'PROFESSIONALS BOMBED THE GOLDEN MOSQUE

WIRING OF EXPLOSIVES ESTIMATED TO HAVE TAKEN AT LEAST TWELVE HOURS


BAGHDAD (AFP) - The bombing of a revered Shiite shrine which sparked a wave of violence in Iraq was the work of specialists, Construction Minister Jassem Mohammed Jaafar said Friday, adding that the placing of the explosives must have taken at least 12 hours.

"According to initial reports, the bombing was technically well conceived and could only have been carried out by specialists," the minister told Iraqia state television.

Jaafar, who toured the devastated thousand-year-old shrine on Thursday a day after the bombing which brought down its golden dome, said "holes were dug into the mausoleum's four main pillars and packed with explosives."

"Then the charges were connected together and linked to another charge placed just under the dome. The wires were then linked to a detonator which was triggered at a distance," the minister added.

To drill into the pillars would have taken at least four hours per pillar, he also estimated.

Damage to the mausoleum, holding the tombs of the 10th and 11th Shiite Imams, was extensive.

"The dome was completely wrecked and collapsed on the tombs which were covered over by debris. The shrine's foundations were also affected as 40 percent of the power of the blast was directed inwards," he added.

FROM ISLAM ONLINE : BAGDAD, February 26, 2006 In a gesture of goodwill, Iraqi Sunnis in the northern city of Samarra are working tirelessly to rebuild the Golden Mosque, one of the holiest Shiite shrines which was devastated in an odious explosion last week.

"The initiative came soon after the explosion in solidarity with our Shiite brothers," Abu Oqba Al-Samarrai told IslamOnline.net Monday, February 27, after collecting golden pieces of the mosque's destroyed dome.

He said people of different age groups have volunteered to remove the ruble in a love demonstration.

"Elderly, women, children and men of [predominantly Sunni] Samarra rush to the tomb to remove the debris, using shovels and manual carriages," he explained.

Women provided food and water to exhausted men after a long day of hard work to get the job done as soon as possible.

"The men chant in unison Islamic songs to kill time," Samarrai said.

More than 200 people have been killed since Wednesday, February 22, when the Golden Mosque was destroyed in a bombing that sparked a wave of tit-for-tat killings and led the defense minister to warn of the danger of "endless civil war."

The main Sunni political coalition announced on Thursday, February 23, boycotting talks on government formation after the sectarian attacks, while Shiite leader Muqtada Al-Sadr ordered protection for Sunni mosques in predominantly Shiites areas.

On Saturday, February 25, Shiite scholars from the Sadr and Khalsi schools met with Sunni leaders in Baghdad's premier Sunni mosque Abu Hanifa, where they both prayed under the leadership of prominent Sunni imam Abdel Salam Al-Qubaissi.

The meeting also announced the formation of a commission to "determine the reasons for the crisis with a view to solving it," while also calling for a timetable for the withdrawal of US troops.

Donations

Chairman of the Sunni Waqfs Ahmad Abdul Ghaffor Al-Samarrai has declared that his body will donate two billion Iraqi dinars ($1,350 million) to reconstruct the shrine..

The Shiite shrine contains the tombs of the 10th and 11th imams, Ali Al-Hadi, who died in 868 A.D., and his son Hassan Al-Askari, who died in 874 A.D.

Tradition says the shrine, which draws Shiite pilgrims from around the world, is near the place where the last of the 12 Shiite imams, Muhammad Al-Mahdi, disappeared.

Shiites believe he is still alive and will return to restore justice to humanity.

Shiite scholar Jawad Al-Khalsi has said the shrine bombing was a planned and a specialist work.

The Iraqi capital returned to relative normality on Monday with the end of an extended curfew that had seen a traffic ban to reduce the threat of further violence.

Residents were moving freely, with cars back on the roads under the direction of traffic police.

WORLD'S KEY OIL FACILITY ATTACKED BY TRIO OF CAR SUICIDE BOMBERS

First reports indicate at least three cars, loaded with explosives, were rammed into the outer perimeter of Saudi Arabia's Abqaiq oil facility.

This is the first time there has been a serious attempt by militants or terrorists to attack the most important, and most heavily guarded, oil facility in the world.

Within minutes of the attack reaching the news wires, oil futures were rising steadily, peaking two dollars above the price per barrel before the attack began.

Anti-American militants claim Saudi oil facilities are legitimate targets for attack because the Saudis have partnerships with the US that keep massive oil profits flowing out of the Gulf region.

