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Generational Dynamics Web Log for 13-Mar-2012
13-Mar-12 World View -- Afghanistan shooting increases pressure for faster withdrawal

Web Log - March, 2012

13-Mar-12 World View -- Afghanistan shooting increases pressure for faster withdrawal

Vietnam to send Buddhist monks to Spratly Islands in South China Sea

This morning's key headlines from GenerationalDynamics.com.

Syria's Assad moves grisly massacre machine from Homs to Idlib
Egypt claims a cease-fire in the escalating Israel-Gaza violence
Vietnam to send Buddhist monks to Spratly Islands in South China Sea
Afghanistan shooting increases pressure for faster withdrawal

Syria's Assad moves grisly massacre machine from Homs to Idlib

Bodies of people whom al-Assad's army massacred in Homs (Reuters)

Bodies of people whom al-Assad's army massacred in Homs (Reuters)

As expected, the regime forces of Syria's president Bashar al-Assad, have massacred thousands of people in Homs, is now turning its attention to Idlib, near the border with Turkey. According to on-site reporter that I heard on Al-Jazeera, the army's tanks encircled Idlib and then, on cue, they all moved into the town and poured explosive shells onto residential neighborhoods, as they had done in Homs. All of this took place as former U.N. secretary-general Kofi Annan was leaving Damascus after a meeting where al-Assad made a fool of him. But Annan said he was "hopeful" anyway, so that when the violence stops, whether it's days, weeks or months from now, Annan can take credit and claim that he was the one who brought peace. AFP

Egypt claims a cease-fire in the escalating Israel-Gaza violence

After four days of escalating violence between Israel and Gaza, an unnamed Egyptian security official said that his country had mediated a cease-fire between the belligerents. In the past four days, over 200 rockets have been launched from Gaza into Israel, and Israel has launched airstrikes at militants in Gaza. It appears that neither Israel nor Hamas wants a wider war, but the Gaza rockets have been launched by younger generations of Gaza terrorists, including Islamic Jihad and the Popular Resistance Committees (PRC). CBS/AP

Vietnam to send Buddhist monks to Spratly Islands in South China Sea

South China Sea, with blue line added to show region claimed by China as part of its sovereign territory

South China Sea, with blue line added to show region claimed by China as part of its sovereign territory

In a move that's certain to stir Chinese nationalist anger, Vietnam is sending six Buddhist monds to re-establish abandoned temples on the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea. The temples were last inhabited in 1975, but were recently renovated as part of efforts to assert Vietnamese sovereignty over the Spratly Islands. Since 2009, China has been extremely aggressive in claiming that a huge region in the South China Sea, including many islands that have historically been part of other countries' territories, is sovereign Chinese territory, and that China has all oil and gas rights to the region, and has the right to control passage of all naval traffic. The islands have no indigenous population, and just a smattering of military and industrial settlements. The duties of the monks will include taking care of the shrines and attending to the spiritual needs of the islands' small population. BBC

Afghanistan shooting increases pressure for faster withdrawal

America is already committed to leaving Afghanistan by 2014, but the weekend's horrific shooting by a U.S. Army sargeant has made it more likely that the withdrawal of troops and equipment will be sped up, even if the final date will remain the same. In the middle of the night, a US Army sergeant opened fire on Afghan villagers as they slept, killing 16 people - mostly women and children -- in an attack that has raised Afghan fury at U.S. presence, threatening the deepest breach yet in U.S.-Afghan relations. Afghan president Hamid Karzai was bitterly critical, calling it "an assassination, an intentional killing of innocent civilians and cannot be forgiven," and suggesting that it was a premeditated attack by a group of American soldiers on civilians. The attack represents an enormous public relations victory for the Taliban, with whom the United States is supposedly negotiating a withdrawal in Qatar. The soldier has not yet been named, but Afghans are demanding that he be tried and convicted by Afghan courts. He will, in fact, be tried in American courts, and that entire process will be further public relations fodder for the Taliban. Wales Online

(Comments: For reader comments, questions and discussion, see the 13-Mar-12 World View -- Afghanistan shooting increases pressure for faster withdrawal thread of the Generational Dynamics forum. Comments may be posted anonymously.) (13-Mar-2012) Permanent Link
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Generational Dynamics Web Log for 13-Mar-2012 13-Mar-12 World View -- Afghanistan shooting increases pressure for faster withdrawal

Syria's Assad moves grisly massacre machine from Homs to Idlib

Egypt claims a cease-fire in the escalating Israel-Gaza violence

Vietnam to send Buddhist monks to Spratly Islands in South China Sea

Afghanistan shooting increases pressure for faster withdrawal

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Generational Dynamics Web Log for 13-Mar-2012
13-Mar-12 World View -- Afghanistan shooting increases pressure for faster withdrawal