Deprogramming Jihadists

This is an article by the New York times that i found very interesting. In Saudi Arabian Prison's there is class that tries to correct the "theological misunderstandings," of young Jihadist. Even thought King Abul-Aziz united Saudi Arabia with a Jihad, the Saudi Government is using programs like these to give men who are convicted of being Jihadist stability in there life, Such as; "a car, a job, and possibly a wife." This is an attempt by the Saudi Government to show that they are fighting against terroism in there own way. It seems to be a step in the right direction.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/09/magazine/09jihadis-t.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&ref=middleeast

Finally Justice! Or What looks like it.

The Justice Department as released five indictments accusing five Blackwater gaurds to have killed 17 Iraqi Civilians, and injured several more. Also, a week earlier, another Blackwater gaurd by the name of Jeremy P. Ridgeway pleaded guilty to two counts of mansluaghter. Experts say that Ridgeway will testify against the other five Blackwater gaurds. This case may finally clear up what contracters oversea's can and cannot do. This is sure to be a case that has alot of gray areas that will be decided.

Green Zone Attacked in Bagdhad

The Green Zone which houses foriegn embasssies and government offices. A rocket attack killed two UN contractors in the blast. The contractors worked for a catering service that worked for UN representatives in Bagdhad.

Ali Hassan al-Majid receives his second death sentence

Also known as Chemical Ali, Majid newly recieved his second death sentence. Majid was Saddam Hussein's defence secretary and also his cousin. He was sentenced to be hanged for genocide and the killing of over 100,000 people durring the 1988 Anfal campaign against Iraq's Kurds. Witnesses in the trial reported that they would kill people and families by throwing them out of helcopters. The judged sentenced him to be hanged for murder and crimes against humanity. He got his name Chemical Ali because he ordered poisonous gas attacks on innocent people. He was due to be hung June 2007, but because of legal battles he remains live in american custody.

OPEC decides to not make another cut

Last month, the members of OPEC decided to cut oil production by 1.5 million barrels a day in hopes to decrease the supply to increase the price. The demand is no longer there for oil because of the struggling economy around the world. Venezuela is the one country that continues to push for another oil production reduction. The other countries have decided to not make another cut, they are relying on their last cut to take effect. This does not mean that there wont be another cut in the future, but it dampens the rumor that another cut will be made this weekend.

QE2 is put out of commision in Dubai

The famous cruise ship the QE2 made her final voyage on November 11th. She left her home in Southhampton on a final two week cruise. She was bought by Nakheel, who is a big real estate developer in Dubai. Plans for the ocean liner involve transforming her into a fancy floating hotel. They plan to make the rooms larger and remodel them to fit today's standards. What kind of standards require them to remodel an already very prosperous and luxurious ship I have no idea, but it is going to be in Dubai, which is the most desireable and lavish vacation destination. They want to rip off the red smoke stack and use it as a large entrance. In place of the smoke stack, they want to create a four story room out of frosted glass. Their intent is to make this room the most luxurious and desireable room in Dubai. The ship was bought for £50 million.

Stunt Bikers in Iraq?!

Recently, a group of stunt-bikers practiced and performed their stunts in closed streets in front of a number of spectators. The event was put on as something fun to do. Not only was this cool to watch, but it was meant to demonstrate that perhaps there is some hope of freedom in Iraq. They wanted to show the world that fun can still be had in Iraq. With all the violence going on, its nice to have something fun and enjoyable.

Roadside Bombings in Iraq

At least 13 people died in a roadside bombing on the outskirts of Baghdad, Iraq. Many of these people were Iraqi government officials on their way to a meeting. The bomb completely blew up the bus that was carrying these officials.
Seprate from this attack, a women blew her self up, taking with her five other people. Two of these five people were Iraqi intelligence agents. Chaos countinues in the middle east. It's obvious some people are not very happy.

