7/31/2009
Ehiztari
I’m not too eager of stopping working for long (journalism is more a lifestyle than a business, although others may have a different opinion). But sometimes it’s good to take a break. And that’s what I’m going to do from today. Meanwhile, here are the main issues to follow during the next two weeks:- Iraq: No more multi-national task force in Iraq. Instead, from today on, it will be just a sole force of one country, exclusively American.- Iran: Yesterday was the 40th day anniversary of Neda Soltan’s death. Tehran saw again thousands in the streets mourning those killed in the repression by the government forces. And the Basiji, again, fought...
7/30/2009
Ehiztari
We already knew that Bush Administration did it bad. Really bad. We knew it already. But what we haven’t been able to see until the Republicans left the White House is how close they were to screw it up completely sometimes.Now and then the press shows details of the incompetence of Bush’s team. Especially in the case of Donald Rumsfeld. A few months ago we knew Rummy was really close to blow up the mission in Afghanistan -and jeopardize American soldiers’ lifes there. Later, we learnt that he identified the occupation in Iraq as a Christian crusade, quotating the Bible to justify his decisions.Today, Time magazine reports how the United States...
7/28/2009
Ehiztari
An excellent interview from Scott Carney appeared in Wired magazine's Danger Room throws some light on the piracy business. Just a couple of examples of the great work done by Scott:"The financiers are the most important since they organize and plan the big shot operations and are able to pay running cost[s]. Financiers always need to forge deals with traders, land cruiser owners, translators, business people to keep the supplies flowing during operations and manage the logistics. There is a long supply chain involved in every hijacking"."Hostages — especially Westerners — are our only assets, so we try our best to avoid killing them. It only...
7/27/2009
Ehiztari
Major operations to control Afghanistan have ended, and they have been a success. At least that’s what David Miliband, the head of British diplomacy, said. But you know, journalist have learned to take carefully politicians’ words when they talk about “the end of major operations”.The ongoing offensive in Helmand province tries to clean the Taliban strongholds from the cities and secure them ahead next month’s Presidential polls. It’s a mirror-shaped operation of the battle of Fallujah, in Iraq, who led the resistance out of the city. And like then, casualties have rocketed to a record-hit since 2001 invasion.The truth is that in Helmand combats...
7/27/2009
Ehiztari
- India gets into the selected club of Navies with indigenous built nuclear submarines. It’s just the frontline of what’s still to come, an improvement of the Indian Navy that will include an increase from the actual 140 vessels to the 170 planned. That includes two more nuclear subs and two indigenous carriers.- Korea continues playing; now they accept to talk about their nuclear program.- Sarko collapses while jogging. Did he saw a hot chick jogging besides him? Fortunately, it was all just a scarce.- Obama starts pushing for a deal in the Middle East. Meanwhile, back at home, Sarah Palin resigns; but not without a fight.- Iranian courts are...
7/22/2009
Ehiztari
A few days ago we showed here the new ad from an Israeli company, showing a soccer game between Palestinians (not shown) and Israeli soldiers over the separation wall. Here is the ad:However, the real test is slightly different:Did you like it? Share it...
7/22/2009
Ehiztari
Just after a month of Neda’s death, Iranians came to the streets again. And again, the Basijis and the detentions were there too.It’s not gonna be the biggest demonstration in the next few days. Probably, in a week and a half (when it will be the end of the duel period), in two Fridays, it will be bigger. But this, at least, shows Khamenei that his words are everyday less and less important to the people and Ahmadinejad that his reign won’t be easy.Up until now, protesters had developed an underground boycott. Like the blackout of last night between 20.55 and 21.00 (local time) to remember Neda. Or the (unsuccessful) attempt to make a public...
7/22/2009
Ehiztari
The North Korean regime has distributed a recent photo of Kim Jong-il to prove the bad guys from the West that rumors putting Kim in a coffin soon are not true. Well, I have to admit that at least Kim looks better than the three military men behind him (specially the first from the left)Photo: elmundo.esDid you like it? Share it...
7/22/2009
Ehiztari
July is already the bloodiest month for NATO troops in Afghanistan since the invasion of 2001. Until now there are 52 the casualties of the coalition, counting just the military. Far from the previous record of 46 deaths in August last year. And we still haven’t finish July yet.The increase on casualties is understandable if we focus on the big picture. First, this month a new offensive was launched in Helmand province, to secure it before next month’s elections. And second, the policy for air strikes have become tighter, limiting the use of these tactics.House by house combats and the necessity to be sure 100% before calling the air cavalry...
