UPI International Intelligence articles from December 2008

UPI International Intelligence archives from December 2008

Walker's World: Semi-state terror.
December 1, 2008... Byline: MARTIN WALKER WASHINGTON, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- President-elect Barack Obama has already realized he's in for a very different kind of economic challenge from the one he expected when he won his party's nomination. And it should by now...

Transcript: U.S.-Iraqi security pact.
December 1, 2008... Byline: UNITED PRESS INTERNATIONAL U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker and Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari endorsed a framework Nov. 17 for the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq. The Iraqi Parliament in its Thursday session gave...

Analysis: The danger of 'losing Turkey'.
December 1, 2008... Byline: CLAUDE SALHANI WASHINGTON, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- Is it possible to lose something you haven't yet found? That is a question being asked by two scholars from the Brookings Institution in Washington, and what would happen in the event...

Iran backs referendum on U.S.-Iraqi pact.
December 1, 2008... TEHRAN, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- Iran respects any decision made by the Iraqi people regarding the security pact setting the framework for a U.S. troop withdrawal, officials said Monday. The Iraqi Parliament Thursday passed a bilateral pact that...

Sadrists petition against U.S.-Iraqi pact.
December 1, 2008... BAGHDAD, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- The Sadrist Movement in the Iraqi Parliament said it has filed a petition in federal court against the passage of the U.S.-Iraqi security pact. There were 149 members from the 198 lawmakers present at the Thursday...

U.S. language nixes Mehdi Army.
December 1, 2008... BAGHDAD, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- The U.S. military in Iraq shifted its taxonomy of the Mehdi Army of cleric Moqtada Sadr, invalidating the group by linking it to the insurgency, a review says. The U.S. military in Iraq has shifted its...

Female officers at risk in Iraq.
December 1, 2008... KIRKUK, Iraq, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- Female police in Iraq encounter social stigma, inadequate pay and increased danger on the job, says a survey of officers in the northern city of Kirkuk. U.S. and Iraqi officials have recruited female officers...

Outside View: Pakistan's Mumbai alibi.
December 1, 2008... Byline: M.D. NALAPAT MANIPAL, India, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- Since the terror attacks on Mumbai five days ago, Indian security sources have promoted evidence that the attackers were trained by elements of the Pakistani military. While the...

KRG hits back at Maliki.
December 1, 2008... ERBIL, Iraq, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- The Kurdistan Regional Government of Iraq responded to criticism from the prime minister, saying the law of the land covers all of Iraq. Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said in a November news conference...

Le Roy defends U.N. missions.
December 1, 2008... UNITED NATIONS, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- The head of U.N. peacekeeping operations says that despite criticism, international deployments are well executed. Alain Le Roy, U.N. undersecretary-general for peacekeeping operations, said that in recent...

Coast Guard announces security zone.
December 1, 2008... KODIAK, Alaska, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- The U.S. Coast Guard announced the perimeters of a security zone for upcoming ballistic missile testing at the Kodiak Launch Complex in Alaska. The security zone, near Alaska's Narrow Cape and Ugak Island in...

Turkmenistan to secure weapons stockpiles.
December 1, 2008... ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- Turkmenistan's defense authorities took part in a recent training workshop aimed at securing the country's weapons stockpiles from militant threats. The small-arms and light-weapons stockpile...

Ongoing crises prompt ICRC budget increase.
December 1, 2008... GENEVA, Switzerland, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- The International Committee of the Red Cross has increased the amount of financial aid it is asking for in preparation for ongoing worldwide armed conflicts. The ICRC has increased its 2009 operation...

Gambian troops prepare for Darfur.
December 1, 2008... BANJUL, Gambia, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- Gambian armed forces are undergoing specialized training from British troops in preparation for a deployment to the volatile Darfur region of Sudan. The United Kingdom's Royal Gibraltar Regiment, the British...

Quick fixes targeted by militants.
December 1, 2008... LONDON, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- Several non-governmental organizations operating in Afghanistan are calling on military officials to re-evaluate the use of quick-fix aid projects. A report released by the humanitarian relief organization CARE...

