Zwitschernde Kriegsvögel

Etwas sehr irrtümlich erscheint die Platzierung des folgenden Artikels über Harvard-Proffessor Chucky Freilich, bestens bekannt aus B-Horrormovies und als ehemaliger deputy head of the National Security Council. Irrtümlich, da auf der Webseite des Washington Insitutes die Publikation immer noch unter "forthcoming" katalogisiert wird, er aber andererseits einige entsprechende Vortäge im November gehalten hat und sogar an der Penn State einen Studienkurs "Was würden Sie dem israelischen Präsidenten für einen Schlachtplan raten?" für das nächste Frühjahr anbietet. Aber was solls...
Israel and the United States should begin an intense dialogue on ways to deal with Iran's nuclear plans and should study ways to attack Iran's nuclear facilities, a new study states. The report, by a former deputy head of the National Security Council, Chuck Freilich, says Israel and the U.S. should discuss nuclear-crisis scenarios between Israel and Iran. The report, entitled "Speaking About the Unspeakable," was released over the weekend by the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. Man sollte wohl richtig stellen das Angriffspläne zu Hauf existieren und die Grundthese von Freilich, "According to Freilich, a lack of symmetry exists between the U.S. and Israel on the Iranian threat, although both use similar rhetoric toward it. From Israel's perspective, Iran presents a potential existential threat, so its nuclear plans must be stopped at almost any price. In contrast, the U.S. is disturbed by the implications of nuclear weapons in Iran but does not see it as an existential threat.", kommt eher politisch denn strategisch daher. Freilich, erklärter gegner des Abzugs amerikanischer Truppen aus dem Iraq sollte wissen das sich eher das amerikanische Militär gegen die Verstrickung in einen weiteren Krieg wehren wird, dessen Sinn man aufgrund der realen Verfassung des iranischen Atomwaffenprogramms nicht einsehen wird. "Existential but not Existing thread" triffts wohl eher für Beide. Trotzdem werden Artikel über die Freilich-Geschichte sorgsam zu lesen sein, da er als einer der Leute mit Signalwirkung für eine kommende Diskussion zu werten ist. Interessant wird dabei sein wie "young hawks", die seit Jahren unter dem Dogma der War on Terror Inc. leiden und nie was anderes erlebt haben mit der Diskussion umgehen.

Nearly a decade ago, former Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat was so upset with Hamas that he ordered his security forces to arrest leaders of the Islamist movement and shave their beards. The move was intended to humiliate the Hamas leaders, who were embarrassed to appear in public beardless after they were freed. Many Hamas members then shaved their beards voluntarily to avoid being arrested by the PA security forces. Now Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, whose forces are working hard to thwart any attempt by Hamas to seize the West Bank, has renewed the policy of shaving the beards of Hamas figures. A senior Hamas figure from the village of Skaka near Nablus is the latest victim of the beard-shaving policy.

The United States has not publicly clarified its position on allowing continued construction in the major settlement blocs despite plans to monitor and judge the legitimacy of such activity following last week's Annapolis conference. The ambiguity raises new questions about how the US will operate as referee of road map implementation, as outlined at Annapolis, and how willing it is to enter the fray to decide on one of the most sensitive issues dividing Israelis and Palestinians. [Etwas künstliche Debatte. Solange Barak den Finger auf die constructions hält ändert sich nichts. Zudem liegt die Frage in der Taktik der Siedler derzeit im Bereich der Gerichte. Die Bruchbuden in Hebron aus der Hillel-Weiss-Affaire sind immer noch strittig. ] Kommentar: "A halt, not a suspension": When Ehud Olmert warns that the world could impose a "South African solution" on Israel if two states are not created, side by side, he is tacitly admitting that expansion of the settlements is making Israel look increasingly like an apartheid regime. The agreement to withdraw, or to make "painful concessions," as it is sanctimoniously called, is therefore less painful than any other alternative. The only question is whether another Yitzhak Rabin can be found, who is capable of really halting, not just suspending, the construction of settlements, to leave the Palestinians some territory in which to establish Palestine.

Calev Ben-David, "Olmerts Diaspora Blues", lesenswert.

The defense establishment does not intend to begin reducing electricity from Israel to the Gaza Strip until it receives a green light from the High Court of Justice, legal officials said over the weekend. The statement came after the High Court ruling on Friday that the state must provide clarifications and additional information before the court considers approving power cuts. [Schwach. Seit Monaten fällt Ihnen nichts anderes mehr ein als den Strom abzudrehen, die Qassam-Industrie blüht und man gewinnt trotzt 2-monatiger Vorbereitungszeit nicht mal einen kleinen Prozeß gegen unterfinanzierte Menschenrechtsorganisationen. Und die wollen erfolgreiche Pläne für eine Iran-Attacke schmieden? Da kann einem richtig Angst werden.]

Craig Whitlock, "Jordans spy agency, Holding cell for the CIA": Over the past seven years, an imposing building on the outskirts of this city has served as a secret holding cell for the CIA. The building is the headquarters of the General Intelligence Department, Jordan's powerful spy and security agency. Since 2000, at the CIA's behest, at least 12 non-Jordanian terrorism suspects have been detained and interrogated here, according to documents and former prisoners, human rights advocates, defense lawyers and former U.S. officials.

Aus dem Nordirak mehren sich Berichte türkischer Aktivitäten. Recht interessant nach Annapolis. Eine unabgesprochene Aktivität ist unwahrscheinlich. Der "Friedensgipfel" diente wohl doch eher der "Koordination von militärischen Vorhaben".

Etwas offtopic, aber da die Geschäfte mit den Rüstungskonzernen der USA blühen ein nützliches Kontrastmittel. Der Präsident aller Menschenrechtler ist scheinbar nur am schnellen Dollar interessiert.

Al-Sharq al-Awsat: "President Bush ist the only one capable" + Bernard Sabella "Hysterics and Hisorics"

Und Ami Ayalon: "No more time to waste": A motley coalition of cynics and extremists were quick to write off the Annapolis peace conference as a waste of time. The best way for Israel to prove them wrong is to show that it knows there is no more time to waste. If Israel wants to remain a secure and democratic Jewish homeland, it must now set a clear timetable for negotiations with the Palestinians dealing with all final-status issues - borders, refugees and Jerusalem. These have all been discussed before, and PA President Mahmoud Abbas has shown himself to be a serious interlocutor - not for love of Zionism, to be sure, but out of desire to preserve a pragmatic Palestinian policy in the face of Hamas. Our goals are equally self-serving, so there is no question here of "concessions" to a poor partner.