UPI International Intelligence articles from August 2008

UPI International Intelligence archives from August 2008

Analysis: More change to U.S. spy agencies.
August 1, 2008... Byline: SHAUN WATERMAN WASHINGTON, Aug. 1 (UPI) -- House Republicans Thursday walked out of a briefing by the director of national intelligence, Michael McConnell, about new rules President Bush has signed for U.S. spy agencies,...

Dogs of War: Who protects the protectors?
August 1, 2008... Byline: DAVID ISENBERG WASHINGTON, Aug. 1 (UPI) -- The recent rescue of three U.S. private military contractors, held for more than five years by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, highlights one of the perils of the industry --...

Iraq Press Roundup.
August 1, 2008... Byline: HIBA DAWOOD The independent Kul al-Iraq newspaper said in its Friday editorial that two years ago, the people of the United States as well as congressional leaders started sending messages to the Iraqi people trying to convince...

Arab League appoints Iraqi envoy.
August 1, 2008... CAIRO, Aug. 1 (UPI) -- The League of Arab States replaced its Moroccan envoy to Iraq with Egyptian diplomat Hani Khalaf, league officials said. Arab League spokesman Abdel Aleem al-Abyad said the move is an effort to boost the Arab...

Baghdad warns of unilateral move on Kirkuk.
August 1, 2008... BAGHDAD, Aug. 1 (UPI) -- Iraqi government officials Friday called on lawmakers and residents in Kirkuk to avoid any independent move to change the jurisdiction or autonomy of the city. Iraqi government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh told...

Peshmerga supporting Iraqi troops.
August 1, 2008... ERBIL, Iraq, Aug. 1 (UPI) -- The Kurdish armed forces are supporting Iraqi and U.S. troops in the fight against insurgents and al-Qaida elements, a Kurdish lawmaker said. Adel Barwari, a Kurdish member of Parliament working on defense...

Kurdish PM to visit Tehran.
August 1, 2008... ERBIL, Iraq, Aug. 1 (UPI) -- The Kurdish prime minister plans to visit Tehran next week to discuss political issues as well as activity regarding Kurdish separatists, officials said Friday. Falah Mustafa, the top foreign affairs official in...

PMOI obstacle to peace, Iran says.
August 1, 2008... TEHRAN, Aug. 1 (UPI) -- The U.S. relationship with an Iranian opposition group based in Iraq jeopardizes the future of relations with the Islamic Republic, an Iranian report says. An Iranian Press TV report says the U.S. relationship with...

Sadrist lawmaker backs U.S. withdrawal.
August 1, 2008... NAJAF, Iraq, Aug. 1 (UPI) -- The Sadrist Movement of Iraqi Shiite cleric Moqtada Sadr supports a phased U.S. troop withdrawal from Iraq, a spokesman for the party said Friday. In an interview with Tehran's al-Alam news agency, Hassan...

Mission to assess Djibouti and Eritrea.
August 1, 2008... ASMARA, Eritrea, Aug. 1 (UPI) -- A U.N. envoy sent to the border region between Djibouti and Eritrea is set to begin an investigation into recent violence and the fractious political climate. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon ordered a...

DHS releases emergency communication plan.
August 1, 2008... WASHINGTON, Aug. 1 (UPI) -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has released a new strategic plan designed to provide a comprehensive set of guidelines for emergency communication. The department released the National Emergency...

Report: Somalia deteriorated in July.
August 1, 2008... BRUSSELS, Aug. 1 (UPI) -- The ongoing violence in Somalia, along with growing turmoil in Pakistan and Afghanistan, topped the monthly CrisisWatch list released Friday. The report, released by the International Crisis Group, pointed to six...

Violence hampers Afghan aid.
August 1, 2008... KABUL, Afghanistan, Aug. 1 (UPI) -- An escalation of violence in Afghanistan is imposing a difficult obstacle for aid agencies attempting to reach civilians most in need. Officials from international aid agencies say an estimated...

Somali violence poses threat to children.
August 1, 2008... MOGADISHU, Somalia, Aug. 1 (UPI) -- The United Nations says the violence engulfing Somalia has had a devastating effect on children in the region, prompting calls for renewed efforts for peace. The U.N. Children's Fund reported as many as...