And yet, every attack staged by terorrists and militants (in oil producing countries like Iraq) edge up the price of oil and increase the profits of US and Western owned oil producers and distributors.

This fact is one of the most glaring, and curious, ironies in the Terror War, or 'Long War', as it has now been rebranded by US President Bush and Defence Secretary, Donal Rumsfeld.

From the UK's Guardian : "Three cars rammed the first of the three sets of gates protecting Abqaiq and when security shot at them all three cars exploded," said Nawaf Obaid, a Saudi security adviser. All occupants of the cars were killed but it was unclear how many were inside, he said, adding that the incident occurred about a mile from the main entrance to the facility.

"The attack was stopped at the first security cordon. The cars were not able to get in ... no blast occurred within the plant perimeter," another adviser told Reuters.

Early reports on what actually happened outside the oil facility have been extremely mixed.

"A Saudi journalist who arrived quickly at the scene said only one car exploded initially and that the guards killed two people in a second car before it blew up. Guards then fought for two hours with two other militants outside the facility..."

Bombers claiming to belong to Al Qaeda have now posted a statement on a website claiming to be responsible for todays' failed attack, and they're now threatening to attack more Saudi oil facilities.

Wow, what a strategy. Nothing like tipping off your targets before you strike.

Al Jazeera has run a story claiming there were two cars full of explosives and the bombs exploded outside the gates of the facility, killing two guards and one attacker.

"Accounts of Friday's assault varied, with Saudi police officials saying that attackers were driving two cars that tried to enter cross the gates of the outer fence of the heavily fortified facility before guards open fire on the cars and both vehicles explode, whereas Arabic-language satellite TV channels state that only one car exploded. TV channels also said that Saudi guards killed the driver of the second car before it exploded."

US CAN'T WORK WITH HAMAS BECAUSE THEY WON'T RECOGNISE ISRAEL

BUT KEY US 'TERROR WAR' ALLY SAUDI ARABIA STILL REFUSES TO RECOGNISE ISRAEL, ACCORDING TO FOX NEWS

US ATTORNEY GENERAL REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE STUNNING DOUBLE STANDARD

During an interview between US Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and Fox News host Sean Hannity, the sale of six key US ports to a Saudi owned company was discussed extensively, and the interviewer raised the issue of Saudi Arabia's relationship with another key 'War on Terror' ally, Israel.

The below excerpt of the interview was sourced from Fox News :

HANNITY: The president has made the case that, since 9/11, the United Arab Emirates has changed. But yet, they still do not formally recognize Israel....how troubling is it if they won't recognize Israel? Does that show, in some way, that they're influenced by more radical elements?

GONZALES: The president said that this country is a country that's played by the rules. It has been an ally to the United States in the War on Terror....

HANNITY: Does the non-recognition of Israel show, somehow, an influence by radical elements?

GONZALES: Again, Sean, we have followed the process required by the statute. Our collective judgment is that this transaction (the sale of the US ports) does not imprecate the national security of this country.

*******************

Although given the opportunity, twice, in this Fox News interivew, the US Attorney General refused to acknowledge that the United Arab Emirates do not recognise Israel as a legitimate state, and yet this is a key pivotal reason for why Israel and the US's now refuse to open negotiations and discussions with the democratically elected Hamas-dominated government of Palestine.

RUSSIA SELLS IRAN ANTI-AIRCRAFT VEHICLES TO TAKE OUT US/ISRAEL MISSILES

Iran purchased 29 of these Top-M1 anti-aircraft short-range missile systems from Russia in 2005, in a deal worth some $US800 million. Russian military analysts claim the Top-M1 can take out most of the missiles the US and Israel can launch from ground platforms, tanks, jets and localised Navy ships (though that claim may be part of the sales pitch).

Russia sold some $US7 billion dollars worth of armaments to countries like Iran, China and South Korea during 2005.

China was one of the biggest purchasers of Russian refuelling aircraft, military transportation aircraft and plane engines and parts. US Defence Secretary, Donald Rumsfeld, accussed China of "excessively" re-arming during 2005. China told the US to mind its own business.

ISRAEL HARDLINERS AND US ZIONISTS FURIOUS AS HAMAS FINDS WILLING ALLIES THE WORLD OVER

CHINA : "China said Wednesday it would consider giving aid to the new Hamas-led Palestinian government if Hamas leaders request it."
Jerusalem Post.

