تنسيق-الكليات-لعام سكس نيك كس The London Sunday Times reported that the Israeli Air Force used Unmanned Air Vehicles (UAVs) to carry out strikes on three Sudanese convoys carrying Iranian missiles destined for Hamas in Gaza. Sources also said that the convoys carried Fajr-3 missiles which have a range of 43 kilometers, capable of reaching Yavneh and Be’er Sheva.According to “western diplomats”, Israel used Hermes 450 drones to carry out the attack. The planes, which operate out of the Palmachim air force base south of Tel Aviv, can remain in the air for 20 hours and fire two Hellfire missiles at ground targets. Some sources also claimed that Israel used the new Eitan UAV in the attack, which have a wingspan of 85 feet, comparable to that of a Boeing 737, and can remain in the air for 36 hours.
Defense sources told The Times that unmanned drones were used because of the nature of the targets. Whereas manned bombers could be used to attack a fixed target, UAVs are the ideal choice for a strike on a moving convoy. The drones can hover high in the air undetected for a long period of time until the ideal moment for an attack arrives.
The military sources also reported that the convoy was carrying an unspecified number of Iranian Fajr-3 missiles. “They build the Fajr in parts so it would be easy to smuggle them into Gaza, then reassemble them with Hamas experts who learned the job in Syrian and Iran,” one source said. Although the sources told The Times that when fired from Gaza, the missiles could hit Tel Aviv and Israel’s nuclear facility in Dimona, traditional Fajr-3 missiles have an operational range of 43 kilometers, which would only reach as far north as Yavneh and as far east as Be’er Sheva, large population centers in Israel.
...a Sudanese spokesman claimed that “more than 100 people” had been killed in the air raid, which he termed “a genocide, committed by U.S. forces.”
When asked how he knew the attackers were American, the spokesman said: “We don’t differentiate between the U.S. and Israel. They are all one.”
A spokesman for the United States Africa Command said U.S. forces had not attacked in Sudan. “The U.S. military has not conducted any airstrikes, fired any missiles or undertaken any combat operations in or around Sudan since October 2008, when U.S. Africa Command formally became responsible for U.S. military action in Africa,” he said.
...And from another online source:
United States officials have confirmed that Israel Air Force warplanes bombed a truck convoy in Sudan in January. The trucks were carrying arms that would be smuggled into Gaza for use against Israel, the officials said, according to a report in the New York Times.
Israel has refused to confirm or deny the attack, but Prime Minister Ehud Olmert made a statement, after the reports of the attack surfaced, that Israel has been striking at terror targets “near and far,” and warned enemies, “there is no place that Israel can't reach.”
Israel strikes terrorists “in the north and in the south... There's no need to mention details; people can use their imaginations,” Olmert said.
The American officials said Israel hit the convoy in order to prevent weapons from reaching Gaza during Operation Cast Lead.
The Times describes the sources as two American officials “who are privy to classified intelligence assessments.” The sources said that Iran had been involved in the effort to smuggle weapons to Gaza. According to intelligence reports, they added, an agent for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards was in Sudan, coordinating the smuggling operation.
Iran funds, arms and trains two proxy armies on Israel’s borders: Hizbullah in the north and Hamas in the south.
...Of course we are dealing with the Sudanese, so they really have their finger on the pulse...
...According to foreign news sources, The Israel Air Force (IAF) bombed Iranian-funded weapons convoys in Sudan three times since mid-January not far from the border with Egypt and in the Red Sea.
Sudan was not aware of the first strike until after the second aerial bombardment, according to the Arabic-language Al Jazeera satellite television network. "We didn't know about the first attack until after the second one. They were in an area close to the border with Egypt, a remote area, desert, with no towns, no people,” a Sudanese foreign ministry official said.
ABC followed up with a report Friday night that Israel carried out three aerial bombings, basing its information on comments made by an unnamed United States official.
Sudanese officials added that one strike sank a ship in the Red Sea that was loaded with weapons; Hamas smuggles by sea as well as through smuggling tunnels under the Egyptian-Gaza border.
