Sunday, March 22, 2009

Pakistan: Militancy And The Black Economy

Pakistan: Militancy And The Black Economy
(NSI News Source Info) March 22, 2009: WHILE analysts cite ‘ideology’ as the chief factor responsible for the rising militancy in the country, it is unfortunate that little attention is being paid to the nexus between militants and the black economy. Smugglers and businessmen engaged in dubious trade foster anarchy in the northwest of Pakistan to further their vested interests. They invest money and energy in the so-called process of Talibanisation — that is how they protect their illegal businesses at the expense of the state’s writ.
There is a symbiotic relationship between the ‘business’ mafia and the militants for whom funds is an integral part of efforts to keep their ‘ideology’ alive.
Taking its cue from its centre in Swat, the influential timber mafia in other parts of the Malakand Division stands accused of sponsoring extremism to keep government authorities at bay. In the 1990s, the Tehrik Nifaz-i-Shariat Mohammadi (TNSM) chief Sufi Mohammad organised a sit-in to rechristen Kufar Dara and give it the name of Islamdara in Lower Dir. Even elements close to the TNSM chief believe that many front-runners in this religious campaign were anti-social elements. They included gangs of car-lifters and farmers who had been given vast swathes of land during the era of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and now feared that the local chieftains (khans) would get these. More importantly, these elements included the powerful timber mafia living in the huge forest reserves of Swat, Dir, Shangla and Kohistan.
Before the start of the Swat military operation in 2007, a militant commander arranged a visit for some journalists to show them medical camps set up for injured comrades inside spacious houses. This writer was taken inside a sprawling bungalow which housed a huge timber godown divided into different sections to accommodate beds and extend treatment facilities to militants. The start of the military operation and the ensuing conflict in Swat and Shangla ‘coincided’ with the ruthless felling of timber in the surrounding hills blanketed with pine forests.
No journalist had the time then to report on this devastation, and only one parliamentarian from Shangla district raised the issue in the Senate, blaming the timber mafia for the destruction of rich forest resources. In fact, perhaps to save his own neck, the JUI senator gave only part of the picture without mentioning the involvement of militants in this illegal business.
Towards mid-November 2007, the militants headed towards Shangla district and a heavy battle followed at Belay Baba. Denizens of the troubled town of Alpuri and its adjacent thickly wooded green valleys fled to escape the heavy artillery shelling from the bordering Swat district. Many, while ascending the five-kilometre dirt route from Alpuri to Shangla Top, would stop at the sound of trees being cut in the nearby mountains.
A gentle night breeze spread the scent of the newly felled pine trees across the area. Truckloads of ‘war booty’, looted from Alpuri Bazaar, would thread their way towards Shangla Top under the protection of the Taliban whose attention was not in the least diverted by the sound of the thick pine forests being felled.
Officials who served and lived in the area believe that subversive elements gave their blood and sweat to the TNSM since its formation in 1988. That is why militants mostly served as ‘cavalry’ for the powerful timber mafia in the districts of Swat and Dir, and they rode on the success of the militants, swooping on the verdant pine mountains spread over 600 square miles like vultures. A recent survey conducted by the Aryana Institute for Regional Research and Advocacy reveals that a loss of over Rs8bn was incurred by the forest sectors of Swat alone during the last 16 months. Being shrewd investors, the timber mafia is believed to have spent part of its dividends to sponsor militancy.
Huge sums are involved in the business which has expanded to the hills bordering Afghanistan. Recalling his visit to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan in 1998, an NWFP parliamentarian said, ‘The then deputy governor of Kunar province, Abdullah Jan, complained that timber agents from Swat had ruined the thick forests in the bordering areas lying close to Pakistan’s Dir district.’ The Afghan governor said that the Taliban administration of Kunar province had arrested a few members of the mafia; however, they were released after they promised never to return.
Besides the exploitation of thick pine forests, precious emerald mines and archaeological artefacts have also been a huge source of revenue for the local black economy. As the media wrestled for news emerging from the recent Swat peace agreement, militants captured the emerald mines on the outskirts of the main town of Mingora and in the Shamozai area in Kabal tehsil. Subsequently, heavy excavations started in which over 200 labourers took part to extract precious stones, with the Taliban taking one-third of the total share. Other plunderers have also had a field day thronging to the mines (where finds are of excellent quality) one of which had earned the government about Rs90m through a single auction in the past.
No different is the plight of over 22 official archaeological sites, where illegal excavations have continued unabatedly in the absence of government action against such activity. It is hard to obtain information about who is getting what in the loot and plunder of natural and archaeological resources. However, it is certain that part of the share is reinvested to extend support to subversive causes in the bordering districts.
Monetary interest has a significant part to play in driving the ‘ideological struggle’ in other troubled spots also. Last year, when the federal government formed a jirga to initiate a peace agreement with militants in Waziristan, one of those involved was a business tycoon with investments in North Waziristan.
The militants have demanded the removal of security check posts along the main routes in North and South Waziristan. It is an open secret that a web of smugglers and criminals operates from the bordering areas with Afghanistan. Moreover, smugglers have flooded Punjab and Sindh with sophisticated vehicles on which duty hasn’t been paid.
One ring leader from Bannu called Hukumat Khan still remembers the huge profit he used to earn, while paying Rs10,000 to a driver for ensuring that the smuggled vehicles got past a check post safely. Though Hukumat is no more active as the Taliban have replaced his ilk in the local power centres, he admits that the trade (tribesmen do not consider smuggling a crime) involved billions.

