Here is a video clip of Fairuz from one of her movies/plays set in Lebanon called “Bint al Hariss.” Here she is as a teacher for elementary school girls. Old school is awesome!
via Fairuz – tik, tik, tik! ya em sleiman – YouTube.
Category: Middle East & Africa
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Moscow Alarmed As Turkey And West Hold “Operational Meeting” On Syria
Moscow Alarmed As Turkey And West Hold “Operational Meeting” On Syria – OpEd
By: VOR
August 25, 2012
By John Robles
Syria’s claims that the uprising on its sovereign territory is being orchestrated from outside the country were given further credibility, by an eight-hour-operational-meeting held in Ankara behind closed doors between US Ambassador to Turkey Elisabeth Jones, Turkish Foreign Ministry Deputy Under-Secretary Halit Cevik, diplomats, military representatives and intelligence agency representatives.
The detailed self-avowed plans for bringing about the hasty collapse of the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad were discussed.
Since the beginning of the crisis Turkey has positioned itself as one of the staunchest opponents of President Bashar al-Assad who was once seen as a “friend and brother” according to a recent statement by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Turkey wishes to be one of the main players for NATO, the West and its Middle-East Allies in the region and has many times failed to support the positions of its once allies and friends, including Syria as well as Russia. Recent statements in support of Russia’s position against an armed outside intervention into Syria were obviously carefully staged lies to attempt to appease Moscow which will protect its interests in the region.
The meeting follows the recent provocation by Turkey where a Turkish F-4 Phantom Fighter was shot down in Syrian airspace but which did not bring about the planned result.
Ankara and the Western “architects” had hoped to draw NATO into the conflict by claiming Turkey was being threatened by Syria. Unfortunately for NATO and Turkey the real facts behind the incident came out and even though Turkey claimed the plane was shot down in international airspace and the wreckage somehow flew into Syrian territory, no one was buying it.
The aircraft was in violation of Syrian Airspace and was shot down in Syrian Airspace by Syrian anti-aircraft batteries with a range of only a few kilometers, those are the facts and no matter how Ankara wanted to repaint the picture that is how events occurred.
Now the anti-Assad bloc is attempting to terrorize the world into allowing it to invade Syria by using the pre-Iraq-invasion claim of chemical weapons. This has been repeated many times over the past two months and appears to be the new “point of contention” after the provocative airspace violation did not bring about the result sought by the West.
The fact that Turkey and the West have been openly funding and supplying violent insurgents, introducing Jihadists and every type of foreign mercenary and terrorist into Syria to continue the bloodshed is a point that should be causing international outrage, yet the West is unimpeded and openly admits to such violations of international law and international norms.
Turkey has admitted that along with Washington and a number of Arab countries in the Persian Gulf they are training and providing support for foreign fighters on its territory, fighters that are being sent into Syria to support and aid the insurgents. There are reports that as many as 15,000 such foreign fighters are staged along the Turkish-Syrian border.
Moscow has been opposed to foreign military intervention into the Syrian conflict since the very beginning and this includes “secret” armies being funded and trained by the West in their continuing attempt to force a violent regime change in Syria.
The West has never held talks or in any way promoted the bringing about of a peaceful resolution to the internal Syrian conflict and this has alarmingly become completely and totally evident by all the steps that the West has taken and all of the statements issued by Western Officials over the past few months. This includes an August 11th joint statement by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Turkey’s Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu on their joint planning to implement mechanisms to bring about the hasty termination of the current Syrian Government.
Turkey, the West and their Persian Gulf allies are in violation of international law and internationally accepted norms and should be facing serious international resistance, yet the United Nations and the World continue to allow such infringements on the territorial sovereignty of Syria.
All contentions by the West and United States that they are the World’s “moral policemen” and “guardians of humanity” now seem to be outrageous.
The violent overthrow of a sovereign government can only be called an egregious violation of international norms. Russia has always called for stopping of the bloodshed by establishing peace in order for the Syrian people themselves to decide the fate of their own country.
The views and opinions expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of the Voice of Russia.
via Moscow Alarmed As Turkey And West Hold “Operational Meeting” On Syria – OpEd Eurasia Review.
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Quds, Azerbaijan and Nagorno-Karabakh
Gulnara Inandzh, Director of Information and Analytical Center Etnoglobus (ethnoglobus.az), editor of Russian section of Turkishnews American-Turkish Resource website www.turkishnews.com , [email protected]
Since 1982 every last Friday of Ramadan, in the initiative of the leader of the Islamic Revolution of Iran Imam Khomeini, “Quds Day” has been marked in a tribute to the solidarity with the Palestinian people. This year it was marked on the 17th of August.