Iraq Press Roundup.
December 1, 2008... Byline: ALAA MAJEED The Iraqi people are waiting patiently for their situation to improve, now that the security pact with Washington passed following nine months of negotiations. The Shiite al-Adala newspaper said Monday the Iraqi...

UNAMI may need separate security deal.
December 2, 2008... UNITED NATIONS, Dec. 2 (UPI) -- A new security deal defining the security relationship between U.S. forces and the U.N. mission in Iraq may be necessary once the current mandate expires. The U.N. Security Council in its December report...

Japan to end air support mission in Iraq.
December 2, 2008... BAGHDAD, Dec. 2 (UPI) -- Japanese Air Self-Defense Force operations in Iraq will meet their objectives and conclude at the end of the year, the Japanese government said. The aviation branch of Japan's self-defense forces has operated in...

U.N. issues human-rights report on Iraq.
December 2, 2008... BAGHDAD, Dec. 2 (UPI) -- Violence in Iraq, though a serious concern, has dropped substantially, contributing to an overall improvement in conditions, a United Nations report said. "Human-rights violations that are less visible need to be...

Kurds honor human-rights achievements.
December 2, 2008... ERBIL, Iraq, Dec. 2 (UPI) -- Iraqi Kurdistan serves as a model for tolerance and respect for diversity, regional officials said, marking the 60th anniversary of a human-rights declaration. Kurdish Premier Nechirvan Barzani and his...

Iraqi leaders discuss security accord.
December 2, 2008... BAGHDAD, Dec. 2 (UPI) -- Iraqi Vice President Adel Abdul Mehdi and Shiite leader Abdul Aziz al-Hakim met the U.S. envoy to the United Nations to discuss the bilateral security pact. The Iraqi Parliament Thursday passed a security deal with...

Atlantic Eye: Revisionist spin a la Klaus.
December 2, 2008... Byline: MARC S. ELLENBOGEN BRATISLAVA, Slovakia, Dec. 2 (UPI) -- Vaclav Klaus would have you think he was an anti-communist warrior. He would have you think he ran subversive seminars against the ideology. Nothing fills his ego more than...

Socialist group condemns U.S.-Iraqi pact.
December 2, 2008... WASHINGTON, Dec. 2 (UPI) -- The U.S.-Iraqi security accord legitimizes the continued violation of Iraqi sovereignty and extends the U.S. occupation, an American socialist party said. The U.S.-based Party for Socialism and Liberation...

U.S. is enemy of Iran, Rafsanjani says.
December 2, 2008... TEHRAN, Dec. 2 (UPI) -- The United States is making a concerted effort to hurt Iran and is therefore the primary enemy of the Islamic Republic, a leading lawmaker said Tuesday. Former President Akbar Hashimi Rafsanjani, chairman of the...

Iraq Press Roundup.
December 2, 2008... Byline: ALAA MAJEED The provincial councils and possibilities of change Iraqis are preparing for provincial elections in January. While many analysts expect more violence and further divisions of power, others see the elections as a...

Report: Mumbai tops November crises.
December 2, 2008... BRUSSELS, Dec. 2 (UPI) -- Terrorist violence in India's financial hub Mumbai topped the International Crisis Group's monthly report on global crisis situations. The independent non-governmental organization released its monthly CrisisWatch...

Construction projects adding security.
December 2, 2008... LASHKAR GAH, Afghanistan, Dec. 2 (UPI) -- British defense officials say the reconstruction effort in Afghanistan's volatile Helmand province is increasing the level of security in the region. The British 24 Commando Engineer Regiment,...

NATO, Israel to strengthen cooperation.
December 2, 2008... BRUSSELS, Dec. 2 (UPI) -- NATO authorities Tuesday ratified the Individual Cooperation Program agreement with Israel in a move to strengthen security and diplomatic ties. Foreign ministers of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization met...

Fresh violence hampers aid effort in Congo.
December 2, 2008... KINSHASA, Democratic Republic of Congo, Dec. 2 (UPI) -- A fresh surge of violence in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo has created an increasingly desperate situation for distributing humanitarian aid. The International Committee of...

