Most of the shoulder-fired missiles in rebel arsenals have come from Libya, smuggled into the country through the Turkish border without the official blessing of regional states or their Western backers, several rebel coordinators said.So, there you have it. This is more supporting evidence for our post Killing Stevens: The Obama Scandal.
Other shoulder-fired, surface-to-air missiles, which these rebels identified as Russian-made Strela systems, have been supplied by militant Palestinian factions now supporting the Syrian uprising and smuggled in through the Lebanese border, they said. Syrian military defectors also say they have been able to buy some SA-7's—a Russian-designed Manpad—from regime forces since the summer.
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In July, the U.S. effectively halted the delivery of at least 18 Manpads sourced from Libya, even as the rebels pleaded for more effective antiaircraft missiles to counter regime airstrikes in Aleppo, people familiar with that delivery said.
"We were told that we need to get our house in order on the ground, and that it wasn't time yet," said a rebel representative involved in the delivery.
The commander [Abu Khuder, a battalion commander for Solidarity Front, Al-Qaeda's main arm in Syria] said he joined Al-Qaeda because he was “frustrated” with the lack of discipline within the ranks of FSA fighters.Would President Obama arm Al Qaeda instead of local rebels due to familiarity with Al Qaeda's organizational capabilities?
As enraged demonstrators torched Muslim Brotherhood offices in several Egyptian cities, a defiant Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi defended his recent decree granting himself sweeping powers before a crowd of supporters outside the presidential palace in Cairo Friday.
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Among Egypt’s secular opposition groups, there was mounting alarm over Morsi’s declaration that no court could dissolve the country’s Constituent Assembly, which is drawing up a new Egyptian constitution.Yes, you read that last paragraph correctly. It is not a typo, the Muslim Brotherhood is writing the Egyptian constitution.
The rewriting of the new constitution has been a controversial issue, with most non-Islamist members quitting the Constituent Assembly – including representatives of the Coptic Christian Church and the April 6 Youth Movement, which played an influential role in the 2011 ouster of former President Hosni Mubarak.
Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi is being credited with brokering the cease-fire today between Israel and Hamas, but the international gratitude and praise he is getting could come with a political price at home.
Both Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and President Obama heaped praise on the Egyptian president. Obama called his Egyptian counterpart today to thank him for his efforts in the negotiations, and Clinton expressed her gratitude personally in the press conference announcing the deal.
"I want to thank President Morsi for his personal leadership to de-escalate the situation in Gaza and end the violence," said Clinton. "This is a critical moment for the region. Egypt's new government is assuming the responsibility and leadership that has long made this country a cornerstone of regional stability and peace."
ISRAELI spy satellites have spotted a cargo vessel at the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas being loaded with rockets and other weapons that analysts say may be bound for Gaza via the Red Sea, Sudan and Egypt.Allow me restate my point.
The cargo was prepared last week at the same time as a ceasefire was agreed to end eight days of hostilities in Gaza in which Israeli forces bombarded Hamas positions and hundreds of Iranian rockets were fired at targets in Israel.
Israel underestimated Hamas and "fell into a trap," claimed a leading Hamas hard-liner in Gaza, Mahmoud Zahar.We have not seen confirmed news reports of downed Israeli military aircraft, but such information is not typically released to news media. There is a report that Israel lost an F-16 in Gaza. The report was denied by the Israeli military.
Other Hamas leaders bragged that their improved arsenal, including longer-range rockets and anti-tank missiles smuggled from Iran via tunnels under the Gaza-Egypt border, helped deter Israel's military.
Hostess Brands Inc. announced that the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York today approved its emergency interim motion for the orderly wind down of its business and sale of its assets.
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For employees whose jobs will be immediately eliminated, additional information can be found at this website, which also contains a copy of the Company’s wind down motion and information for customers and vendors.
