UPI International Intelligence articles from February 2009

UPI International Intelligence archives from February 2009

Analysis: Ahmadinejad does it again.
February 2, 2009... Byline: CLAUDE SALHANI WASHINGTON, Feb. 2 (UPI) -- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad demanded last week that U.S. President Barack Obama officially apologize for past crimes committed against Iran. Iran's position on, and interference...

Walker's World: China's debts mount up.
February 2, 2009... Byline: MARTIN WALKER WASHINGTON, Feb. 2 (UPI) -- Partly because so much of China's bad economic news emerged while Premier Wen Jiabao was at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, the gloom about China's collapsing exports and...

KRG praises Iraqi elections.
February 2, 2009... ERBIL, Iraq, Feb. 2 (UPI) -- The Kurdistan Regional Government in Iraq voiced its support for the provincial elections, saying it welcomed the expression of democracy. The KRG said in a statement that it remains a strong supporter of...

Iraqi election results are telling.
February 2, 2009... CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Feb. 2 (UPI) -- The results of the Iraqi provincial elections will forecast not only national trends but also the approval of the U.S. mission there, a review says. Early reports from the Independent High Electoral...

Analysis: Hitler back on German newsstands.
February 2, 2009... Byline: STEFAN NICOLA BERLIN, Feb. 2 (UPI) -- A British publisher's attempt to sell reprints of Nazi newspapers in Germany catapulted Adolf Hitler back to the front page and sparked a major controversy in the country. "Hitler...

Maliki denies Sunni meeting.
February 2, 2009... BAGHDAD, Feb. 2 (UPI) -- There were no contacts between Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and the leader of the Sunni Association of Muslim Scholars of Iraq, statements said Monday. Harith Sulayman al-Dhari, the leader of the AMSI,...

Elections mixed for Iraqi Christians.
February 2, 2009... MOSUL, Iraq, Feb. 2 (UPI) -- The fate of the Christian minority in Iraq is uncertain in the wake of provincial elections and historic periods of calm in the country, observers say. Due in part to a quota system for religious minorities,...

Kirkuk benchmark for tolerance?
February 2, 2009... ERBIL, Iraq, Feb. 2 (UPI) -- Kirkuk could be the benchmark for Iraq in terms of ethnic and tribal tolerance as leaders struggle to work out their differences diplomatically, officials said. President of the Kurdistan Regional Government...

Iraq Press Roundup.
February 2, 2009... Byline: ALAA MAJEED Dabbagh: The elections showed the formation of new Iraqi Sunni and Shiite powers Iraqi government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said, on the heels of the provincial elections, that new Sunni and Shiite powers would not...

Sri Lanka makes conflict list.
February 2, 2009... BRUSSELS, Feb. 2 (UPI) -- A military offensive in Sri Lanka's north topped a list of escalating conflict situations around the world, according to the monthly CrisisWatch report. The Belgium-based independent non-governmental organization...

ICRC raises concerns about Madagascar.
February 2, 2009... ANTANANARIVO, Madagascar, Feb. 2 (UPI) -- An outbreak of violence in Madagascar's capital has prompted concerns from the International Committee of the Red Cross about a possible humanitarian crisis. A week of anti-government protests that...

OSCE calls for Serbia to continue reforms.
February 2, 2009... BELGRADE, Serbia, Feb. 2 (UPI) -- The head of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe called on Serbian leaders Tuesday to increase efforts to combat organized crime. Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis, OSCE...

Nine countries sign deal to combat pirates.
February 2, 2009... DJIBOUTI , Djibouti, Feb. 2 (UPI) -- Nine countries in the Indian Ocean and Red Sea region announced plans to cooperate on countering the threat of piracy off the coast of Somalia. Efthimios Mitropoulos, U.N. International Maritime...

Opium production falls in Golden Triangle.
February 2, 2009... VIENNA, Feb. 2 (UPI) -- Illicit drug cultivation in Southeast Asia has fallen off sharply, according to a survey released by the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime. Antonio Maria Costa, UNODC executive director, said Monday that opium...