U.S. Warship Enters Black Sea

U.S. Warship Enters Black Sea
(NSI News Source Info) SEVASTOPOL - March 22, 2009: The USS Klakring (FFG 42) frigate has entered the Black Sea, and is being closely monitored by Russia, the Russian Navy said on Friday. "The Black Sea Fleet is monitoring the movements of the US warship in the Black Sea," a Navy official told RIA Novosti, adding that the frigate was the first U.S. warship to enter the Black Sea this year. The vessel will call at the Bulgarian port of Varna, before visiting Ukraine's Sevastopol, and Batumi in Georgia. The Sevastopol city administration said earlier it had discussed measures to ensure the security of US seamen during their stay. Last November, the USS Mount Whitney arrived at Sevastopol, but cut short its visit amid protests. Locals in Ukraine's Crimea, which has a largely Russian-speaking population, frequently protest against visits by NATO ships. Ukraine's pro-Western leadership has been pursuing NATO membership since President Viktor Yushchenko came to power in 2004. However, regular opinion polls show that the majority of Ukrainians continue to oppose NATO membership.

Over 20 Taliban Militants Captured In Afghanistan

Over 20 Taliban Militants Captured In Afghanistan
(NSI News Source Info) KABUL - March 22, 2009: Afghan troops have captured twenty-two Taliban militants in the southern Kandahar province in Afghanistan, the country's Defense Ministry said on Sunday. The militants from the radical Islamic Taliban movement were captured by soldiers from the 1st division of the Afghan 205th army corps in the area of Howz-e Madad in the Zirai district of Kandahar on Sunday, the ministry said. The Afghan troops seized nine machine-guns and three grenade launchers from the militants, the ministry said. All the captured militants have been transferred to the regional national security department for interrogation, the ministry said. Also on Sunday the Afghan troops captured another seven militants in the Mando Zayi district of the Khost province in eastern Afghanistan, seizing a large number of small arms, the ministry said. The Taliban movement was ousted from power in Afghanistan after a U.S.-led military force launched counter-terrorist operations in the country in 2001.

Russia Continues Air Surveillance Over Sea Of Japan

Russia Continues Air Surveillance Over Sea Of Japan
(NSI News Source Info) VLADIVOSTOK - March 22, 2009: Russian Pacific Fleet aircraft have been conducting scheduled patrol exercises this week over the Sea of Japan, where U.S. Navy ships have been holding exercises, the Pacific Fleet said on Friday. Maritime patrol Il-38 May planes from the Pacific Fleet have been making routine flights over the sea, but have not flown close to the U.S. vessels, the Fleet's headquarters said. CNN earlier reported that on Monday and Tuesday, several Russian Il-38 aircraft flew over the USS John C. Stennis aircraft carrier, at an altitude of just 150 meters (492 feet). The news network said that on Tuesday, two Il-38s flew within 600 meters of the USS Blue Ridge. "The Pacific Fleet pilots have been conducting exercises to ensure the security of Russia's border near the Sea of Japan, where U.S. Navy vessels are located," the spokesman said. "The aircraft have remained at a safe distance from the U.S. vessels, adhering strictly to international laws."