Irving, TX – Hostess Brands Inc. announced today that a mediation today with the Bakery, Confectionary, Tobacco and Grain Millers Union was unsuccessful. The Company will have no further comment until a hearing scheduled for tomorrow at 11 a.m., EST, before the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York.We knew that Hostess was headed for liquidation while the media laid America's "last chance" hopes upon doomed mediation. Fellow SLOBs author Left Coast Rebel wondered "When will the federal government and the Obama Administration propose a bailout for Hostess and their 18,000 union workers?" The answer is NEVER.
Hostess, based in Irving, Texas, is asking the judge for approval to shut down 36 bakeries, 242 depots, 216 retail stores, and 311 hybrid depot-store facilities, according to court filings. There are 58 other leased or owned sites used for storage, warehousing of products or parking. The plants are in 22 states, stretching from Alaska to New Jersey.
"...feared a deal would pull down wages and benefits throughout the industry, without saving Hostess."So, we decided to enjoy our last Twinkie. Second, the bakery union is a big Obama backer. This means they are entitled progressives. Unfortunately, the bakery union is not big enough or rich enough to get an Obama bailout.
Total For Democrats: $3,323,379
Total Against Democrats: ($3,782)
Total For Republicans: $1,171
Total Against Republicans: $3,563,351
As a super PAC, American Bridge can accept unlimited donations and is largely funded by major Democratic donors and labor unions. Billionaire hedge fund manager George Soros, a well-known supporter of liberal causes, is the group’s largest donor.
This movement has raised more than $70 million for progressive nonprofit groups that are working on the front lines of social change.
Opposes Democrats: $0.00
Opposes Republicans: $44,409.84
Supports Democrats: $44,157.67
Supports Republicans: $0.00
Electing Women for Progressive Change
Majority PAC is fighting to protect the Democratic majority in the U.S. Senate in 2012.
Israel has long suspected Hamas and other terror groups in Gaza of having such weapons, and amid the chaos accompanying the downfall of the Gaddafi regime in Libya many went missing, and more are believed to have been smuggled into the Strip, via tunnels from the Sinai peninsula.
Soviet-designed Strela-2 missiles (known by NATO as SA-7 Grail) have been used in various insurgencies around the world, including the mujahedeen’s fight against the Soviets in Afghanistan, and the anti-coalition insurgencies in Iraq and Afghanistan over the past decade.
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MANPAD’ ease of operation, portability and relatively low cost make them a weapon of choice for terrorists wanting to target civilian or military aircraft.
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The reported use of a MANPAD by Gaza-based terrorists came during the same week as Hezbollah, the Shi’ite Iranian proxy in Lebanon, deployed a drone aircraft over Israel.
"their presence grows every day. They are certainly more established than we are.”Digital Journal reported in February 2012:
He also said that some 10,000 to 20,000 shoulder-fired missiles are missing from Libyan arsenals.
The U.S. government has allocated $40 million in an attempt to secure the weapons stockpiles...
In a November CNN interview, House Intelligence Committee chairman Mike Rogers expressed reservations that “very undisciplined” Libyan troops will “secure the weapons sites” until stability returns to Libya.
On the same day of Rogers’ interview, a North African commander with Al Qaeda Organization in the Islamic Maghreb said his group was in possession of some of the weapons, looted during the conflict for control of Libya.Russian-made SA-14 and SA-24 MANPADS are more effective and make up some portion of the missiles that fell into the hands of Al Qaeda in Libya.
Most of the shoulder-fired missiles in rebel arsenals have come from Libya, smuggled into the country through the Turkish border without the official blessing of regional states or their Western backers, several rebel coordinators said.
Other shoulder-fired, surface-to-air missiles, which these rebels identified as Russian-made Strela systems, have been supplied by militant Palestinian factions now supporting the Syrian uprising and smuggled in through the Lebanese border, they said. Syrian military defectors also say they have been able to buy some SA-7's—a Russian-designed Manpad—from regime forces since the summer.
Representative Dennis Kucinich (D-Cleveland), a staunch and consistent opponent of American intervention in the Middle East, reminded everyone that:
•Our bombing and destruction of Libya was not authorized.
•Obama never received approval from Congress for any of the actions America took in that war
