UPI International Intelligence articles from November 2008

UPI International Intelligence archives from November 2008

Walker's World: America's choice.
November 3, 2008... Byline: MARTIN WALKER WASHINGTON, Nov. 3 (UPI) -- Some 130 million American voters -- more than the entire population of Japan and enough to make them the world's 10th most populous country -- will go to the polls Tuesday in the most...

Analysis: Pakistan holds key to conflict.
November 3, 2008... Byline: CLAUDE SALHANI Seven years after the start of the war in Afghanistan there is still no solution on the horizon. In fact, the security situation appears to be regressing. In recent months the Taliban have been on the resurgence,...

Interview: Dems and homeland security.
November 3, 2008... Byline: SARA SARGENT WASHINGTON, Nov. 3 (UPI) -- "It's going to be like Dorothy going to the Land of Oz." That's how James Carafano, a homeland security expert at the right-leaning Heritage Foundation, characterized the potential...

Analysis: Seoul wary about U.S. election.
November 3, 2008... Byline: LEE JONG-HEON SEOUL, Nov. 3 (UPI) -- South Koreans are waiting for the outcome of the U.S. presidential election with mixed emotions -- hoping for changes but wary about new disputes, especially with Democratic Sen. Barack Obama...

Outside View: Thank God (if) it's Obama.
November 3, 2008... Byline: M.D. NALAPAT MANIPAL, India, Nov. 3 (UPI) -- In 2004 this columnist annoyed some of his U.S. friends by rooting for George W. Bush for the U.S. presidency over his rival, John Kerry. The reason was simple: It was the first...

Analysis: A new U.S. president and Russia.
November 3, 2008... Byline: STEFAN NICOLA BERLIN, Nov. 3 (UPI) -- Electing Barack Obama U.S. president could turn around the troubled U.S.-Russian relations, Russia experts say. Over the past two years U.S.-Russian relations suffered because of a series...

Iraq Press Roundup.
November 3, 2008... Byline: ALAA MAJEED The deadline to sign the bilateral Status of Forces Agreement to replace the expiring U.N. mandate for Iraq is drawing near. The Iraqi government, led by Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, has presented its amended version...

Iranian students storm former U.S. Embassy.
November 3, 2008... TEHRAN, Nov. 3 (UPI) -- Iranians marked the anniversary of the 1979 U.S. Embassy seizure in Tehran with calls Monday for the withdrawal of all U.S. interests from Islamic states. The state-run Islamic Republic News Agency said university...

Iraq amends provincial elections law.
November 3, 2008... BAGHDAD, Nov. 3 (UPI) -- Iraq's Parliament Monday passed a provision to allocate one seat in several provinces for minority religious groups in the January elections, lawmakers said. By a majority vote of 106 out of the 150 lawmakers...

PMOI member dies in Iranian custody.
November 3, 2008... PARIS, Nov. 3 (UPI) -- The dissident People's Mujahedin of Iran said one of its members died from alleged torture during his detention in the notorious Gohardasht prison near Tehran. The PMOI, a listed terrorist group seeking the ouster of...

Iraqi Kurdistan welcomes UNAMI officials.
November 3, 2008... ERBIL, Iraq, Nov. 3 (UPI) -- The vice president of the Kurdistan National Assembly welcomed U.N. officials to Erbil to discuss disputed Kurdish territories in Iraq. Kurdish Parliament Vice President Kamal Kirkuki welcomed Mark Rutgers, the...

NGOs: Too soon for Iraqi refugees' return.
November 3, 2008... BAGHDAD, Nov. 3 (UPI) -- Baghdad should reconsider its stance on inviting Iraqi refugees back to the country until the security situation is stabilized completely, aid groups said. The umbrella group, Commission for Civil Society...

OSCE releases new police guidebook.
November 3, 2008... VIENNA, Nov. 3 (UPI) -- The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe has released a police training guide in a move to strengthen security in developing democracies. The new OSCE guide, called "The Good Practices in Basic Police...

EU, TSA agree on screening standards.
November 3, 2008... WASHINGTON, Nov. 3 (UPI) -- The U.S. Transportation Security Administration and the European Union announced an agreement that establishes a common set of air cargo screening standards. The TSA signed the air cargo screening agreement with...