RUSSIA : "Hamas delegation will visit Russia on March 3....on the invitation of Vladimir Putin...the visit by a Hamas delegation was aimed at ending the political and economic siege imposed on the Palestinian people."
People's Daily Online

SAUDIA ARABIA : "Saudi Arabia refused Wednesday to join a U.S. effort to deny foreign aid to a Palestinian government led by Hamas, the second Arab ally in two days to rebuff Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice."
Indianna Star

TURKEY : "Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday strongly criticized the Israeli government's policy of isolation against Islamic militant group Hamas and its decision to apply economic sanctions on the new Hamas-led Palestinian government."
Abhaber

IRAN : "Iran offered Wednesday to help finance a Palestinian Authority run by the Hamas militant group, Iranian state radio reported."
Haaretz

GOLDEN SHIITE MOSQUE DESTROYED BY BOMBERS

IRAQ PRESIDENT WARNS OF 'MAJOR CONSPIRACY'

REVENGE ATTACKS SPREADING AS SHIA AND SUNNI LEADERS CALL FOR PEACE


After the blasts. US soldiers deployed to the mosque described the destruction as total.

One of the most famous mosques in the world now stands in ruins after bombers, disguised in Iraqi police uniforms, entered the Askariya mosque on Wednesday, in the Iraqi city of Samarra, tied up mosque workers and then set explosives before escaping.

Many Iraqis blame the US for refusing to allow militias to guard mosques and then providing sufficient security.

At least 90 Sunni mosques have been attacked with rocket propelled grenades and peppered with machine gun fire following the destruction of the Golden Mosque. Seven people, including three clerics, were killed in the revenge attacks.

From AlJazeera : "The Iraq president said extremists were pushing the country towards civil war, as many Shia lashed out at the United States.

"'We are facing a major conspiracy that is targeting Iraq's unity," said Jalal Talabani, the president and a Kurd. 'We should all stand hand in hand to prevent the danger of a civil war.'

"Zalmay Khalilzad, the US ambassador, and the top American commander in Iraq said it was a 'critical moment for Iraq' and called the bombings a deliberate attempt to create sectarian tension.

"'This attack is a crime against humanity,' Khalilzad and General George W. Casey Jr. said in a joint statement."

The massive bombing came less than 48 hours after US ambassador Khalilzad and US Secretary of State, Condoleeza Rice, warned the Iraqis against forming a sectarian government that did not represent the interests of all Shia, Sunni and Kurds and threatened to cut further reconstruction funds.


Before the blasts, the 1200 year site of the golden mosque was regarded as one of the holiest in all Islam

CHRISTIANS SLAY DOZENS OF MUSLIMS IN NIGERIA

DOZENS OF MOSQUES AND CHURCHES TORCHED

REVENGE ATTACKS FOLLOW MOHAMMED CARTOON RIOTS AND WEEKEND MASSACRE OF CHRISTIANS

Nigeria is plunging into bloody sectarian chaos after religious rioting that began on the weekend continues to spread, having already claimed some 100 lives in the past five days as Christians and Muslims massacre each other in revenge attacks.

On the weekend, an estimate 58 Christians were killed in riots in the north of Nigeria that began as protests against the European publication of images of the Islamic prophet Mohammed in late January.

These riots began in the northern cities of Maiduguri and Katsina and were further inflamed by rumours that a teacher had rebuked students for reading the holy Quran in class. An estimated 40 churches were burned by rioters.

The bodies of the dead were transported down to the city of Onitsha and local Christians began clubbing Muslims to death and torching mosques when they saw the corpses being unloaded from trucks and buses. The Nigerian Sun claims these slayings were revenge attacks.

Mosques, homes and businesses of Muslims were torched and gutted. At least 35 bodies of Muslims were reported by police to be lying in the streets, some decapitated, others had mutilated genitals.

More than 2000 people were evacuated from the city and sheltered in army barracks and police stations as the riots continued to spread.

Dusk to dawn curfews have been activated in at least six Nigerian cities.

CONDI RICE CALLS FOR INTERNATIONAL 'UNITED FRONT' AGAINST VENEZUELA

HUGO CHAVEZ SAYS "DON'T MESS WITH ME, GIRL"

US Secretary of State yesterday ramped up the war of words between Venezuela and the United States, as Hugo Chavez cuts US oil companies out of the massive profits from natural gas mining.

In the latest attempt to drive a spike through the minds of her fellow Americans when it comes to Central American socialist-democracies, US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice has called for an international 'united front' against Venezuela.

The US, she claims, deems Venezuela president Hugo Chavez as "a particular danger to the region."

Rice said it was important that the US have a "safe and secure neighbourhood" in the Western Hemisphere and made the bizarre claim that Venezuela was "attempting to influence neighbours away from democratic processes".

