THE US, THE UN AND THE IRAQIS THEMSELVES, V. 7.0

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Iraqi officials announced Tuesday they will seal the country's borders, extend a nighttime curfew and restrict movement to protect voters during the Jan. 30 vote, which insurgents are seeking to ruin with a campaign of violence.

If any group does not participate in the elections, it will constitute treason," al-Naqib said. He added that "boycotting the elections will not produce a National Assembly that represents the Iraqi people."

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq (news - web sites) said Tuesday it would shut its land borders and bar traffic from getting close to voting centers over the Jan. 30 polls to try to thwart attacks, as insurgents targeted a Shi'ite party with a suicide bomb.

Court martial told of soldiers' 'appalling' abuse

Mark Oliver and agencies
Tuesday January 18, 2005


http://image.guardian.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2005/01/18/courtmartialhandout372.jpg
Handout photograph from court martial of three British soldiers accused of abusing Iraqi detainees

Three British soldiers carried out "shocking and appalling" physical and sexual abuse of Iraqi prisoners that was photographed by servicemen, a court martial heard today.
Twenty-two photographs were released by a British military court in Germany where the court martial of the three accused Royal Regiment of Fusiliers soldiers opened today.

Among the disturbing images was a picture of two naked Iraqi men simulating anal sex with their thumbs raised up to the cameras. There was also a close-up picture of two Iraqis simulating oral sex.

In other images, detainees are bound and apparently been assaulted by British troops.

Speaking in London, the head of the army, General Sir Mike Jackson, said that while he could not directly comment on the ongoing proceedings, the army condemned "utterly all acts of abuse".

The images are reminiscent of the photographs of naked Iraqi detainees being abused in US custody at Abu Ghraib prison outside Baghdad which caused outrage around the world.

The British soldiers are accused of abusing detainees who had attempted to steal food and powdered milk from a warehouse they were guarding outside Basra, in southern Iraq in May 2003, weeks after Saddam Hussein was toppled.

Lieutenant Colonel Nick Clapham, prosecuting, told the court martial near Osnabruck, in northern Germany: "It cannot be said that these photographs are of incidents that are anything other than shocking and appalling."

Lance Corporal Darren Larkin, 30, from Oldham, Greater Manchester, admitted one charge of assaulting an unknown male at the camp, but pleaded not guilty to a charge of indecent conduct for allegedly forcing two Iraqi detainees to undress in front of others.

His two co-accused, Corporal Daniel Kenyon, 33, and Lance Corporal Mark Cooley, 25, between them denied nine further charges of mistreating Iraqi detainees.

Evidence of the alleged abuse came to light after a set of photographs was left for processing at a shop in Tamworth, Staffordshire. When the developer saw the photographs, she was "disturbed by the content" and contacted civilian police, the hearing was told.

The photographs depicting the alleged abuse of the prisoners were from the cameras of five British servicemen.

If found guilty by Judge Advocate Michael Hunter and a panel of officers, the accused soldiers could be jailed and discharged from the army.

Referring to the admission of assault, Lance Corporal Larkin's lawyer, William England, told the court: "He is ashamed of his unacceptable and mindless act ... and that he has brought shame to his proud regiment, himself and his family."

Corporal Kenyon denied six charges, including two of aiding and abetting a person to force two naked males being detained by British troops to simulate a sex act. He also faces a charge of being an accessory in the battery to which Lance Corporal Larkin pleaded guilty.

Lance Corporal Cooley, from Newcastle-upon-Tyne, denied three charges, including placing an unknown Iraqi captive, with his hands bound, on the front of a forklift and driving it around, and also simulating punching and kicking a detainee while someone else took photographs.

Lt Col Clapham told the hearing that the camp's commander, Major Dan Taylor, had ordered that looters should be "worked hard" in a crackdown codenamed Operation Ali Baba - a reference to the folk story of Ali Baba and the 40 thieves.

The prosecutor said the orders were an "unlawful" breach of the Geneva convention, "but even though the order was unlawful, had the defendants done no more they would not face the charges they face today".

Speaking to reporters, Sir Michael said that the proper way to deal with allegations of abuse was "for them to be investigated by the service police and, as appropriate, prosecuted by the independent service authorities".

He said. "I have every confidence in the military investigative and judicial system."

The court martial, which is expected to last up to four weeks, continues.