Thirty-nine people reportedly were killed in the aerial strikes, the first of which took place January 27, slightly more than a week after the end of Operation Cast Lead. A second strike followed on February 11, and the ship was sunk in another bombing.
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said “Israel hits every place it can in order to stop terror, near and far.”
Calling them a “new Israeli crime” the Hizbullah terrorist organization, which is part of the Lebanese cabinet, urged Arab League leaders to condemn the attack when they meet in Qatar this week.
Israel's Prime Minister has denied any connection, a retired IDF Air Force General is praising the operation.
We always get blamed... Who do you think did it?
According to the American network CBS the Israel Air Force carried out an attack last January against a convoy of trucks in Sudan carrying arms for Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
According to the report, 39 people riding in 17 trucks were killed, while civilians in the area suffered injuries.
Official Israeli sources refused to confirm or deny on Wednesday any report of Israel's involvement in an air strike in Sudan.
However, Sudanese State Minister for Highways Mabrouk Mubarak Saleem was quoted in the Paris-based Sudan Tribune Web site as saying that a "major power bombed small trucks carrying arms, burning all of them."
The strike "killed Sudanese, Eritreans and Ethiopians, and injured others," Saleem added.
CBS News national security correspondent David Martin broke the story. He says that Israeli intelligence learned of plans to move weapons through Sudan, north toward Egypt and then via the Sinai into the Gaza Strip.
According to Martin, Israel and the U.S. had signed an agreement for closer international efforts to block smuggling of arms into the Gaza Strip.
During the final days of the Israeli offensive against Hamas, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and her American counterpart Condoleezza Rice signed a security-intelligence memorandum on intensifying cooperation in a joint effort to block the smuggling of arms from Iran to Hamas via Sudan.
The Sudanese news site said the attack took place "in a desert area northwest of Port Sudan city, near Mount al-Sha'anun."
According to SudanTribune.com, the airstrike was an "embarrassment" to Sudan's government, and it discussed the matter with Egypt's government "to gather more information to formulate a response."
Although I can still fell the soreness in my muscles, taste the crap they tried to feed us, and vividly recall the sadistic behaviour of our instructors, it's been a while since I was in Basic Training, but as I hear from the younger IDF servicemen, nothing has changed. The rain gear the IDF issues is ok if you are just standing guard, but when 1/3 of the annual rainfall comes down in less then a week, you might as well leave it at home!
From another IDF Blogger in training on a typical winter day in Israel with IDF Golani Infantry, 12th Battalion:
Mud was in everything. The tents were solid brown, and we were rolling them up and sticking them in our assault packs with mud oozing out like the pack was filled with the stuff. It was plain gross, but I thought it was pretty fun, in a strange way. I felt like I was “doing it,” suffering for a greater cause. I felt productive. I felt like a soldier.
We were just throwing all this gear, the entire company was, into a 12x12 tent, something of that size. It was one big slime fest. Moving on here, we then were given the green light, room by room, to go to the officers’ tent and vote. You see, it was national elections day, a tightly polled race between Livni (Kadima) and Netanyahu (Likud). I was pretty excited to vote, maybe even as much as I was to be going back to base.
We stood in line outside of the tent, everyone secretly grabbing the avocados and fruits that the officers obviously weren’t going to eat; they were being drowned in a half-melted cardboard box outside. Finally, we were called in. I stepped into the tent not knowing what to expect, and was surprised to find a massively crowded scene. The 15x15 or so tent was packed with all types of commanders and officers I hadn’t seen all week. I suppose they were hiding from the rain. They all were sardined into the dimly lit shelter between tall stacks of food, gear, tables, and boxes. Boxes of who knows what. Just towers of brown boxes.
A single light bulb barely as bright as that old flashlight in your glove box hung over a plastic table where some army logistics guys, who I didn’t even see come to our camp, were handling paperwork and calling out our names. Next to them was a large cardboard presentation board, which was sitting on another table.