7/22/2009
Ehiztari
The USA starts to be impatient about Iran, However, maybe that impatience has more to do with Israel push than with Iran itself. Hillary Clinton, Secretary of State, warned Iran that Obama’s offer for dialogue won’t be over the table forever, waiting for them. However, Iranians have more to worry about now inside their own borders as recognizes even Obama. So, it doesn’t seem it’s gonna change in the next weeks.Israel is something apart. They don’t follow the American way. Obama has asked Netanyahu to wait til the end of the year to see the reaction from the mullahs, but will they? The fact of the German intelligence services -the same Intelligence...
7/22/2009
Ehiztari
During the last week several articles have appeared in international newspapers talking about the rebirth of Palestinian economy. Although rebirth is way too optimistic (there should had been something first to be able to rebirth), it has some sense. Most of the articles focused on Nablus city. It isn’t casual.The small new hopes for Palestine have the shape of a new theatre, a festival and a World Guinness Record. The last one is for the world longest knafa, a traditional local dessert honored this way by 170 local bakers, who have made 74 m of sweetness.However, like the knafa, Palestinian economic rebirth may be too sweet to allow us to see...
7/22/2009
Ehiztari
Rafsanjani finally spoke. Ando f course, Iranian opposition has seen the street light again. Rafsanjani is considered the biggest support for Mousavi and, although in Friday’s speech he didn’t attack directly the elite or the government -in fact he talked more about unity- he did leave a few words for them.He praised, for example, for the immediate freedom for the detainees, the end of the prosecutions and the acceptance of the “doubts” emerged in a part of the Iranian society after the elections. Nothing new, it is what many influential people like the Parliament speaker Ali Larijani have been asking for for weeks. Supporters of a full scale...
7/21/2009
Ehiztari
Obama wins. For now.The Senate voted 58-40 on Tuesday to strip $1.75 billion for seven more F-22 fighters from a military spending bill, handing President Obama a crucial victory in his efforts to reshape the military’s priorities.More on the NYT.Did you like it? Share it...
7/20/2009
Ehiztari
Someday like today 40 years ago, the whole world (even the Soviets) hold their breathe and waited to listen Armstrong's words...Today is a day for celebration. For them. For the men and women before them. For the ones after them. And for those to come.Did you like it? Share it...
7/15/2009
Ehiztari
During the past few months the international fleet that protects -just a way of speaking- Somalia’s coasts, have been really happy and proud of their job. “Assaults have been reduced”, they said. Even they made it to zero assaults for a month. But it was all an illusion. When the cash starts to be needed again and, most important, the monsoon disappears, pirates are back in business.Nor the incident with Capt. Phillips, nor a greater military deployment were a match for the skiffs. Only bad weather could stop them. But with the clouds out of the horizon, pirates are free to sail again.Back in land, the situation isn’t better either. Yesterday...
7/15/2009
Ehiztari
This Saturday we knew that Darth Dick Cheney had hidden from the Congress a CIA project aimed to create special commandos to eliminate Al Qaeda terrorists. A month ago, when Panetta knew about it, it was suspended. It was indeed an ambitious plan. According to an intelligence official quote from the New York Times, these things are great in the movies, but when you try to put them on practice, it is not so easy. Indeed. In fact, the whole plan looks just as if it came out from a stoned mind after watching the Bourne movies’ trilogy.However, the CIA didn’t renounce to their plans. If the mission was killing Al Qaeda leaders, it would be done....
7/15/2009
Ehiztari
If something is characteristical in Britons while at war is their pride and unbeatable faith. For the last two centuries, the United Kingdom has been present in almost all of the armed conflicts that happened anywhere in the world. That allowed them to create the Imperial War Museum in London -and me to spend four hours in that place, a personal record inside a museum. But also, and most important, to educate its population to support, live and carry on with war.Only that way it is understandable that after last week life loses, after the bloodiest month for Britain in Afghanistan, after passing the line and account more deaths than in Iraq and...
7/15/2009
Ehiztari
After last June European elections, the new European Parliament has already chosen his President. It will be Mr. Jerzy Buzek, former Polish Prime Minister and europarliamentary for the conservatives, the one in charge for the first two and a half years. Then, a socialdemocrat candidate will take the seat, as it was (but in reverse) during the last legislature. Buzek is a symbol of the new Europe. He is the first President of the European Parliament who comes from a former Soviet-ally country. However, besides the challenges, changes end there. In the rest of the seats, there are few new faces. Half of the total of 736 seats will repeat their...
7/12/2009
Ehiztari
One of the last ads from Israeli cellphone operator Cellcom shows a few IDF soldiers playing soccer resides the wall in the West Bank. The balls isn’t theirs, but from the other side. Some Palestinian(s) throw it over the wall, the Israelis throw it back and a small game starts among the two sides.This is the ad:A Facebook group is already asking to pull out the commercial. They argue it is racist. Sincerely, it can be accused of many things -first of all, for not being careful with sensibilities- but not of racism.Cellcom’s business is tending -communication- bridges among the people. Both Palestinians and Israelis, because its network covers...
