DTN News: Hong Kong TODAY September 15, 2009 ~ Typhoon Hurts More Than 50 In Hong Kong

DTN News: Hong Kong TODAY September 15, 2009 ~ Typhoon Hurts More Than 50 In Hong Kong *Source: DTN News / Int'l Media

(NSI News Source Info) HONG KONG - September 15, 2009: More than 50 people were injured in Typhoon Koppu, a storm that roared past Hong Kong Tuesday, emergency workers said.Most of the people taken to hospital were hit by flying objects as the typhoon, packing winds of more than 120 km per hour, whipped the city of seven million people. No one was seriously hurt. (Image: Typhoon Koppu, very strong winds, people rushing back to their shelters)

Schools and offices were closed and ferry services suspended as high winds and heavy rain continued to pummel the city Tuesday morning as the typhoon made landfall in neighbouring southern China.

Storm warnings were lifted late in the morning as the typhoon moved away from the city and Hong Kong's stock market along with most businesses and afternoon schools opened after lunch.

Across the territory, trees and scaffolding were toppled by the storm, which began affecting the city late Monday, and there were reports of localised flooding.

The typhoon came within 140 km of the city around 4 a.m. (2000 GMT Monday) but did not score a direct hit.

Koppu killed three people and injured three when it hit the Philippines as a tropical depression Saturday before being upgraded to a tropical storm and then a typhoon.

DTN News: Israel Eyes Big Arms Sales In Africa

DTN News: Israel Eyes Big Arms Sales In Africa

*Source: DTN News / UPI (NSI News Source Info) TEL AVIV, Israel, - September 15, 2009: Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman's recent five-country tour of Africa was more about building up intelligence links and selling arms than diplomacy, according to one Israeli intelligence specialist. Lieberman didn't sign any arms deals during his swing through Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana and Uganda. But Israeli officials estimate there are African arms contracts worth hundreds of millions of dollars waiting to be grabbed by Israel's export-hungry defense firms. Yossi Melman, who writes extensively on Israel's intelligence establishment, questioned whether Israel should be engaging in such activities instead of sending in agricultural advisers and medical and educational experts to such economically distressed countries. (Image: Tavor, the new Israeli assault rifle is a lightweight, compact and ergonomically designed bullpup weapon designed to become a 'organic' part of the warfighter. It has already been chosen to arm the IDF.) He noted that the publicly announced objective of the tour was "Israel's willingness to assist counties … to find solutions to their problems: hunger, insufficient clean water, epidemics." But he wrote in the liberal daily Haaretz that the main but "less publicized" aspect of the tour was boosting "defense exports," such as the arms deals worth $500 million that Israel has signed with Nigeria in recent years. Melman observed that an "even more secretive" goal was "the hope of developing intelligence ties and cooperation in the effort against international jihadist elements, and especially countering the activities of Iran in some of these African countries" where Israel has been engaged in some murky dealings over the years. Lieberman's entourage included representatives of many key Israeli defense firms, both state-owned and private enterprises. These included Israel Military Industries, Israel Aerospace Industries, Soltam, Silver Shadow Advanced Security Systems, Israel Shipyards and Elbit Systems. There was also a delegation from the Defense Ministry's foreign assistance and military sales department, known as Sibat. And finally there was a team from Israel's intelligence community, including a senior official from the Mossad, the foreign intelligence service. Israeli intelligence has operated in Africa for decades, and military teams have been active in training Africa armies, often clandestinely, with weapons sold by the Jewish state. Melman observed: "Secret funding from the United States Central Intelligence Agency was channeled by American trade unions to (Israel's) Histadrut labor federation …to finance various activities. "Among other things, the money was used to post an impressive array of Mossad agents in the African states." These activities, Melman noted, "gave Mossad agents and Israeli Defense Forces officers an excuse to be involved in the internal affairs of African regimes." Indeed, Israelis were reportedly involved in military coups in Uganda and Zanzibar, or as Melman drily observed "at least had prior knowledge of them." The African countries where the Israeli agents operated included those of geostrategic interest to Israel on the periphery of the Arab world, such as Ethiopia, Kenya and Sudan. These remain of some importance to Israel today because of their proximity to Egypt, Yemen and Saudi Arabia. Ethiopia and Sudan control the Red Sea shipping lanes to Eilat, Israel's only southern port in the Gulf of Aqaba. In July and August, amid growing tensions with Iran, Israel deployed one of three German-built Dolphin-class submarines and two corvettes into the Red Sea in a clear warning to Tehran. In January and February, Israeli warplanes were reported to have destroyed at least two convoys in the Sudanese desert that were carrying Iranian arms to Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The Israelis have long had close intelligence links with Ethiopia, a Christian-dominated Red Sea state ringed by Muslim countries. Addis Ababa is currently propping up the Western-backed transitional government in neighboring Somalia, where al-Qaida is reputed to be operating. Melman lamented: "It is a sad truth that … almost all Israeli activity on the African continent is related to weapons exports. "The 'ugly Israeli' in the guise of the arms dealer (mostly former intelligence and military officials), who promotes weapons sales on behalf of Israeli military industries, with the backing of the defense establishment, has given Israel a bad name worldwide. "Israelis have been involved in civil wars (in Angola, Liberia, Sierra Leone and the Ivory Coast) and in aiding dictatorial regimes such as in Equatorial Guinea and the two Congo republics."

