The Mumbai attacks and Indo-U.S. relations, War on Terror, NewAgeIslam.com

War on Terror

The Mumbai attacks and Indo-U.S. relations

By- C. Christine Fair

During the Presidential campaign, Democratic candidate Barack Obama promised to continue bombing targets in Pakistan’s tribal areas using drones and insisted that Pakistan — not Iraq — was the epicentre for global terrorism. After years of providing billions in military assistance and operational reimbursements to the Pakistan army with no accountability, Mr. Obama promised a different relationship with Pakistan. A Lashkar attack deliberately targeting American and western civilians within a few weeks of Mr. Obama’s presidential victory seemed so unthinkable within these changed political contexts that this author initially incorrectly presumed that the attack was executed by the Jaish-e-Mohammad or an indigenised Indian cell cultivated by the Lashkar. By the first day of the siege, though, it was apparent that the attack was indeed directly authored by the Lashkar. The only question that remained was whether it had been sanctioned by the ISI and if so, from what level. Those questions persist.

Retrospectively, it is clear the Mumbai assault served — successfully — several possible strategic goals for Rawalpindi if not Islamabad as well. First, it exacerbated tensions between India and Pakistan and disrupted the ongoing peace process. Notwithstanding the views of prominent American journalists, this author remains dubious that the Pakistan army would ever want a rapprochement with India given that the security competition with India legitimises its sweeping role in running the state. The ensuing rupture in India-Pakistan relations may have re-energised an enervated Pakistan army that loathed Musharraf’s various policies.

http://newageislam.com/the-mumbai-attacks-and-indo-u.s.-relations-/war-on-terror/d/2132

9/11 Plus Seven, War on Terror, NewAgeISlam.com

War on Terror

9/11 Plus Seven

By Andrew J. Bacevich

Yet boldly conceived action, if successfully executed, offered the prospect of solving a host of problems. Once pacified (or "liberated"), the Middle East would cease to breed or harbour anti-American terrorists. Post-9/11 fears about weapons of mass destruction falling into the hands of evil-doers could abate. Local regimes, notorious for being venal, oppressive, and inept, might finally get serious about cleaning up their acts. Liberal values, including rights for women, would flourish. A part of the world perpetually dogged by violence would enjoy a measure of stability, with stability promising not so incidentally to facilitate exploitation of the region's oil reserves. There was even the possibility of enhancing the security of Israel. Like a powerful antibiotic, the Bush administration's strategy of transformation promised to clean out not simply a single infection but several; or to switch metaphors, a strategy of transformation meant running the table.

http://newageislam.com/-9/11-plus-seven/war-on-terror/d/721

The World Still Blames America for 9/11, War on Terror, NewAgeIslam.com

War on Terror

The World Still Blames America for 9/11

By Michelle Malkin: Townhall.com Columnist

Friday, September 12, 2008

In 2006, the AQ flacks released tape of Osama bin Laden at an Afghan training camp with several of the 9/11 hijackers. "I ask you to pray for them and to ask God to make them successful, aim their shots well, set their feet strong and strengthen their hearts," bin Laden urged in the sicko promo. In April, another clip showed irate and aggrieved jihadi leader Ayman al-Zawahri lambasting Hezbollah for crediting Israel for the 9/11 attacks. "The purpose of this lie is clear -- (to suggest) that there are no heroes among the Sunnis who can hurt America as no else did in history. Iranian media snapped up this lie and repeated it," he griped.

But to no avail. Maybe this is why FBI Most Wanted Terrorist Adam Yahiye Gadahn, the American-born Muslim convert turned al-Qaida publicist, has not been heard from in a while. He's been falling down on the job. Either that or those damned 9/11 Truther conspiracy nuts have surpassed the Islamic jihadis' recruitment efforts on YouTube. Time to hire a new viral violence marketing team.

So, who's stealing the bin Laden operation's thunder around the globe and getting all the blame (er, credit) for the September 11 terrorist attacks? The citizens of the world have cast their vote. Seven years after Mohamed Atta, Hani Hanjour and their Allahu Akbar-screaming team succeeded in slaughtering nearly 3,000 innocent men, women and children, large numbers of our putative allies in the civilized world still blame America and Israel.

http://newageislam.com/the-world-still-blames-america-for-9/11/war-on-terror/d/723

Makkah to be turned into smart city, Current affairs, NewAgeISlam.com

Current affairs

Makkah to be turned into smart city

P.K. Abdul Ghafour I Arab News\

Friday 19 September 2008 (19 Ramadan 1429)

“This conference is an initiative to apply smart city technologies in the Kingdom and transform it into a knowledge-based society and a digital economy,” the mayor pointed out. The presence of intelligent city facilities will speed up communication with the outside world and boost cultural, economic and commercial development, Al-Bar said, adding that the conference would discuss successful experiments in the field at national and international levels.

The transformation of Makkah into a world-class intelligent city will help address the needs of pilgrims from around the world, said Mohammed Maqazi, head of the conference’s scientific committee.

“The pilgrims need accommodations, meals, information and communication channels, and various modes of transportation. A combination of the latest technologies that integrate fixed and wireless broadband networks, fixed and mobile GIS and GPS applications, and user-friendly information and communications points can greatly enhance the visitors experience, and the city's objective of quality services to the visitors of the holy sites,” he explained.

http://newageislam.com/makkah-to-be-turned-into-smart-city-/current-affairs/d/756

Indian intelligence gropes in the dark, Islam,Terrorism and Jihad, NewAgeIslam.com

Islam,Terrorism and Jihad

Indian intelligence gropes in the dark

By Subir Bhaumik, BBC News, Calcutta

The intelligence agencies have no leads so far

"We are making the same mistakes that Western intelligence agencies made by pinning too much hope on technology. That's important, but there's no substitute for a good agent in the right place," Mr Nandi says.

While Western intelligence agencies like the CIA and MI-6 are trying to augment human intelligence capabilities after a string of failures such as the 9/11 attacks in the US, Indian intelligence is not learning from their mistakes.

Intelligence officials say that Pakistan and Bangladesh-based Islamic militant groups have increasingly made their Indian units autonomous - in recruitment, training, funding and operations - so that nothing can be traced back to the patron nations.

"The serial bombings in Jaipur, Bangalore and Ahmedabad prove that Pakistan's ISI has successfully Indianised the jihad by creating Indian equivalents of Lashkar-e-Toiba or Huji," says B Raman, another former spymaster specialising in Islamic militant groups.

http://newageislam.com/indian-intelligence-gropes-in-the-dark/islam,terrorism-and-jihad/d/466