According to wills of Imam Khomeini, spread of Islamic values is noted as one of the leading lines of the foreign policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran. “Quds Day”, as one of the wings of the spread of this policy, is of particular importance.
Over the past 30 years, the collapse of the Soviet Union and political change in the Arab world have expanded the geography of the “Quds Day” as a branch of the policy of exporting the Islamic revolution and its ideology.
The purpose of marking the “Quds Day” is to attract world attention to the occupied territories, includingPalestine. Loss of 20% of Azerbaijani territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh as a result of the war withArmeniaandAzerbaijan, also joined the list of states whose territories are under occupation.
In recent years, the reason of activity of “Quds Day” is connected with the coming to power of Islamist forces in some Arab countries.
OfficialTehran, using the favorable situation created by the so-called “Arab spring” to expand its influence in the region, expanded the range of “Quds Day”.Iranimprovises the liberation of Muslims from tyrannical regimes, by expanding geographic scope of their mission as a protector of the Muslims and thereby trying to regain the Muslim world.
“Arab Spring” changed the views regarding Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in the West as well as in the East. Statement by the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia Prince Khalid bin Saud bin Khalid, “the need in this stage to increase pressure of the international community on Armenia in order to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict,” confirms this position.
Latest statement by supreme spiritual leader of Islamic Republic of Iran Ali Khamenei also draws attention in this regard: “Karabakh is Islamic land …. The Iranian parliament will support the fact that Karabakh belongs to Islam,Azerbaijan.
With the elections in Nagorno Karabakh there are attempts to neglect the facts that these lands’ belong to Azerbaijan and Islam. No matter how much time has passed the reality that Karabakh is Islamic land will not be forgotten. Karabakh will be released by the Muslim Azerbaijanis.”
Increase of reputation of Azerbaijanin the Middle East created good condition for leading Arabic countries andIran, along withIsrael, to take advantage of the situation.
In order to attract the interest, Azerbaijanfirst of all needs to advance effective suggestions and support.
Iranplan, within the framework of the “Qods Day”, to bring to the agenda the issue with respect to the liberation of occupied Azerbaijani territories byArmenia, including the Nagorno-Karabakh and to bring this conflict to the attention of the world Muslim community. The above statement by Ali Khamenei in connection with the Nagorno-Karabakh should also be seen on this plane.
Official Baku recognizes independence of Palestineand supports the idea of partition of Palestine Qodsi on the western and eastern parts. Azerbaijanshall take advantage of imposition of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict on account of the Islamic world along with the status of Gods.
The processes in the Arab world, a tough fight of the regional states and world powers for the division of spheres of influence and control on the Middle East, creates condition for causing the conflict out of control in the Caucasus, including conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Violation of the last months of ceasefire by the Armenian side and the loss of our soldiers endangers the resumption of hostilities frontal zone, with difficulty repressed for 20 years. Taking into account the impacts of the Armenian communities of the Arab countries by the Armenian lobby in the policies of these countries, in the event of renewed hostilities on the Armenian-Azerbaijani front, position of the Islamic world towards the Nagorno-Karabakh issue will be of great importance forAzerbaijan.
Under such circumstances,Azerbaijanis interested in delivering the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict through the Islamic world to the attention of world public opinion.
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Turkey urges its citizens to avoid travel to Lebanon
Turkey is advising its citizens to avoid all non-essential travel to Lebanon following the kidnapping of two Turkish nationals there.The Turkish Foreign Ministry on Friday also urged Turks already in Lebanon to take “all kinds of precautions” for their safety.
The travel advisory was issued hours after the country confirmed that a second Turk — a truck driver — was abducted in Lebanon on Thursday.
On Wednesday, members of a powerful Shiite Muslim clan said they had kidnapped more than 20 Syrian nationals and a Turk in retaliation for the abduction of their relative in Syria this week.
The abductions have raised concerns that Syria’s civil war is spilling into Lebanon.
Associated Press
via Turkey urges its citizens to avoid travel to Lebanon | Ya Libnan | World News Live from Lebanon.
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It Can not happen to Me Chapter 18
IT CAN NOT HAPPEN TO ME. GUESS WHAT? IT WILL!!!