NATO head praises Aussies.
August 1, 2008... TARIN KOWT, Afghanistan, Aug. 1 (UPI) -- Australian troops pushing farther south into Afghanistan into Taliban strongholds have received words of praise during a recent visit from the head of NATO. NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop...

Walker's World: Which Iran is in charge?
August 4, 2008... Byline: MARTIN WALKER WASHINGTON, Aug. 4 (UPI) -- Will the real Iranian government please stand up to be identified? Tehran has just ignored the latest deadline from the United States and the Europeans to suspend its nuclear enrichment...

Analysis: Middle East crisis explained.
August 4, 2008... Byline: CLAUDE SALHANI WASHINGTON, Aug. 4 (UPI) -- As a matter of courtesy this reporter replies to all comments from readers. Occasionally, some responses are so erroneous in their observation of the initial piece, as well as in the...

Iraq Press Roundup.
August 4, 2008... Byline: HIBA DAWOOD The Kurdish al-Ahali newspaper carried a Monday editorial titled "Kirkuk is an independent region in itself" on the negotiations surrounding the ethnic and sectarian tensions in the diverse northern region. The...

U.S. lawmakers demand input on Iraq pact.
August 4, 2008... WASHINGTON, Aug. 4 (UPI) -- A bill before the U.S. Senate demands congressional authorization of the U.S.-Iraqi security arrangement and calls for a short-term temporary solution. Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Joe...

U.S. Army completes Iraqi school upgrades.
August 4, 2008... BAGHDAD, Aug. 4 (UPI) -- U.S. officials working from Iraqi government funds completed work on a Baghdad elementary school following a two-month construction project. The Harat Elementary School in southern Baghdad will welcome over 1,000...

Iraqi doctors lured back to the country.
August 4, 2008... BAGHDAD, Aug. 4 (UPI) -- Iraq's deputy minister of health unveiled a housing and incentives program to bring medical professionals who fled the violence to return home, officials said. Iraqi Deputy Health Minister Essam Namiq Abdullah said...

Analysis: High-tech key to Air Force role.
August 4, 2008... Byline: SHAUN WATERMAN WASHINGTON, Aug. 4 (UPI) -- The U.S. Air Force has begun deploying the heavily armed MQ-9 Reaper remotely piloted aircraft in Iraq for the first time, highlighting the service's increased use of Unmanned Aerial...

Iraq gets $300M loan for agriculture.
August 4, 2008... BAGHDAD, Aug. 4 (UPI) -- Development experts from the United Nations will oversee a $300 million spending measure to support the Iraqi agricultural sector, officials said. The Baghdad Chamber of Commerce said in a weekend press statement...

Iraq elections law vote slated for Tuesday.
August 4, 2008... BAGHDAD, Aug. 4 (UPI) -- The Iraqi Parliament has put votes for the provincial elections law and a complementary budget on its schedule for Tuesday, a key lawmaker said Monday. Ahmed Anwar with the Kurdish bloc in Parliament said Monday...

Turkey enters Kirkuk fray.
August 4, 2008... ANKARA, Turkey, Aug. 4 (UPI) -- Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan Monday called on all parties to work together to resolve the ongoing dispute over the status of the Iraqi city Kirkuk. Babacan said unilateral moves by Kurdish officials...

Ordnance disposal grants awarded.
August 4, 2008... WASHINGTON, Aug. 4 (UPI) -- The U.S. State Department announced Monday the awarding of grants to fund the destruction of conventional weapons stockpiles in northern Somalia. The State Department's Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement...

MOX facility marks year of construction.
August 4, 2008... WASHINGTON, Aug. 4 (UPI) -- The U.S. National Nuclear Security Administration says progress has been made in the year since construction began on a weapons grade plutonium storage site. NNSA says 80 percent the Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication...

SARPCCO to address transnational crime.
August 4, 2008... WINDHOEK, Namibia, Aug. 4 (UPI) -- The head of Interpol, in a meeting with police officials from southern African countries, said curbing transnational criminal networks must be a top priority. Interpol Secretary-General Ronald Noble met...