Brawl In the Iraqi Parliment

Choas erupted during a discussion, in the Iraqi parliment, on the security pact the will soon be voted on by Iraqi legislators. In this security pact contains the agreement that the U.S will stay through the year 2011. Even before the dicussion started legislators and lawmakers alike, felt the apprehension. It grew from raised voices to actual physical confrontation. Guards were already in the room because of the almost sure voilence that follows such a huge decision. Many different sects that hold seats in the parliment are fundamentally agaisnt dealing with Americans such especially followers of Cleric Moktada Al-Sadr (a very anti-American cleric) who hold 32 seats out of the 275 overall seats. The Parliment may vote on the Security Pact as soon as next week. After yesterdays showing in Parliment there is much to be worked out.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/20/world/middleeast/20iraq.html?_r=1&ref=middleeast

Meeting of Two Sides On a Bridge

The Aimma Bridge has just recently been reopened for public use, since the numerous deaths that occurred on the bridge when there were rumors spread that there was a suicide bomber during a religious ceremony. The preceding stampede killed nearly one-thousand people; most were trampled on but many drowned when they jumped of the bridge and into the tigris river. This bridge is symbolic because it divided the Shiite neighborhood from the Sunni neighborhood. Now since reopened the two sides are symbolically linked. This is one event that makes Iraq look a little less bleak.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/12/world/middleeast/12iraq.html?ref=world

Three blasts kills 28 people in Iraq

This morning on November 10, 2008, three synchronized bombs went off in the north of Baghdad. The attack was carried out in a mixed Sunni and Shi'a neighborhood. First there were two car bombs planted near a market, they went of five minutes apart. After this explosion a crowd appeared looking at the damage; at this time, a suicide bomber ran into the crowed and detonated his explosives. This is the deadliest attack in Iraq since June. This attack came after weeks of calm and peace.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/11/world/middleeast/11iraq.html?_r=1&ref=world&oref=slogin

Iraq gives religious miniorites less seats then what U.N suggested

The Iraqi executive council just ratified a bill that would guarantee only six out of four hundred and forty seats. This is less than half of the number of seats the the U.N suggested. Out of the Iraqi population there are seven-hundred and fifty thousand Christians, and mathatically they will most likely by underrepresented. Christian leaders in the country are threating to boycott the election believe that this is unfair. Christians are not the only religious minorities that are being underrepresented, there are also the Yazidis, Sabeans and Shabaks. Iraqi president Jalal Talabani hinted that he may veto the bill.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/09/world/middleeast/09iraq.html?ref=middleeast

Iranian Minister voted out of power by parliment

Minister Ali Kurdon, a high ranking minister in the Iranian theocratic government was dismissed by the parliment by a 188 to 45 vote. Ali was charged with dishonesty, after it surfaced that he lied about a fake honorary diploma from Oxford. This looks poorly upon President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad who is up for reelection in just eight month. This dismissal coincides with Iran's inflated economey, and falling oil prices. Things aren't looking up for the Incumbent President who is said to be becoming more unpopular by the day in Iran.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/05/world/middleeast/05iran.html?ref=middleeast

Israeli's strike in Gaza

Since the since the ceasfire set in June, last night (tuesday November 4), Israel carried out an air strike in Gaza. Five Hamas militants were killed. The attack coming after a clash between Israeli soldiers and Hamas gunmen shot along the Gaza border. The truce between both sides have been generally kept, with the execption of some renegade hamas soldier launching mortars into Israeli territory. Also, Israel has accused Hamas of taking advantage of the ceasefire to stock up on arms and personel. However, both sides have expressed content with the ceasefire and seek to extent it longer than its original six month term.

Ben

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/05/world/middleeast/05mideast.html?ref=middleeast

Saddam Hussein owned some cool things

The Ocean Breeze, a 270 foot yacht formerly owned by Saddam Hussein is now up for sale. It is docked in Nice, France and is on the market for purchase. This isn't just your run of the mill gigantic luxury yacht, oh no. Saddam, being the elusive guy that he was had an escape tunnel built in to the yacht which led to an escape submarine. Even James Bond would have been impressed with that I would think. Saddam had the yacht built in 1989. Saddam reportedly never stayed on the yacht because he feared if he left the country, the country would become politically unstable. The yacht is an older one, it only has one helipad and doesn't have a gym. The brokers are not worried however, they thinks it's history will be a good selling point. They predict the yacht will go for around 35 million.

No no no! The civilians are negative points!