NATO leaders review global operations.
December 2, 2008... BRUSSELS, Dec. 2 (UPI) -- Top NATO officials met in Belgium Tuesday to assess the evolving security situation in Afghanistan and discuss other ongoing NATO operations. Foreign ministers of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization met at NATO...

Walker's World: Our Great Depression.
December 3, 2008... Byline: MARTIN WALKER WASHINGTON, Dec. 3 (UPI) -- Two wholly predictable verdicts came in this week that between them suggest it's time to drop all these tired comparisons with the 1930s. As car sales collapse 30 percent to 40 percent and...

Commentary: Unholy war culture.
December 3, 2008... Byline: ARNAUD DE BORCHGRAVE WASHINGTON, Dec. 3 (UPI) -- The Mumbai massacre postmortem is wide of the mark. Of course, it's Pakistan. And of course, it's Pakistani extremists. We knew that before the siege was over by talking to Pakistani...

South Korean troops prepare to leave Iraq.
December 3, 2008... ERBIL, Iraq, Dec. 3 (UPI) -- The prime minister of Kurdistan bid farewell Wednesday to South Korean troops who will wind up their operations in Iraq at the end of December. Nechirvan Barzani and South Korean Vice Chairman of the Joint...

Iraqi mechanized forces take shape.
December 3, 2008... BAGHDAD, Dec. 3 (UPI) -- Iraqi military plans to buy M1A1 Abrams tanks and the expected deployments along the eastern border highlight the shape of the mechanized force, a study shows. The Iraqi military currently is undergoing a five-year,...

Hospital Pass: Pakistan mess for Obama.
December 3, 2008... Byline: SHAUN WATERMAN WASHINGTON, Dec. 3 (UPI) -- In the scrappy and often violent brand of rugby played at my school in South London, a hospital pass was a throw of the ball to a player when the opposition forwards were bearing down on...

Ban calls for destroying chemical weapons.(Conference notes)
December 3, 2008... THE HAGUE, Netherlands, Dec. 3 (UPI) -- The head of the United Nations is calling on the international community to eliminate the threat of chemical weapons. In a message delivered at the 13th session of the Conference of the States...

Mine countermeasure techniques tested.
December 3, 2008... SINGAPORE, Dec. 3 (UPI) -- The navies of Singapore and Sweden are participating in a threat reduction exchange program aimed at advancing mine countermeasure tactics. The Singapore government says its navy is conducting mine countermeasure...

Iraq Press Roundup.
December 3, 2008... Byline: ALAA MAJEED Copying the experiment of alliances with parties In today's Iraq, the measure of loyalty and competency of the Iraqi people is measured by their party allegiance. The new Iraqi government has applied the concept...

Maliki tested in wake of security deal.
December 3, 2008... BAGHDAD, Dec. 3 (UPI) -- Negotiating the pact for a U.S. troop withdrawal cast Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki as a power-hungry ruler or a charismatic leader, experts say. After nearly a year of negotiations, the Iraqi Parliament last...

Middle East policy shift needed with Obama.
December 3, 2008... WASHINGTON, Dec. 3 (UPI) -- President-elect Barack Obama will need to reshape foreign policy in the Middle East in the wake of the U.S.-Iraqi security pact, the Brookings Institution says. U.S. foreign policy was focused almost exclusively...

Sunni group JAR slams U.S.-Iraqi pact.
December 3, 2008... BAGHDAD, Dec. 3 (UPI) -- A letter from the militant Sunni group Jaish al-Rashideen condemned the U.S.-Iraqi security pact and pledged resolve in its resistance movement. "Jaish al-Rashideen: A Letter From a Friend, Yousef Alasir, One of...

Sadr City residents get potable water.
December 4, 2008... BAGHDAD, Dec. 4 (UPI) -- Around 2 million people in the Baghdad slum of Sadr City received potable water in districts with historically poor sources of drinking supplies, officials said. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said Thursday its...

Hospital Pass: Afghan complaints get teeth.
December 4, 2008... Byline: SHAUN WATERMAN WASHINGTON, Dec. 4 (UPI) -- In the scrappy and often violent brand of rugby played at my school in South London, a hospital pass was a throw of the ball to a player when the opposition forwards were bearing down on...