Ukraine denies weapons sale allegations.
August 4, 2008... KIEV, Ukraine, Aug. 4 (UPI) -- Ukraine's defense minister Monday called allegations that Ukraine is unlawfully arming Georgia unfounded. Ukrainian Defense Minister Yuriy Yekhanurov, in a statement while traveling on government business to...

U.N. calls on Somalia to pull together.
August 4, 2008... MOGADISHU, Somalia, Aug. 4 (UPI) -- The ongoing violence in Somalia has prompted the United Nations to call on people in the country to persevere and continue moving toward peace. Despite a peace deal reached in June, violence continues in...

Program to offer poppy farmers incentives.
August 4, 2008... LASHKAR GAH , Afghanistan, Aug. 4 (UPI) -- The U.S. Agency for International Development announced a partnership with Afghanistan's government to curb terrorist funding of opium production. Officials from USAID and the Afghan agriculture...

Iraq Press Roundup.
August 5, 2008... Byline: HIBA DAWOOD In its Tuesday editorial, the Kurdish al-Taakhi newspaper highlighted the role the Iraqi government plays in preventing a sectarian war due to its representation of all Iraqis without distinction. The editorial,...

UNAMI to extend Iraq mandate unchanged.
August 5, 2008... UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 5 (UPI) -- The U.N. Security Council said in its August report that its exclusive mandate for Iraq, set to expire Sunday, will be renewed for another year without change. The U.N. mandates for military operations and...

No vote on Kirkuk issue, Iraqis say.
August 5, 2008... BAGHDAD, Aug. 5 (UPI) -- The Iraqi Parliament adjourned its Tuesday session without reaching an agreement on provisions in the election law regarding the status of the city of Kirkuk. Shahied al-Jaberi with the Shiite United Iraqi Alliance...

PMOI should be protected, scholar says.
August 5, 2008... WASHINGTON, Aug. 5 (UPI) -- Protection for the opposition People's Mujahedin of Iran should be included in the broader U.S.-Iraqi military arrangement, a U.S. scholar on Iran says. The presence in Iraq of the group, which seeks to overthrow...

Mehdi Army still poses threat.
August 5, 2008... WASHINGTON, Aug. 5 (UPI) -- Despite Iraqi military success against the Medhi Army, political wrangling may escalate to renewed violence should Sadrists feel eschewed, a noted scholar says. Iraq faces security risks from lingering al-Qaida...

Sadr brochure hints at strategic shift.
August 5, 2008... BAGHDAD, Aug. 5 (UPI) -- The militia loyal to radical Shiite cleric Moqtada Sadr will transform itself into a social-services group, says a brochure obtained by The Wall Street Journal. The Mehdi Army, once a prime target of U.S. military...

Outside View: De-mythologizing the surge.
August 5, 2008... Byline: WILLIAM C. DANVERS WASHINGTON, Aug. 5 (UPI) -- The surge of 33,000 U.S. troops last year in Iraq is a focal point of the foreign policy debate between the two presidential candidates. Advocates say it is solely responsible for the...

Corruption could undermine Afghan peace.
August 5, 2008... WASHINGTON, Aug. 5 (UPI) -- A retired U.S. general says despite an increase in the U.S. military presence in Afghanistan, political corruption could undermine any gains. Retired Gen. Barry McCaffrey, who recently traveled to Afghanistan,...

U.S. to donate $50 million for fuel bank.
August 5, 2008... WASHINGTON, Aug. 5 (UPI) -- The U.S. Energy Department has pledged $50 million to help establish an international nuclear fuel bank to prevent nuclear proliferation. U.S. Secretary of Energy Samuel Bodman says the $50 million donation will...

Ukraine calls for better peacekeeping.
August 5, 2008... KIEV, Ukraine, Aug. 5 (UPI) -- Ukraine's Foreign Ministry says a lack of efficient peacekeeping operations is to blame for an escalation of hostilities in the South Ossetia region of Georgia. Several people have been killed after a recent...

