May 2007

Now this is something I defintely found interesting:

May 11, 2007 (WASHINGTON) — A U.S. congressional move to fund the Iraq war contains a provision that would mandate a list of companies operating in natural-resource extraction in Sudan.

The measure — The U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans’ Care, Katrina Recovery, and Iraq Accountability Appropriations Act of 2007 (House Resolution 2206) — was approved Thursday by the U.S. House of Representatives 221 to 205.

The provision mandates that the secretary of the treasury, in coordination with the Securities and Exchange Commission and in consultation with the departments of State and Energy, prepare a written report “containing the names of companies which either directly or through a parent or subsidiary company, including partly owned subsidiaries, are known to conduct significant business operations in Sudan relating to natural resource extraction, including oil-related activities and mining of minerals.”

The report may contain a classified annex, the provision says.

Companies operating under licenses from the Office of Foreign Assets Control or those exempt under U.S. law from having to obtain such licenses to operate in Sudan are exempt.

Sudan is a major African energy producer but is the target of international scrutiny because of the violence in Darfur, which pits the local population against the Sudanese government and its Arab militia. The United States has called the violence genocidal.

The Oil and Gas Journal says that as of January 2007, Sudan had proven oil reserves of 5 billion barrels. But because the country’s energy sector is still undeveloped, Asian nations such as China, India and Malaysia are key investors.

Last year China, a permanent, veto-wielding member of the United Nations, imported 99,000 bbl/d of Sudanese crude.

The measure is likely a way to pressure the Sudanese government to end the violence in Darfur. Separately, human-rights groups have demanded foreign companies pull their investments out of Sudan in a bid to pressure the government.

The measure still needs the Senate’s approval before it heads to the White House.

Oh things are defintely cooking. The only question is how will the dish taste once it’s prepared? Me want something tastey. Duh!

Lovely article by Mona Eltahawy. I’m in agreement. Go girl! Those so called “imams” are real buggers. And indeed, multiculturalism has gone way too far in Germany.

Yaaaaaaay! I got quoted in LA Daily News and USA Today. Sweet! Me happy. Thanks Bridget. Me appreciate it. Moreover me encouraged to continue blogging regardless of the current factors.

I had a major “WTF reaction” when I read the title of this article:

May 5, 2007 (WASHINGTON) — Members of the Senate Intelligence Committee on Friday challenged a recent State Department report that described the government of Sudan as a “strong partner in the War on Terror,” citing the killing of hundreds of thousands of people in the Darfur region of that country.

Interesting, so now Darfur is  both genocide and terrorism but that’s not the main point.

The senators also questioned how Sudan could be considered a strong ally in the counter-terrorism campaign if the same State Department report listed it as a state sponsor of terrorism that provides “critical support to non-state terrorist groups.” The department’s list of state sponsors of terrorism includes Iran and North Korea.

Exactly! Make up your minds, which one is it, a strong partner, or a terrorism sponsoring state?

“We need to understand the basis for this description, especially since some are suggesting that Sudan’s cooperation on counter-terrorism is a good reason for the U.S. not to intervene to stop the genocide in Darfur,” Wyden said in an interview.

Maybe it is a reason, maybe not, I don’t know, but I do know one thing for sure. Bush has been very patient. And no, unlike previously I don’t think it’s because he’s too busy with Iraq. After all we did witness the United States assisting the Ethiopian army in the bombing raids conducted against suspected al-Qaeda fighters in Somalia recently. It didn’t require much effort or resources and surely conducting one in Darfur won’t be different. So why didn’t it happen until now? The “he’s too busy with Iraq” idea doesn’t make much sense to me now. I guess the janjaweed and suspected al-Qaeda fighters are classified very differently from one another. At least he thinks so too

“They are a damn good partner in the war on terror,” said Raphael Perl, an analyst at the Congressional Research Service, the nonpartisan research arm of Congress. “They have cooperated on many, many issues.”

Perl applauded the State Department for listing Sudan as being helpful on counter-terrorism matters, even if it remains on the list of state sponsors. He also said the issue of whether Sudan should remain on the blacklist is a “political hot potato” that is separate from Darfur.

“Darfur is not terrorism,” Perl said.

I’m getting the feel that there are 2 kinds of crowds, the “Darfur is terrorism” crowd and the” Darfur is not terrorism, Sudan is a strong partner in the war on terror” crowd. The State Department might have both of them working there. I don’t know. All I know is that they defintely need to make up their mind. I’m tired of being a citizen of a country listed as a terrorism sponsoring state. But hey on the bright side, at least Iran is on the list too, which means we won’t be feeling lonely anytime soon.

PS: sorry for the lack of posts in the previous days. I’m super busy and my internet connection at home is screwed. Blogging from work. Laterz… 

Sorry, busy busy busy but for now I just wanted to highlight this article and this one. The first is good news and the second is interesting. More later.

I was about to turn off my computer and go to bed but I just wanted to share this with everyone. I LOVE Def Jam. America - (Hollywood + MTV) = something a lot less. Nuclear silos are powerful but I find things like this more powerful. They’re a bigger asset. That’s why I know so many people who hate America, the government and the supposed immorality but would love to live there or go for a visit. How would things be if Israel had its own Hollywood and MTV? I believe the situation might have been better. Anyways… Me need to sleep. Ignore my ranting and just check this out. It’s only 2 minutes and it’s lovely. You won’t regret it.

Nice! I had a high number of hits coming from there. Thanks Adam Flinter. May the day when I get quoted in the Wall Street Journal arrive soon. Amen! LOL.

Mahmood tells us about one of his experiences at a recent conference he attended:

I found and sat next to our friend Mr. Ameen Hassan Omar at lunch. I wanted to talk to him to see where his aligations that the International Crises Group is a biased source and that they should never be trusted.

He obliged and explained his position more fully:

He claims that the ICG has conducted seminars in London about Darfur in the Haulocaust memorial, meaning, (to him) that they are Jewish Zionists against Sudan’s Islmamic government specifically. It is a conspiracy, he contends, against not only Sudan and Darfur but the whole Muslim world.

When I suggested that their holding their seminar at the Haulacaust memorial might be because they wanted to draw attention to parallels, he scoffed. It’s the Jooze!

I chose to have my dessert elsewhere.

I swear, I’m seriously getting sick and tired of this shit.

The inevitable happened. Me support.

First, the bill would mandate a rigid and artificial deadline for American troops to begin withdrawing from Iraq. That withdrawal could start as early as July 1, and it would have to start no later than Oct. 1, regardless of the situation on the ground.

It makes no sense to tell the enemy when you plan to start withdrawing. All the terrorists would have to do is mark their calendars and gather their strength and begin plotting how to overthrow the government and take control of the country of Iraq.

Why don’t the Donkeys get that? There could be dire consquences for both the region and America.