikers' are released in the coming days or weeks or months.

A success for Obama, but a success overall in that three US 'hikers' are released to America, and America now has an agent back in Iran, who is regarded as the Iranian hero.


Amiri may not be a CIA asset. But if the CIA considered Amiri a high value target enough to kidnap him in the belief he knew lots of things, why let him escape to the embassy? Why let him get away back to Iran where his expertise in his field ( nuclear scientist, apparently) can be called upon once more in Iran for it's nuclear programme? And why would US Agents hand over Amiri when in their custody he could be made to record videos telling how happy he was, to dispell kidnap rumours?


Let's go back to the CNN theory. Amiri is returning back to Iran because his family have been threatened. Presumably, if Amiri has been seen to defect to the US, an escape story would add much credence and save him from being treated a traitor in Iran when he returns. The US let him go, on the condition he provides "intel" from Iran. Otherwise, the US begins leaking how "helpful" and "willing" Amiri was in providing information on Iran's nuclear programme via the intel community enough tht Iran picks it up, and indeed through the media. Amiri would then be in a rather difficult position.


In short, it would not surprise me if Amiri is now a CIA asset being sent back to Iran with the cover he was the Great Escapee from the CIA.


He would be helpful in any Israeli/and or US war on Iran.



Libyan Gaza-bound aid ship heads towards Egypt


From the link:

The confusion over where and when the Amalthea would dock prompted an Israeli official to suggest there was disagreement between the hired crew of 12 and some 10 pro-Palestinian activists aboard determined to defy the Gaza blockade.

Link

Note the Israelis are trying psy-ops to try to put across a sense of division between the aid ship's crew and activists.

If the ship's crew are nervy, who can blame them. Israel's reputation when it comes to aid ships is well known and splattered in blood.

reply to post by Regensturm


The ship is just off the Egyptian coast now and definitely going to El-Arish. Speed 1.5 Kt Heading 155 deg

www.abovetopsecret.com...

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/6b0372c81563.png[/atsimg]

Edit to add map

A bit more on that:
[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/f6af0bae35fd.png[/atsimg]

The ship is now inside Egyptian waters so Israel is not cordoning off the ship and forcing it to change course. This is BS to cover their change of heart. See details in my thread, Since last night it has been heading directly for El-Arish but very slowly as I think the captain is at odds with the activists. That bit is correct.

[edit on 14/7/2010 by PuterMan]

Gaza aid ship 'diverted to Egypt'

From the link:

Gaza aid ship 'diverted to Egypt'

A Libyan aid ship originally bound for the Gaza Strip has been diverted to a port in Egypt after the Israeli navy warned the vessel against trying to break an Israeli blockade on the Palestinian coastal territory.

Israeli warships were shadowing the Moldovan-flagged Amalthea, carrying 2,000 tonnes of food and medicine, to its diverted destination of El Arish port on the Egyptian Sinai coast.

"Eight Israeli warships are surrounding the Libyan aid ship for Gaza and preventing the continuation of its journey," Yousseuf Sawani, executive director of the Gaddafi Foundation which charteredthe vessel, said early on Wednesday.

Sawani said earlier that the warships were "threatening" the Amalthea, also known as Al Amal, which he said was still headed for Gaza. But he made it clear that those on board would not violently resist any efforts to stop them.

"First and foremost, we want to arrive to Gaza. If this is impossible, we don't want to subject anyone to danger," he told Al Jazeera.

Sawani said that communications with the boat had been jammed and the vessel was moving at a slow pace because of the Israeli warships that were trailing it.

An Egyptian official confirmed that the ship sought and received permissionto sail to El Arish, where authorities would unload its humanitarian aid cargo and transfer it by land to Gaza.

But he said that there was "no co-ordination at the moment with the ship and we do not know where its final destination is".

More


According to an Al Jazeera Correspondent on board just speaking on their English channel, the ship was met by a "wall" of Israeli warships as they approached Gaza.

The executive director of the Gaddafi Foundation who organised the aid ship, said in the article he does not want to subject "anyone to danger", hence why they may be headed to Egypt now.