Journalist executed in Iran.
August 5, 2008... TEHRAN, Aug. 5 (UPI) -- A journalist has been executed in Iran for alleged ties to the Sunni militant group Jundallah after his arrest in April 2007. Yaghoub Mehrnahad was convicted of terrorism charges, along with Abdolnasser Taherisadr,...

231 graduate U.N. police training in Chad.
August 5, 2008... N'DJAMENA, Chad, Aug. 5 (UPI) -- The United Nations announced a second class of police officers from Chad has graduated from a security and human rights training program. Officials say 231 police officers from Chad completed the six-week...

U.N. increases security presence in Haiti.
August 5, 2008... OUANAMINTHE, Haiti, Aug. 5 (UPI) -- The United Nations has launched a new campaign to increase security and crack down on smuggling between Haiti and the Dominican Republic. The United Nations announced the deployment of additional military...

Walker's World: The recession spreads.
August 6, 2008... Byline: MARTIN WALKER WASHINGTON, Aug. 6 (UPI) -- The fall in the oil price to $118 a barrel sounded like good news to the world's markets, which all rose Tuesday. But it could be bad news, if the decline in demand signals that the...

Commentary: Holocaust II?
August 6, 2008... Byline: ARNAUD DE BORCHGRAVE WASHINGTON, Aug. 6 (UPI) -- To bomb or not to bomb Iran is now a matter of time, according to the principal players, but none could agree this week on when the clock runs out. For Israel, it runs out before the...

Atlantic Eye: What European insiders think.
August 6, 2008... Byline: MARC S. ELLENBOGEN BUDAPEST, Hungary, Aug. 6 (UPI) -- It has been two weeks since Sen. Barack Obama's visit to Germany, France and the United Kingdom. The senator had nearly completely favorable media coverage. I wondered what...

Iraq Press Roundup.
August 6, 2008... Byline: HIBA DAWOOD Following the apparent success of the U.S. surge in reducing violence, Iraqi newspapers have turned their focus to issues such as the provincial elections and the status of Kirkuk. Another matter of concern for the...

Kurdish militants claim 51 Iranian deaths.
August 6, 2008... ERBIL, Iraq, Aug. 6 (UPI) -- The Free Life Party of Kurdistan said in a statement Wednesday that its Eastern Defense Forces killed 51 Iranian military personnel in the month of July. A statement released by the publications division of the...

Anbar security transfer postponed.
August 6, 2008... FALLUJAH, Iraq, Aug. 6 (UPI) -- Iraqi security forces in western Anbar province delayed a transfer of responsibility from U.S. forces, who say the move would have "very little" effect. "From a security point of view, if (provincial Iraqi...

U.S. figures do not equal Iraqi progress.
August 6, 2008... BAGHDAD, Aug. 6 (UPI) -- Pentagon reports that U.S. military casualties in Iraq for July dropped to their lowest levels since 2003 are only an American benchmark, an Iraqi report says. The Iraqi daily newspaper Azzaman reported Wednesday...

Iraqis delay elections vote to September.
August 6, 2008... BAGHDAD, Aug. 6 (UPI) -- The Iraqi Parliament Wednesday withdrew for summer recess without establishing a consensus on legislation for the provincial elections, lawmakers said. Iraqi lawmakers attempted to pass the measure for the fourth...

Sons of Iraq join Diyala offensive.
August 6, 2008... BAQUBA, Iraq, Aug. 6 (UPI) -- The government of Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki recruited the Sunni paramilitary force Sons of Iraq for operations in Diyala province, officials said. The prime minister launched military operations in...

British ponder long-term Iraq presence.
August 6, 2008... LONDON, Aug. 6 (UPI) -- London is in talks with Baghdad regarding a long-term military commitment that will keep some level of military presence in the country beyond 2008. Officials in the British Ministry of Defense said forces may...

Six dead in Darfur convoy attack.
August 6, 2008... KHARTOUM, Sudan, Aug. 6 (UPI) -- The United Nations said Wednesday six people were killed during a violent attack on a civilian convoy in the Darfur region of Sudan. The civilian convoy was traveling in North Darfur from Nyala to El Fasher...

British establish new army division.
August 6, 2008... YORK, England, Aug. 6 (UPI) -- The British Ministry of Defense announced the official establishment a new divisional headquarters for the British army. A ceremony establishing the new Headquarters 6th United Kingdom Division was held...