Chapter 18
The SHADY SIDE OF SILVER
While everyone seems to ignore the casino atmosphere of the securities markets worldwide, there is a time bomb about to explode.
The volatility of the silver futures market is like bungee jumper without a rope.
It seems a complex game, but when you break it down, we all going to pay the devil. We all know it is wrong, but few speak up.
For starters , The Federal Reserve Board of the United States and other central bankers around the world are keeping their funds which they transact business with other member banks artificially low. This was done during the banking crisis, but they have failed investigate the abuses.
One glaring abuse is a major bank can “borrow” a million dollars and with high frequency trades [i]and short the silver contracts on the COMEX .[ii] They are selling contracts that they do not own. Another scheme is to place factious orders to sell to scare the buyers away. This drops the bids temporarily low. In an nano second the computers cancels the sells and instead buy at the depressed prices. These trades place an artificial cap on the price. Now the computers , some instances are trading among themselves with no human benefit.
AS is the case of silver, the industrial demand far outstrips the world’s supply. The total amount used is 755.7 million ounces. Here is the breakdown for industrial uses. One can quickly observe that over half is for industrial use.
Silver has unlimited applications in science, industry and art plus investments. Total demand in 2010 was 487.4 million ounces for industrial use only. 167 million ounces were used for jewelry and 101.3 million ounces were used in medals and coins which were probably increased in 2012 because of the Olympics. Silver is used 1000 ounce bars for industrial use. There is about 1.25 billion ounces of silver in the entire world in 1000 bars. These bars are not just floating to be plucked out of thin air. They are often broken down for use in computers and solar panels and mirrors just to name a few.
J P Morgan Chase was reported to be short 95 million ounces as of August 18, 2012. The 8 largest silver traders are short 40.9% of the entire COMEX future trading on a net basis. These contracts are in 1000 ounce bars. This will take over 100 trading days for them to cover(buy back) their shorts sales. This could be the straw that broke the camel’s back as far as inflation is concerned.
When industrial users discover they might have a delivery problem they more than likely double order. This in itself will put added pressure on the shorts and send silver on a par with gold. There is three times more gold around than silver. If silver ever reached the price of gold, forget the Euro and everything else. Heaven Forbid!!!
What one can do. Own silver for cash only. NOW
What the authorities must do worldwide.
Raise Interest rates NOW.
Abolish margin rates NOW.
Bring back the uptick rule NOW.
Reinstate the usury laws NOW.
Hire outside Law firms that will sue or try violators ona contingency basis. There only fee will be a fee based upon a predetimined percentage of the judgement. If they loose – no fee. This will give would be violators second thoughts of breaking laws.
Finally go back to chapter one and review every chapter that I have written so far
Cheerio !!!
COMEX(Commodity and metal exchange) offers gold, silver, copper and aluminum contracts as well as FTSE Eurotop 100 and 300 stock indices.
[ii] High frequency trades (HFT) are done by computing an allogrintem into a computer program that will trade silver contracts in nano seconds. This can also be done by posting factious offerings to scare away would be buyers causing the security to drop in value quickly. Then in a nano second it will buy back the security. The difference in sale price and buy price is the profit. Using a million dollars on margin; fractional change in price can be a tidy sum. It is estimated that 80 to 90% of all trades are now HFT’s.
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What happens if Syrian Armenians are settled in Nagorno-Karabakh?
The growing violence in Syria is strongly affecting the ethnic and religious elements in the country. This tension and upheaval raise concerns and worries among the Armenians in the country as well; for this reason, a portion of the Armenian population is seeking refuge in Armenia.