Chavez has won three elections since 1998 with margins greater than US President Bush, UK Prime Minister Tony Blair and Australian Prime Minister John Howard.

Venezuela recently cut deals with US states like Vermont to supply poor Americans with discount heating oil and allowed hundreds of the Venezuelan state owned Citgo petrol stations in the US to discount fuel in areas hardest hit by the hurricanes Katrina and Rita.


Venezuela President Hugo Chavez. America is
addicted to oil and he's one of the dealers, that's
why he's laughing.

Chavez laughed off Rice's claims during his televised weekly address to the people.

"Don't mess with me Condoleeza," Chavez said.

"Don't mess with me, girl."

Chavez believes the United States is trying to demonise the name of Venezuela in the minds of Americans, and across the Middle East and the EU. Rice, like Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, has much to say about how the US is developing regional alliances in an effort to "inoculate" other countries from following the socialist democratic models of Venezuela and Bolivia.

What infuriates the US so much about Chavez and Bolivia's Morales is their desire to hand back the oil and mining billions to the people of their countries, instead of it all flowing out into the international coffers of huge US/UK oil cartels.

The US is also watching on, wearily, as Venezeula under Chavez continues to build strong relationships with countries like Iran and Cuba, two of the United States' longest enemies.

Chavez has announced he will cut off his country's oil supply to the US should the Bush White House attempt to invade and occupy Venezuela, or Bolivia.

Venezuela supplies the world with 20% of its supplies.

Earlier this month, Chavez expelled a US naval attache for what he declared was "esionage".

The US State Department responded to his action by tossing out a top Venezuelan diplomat.

Bush listens to a Hugo Chavez speech at the UN. This is not a happy man...
while Condi gives Chavez her trademarked withering stare.

In the past few days alone, Hugo Chavez has flexed his muscles in ways that are both threatening and absolutely shocking to the Bush Administration and major US oil industries.
Chavez insists the US are plotting to overthrow his government and take over the country. The United States keeps calling the Chavez claims "ludicrous" and "conspiracy theories".

Venezuela exports 1.5 million barrels of oil to the US every day, and Chavez said he could shut off the supply, plunging the US into massive fuel shortages.

"The government of the US should know that if they cross the line, they are not going to have Venezuelan oil. We have begun taking steps on this matter..."

In another blow to US energy interests, Chavez has stated his country's 151 trillion cubic feet of natural gas reserves will be distributed, first, to the domestic market, cutting out US energy giant Chevron, who had located seven trillion cubic feet of gas and had planned to send it to the US, where gas prices for home heating are soaring due to shortages.

After Venezuela, Chavez said the natural gas is for South American market, with Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay the main beneficiaries.

"And if we have any gas reserves left, we will send them to the U.S.," said Mr. Chavez.

Venezuela is planning to build a masive pipeline that will pump natural gas across the South American continent, reaching favoured countries and allies along the way.

And now Exxon has fallen foul of Chavez's 're-nationalisation' of Venezuela's energy assets.

"Venezuela has removed Exxon Mobil Corp. from a multi-billion-dollar petrochemicals project amid wider differences with President Hugo Chavez's nationalist oil policies."

SABOTAGE AND ATTACKS ON IRAQ OIL INFRASTRUCTURE COSTS BILLIONS EACH YEAR

Key Iraqi oil infrastructure has been sabotaged hundreds of times since the start of the March, 2003 US-led invasion and occupation of Iraq, leading to losses of more than $US6 billion in 2005 alone.

During 2005, there were some 180 attacks on Iraqi oil installations.

Insurgents have killed 47 oil engineers, workers and technicians.

More than 100 police have been killed during security details to protect pipelines and facilities.

From the Gulf Daily News : "Most of the sabotage took place in the northern oil installations, preventing Iraq from exporting around 400,000 barrels a day from its northern oil fields via the Turkish port of "Ceyhan.

Iraq is currently producing around 2m barrels per day from its southern and northern oil fields, down by about 800,000 barrels compared with levels before the 2003 US-led invasion.

Iraq's crude oil exports - almost all of which are now from the south - run at around 1.4m barrels per day, also about 800,000 down compared with prewar levels."

US ALLIANCE OF CHURCHES ACCUSE WASHINGTON OF 'RAINING DOWN TERROR' ON THE PEOPLE OF IRAQ

The Bush White House and Rumsfeld's Pentagon have been accused by an alliance of churches of engaging in terrorism and mass slaughter.