Commentary: Discordant wavelengths.
February 3, 2009... Byline: ARNAUD DE BORCHGRAVE WASHINGTON, Feb. 3 (UPI) -- As key policymakers abroad survey the attempts to stop and reverse the self-inflicted crumbling of the world's largest economy, they have reached startling conclusions that are out...

U.N. issues February forecast for Iraq.
February 3, 2009... UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 3 (UPI) -- The U.N. Security Council expects the Iraqi provincial elections and considerations of the role of the United Nations there to top reports due later this month. The Security Council said in its February...

Barzani praises Iraqi elections.
February 3, 2009... ERBIL, Iraq, Feb. 3 (UPI) -- The people and politicians of Iraq should respect the results of the provincial elections, the president of the Kurdistan Regional Government said. "We respect the will of the people of Iraq," said Massoud...

Iran accused of interfering at Iraqi polls.
February 3, 2009... BAGHDAD, Feb. 3 (UPI) -- Iraqi politicians from Sunni and Shiite parties raised objections to perceived Iranian interference at various polling centers for the provincial elections. Nasir Baghban, the Iranian consul in the southern province...

Analysis: Iraqi forces front and center.
February 3, 2009... Byline: RICHARD TOMKINS BAQUBA, Iraq, Feb. 3 (UPI) -- Following years of mentoring by U.S. advisers and increasing confidence in their own capabilities, Iraqi Security Forces stood front-and-center last week in the country's important...

Anbar tense following elections.
February 3, 2009... RAMADI, Iraq, Feb. 3 (UPI) -- Sunni tribes in the western Iraqi province of Anbar threatened violence against rival Sunni leaders in the wake of the provincial elections in the country. The Sunni Iraqi Islamic Party claimed several...

Post-election Iraq may turn violent.
February 3, 2009... WASHINGTON, Feb. 3 (UPI) -- Despite the relative calm and a moderate turnout at the polls, it is far too early to declare the Iraqi provincial elections a success, an analyst says. The Independent High Electoral Commission of Iraq may start...

Global economy hits British war funds.
February 3, 2009... LONDON, Feb. 3 (UPI) -- The faltering economy prompted the U.K. Treasury Department to regulate some funding for emergency costs for the war efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan. As a sign of the burdens of the global recession, Treasury...

Ukraine hosts security conference.
February 3, 2009... KHARKIV, Ukraine, Feb. 3 (UPI) -- The Ukrainian Defense Ministry Tuesday hosted top defense experts for a conference addressing security concerns in Europe and the Euro-Atlantic region. The two-day conference is being held at Kharkiv...

Crisis growing in southern Darfur.
February 3, 2009... KHARTOUM, Sudan, Feb. 3 (UPI) -- The recent deterioration of security in the Darfur region of Sudan is increasingly threatening civilian safety, a top U.N. official said Tuesday. Navi Pillay, the U.N. high commissioner for human rights,...

EU debates whether to take Gitmo prisoners.
February 3, 2009... BRUSSELS, Feb. 3 (UPI) -- The European Parliament Tuesday praised the U.S. decision to close the Guantanamo Bay prison and debated whether European countries should take prisoners. The European Union's legislative body has been highly...

Iraq Press Roundup.
February 3, 2009... Byline: ALAA MAJEED Shiite party says election is the right path to democracy The Supreme Islamic Iraqi Council said the Saturday provincial elections in Iraq were acceptable and that violations, though noticeable, are less important...

Space capabilities critical for security.
February 3, 2009... WASHINGTON, Feb. 3 (UPI) -- A top U.S. Defense Department official said in order to counter modern terrorist threats, development of new capabilities in outer space is critical. Peter Wegner, Defense Department Operationally Responsive...

Rebels encouraged to hand over weapons.
February 3, 2009... KINSHASA, Democratic Republic of Congo, Feb. 3 (UPI) -- The United Nations is calling on militiamen from the rebel Democratic Liberation Forces of Rwanda to end the ongoing violence and join a repatriation program. The U.N. mission in the...

