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Politics : Israel to U.S. : Now Deal with Syria and Iran -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Crimson Ghost who wrote (3515)	11/4/2003 6:52:08 AM
From: Scoobah	Respond to of 22250

They tel all Muslims to flee before they attack: Sound familiar? Monday, November 3, 2003 A new message was posted in the last few hours by the Jeddah-based al-Qaeda-linked Al-Islah (Reform) society calling on Muslims to flee New York, Washington and Los Angeles in advance of major al Qaeda attacks in those cities. This is revealed by DEBKAfile. The message accuses the United States of predetermining its end (doom) by its policies. “The Jews rule the Pentagon by remote control and (are the cause) of Muslims being killed in every corner of the world. The United States should therefore expect more blows.” The message is signed on behalf of the al Bayan (The Threat) movement by “your warrior brother, Abul Hassan al Khadrami”. Our Muslim expert identifies the name of the signatory as belonging to a Yemeni from Hadhrameuth, the Bin Ladens’ place of origin where Osama enjoys substantial tribal support. DEBKAfile’s counter-terror sources stress that warnings appearing on these forums are taken both very seriously and with caution by the intelligence services keeping track of the terrorist network’s electronic traffic. Last November, Jeddah-based fundamentalist forums addressed a message to an Al Qaeda member, saying whoever understands – understands; whoever knows, knows, but we are marching towards an operation that will take us to Paradise. Three days later, the Mombasa Paradise hotel was blown up killing 12 Kenyans and 3 Israelis and a failed shoulder-launched Strela anti-air missile missed an Israeli airliner at Mombasa airport.

To: Crimson Ghost who wrote (3515)	11/4/2003 7:05:08 AM
From: Scoobah	Respond to of 22250

This is beautiful' Israel and the Russians will be in control of the slimy Europeans who relied upon Saddam for their economic welfare: Why are Putin’s two power moves in removing an oil tycoon and cutting his intelligence organs down to size important for President Bush? DEBKAfile’s analysts stress Bush needs to be sure that his candidate for senior foreign partner is fully in control of his intelligence agencies and can rely on them to support Kremlin policies. Both knew the old guard’s loyalties were reserved for itself and its historic partners, mainly European and Middle Eastern parties who stand firmly against Bush’s objectives. For instance, whereas the former intelligence bosses were enthusiastic about Moscow’s nuclear assistance to Iran, the new men have applied the brakes to prevent Russia helping Iran become a nuclear power. And why do Putin’s reforms matter to Israel? And why does Sharon invest so much effort in fostering his personal relations with the Russian president? Three reasons stand out: 1. Israel now imports 80 percent of its energy needs form Russia and its neighbors. Since these suppliers are regarded as safe, Israel no longer needs to hold large stocks of fuel in reserve. 2. Israel is interested in a role in the Russian economic projects for which massive American investments have been promised, including programs for developing Russian oil reserves. This role might be as a connecting link in the technological and financial interchanges ahead. Israel is equipped to assist in the formation of economic infrastructure and industries in the republics of Central Asia as well as in the development of oil and other natural resources in the Caspian Sea region. 3. Israel is eager for similar sorts of exchanges of intelligence and a working relationship in the war against international terror. Russia, like the United States and Israel, lives under the threat of Islamic fundamentalist terror. Before Putin carried out his reshuffle of the Russian intelligence community, the United States and Israel were shy of contacts with the departments that had been closely aligned with Iraqi intelligence or French Middle East undercover agencies. Both are now looking forward to finding fertile areas of cooperation with Russia’s new intelligence overlord, General Kvashnin.

To: Crimson Ghost who wrote (3515)	11/4/2003 1:16:50 PM
From: Ed Huang	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 22250

Another person of the kind came out to defend Khodorkovsky and attack Putin and the Russian authority, and expressed deep "worry" about Russia's democracy. We remember that Soros was also very active in Russia in early 1990s when the country's large chunks of wealth and properties were amassed on the cheap by the "smart" group. ----------------------------- Russia May Be Heading for 'State Capitalism'-Soros Tue November 4, 2003 10:02 AM ET MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian businessmen may have to take their orders from the state after the arrest of Mikhail Khodorkovsky, the nation's richest tycoon, billionaire financier George Soros was quoted as saying on Tuesday. "Russia may now be entering a phase of state capitalism, where all the owners of capital realize that they are dependent on the state," Soros told Yevgeny Kiselyev, editor of Moskovsky Novosti, a weekly acquired recently by Khodorkovsky. Khodorkovsky, former head of Russian oil major YUKOS, was arrested at gunpoint 10 days ago and charged on seven counts of fraud and tax evasion. "Persecution of Khodorkovsky ... sends an unmistakable message, that nobody can be independent of the state," Soros said. Khodorkovsky stepped down as YUKOS chief executive on Monday after prosecutors froze his shares in the company last week, effectively preventing him from negotiating their sale to another company. The assault on Khodorkovsky and some of his associates, who make up a group of core shareholders in the company, is widely believed to have been orchestrated by Kremlin hard-liners apparently alarmed by Khodorkovsky's political ambitions. "I believe that he acted within the constraints of the law in supporting political parties. I am doing the same in the United States," said Soros. Accusations against Khodorkovsky, which have their roots in a sell-off of state assets at bargain prices in the 1990s, could be leveled against any of the so-called "oligarchs" who have enriched themselves since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991. "Since practically everybody in Russia broke the law during the turbulent years following the collapse of the Soviet system, the Russian president can prosecute whoever he chooses," said Soros. The oil magnate's arrest also appeared to have electoral appeal, said Soros. Most Russians live in poverty and only a relatively small minority, mostly in Moscow and St. Petersburg, have enjoyed improved living standards in recent years. "Undoubtedly, this may be very popular with the electorate, since people harbor justified resentment against the oligarchs. But Khodorkovsky was the most enlightened among them." Campaigning for December elections to the State Duma, the lower house of parliament, started this week and presidential elections, which President Vladimir Putin is expected to win comfortably, are due in March 2004. "He (Khodorkovsky) led the way from 'robber capitalism' to more legitimate capitalism. By cracking down on Mr. Khodorkovsky the development of legitimate capitalism is now interrupted," he added. reuters.com