"Our country responded (to the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks) by seeking to reclaim a privileged and secure place in the world, raining down terror on the truly vulnerable among our global neighbours . . . entering into imperial projects that seek to dominate and control for the sake of national interests. Nations have been demonized and God has been enlisted in national agendas that are nothing short of idolatrous."

This is an excerpt from a statement issued at the largest gathering of Christian churches in nearly ten years.

US & ISRAEL DECLARE ECONOMIC WAR ON HAMAS GOVERNMENT AND THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE

ARAB COUNTRIES WARNED BY THE US OF THE 'CONSEQUENCES OF DEMOCRACY' IN THE MIDDLE EAST

Israel intends to cut funding to the democratically elected Palestinian government, has refused to reject the option of cutting water and electricity to the Palestinian poeople and plans to introduce crippling restrictions on the free movement of Palestinians between the West Bank and Gaza.

The US Secretary of State, Condileeza Rice, said the US has also decided to cut funding and has given her support to Israel, while warning Arab governments of consequences should they step in to fill the massive economic void that will result in Palestine.

The Jerusalem Post claims Rice will visit the Middle East and announce that with Hamas in power in Palestine, funding the Palestine Authority might be seen as "breaking the US-led global war against funding terror, which was designed originally to stop the funding of al-Qaida."

Rice also warned Iran not to move onto "a collision course with the international community" on the issue of funding the new Palestinian government.

First attempts by the US to fragment international diplomatic ties with Hamas failed spectacularly when Arab states, along with Turkey and Russia, invited Hamas leaders to fresh talks. China has also announced it will pursue a diplomatic relationship with Palestine.

Rice is about to visit the Middle East on a five day tour, during which she will lay down the law on how Arab states become involved with the Hamas led government, including funding the poverty stricken Palestinian population.

The Jerusalem Post claims this is a sign of a united international front against Hamas, yet such a front does not include China, Russia, Iran, Turkey, Pakistan, India or the majority of the Arab States.

An Israeli official told the Jerusalem Post, "that at this point Israel would not cut off water and electricity to Gaza," though that remained an option for Israel if they were not happy with the progress of Hamas in recognising Israel as legitimate, renouncing terror and disarming.

Israel has officially rejected a Hamas offer of a truce, declaring the democratically elected government of Palestine a "terrorist entity".

The Israeli cabinet will now decide when they will begin treating Palestine as a hostile enemy.

NIGER MILITIAS STORM OIL PLATFORM, DESTROY MAJOR PIPELINE

US, THAI, BRITISH WORKERS KIDNAPPED

By DP Mason

Shell Oil facilities in Niger have been attacked by Ijaw guerillas, cutting crude oil supplies to the world market by 15 percent.

The militia's of the Niger Delta's independence movement continues to wreak havoc on world oil markets with each successful attack, and as a result draw international media attention to their movement and to the monolopous 'rule' that international oil companies maintain over African tribes and their homelands.

Yesterday, the guerillas are claimed to have attacked a barge, blown up a pipeline, abducted US and British workers, torched an offshore platform used for loading crude oil onto international tankers, and engaged the government's security forces in armed battles.

The militias attacked the barge from four speed boats and have warned they are planning to ramp up their war on the oil industry, following airstrikes where the Niger government used helicopters to attack illegal barges militias were using to smuggle oil out of the area.

With a barrel of oil selling internationally for $60 to $70, almost triple the price three years ago, oil smuggling is a vastly profitable enterprise for independence movement militias, even when blackmarket prices might only be 20% of the international value.

The Niger government has announced it will enter negotiations with the kidnappers to have the workers freed, much to the chagrin of the US State Department, who regard such attacks on US-interest oil industry assets anywhere in the world as acts of terrorism, but they have not demanded the Niger government to cease such negotiations. The US government may not directly negotiate with terorrists, as it continually claims, but it will quietly allow other governments to negotiate on their behalf.

No recgonised militia organisation has thus far claimed responsibility for the attack or kidnappings, though a statement was issued which read, in part, "These individuals and facilities were well guarded by a large number of soldiers who resisted for an embarrassingly short period before escaping to ensure their personal safeties."

In the past month alone, militias have kidnapped dozens of international workers (most released unharmed), have attacked more than a dozen oil facilities, blown up at least one major pipeline and killed some 22 soldiers and police in gun battles.

The Niger Delta covers some 70 thousand square kilometres of mangroves and swampland. The area is home to Africa's largest oil industry.

More than 14 million indigenous people of the Ijaw tribe call the Niger Delta home. The independence movement grows stronger by the month, and such attacks on foreign owned oil companies in Niger are strengthening the movement's calls for independent rule.