U.S. targeting Hezbollah fighters in Iraq.
December 4, 2008... BAGHDAD, Dec. 4 (UPI) -- U.S. forces working alongside their Iraqi counterparts have increased pressure on Hezbollah fighters believed trained by Iranian forces, an analysis says. U.S. special operations forces and the Iraqi military have...

'Work left' for Ukraine, Georgia on NATO.
December 4, 2008... BRUSSELS, Dec. 4 (UPI) -- NATO discussed the progress of Ukrainian and Georgian petitions to join the organization, saying both countries "have significant work left to do." The move is seen as a setback for the two countries' petition for...

Tons of munitions found in Afghanistan.
December 4, 2008... KABUL, Afghanistan, Dec. 4 (UPI) -- More than 3,000 tons of munitions were uncovered in northern Afghanistan by a group working under the Afghan government and the U.N. Development Program. The Afghanistan New Beginnings Program made the...

Analysis: German-U.S. asylum case.
December 4, 2008... Byline: STEFAN NICOLA BERLIN, Dec. 4 (UPI) -- A U.S. soldier who deserted the Army to avoid returning to Iraq and an artist who fled Switzerland's military draft are dominating headlines with their political asylum cases in Germany. ...

EU court annuls PMOI designation.
December 4, 2008... LUXEMBOURG, Dec. 4 (UPI) -- A European court Thursday said for the third time the European Union had not offered enough proof to blacklist the People's Mujahedin Organization of Iran. The European Court of First Instance, in its first...

Iraq Press Roundup.
December 4, 2008... Byline: ALAA MAJEED Security and the elections The success or failure of the January provincial elections in Iraq could have a corresponding impact on the security situation in the country. Exaggerated attempts to control the...

Effort needed for al-Bashir arrest.
December 4, 2008... UNITED NATIONS, Dec. 4 (UPI) -- The United Nations needs to take unified action to ensure the execution of the arrest warrant for Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, prosecutors said. Luis Moreno-Ocampo, lead prosecutor at the International...

Indian islands home to jihadi outposts?
December 4, 2008... NEW DELHI, Dec. 4 (UPI) -- The thousands of isolated islands in Indian waters may be used as bases for the terrorist groups Lashkar-e-Toiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed, Indian officials said. Rebels believed to be with the Pakistani-based LeT...

PBCP leaders killed in Bangladeshi raids.
December 4, 2008... RAJSHAHI, Bangladesh, Dec. 4 (UPI) -- Two leaders of the militant Purba Bangler Communist Party were killed Thursday in a gun battle with members of the Bangladeshi Rapid Action Battalion. The Rapid Action Battalion, an elite...

Communist group adds voice to SOFA dissent.
December 4, 2008... LONDON, Dec. 4 (UPI) -- The security accord between Washington and Baghdad provides legal cover for the continued occupation of Iraq, a communist group said Thursday. The Iraqi Parliament last week ratified an agreement defining the terms...

Kurdish guards harassed in Parliament.
December 4, 2008... BAGHDAD, Dec. 4 (UPI) -- Kurdish forces tasked with protecting the Iraqi Parliament building were harassed by guards belonging to the prime minister, a Kurdish media outlet said. The security force charged by the Defense Ministry to protect...

Analysis: Germany faces terrible 2009.
December 5, 2008... Byline: STEFAN NICOLA BERLIN, Dec. 5 (UPI) -- Major banks have warned of a catastrophic recession for Germany in 2009, with German Chancellor Angela Merkel being blamed for dragging her feet when it comes to saving Europe's largest...

Dogs of War: Private Shill Contractors.
December 5, 2008... Byline: DAVID ISENBERG WASHINGTON, Dec. 5 (UPI) -- The story of how retired four-star Army Gen. Barry McCaffrey, a military analyst for NBC News, signed on as a consultant to a small Beltway contractor seeking someone a contract in Iraq is...