Russia Still Believes In Peaceful Nature Of Iran's Nuclear Program

Russia Still Believes In Peaceful Nature Of Iran's Nuclear Program
(NSI News Source Info) MOSCOW - March 22, 2009: Moscow has seen nothing to convince it that there is a military element to Iran's nuclear program, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told journalists on Friday. "The Russian Federation continues to believe that there are no signs of the [Iranian nuclear] program being switched toward military goals, and that it is of an exclusively peaceful nature," Ryabkov said at a press conference in Moscow. The United States and other Western nations suspect Tehran of secretly seeking nuclear weapons. Iran says its nuclear program is purely aimed at generating electricity. The United States has cited Iran's controversial nuclear program as one of the reasons behind its plans to deploy a missile base in Poland and radar in the Czech Republic. The missile shield has been strongly opposed by Russia, which views it as a threat to its national security. The dispute has strained relations between the former Cold War rivals, already tense over a host of other differences. Ryabkov also welcomed the decision by U.S. President Barack Obama to send a video message to the Iranian people congratulating them on the Iranian New Year, saying that it was "important for us that the new [U.S.] administration is making advances to Tehran."

US President Barack Obama Welcomes France’s Decision To Rejoin NATO Command

US President Barack Obama Welcomes France’s Decision To Rejoin NATO Command
(NSI News Source Info) March 22, 2009: US President Barack Obama on Saturday welcomed France's decision to return to NATO's military command after a 43-year absence, saying France's "full participation ... will contribute to a stronger alliance and a stronger Europe."
"I enthusiastically welcome the decision made by French President Nicolas Sarkozy to fully reintegrate France into the NATO alliance," Obama said in a statement.
French Defence Minister Hervorin (R) drinks tea during a welcoming reception at Khvajeh Ghar to visit French troops in the multinational, NATO-led force helping Afghanistan fight an extremist insurgency on December 31, 2008. France is the fourth-largest contributor to the international military force in Afghanistan with more than 3,000 troops deployed around Kabul and in forward bases in the east of the country.
"President Sarkozy's leadership has been essential and is much appreciated. France is a founding member of NATO and has been a strong contributor to NATO missions throughout the alliance's history."
Obama will make his first trip to Europe next month, stopping first in London for the G20 summit on April 02 before heading to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation conference April 03-04 in the French and German border towns of Strasbourg and Kehl.
Obama said the NATO alliance "has been the cornerstone of trans-Atlantic security for the past 60 years. The United States is committed to its success, and knows that it is through close cooperation with allies and partners that we can overcome our most difficult challenges." Lawmakers in the French National Assembly voted late Tuesday in favour of a measure that effectively approved Sarkozy's decision to return France to NATO's military command structure.
By a vote of 329 to 238, the deputies passed a vote of confidence in the foreign policy conducted by Prime Minister Francois Fillon and his government, including the decision to return to full NATO membership.
In 1966, then-president Charles de Gaulle pulled France out of the alliance's military command and evicted US bases from French soil.
Tuesday's vote in favour of the government was a foregone conclusion, because Sarkozy's UMP party and its centre-right allies hold a substantial majority in the National Assembly.

Germany Condemns Takeover Of Power In Madagascar

Germany Condemns Takeover Of Power In Madagascar
(NSI News Source Info) Berlin - March 22, 2009: Germany condemned on Friday the transfer of power in Madagascar and called for a return to democracy on the Indian Ocean island. Madagascar's army-backed Andry Rajoelina is installed as the country's new president in Antananarivo March 21, 2009. Jubilant supporters cheered the installation of Rajoelina on Saturday -- but foreign ambassadors stayed away in a unanimous show of international disapproval. A foreign ministry spokesman said moves by the new leadership to dissolve parliament and the senate 'are further steps that point in the wrong direction.' Spokesman Jens Ploettner said Germany wanted to see the constitution upheld and a return to democratic values in Madagascar. He said it was up to the new leadership to 'ensure there is no further loss of human life or renewed outbreaks of violence.' The president of Madagascar, Marc Ravalomanana, on Tuesday relinquished power under pressure from the military. He ceded control to mutinous generals, who in turn appointed opposition leader Andry Rajoelina as interim president. Ravalomanana's surrender after being holed up in the presidential palace for days brought months of political turmoil to a head. Rajoelina has pledged to hold elections in two years.

China: Strong Government Hand Gradually Softening And Real World Chaos Showing Up