Walker's World: Russia's ruble crisis.
February 4, 2009... Byline: MARTIN WALKER WASHINGTON, Feb. 4 (UPI) -- It has become commonplace for Western commentators to assert that Russia's new military exercises, aggressive air patrols and far-flung naval cruises portend a return to a Soviet-style...

Sunni leaders discount fraud in Anbar.
February 4, 2009... RAMADI, Iraq, Feb. 4 (UPI) -- The Sunni Iraqi Islamic Party raised objections to alleged threats of violence from members of the Awakening Councils following preliminary election results. Leaders of the Sunni Awakening Councils in western...

Iraqi refugee reaction to elections mixed.
February 4, 2009... CAIRO, Feb. 4 (UPI) -- Iraqi refugees living in host countries across the Middle East expressed mixed reactions to the provincial elections in Iraq, statements show. "I do not care who will control the majority of seats or who will be in...

De Mistura discusses Iraqi elections.
February 4, 2009... BAGHDAD, Feb. 4 (UPI) -- A top U.N. official in Iraq hailed the provincial elections in Iraq, saying they strengthened the possibility of holding national elections in late 2009. Staffan de Mistura, the secretary-general's special...

Atlantic Eye: A man for all seasons.
February 4, 2009... Byline: MARC S. ELLENBOGEN GENEVA, Switzerland, Feb. 4 (UPI) -- He was down to earth as always. Having just arrived from Davos, former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean, M.D., the chairman emeritus of the U.S. Democratic Party, spoke eloquently of...

Analysis: All eyes on Joe Biden in Munich.
February 4, 2009... Byline: STEFAN NICOLA BERLIN, Feb. 4 (UPI) -- All eyes will be on U.S. Vice President Joe Biden at this week's 45th Munich Conference on Security Policy, where the world hopes to learn about a foreign policy turnaround in Washington. ...

Iraqi Parliament holds session on speaker.
February 4, 2009... BAGHDAD, Feb. 4 (UPI) -- The Iraqi Parliament in its Wednesday session made renewed efforts to elect a new speaker following failed attempts in January. Khaled al-Attiya, the first deputy speaker, presided over sessions with lawmakers to...

Iraq Press Roundup.
February 4, 2009... Byline: ALAA MAJEED Ninawa lacking in rule of law Iraqi election officials said Sunni Arabs expected to make considerable gains in northern Ninawa province following a 2005 election boycott, al-Sabbah al-Jadeed reported Wednesday. ...

India, Maldives discuss security ties.
February 4, 2009... NEW DELHI, Feb. 4 (UPI) -- Top defense officials from India and Maldives are meeting in New Delhi to discuss ways to strengthen cooperation on countering terrorist threats at sea. A.K. Antony, Indian defense minister, is hosting Ameen...

PCP joins call for starting peace talks.
February 4, 2009... MANILA, Philippines, Feb. 4 (UPI) -- The Philippines-based People's Coalition for Peace is calling for the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and other rebel groups to join peace negotiations. The PCP, comprising Muslim and Christian leaders in...

Sierra Leone threatened by drug traffic.
February 4, 2009... FREETOWN, Sierra Leone, Feb. 4 (UPI) -- Transnational criminal groups trafficking narcotics through Sierra Leone are threatening to unravel recent security gains, a U.N. report says. The U.N. Integrated Peacebuilding Office in Sierra Leone...

Congo mission needs more troops, Ban says.
February 4, 2009... KINSHASA, Democratic Republic of Congo, Feb. 4 (UPI) -- The head of the United Nations is again calling on the international community to support security efforts in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon...

Outside View: Hamas choices divide Arabs.
February 5, 2009... Byline: ANDREW TABLER and SIMON HENDERSON WASHINGTON, Feb. 5 (UPI) -- Arab support for the Palestinians has been the bedrock of Arab diplomacy for decades, but the recent Israeli military action against Hamas fighters in the Gaza Strip has...