The Armenian Ministry for the Diaspora has announced that there has been a visible increase in the number of Syrian Armenians filing an application for Armenian citizenship in 2012 and that so far, 4,000 applications for citizenship have been received. The current state of affairs in the city of Aleppo, historically a center of Armenian immigration, is one of the major concerns held by the Armenian authorities right now. It should also be noted that some Armenian groups have acted in favor of Bashar al-Assad’s regime so far. This is a huge handicap because the initial signs of the problems that will be exacerbated in the post-Assad era have become visible in the ongoing clashes where the Armenian people are subjected to violence by the opposition groups.Currently, the Armenian government is taking proper measures to facilitate the visa process for Syrian and Lebanese Armenians, to create proper infrastructure of education for the Armenians coming from foreign countries, to appoint teachers who would give lectures on Western Armenian to the newcomers and to ensure that flights become less expensive. Armenian authorities also note that the state is ready to deal with the problems of Syrian Armenians, including the acquisition of citizenship status and their settlement in the country.Sergey Minasyan from the Caucasian Institute in Yerevan notes that the post-Assad Syria will not serve Armenian interests, also adding that Syrian Armenians could be settled in Nagorno-Karabakh. Arguing that this would contribute to the economic development of the region, Minasyan wanted to stress other points. There are reasons for ignoring the problems that previously settled Armenians in the region encountered, including social adaptation and unemployment this time.First, it is extremely important to promote the flow of capital held by Armenians through recognition of the Syrian Armenians as proper citizens. In addition, there will emerge chances for the diaspora to extend help to these people; therefore, this will promote and improve the image of the diaspora. Funds have already been created for this purpose. For this reason, settlement of Syrian Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh is a reasonable option for Yerevan.Second, the new political concept developed to improve ties between Armenia and the diaspora seeks to develop the relations and to preserve unity between Armenia, the diaspora and Nagorno-Karabakh despite all disagreements. To this end, the settlement of the Syrian Armenians in the region seems to be a great opportunity for Yerevan to achieve this goal. This has already been set at the Panarmenian Congress, convened to secure unity and integrity. Bold steps have been taken in recent years to integrate Nagorno-Karabakh with the world and to promote development in the region. Bako Shakyan, the leader of the so-called Nagorno-Karabakh administration, has met with representatives of the Iranian Armenian Society in the US, the Argentinean Armenian society members, the representatives of Dashnak Party on the American continent and some Armenian businessmen in Europe on political and economic matters concerning the region. The talks were fruitful; extensive investments have been made in Nagorno-Karabakh in such fields as mining and energy. Slovakia and the Czech Republic started construction of a huge hydroelectric plant in Nagorno-Karabakh. The opposition parties in Armenia including the Dashnak Party, as well as ruling parties, are eager to ensure that Nagorno-Karabakh is recognized as an independent state and that Azerbaijan is presented as an aggressor. To this end, the Armenian authorities used as propaganda the blacklisting by Azerbaijan of deputies and academics from various countries visiting Nagorno-Karabakh.Third, there is eagerness to change the demographic outlook of Nagorno-Karabakh.In other words, by this change, Armenia seeks to acquire a stronger position in the probable future peace talks. From another perspective, however, this will be an attempt that will keep the issue unresolved. Even though some actors do not recognize the existence of two separate Armenian states and advocate the annexation of Nagorno-Karabakh by Armenia — and there are some disagreements between the politicians in Yerevan and in Karabakh — this matter needs to be considered in the long run. If it becomes successful in this, Yerevan will have secured strong solidarity between Armenians, and in that case, it can gain a stronger position in the Nagorno-Karabakh issue. Some experts hold that even though it seems unlikely, Armenia’s interest in this issue alone should be considered important.A new political move: Comparing Nagorno-Karabakh with CyprusThe Armenian authorities who are leading the way in the Karabakh issue note that they take Turkey as an example, arguing that economic development is much more important than military power. Armenia, which frequently stresses that it has liberated the Nagorno-Karabakh territories, also argues that Turkey needs to worry about the Cyprus issue rather than the Nagorno-Karabakh dispute. Shavars Kocharyan, the deputy foreign minister of Armenia, who reacted to Turkey’s criticism of the recently held elections in Karabakh also called on Turkey to stop teaching a lesson to Armenia. In fact, this approach is not new and will not be the last time because all Armenian politicians and experts use the Cyprus card against Turkey when it comes to the Nagorno-Karabakh issue.This is similar to the situation where Turkey was silenced due to its approaches vis-à-vis the regional conflicts. In international venues where Turkey was accused of committing genocide against Armenians, Turkey attempted to raise the issue of massacres in the Balkans. However, in each attempt, the Turkish authorities had to stop because of strong accusations. Our politicians and experts who experienced this frequently are displeased with this situation. Therefore, Turkey, instead of reiterating its conventional statements by which it declared it did not recognize the elections that it did not officially recognize, should be able to take alternate political, economic and cultural moves. This is possible through closer attention to regional developments and reshaping foreign policy. Otherwise, a Turkey that becomes hand-tied vis-à-vis diverse issues will have to deal with the risk of inability to promote its just causes in the eyes of the international community.Mehmet Fatih ÖZTARSU – Today’s Zaman / Analyst, Strategic Outlook*.html