China: Strong Government Hand Gradually Softening And Real World Chaos Showing Up
(NSI News Source Info) March 22, 2009: Officially, the most important issue for the Chinese government is corruption. Each year, the government prosecutes more officials for corruption. It was 2,687 last year. But it wasn't enough, as the number of corrupt officials is over a hundred times that. All countries have corruption, but if there is too much of it, there is inefficient government and more unrest. Most of the 70,000 officially noted public demonstrations and riots each year, are caused by the corruption of local officials. We have to remember that China is a Third World country. Of the 1.3 billion people in China, over a billion of those live in standards of living that are Third World. A very thin layer of China is what Westerners look at when we look at this economic expansion, which has been extraordinary. China depends on exports. It is an extension of the American economy. When the Americans catch cold, China catches pneumonia. And when China catches pneumonia, when exports slow down, people are thrown out of work.
Senior officials know, and publically recognize that the widespread corruption is bad for the economy. Privately, they see corruption as the major threat to continued Communist Party control of the government. At the same time, a majority of the lower level Communist Party officials prosper only because they exploit the people they rule (usually at the town, county or province level).
These officials steal taxes, take bribes and falsify land ownership records. They are very unpopular, and the national government can't prosecute all of them. There are simply too many. Urging them to reform themselves has not worked either. There's also a lot of corruption in the military (always has been, even before the communists took over), but this is seen as less of a threat to the government. In fact, it's more important to keep the military happy, in case there is a major uprising. The recent harassment at sea incident off Hainan is apparently China trying to gauge the resolve of a newly elected U.S. government. The last time there was an incident like this was in early 2001 (when Chinese navy jet fighters harassed a U.S. Navy electronic monitoring aircraft off the Chinese coast.) If the U.S. government folds, the Chinese will keep pushing. But, as happened in 2001, the Americans pushed back, and that was the end of that.
The U.S. responded to the recent Hainan incident by sending a destroyer to escort the U.S. survey ship, and warning China that force would be met with force in international waters (the "economic zone" is considered international waters as far as safe passage and using sensors is concerned, although China interprets international law differently.) China agreed, however, that further confrontations would be avoided. The Taiwanese government is increasing defense spending, including the development of more locally made weapons (like cruise missiles to take out targets on the mainland.) Chinese pressure on the U.S. caused Taiwan's recent request to buy 60 F-16 fighters, to be turned down. Taiwan wants to increase its military capability because its arrangement with the United States requires that Taiwan be strong enough to hold off a Chinese attack long enough for American forces to arrive.
This means keeping control of air bases on the island for up to a week. China is apparently building up its land, air and naval forces to the point where a surprise attack could conquer Taiwan in a few days, if the defending Taiwanese were not ready. China is trying, without much success, to convince North Korean officials to back off its military spending, and devote more attention to economic reforms. But the North Korean Communist Party members are obsessed with how quickly (and sometimes fatally) communist party officials lost power in Eastern Europe in 1989.
The communist party rule in North Korea has been far more brutal than it ever was in China. The North Koreans are more of afraid of, and less trusting in, their own people. China does not want a rebellion in North Korea, because millions of refugees could end up in northern China, and China would have to spend billions of dollars taking care of them, and dealing with the unhappy Chinese population in the area. The Chinese military graduated its first class of Public Affairs Officers. Western forces have had such media professionals for decades, but in China, propaganda/media specialists from the Chinese Communist Party have long handled the media needs of the military. But now the military will increasingly handle its PR itself. March 19, 2009: In an unusual incident, a soldier on guard duty at a Central China army base was shot and killed, and his assault rifle stolen. Another soldier in the area was shot and wounded. The army has to deal with thieves and criminal gangs stealing from bases, but it's rare for there to be a direct attack on soldiers like this.
The area where the attack took place has many ethnic Tibetans, and some of these are suspected of carrying out the attack. March 9, 2009: Chinese police and soldiers are increasingly visible all over Tibet, ready to arrest anyone daring to do anything to recognize the 50th anniversary of a major uprising against Chinese rule in Tibet. The police are particularly intent on catching foreign journalists in Tibet illegally. March 8, 2009: About 140 kilometers off Hainan island, five unarmed Chinese navy ships tried to chase away an unarmed U.S. Navy survey ship (that had deployed sonar equipment). China considers surveying or monitoring within its 360 kilometers "economic zone" to be illegal. This is the Chinese interpretation of the international law that gives it ownership of raw materials on the ocean bottom, and fish in the sea, within the economic zone. But in China, surveying (for maps) can only be done by the government, and non-government surveyors (who are increasingly active) are sought out and prosecuted.

South Korea-U.S. Military Drill

South Korea-U.S. Military Drill
(NSI News Source Info) March 22, 2009: Members of U.S. Marine Corps Fleet Antiterrorism Security Team Pacific, comprising of 46 marines from a military base in Norfolk, Virginia and deployed currently to Japan's Yokosuka, participate in a mountain warfare drill in Pohang, about 370 km (230 miles) southeast of Seoul, March 20, 2009. The drill is part of the annual Key Resolve/Foal Eagle military exercises by the U.S. and South Korea, held across the South from March 9-20. North Korea accused the U.S. and South Korea of using the joint military exercises as preparations to invade the isolated state.

