The Diplomatic Times Review

Juan Cole: 'Bush Comment On Najaf Farcical'

Professor Juan Cole over at Informed Comment says "Attempts are being made to knock down all kinds of stories about the Najaf uprising [link added].

He noted that," [U.S. President George W.] Bush expressed happiness that the Iraqi Army (actually the Badr Corps fundamentalist Shiite militia) acquitted itself well against the rebels. But in fact," Mr. Cole added, "the Iraqi security forces were surrounded, cut off and nearly destroyed by heavily armed cultists--and had urgently to call in US troops, tanks and close air support," he noted in a January 31, 2007, post headlined "Bush Comment on Najaf Farcical; Hawatimah Tribe of Diwaniyah involved in Mahdist Uprising?".

TIME: 'Can More Aid Save Afghanistan?'

TIME magazine's Elaine Shannon, writing from Washington, D.C., the U.S. capital,  contends in a January 28, 2007, article that, "The Bush Administration's efforts this week to get its NATO allies to contribute more troops and money to Afghanistan — by pledging more of both from the U.S. — are a reminder of mounting problems in Washington's other war."

"Indeed," she opined, "even if, as expected, the Administration's request for $10.6 billion more to beef up the Afghan security forces and reconstruction efforts sails through Congress, the additional funds are unlikely to arrive in time to help the Afghan security forces hold their own against the Taliban's spring offensive."

To read more, please see "Can More Aid Save Afghanistan?

Saudi Arabia's Warning To Iran

King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz al-Saud  of Saudi Arabia's "has said Iran is putting the Gulf region in danger and has advised Tehran leaders to know "their limits," according to a January 27, 2007, article in Al Jazeera.net. The article is based on news agency reports.

Citing "an interview published in Kuwait's al-Seyassah newspaper on Saturday," January 27, 2007, Aljazeera said " Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz al-Saud said attempts by Iran to spread Shia beliefs in Sunni communities would fail."

He was quoted as saying: "Saudi leaders and the Saudi state have always known their limits in dealing with nations, east and west. I explained this to Ali Larijani [Iran's nuclear negotiator] and advised him to pass it on to his government and its followers, with regard to foreign dealings."

To read more, please see "Saudi warns 'interfering' Iran."

Pakistan, Syria, Jordan Call For New Middle East Initiative

According to The News of Pakistan, Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf held “in-depth discussions” with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on the Palestinian issue on January 23, 2007.

"In the talks," The News reported, Mr. "Musharraf called for an early resolution of the conflicts in the region and stressed the need for harmony and unity in the Muslim world to address the dangers it faces. The president shared his deep concern over the situation in the Middle East and said there was an agreement in the Muslim world on the need for urgent fresh efforts, involving Arab and other influential Muslim countries in the efforts for conflict resolution in the Middle East."

To read more, please see "Pakistan, Syria, Jordan for new ME initiative."

Arab Press Commentary On Mahmoud Abbas' Syria Trip

The BBC reported January 22, 2007, that "Arab newspapers in the Middle East see Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' weekend visit to Damascus [the Syrian capital] and his meetings with exiled Hamas head Khaled Meshaal and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad as signs of better things to come."

To read some of that opinion, please see "Arab press upbeat on Abbas Syria trip."

Iranian, Syrian Foreign Ministers Hold Talks In Tehran

"Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki and his Syrian counterpart Walid Mualem discussed bilateral ties and exchanged views about regional issues in a meeting" in Tehran, Iran on January 22, 2007, according to the FARS News Agency.

To read more, please see "Iran, Syria Review Regional Developments."

The Implications Of The Karbala Raid In Iraq

Just World News proprietor Helena Cobban asserts in a January 22, 2007, post that, "It seems the US authorities were not eager for the US public (or anyone else) to know the details of the lethally effective raid mounted against US occupation forces in Karbala last Saturday [July 20, 2007]."

Adds Cobban:"These details clearly indicate the size and creativity of the unit that undertook the attack, as well as the existence of significant collaboration between the anti-US attackers and members of the "Iraqi security forces" who were co-deployed with the targeted Americans at the "Provincial Joint Coordination Center" (PJCC) in Karbala. "

To read more, please see "Grave implications of the Karbala raid."

Today In Iraq's Roundup of Iraq War news

Today in Iraq has its usual, comprehensive daily roundup of gruesome war news from Iraq. There is also informative commentary on the war. Here is the news for January 22, 2007.

Are Southern Arab Tribes in Iraq Joining The Resistance?

"Violence is spreading further across Iraq, as Shi'ite Arab tribes in the south begin to engage occupation forces in new armed resistance," according to Dahr Jamail and Ali al-Fadhily in an Inter Press Service report in the January 23, 2007 edition of Asia Times Online. See "Southern tribes add to Iraqi resistance.

TurkishPress.Com: 'Sunni-Shiite Meet Condemns 'Sectarian War' In Iraq

More than 200 scholars "from 44 countries," representing various Islamic groups condemned "the sectarian war between Sunnis and Shiites unfolding in Iraq, which is conducive to (its) fragmentation," said a statement issued at the end of a three-day conference on inter-Islamic dialogue in Doha, Qatar, according to a January 22, 2007, article in TurkishPress.com headlined "Sunni-Shiite meet condemns 'sectarian war' in Iraq."

According to the article, "Their statement, which followed often heated debates, denounced "crimes perpetrated along sectarian lines" and urged adherents of various Islamic sects to "respect" each other's sanctities.

"The participants also said "Shiite proselytization in Sunni countries or Sunni proselytization in Shiite countries" should not be allowed," TurkishPress.com reported.