Report calls for Azerbaijan reforms.
November 3, 2008... BRUSSELS, Nov. 3 (UPI) -- Azerbaijan's military investments have raised concerns about a possible renewed conflict with Armenia, a report from the International Crisis Group says. The report by the independent non-governmental organization...

U.S. armed drone crashes in Afghan south.
November 3, 2008... BAGRAM, Afghanistan, Nov. 3 (UPI) -- The U.S. Air Force announced Monday that a reconnaissance drone crashed in the volatile south of Afghanistan on Sunday morning. According to a release from the Air Force, an MQ-1 Predator unmanned...

DR Congo violence tops monthly report.
November 3, 2008... BRUSSELS, Nov. 3 (UPI) -- Violent clashes in the north of the Democratic Republic of the Congo topped the monthly CrisisWatch report from the International Crisis Group. CrisisWatch listed the surge in fighting in the DR Congo as one of...

AFRICOM to stay in Germany.
November 3, 2008... STUTTGART, Germany, Nov. 3 (UPI) -- The U.S. Defense Department has decided to keep the new U.S. Africa Command at its once temporary location in Stuttgart, Germany. AFRICOM, the newest command headquarters for the U.S. military, became...

Analysis: India awaits U.S. vote results.
November 4, 2008... Byline: INDRAJIT BASU KOLKATA, India, Nov. 4 (UPI) -- In the next few hours the U.S. presidential race will be over and either Barack Obama or John McCain will move on to become the 44th president of the world's most powerful nation. With...

Analysis: U.S., Iraq wrangle over troops.
November 4, 2008... Byline: RICHARD TOMKINS SAMARA, Iraq, Nov. 4 (UPI) -- The question of whether U.S. military forces will remain in Iraq next year, and, if so, how they will conduct operations, is still unsettled between Washington and Baghdad as wrangling...

Outside View: Iraq-U.S. troop deal.
November 4, 2008... Byline: MARIA APPAKOVA MOSCOW, Nov. 4 (UPI) -- Iraqis once again have not lived up to U.S. expectations. The Iraqi Council of Ministers has decided to try to amend the draft of the U.S.-Iraqi strategic partnership agreement concerning...

PM Brown visits RAF in Basra.
November 4, 2008... BASRA, Iraq, Nov. 4 (UPI) -- British Prime Minister Gordon Brown thanked troops with the 901 Expeditionary Air Wing stationed in the southern Iraqi province of Basra. Brown, on a regional tour for the International Monetary Fund, told...

KRG addresses women's rights.
November 4, 2008... ERBIL, Iraq, Nov. 4 (UPI) -- The Kurdistan Regional Government said Tuesday it convened a commission to consider recommendations from Amnesty International on securing women's rights. The prime minister of Iraqi Kurdistan, Nechirvan...

Iran warns pilgrims entering Iraq.
November 4, 2008... TEHRAN, Nov. 4 (UPI) -- Iranian officials Tuesday cautioned pilgrims against entering Iraq without authorization or through unsanctioned border crossings. The Islamic Republic News Agency says around 3,000 Iranian pilgrims cross into Iraq...

Muslim Scholars blast Kurdish SOFA support.
November 4, 2008... BAGHDAD, Nov. 4 (UPI) -- The Association of Muslim Scholars in Iraq Tuesday chided a decision by the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan to back the Status of Forces Agreement with Washington. "The statements of Kurdish officials neither have...

Iraqi lawmakers review SOFA.
November 4, 2008... BAGHDAD, Nov. 4 (UPI) -- Iraqi lawmakers Tuesday reviewed amendments to the Status of Forces Agreement with Washington as Americans took to the polls to choose their next president. Baghdad and Washington are in sensitive deliberations over...

U.N. hails Iraqi elections law.
November 4, 2008... BAGHDAD, Nov. 4 (UPI) -- The United Nations Tuesday hailed a decision by Iraqi lawmakers to set aside a small number of provincial council seats for minority religious groups. Iraqi lawmakers passed a measure by a majority vote to amend the...