US May Boost Development, Military Aid To Pakistan

US May Boost Development, Military Aid To Pakistan
(NSI News Source Info) WASHINGTON - March 22, 2009: The Obama administration may triple development aid to Pakistan while also boosting military assistance to secure more help in fighting the insurgency in Afghanistan, a US official said on Friday. The official, who spoke on condition that he not be named because President Barack Obama has yet to unveil his fresh strategy on Afghanistan, said non-military assistance could rise to three times the current roughly $450 million a year. Military aid, now running at $300 million a year, could also rise, although by a lesser amount, the official added, saying that conditions could be attached to the defense funds but not to the development money. The steps aim to win greater Pakistani cooperation to address what is seen as a major weakness of the current U.S. approach in Afghanistan: the existence of safe havens in Pakistan from which insurgents launch attacks in Afghanistan. The fighting in Afghanistan is now at its most intense since a U.S. invasion seven years ago toppled the Taliban government that sheltered the al Qaeda group behind the Sept. 11 attacks on the United States. Obama made shifting resources to the war in Afghanistan a feature of his presidential campaign and he has ordered the deployment of 17,000 additional U.S. troops to the country on top of the 38,000 already serving there. If it boosts development aid to Pakistan, the White House would embrace an approach laid out by Vice President Joe Biden when he was chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and by the panel’s senior Republican, Senator Richard Lugar. ’You don’t just love them for their terrorists’ Legislation backed by the two, and by the panel’s new chairman, Democratic Senator John Kerry, called for giving an extra $1.5 billion a year in non-military aid to Pakistan over five years, amounting to a total of $7.5 billion. “The basic approach to Pakistan is the one that comes out of the ... legislation, and that is that the first thing that you have got to do with Pakistan is convince Pakistanis that you are there with them for the long term and that you don’t just love them for their terrorists,” said the official. “The approach in the legislation was to increase the non-military assistance dramatically to help build a more stable modern Pakistani society and government and then provide military assistance that helps them fight terrorism,” he said. He said the military aid was likely to come with conditions to ensure it would be used against insurgents, but said this was “very complicated because you don’t want to end up cutting off your nose to spite your face.” “You might call it a bargain, rather than conditions: If you are committed to transforming your army into a capable counter-insurgency force, these are the kind of things we can do for you,” the official said, saying assistance could include helicopters or night vision goggles. Britain’s ambassador to the United States, Sir Nigel Sheinwald, said Washington could help Islamabad “bear down on the rise in extremism” in Pakistan by providing more aid. “If there is a more broadly based program of assistance from this country to Pakistan, focusing on the building up of infrastructure and on economic development as well as on military assistance, I think that will help,” he told Reuters. Nuclear-armed Pakistan has a long history of political instability and has spent more than half its 61-year existence under military rule. The year-old civilian government defused its latest crisis on Monday when it agreed to restore Pakistan’s top judge, ending a confrontation between the country’s two biggest political parties that looked set to spark street violence. U.S. policymakers fear Pakistan’s political turmoil could distract the country from fighting insurgents on its territory, further worsening the situation in Afghanistan. “I feel like the real war on terror is not in Iraq, and it’s not in Afghanistan,” said David Kilcullen, an expert on guerrilla warfare and the author of “The Accidental Guerrilla,” a study of counter-insurgency. “It’s in Pakistan.” “The real conceptual issue, the real strategic decision that has to be made is: what the hell are we going to do about Pakistan? How are we going to support them? How are we going to stabilize them?” he said.