Troops fought for SOFA, White House says.
December 5, 2008... WASHINGTON, Dec. 5 (UPI) -- Two security arrangements brokered between Washington and Baghdad support the Iraqi people and reinforce state sovereignty, the White House said. The three-member Iraqi presidential council ratified a framework...

Haqqani Network hits Afghan intelligence.
December 5, 2008... KHOST, Afghanistan, Dec. 5 (UPI) -- Three members of the Afghan Haqqani Network dressed in national uniforms stormed the intelligence headquarters in Khost province, killing six, a report says. The network of Taliban commander Jalaluddin...

SOI transition key to reconciliation.
December 5, 2008... BAGHDAD, Dec. 5 (UPI) -- Transitioning the Sunni paramilitary force Sons of Iraq to Iraqi government control is a positive step toward national reconciliation, the U.S. military said. The Sons of Iraq program emerged out of the Anbar...

Iraq Press Roundup.
December 5, 2008... Byline: ALAA MAJEED Those who gave up sold their country Many Iraqi factions were angered by the government's decision to pass the military pact with the United States that replaces the expiring U.N. mandate. By signing the...

Pakistan trying world tolerance.
December 5, 2008... NEW DELHI, Dec. 5 (UPI) -- The apparent tolerance exhibited by Pakistan toward militant groups operating out of its territory has strained diplomatic relations, an analysis says. The Kashmir separatist group Lashkar-e-Toiba swept into...

British marines push deep into Kandahar.
December 5, 2008... KANDAHAR, Afghanistan, Dec. 5 (UPI) -- The British Royal Marines said its forces had infiltrated deep into southern Afghanistan using helicopter assaults to insert troops into enemy positions. The 42 Commando Group of the British Royal...

Amnesty hails Mukasey comments with caveat.
December 5, 2008... WASHINGTON, Dec. 5 (UPI) -- Amnesty International welcomed U.S. Attorney General Michael Mukasey's statement that no pardons would be offered for officials implicated in torture. Mukasey said earlier this week U.S. President George Bush...

EU mission to Kosovo to launch Tuesday.
December 5, 2008... BRUSSELS, Dec. 5 (UPI) -- The deployment of police and civilian officers to Kosovo to help the country meet European security standards is scheduled for Tuesday, EU officials said. The top foreign policy envoy for the European Union, Javier...

Commentary: Global rainmaker.
December 8, 2008... Byline: ARNAUD DE BORCHGRAVE WASHINGTON, Dec. 8 (UPI) -- Introducing national security adviser-designate Gen. James L. Jones recently, Henry Kissinger joked that the job was "high wire without a safety net 24 hours a day." Jones, he...

Analysis: While the Arab world slept.
December 8, 2008... Byline: CLAUDE SALHANI WASHINGTON, Dec. 8 (UPI) -- The end of the year traditionally is a good time for reflection. It is a time to take stock of what has been accomplished during the past 12 months and to look forward to what one hopes to...

Walker's World: The ally India needs.
December 8, 2008... Byline: MARTIN WALKER WASHINGTON, Dec. 8 (UPI) -- Behind the terrorist outrages of Mumbai's tragedy lies a simple and deeply ironic reality. It is now plain that India's deepest national interest requires it to support and strengthen the...

Former ISI official linked to al-Qaida.
December 8, 2008... ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, Dec. 8 (UPI) -- A former member of the Pakistani Inter-Services Intelligence served as a weapons consultant for al-Qaida chief Osama bin Laden, a secret report reveals. A U.S. report to the U.N. Security Council...

Iraqi pilots fly night-vision mission.
December 8, 2008... BAGHDAD, Dec. 8 (UPI) -- The fledgling Iraqi air force flew its first-ever night mission using rotary-wing aircraft since the U.S.-led invasion in 2003, the U.S. military said. Two Iraqi crews flew Russian Mi-17 helicopters from an air base...

PKK declares cease-fire for Eid al-Adha.
December 8, 2008... BAGHDAD, Dec. 8 (UPI) -- The separatist Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, commenced a cease-fire Monday in an effort to enter into negotiations with the government of Turkey. PKK officials said they were marking the Muslim holiday of Eid...