Iraq Press Roundup.
November 4, 2008... Byline: ALAA MAJEED Tuesday's U.S. presidential election comes at a historic time for the future of Americans. The next U.S. president will be faced with a looming financial crisis and wars on two fronts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Meanwhile,...

DR Congo aid situation dire.
November 4, 2008... GOMA, Democratic Republic of Congo, Nov. 4 (UPI) -- The International Committee of the Red Cross says the security situation is unstable in Democratic Republic of the Congo, making it difficult to deliver aid. The ICRC said Tuesday the...

Diversifying economy could add security.
November 4, 2008... LUANDA, Angola, Nov. 4 (UPI) -- A U.N. report calls for the diversification of Angola's economy as a measure to prevent the country from sliding back into violence. The U.N. Conference on Trade and Development and the U.N. Development...

EU, Interpol to strengthen cooperation.
November 4, 2008... LYON, France, Nov. 4 (UPI) -- Officials from the European Union and Interpol met Monday to discuss strengthening cooperation and to address evolving threats to security. Top authorities from the current EU presidency, the General...

Multisector effort to combat terrorism.
November 4, 2008... BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, Nov. 4 (UPI) -- Kyrgyz authorities hosted a conference Tuesday aimed at engaging the government, civil society and the private sector to jointly combat terrorism. The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe...

Program trains 900 Afghan police.
November 4, 2008... JALALABAD, Afghanistan, Nov. 4 (UPI) -- Nine hundred Afghan national police officers have graduated from a U.S. State Department training initiative conducted by three U.S. Air Force airmen. The airmen, Tech. Sgt. Brady Holcomb, Staff Sgt....

Analysis: USAF scales back cyberwar plans.
November 4, 2008... Byline: SHAUN WATERMAN WASHINGTON, Nov. 4 (UPI) -- The general in charge of the U.S. Air Force's cyber-warfare effort says plans for his unit have been scaled back, because staff who would have been used to set up a cyber command will be...

Analysis: Turkey sees 'parallel' with U.S.
November 5, 2008... Byline: BEN LANDO ANKARA, Turkey, Nov. 5 (UPI) -- Barack Obama wasn't the Turkish leadership's top choice for next U.S. president; John McCain was seen here as superior in the foreign affairs arena and the more pro-Turkish of the two...

Feature: U.S. expats celebrate Obama win.
November 5, 2008... Byline: STEFAN NICOLA BERLIN, Nov. 5 (UPI) -- Berlin was gripped by election fever Tuesday night as U.S. expatriates and Germans watched the final hours of live coverage of the presidential race at parties across the city. Germany is...

Walker's World: Obama's first big test.
November 5, 2008... Byline: MARTIN WALKER WASHINGTON, Nov. 5 (UPI) -- Barack Obama's first big test is just 10 days away, and the immediate prospect is that he might duck it or even fail it. America's first black president will enter the White House with...

Analysis: Germany hopes for Obama bonus.
November 5, 2008... Byline: STEFAN NICOLA BERLIN, Nov. 5 (UPI) -- Several senior German politicians welcomed the idea of working with Barack Obama as U.S. president, with analysts hopeful that German-American ties will intensify. German Chancellor Angela...

U.S. nabs suspects in al-Qaida raids.
November 5, 2008... BAGHDAD, Nov. 5 (UPI) -- U.S.-led forces in Iraq announced the capture of two suspected al-Qaida in Iraq militants along with several other insurgents in raids Wednesday. Multi-National Force-Iraq said coalition forces had arrested a...

Sadrists condemn SOFA.
November 5, 2008... DAMASCUS, Syria, Nov. 5 (UPI) -- The Iraqi Sadrist Movement told Syrian President Bashar Assad in Damascus Wednesday it had gathered 90 votes against the security pact with Washington. Assad welcomed a delegation from the Sadrist Movement,...

Amnesty slams hanging of minor in Iran.
November 5, 2008... ISFAHAN, Iran, Nov. 5 (UPI) -- Amnesty International condemned the execution in the Iranian city of Isfahan of an Afghan national who was sentenced to death as a minor. Iranian authorities in 2006 condemned "Gholamreza H." to death for the...