EU, Russia Welcome U.S. President Barack Obama's Dialogue Offer To Iran

EU, Russia Welcome U.S. President Barack Obama's Dialogue Offer To Iran
(NSI News Source Info) March 22, 2009: The European Union (EU) and Russia welcomed US President Barack Obama's offer to Iran Friday for a new start, with the US commitment to engagement, not threats, in its pursuit of diplomacy. Obama, in a message to Iranians early Friday, said the effort could not be one-sided, suggesting the people of Iran also "have a choice" about whether they take their "rightful place in the community of nations". "That place cannot be reached through terror or arms but rather through peaceful actions that demonstrate the true greatness of the Iranian people and civilisation," Obama said. There was no immediate official reaction in Iran, where there was a public New Year holiday, to Obama's offer made in remarks broadcast by the Voice of America's (VOA) Persian news network, which is widely viewed by satellite in Iran. Moscow said it saw no signs that Iran's nuclear programme has a military purpose while Brussels described the US offer of direct talks with Tehran as "very good" and "very constructive". An Iranian presidential press advisor, who holds no official position, reacted coolly to the offer and just reiterated the stance of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad that the US should change its policies in practice before approaching Iran after three decades of diplomatic estrangement. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowed, in a pre-recorded message released Friday, to continue the country's nuclear work, saying: "The (nuclear) progress in Iran in the last (Persian) year has been significant and its continuation will bring the Iranian nation further international recognition and credit." Obama's message reflected his promise of diplomacy and engagement with Iran made through his 2008 election campaign and marked a stark departure from his predecessor George W. Bush, who refused to deal with Iran's leaders. Obama did not mention uranium enrichment but noted that the US has "serious differences that have grown over time". Javier Solana, the EU's top diplomat, who heads international negotiations over Iran's nuclear programme, Friday said Obama's offer was "very good". "I hope very much Iran will pay good attention to what has been said by President Obama. I hope this will open a new chapter in the relations with Tehran," Solana told journalists in Brussels. Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov, reacting to Obama's message said Russia still sees no sign that Iran's nuclear programme has military purpose, and welcomed the steps taken by Obama's administration to renew dialogue. "It is very important to us that the new US administration is taking steps to meet Iran part-way in the political-diplomatic sphere. We consider this optimal," he said. As Russia nears completion of Iran's first nuclear power plant at Bushehr, the US and many Western European countries have not dropped long-held suspicions that Tehran's civilian nuclear programme serves as a cover for ambitions to build atomic weapons. Iran's nuclear programme is expected to be one of the top questions on the agenda when Obama and his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev hold talks on the sidelines of the G20 summit in London in April. According to Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation, 6,000 centrifuges were currently operating in the Natanz plant in central Iran and the country is expected to increase the number of the centrifuges to 10,000 by April and run 50,000 centrifuges within the next five years. Tehran has indicated it is ready to remove all international concern that its nuclear work is solely for civil purposes and generating electricity and has welcomed the presence of the US in the negotiations but rejects any preconditions prior to the talks.

African Union Suspends Madagascar Over 'Coup'

African Union Suspends Madagascar Over 'Coup'
(NSI News Source Info) March 22, 2009: The African Union suspended Madagascar today for what it called a coup after the military forced the elected president from office and handed power to a populist opposition leader. The Indian Ocean island's new leader, Andry Rajoelina, has suspended parliament and threatened to arrest members of the deposed government for abuse of power over the killing of more than 100 people in demonstrations this year. Andry Rajoelina parades through the streets of Antananarivo, Madagascar, after taking control of the presidency. The AU's peace and security council said that the removal of the former president, Marc Ravalomanana, who signed a resignation document after the army took over his office earlier this week, was illegal. The council chairman, Bruno Nongoma Zidouemba, said it "can be interpreted as a coup". "The council is of the opinion that what occurred in Madagascar enters the definition of unconstitutional change of government," he said. "The council then decided to suspend the participation of Madagascar to the bodies and organs of the AU." Madagascar's highest court has ruled that the handover of power, in which Ravalomanana ceded control to a military leadership which then installed Rajoelina, is constitutional despite the fact that he is six years younger than the legal requirement for a president to be at least 40 years old. The AU said that the constitutional path required the president to hand power to the speaker of parliament and for elections to be held within two months. Rajoelina is promising a ballot within two years. If Madagascar does not restore constitutional order within six months, the AU can impose sanctions. The organisation has also suspended Mauritania and Guinea after military takeovers in recent months. Yesterday the Southern African Development Community, of which Madagascar is a member, refused to recognise Rajoelina as president. SADC said it "condemns in the strongest terms the circumstances that led to the ousting of a democratically elected president of Madagascar". Rajoelina, who is scheduled to be sworn in as leader of a transitional government on Saturday, is also facing rejection from beyond the continent. The US has described the handover as "an undemocratic transfer of power" and the EU has said Ravalomanana's removal was a coup d'etat. Madagascar's new prime minister, Monja Roindefo, said the situation is misunderstood. "Maybe the European Union's vision is a bit blurred," he said. "We'll explain the real situation. Maybe the way Madagascar acts is not very clear. Things can be a bit specific which may be difficult to follow in every detail."