NGOs highlight role in Iraqi elections.
February 5, 2009... BAGHDAD, Feb. 5 (UPI) -- Officials with aid groups in Iraq highlighted their drive to secure seats on the provincial councils to advocate for humanitarian issues. "We decided to run in the elections to C* promote humanitarian needs," Basil...

Military ready, Maliki says.
February 5, 2009... NAJAF, Iraq, Feb. 5 (UPI) -- Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said in Najaf his national military forces were ready to secure his country as U.S. troops prepare for withdrawal. Maliki was in the holy city of Najaf to visit the revered...

Iraqi lawmakers consider speaker post.
February 5, 2009... BAGHDAD, Feb. 5 (UPI) -- The Iraqi Parliament in Baghdad Thursday held a session to consider with major party leaders the selection of the next parliamentary speaker, officials said. Abdul Hadi al-Hassani with the Shiite United Iraqi...

U.S. businessmen meet Kurdish officials.
February 5, 2009... ERBIL, Iraq, Feb. 5 (UPI) -- A delegation from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce embarked on a five-day tour of Iraqi Kurdistan to explore investment opportunities in the region. Falah Mustafa Bakir, the head of the foreign relations office of...

Kurdish opposition group makes terror list.
February 5, 2009... WASHINGTON, Feb. 5 (UPI) -- The militant Free Life Party of Kurdistan operating in northwestern Iraq was listed by the U.S. Department of Treasury as a terrorist organization. Treasury said in a statement that it listed the Free Life Party...

Iraqi election results are in.
February 5, 2009... BAGHDAD, Feb. 5 (UPI) -- The Independent High Electoral Commission of Iraq Thursday released preliminary results of the Saturday provincial elections. The IHEC in a news conference Thursday released early official election results from the...

Units preposition weapons for deployment.
February 5, 2009... SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C., Feb. 5 (UPI) -- The U.S. Air Force has begun a program that prepositions weapons in the Central Command area of responsibility in a new cost-cutting move. Air Force officials directed personnel redeploying out of...

Conference stresses rule of law in Africa.(Conference news)
February 5, 2009... NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb. 5 (UPI) -- The U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime called on leaders in East Africa Wednesday to support the rule of law to counter widespread violence and instability. Francis Maertens, UNODC director for operations, said...

Steps taken to counter-terror in San Fran.
February 5, 2009... ALAMEDA, Calif., Feb. 5 (UPI) -- The U.S. Coast Guard is taking steps to upgrade security capabilities in the San Francisco Bay area in a move to counter potential terrorist threats. The Coast Guard recently began to increase the level of...

Iraq Press Roundup.
February 5, 2009... Byline: ALAA MAJEED Initial election results Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's State of Law bloc won the top position in eight of the 14 voting provinces, including Baghdad, Kitabat reported Tuesday. The newspaper reported...

Securing dangerous cargo to be discussed.
February 5, 2009... BRUSSELS, Feb. 5 (UPI) -- NATO says it will host a three-day seminar with top international defense experts to address the evolving threat to the transportation of dangerous substances. NATO officials say the seminar, taking place at the...

NATO, OCCAR sign deal on document security.
February 5, 2009... BRUSSELS, Feb. 5 (UPI) -- Top officials from NATO and the Organization for Joint Armament Cooperation met in Brussels to sign a deal ensuring the security of classified information. Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, North Atlantic Treaty Organization...

Analysis: Nuclear labs to be moved to DoD.
February 6, 2009... Byline: SHAUN WATERMAN WASHINGTON, Feb. 6 (UPI) -- President Obama's visit to the Energy Department Thursday was in danger of being overshadowed by a growing row over a proposal to strip the department of one of its crown jewels -- the...

Commentary: Kremlin trumps NATO.
February 6, 2009... Byline: ARNAUD DE BORCHGRAVE WASHINGTON, Feb. 6 (UPI) -- Elevated to the rank of "major non-NATO ally" by President George W. Bush, Pakistan is now deemed too dangerous for the hundreds of U.S. and NATO supply trucks that keep allied...

