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Generational Dynamics Web Log for 14-Jul-2012
14-Jul-12 World View -- China makes armed threat on al-Jazeera ship in South China Sea

Web Log - July, 2012

14-Jul-12 World View -- China makes armed threat on al-Jazeera ship in South China Sea

Anti-Sunni rant given by Shia cleric

This morning's key headlines from GenerationalDynamics.com

China makes armed threat on al-Jazeera ship in South China Sea
Canada said has no plans for military action in Mali
Anti-Sunni rant given by Shia cleric
Syrian regime massacre receives widespread condemnation

China makes armed threat on al-Jazeera ship in South China Sea

Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen at ASEAN meeting, where he strongly sided with China against Vietnam and Philippines. (Reuters)

Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen at ASEAN meeting, where he strongly sided with China against Vietnam and Philippines. (Reuters)

An Al-Jazeera vessel sent to the Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea to do a story on China's aggression in the region was threatened with a military attack by a Chinese warship if it did not leave the Scarborough Shoal region immediately. The al-Jazeera ship captain did as he was ordered. The incident appeared in a segment aired on Al-Jazeera's online televised newscast, and will appear soon in a full-length documentary, but has not yet appeared in a story on its web site. According to the segment, China is sending a flotilla of 30 well-armed fishing vessels to fish in the Scarborough Shoal, which is off the coast of the Philippines, and has historically been part of Philippines territory. The flotilla is being sent as the meeting in Phnom Penh of ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) ends in bitter division over China's claims to the entire South China Sea, including many areas historically belonging to other countries. At the ASEAN meeting, China's message was that other countries shouldn't make trouble, but should maintain harmonious relations with China. Apparently, when China tells you not to "make trouble," it means that you should do exactly as demanded or they'll kill you. Al-Jazeera

Canada said has no plans for military action in Mali

As we reported yesterday, France is considering sending the military to northern Mali, where Ansar al-Dine, a wealthy, well-armed terrorist group linked to Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) has taken control, and can use the region as a base to launch terrorist attacks against France. On Friday, Canada's Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird said:

"Let me be clear that Canada is not contemplating a military mission in Mali.
We support the significant international diplomatic efforts to help restore democracy, led by the Economic Community of West African States, and we certainly stand ready to support the organization once its needs are identified.
We have done a significant amount of work with the Economic Community of West African States in the past and we certainly stand ready to support them in the future."

The United States, France and the UN Security Council have agreed to provide logistical support for such an operation. On Friday, U.S. President Barack Obama authorized the release of up to $10-million for emergency relief efforts in northern Mali. Globe and Mail (Ottawa)

Anti-Sunni rant given by Shia cleric

On June 16, Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Nayef bin Abdul-Aziz al Saud died. Born in 1933, he was perhaps the most ruthless of the leaders in governing al-Saud family. In an address posted on the internet, a Shia cleric, Sheikh Nimr Baqer Al-Nimr, rejoiced in the death of Nayef. I found his rant to be interesting because it illustrates the vitriolic hatred between Sunnis and Shias in the Mideast. The following are some excerpts:

"Where is [Crown Prince] Nayef's army now? Will it protect him from the Angel of Death? Where are his intelligence agencies? Where are his officers? Can they protect him from the Angel of Death? He will be eaten by worms and suffer the torments of Hell in his grave. ...
Imam Hussein said: 'No shedder of blood shall enter Paradise.' Will Nayef enter Paradise? Some say: 'Don't talk ill of Nayef because he's dead.' Are you stupid?
Don't you see that the Koran says: 'On that day shall the believers rejoice'? Why shouldn't we be happy at the death of the man who imprisoned and killed our children? This is the man who spread fear and terror, so why shouldn't we rejoice?
Allah be praised! May He take their lives, one after the other – the Saud, Khalifa, and Al-Assad dynasties.
The sons of Abd Al-'Aziz will rule this land until Judgment Day – that's what Nayef declared. Let's see how he rules it... Let him rule it from the grave. It is a reckless, tyrannical regime.
Who is the Saud clan? They are killing our brothers in Bahrain. If any good can become of them, let them liberate Palestine from the Zionists, rather than [bully] half a million Bahrainis – good defenseless people.
The [Saud clan] says that they are the 'lions of the Sunna.' You, the lions of the Sunna? Pffff... Nonsense. They said: 'We are the lions of the Sunna facing Iran.' Don't make me laugh. You? Facing Iran? The day Saddam entered Kuwait, you all fled and brought the U.S. to defend you."

Al-Nimr references Bahrain, where the Shia majority population is being ruled ruthlessly by a small Sunni leadership, supported by Saudi Arabia's army. The violence between Shias and Sunnis has spread into eastern Saudi Arabia in recent weeks, and is being inflamed further by the sectarian violence in Syria. Telegraph and Memri

Syrian regime massacre receives widespread condemnation

The regime of Syrian president Bashar al-Assad has been trying to blame Thursday's horrific massacre on mysterious groups of gunmen. Over 200 people were killed in the village of Taramseh, near Homa. However, nobody seems to be accepting al-Assad's story line. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said, "I condemn, in the strongest possible terms, the indiscriminate use of heavy artillery and shelling of populated areas, including by firing from helicopters." Kofi Annan, who runs around from country to country trying to sell one of his Syria "peace plans," said that he was "shocked and appalled" by reports of regime violence. (If I'm not mistaken, Annan always just says he's "shocked and appalled.") US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said that the use of artillery, tanks and helicopters, provide "indisputable evidence that the regime deliberately murdered innocent civilians." None of this makes any difference, however, since al-Assad's strategy of extermination and atrocity is fully supported by the Russians. Reuters

(Comments: For reader comments, questions and discussion, see the 14-Jul-12 World View -- China makes armed threat on al-Jazeera ship in South China Sea thread of the Generational Dynamics forum. Comments may be posted anonymously.) (14-Jul-2012) Permanent Link
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Generational Dynamics Web Log for 14-Jul-2012 14-Jul-12 World View -- China makes armed threat on al-Jazeera ship in South China Sea

China makes armed threat on al-Jazeera ship in South China Sea

Canada said has no plans for military action in Mali

Anti-Sunni rant given by Shia cleric

Syrian regime massacre receives widespread condemnation

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Generational Dynamics Web Log for 14-Jul-2012
14-Jul-12 World View -- China makes armed threat on al-Jazeera ship in South China Sea