7/10/2009
Ehiztari
Gilad means monument. Since when three years and one month ago the Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit was kidnapped by Hamas in Gaza, the young man has become also a symbol himself, not only his name meaning. And even in something more: a weapon. For both sides.Since the 25th of June 2006, at least four times one side or the other has claimed the imminent liberation of Shalit. None of them was made true. In twice of them Hamas blamed Israel, the third one was the opposite. Last one, this Thursday, Israel is to be blamed again, but this time by Mubarak, Egyptian president and the negotiator in the three party talks.It’s not the first time Israel plays...
7/09/2009
Ehiztari
...expands through the G8 members. Tonight, Obama and Sarkozy will sleep in the sofa. Or even worse, in the journalists' barracks. Spartan is the best word to describe them.Kudos to Sergi.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------In the end, maybe Obama is saved. Not Sarkozy.Did you like it? Share it...
7/07/2009
Ehiztari
The coalition government in Israel just celebrated its first 100 days. And to celebrate it, Human Rights Watch presented a report about possible war crimes committed in Gaza last winter. It’s not like if Netanyahu’s Government was in charge of the operation, but they surely supported it. And Ehud Barak, one of Netanyahu’s partners, was holding then the Defense portfolio. As he does now.Yet, in the three months in charge of Bibi, Libi and Barak, few things have changed. For the latter it is understandable. He was already the Minister of Defense in the previous Administration, as he is still now. For him, is like if nothing has changed at all.Well,...
7/06/2009
Ehiztari
- The USA and Russia agree cuts for nukes. Missiles, not in the agenda.- MI6 (British Intelligence service abroad) boss forced to resign after his wife publish photos of his family on Facebook...- ...and CNI (Spanish Intelligence service) boss resigns after a newspaper aired a scandal out of some photos of him fishing off the African coast. Are these guys spies? Seriously?- Robert S. McNamara, former Secretary of Defense under JFK and Johnson Administrations, dies at 93. He was one of the brains behind the Vietnam war.- Italy didn't pass the exams in the G8.Did you like it? Share it...
7/06/2009
Ehiztari
Nobody talks about it now, but Darfur is a hot spot. Really hot.After months -we could even say years- of clashes between Chad and Sudan, the Darfur area is full of refugees living in camps. They are under the protection of the UN and they are a -relative- oasis in the middle of a desert of battles. Everyone fights everyone else here. Irregular militias against the governmental forces, between themselves and Chad and Sudan armies to each other.The main contingent in the area correspond to peacekeepers from the African Union, who yesterday denied again the warrant over Omar Bashir, the Sudanese president and one of the key actors in this mess.Yesterday...
7/06/2009
Ehiztari
The worst that could happen to the US Army in Afghanistan is not losing a battle, but losing the trust from the Afghans or, more important, of their own troops. In a battlefield, lose the high moral, and you are screwed.That’s why the kidnapping of an American soldier, now confirmed by the Talibans, is a hard punch to the American military. He wasn’t kidnapped in the ongoing operation, but that doesn’t matter now. Just the fact that the Talibans were able to make it happen.It reminds me, kinda, the situation with Gilad Shalit and Israel in Lebanon. Only that this soldier is way farer from home that Shalit.Photo: John Moore / Getty Images Did...
7/06/2009
Ehiztari
With the coup in Honduras and the Twitter revolution in Iran, yesterday’s clashes in China were the last guest to the riot season party. And they came in with style -Chinese style. In Honduras, the numbers -non official- show two deaths. In Iran the numbers are around the two dozens. In China, are more than 150 and going up, plus hundreds of injured and detainees.The origin of it is in an ethnic dispute between the Uighur Muslims, natives to the region, and the Han Chinese immigration. The latter has already overcome the first ones in the capital of the Western province of China, a natural cultural bridge between Central and Eastern Asia. Following...
7/06/2009
Ehiztari
It was crystal clear that Zelaya wasn’t going to be able to get in Honduras easily. The plane were he was traveling had to change its destiny and land in El Salvador after that from Tegucigalpa it was denied the right to land. Well, technically it wasn’t, but they warn them over firing at him if he tried. Like Pilates, Micheletti washed his hands by saying he didn’t want a dead ex-president of the Republic lying on the airport. Ousted yes; death not, that’s not cool. In the end, El Salvador was only another stop in Zelaya’s trip. Last one will be -for now- Washington.Meanwhile the OAS expelled Honduras from the organization after the coup. Zelaya...
Are you afraid? Well, this works in that way. First you do what scares you and it's later when you get the courage
7/31/2009
Ehiztari
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