You're using a narrow definition of tolerance, ican, and it's full meaning would not necessitate harboring.
[No, I am using a specific definition, which you speculate is narrow. At the risk of my shocking you, the Merriam-Webster dictionary's definitions are more credible to me than are your speculations.][/b]

Quote:

www.m-w.com
Main Entry: tol·er·ate
Pronunciation: 'tä-l&-"rAt
Function: transitive verb
Inflected Form(s): -at·ed; -at·ing
Etymology: Latin toleratus, pp. of tolerare to endure, put up with; akin to Old English tholian to bear, Latin tollere to lift up, latus carried (suppletive past participle of ferre), Greek tlEnai to bear
1 : to exhibit physiological tolerance for (as a drug)
2 a : to suffer to be or to be done without prohibition, hindrance, or contradiction b : to put up with

Main Entry: 2harbor
Function: verb
Inflected Form(s): har·bored; har·bor·ing /-b(&-)ri[ng]/
transitive senses
1 a : to give shelter or refuge to b : to be the home or habitat of <the ledges still harbor rattlesnakes>; broadly : CONTAIN 2
2 : to hold especially persistently in the mind : CHERISH <harbored a grudge>

[For example: Saddam put up with (i.e., tolerated)northern Iraq being the habitat of al Qaeda (i.e., harbored al Qaeda.][/b]

You're merely speculating about "Saddam would have destroyed that encampment in northern Iraq before the US invasion if he had not tolerated that al Qaeda encampment in northern Iraq."
[By definition, if Saddam did not tolerate al Qaeda's encampment in northern Iraq, he would have taken whatever action he thought would be effective to remove that encampment (e.g., destroy that encampment).][/b]

You have nothing to substantiate your flights of fancy. Saddam had no control over northern Iraq.
[The Kurds had no more control over northern Iraq than did Saddam. Al Qaeda reformed in northern Iraq by 2001 after the Kurds defeated al Qaeda in northern Iraq by 1999. What evidence do you have that Saddam actually lacked the choice of at least attempting the same thing in response to the US's request to extradite the al Qaeda leadership (e.g., Zarqawi).][/b]

The US's discovery and destruction of the al Qaeda encampment in northern Iraq is not evidence of saddam's harboring of al Qaeda in northern Iraq. Saddam had no control over northern Iraq.
[It is evidence that at the time of the US's invasion of Iraq 3/20/2003, tAQeinI (i.e., the al Qaeda encamped in northern Iraq) were so encamped; that in turn, plus the fact that Saddam never claimed tAQeinI were not so encamped, plus the fact that Saddam never claimed he tried to remove tAQeinI, are evidence that Saddam did not attempt to remove tAQeinI; that in turn is evidence that Saddam tolerated tAQeinI; that in turn is evidence that Saddam harbored tAQeinI.][/b]

The allegations of Saddam harboring al Qaeda has not been verified. I stand corrected; Powell was right about some missile parts. How credible.
[It has been verified. I just did that, again. As I have repeatedly pointed out, 4 out of 5 of Powell's major allegations were true.][/b]

It is relevant to our debate that the 9/11 commission's report completely and utterly omits mention of al-Zarqawi because Powell named him specifically as the al-Qaeda lieutenant in northern Iraq. Powell made allegations that Zarqawi traveled to Baghdad in May 2002 for medical treatment, staying in the capital of Iraq for two months while he recuperated to fight another day. And that affiliates were connected to Zarqawi because they remained in regular contact with his direct subordinates, including the poison cell plotters (what poison cell plotters?), and that they were involved in moving more than money and material. It was Zarqawi that Powell specifically mentioned in his allegations of approaching Baghdad about extradition. Not a single word of corroboration is mentioned in the 9/11 commission's report. The 9/11 commission's silence about Zaraqawi is relevant precisely because it could have corroborated Powell's claims, but it does not. Powell's claims concerning Saddam and admonitions about information and "passed details" to find Zarqawi "and his close associates," the al-Qaeda leadership whom you are implying, have not been substantiated.
[The 9/11 commission's silence about Zarqawi is not relevant, precisely because it was not their objective to corroborate any of Powell's claims or anyone else's. It was their objective to determine the facts they thought most relevant to the effectiveness of the terror attacks 9/11/01, and propose such actions as they thought would reduce the probability of the occurrence of another 9/11/01.