Dogs of War: PMC Research 101.
February 6, 2009... Byline: DAVID ISENBERG WASHINGTON, Feb. 6 (UPI) -- A common refrain from many who observe the private military contracting industry is that it is opaque, shadowy, veiled, secretive, hidden, non-transparent, etc. Is this true? Yes and no,...

Analysis: North Korea back to brinkmanship.
February 6, 2009... Byline: LEE JONG-HEON SEOUL, Feb. 6 (UPI) -- North Korea's recent bluster and saber-rattling fit a pattern that the so-called rogue state has followed for decades in order to tame new administrations in the United States and South Korea,...

PMOI files destined for courts, Iraq says.
February 6, 2009... TEHRAN, Feb. 6 (UPI) -- Files of members of an Iranian dissident group living in the Iraqi province of Diyala will be submitted to national courts, the Iraqi security adviser said. Iraqi national security adviser Mowaffak al-Rubaie said in...

Sadrists irked over post-election arrests.
February 6, 2009... BAGHDAD, Feb. 6 (UPI) -- Officials with the Sadrist Movement in Qadisiyah province said arrests of its members were in retaliation for gains in the provincial elections, a review says. Iraqi police forces killed an alleged member of the...

Aussies destroy Taliban bomb-making cache.
February 6, 2009... TARIN KOWT, Afghanistan, Feb. 6 (UPI) -- Australian troops have destroyed two major Taliban weapons storage sites in Baluchi Valley in Afghanistan's volatile south. Australian units from the Mentoring and Reconstruction Task Force...

India security needs joint decision-making.
February 6, 2009... NEW DELHI, Feb. 6 (UPI) -- India's national security depends on comprehensive joint decision-making, according to a study by the Center for Joint Warfare Studies. The report, released Friday by the India-based national security analysis...

British take out Taliban commander.
February 6, 2009... LASHKAR GAH, Afghanistan, Feb. 6 (UPI) -- A raid by the British Royal Marines has taken out a Taliban bunker in Afghanistan and disrupted any militant plans to target the highly critical Kajaki Dam. The British 45 Commando Royal Marines'...

UNICEF takes child soldiers in Congo.
February 6, 2009... KINSHASA, Democratic Republic of Congo, Feb. 6 (UPI) -- The U.N. Children's Fund has taken into custody more than 200 former child soldiers released from rebel groups in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The rebel National Congress for...

Georgia security zones remain tense.
February 6, 2009... TBILISI, Georgia, Feb. 6 (UPI) -- The security situation between Georgia and the country's separatist regions and their Russian backers remains tense, according to a U.N. report. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has filed a report with...

French officials discuss ties with Iraq.
February 6, 2009... BAGHDAD, Feb. 6 (UPI) -- Iraqi and French officials discussed bilateral relations at a meeting in Baghdad in the wake of the Saturday provincial elections. Iraqi Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Abdul Karim Hashim Mustafa met with Francois...

Results suggest Maliki seeks second term.
February 6, 2009... BAGHDAD, Feb. 6 (UPI) -- Speculation surfaced Friday that Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki would seek a second term in office following success at the polls, officials said. The State of Law coalition backed by the Shiite premier won...

Economy hits Iraqi refugees in Egypt.
February 6, 2009... CAIRO, Feb. 6 (UPI) -- The future for the thousands of Iraqi refugees living in Egypt is growing dim as the global recession complicates their dire conditions, officials said. Refugees say Egypt as a host nation is better than Syria or...

Iraq Press Roundup.
February 6, 2009... Byline: ALAA MAJEED The political map in Iraq The new political map in Iraq was clearly drawn as the Independent High Electoral Commission of Iraq announced the results of the elections Thursday afternoon, Sot al-Iraq reported Friday....

Analysis: Erdogan is Arab world's new hero.
February 9, 2009... Byline: CLAUDE SALHANI WASHINGTON, Feb. 9 (UPI) -- Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been in the limelight of the international media recently, portrayed as both a hero and a villain. Erdogan's star has never shined...

Walker's World: The flawed stimulus bill.
February 9, 2009... Byline: MARTIN WALKER WASHINGTON, Feb. 9 (UPI) -- In October 2008 Barack Obama as presidential candidate and his top economic advisers were already talking openly of the need for a massive economic stimulus to haul the country out of...