DTN News: The Aftermath Of 9/11

DTN News: The Aftermath Of 9/11

*Source: DTN News / The News By Talat Masood (NSI News Source Info) ISLAMABAD, Pakistan - September 15, 2009: Almost overnight 9/11 transformed the world. It was indeed an earth shaking event that completely changed the security paradigm. It has changed the way we think, act, travel and live. If there was one country that suffered the most from the events of 9/11 it is clearly Pakistan. Thousands of people have died and many more injured in Pakistan and the saga of death and destruction continues unabated.

What is most tragic and in a way grossly unfair is that the international community and United States has not realised the great harm that has visited us since. There was not a single Pakistani among the 19 hijackers as they were all Arabs, mostly from Saudi Arabia and a few from Egypt. All the planning for this operation was done in Europe and funding came from the Middle East. When America let loose its might on Afghanistan, it is Pakistan that received the worst fallout. Leadership of Taliban and Al Qaeda along with their hundreds of followers crossed the seamless border and found sanctuary in Pakistan’s tribal belt. Thousands of Afghan refugees poured in, over and above the two million of them that already we were hosting.

FATA that had remained neglected ever since the creation of Pakistan took a further blow during the Afghan jihad when its social, tribal and administrative structures were weakened or completely destroyed. When events of 9/11 occurred it suffered the most as it acted as a buffer and cushioned the shock and awe of the US invasion for Afghanistan. In the process the Pakistani state that always had a weak control over FATA lost its writ in many parts paving the way for the influx of Al Qaeda and Taliban. It is worth reminding ourselves that during this entire period of turbulence starting from the 80’s until now FATA and NWFP, which were already very backward in terms of human indexes whether it is education, per capita income, health and empowerment of women suffered even more. With a fast growing population gross neglect of education has produced a generation with hardly any skills to relate to either national or global economy. The collapse and absence of the public education system with 2 per cent annual growth rate in population thus became a serious threat to the nation state. No wonder then that militancy has become the most lucrative occupation for the youth who find it as a means of livelihood and a vehicle for empowerment in these areas. The above facts notwithstanding, Pakistan cannot absolve itself of its responsibility for where it stands today. Its robust participation as a front line state in the Afghan jihad against the Soviets without taking measures to protect its vital interests was a strategic error. Similarly, its support of the Taliban in the quest for its misguided ambition for strategic depth in Afghanistan was an unmitigated disaster. Both these foreign policy decisions cost the country heavily in terms of weakening its state structures, destroying the social fabric, undermining the economy and weakening political institutions. Meanwhile, military grew even more politically powerful giving it a key role in the affairs of the state. Moreover, Pakistan’s support to the Taliban strengthened reactionary and retrogressive forces in neighbouring Afghanistan and within Pakistan. This resulted in an ideological blowback causing strategic disorientation among our ruling elite. Taliban philosophy is the very antithesis of the vision of Qaid-e-Azam and opposed to the forces of progress and modernisation that are crucial to Pakistan’s march into the 21st century. Moreover, association with Taliban soiled our international image that already had suffered with the military takenver. Bracketing by US of Afghanistan and Pakistan in Obama’s latest regional strategy could be attributed as a cumulative outcome of these flawed policies. Pakistan’s relations with India also suffered due to 9/11. Whereas Pakistan became a frontline state and non-NATO ally, it was India that truly acquired the status of a strategic partner of US with the nuclear deal and cooperation in defence, technology and space. One of the major weaknesses in Pak-US relations has been the lack of confidence between the two countries at least until recently. And the anti-American sentiment has prevented Pakistan from being able to fully actualise and benefit from the relationship. New Delhi taking advantage of Pakistan’s predicament after 9/11 stepped up its pressure and orchestrated a campaign that Kashmiri jihadi elements should be treated as terrorists. It also suited western countries not to differentiate between terrorism and genuine freedom struggle. Nexus between Kashmiri militants and Al Qaeda and Taliban are a source of serious concern to the international community and the problem of Kashmir remains frozen. Initially Pakistan benefited from economic assistance offered by US, western powers and multilateral agencies. But in these eight years the cost of war has been staggering in terms of loss of life, disabling injuries, displacement of millions of people and extensive destruction of private and public property. Rough estimates indicate it is anywhere between 35 to 40 billion dollars and Pakistan has received from Washington about 11 billion dollars which includes reimbursements for the services rendered. In the process economy has been a serious casualty as foreign and local investment dropped due to security considerations. And clearly Pakistan has partially lost its sovereignty as its political and economic affairs are being micro-managed by the US. Politically, 9/11 has contributed to the polarisation of our society and made it more violent and intolerant. The support of President Bush and of western powers to a military dictator for seven years further weakened Pakistan’s political institutions. Wheeling and dealing by external players to protect their interests under the cover of seeking a smooth transition from military to civilian rule did create several distortions in our political system. Nonetheless, the advent of a democratic government however fragile it may be, with the support of military has proved to be better equipped in dealing with militancy and extremism.Courtesy The News