US Nuke Submarine Damaged In Collision Near Iran

US Nuke Submarine Damaged In Collision Near Iran
(NSI News Source Info) Washington/Tehran - March 22, 2009: A nuclear submarine was damaged in a collision with another U.S. Navy vessel off the coast of Iran early Friday, leaving 15 U.S. sailors injured and 25,000 gallons of fuel spilling into the Strait of Hormuz.
In this handout image provided by the U.S. Navy, The transport dock ship USS New Orleans (LPD 18), transits through San Diego Bay before arriving in her new homeport on May 3, 2007 in San Diego, California. According to reports from U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet, two U.S. Navy ships, USS Hartford and USS New Orleans, collided on March 20, 2009 in the Strait of Hormuz between Iran and the Arabian peninsula. One of the vessels, the USS Hartford a submarine, was nuclear-powered.

Pakistan 'Democracy' Vs 'Army', 'Allah' & America?

Pakistan 'Democracy' Vs 'Army', 'Allah' & America?
(NSI News Source Info) March 22, 2009: The development of political parties is related to the level of development of a society, the quality of mutual relations and the nature of the state structure. The uneven political development in rural and urban areas that affected the growth of parties in the colonial period and also persisted after the state got freedom. Almost all the political parties currently face certain problems. The first is the lack of democracy within the party structure. Second, they are preoccupied with the sole objective of grabbing power.
Recent statements by Pakistan Govt. regarding action against terrorists, culpable of Mumbai terrorist attack, show that any statement can't be taken for granted as firm one. Two high-profile attempts by the civilian government to make decisions regarding the ISI have been summarily rejected. Political experts consider it as Pakistan Army hand behind such decisions.
Until mid-August, the Pakistan army was almost behind its ex-chief and refused to publicly back the civilian government even as General Musharraf wilted in the face of resurgent politicians.
Since his ouster, common civilians were hopeful of a 'Democratic' regime. That is still far away.
There is encouraging evidence that some Pakistanis are fed-up with the radicals. They want to get rid of the radicals and are longing for 'Democracy'. But the combination of 'A-3' (Army, Allah and America) has been curse for the common masses. The three have looked for their interest only. When Pakistan got separated from India, the base for separation was 'religion'. Later it got a strong root in Pakistan society and state as well. And the radical 'mullahs' capitalize this opportunity in their own favour. At that initial phase of its creation, Pakistan jeopardized to Army. When Pakistan was going under its first 'military rule', America was looking for an ally in south Asia and middle-East as a strategic partner against then USSR. Such conditions for Pakistan civilians turned to be vicious circle for their fate.
Pakistan has been ruled by the Army for the most of its ruled period. What is the problem with the 'Democracy' in Pakistan? There are a lot of, such as;
-Underdeveloped Political Parties
-Strong Army and its Supremacy
-Suppression of Democratic Cultural Activities
-Lack of Political Education
-Islamic Politics
-Political Parties' Lackness of Mass Contact
-Corruption and Lack of transparency
-Lack of citizen's participation
Because of all these now Pakistan is ensnared in a vicious circle of terrorism, poverty of a large number of populations, fundamentalism etc. Political Parties are unable to solve those problems facing people and Pakistan as a country. The development of political parties is related to the level of development of a society, the quality of mutual relations and the nature of the state structure.
The uneven political development in rural and urban areas that affected the growth of parties in the colonial period and also persisted after the state got freedom. Almost all the political parties currently face certain problems.
The first is the lack of democracy within the party structure. Second, they are preoccupied with the sole objective of grabbing power. They have failed to encourage the growth of alternate leadership. Third, most of our political parties lack a clear political vision. All major political parties are accused of democratic malpractices. Their leaders appoint themselves as life chairpersons. Heirs are groomed to take over their father's mantle. Party positions are distributed at a price to favorites.
Both Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto, the leaders of the two mainstream parties, never encouraged the growth of alternate leadership in their parties.
So how can these problems be overcome? It must be some changes at grassroot level. Accountable democracy can not function in Pakistan until drastic changes are made in the formation and functioning of political parties, which can faithfully represent and serve the people through a transparent political system. Educated professional and progressive minded middle class citizens do not have any chance to participate in the democratic process. There must be the mechanism to de-radicalize Pakistan's population. That can only happen if madrassas, Islamic schools which often teach hatred of non-Muslims, are replaced with moderate and preferably secular institutions.
Without sorting out all these problems Pakistan can not move out of 'A-3' control and will get a real Democracy. Establishing democracy in Pakistan will be for the world betterment. To abolish international terrorism it is necessary, as many terrorist base camps are being run in Pakistan territory. Democracy will help to combat terrorism in finer way.