Commentary: 'Wired for War'.
February 9, 2009... Byline: ARNAUD DE BORCHGRAVE WASHINGTON, Feb. 9 (UPI) -- From their cockpit at Creech Air Force Base in Nevada, the pilot and co-pilot are flying a pilotless Predator on a bombing mission over Afghanistan, 8,000 miles away. Ordnance aboard...

Iraqi women's minister resigns in protest.
February 9, 2009... BAGHDAD, Feb. 9 (UPI) -- The Iraqi minister of women's affairs said she tendered her resignation as a protest against the government's inaction and budget cuts. "My resignation is a warning to the government and a protest against its...

Britons hail successes in Basra.
February 9, 2009... BASRA, Iraq, Feb. 9 (UPI) -- British defense officials praised the success of the Iraqi provincial elections and general security improvements during a tour of Basra. British Armed Forces Minister Bob Ainsworth paid a visit to members of...

Work remains for Iraqi Christians.
February 9, 2009... KIRKUK, Iraq, Feb. 9 (UPI) -- The post-election environment in Iraq will be the greatest test for the country since the fall of Saddam Hussein, the archbishop of Kirkuk said. Archbishop Louis Sako said the provincial elections in January...

Talabani congratulates election victors.
February 9, 2009... BAGHDAD, Feb. 9 (UPI) -- Iraqi officials offered praise for the winners in the January provincial elections but called for solidarity among party leaders to move the country forward. Iraq held provincial elections in 14 of the 18 provinces...

Chalabi briefs Iranian advisers in Baghdad.
February 9, 2009... BAGHDAD, Iran, Feb. 9 (UPI) -- Iraq's Ahmad Chalabi spoke with top advisers to Iranian Grand Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Baghdad about the need to strengthen ties between the two countries. Chalabi, the head of the Iraqi National Congress,...

Iraq Press Roundup.
February 9, 2009... Byline: ALAA MAJEED Row over speaker highlights political divisions The Iraqi Parliament failed Monday to consider positions for the speaker of Parliament following the withdrawal of six blocs from weekend sessions, Azzaman reported...

OSCE head calls for new dialogue.
February 9, 2009... MUNICH, Germany, Feb. 9 (UPI) -- The head of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe has called for a new dialogue to address ongoing security concerns in the region. Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis, the OSCE...

ICRC increases operations in Madagascar.
February 9, 2009... GENEVA, Switzerland, Feb. 9 (UPI) -- Growing violence from demonstrations in Madagascar has prompted the International Committee of the Red Cross to rapidly increase operations in the country. ICRC officials estimate that 40 persons have...

Reforms needed in Timor-Leste for security.
February 9, 2009... BRUSSELS, Feb. 9 (UPI) -- While threats to security are currently under control, without needed reforms Timor-Leste could destabilize, a report from the International Crisis Group says. The Belgium-based independent non-governmental...

AFOTEC begins realignment.
February 9, 2009... KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M., Feb. 9 (UPI) -- An 18-month realignment initiative is under way for the U.S. Air Force to better support its evolving cyber operations. The Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center, based at Kirtland...

British troops take advantage of snow.
February 9, 2009... LONDON, Feb. 9 (UPI) -- British soldiers have been taking advantage of the heavy snowfall in England to train in harsh environmental conditions like they'll face in Afghanistan. While much of the United Kingdom has been struggling to dig...

Analysis: Pentagon pick faces ethics rules.
February 10, 2009... Byline: SHAUN WATERMAN WASHINGTON, Feb. 10 (UPI) -- William Lynn, whose nomination by President Obama to be No. 2 at the Pentagon is expected to be confirmed by the Senate this week, has recused himself from making decisions on six major...

Iraq Press Roundup.
February 10, 2009... Byline: ALAA MAJEED The provincial elections were a defeat for Iran The move away from Iraqi political parties supported by religious elites was a slap in the face for the Iranians and their agenda in Iraq, al-Iraq lil-Kul said...