This is tough to swallow. In an effort to shut down terrorist cells and cell leader Abu Ghadiya, American troops attacked the small village of Sukkiraya in Syria. The attack lasted only a couple of minutes said some witnesses. And during those couple of minutes seven men, all supposedly innocent civilians were shot dead. A mother was shot as well, she said "I went outside to get my son and the Americans shot me, they were very close, five metres away. I was screaming, terrified."
Understandably, the nation of Syria was upset. So they decided to vent, and the government organized a rally of about 7,000 people who were all waiving around pictures of their president and burning United States flags. In response to all this, the Americans said that they have a right to self-defence, even if that means crossing international boarders.
No terrorists were said to be killed, and the leader was not found. In fact, the villagers said that there were never any terrorists there in the first place. Oops.

Just when you felt better about filling your car...

As I'm sure you've noticed, the price of gas has significantly decreased since summer. Oil has dropped from $375.00 a barrel to $287.00 a barrel. This is great...while it lasts. It has just been said that the heads of OPEC, the worlds larges oil exporting countries, decided to reduce the production of oil. They are doing this in efforts to combat the sliding oil prices around the globe. They have decided to cut production by 1.5 million barrels a day (about 5%). Upsetting, yes? The Prime Minister of the UK, Gordon Brown criticized OPEC's decision to pull back production. We will just have to watch the prices at the pump and hope for the best.

Iraqi Forces are Preparing to Take Over the Job of US Troops

For the past year, Iraqi forces have been taking on challenges from insurgents and terrorist in Iraq. They have proven successful in their battles, and now with the help of US and British troops, they are being prepared to take over the job of the US and British forces. The ground forces are being trained for combat, and most recently the logistics of the army are now being worked on. The center of this is hoped to be stationed in Taji, north of Baghdad. 

The US has started to take hundreds of their broken down humvees, and refurbish them for the Iraqi army use. Once running, the humvees are handed over to Iraqi forces, and are then painted beige for the army, and white for the police, with the flag of Iraq painted on it's sides. 

All this activity is preparation for the Iraqi army and their new Airforce to take over once US-led troops withdraw sometime around the end of the year 2011. 

Massive Rally in Iraq Urges US Troops to Move Out

A massive anti-US rally was staged in Iraq in hopes to persuade leaders to withdraw US troops. The rally consisted of more than 50,000 Iraqi people, mostly young men. Members of Moqtada Sadr organized the rally. Iraqi flags were hung high and life sized dolls resembling US figures were burned to demonstrate the extreme disapproval of US occupation.
Iraq and US negotiators made an agreement to have US troops withdrawn by the year 2011. This year, the UN mandate runs out, and leaders must meet again to decide what to do. After this year, Iraqi officials will be given the power to prosecute Americans who break the law off duty. The Shias do not feel that 2011 is soon enough. Tens of thousands of Shias marched to the centre of Baghdad to support the rally. On Friday, the leaders are expected to meet to discuss and draft a plan of the US presence after the mandate expires. No decisions have yet been made. The council plans to meet again to sort out this very complex situation. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7677551.stm

Comment from em

You need more, but this is looking pretty good. Do some research into the PKK. It is a Kurdish separatist group operating in northern Iraq and Turkey, and it's been in the news a fair amount recently. This women's unit you wrote about must be part of it, but you need to figure out what part.
em

Suicide Bombing Kills Eleven People

During an American raid in Mosul, Iraq, a suicide bomber blew himself up and brought down eleven people with him. Of the eleven were three women and three children, along with five "terrorists" said the US military.
However, a local at a local morgue reported that most of the injuries were bullet wounds. US troops were engaged in gunfire with armed men moments before the explosion. The morgue official said that it is possible that some of the victoms may have died from the gunshot wounds. One body bag of human remains was brought out of the site, which is consistent with the original report of the suicide bombing.
Following the blasts, US soldiers found weapons and explosions in a building nearby. This article shows how Al-Qaeda pretends to be innocent civilians, which is what makes this war so hard to fight.
JW

Female Militants Stand Up Against Male Dominance

Up in the Qandil Mountains, a group called PKK has been fighting for an equal world. Also known as the Kurdistan Workers' Party , the PKK, has been seen by many countries as a terrorist cell. They claim to be fighting against a male dominated world. They are commonly misunderstood as an all womens group because of their ideals against men, however their leader Bahoz Erdal is a man. CNN Recently gained access to them for interviews while they fight on the Turkish border. Currently they are throughout the mountains for Iraq, travelling like nomads.