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Generational Dynamics Web Log for 31-Dec-2013
31-Dec-13 World View -- Another Volgograd explosion throws Russia's Sochi Olympics into doubt

Web Log - December, 2013

31-Dec-13 World View -- Another Volgograd explosion throws Russia's Sochi Olympics into doubt

Palestinians cheer Israeli release of 26 prisoners

This morning's key headlines from GenerationalDynamics.com

Palestinians cheer Israeli release of 26 prisoners
Another Volgograd explosion throws Russia's Sochi Olympics into doubt

Palestinians cheer Israeli release of 26 prisoners

Palestinian families in the occupied West Bank and Gaza make preparations to receive the released prisoners (Reuters)

Palestinian families in the occupied West Bank and Gaza make preparations to receive the released prisoners (Reuters)

Twenty-six Palestinian prisoners were released from Israeli jails in the early hours of Tuesday morning, the third batch of a total of 104 prisoners who committed terrorist acts prior to the 1994 Oslo accords, and are to be released according to rules for the current "peace process" negotiations between the Palestinians and Israelis.

Palestinians celebrate the releases as victories over Israel, but the releases are bitterly opposed by the families of the Israeli victims. Israel's prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to follow the prisoner release with an announcement that Israel will build 1,400 more settlements in East Jerusalem, in order to gain political support within his government for the prisoner release.

So we have:

The "peace talks" were started again at the insistence of the Obama administration.

In order to force the Palestinians to participate, Israel would release 104 Palestinian prisoners in four batches over a nine month period. That way, the Palestinians couldn't walk out for nine months.

In order to get the Israelis to swallow the prisoner release, they would be able to announce thousands of new West Bank settlements.

Meanwhile, the actual "peace talks" would continue until April, but would accomplish nothing.

This is called "diplomacy by extortion."

Actually there have been some unconfirmed reports that President Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry, with many foreign policy catastrophes already under their belts, are going to use threats to force Israel to accept some peace deal, possibly with a return to Israel's 1948 boundaries. Kerry is arriving in Israel today. BBC and Al-Jazeera

Another Volgograd explosion throws Russia's Sochi Olympics into doubt

Downtown Volgograd, Monday, after the bus explosion (AP)

Downtown Volgograd, Monday, after the bus explosion (AP)

At least 14 people were killed by a suicide bomber explosion on an electric trolley bus in Volgograd, Russia, the day after another suicide bombing blew up inside Volgograd's railway station. The two bombings appeared to be similar, and indeed they were also similar to a major suicide bombing of a bus in Volgograd in November by a female bomber. The similarities indicate that the same perpetrator is targeting Volgograd. The response is the launching of a special anti-terror operation, according to Russia's Interior Ministry:

"In Volgograd, police officers and internal troops have gone to a heightened security mode. Since Monday morning, the Vikhr-Antiterror operation has been under way. More than 4,000 Interior Ministry servicemen are taking part in it."

Russia is ordering extra security at bus and train stations across the country, but extra security won't resolve the larger picture: The concerns raised over security at the Sochi Winter Olympics games, scheduled to begin on February 5.

Chechnya Islamic warlord Doku Umarov, leader of the so-called Caucasus Emirate, is believed to be the perpetrator of all three attacks. In July, Umarov posted a video calling on jihadists around the world to use "maximum force" to disrupt the "satanic" Olympics games in Sochi. Vladimir Putin has provided plenty of security in and around the Sochi resort, spending billions on security to prevent terrorist attacks. But what's becoming clear is that Umarov can affect the games without attacking Sochi directly -- simply by attacking any soft target in the region.

Sochi is the most expensive Olympics in history, and probably the most corrupt Olympics in history. To recoup some of the money, Russia is going to need billions from sponsors and investors. If they get cold feet because of repeated terrorist attacks, then Umarov will have succeeded in carrying his threat to disrupt the "satanic" games. Moscow Times and Voice of Russia

(Comments: For reader comments, questions and discussion, see the 31-Dec-13 World View -- Another Volgograd explosion throws Russia's Sochi Olympics into doubt thread of the Generational Dynamics forum. Comments may be posted anonymously.) (31-Dec-2013) Permanent Link
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Palestinians cheer Israeli release of 26 prisoners

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Generational Dynamics Web Log for 31-Dec-2013
31-Dec-13 World View -- Another Volgograd explosion throws Russia's Sochi Olympics into doubt