APS Diplomat News Service articles from August 2005

APS Diplomat News Service archives from August 2005

A World War On Terrorism - Or A Salafi War Against A Unipolar World.
August 1, 2005... *** The Looser The Operational Ties Become, The Less Salafi Terrorism Is Instigated By A Single Figure, The Harder It'll Be To Uncover Exploitable Links And The More Likely The Instigators Of Future Attacks Will Escape The Notice Of US...

Focus On Egypt.
August 1, 2005... Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak on July 28 called for an emergency Arab summit to be held on Aug. 3 at Sharm el-Shaikh. It will discuss terrorism, Iraq and the fate of the Palestinian territories after Israel's planned withdrawal from the Gaza...

Global Reach.
August 1, 2005... There is a conviction among intelligence agencies in Europe and the Middle East that terrorism inspired by al-Qaeda's ideology, carried out in the name of a violent Salafi interpretation of Islam, has entered a new, dangerous and global phase....

Al-Qaeda Command Destroyed?
August 1, 2005... Pakistani President Gen. Pervez Musharraf on July 25 claimed that the command and control system of al-Qaeda in his country had been destroyed, excluding any possibility that the Salafi network could have carried out the July 7 bombings in...

The Saudi Reaction.
August 1, 2005... In an interview published on July 24 by al-Riyadh newspaper, Saudi Interior Minister Prince Nayef ibn Abdel Aziz said: "These terrorist activities are targeting Islam and peace between people and countries of the world. If we do not move...

The Iraq/Tattarrus Factor.
August 1, 2005... Zarqawi in Iraq has legalised the concept of tattarrus - which allows jihadis to target innocent Sunnis as well as Shiites and non-Muslims. The Christian Science Monitor on July 25 quoted M.J. Gohel, a terrorism researcher at the Asia Pacific...

Bahraini Role.
August 1, 2005... The governments of Bahrain and the UK on July 27 announced their intention to sign a memorandum of understanding to enhance co-operation in combating international terrorism. This came in a joint communique, issued following July 27 talks in...

Is The US Losing?
August 1, 2005... James Carafano, a US research fellow for defence and homeland security at The Heritage Foundation, says the idea that increased jihadi attacks on civilians "will inevitably collapse Iraq's fledgling democracy is utterly wrongheaded". He wrote...

The Arab Political Parties Are Not Fit To Rule In A Democracy; Iran Is Also Lacking.
August 8, 2005... *** Now There Are 4 Kingdoms In Saudi Arabia: Abdullah's, Sultan's Defence Sector, Nayef's Internal/Border Security Sector, And Salman's Riyadh Province; All Huge And Difficult To Penetrate Or To Contain *** There Are At Least 10 Bani...

The Blame-Israel Culture.
August 8, 2005... Nor is there a culture for peace between the Arabs and Israel. In an article published on July 30 by the International Herald Tribune, Frida Ghitis from Atlanta wrote: "Take a guess: Whom do you think Arab 'experts' blamed for the [July 23]...

China Embarks On New Petroleum Diplomacy With The Greater Middle East & Africa.
August 15, 2005... *** In An Era Of Rising Oil Prices And Burgeoning Demand For Fuel, The Issues Of Energy And National Security Begin To Be Linked *** The Withdrawal Of CNOOC's Bid For Unocal Will Have Major Geo-Strategic Implications On Both China And The...

Focus On Diplomacy & Sudan.
August 15, 2005... For its part, China is focusing on diplomacy. Apparently it is ready to test its muscle at the UN Security Council concerning Iran, where over the past year it has secured more than $100 bn worth of oil E&P deals tied to long-term crude and LNG...

China's Iraq, Iran Options & The SCO.
August 15, 2005... The Iraq invasion, which unsettled world energy politics in unpredictable ways, set in motion portentous activities in China, a future economic rival to the US. China's leaders, in search of energy sources for their burgeoning economy long...

Gaza Pull-Out Won't End Occupation; Hamas Will Compete With The PA Over Control.
August 22, 2005... *** Rice: Israel Must Make West Bank Concessions, No 'Gaza Only' Stand *** The Iraqis Got Till Aug. 22 To Produce Their Constitution; For Most Of The Past Century Iraq Has Consisted Of Little More Than Mutually Distrustful Communities Held...

The Arab Views.
August 22, 2005... Marwan al-Kabalan, a professor of political science at the University of Damascus last week said: "Most Syrians would give credit for liberating Gaza to Hamas and Hezbollah and other Islamist organizations. But they also understand that it's...

No Success Story For Israel.
August 22, 2005... More than half a century after the establishment of the Jewish state, more Jews live in the US than in Israel. This should explain whether or not the Greater Israel project has failed. One explanation for the shift in Sharon's settlement policy...

The Egyptian Role & Background.
August 22, 2005... The authorities said last week they had sealed all the tunnels which snake through the sandy soil of the northern Sinai town of Rafah, where Egyptians have for years smuggled weapons, goods and people across the border into and out of the Gaza...

Egypt Gets Ready For Presidential Elections; Arabs Fear Spread Of Federalism.
August 29, 2005... *** The Iraqi Draft Constitution Does Little To Advance The Prospects For A Unified Country; Nor Does It Reflect Well On The Bush Admin., Which Let Its Obsession With An Arbitrary Deadline Trump Responsibility To Promote Inclusiveness,...

The Bug Of Federalism.
August 29, 2005... As Kurds and Shiite Arabs in Iraq push for a federal system, fears are rising in the Arab world that the urge to create separate states could spread in countries with religious and ethnic minorities. When minority groups feel oppressed or deem...

'Moderate' Islamist In UK Calls Pre-9/11 Bin Laden A 'Freedom Fighter'.
August 29, 2005... The Financial Times on Aug. 22 quoted Inayat Bunglawala, the Muslim Council of Britain's media secretary who had been appointed by the Home Office as a "convener" of a government working group to combat extremism, as repeating his view that...