Iran issues warning to American forces.
November 5, 2008... TEHRAN, Nov. 5 (UPI) -- The Iranian military Wednesday issued a stark warning to U.S. forces in Iraq, saying it would respond "forcefully" to any violation of Iranian airspace. The U.S. military said it has ramped up its efforts along the...

KRG aids Iraqi Christians, PM says.
November 5, 2008... ERBIL, Iraq, Nov. 5 (UPI) -- The Christian community in Iraq is witnessing an unfortunate moment in history and Kurdish authorities vow to secure their interests, officials said. Nechirvan Barzani, the prime minister of Iraqi Kurdistan,...

Iraq Press Roundup.
November 5, 2008... Byline: ALAA MAJEED Iraq has passed one of the most difficult stages in its history, but overcoming the lingering effects of the past regime, addressing terrorism and rebuilding the national institutions for a safe and renewed Iraq will...

Official to assess situation in Chad, CAR.
November 5, 2008... N'DJAMENA, Chad, Nov. 5 (UPI) -- A top U.N. official is meeting with leaders in Chad and the Central African Republic on a mission to assess the security situation in the countries. Undersecretary-General for the Department of Field Support...

Supply convoy arrives safely in Darfur.
November 5, 2008... KHARTOUM, Sudan, Nov. 5 (UPI) -- A convoy carrying much needed supplies safely reached the U.N.-African Union security operation in the volatile Darfur region of Sudan. The convoy, which included 39 vehicles carrying security and...

IDF uncovers tunnel from Gaza Strip.
November 5, 2008... JERUSALEM, Nov. 5 (UPI) -- Israeli security authorities say they have uncovered a tunnel out of the Gaza Strip that is suspected to have been constructed for terrorist operations. Israeli Defense Forces say the tunnel, located approximately...

ICRC begins aid operation in DR Congo.
November 5, 2008... KINSHASA, Democratic Republic of Congo, Nov. 5 (UPI) -- The International Committee of the Red Cross began emergency aid operations in the war-torn North Kivu province of the Democratic Republic of Congo. The ICRC said Wednesday that after...

Kyrgyz police get forensics technology.
November 5, 2008... BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, Nov. 5 (UPI) -- Police authorities in Kyrgyzstan were given mobile forensic laboratories Wednesday as part of a security effort to increase investigation capabilities. The Organization for Security and Cooperation in...

DHS releases emergency grant guidelines.
November 5, 2008... WASHINGTON, Nov. 5 (UPI) -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security Wednesday released application guidelines for more than $3 billion in emergency preparedness grants. The DHS released the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Fiscal...

Outside View: New FBI powers necessary.
November 6, 2008... Byline: MICHAEL ROLINCE WASHINGTON, Nov. 6 (UPI) -- Revised Attorney General Guidelines that govern all FBI activities, including those involving international terrorism, come into effect next month. Although members of Congress, civil...

Outside View: Obama's military -- Part 1.
November 6, 2008... Byline: ANTHONY CORDESMAN WASHINGTON, Nov. 6 (UPI) -- It is a minor miracle that no federal office building or Washington think tank has ever collapsed under the weight of unread transition studies. Presidents-elect simply don't have the...

Outside View: Obama bad news for Russia.
November 6, 2008... Byline: JOHN LAUGHLAND PARIS, Nov. 6 (UPI) -- According to a widely held view, the election of Barack Obama is good news for Russia. The new U.S. president, the argument runs, will abandon the confrontational style of George W. Bush and...

Christians slowly returning to Mosul.
November 6, 2008... MOSUL, Iraq, Nov. 6 (UPI) -- More than 2,000 members of the Christian minority in Iraq have returned to Mosul after targeted violence displaced nearly half of their population. Targeted attacks against Iraqi Christians escalated in early...

American power and the Obama presidency.
November 6, 2008... WASHINGTON, Nov. 6 (UPI) -- The Obama administration will take office during a time when America is at war on two fronts, making national security a top priority, an analysis says. American voters elected Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., as the...