Iraq Press Roundup.
December 8, 2008... Byline: ALAA MAJEED Priorities of President Obama U.S. President-elect Barack Obama used the war in Iraq as an effective campaign tool, leading to his victory in the elections. As soon as the elections were over, however, there is...

Iran hails Canadian decision on PMOI.
December 8, 2008... TEHRAN, Dec. 8 (UPI) -- The Iranian government Monday hailed a November decision by Canada to maintain the People's Mujahedin of Iran on its list of terrorist organizations. The state-run Islamic Republic News Agency said Peter Van Loan,...

Conference held on preventing torture.(Conference news)
December 8, 2008... BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, Dec. 8 (UPI) -- A recent conference in Kyrgyzstan brought together top security authorities to discuss prevention of torture among police ranks. The conference, supported by the Organization for Security and...

Troops train simulating Afghan conditions.
December 8, 2008... MEAFORD, Ontario, Dec. 8 (UPI) -- Canadian soldiers recently conducted exercises near the rural village of Meaford, Ontario, designed to simulate conditions they will encounter in Afghanistan. The B Squadron, Royal Canadian Dragoons...

British troops support new line of attack.
December 8, 2008... KANDAHAR, Afghanistan, Dec. 8 (UPI) -- A new push by British Royal Marines is aimed at striking directly at regions in Afghanistan that militants consider safe havens. The Royal Marines are supporting an initiative by the International...

Helmand governor calls security a priority.
December 8, 2008... LASHKAR GAH, Afghanistan, Dec. 8 (UPI) -- The governor of Afghanistan's volatile Helmand province says the police authorities in the region are improving and security is a top priority. Gulab Mangal, governor of Helmand province, recently...

Securing U.S. waterways requires help.
December 8, 2008... WASHINGTON, Dec. 8 (UPI) -- In the wake of the terrorist attacks in India, the U.S. Coast Guard is drawing attention to a program designed to keep U.S. waterways secure. Reports that the extremists who attacked Mumbai descended on the city...

Atlantic Eye: Transitions & turning points.
December 9, 2008... Byline: MARC S. ELLENBOGEN ISTANBUL, Turkey, Dec. 9 (UPI) -- Public policy is about taking risks. It is also about taking a stand. Some remarkable people stood out for me in 2008. I did my first fundraiser -- and frankly, I am not a...

U.S. Embassy in Iraq expands visa program.
December 9, 2008... BAGHDAD, Dec. 9 (UPI) -- The U.S. Embassy in Baghdad said it would begin processing immigrant visa applications as early as Feb. 1, 2009. A release from the U.S. State Department said applicants who had scheduled appointments in Turkey,...

Analysis: Greek riots set to last.
December 9, 2008... Byline: STEFAN NICOLA BERLIN, Dec. 9 (UPI) -- Riots across Greece continued for the fourth straight day Tuesday as the country buried the 15-year-old whose shooting by police Saturday set off some of the worst violence in years. ...

Iran replies to Obama's carrots and sticks.
December 9, 2008... TEHRAN, Dec. 9 (UPI) -- Ayatollah Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani said Tuesday that "carrot and stick" diplomacy with Tehran will not work for U.S. President-elect Barack Obama. Obama said in an interview Sunday on NBC's "Meet the Press" that he...

African killed by racist German police?
December 9, 2008... DESSAU, Germany, Dec. 9 (UPI) -- A German court has acquitted two police officers in the mysterious death of an asylum applicant from Africa, sparking tumultuous protests in the courtroom. The court in Dessau in the eastern German state of...

Iran warns of Fatah al-Islam activity.
December 9, 2008... TEHRAN, Dec. 9 (UPI) -- Saudi security forces established a unit made up of al-Qaida fighters as a bulwark to growing Iranian sympathy in the region, Iranian media claim. The Iranian Press TV said public opinion surveys in the Persian Gulf...

Campaigning begins in Iraqi province.
December 9, 2008... KUT, Iraq, Dec. 9 (UPI) -- Candidates for council seats in Iraq's eastern Wasit province embarked on the campaign trail Tuesday in preparation for January elections, sources said. Anonymous sources to the Voices of Iraq news agency said...