CHINA WON'T BACK US/ISRAEL WAR ON IRAN

CHINA & IRAN WORKING ON $100 BILLION ENERGY DEAL

China will spend billions to develop oil fields in Iran over the next decade. In exchange, Iran will supply China with 10 million tons of liquified natural gas each year for 25 years.

"China, seeking oil and gas to fuel its booming economy amid stagnant production at home, has been snapping up energy resources in places as far flung as Venezuela, Kazakhstan, Nigeria and Australia. Its investments in Iran and Sudan have prompted complaints it is undermining diplomatic efforts to bring recalcitrant regimes in line.

Beijing has strongly urged that a diplomatic solution be found to the impasse over Iran's nuclear program.

BUNKER BUSTER NUKES CLAIMED AS 'SAFE FOR CIVILIANS' BY US REPUBLICAN SENATORS

Michel Chossudovsky at GlobalResearch has written a short history of the new generation nuclear missiles he claims are being considered for an attack on Iran.

He writes : "In an utterly twisted logic, the nuclear bunker buster bomb is presented as an instrument of peace-making and regime change, which will enhance global security. It is intended to curb the dangers of WMD proliferation by 'nonstate organizations (terrorist, criminal)' and 'rogue states'. Pentagon propaganda has carefully distorted the nature of this bomb.

"The B61-11 is casually described as causing an underground explosion without threatening 'the surrounding civilian population'.

"The Pentagon has blurred the distinction between conventional battlefield weapons and nuclear bombs. Already during the Clinton Administration, the Pentagon was calling for the use of the 'nuclear' B61-11 bunker buster bomb, suggesting that because it was 'underground', there was no toxic radioactive fallout which could affect civilians."

AUSTRALIAN AND US TROOPS SET TO JOIN UN FORCES IN DARFUR

From The Australian newspaper : "UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan's push for a beefed-up UN peacekeeping force in Sudan's war-ravaged Darfur region is continuing to win important US support, raising the prospect that Australia could boost its presence in the African trouble spot.

"In their first Washington meeting in two years, Mr Annan and US President George W. Bush pledged to team up with other nations to end the genocide that has cost 180,000 lives and displaced an estimated two million people since 2003.

"Mr Annan wants a UN peacekeeping force of 20,000 professional soldiers to take over from the ragged 7000-strong African Union force that has failed to stop the slaughter of ethnic African tribes in Darfur by Arab Janjaweed militias backed by the Islamist regime of President Omar al-Beshir."

PAKISTAN WILL NOT, CANNOT INTERFERE WITH US/ISRAEL NUKE ATTACK ON IRAN

PEACE BETWEEN PAKISTAN AND INDIA ON THE HORIZON

Pakistan president General Pervez Musharraf stated at a recent press conference that his government and country are opposed to a US/Israel attack on Iran's nuclear facilities, "However, if the United States attacks, I don't know how we could interefere."

But Pakistan could stand to lose billions of dollars in energy deals with Iran and India should a full scale war break out centred around the Iran/Israel conflict.

A pipeline is now under construction to bring natural gas from Iranian fields to Pakistan, and then onto India. This pipeline deal has caused major diplomatic tensions with Washington, mcuh to the chagrin of Musharraf.

“Pakistan wants gas. Iran wants to sell it. What is the problem?” Musharraf said. “We need the gas."

During the press conference, Musharraf struck out at the Danish newspaper that originally published the blasphemous images of Islamic prophet Mohammed, and the dozens of media outlets around the world who've continued to reproduce the images.

It has nothing to do with freedom of the press, Musharraf inferred.

He said the newspaperes were “being totally oblivious to the consequences for the world, for world peace and harmony. I don’t see how any civilised person can take the issue of freedom of press to hurt the feelings of such a large population of the world. I think this is taking freedom of press to its limit.

Musharraf also spoke of how the US could help finish the 60-plus years dispute between Pakistan and India over the border region Kashmir.

“This can be resolved now, and the United States must contribute,” Musharraf said.

“I believe now, at this moment, Kashmir is ripe for a resolution,” he said. “The people of Kashmir, on both sides of the border - the Line of Control - are for peace.”

Go here for a more detailed story.

NORTH KOREA SAYS US EXERCISE OFF AUSTRALIA COULD SPARK NUCLEAR WAR

In April, a US led maritime drill/exercise aimed at intercepting WMDs will take place in waters off the Australian coast. The fact that South Korea will take part in these exercises has led North Korea to claim such “antagonims” could lead to nuclear war on the Korean Peninsula.