DTN News: American Planes For Iranian Peace?

DTN News: American Planes For Iranian Peace?

*Iranian media say the United States offered 20 Boeing aircraft in an attempt to soothe Tehran amid an impasse on its nuclear programme. And though it might never have happened, it quickly inflamed the republic’s hardliners.

*Source: DTN News / The National By Maryam Sinaiee, Foreign Correspondent

(NSI News Source Info) TEHRAN, Iran - September 15, 2009: An unconfirmed Iranian report claims the US has offered to sell 20 new Boeing aircraft and aeroplane parts worth $2.5 billion (Dh9bn) to Iran as a show of good will in order to put an end to the long-running disputes over Iranian assets frozen in the US and encourage direct talks with the US. US offered 20 Boeing aircraft in an attempt to soothe Tehran amid an impasse on its nuclear programme. “The messages from the US president to Iran about delivering the planes were sent after the finalisation of the results of the presidential elections,” Fars News Agency on Saturday quoted an “informed source” as saying.The source also told Fars News Agency that some of the aircraft and spare parts were being delivered to Iran through Venezuela. The Venezuelan president, Hugo Chávez, visited Tehran for a second time after Iran’s June presidential elections last week during which he met with Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and the president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. The planes and spare parts are to be paid for from the Iranian assets in the US that were frozen nearly 30 years ago following the seizure of the US embassy in Tehran by radical students, the source claimed. Mohammad Ali Ilkhani, the head of the Civil Aviation Organisation, however, was quoted by Mehr News Agency on Saturday as denying that there had been any proposal to sell aircraft to Iran. Yesterday, the organisation’s spokesman, Reza Jafarzadeh, was quoted by Fars News Agency as saying that his organisation had yet not received any “orders or reports about the details of [the US] pledge to deliver the aircraft” and declined to make any further comments regarding the subject. Whether or not the US puts an end to its embargo on Iran’s aviation industry by delivering new aircraft to replace its dilapidated fleet, does not seem to convince Iran’s hardliners of American good will towards Iran. “The US statesmen and President Obama himself should not doubt even for a minute that the Iranian nation and officials are not prepared as much as a grain to make any concessions regarding their four preconditions [for starting direct talks],” the hardline Jomhuri Eslami newspaper wrote in an editorial yesterday, while saying the number of planes involved was 16. The editorial said the conditions required for rapprochement with the US included an apology for interfering in Iranian affairs during the 25 years before the Islamic Revolution and for supporting the Shah, a pledge not to interfere in Iran’s affairs, the release of the frozen Iranian assets in the US and a pledge not to interfere with Iran’s nuclear activities or its relationship with the International Atomic Energy Agency. “Mr Obama has resorted to such a scheme probably because of Iran’s need to [have new] passenger planes and thinks that with this candy stick he can sweeten the mouths of Iranian officials and gobble up $12 billion of the assets of the Iranian nation,” the paper wrote.Iran continues to demand that the nuclear issue be excluded from talks with the United States and other western powers.“The Iranians have a responsibility to the international community to walk away from their illicit nuclear weapons programme and that will be the focus from the US side in talks,” the White House press secretary, Robert Gibbs, said on Saturday while welcoming Iran’s agreement to sit down to direct talks with the six world powers. “This may not have been a topic they wanted to be brought up, but I can assure you it’s a topic that we’ll bring up,” Mr Gibbs added. “That’s our goal.” The remarks were made only a few hours after Iran’s foreign minister, Manouchehr Mottaki, said there was a possibility of talks with western powers based on the contents of Iran’s package of proposals, “should conditions be ripe”, and his avowal that no compromise was to be made regarding the country’s uranium enrichment programme. President Ahmadinejad reiterated yesterday that Iran does not intend to talk to the West about anything other than what was listed in Iran’s five-page proposal for talks last week. “Iran will not negotiate about its inalienable right, but we are prepared to talk about international co-operation for solving global economic and security issues and believe these problems cannot be resolved without participation of everyone,” he said during a ceremony held to receive the credentials of Simon Gass, the new British ambassador to Tehran. Yesterday, the Turkish foreign minister, Ahmet Davutoglu, said Ankara was ready to host talks between Iran and world powers on Tehran’s latest proposal. According to a press release from Iran’s National Security Council quoted by IRNA, Mr Davutoglu made the offer during his meeting with Saeed Jalili, Iran’s top nuclear negotiator.The minister, who was wrapping up a two-day visit, hoped the negotiations would start “as soon as possible and said Turkey is ready to host the talks”, the statement issued after he met Mr Jalili said. The Iranian package presented to the six world powers – the UN, US, Britain, China, France and Germany – proposes talks on global nuclear disarmament among other things, but makes no reference to any discussion about the country’s uranium enrichment programme.