Experts warn of too high hopes for Obama.
November 6, 2008... BERLIN, Nov. 6 (UPI) -- A group of experts warned not to expect miracles from the next U.S. president, Barack Obama. "In Europe, the admiration for Obama is so great that it borders on a belief in miracles," Eberhard Sandschneider, director...

Berlin prepares for British hooligans.
November 6, 2008... BERLIN, Nov. 6 (UPI) -- Berlin is getting ready to ward off an army of British hooligans who are expected to flock to the German capital for a soccer match. The national teams of Germany and England will face off in a friendly match on...

Iraq Press Roundup.
November 6, 2008... Byline: ALAA MAJEED The results of the U.S. presidential election have a great impact on the people in the Middle East, specifically Iraq. The region was awash in surprise and optimism when Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., won the elections,...

Iran hopeful on Obama.
November 6, 2008... TEHRAN, Nov. 6 (UPI) -- Tehran said it was hopeful the next U.S. presidential administration would change course in national security policy and end regional aggressions. Iranian government spokesman Gholamhossein Elham said the...

Iraq orders F-16s, helicopters.
November 6, 2008... BAGHDAD, Nov. 6 (UPI) -- The Iraqi government announced plans to purchase more than 500 military aircraft from the United States and France, with first deliveries expected in 2011. Deputy Chief of Staff of the Iraqi Joint Forces Gen. Nasier...

KRG congratulates President-elect Obama.
November 6, 2008... ERBIL, Iraq, Nov. 6 (UPI) -- The Kurdistan Regional Government Thursday offered its congratulations to U.S. Sens. Barack Obama and Joe Biden for winning the U.S. presidential election. Democrats Obama and Biden secured the vast majority of...

Fresh violence in DR Congo prompts concern.
November 6, 2008... KINSHASA, Democratic Republic of Congo, Nov. 6 (UPI) -- The head of the United Nations is calling for an end to violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo after violence flared in the country on Thursday. Despite a recently announced...

Philippine president calls for vigilance.
November 6, 2008... SUBIC BAY, Philippines, Nov. 6 (UPI) -- The Philippines' president Thursday called on citizens of the country to resist insurgent groups and remain vigilant of what she called nonsense ideology. Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo,...

NATO seminar to address WMD proliferation.
November 6, 2008... BRUSSELS, Nov. 6 (UPI) -- Security authorities are expected to address the evolving threat posed by weapons of mass destruction proliferation during an upcoming NATO meeting in Germany. Germany's Federal Foreign Office is hosting a...

Georgia relief work facing challenges.
November 6, 2008... TBILISI, Georgia, Nov. 6 (UPI) -- The International Committee of the Red Cross says months more of relief work is needed in Georgia to counter the devastation caused by the conflict with Russia. ICRC officials directing humanitarian aid...

Mozambique ratifies nuclear treaty.
November 6, 2008... MAPUTO, Mozambique, Nov. 6 (UPI) -- Mozambique has joined 145 other countries banning nuclear explosions after ratifying the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty on Wednesday. Mozambique announced in 2007 plans to review the CTBT among...

Obstacles stalling peace deal in Sudan.
November 6, 2008... UNITED NATIONS, Nov. 6 (UPI) -- A top U.N. official has expressed concerns over the stalled progress of implementing the comprehensive peace agreement in Sudan. U.N. Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Edmond Mulet addressed the...

MPs condemn death of Iranian prisoner.
November 6, 2008... LONDON, Nov. 6 (UPI) -- British lawmakers Thursday called on the government to lobby for sweeping sanctions against Iran for human-rights abuses and the death of a political prisoner. Abdolreza Rajabi, a member of the dissident People's...

Outside View: Obama's military -- Part 2.
November 7, 2008... Byline: ANTHONY H. CORDESMAN WASHINGTON, Nov. 7 (UPI) -- No one likes complex challenges, particularly when there is no way to avoid dealing with them simultaneously. But there are several problem areas in national security where action...

Interview: Iraq's ambassador to the U.N.(Interview)
November 7, 2008... Byline: BEN LANDO HOUSTON, Nov. 7 (UPI) -- The day after Barack Obama was elected to be the next U.S. president, Iraq's Ambassador to the United Nations Hamid al-Bayati called it inspiring. But on the ground in Iraq, Obama really wouldn't...