U.S. Backs Danish PM As Next NATO Chief: Reports

U.S. Backs Danish PM As Next NATO Chief: Reports
(NSI News Source Info) BRUSSELS - March 22, 2009: The United States has told NATO allies it will back Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen as the next head of the alliance, NATO diplomats and a U.S. source said on Saturday. Rasmussen already has the support of European heavyweights Germany, Britain and France for the post of NATO secretary-general, but Washington had been considering backing Canadian Defense Minister Peter MacKay. A U.S. source close to the administration of President Barack Obama said Washington had indicated its acceptance of Rasmussen after U.S. National Security Adviser General James Jones this month went to Denmark to visit him. Rasmussen's spokesman Michael Ulveman said the Prime Ministry had "no comments whatsoever" on speculation the U.S. had decided to back the Rasmussen for the job. Two senior NATO diplomats confirmed Washington had signaled to allies its acceptance of Rasmussen. "There seems to be a general coalescence around Rasmussen," said one, adding that an announcement was expected at the April 3-4 NATO summit. The current secretary-general, Dutchman Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, steps down on July 31. Another NATO diplomat said Rasmussen's appointment still needed the backing of all 26 NATO allies -- including mostly Muslim Turkey, which has voiced misgivings over Rasmussen linked to the row over a cartoon in a Danish newspaper in 2006 depicting the Prophet Mohammad with a bomb in his turban. A senior NATO source predicted there would be no problems. "Turkey doesn't want to be in a minority of one," the source said. Rasmussen refused to apologize for the cartoons, which sparked riots and attacks on Danish embassies in several Muslim states, but which Western governments defended in the name of freedom of expression. Rasmussen, 56, in office since 2001, has the reputation of a competent and focused leader who gets things done. In 2003, when Denmark held the EU presidency, he hammered out a deal on membership for 10 new states, mostly from ex-communist central and eastern Europe. He backed the 2003 invasion of Iraq, sent Danish troops there and has urged NATO members to send more troops to Afghanistan, where 750 Danish soldiers are fighting the Taliban. Analysts believe Rasmussen would try to steer NATO to work more closely with the EU and the United Nations. Other contenders for a post which traditionally goes to a European include Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski, Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere and former British Defense Secretary Des Browne. Speaking at a security conference in Brussels on Saturday, Sikorski said NATO should consider an eastern European for the post now that former Soviet bloc states had been in NATO for a decade. He said this would help improve NATO's relations with Russia, though analysts say appointing an eastern European could in fact hamper NATO efforts to patch up ties with Russia damaged by Moscow's intervention in Georgia last year.

Russia's Su-35 Fighter Prototype Makes 100th Test Flight

Russia's Su-35 Fighter Prototype Makes 100th Test Flight
(NSI News Source Info) March 22, 2009: A prototype of the advanced Su-35 Flanker multi-role fighter plane has conducted its 100th test flight, to complete testing of flight control systems, the Sukhoi aircraft maker said on Friday. According to the company, successful flight tests involving two prototypes have confirmed the earlier-announced timeframe for deliveries of the aircraft to Russian and foreign customers in 2011. Sukhoi is planning to add a third prototype to the testing program in the second half of 2009, and to boost the current number of test flights to 150-160. The Su-35 is intended to destroy existing and prospective remotely piloted vehicles, cruise missiles and other maneuverable targets against the earth background, day and night and in all weathers, to deliver preemptive strikes at any air enemy, including hardly discernible visual objects, to engage ground (and water surface) targets by carrying out standoff attacks with diverse guided weapons, including high-precision ones. The installation of a new set of airborne equipment and additional (as compared to the Su-27) weapon systems on the aircraft required more hardpoints, a robust airframe, and called for changes in many airborne and airframe systems. The main landing gear struts have been modified and the two-wheel nose leg ruggedized. For better agility and takeoff/landing performance, the aircraft was provided with a canard. In terms of aerodynamic layout, the Su-35 is an unstable integral triplane (wing + horizontal tail + canard). The required stability and control are assured by a remote control system. The canard notably assists in controlling the aircraft at large angles of attack and bringing it to a level flight condition. The Su-35 fighter, powered by two 117S engines with thrust vectoring, combines high maneuverability and the capability to effectively engage several air targets simultaneously using both guided and unguided missiles and weapon systems. The aircraft also features the new Irbis-E radar with a phased antenna array, which allows the pilot to detect and track up to 30 air targets, while simultaneously engaging up to eight targets. It is equipped with a 30-mm cannon with 150 rounds and can carry up to eight tons of combat payload on 12 external mounts. The company earlier said it planned to produce the new aircraft, billed as "4++ generation using fifth-generation technology," over a period of 10 years up to 2020. Sukhoi is expecting to export at least 160 Su-35 fighters to a number of countries, including India, Malaysia and Algeria.