South Korea said they would only be sending a delegation to watch the drills, but North Korea has not been sated by “these excuses”.

The Korean News Agency has run a series of harsh warnings aimed at South Korea, calling the sending of a delegation to these exercises, "another unpardonable treacherous crime as it means a collusion with the outside forces in their moves for a war of aggression against fellow countrymen."

The drills, claimed the news agency, "are part of the U.S. moves to invent a pretext for infringing upon other countries' sovereignty and invading them."

The North Korean News Agency ran quotes stating, "It is also a dangerous act of bringing the disaster of a nuclear war to the Korean Peninsula. (South Korea's) decision is fraught with greater danger as it came after they consented to the 'strategic flexibility' of the U.S. troops in south Korea recently and announced their plan to go ahead with joint military exercises with the U.S. as scheduled this year.

"The U.S. is the biggest possessor and spreader of the WMD and the arch nuclear criminal in the world. Yet, it is crying out for deterring someone from 'proliferating WMD,' shelving its own crimes. This is like a thief crying 'Stop the thief!'"

The Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea warned South Korea that the nation had "better behave themselves, keenly aware that it is the most shameless and despicable act of treachery to do harm to the fellow countrymen by conspiring with the foreign aggressors and robbers."

South Korea authorities should "immediately withdraw the above-said decision, bearing deep in mind that their treacherous collusion with the U.S. in its reckless moves to invade the north will only bar the inter-Korean relations from favorably developing and entail such grave consequences as bringing the disaster of a nuclear war to the Korean Peninsula."

AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER NOW HAS THE POWER TO DEPLOY MILITARY ON CITY STREETS BASED ON POSSIBILITY OF A 'THREAT' TO DOMESTIC SECURITY

The Australian Prime Minister, John Howard, now has the legal power to deploy Australian troops onto the streets of any homeland city or town.

Where once such a deployment would have required, at the very least, a motion in Parliment, now the prime minister can send in the troops to his own cities based on his own determination of what constitutes a terrorist or domestic security threat.

Go here for the full story.

CHINA, RUSSIA CUTTING DEAL WITH IRAN ON NUCLEAR POWER WHILE US, ISRAEL, AUSTRALIA, UK, YAP AND YOWL AND ACHIEVE NOTHING

"China said on Thursday it welcomed talks between Iran and Russia next week on plans to defuse the crisis over Tehran's atomic programme, but refused to say whether it would join the meeting.

"'We hope that this Russian invitation to Iran to hold talks on the 16th about participating in an international uranium enrichment centre will help break, or encourage a break, in the current stalemate over the Iranian nuclear issue,' Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan told a regular news conference."

Russia does not object to Iran having nuclear reactors to generate electricity. In fact, Russia is selling Iran nuclear reactors for domestic energy generation..

China has close ties to both Russia and Iran and wields veto power on the UN Security Council.

The International Atomic Energy Agency will report on March 6 on Iran's plans for nuclear fuel enrichment - Russia has offered to supply the fuel needed for the reactors - and Iran's response to international pressure spearheaded by the US to end its domestic nuclear energy generation plans.

PUTIN INVITES HAMAS TO MOSCOW, ISRAEL FURIOUS

"The Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday invited Hamas to Moscow, thus breaking the Israeli and US-led Western diplomatic siege of the Islamic Resistance Movement, which won the Palestinian January 25 legislative elections in a landslide, creating a political crisis with Israel, a rift with the co-members of the Middle East Quartet and cracks in the anti-Hamas pro-Israeli ranks..."

THE FIRST PERSON TO MENTION HITLER LOSES THE ARGUMENT

CHAVEZ SAYS BUSH WORSE THAN HITLER
"The imperialist, genocidal, fascist attitude of the U.S. president has no limits. I think Hitler would be like a suckling baby next to George W. Bush."

MERKEL SAYS IRAN REMINDS HER OF THE RISE OF HITLER
"Looking back to German history in the early 1930s when National Socialism (Nazism) was on the rise, there were many outside Germany who said, 'It's only rhetoric -- don't get excited'."

RUMSFELD SAYS CHAVEZ REMINDS HIM OF HITLER
"We've got Chavez in Venezuela with a lot of oil money. He's a person who was elected legally, just as Adolf Hitler was elected legally, and then consolidated power, and now is, of course, working closely with Fidel Castro and Mr. [Evo] Morales and others. It concerns me..."

UN SECURITY COUNCIL TO DEPLOY THOUSANDS OF TROOPS TO DARFUR

"The UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, has appealed to governments with advanced militaries, primarily the US and the European powers, to take part in a new peacekeeping mission in Darfur."