Canada to escort Somali relief shipments.
August 6, 2008... OTTAWA, Aug. 6 (UPI) -- Responding to recent calls for new protection, Canadian defense officials announced Wednesday plans to escort World Food Program shipments to Somalia. Cargo ships carrying aid from the World Food Program meant for...

Al-Qaida claims responsibility in Algeria.
August 6, 2008... ALGIERS, Algeria, Aug. 6 (UPI) -- An al-Qaida operational cell in Algeria says it was responsible for a suicide attack Sunday that targeted a police station near Algiers. Islamist Internet forums Wednesday posted a statement claiming...

NATO says Afghans are leading patrols.
August 6, 2008... LASHKAR GAH, Afghanistan, Aug. 6 (UPI) -- In a show of newly developed capabilities, the Afghan National Army has recently begun leading military operations in the volatile Helmand province. The operations, with backup support from the...

Afghans establish law association.
August 6, 2008... VIENNA, Aug. 6 (UPI) -- Legal authorities in Afghanistan announced the establishment of the Afghan Independent Bar Association, which is drawing praise from the United Nations. Christina Gynna Oguz, the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime...

Rows continue over delayed Iraqi election.
August 7, 2008... BAGHDAD, Aug. 7 (UPI) -- Iraqi lawmakers Thursday said political pressure forced a delay in passing the election law amid calls for the president to revoke his veto of the measure. Iraqi Parliament Speaker Mahmoud Mashhadani adjourned an...

Kurdish president warns of foreign agendas.
August 7, 2008... ERBIL, Iraq, Aug. 7 (UPI) -- Kurdish President Massoud Barzani said foreign agendas should not drive Kurdish issues and warned further encroachment may divide Iraq. Amid mounting acrimony over whether the city of Kirkuk should fall under...

Vietnam hails Iraqi progress.
August 7, 2008... UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 7 (UPI) -- Relations between the international community and Iraq will help sustain a positive future for the war-torn nation, Vietnam's envoy to the United Nations said. Le Luong Minh, the permanent Vietnamese...

Iraq Christians consider joining Kurdistan.
August 7, 2008... MOSUL, Iraq, Aug. 7 (UPI) -- Joining the region of Kurdistan may offer better security and general prosperity for the Iraqi Christian community in Mosul, church leaders said Thursday. Josef Yohannes, a priest in a Christian village in...

U.N. calls for dialogue in Iraq.
August 7, 2008... UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 7 (UPI) -- U.N. political affairs officials said Iraq needs to focus on political dialogue to ensure the maintenance of recent security gains. B. Lynn Pascoe, the U.N. undersecretary-general for political affairs,...

Iran denies negative influence in Iraq.
August 7, 2008... UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 7 (UPI) -- Iran categorically denies any allegations made by U.S. officials that Tehran's influence undermines political development and security in Iraq. Mohammad Khazaee, the permanent representative of Iran to the...

Report: CCTV network could deter terrorism.
August 7, 2008... NEW DELHI, Aug. 7 (UPI) -- A report by India's Institute for Defense Studies and Analyses calls for the installation of surveillance cameras to prevent future terrorist bombings. The report, released Thursday by the India-based think tank,...

U.N. calls for adherence to human rights.
August 7, 2008... KINSHASA, Democratic Republic of Congo, Aug. 7 (UPI) -- Peacekeepers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo are being called on by the United Nations to adhere to international rules governing human rights. Alan Doss, the U.N....

U.N. questions Sudan terror trial.
August 7, 2008... KHARTOUM, Sudan, Aug. 7 (UPI) -- Sudan's counter-terrorism court handed down death sentences Thursday to a group of Darfur rebels, prompting concerns from the United Nations. Ashraf Qazi, U.N. special representative of the secretary-general...

Iraq Press Roundup.
August 7, 2008... Byline: HIBA DAWOOD Topics of importance in the Iraqi press Thursday, besides the "improved" security situation, include development and reconstruction, with some outlets saying if these matters gained momentum, violence would continue to...

