Roberto Abraham Scaruffi: July 2009

Friday 31 July 2009

http://www.rferl.org/

RFE/RL Afghanistan Report
RFE/RL Afghanistan Report
7/31/2009 6:07:27 PM
A review of RFE/RL reporting and analysis about Afghanistan.

For more stories on Afghanistan, please visit and bookmark our Afghanistan page .

New Book Aims To Win Afghan Hearts And Minds New Book Aims To Win Afghan Hearts And Minds
Mullah Mohammad Omar, the reclusive leader of Afghanistan's Taliban, has issued an updated book outlining the rules of conduct for his fighters. The guide is seen as an effort to consolidate his grip over the Taliban ranks and to offset the West's new counterinsurgency strategy. More
New Strategy To Bring Fighters Into Kabul Fold New Strategy To Bring Fighters Into Kabul Fold
The U.S. and Britain are calling for a new framework on negotiations with the Taliban to encourage moderate elements to support the Afghan government. It could signal a shift toward a more wholesale approach to militias that includes letting them stay armed and mobilized. More
Presidents Meet For Central Asia Security Talks Presidents Meet For Central Asia Security Talks
Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Tajikistan agreed on July 30 to coordinate efforts in their fight against Islamist violence which has threatened to spill over into the broader Central Asia region. More
British Foreign Secretary Outlines Afghan Strategy British Foreign Secretary Outlines Afghan Strategy
British Foreign Secretary David Miliband has delivered a major speech on Afghanistan at NATO headquarters in Brussels, with an emphasis on reconciliation with elements of the insurgency. He also called for finding ways to improve governance at the local level and for the development of a regional stability strategy whereby Afghanistan's neighbors contribute to and benefit from its stability and development. More
Presidential Debate Takes Place Without Karzai Presidential Debate Takes Place Without Karzai
Afghans tuned in to the first televised debate of the presidential campaign on the evening of July 23, but while they had the opportunity to watch two top contenders face off, President Hamid Karzai was noticeably absent. More
Did Karzai Really Pull Out Of Afghan Presidential Debate? Did Karzai Really Pull Out Of Afghan Presidential Debate?
Media reports suggest that the incumbent Afghan President Hamid Karzai pulled out of the first televised debate among the top three contenders in the August 20 election. More
Reconciliation As 'Endgame' In Afghanistan? Reconciliation As 'Endgame' In Afghanistan?
Insecurity is peaking and international debate about Afghanistan's future is intensifying as the country's August 20 presidential election approaches. Amid the deadliest month for international forces since they entered Afghanistan in 2001, Western capitals are critically examining their role in an eight-year-old conflict that has no clear end in sight. More
Bill Would Criminalize Discrimination Bill Would Criminalize Discrimination
An Afghan bill on eliminating violence against women is expected to be among the first pieces of legislation to be discussed when Afghan parliamentarians return from summer holidays this week. Under the bill, which has been in the works for years, anyone who bars a woman from attending school, going to work, or visiting a doctor would face prison time. More
Dostum: 'It Is Impossible Prisoners Were Abused' Dostum: 'It Is Impossible Prisoners Were Abused'
I am deeply disappointed about "The New York Times" article by James Risen published on July 10 under the title "U.S. Inaction Seen After Taliban P.O.W.'s Died." The source of this report is a fabricated story that was published first in 2001 and since then has been published four more times by "The New York Times" or other publications. More
A Response To General Dostum From Rights Researcher A Response To General Dostum From Rights Researcher
General Abdul Rashid Dostum’s statement on allegations surrounding the deaths of Taliban prisoners who surrendered to Northern Alliance forces in November 2001 underscores the need for an urgent inquiry into those events. More

China concerned about abortions

There are 13 million abortions each year in China, highlighting a lack of sex education, according to a Chinese newspaper.

Who Runs U.S. Foreign Policy? And what role has Obama carved out for himself?

by Michael Crowley

Thursday 30 July 2009

http://www.rferl.org/

Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty
HEARD THIS WEEK IN IRAN ON RADIO FARDA

july 30, 2009


Neda's Mother To Radio Farda: "I Asked Her Not to Go"

July 29 -- The mother of Neda Agha Soltan, whose shooting has become a symbol of Iran's post-election protest movement, spoke to Radio Farda 40 days after her daughter's death. "Neda and I used to go to the demonstrations," her mother remembered. "Neda suddenly got very involved in this issue and it was very interesting to her." Neda, 27, was killed leaving a June 20 protest in Tehran and was "about 26 steps" from her car when she was shot, her mother said. [read in English; listen in Farsi]

