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Generational Dynamics Web Log for 12-May-2014
12-May-14 World View -- Afghan Taliban launches last spring/summer offensive against Nato

Web Log - May, 2014

12-May-14 World View -- Afghan Taliban launches last spring/summer offensive against Nato

Saudi farmers kiss their camels in defiance of MERS warnings

This morning's key headlines from GenerationalDynamics.com

Saudi farmers kiss their camels in defiance of MERS warnings
Afghan Taliban launches last spring/summer offensive against Nato
Summit of Asian nations splits on China

Saudi farmers kiss their camels in defiance of MERS warnings

Saudi farmer kisses his camel in defiance of official Saudi warnings (Al Sharq)

Saudi farmer kisses his camel in defiance of official Saudi warnings (Al Sharq)

Health officials in Saudi Arabia are telling people to drink only pasteurized camel milk, to eat only well-cooked camel meat, and, for those who handle camels, to wear masks and gloves in doing so. Camels have been identified as the "reservoirs" of MERS-CoV (the Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus), which has been continuing to spread, especially in Saudi Arabia. Studies show that it's been common in camels for at least 20 years, without spreading to humans. But apparent mutations in the MERS virus have allowed it to spread to humans, and have allowed some human to human transmission, raising pandemic concerns.

However, some camel farmers in Saudi Arabia have been calling the warnings ridiculous, and have been posting photos and videos of themselves defiantly hugging and kissing their camels. Some farmers are demanding that evidence be produced that their camels have the virus, and others point out that they've lived for decades with camels and have never been infected by them. Gulf News and Reuters and Recombinomics

Afghan Taliban launches last spring/summer offensive against Nato

The Afghan Taliban is announcing its final offensive against Nato, prior to Nato's withdrawal. According to a statement by the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan:

"In order to fully complete our religious obligation in attaining the gratitude of Allah (SWT) and in defense of our Islamic homeland, we once again announce our annual spring operations under the name of ‘Khaibar’ with the onset of the new military year against the invaders and their spineless backers!
The upcoming ‘Khaibar’ operation shall begin with the cries of Allah u Akbar throughout the country at 5am local time on Monday ... 12th May of 2014.
Like previous years, the main target of the current year’s blessed Jihadi operation shall be the foreign invaders and their backers under various names like spies, military and civilian contractors and everyone working for them like translators, administrators and logistics personnel.
Similarly the blessed ‘Khaibar’ Jihadi spring operations shall target all high ranking government officials, cabinet ministers, members of Parliament, security officials, occupation backing officers in the Interior and Foreign Ministries, attorneys and judges that prosecute Mujahideen as well as agents in the National Directorate that pursue and torture Mujahideen.
Various modern military techniques shall again be utilized in the current annual ‘Khaibar’ operations. Back-breaking martyrdom strikes, infiltrator operations (insider attacks), targeting large and well fortified enemy bases with heavy weapons and missiles as well as carrying out head-on offensive operations against enemy gatherings shall be some of the main techniques used in these spring operations.
The main targets of the annual spring ‘Khaibar’ operations shall be the military gatherings of foreign invading forces, their diplomatic centers and convoys as well as the military bases of their internal mercenary stooges, their convoys and the facilities of foreign, interior, intelligence and Arbaki militia."

The Battle of Khaibar was fought by Mohammed in 629. Islamic State of Afghanistan and Khaama Press (Afghanistan)

Summit of Asian nations splits on China

Anti-China protests are generally prohibited by the Vietnamese government, but apparently the government approved hundreds of people demonstrating in front of the Chinese Embassy on Saturday to protest China's installation of a mobile oil rig in waters near the Paracel Islands that Vietnam claims are in its exclusive economic zone. They were demanding that China remove the rig from Vietnamese waters.

There was a major naval confrontation last week when Vietnam sent a flotilla of about 30 ships to blockade the rig. China responded by sending 60 ships to break the blockade. Vietnam has released video of Chinese ships ramming the Vietnamese ships and spraying them with water cannons.

There was another confrontation last week, when the Philippine maritime police arrested 11 Chinese fishermen hunting sea turtles were captured in Philippines waters. The Chinese have demanded that the fishermen be released, but Philippines officials are saying that the fishermen will be tried in court on the charges of hunting endangered species.

This week's meeting of ASEAN (the Association of South East Asian Nations) was dominated by discussion of these two confrontations with China. Vietnam and the Philippines wanted ASEAN to issue a strong statement criticizing China, but the other members don't wish to risk antagonizing China. China has indicated that it will use its vast military power to take control of the entirety of the South China Sea, and all islands and properties in it, despite that fact that parts have been historically belonged to Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines, often for centuries. Chinese media has indicated that it is using a "salami-slicing strategy," where it annexes one region after another, each one too small to expect the U.S. or anyone else to react militarily. Reuters and AP

(Comments: For reader comments, questions and discussion, see the 12-May-14 World View -- Afghan Taliban launches last spring/summer offensive against Nato thread of the Generational Dynamics forum. Comments may be posted anonymously.) (12-May-2014) Permanent Link
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Generational Dynamics Web Log for 12-May-2014 12-May-14 World View -- Afghan Taliban launches last spring/summer offensive against Nato

Saudi farmers kiss their camels in defiance of MERS warnings

Afghan Taliban launches last spring/summer offensive against Nato

Summit of Asian nations splits on China

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Generational Dynamics Web Log for 12-May-2014
12-May-14 World View -- Afghan Taliban launches last spring/summer offensive against Nato