DTN News: Japan's Yukiya Amano Named New IAEA Chief

DTN News: Japan's Yukiya Amano Named New IAEA Chief *Source: DTN News / Int'l Media

(NSI News Source Info) VIENNA, Austria - September 15, 2009: The International Atomic Energy Agency named Japanese diplomat Yukiya Amano as its new head, ending a protracted struggle between the U.S. and some developing countries over who will succeed Mohamed ElBaradei as chief of the United Nations' nuclear watchdog. International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) new Director General Yukiya Amano of Japan delivers a speech during the General conference on September 14, 2009 in Vienna. The IAEA on September 14, 2009 formally appointed Yukiya Amano of Japan as its new director general from December 1, succeeding Mohamed ElBaradei. The 150 member states of the UN nuclear watchdog approved Amano -- who has been Tokyo's ambassador to the IAEA -- by acclamation. On Monday, the IAEA's highest governing body, the 150-nation IAEA General Conference approved Mr. Amano's selection by acclamation. This year, the agency's 35-member Board of Governors, its second-highest body, had rejected Mr. Amano's nomination 10 times, until a shift of one "no" vote to abstention gave Mr. Amano the necessary two-thirds majority in July. The U.S. and other Western nations backed Mr. Amano's candidacy as director general of the IAEA. But Mr. Amano, who starts his four-year term in December, had to overcome opposition from developing countries, which supported South African Abdul Minty for the top job. The contest reflected disagreement between the U.S. and other advanced industrial nations, which want the IAEA to police the spread of nuclear technology strictly, and developing countries, which tend to be more sympathetic to demands from nonnuclear states -- including Iran -- that they should be able to use their legal right to make nuclear fuel. Mr. Amano, a 62-year-old lawyer, has served as Japan's ambassador to the IAEA since 2005, representing an industrial country that has vigorously developed civilian nuclear technology. Fellow ambassadors at the agency say they view Mr. Amano as competent but uninspiring. The U.S. clashed with Mr. ElBaradei for years over how to strike the balance between Western security concerns and developing nations' desire to acquire nuclear technology. Mr. ElBaradei, an Egyptian lawyer and diplomat, angered the Bush administration in 2003 by casting doubt on its claims that Saddam Hussein's Iraq was developing nuclear weapons. U.S. officials later tried unsuccessfully to oust Mr. ElBaradei. In 2005, Mr. ElBaradei and the agency's staff were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for their efforts to counter the spread of nuclear weapons. Mr. ElBaradei said in a speech to the IAEA's governing body on Monday that he had been vindicated over Iraq. Relations between the U.S. and Mr. ElBaradei have improved under the Obama administration, which -- like the departing IAEA head -- supports dialogue with Iran. The U.S. and the European Union have been pressuring Iran to abandon its nuclear-enrichment program. Low-enriched fuel can be used for nuclear power; highly enriched uranium can be used for nuclear weapons. The Iranian government is thought to possess about enough low-enriched uranium to make a nuclear weapon if the fuel were enriched. Iran says it plans to use the uranium for peaceful nuclear purposes, such as electric power generation. Experts say it could take Tehran years to acquire the know-how to refine the uranium to weapons-grade purity -- an opportunity for diplomacy the Obama administration hopes to seize. The IAEA's central mission is to monitor nuclear facilities around the world, requiring the body to maintain good relations with sometimes difficult partners. Should international disarmament talks with North Korea prove successful, the U.S., North Korea, China, Japan, Russia and South Korea will ask the IAEA to monitor and report on North Korea's steps to dismantle its nuclear stockpile. Mr. Amano says he envisions the IAEA as a technical body, not a political one. In an interview this year, he said the agency should monitor nuclear programs to prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons and promote peaceful uses for nuclear energy. "The IAEA should not be a venue for negotiating disarmament," he said in the interview. The organization is charged with exposing secret nuclear programs that violate the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, which went into effect in 1970. Under the treaty, Britain, France, Russia, China and the U.S. may retain nuclear weapons -- but must move toward disarmament. In return, a bloc of dozens of nonaligned nations -- primarily developing countries in Africa, Asia and South America -- demand IAEA assistance in obtaining access to nuclear technology for civilian uses. Iran has exploited this inherent tension to garner support for its nuclear program, which it says is purely for peaceful purposes.