Workshop held to enhance border security.
August 7, 2008... TBILISI, Georgia, Aug. 7 (UPI) -- The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe ended a border security workshop in Georgia Thursday aimed at countering transnational criminal threats. The workshop, held in the Lagodekhi district...

UAE makes pledge to nuclear fuel bank.
August 7, 2008... VIENNA, Aug. 7 (UPI) -- The United Arab Emirates has pledged $10 million in support of a Nuclear Threat Initiative proposal for a secured nuclear fuel bank. Hamad al-Kaabi, UAE special representative for international nuclear cooperation,...

Indonesian militant leader resigns.
August 7, 2008... JAKARTA, Aug. 7 (UPI) -- The militant head of the Indonesian Mujahedin Council announced plans to resign from his post Wednesday. Radical Muslim cleric Abu Bakar Bashir, the former leader of the Southeast Asian militant Islamic organization...

Dogs of War: Contractors vs. genocide?
August 8, 2008... Byline: DAVID ISENBERG WASHINGTON, Aug. 8 (UPI) -- The Wall Street Journal ran an opinion piece on July 29 calling for the use of private security contractors to help transform the 9,000 or so African Union soldiers in Darfur into a more...

Iraq, Syria to boost trade.
August 8, 2008... DAMASCUS, Syria, Aug. 8 (UPI) -- Iraqi and Syrian trade ministers reached agreements to boost bilateral trade to $1 billion over the next year, officials said. Iraqi Trade Minister Abd al-Falah al-Sudani met with his Syrian counterpart,...

Iraq Press Roundup.
August 8, 2008... Byline: HIBA DAWOOD Iraqi newspapers outlined the disputes and disagreements over the provincial elections law. Depending on the affiliation of Iraqi local papers, the accusations and the reasons for the disputes vary. -0- Details...

Peshmerga ponder uniting with Iraqi forces.
August 8, 2008... ERBIL, Iraq, Aug. 8 (UPI) -- Kurdish officials moved to unify Peshmerga forces into a singular entity as Iraqi defense ministers invited former army officers to join the national military. The Kurdish Peshmerga security forces, under the...

Baghdad welcomes Arab League envoy.
August 8, 2008... BAGHDAD, Aug. 8 (UPI) -- Warm greetings on both sides at the welcoming ceremony for the Arab League representative to Iraq point to a collective will to move forward, the envoy said. "Iraq and Iraqis deserve much better than what they have...

Report: Al-Qaida in Iraq more integrated.
August 8, 2008... WEST POINT, N.Y., Aug. 8 (UPI) -- Al-Qaida in Iraq is more integrated with the broader organization, yet the group did not exist prior to the 2003 invasion, a U.S. Military Academy report said. A report completed in late July by the Harmony...

Yemen rebels agree to end violence.
August 8, 2008... SANAA, Yemen, Aug. 8 (UPI) -- An agreement was reached Friday between the government of Yemen and the Zaydi Shia militant rebels, which promises to end an ongoing violent conflict. Zaydi Shia commander Abdul Malak al-Huthi, in a letter to...

Interpol, China establish video link.
August 8, 2008... BEIJING, Aug. 8 (UPI) -- A new encrypted video hotline directly connects security authorities in China with Interpol, enabling immediate communication in case of an Olympics emergency. The recently launched video hot line, the first video...

Approaching Bakassi transfer heralded.
August 8, 2008... ABUJA, Nigeria, Aug. 8 (UPI) -- The approaching transfer of the once violently disputed Bakassi Peninsula from Nigeria to Cameroon is being heralded as a major success by the United Nations. The authority of the Bakassi Peninsula will be...

Meeting held to guide U.N. mission.
August 8, 2008... STOCKHOLM, Sweden, Aug. 8 (UPI) -- International talks aimed at addressing ways to improve support for the U.N. mission in Chad and the Central African Republic ended Friday in Sweden. The two days of round-table discussions were initiated...

Threat detection training deployed.
August 8, 2008... BEIJING, Aug. 8 (UPI) -- The International Atomic Energy Agency is hoping that years of radiological threat detection training in Beijing will deter any incidents during the Olympics. For the last two years, officials from the IAEA have...