Chomsky: Iran Protests are 'Honorable,' 'Courageous'

July 26 -- U.S. linguist and political activist Noam Chomsky discussed Iran's June elections in an exclusive interview with Radio Farda. "Putting aside the details of the election, about which we don't know much, the whole structure of the regime is oppressive and authoritarian and undermines basic civil and other human rights," he said. "Protest against it is not only honorable, but courageous because it faces extreme violence." [read in Farsi; excerpt in English]

Protestor Dies in Custody

July 28 -- The body of 24 year-old student Amir Javadifar, who was arrested during post-election protests, was returned to his family twelve days after his death. "Amir's jaw was broken, and his toenails were pulled out," said a friend who saw the body. Javadifar's family has been instructed to say he died in an accident and not to give media interviews, the friend said. "Amir was not a political person; he believed politics was full of lies." [read in English or Farsi]

Jailed Journalist Blames Nokia for His Arrest

July 24 -- Noted Iranian journalist Issa Saharkhiz claims security forces traced and arrested him via his Nokia mobile phone. His son, Mehdi, told Radio Farda that his father said, "all the tracking was done through Nokia and, if possible, lawyers should file a complaint against the Nokia company and take it to an international court." Saharkhiz is in solitary confinement and is suffering from several broken ribs, according to his son. [read in English or Farsi]

Journalist Tortured in Jail

July 26 -- Journalist Abolfazl Abedini was "horrifically tortured" for five days at the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence detention center after denying the charges against him, his lawyer said. Abedini was arrested June 30 at his home on charges of "activities against national security" and "spreading propaganda against the regime." His lawyer said Abadini suffers from a heart condition that has worsened during his imprisonment. [listen in Farsi]

Women Lead Global Day of Action for Iran

July 27 -- Radio Farda's program, "The Other Voice," featured women activists who organized demonstrations in Toronto, Geneva and Washington, DC for the Global Day of Action for Iran. They talked about the significant role women have played in Iran's post-election protests. [read in Farsi]

http://therealnews.com

Did Dems drop labor's number one priority?
Six 'blue dog' democrats drop vital support for 'card check' view

South Africans protest for higher wages
Protests and strikes have broken out in recent weeks across South Africa view

http://www.jamestown.org/programs/edm/

Eurasia Daily Monitor -- The Jamestown Foundation July 30, 2009—Volume 6, Issue 146

IN THIS ISSUE
*Kavkaz 2009 exercises expose setbacks for Russian military
*Bakiyev consolidates his power in Kyrgyzstan
*Dispute intensifies between the Turkish government and the judiciary

**New in the Jamestown blog on Russia and Eurasia (http://www.jamestown.org/blog):
- Budget Deficit to Devour Russia's Reserve Fund in 2010

Israel Lobby Probe Linked to Anti-Semitism

Bill Gertz
A long-running FBI espionage probe of the pro-Israel lobby in Washington appears to have been motivated in part by anti-Semitism, Larry Franklin, a former Pentagon official, told the Washington Times. Franklin said he had cooperated for ten weeks with federal agents conducting the probe, taping his conversations with officials of AIPAC and the Israeli Embassy. "One agent said to me, 'How can an Irish Catholic from the Bronx get mixed up with all these...,' and I finished the sentence for him: 'Jews?' And I proceeded to tell him that Christ and all the Apostles and even his mom were Jewish," Franklin said in an interview. "That [anti-Semitism] dimension was part of this investigation and may have been an initial incitement of this investigation," he said.
Franklin said he is a "practicing Catholic." "I guess I embraced Pope John Paul II's view that the Jewish people are our elder brothers, and there was never any prejudice in my family and should not be in my faith," he said.
(Washington Times)

Stone Vessel with 'Priestly Inscription' Uncovered In Jerusalem

by Hana Levi Julian and Gil Ronen

Tisha B'Av: Mourning Destruction, Awaiting Redemption

by Hillel Fendel

http://www.rfi.fr

Espagne

Explosion d'une voiture piégée devant une caserne de police

Une voiture piégée a explosé ce mercredi matin, à Burgos, dans le nord du pays près d'une caserne de la garde civile. L'explosion, attribuée à l'ETA, a fait une quarantaine de blessés. Une façade de la caserne s'est écroulée. La garde civile est une des cibles régulières de l'organisation séparatiste basque ETA.