DTN News: UK MoD Purchases Additional Rockwell Collins FireStorm™ Systems For Close Air Support

DTN News: UK MoD Purchases Additional Rockwell Collins FireStorm™ Systems For Close Air Support

*Source: DTN News / Rockwell Collins (NSI News Source Info) LONDON, UK - September 15, 2009: Rockwell Collins has been selected by the United Kingdom (UK) Ministry of Defence (MoD) to provide significant additional FireStorm™ targeting systems to help UK Forward Air Controllers and Forward Artillery Observers to accurately direct aircraft and artillery to their targets. The order also includes spares to support overall system deployments in Afghanistan. Rockwell Collins is leveraging our mission computing technology, along with our communications and navigation experience, to facilitate Network-Centric Operations (NCO) and provide improved situational awareness for ground users and platforms. Our role in developing the Ground Mobile Radio (GMR) as part of the Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS) program provides us with the expertise to meet the communications and interoperability demands of the warfighter. In the area of net-centric computing, we have gained extensive knowledge from our participation in developing Integrated Computing Systems (ICS) for Future Combat Systems (FCS). Our Net-Centric Computer System (NCS) also provides advanced computing capabilities and can be applied to a wide variety of existing platforms, including tracked, wheeled and airborne vehicles. * "This is the second major FireStorm contract awarded to Rockwell Collins by the MoD this year, which indicates their growing confidence in the enhanced targeting and air support capabilities provided by the system," said Al Caslavka, vice president and general manager of C3I Solutions for Rockwell Collins. "Originally, FireStorm was developed in direct response to the MoD's urgent need to rapidly develop a highly accurate, fully digitized system to enhance situational awareness for their solders. We're now seeing the proven success of this project evolve into longer term opportunities for Rockwell Collins." The Rockwell Collins FireStorm system provides combat-proven situational awareness through integrated precision targeting, enabling ground personnel to seamlessly operate with airborne assets. Dedicated to supporting the dynamic and changing warfighting environment, the FireStorm system offers flexible solutions for ground targeting, air support and call for fire missions. The FireStorm system is comprised of a lightweight, fully integrated, mission configurable suite of hardware and software including tablet PC, Laser Range Finder, real-time video receiver, a Rockwell Collins Azimuth Augmentation system, Defense Advanced GPS Receiver (DAGR) and tactical radio. Rockwell Collins was initially selected to provide the system in 2007. Rockwell Collins (NYSE: COL) is a pioneer in the development and deployment of innovative communication and aviation electronic solutions for both commercial and government applications. Our expertise in flight deck avionics, cabin electronics, mission communications, information management and simulation and training is delivered by nearly 20,000 employees, and a global service and support network that crosses 27 countries. To find out more, please visit http://www.rockwellcollins.com/.

DTN News: Brazil Sets Deadline For New Bids In Fighter Competition

DTN News: Brazil Sets Deadline For New Bids In Fighter Competition

*Source: DTN News / Int'l Media (NSI News Source Info) BRASÍLIA, Brazil - September 15, 2009: The French company Dassault has until September 21 to formalize to the Brazilian Air Force a new business proposal for the Rafale fighter that is compatible with the parameters specified by French President Nicolas Sarkozy. (Image: Rafale fighter jet)

This deadline also applies to the other two competitors, Boeing (F-18) and Saab (Gripen NG), who may wish to match the French proposals.

It is the expectation of the Brazilian air force to complete the technical review process by the end of October, so that the information can be delivered to the Minister of Defense who will then pass it on to the President, who will carry out policy and strategic analysis, and take the final decision.

"Now we have to evaluate the proposals. The commitments that President Sarkozy made will have to be confirmed by Dassault's own offer," Defense Minister Nelson Jobim said last Thursday [Sept. 10—Ed.]. "The important thing is that there has been a political decision of the President to expand the strategic alliance with France. ... for this policy decision to come into effect, it depends on Dassault and also the other [bidders], because there needs to be a comparative evaluation," the minister said.

Jobim said that the evaluation process is following its normal course, and rejected criticism of those who claim that the government rushed to announce a preference for the Rafale, with conditions discussed with the French government. "The ones who rushed were the ones who jumped to a conclusion that was never stated [by the government], and that is why the President had to confirm that ‘we are going back’ to negotiations.”