Whether or not Zarqawi was or was not among the leadership of tAQeinI has zero to do with whether or not Saddam tolerated tAQeinI, and whether Saddam harbored tAQeinI. Let's both of us agree that Zarqawi's role or non-role in tAQeinI is a matter of pure speculation. Maybe Zarqawi had such a role, and maybe he did not. Either way Saddam tolerated tAQeinI and harbored tAQeinI.][/b]

Powell also played fast and loose and mislead with the "information" in his speech. He talked about "those helping to run this camp are Zarqawi lieutenants operating in northern Kurdish areas outside Saddam Hussein's controlled Iraq." But later he stated, "We are not surprised that Iraq is harboring Zarqawi and his subordinates. This understanding builds on decades long experience with respect to ties between Iraq and Al Qaida."
Maybe Zarqawi had such a role, and maybe he did not. Either way Saddam tolerated tAQeinI and harbored tAQeinI.][/b]

That "Iraq is harboring Zarqawi and his subordinates" is one thing. That Saddam allegedly harbored Zarqawi and his subordinates is another. Powell deliberately confused the two issues.
Maybe Zarqawi had such a role, and maybe he did not. Either way Saddam tolerated tAQeinI and harbored tAQeinI.][/b]


We should care because Powell and the US administration trumped up the charges and played on the fears of the American public to gain support for an unnecessary war.
Maybe Zarqawi had such a role, and maybe he did not. Either way Saddam tolerated tAQeinI and harbored tAQeinI.][/b]


While talking about Zarqawi Powell said, "One of his specialities and one of the specialties of this camp is poisons," and then he wen on about how dangerous ricin and other poisons were. "Less than a pinch--image a pinch of salt--less than a pinch of ricin, eating just this amount in your food, would cause shock followed by circulatory failure." (!!!) Death comes within 72 hours and there is no antidote, there is no cure." (!!!) "It is fatal." (!!!) There is no evidence that poisons were ever handled at that camp. Powell is a hustler par excellence.
Maybe Zarqawi had such a role, and maybe he did not. Either way Saddam tolerated tAQeinI and harbored tAQeinI.][/b]

That is why we should care, ican. Well, for you the point is moot. You'd think our violence, destruction and killing in Iraq would be justified had Saddam merely farted upwind of the US of A.
Maybe Zarqawi had such a role, and maybe he did not. Either way Saddam tolerated tAQtweinI and harbored tAQeinI.][/b]

[The US's discovery and destruction of the al Qaeda encampment in northern Iraq is evidence that at the time of the US's invasion of Iraq 3/20/2003, tAQeinI (i.e., the al Qaeda that was encamped in northern Iraq) were so encamped; that in turn, plus the fact that Saddam never claimed tAQeinI were not so encamped, plus the fact that Saddam never claimed he tried to remove tAQeinI, are evidence that Saddam did not attempt to remove tAQeinI; that in turn is evidence that Saddam tolerated tAQeinI; that in turn is evidence that Saddam harbored tAQeinI.][/b]


I don't care what the political inclinations of anyone who is discredited are, ican. A discredited individual is a discredited individual, be he a Republican, Democrat, Ba'athist, or National Socialist.
[Excellent! I'm overjoyed to learn that you are evenhanded! However, you do appear to imply that anyone who scores less than 100%, is rated by you as scoring 0% (i.e., is discredited )][/b]

Quote:

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Iraqi officials announced Tuesday they will seal the country's borders, extend a nighttime curfew and restrict movement to protect voters during the Jan. 30 vote, which insurgents are seeking to ruin with a campaign of violence.

Patrick Henry: "It is in vain, sir, to extenuate the matter. Gentlemen may cry peace, peace!—but there is no peace. The war is actually begun. The next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms. Our brethen are already in the field. Why stay we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God. I know not what course others may take, but as for me: give me liberty, or give me death!"

January 13, 2005 edition
Syrian reformer rankles Islamists
As Islamic conservatism rises in Syria, one Muslim scholar rejects Islam's 'monopoly of salvation.'
Christian Science Monitor

By Nicholas Blanford

DAMASCUS, SYRIA - In a country where conservative Islamic sentiment is rising, Islamist scholar Mohammed Habash's moderate views strike a jarring chord.


Dressed in a tailored tweed suit, he looks more like a college professor than the traditional image of an Islamic religious leader in robes and headdress. But Mr. Habash says he is indeed from the conservative tradition of Islam and was educated only in religious schools.