Nigeria

L'armée traque les islamistes et leur chef

Les combats ont continué à Maiduguri, capitale de l'Etat de Borno, où l'armée poursuit les islamistes radicaux et leur chef Mohammed Yusuf. Des femmes et des enfants se sont réfugiés dans des commissariats de police pour échapper aux violences.

Venezuela / Colombie

Hugo Chavez gèle les relations avec Bogota

Le président vénézuélien a rappelé son ambassadeur en poste à Bogota. Ce qui a rendu furieux Hugo Chavez, ce sont des déclarations des autorités colombiennes. La guérilla des FARC aurait acheté des armes au Venezuela.

Rwanda / RD Congo

Kigali lance une nouvelle offre d'opérations conjointes à Kinshasa

Le président rwandais Paul Kagamé se dit prêt à de nouvelles opérations militaires conjointes avec l'armée congolaise contre les FDLR, les rebelles hutus rwandais retranchés dans l'est du Congo.

Japon / Chine

A Tokyo, Rebiya Kadeer accuse Pékin

La dirigeante de la dissidence ouïghoure en exil a affirmé mercredi à Tokyo que «près de 10 000 personnes» avaient disparu pendant les émeutes du nord-ouest de la Chine et reproché aux Etats-Unis leur absence de réaction.


Iran

Le pouvoir entre autorité et apaisement

Une prison va fermer et des manifestants arrêtés après les rassemblements contre la réélection d'Ahmadinejad vont être libérés. En revanche les contestataires n'ont pas l'autorisation d'organiser une cérémonie à la mémoire des personnes tuées dans les troubles.

Three Good Reasons To Liquidate Our Empire. And Ten Steps to Take to Do So

By Chalmers Johnson

http://www.jamestown.org/programs/gta/

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http://www.liberation.fr

Libé Strasbourg
40 salariés d'un supermarché pris en otages pendant deux heures
Une quarantaine de salariés ont été séquestrés jeudi matin pendant plus deux heures dans un supermarché à Villé (Bas-Rhin) par trois malfaiteurs qui ont réussi à prendre la fuite avant l'arrivée des gendarmes.>>
Monde
La nationalité d'Obama, cible des théoriciens du complot
ARTICLE+VIDEO Entretenue par des cercles d'extrême-droite et certains élus républicains, la polémique sur la nationalité de Barack Obama continue aux Etats-Unis.>>
Société
Burqa: «Une loi, ce serait un gros pilon pour écraser une mouche»
Le nombre de femmes portant le voile intégral en France, évalué par les services du ministère de l'Intérieur à 367, relance les interrogations sur l'opportunité d'une loi alors qu'une mission parlementaire a commencé ses travaux sur la question.>>
Libé Rennes
Une personne en garde à vue après le meurtre de Plougonvelin
Une personne de l'entourage du retraité retrouvé tué à l'arme blanche dans sa maison incendiée de Plougonvelin (Finistère) a été placée en garde à vue mercredi.>>
Société
Estrosi adresse un «avertissement solennel» aux New Fabris
Les salariés de New Fabris maintiennent la pression. Une manifestation «symbolique» est organisée ce jeudi à partir de 14 heures dans les rues de Châtellerault.>>
Voyages
Chassé-croisé en rouge et noir
Avec le retour des juillettistes et le départ des aoûtiens, les routes vont être très chargées ce week-end. Bison futé annonce un samedi noir…>>
Culture
Michael Jackson: report des résultats de l'autopsie
Initialement prévue cette semaine, la publication des résultats tant attendus de l'autopsie a été reportée à la semaine prochaine.>>
Monde
Au moins 11 militaires tués dans une embuscade en Algérie
Le convoi militaire a été attaqué mercredi en début d'après-midi par des islamistes armés près de Tipaza. Selon certains journaux, le bilan pourrait s'élever à 20 morts.>>
��conomie
2,7 milliards de pertes pour Renault au premier semestre
Hier mercredi, l'autre grand groupe automobile français PSA Peugeot Citroën avait annoncé une perte nette de 962 millions d'euros pour cette même période.>>
Société
Brève cavale pour les détenus évadés de la prison de Béziers
Trois hommes, en détention provisoire pour des affaires de vol, se sont évadés de la prison de Béziers ce jeudi matin vers 8 heures. Ils ont été arrêtés en fin de matinée.>>
Économie
Le FMI va prêter sans intérêts aux pays pauvres
Historique: l'institution de Washington annonce qu'elle annule le paiement des intérêts dus par les pays pauvres jusque fin 2011, et qu'elle fera passer les prêts à leur intention à 17 milliards de dollars d'ici à 2014.>>
Blog Bobines
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