Commentary: Think the impossible.
November 7, 2008... Byline: ARNAUD DE BORCHGRAVE SINGAPORE, Nov. 7 (UPI) -- While the world economy is "slowing quickly," thanks to the subprime mortgage scandal, there isn't much President Obama can do over a longer period than anticipated. Reining in...

Analysis: Report warns of post-oil crisis.(Report)
November 7, 2008... Byline: STEFAN NICOLA BERLIN, Nov. 7 (UPI) -- Oil production will peak in the period between 2011 and 2013, causing rising fuel prices and devastating damage to the global economy, a new report found. The oil age is coming to an end,...

Dogs of War: Contractors and Obama.
November 7, 2008... Byline: DAVID ISENBERG WASHINGTON, Nov. 7 (UPI) -- In the wake of Barack Obama's election victory many American private military and security contractors are wondering what their future will be under President Obama. It is probably better...

DHS calls Southern Exposure a success.
November 7, 2008... WASHINGTON, Nov. 7 (UPI) -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security says a recent exercise evaluating the Southeast corridor's response to radiological and nuclear threats was a success. The DHS recently concluded an exercise conducted by...

Leaders discuss Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
November 7, 2008... VIENNA, Nov. 7 (UPI) -- The Minsk Group says recent talks between Armenia and Azerbaijan have produced positive signs of progress over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region. The Minsk Group, created by the Organization for Security and...

TSA names director at New Orleans airport.
November 7, 2008... NEW ORLEANS, Nov. 7 (UPI) -- The Transportation Security Administration has appointed a new head of federal security at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport. TSA officials named longtime law enforcement veteran Larry Austin as...

Conflict negotiation seminar held in Sudan.
November 7, 2008... ABYEI, Sudan, Nov. 7 (UPI) -- U.N. officials conducted a conflict negotiation seminar in Sudan in a move to jump-start the stalled progress of implementing the comprehensive peace agreement. The U.N. mission in Sudan held a five-day...

Study finds growing crisis in Chad.
November 7, 2008... N'DJAMENA, Chad, Nov. 7 (UPI) -- A new survey has found growing disparity over the humanitarian crisis in Chad that is prompted by an inability to handle the influx of people fleeing violence. The non-governmental organization Action...

Iran wary of border activity.
November 7, 2008... BAGHDAD, Iran, Nov. 7 (UPI) -- Iranian authorities Friday issued warnings urging citizens to avoid crossing the border with Iraq, saying border police were harassing pilgrims. Hossein Akbari, the deputy head of the Iranian pilgrimage...

Iraq wary over troops despite Obama plans.
November 7, 2008... BAGHDAD, Nov. 7 (UPI) -- Iraqi leaders view the negotiated plans for a U.S. troop withdrawal as a top area of concern as the new Washington administration takes shape. Wael Abdul-Latif with the secular Iraqi National List said...

Iraq Press Roundup.
November 7, 2008... Byline: ALAA MAJEED Minority religious communities in Iraq have faced a variety of hardships despite the fact that some, like the Assyrians, formed the cradle of Mesopotamia. The new Iraq, however, gives them less representation in the...

EU calls for further action in Iraq.
November 7, 2008... BRUSSELS, Nov. 7 (UPI) -- French President Nicolas Sarkozy hinted that European nations could do more to provide assistance to the U.S.-led mission in Iraq. A draft EU document obtained by Financial Times Deutschland said France, which is...

Shiites rally against SOFA.
November 7, 2008... BAGHDAD, Nov. 7 (UPI) -- Shiite elites in Iraq expressed concerns and condemnations over the Status of Forces Agreement with Washington, Iranian media reports said Friday. Sattar al-Batat, a Shiite cleric loyal to Moqtada Sadr, called on...

Sadr: 'Beware' of supporting Washington.
November 7, 2008... BAGHDAD, Nov. 7 (UPI) -- Influential Shiite clerics and lawmakers issued a variety of edicts in opposition to the long-term security arrangement with the United States. Washington and Baghdad are finalizing the details of a bilateral...