His interpretation of Islam, however, is anything but conservative. He promotes a reformist vision of Islam that accepts Western ideas, including secular forms of government. Women, he says, are permitted by Islam to receive the same level of education as men and to fully participate in public life, even as religious, political, and business leaders. He advocates peaceful resistance to the US-led occupation in Iraq, in contrast to some clerics in Syria's Sunni Muslim heartland who have encouraged the insurgency. And he rejects what he calls the "monopoly of salvation," the belief that Islam is the only true religion.

"We have to accept other religions," says Habash, director of the Center of Islamic Studies in Damascus. "Islam has to confirm what came before and not cancel [Judaism and Christianity] out. Also, it is not wrong to absorb new ideas from the West and East."

His views have put him at odds with Syria's conservative Muslim clergy that brands all religions other than Islam false and views the West suspiciously.

Even the late Sheikh Ahmad Kuftaro, the moderate Grand Mufti of Syria who was a mentor to Habash, released a statement condemning some of his protégé's ideas when Habash was campaigning in Syria's 2003 parliamentary election. Nonetheless, Habash was elected with the highest number of votes after the ruling Baath Party candidates.

The growth of conservative Islam in Syria is partly a reaction to decades of secular Baathist rule and poor economic opportunity. About 20 percent of Syria's workforce is unemployed, and 20 percent of the population of 17 million falls below the poverty line. "Throughout the Arab world, radical Islamization appears to have been the result of many factors - the failure of secular Arab nationalism, the failure of states, and, perhaps most of all, the failure of economic development," says Michael Young, a Lebanese political analyst.

Israeli-Palestinian violence and US Mideast policies have further radicalized Muslims, say experts.

Muslims also are spurred into action by the spreading influence of Western ideas, like globalization and secularism, which threaten to marginalize Islam, says Sadeq al-Azm, a Syrian professor of philosophy teaching in the Netherlands.

"Fundamentalists believe this is the final confrontation," he says. "If the modernization of states continues like this, what is there to prevent Islam from eventually becoming like Christianity in Europe? They feel that if they don't stand up now and draw a line, that's it."

The internal debate among Muslims in Syria comes amid signs that the Baathist regime is slowly shedding secularism as Islam grows more influential. "The government is on its way to abandoning secularism," says Sheikh Wehbi Zubeidi, a conservative cleric. "They raised this slogan [in the past] just to establish national unity ... but secularism was not accepted by the Syrians because we are very religious."

In 1982, the Syrian government suppressed an uprising of the Muslim Brotherhood, a Sunni Islamist organization that had conducted a wave of assassinations and bombings against Baathist officials from the late 1970s.

The confrontational approach favored by Islamists two decades ago has been replaced by a subtle "Gramscian" strategy, says Professor Azm, referring to the Italian communist Antonio Gramsci who advocated toppling capitalism through infiltrating institutions rather than direct attacks.

Indeed, some analysts say that the Islamist penetration of the state is well under way. They point to the arrest in October of Nabil Fayyad, an intellectual who has written of the growing power of Islamists in Syria. They say his arrest by the intelligence services and month-long detention came at the urging of Islamist elements in the government.

"Islamists are spreading like wildfire," says a Syrian human rights activist who asked not to be named. "People are rejecting the ideology of the Baath party, but they are not rejecting Islam."

And that has spurred some concern among Syrians that Washington's intense pressure on Damascus over a wide range of issues - including Iraq and terrorism - is part of a US plan to remove the Baathist government. Given the lack of any organized secular opposition, regime change, many Syrians say, could pave the way for Islamist rule.

The current regime is dominated by the minority Alawite sect of Islam, considered apostates by extremist Sunnis. Some analysts say that the Alawites view the Sunnis as their "strategic enemy."

"Some Alawites say in private that ultimately they and the Americans agree on the danger of Islamic terrorism and the worst possible thing that could happen is an Islamist victory over the Americans in Iraq, because it would embolden the Islamists here," says a Syrian political analyst who requested anonymity.

Habash says US policies in Iraq and the Middle East have helped fuel Islamic radicalism and undermine his attempts to forge understanding. "Believe me, we are suffering a lot here for being friends of the West," he says.

Last month, Habash was denied entry to the US, despite having a valid visa from the US Embassy in Damascus. He was informed upon arrival in Washington that, according to new regulations, all Syrians have to obtain permission from the secretary of State to visit the US. "The Americans are not making any distinction between [Islamic] conservatives and the path of renewal [moderates] which I follow," he says. "Unfortunately, they treat us all the same, as if we are all followers of Osama bin Laden."

Ican you have passed tiresome with your 'attention' posts some time ago along with relevance.