During the news conference by Presidents Lula and Sarkozy, on September 7, on the insistence of journalists who wanted to know whether the negotiations with Dassault’s would be cancelled, the President said, "Our colleagues worked until almost two in the morning. I even had time for a meeting with the Defense Minister to discuss in depth the discussions they had. Clearly, this means nothing more and nothing less than was stated in the [joint] communiqué, i.e. that we decided to start negotiations for the purchase of the Rafale.”

DTN News: Pentagon Plans Patriot Missile Sale To Turkey

DTN News: Pentagon Plans Patriot Missile Sale To Turkey

*Source: DTN News / AFP (NSI News Source Info) WASHINGTON, USA - September 15, 2009: The Pentagon has told U.S. lawmakers it is ready to sell Turkey a $7.8 billion Patriot missile system, a move designed to bolster its only NATO ally which borders Iran. (Image: PAC-3 missiles) The sale would include 13 "fire units," 72 PAC-3 interceptor missiles and a host of related hardware, the Pentagon's Defense Security Cooperation Agency has notified Congress in a document obtained Sept. 14 by AFP. Turkey, a longtime U.S. ally, is the only NATO member to have a land border with Iran. The Pentagon agency said the sale was essential for Turkey to maintain "a strong and ready self-defense capability that will contribute to an acceptable military balance in the area. "Turkey will use the PAC-3 missiles to improve its missile defense capability, strengthen its homeland defense, and deter regional threats." The notification comes as tensions soar between the United States and Iran over Iran's nuclear program, which Washington suspects is bid to obtain a nuclear bomb. Iran has refused to suspend uranium enrichment despite five U.N. Security Council resolutions calling on it to do so.

DTN News: Venezuela To Buy $2.2 Billion In Weapons From Russia

DTN News: Venezuela To Buy $2.2 Billion In Weapons From Russia

*Source: DTN News / Int'l Media (NSI News Source Info) CARACAS, Venezuela - September 15, 2009: Venezuela said September 13 it has obtained a $2.2 billion credit from Russia to purchase nearly 100 T-72 tanks and a series of anti-aircraft rocket systems from its strategic ally. (Image: T-72 MBT) "The Russian government approved financing of 2.2 billion (dollars) for the cost of the weapons," President Hugo Chavez said in his weekly radio and television broadcast. "Thanks to the support of the Russian President [Dmitry Medvedev] and the Prime Minister [Vladimir Putin], the purchase of arms aimed at boosting our defensive capacity has became viable." Chavez described some of the weapons in the new arsenal, including 92 Soviet-era T-72 main battle tanks that his military will receive "in order to modernize our fleet of armored vehicles." Chavez has long expressed a desire to improve his nation's military with Moscow's help, and the substantial deal comes amid rising tensions between Caracas and Bogota over Colombia's decision to allow the United States access to several military bases on its territory. The firebrand leftist has repeatedly criticized the United States but has insisted that the latest purchase was not directed against any other country. In addition to the tanks, Chavez announced his government will take delivery of 300mm Smerch multiple launch rocket systems. "We have signed the contract already for this equipment," the president said. "With these rockets it is going to be very difficult for them to come and bomb us. If that happens, they should know that we will soon have these systems installed, [and] for an enemy that appears on the horizon, there it goes." The arsenal will also include vehicle-mounted Russian Antey 2500 surface-to-air missile systems that target incoming tactical missiles. Chavez insisted his country's massive oil and gas reserves warranted the protection afforded by a military buildup. "We have the largest petroleum reserves in the world. The empire has set its sights on them," Chavez said. Latin America's loudest U.S. critic often describes the United States as an empire. "We have the right to take the minimum necessary steps to guarantee to the public our national security and our [energy] treasure." The growing presence of Chinese, Russian and Spanish firms in the vast Orinoco oil belt, fields believed to be among the largest in the world, provide "a new geopolitical dimension as we establish the parameters of military and our sovereignty," he said. In recent years Venezuela has signed over $4 billion worth of arms contracts with Russia, and last November its navy held joint exercises with Russian warships in the Caribbean, traditionally seen as a U.S. domain.

DTN News: Boeing's 1st C-130 AMP Trainer For US Air Force Declared 'Ready For Use'

DTN News: Boeing's 1st C-130 AMP Trainer For US Air Force Declared 'Ready For Use'

