THE WORLD NEWS IN BRIEF
IRAN announced it is ready to offer "comprehensive assistance" to Iraq. There is more talk of helping out with the 'service sector' than security, for now. Although an Iranian spokesman basically said you can't have a healthy economic environment within Iraq without security.
THE United Nations Security Council resolutions imposed upon Iran last week are more about saving face for the United States and Britain, claims the Iranian president, than being a united front of world powers against Iran's plans for nuclear energy expansion.
The Iranian president has also blasted the United Nations for completely ignoring the fact that Israel is armed with an estimated 200 nuclear weapons, while there is no proof that Iran has any, or is working towards developing even one such weapon.
THE United States claims that Iran is heading into a "downward spiral" over its non-compliance with the International Atomic Energy Agency for its nuclear programs. Iran is now believed to be planning to counter the recently imposed United Nations Security Council sanctions by replacing the US dollar with the Euro for most of its major oil and trade deals.
Ethiopia has invaded Somalia, with the blessing of the United States. Ethiopian forces have reached the outskirts of Somali's capital Mogadishu. The Islamists who chased the savage warlords from power in Somalia earlier this year have now declared a 'holy war' against Christian-dominated Ethiopia.
Ethiopia says the Islamists are in retreat. The Islamists say they have made tactical withdrawals.
Almost half a million Somalis are now believed to be in need of urgent humanitarian assistance. Ports and major routes have closed, food and fuel prices have surged.
ISRAEL is now planning a series of what they call "pin-point" strikes against Gaza positions from which Palestinian militants are firing Kassam rockets into Israel-occupied territory. The 'truce', however, remains in place.
In another sign of faltering relations between the United States and Israel, the US announced it will join EU and Arab League condemnation of Israel's plans to build new, illegal settlements in the West Bank.
DID the United States Secret Service bust an Iraqi government minister out of jail and smuggle him into Jordan? It sure sounds like they did.
NORTH Korea continues to defy the United States by playing a complicated game of aggressive diplomacy during six party talks on the future of its nuclear weapons programs. The United States wants to talk about the weapons, but North Korea would rather talk about why the US is trying to stop its international business ventures and why President Bush is so insulting towards the North Koreans.
South Korea now claims that the United States offered to take North Korea off its roster of international terrorist states if they began dismantling their nuclear weapons. NK said no.
The Taliban has confirmed that its top commander has been killed during fighting in Afghanistan. Akhtar Mohammad Osmani is believed to have been essential in not only military planning, but overseeing the financial transactions of the Taliban.
THE chief of the Phillippines' alleged Al Qaeda-linked group, Abu Sayvaf, was killed in early September.
Khaddafy Janjalani was one of the United States' most wanted terrorists. The bounty on him was worth $5 million. It took more than three months for DNA results to confirm the body was that of Janjalani.
STEPHEN J. Sniegoski claims that the 'War On Iraq' is a war fought by the United States on behalf of, and for the direct benefit of, Israel. He explains why here.
An interesting story from April 2003 discussing Israel's plans to pump oil from the then
"newly conquered Iraq" to Haifa. It sounded like plans for a new pipeline were all ready to go following the successful invasion. No word now on what happened to those plans.
SADDAM Hussein will be executed within 28 days. He has written a letter to the people of Iraq, urging them not to hate each other, or the American soldiers in their midst :
"I call on you not to hate because hate does not leave space for a person to be fair and it makes you blind and closes all doors of thinking. I also call on you not to hate the people of the other countries that attacked us... Dear faithful people, I say goodbye to you, but I will be with the merciful God who helps those who take refuge in him and who will never disappoint any honest believer.''
THE United States is planning to install anti-missile radar and defence systems in Japan in the next few years.
PAKISTAN is planning to try and secure its border with Afghanistan by installing massive minefields and a fence system.
IF peace and stability is not restored to Afghanistan, claims former US deputy secretary of state, Richard Armitage, then the stability of Pakistan and India will become increasingly at risk.
