Random thoughts on the world situation

According to a confidential United Nations report, "Iran, Syria, Libya and Hizbullah are providing advanced training, arms, and financing to Somalia's Islamic Forces in exchange for their military support to the Shiite group during its summer war with Israel, as they seize political and military control in the East African state of Somalia."

To shore up support for their cause, Somalia's Islamic fighters provided military support in the summer to Hizbullah, sending 720 of its most experienced fighters to help battle Israeli forces, according to the report. The fighters were promised $2,000 in payments to their families for serving, and as much as $30,000 if they fell in battle.

The report said that in exchange for their backing, Hizbullah provided advanced training to Somali fighters and sent five Hizbullah advisers to Somalia. It also allegedly solicited support for the movement from Iran and Syria.

Iran and Syria, I know you're shocked. 'The report also says Iran sought to trade arms for uranium from Somalia to further its nuclear ambitions, though it does not say whether Iran succeeded.'

The 86-page report was issued by four experts monitoring violations of a 1992 United Nations arms embargo on Somalia, which was put in place after the country lapsed into civil war and remains in effect.

In addition to training some Somali militants, Hezbollah “arranged for additional support to be given” by Iran and Syria, including weapons, the report found. On July 27, 200 Somali fighters also traveled to Syria to be trained in guerrilla warfare, the report says. --Minstrelboy

Also, ten countries arming the Islamists are Syria, Iran, Eritrea, Djibouti, Egypt, Libya and Saudi Arabia, according to the report. Ethiopia, Uganda and Yemen are named as the countries supplying Somalia's interim government. --The Voice Of Somaliland Diaspora-Ottawa

Some folks think there is 'new hope for Israel as Hamas falters'. At present, Israel is more concerned about Iran than they are Hamas. It looks like it will be left up to Israel to defend herself from Iran, unless something drastically changes in Russia, China and Europe. The news is not all bad. "When it comes to finding the political courage to initiate the strike on Iran, the Israelis have an unlikely ace up their sleeve: behind-the-scenes support from the Saudis and other key Arab states."

'The Israeli Security Agency recently exposed a network of women who filled key Palestinian Islamic Jihad posts in Judea. Some of them participated in its terrorist logistic and financial support systems.
They received funds from PIJ headquarters in Syria for terrorist-operatives in the Judea, Jerusalem and Ramallah areas.' Bagel Blogger has all the names, pictures, figures, so go read it.

Egypt, which for decades has acted as peacemaker and behind-the-scenes political broker for the U.S. in the Arab world, has seen its status ebb as Mideast dynamics have been shifting, yet Egypt remains a strong U.S. ally.

From the Biblical perspective, Are We Living In The End Times offers this:

At the prophetic level, the results of the recent US election make perfect sense. Think about it. The Bush Administration's vision for the Middle East was a string of robust democracies from Lebanon to Iraq with leaders chosen in free elections enjoying the popular support of newly prosperous citizens who after generations of oppression feel like they're finally in control of their own destinies, and who desire nothing more than to live at peace with their neighbors. You can almost taste the sense of freedom and dignity they'd all enjoy. Kind of like the US was sixty or so years ago.

If President bush had been able to maintain the loyalty of his allies abroad and the members of his government at home, we'd be well on our way to making such a beautiful dream come true. (read more)

Interesting thought for the day, "Anything less than total commitment to a new Iraq policy by the new Democratic majority will represent a betrayal of the hopes of the American people who swept them into Congress." Apparently it's time for othe Dems to 'put up or shut up'.

The Intellectual Embrace Of Appeasement is what turning to Iran and Syria could be called:

In the news today, there are rumors that the ISG will recommend rapprochement with Iran and Syria in the attempt to bring stability to Iraq. At the same time, Tony Blair is adovcating a similar approach as a shift in British foreign policy. This approach, while welcomed by many, is nothing more than appeasement and will create far more problems in the region. [snip]

Today's UN is no better and the intellectual set has turned a blind eye to its corruption, anti-semitism, and absolute disregard for the lives of the citizens of the world it claims to represent. The intellectual likes dialogue and groupthink because it gives the intellectual the ability to avoid the things he/she fears most confronting right and wrong, taking a stand, and accepting personal responsibility. --Front Toward Enemy

Other reading:
See Informed Comment for all the latest news and commentary concerning Iraq and the Middle East.

Be Careful What You Ask For , Old War Dogs

Caucasophobia — the Accepted Racism, --The Infidel Sage

More on the United Nations report at Sudan, The Passion Of The Present

We Still Owe You One, Mahmoud, at TexasRainmaker

Arab Nations Lift Financial Blockade on Palestine, at The Largest Minority

A Religious Iranian Bomb, at The Teacher

Bring Iran into Iraq peacemaking? Are you kidding?, GOPVixen

Bio of Iranian Terrorist-in-Chief Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (by the thug himself), Northeast Intelligence Summit

Pinochet in Palestine, Israeli Watch

THE COMING WAR IN GAZA, Israelated

My Interview with Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Chester Street

Racism by any other name, Jonah Goldbert, JWR

Europe is finished, predicts Mark Steyn, by Daniel Pipes, JWR

The Outcome of Two Cultural Revolutions: While China Turns Christian, Europe Turns Muslim, Thoughts Of A Conservative Christian

Comments

[Debbie]

Nice to meet you lightningbarron. Yes always glad to meet like-minded folks. Come back again

[lightningbaron]

Hi, I got here via Thunder Pig's blog. Just wanted to say: Excellent roundup, and excellent blog! I am definitely bookmarking you. Finding like-minded folks who are serious about the Long War is a rarity these days.

[Secret Rapture]

My inaugural address at the Great White Throne Judgment of the Dead, after I have raptured out billions!
Read My Inaugural Address
My Site=http://www.angelfire.com/crazy/spaceman

[Debbie]

Thanks everybody. My head may get big over all these kind words. I appreciate every one of you.

[Ma r t i n @ b l o g b a t]

On the Somalia-uranium-Iran front, the NYT deserves no credit for breaking this one. I did a Lexis-Nexis search and found the Jawa Report was the first and only one to mention it and did so on November 13 (http://mypetjawa.mu.nu/archives/185346.php). The blogosphere beats MSM yet once again.

On that note, I agree with Biga, RT is definitely one of the premiere single sources for the latest on international terrorism; keep up the good work!

[Rastaman]

What was that you said about turning sand to glass?

[James Biga]

By the way, I nomiated you under the

Best Individual Blog

in the 2006 Wizbang Blog awards

[James Biga]

Are we in the End Times? Yes. Is the enemy gathering force and gaining power? Yes. Are the forces of good receding? Yes. What can we do about? Nothing short of complete revolution. Ugly answer.