*Source: DTN News / Boeing (NSI News Source Info) LITTLE ROCK, Ark., - September 15, 2009: Boeing [NYSE: BA] has completed delivery of the U.S. Air Force's first simulator for the C-130 Avionics Modernization Program (AMP) to Little Rock Air Force Base. The Weapon System Trainer (WST) passed government acceptance testing and was declared "ready for use" on July 20. (Image: Boeing has completed delivery of the U.S. Air Force's first simulator for the C-130 Avionics Modernization Program (AMP) to Little Rock Air Force Base. The Weapon System Trainer (WST) passed government acceptance testing and was declared "ready for use" on July 20.) Boeing is scheduled to deliver a suite of trainers over the next several years to support the AMP training program at Little Rock. Each piece of training equipment offers a different level of instruction to train crew members in the operation of the new capability AMP will install in the aircraft. "As a guard unit, our entire mission depends on exceptional training," said Lt. Col. Domenic Sarnataro, 189th Airlift Wing Chief of Safety, Arkansas Air National Guard. "Ours is the only unit that will provide training for the C-130 AMP, so the sooner we can start using these simulators, the better prepared we will be when training begins late next year." The simulator is a full-motion, high fidelity simulator that is essential in training Air Force aircrews to fly the AMP-modified aircraft in an operational environment. An important feature of this training device is that it uses the same software as the C-130 AMP aircraft, which will make it easier for the Air Force to keep the simulator current with the aircraft. Any future modifications can be made to the aircraft and the training devices at the same time, so aircrews can train on any new capability in the simulator before they fly it in the aircraft. Three C-130 AMP aircraft have completed initial flight testing and are undergoing additional evaluation flights with the Air Force before the AMP upgrade kits are installed on the fleet. Boeing partnered with Tampa, Fla.-based subcontractor CAE USA to integrate the new AMP cockpit into the simulator and to perform similar modifications for other training devices in the suite. "As the world's most experienced provider of C-130 training systems and services, we are extremely pleased to partner with Boeing to deliver the first C-130 AMP Weapon Systems Trainer to the Air Force," said John Lenyo, president and general manager of CAE USA. "This state-of-the-art simulator will play a key role in ensuring Air Force C-130 crews are well-trained and mission-ready with the modernized aircraft." Just as the training program is refurbishing old training devices, the AMP program will save the Air Force millions of dollars by modifying existing C-130s when compared with the cost of acquiring new aircraft. A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems is one of the world's largest space and defense businesses specializing in innovative and capabilities-driven customer solutions, and the world’s largest and most versatile manufacturer of military aircraft. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems is a $32 billion business with 70,000 employees worldwide.

DTN News: New Osama Bin Laden Tape Calls President Barack Obama Powerless To Stop Afghanistan War

DTN News: New Osama Bin Laden Tape Calls President Barack Obama Powerless To Stop Afghanistan War

*Source: DTN News / Int'l Media (NSI News Source Info) CAIRO, Egypt - September 15, 2009: Osama bin Laden said in a new audiotape that President Barack Obama's strategy in Afghanistan is "hopeless" and called on Americans to resolve the conflict with al-Qaida by ending the war there and breaking the U.S. alliance with Israel. In the message marking the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, the al-Qaida leader avoided his usual rhetoric of jihad and instead took a more analytical tone, claiming its differences with the U.S. stemmed from the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. (Image: Osama bin Laden has told Americans to rethink their policies, in a new video in which he links their support for Israel to the September 11 attacks in 2001. Titled "Message to the American People," the video features a still image of bin Laden and an audio statement. Duration: 00:32) But analysts said Monday that the message's tone and its unusually short length — only 11 minutes, far shorter than others released by al-Qaida to mark the anniversary — was an indication that al-Qaida was struggling to maintain interest eight years after its most shattering terror attacks. "You might interpret this as a sign of weakness, the suggestion being that they don't really want to fight the U.S.," Jeremy Binnie, an analyst with Jane's Terrorism and Insurgency Center, said of bin Laden's tone. Arabs and Muslims' more positive feelings toward the new U.S. president are believed to have helped deflate al-Qaida's anti-American rhetoric, which found a receptive audience during the administration of former President George W. Bush, who was widely resented in the region. Also, the Iraq war — once a main front for al-Qaida's militants — has become less prominent as violence eased over the past two years and the presence of U.S. troops was reduced. The main front now is Afghanistan, where the Obama administration is contemplating sending more troops to battle al-Qaida's ally, the Taliban. Gen. Stanley McChrystal, commander of U.S. and NATO forces said Friday he sees no signs of a major al-Qaida presence in the country. In the audiotape, posted late Thursday on Islamic militant Web sites, bin Laden sought to depict Obama as merely continuing the policies of Bush and former Vice President Dick Cheney. "If you end the (Afghan) war, so be it, but otherwise we will continue the war of attrition against you," he said, addressing the American people. "You are waging a hopeless and losing war, a war in which the end is not visible on the horizon." But bin Laden used most of the message to detail the reason for al-Qaida's campaign against the United States. "The cause of our disagreement with you is your support to your Israeli allies who occupy our land of Palestine," he said, adding that this support "pushed us to undertake "the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. He argued that Washington — even under Obama — was under the thrall of "neoconservatives and the Israeli lobby." He said Obama and White House officials "act like Cheney and Bush and promote the previous policies of fear to market the interests of big companies" and pull Americans into wars that he said have bankrupted the United States. If America reconsiders its alliance with Israel, he said, al-Qaida will respond on "sound and just bases." The Saudi construction magnate's son-turned "holy warrior" has frequently sought to wrap al-Qaida in the Palestinian cause, seeking to draw support in the Arab world, where the issue is one of the public's top concerns. However the Palestinians themselves — even the militant Hamas organization — have distanced themselves from al-Qaida and cracked down on those espousing a similar extremist ideology inside the Gaza Strip. The short message was in sharp contrast to others issued around the Sept. 11 anniversary. In 2007, al-Qaida marked the anniversary with multiple videos by several of its leaders, including bin Laden's deputy Ayman al-Zawahri. Just last year, it issued a massive 90-minute opus summing up seven years of struggle around the world. Evan Kohlman, a terrorism expert at globalterroralert.com, said al-Qaida appears to have been unable to come up with a way to confront the popularity of the new U.S. president. Obama has pursued a policy of seeking better ties with Arabs and Muslims, giving a landmark speech in Cairo in June, moving to withdraw U.S. troops from Iraq and taking a somewhat harder stance on Israel in the peace process. "I would have thought for Sept. 11 he could have said something more ground breaking and significant," said Kohlman.