The entire 55,000 people strong population of a Darfur town has fled four hours on foot to escape the escalating violence and bloodshed, as the US-chaired UN Security Council voted to send in the troops to "restore order".

Senior US official claims US would only be involved to support African troops. The African Union has 7000 peacekeeping troops in the region.

UN Security Council decision shows recognition that African Union troops are vastly outnumbered by Sudanese-backed militias.

Sudanese-backed militias are alleged to have killed more than 200,000 civilians in the past three years. Millions more have been driven from their homes.

The African Union forces will likely be placed under command of UN peacekeeping mission.

The UN special envoy in the Sudan said a UN force of 20,000 would be needed.

The slaughters in Darfur began in February, 2003.

18 months ago, the then US secretary of state, Colin Powell, claimed the mass slaughter of civilians in Darfur constituted genocide, sparking an international debate over the difference between genocide and organised mass murder.

Australia is expected to contribute troops to the UN deployments.

Last week, US President Bush announced that within two decades, the US should be relying on the Middle East for only 25% of its international oil supply, instead of the current 75%.

The Darfur region has one of the largest untapped reserves of oil in the world, outside of the Middle East and Venezuela. Both the US and China have been waiting, impatiently, for the violence and turmoil to end so global oil corporations can move in and open up the reserves to international exploitation.

"Since February 2003, when the Darfur rebellion erupted, Washington and the EU all but ignored the atrocities taking place in Darfur in the hope that they would not impact on the main game.

"Only when the escalating crisis in Darfur threatened to...prevent the opening up of Sudan's lucrative oilfields to Western exploitation did the US start waving the threat of UN sanctions against Sudan."

THE MOST EXPENSIVE WARS IN HISTORY

IRAQ WAR COSTS $US100,000 A MINUTE

AFGHANISTAN WAR COSTS $18.000 A MINUTE

US TO HAVE 1/2 TRILLION DOLLAR DEFENCE BUDGET FOR 2007

"....the price tag for combat and nation-building since Sept. 11, 2001, to nearly a half-trillion dollars, approaching the inflation-adjusted cost of the 13-year Vietnam War.

"Currently, the Defense Department says it is spending about $4.5 billion a month on the conflict in Iraq, or about $100,000 per minute.

"Current spending in Afghanistan is about $800 million a month, or about $18,000 per minute.

"The rising costs contrast with projections before the war. Former White House economic adviser Lawrence Lindsey predicted in late 2002 that the war would cost between $100 billion and $200 billion, drawing administration ire for offering such high estimates and eventually resigning his post."

US TO HAVE 1/2 TRILLION DOLLAR DEFENCE BUDGET FOR 2007

"In its regular budget, which will be released Monday, the administration will request a nearly 5 percent increase in funding for the Pentagon for fiscal 2007, to $439.3 billion, said a senior defense official, who spoke on condition of anonymity."

'THE LONG WAR' TO REPLACE 'WAR ON TERROR'

RUMSFELD BUYS INTO EXTREMIST ISLAMIC EMPIRE CONSPIRACY THEORY

Despite the fact that none of U.S. President Bush's most infamous enemies in the War On Terror have spoken of a Islamic World State as a realistic strategy or goal, that hasn't stopped U.S. Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld trying to ferment opposition to the none-existent plan as he relaunches the 'War On Terror' as 'The Long War'.

Rumsfeld said that the world needed to prepare itself for a long fight against Islamic terrorists who he said wanted to set up a global Islamic empire. "They have designed and distributed a map where national borders are erased and replaced by a global extremist Islamic empire," he said. "As during the Cold War, the struggle ahead promises to be a long war." Washington and its allies were doing everything possible to ensure that terrorists did not get hold of weapons of mass destruction, which he described as a nightmare scenario. "The world would change overnight if a handful of terrorists managed to obtain and launch a chemical, biological, or radiological weapon," he said.

18 TERROR GROUPS WORLDWIDE TIED TO AL QAEDA CLAIMS RUMSFELD
U.S. Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has broadened the scope of 'The Long War' (aka 'The War On Terror') by claiming "no fewer than 18 organizations are loosely affiliated with al Qaeda and are conducting terrorist attacks....in Israel, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Somalia, Algeria, Russia, Indonesia and elsewhere".

RUMSFELD'S LONG WAR TO FLOOD WORLD WITH SPECIAL FORCES TROOPS
"...defense officials will be creating five more Special Forces battalions and a special operations aviation battalion."

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