DTN News: China Responds To New US Tariffs With Anti-Dumping Investigation

DTN News: China Responds To New US Tariffs With Anti-Dumping Investigation *Source: DTN News / Int'l Media

(NSI News Source Info) BEIJING, China - September 15, 2009: China has launched an "anti-dumping and anti-subsidy" investigation into imports of US vehicles and chicken products, amid allegations by the foreign ministry of US protectionism. An employee works at a tire factory in Hefei, Anhui province September 14, 2009. China has requested WTO-sanctioned consultations with the United States over Washington's new duties on Chinese-made tires, a spokesman for China's Commerce Ministry said. The commerce ministry said on Monday there are concerns that the US imports had "dealt a blow to domestic industries". "It was simply a response to domestic concerns" and not retaliation for new US tariffs on Chinese tyre imports announced on Friday, the government said. The ministry's website quoted Chen Deming, the commerce minister, as saying that the US move, announced on Friday, was a violation of global trade rules and a "grave act of trade protectionism". "This is an abuse of special safeguard provisions and sends the wrong signal to the world," Chen said.The Chinese authorities said in a statement: "In line with national laws and World Trade Organisation rules, the commerce ministry has started an anti-dumping and anti-subsidy examination of some imported US car products and chicken meat." Producers' complaints The ministry said the investigation of imported US cars and chicken was in line with World Trade Organisation rules, and launched in response to complaints from Chinese producers. The official China Daily quoted Fan Rende, head of the China Rubber Industry Association, as saying the US tariffs on Chinese tyres could lead to the loss of 100,000 jobs in China. What is dumping? In international trade, "dumping" refers to selling goods abroad at a price below that charged in the domestic market. The newspaper reported strong support among Chinese firms and economists for retaliatory measures against the US. "We could levy higher tariffs on tyres and automobiles imported from the US," it quoted He Weiwen, of the China Society for American Economic Studies, as saying. "China should not let the US car firms make easy money from its vast car market. We should teach them a lesson." The US trade deficit with China totalled $103bn in the first half of 2009, down 13 per cent from the same period last year. US tyre tariff The White House announced on Friday that President Barack Obama had imposed a 35-per-cent tariff on tyres imported from China amid a trade complaint by a major US union. Obama authorised the additional duties on tyre imports from China for three years "in order to remedy a market disruption cause by a surge in tyre imports". The new tariffs will begin with a 35-per-cent duty the first year and decrease to 30 per cent the second year and 25 per cent the third year tariff. Washington has long accused China of practising trade protectionism [AFP]The additional tariff comes on top of an existing four per cent duty. The United Steelworkers union had complained of dumping of Chinese-made tyres. The US International Trade Commission had found the products were being imported in the US in a way that threatened domestic producers and the group had recommended even higher tariffs of 55 per cent. The union is a key constituency of Obama and he has sought their support in fighting to overhaul the US healthcare system. US tyre manufacturers, many of whom also have plants in China, had not sought the tariffs. The imports amount to $1.8bn annually. 'Dangerous signal' In the wake of the imposition of the tyre tariffs, Jiang Yu, a foreign ministry spokeswoman, said the move sent a dangerous protectionist signal. "This is going to damage financial and trade co-operation between China and the United States, and does not help push the world economy towards an early recovery," Jiang said in a statement posted on the ministry website. China and the US have vowed to co-operate in seeking to revive global economic growth. But the tyre dispute has brought continued friction over trade into focus, which could spill into the G20 summit this month and Obama's scheduled visit to China in November. Jiang said China had already had stern talks with US officials, and reserved the right to take further countermeasures.