I signed a sheet with my name on it and was directed to behind the presentation board. Behind the board was a large tray with what looked like a hundred slots, all filled with different little slips of paper bearing political parties’ trademarks. I couldn’t remember what the symbol was for the party I wanted, and I could barely see, and the commanders were really hurrying everyone along, so eventually I just asked the guy on the other side to help me. He was actually really nice, considering the conditions, and he showed me what I requested. I took that sheet, put it into another envelope, carefully wrote my info on the outside, and dropped it into the big blue voting box, effectively becoming a true citizen-soldier. Another integration into this state; one more little step on the path of taking my claim to this country.
But before I could process the implications of my civic involvement in Israel, I was ordered to briskly make my way outside to eat. They threw a soaked box of combat rations to us and we quickly dug in. The rain was only coming down in a drizzle, but we all were waiting for another big deluge.
After maybe 10 minutes, the platoon commander came over and told us to pack it up and get our vests on. We kinda hesitated for 5 seconds, and then he yelled, “UP, NOW! I don’t care if you’ve got a fork in your mouth, spit it out and GO!” [Nearly verbatim]. We jumped up, me swallowing a large last bite of tuna and chocolate spread on soggy bread.
We went over to our vests and assault packs, which were next to piles of sleeping bags and all types of heavily mud caked gear. We were then commanded to take all the sleeping bags and move them about 10 feet away, as well as plastic rain guards for the tents. Because everything was soaked with mud and rain, each thing was three times the weight. A single Jeep’s headlights were slantingly lighting the mayhem going on, and I can’t even begin to tell you the apprehension I felt.
I knew what was about to happen. I looked around and saw all the gear we came in with, the stretcher piled high with our huge ‘kitbags,’ (dufflebags), wooden boxes of commanders’ gear, assault packs, water packs, ammo, etc. After some yelling, and a frantic search for someone’s gun lost in the midst of all this stuff, we loaded up. We had to hike the few kilometers in the mud to the road we came from, which was up a steep hill...
The Honorable Hillary Clinton Secretary of State 2201 C Street NW Washington, DC 20520
Dear Madam Secretary:
I write to you today regarding the situation in the Middle East. In the wake of Hamas' attacks on Israel, and Israel's defensive operations, I understand the U.S. government has pledged to grant $900 million for the rebuilding of Gaza and for assisting the Palestinian Authority. I am concerned that this money will end up helping Hamas and hurting the very Palestinian people we intend to help.
For years, the U.S. has infused money into the Palestinian Authority (PA), with very little to show for it. Their leaders are no more ready to govern today than they were before we began our funding. After years of mismanagement, their basic institutions are in shambles and they have shown very little ability to govern in the West Bank without the presence of the Israeli Defense Forces. Instead of helping average Palestinians, our money has lined the pockets of the Arafats and other corrupt Palestinian leaders.
I also understand our funding will not be conditioned on any reciprocal actions by Hamas or the PA. Despite Israel's withdrawal from Gaza in 2005, Hamas still refuses to recognize Israel's right to exist as a Jewish state, has not stopped raining rockets on Israeli territory and still holds captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit. It is essential that we condition our funding on Hamas'reciprocating with these basic demands. Without such links, Palestinians will see the U.S. as providing aid while Hamas continues to terrorize the Israeli people, with no consequences from the U.S. government.
I am also concerned that much of the funding will be directed through the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). Unfortunately, UNRWA has proven itself to be a biased agency, with very little oversight. During the most recent violence in Gaza, UNRWA issued numerous statements attacking Israel for their self-defense actions, while failing to criticize Hamas for launching missiles at innocent Israeli citizens. Much of UNWRA's money and services end up in the hands of people who are wealthy enough not to need the assistance, or worse, with members of terrorist organizations. UNRWA officials have even admitted that they cannot guarantee their money does not go to Hamas. I believe helping UNRWA does not further the cause of peace.
تنسيق-الكليات-لعام سكس نيك كس You Don't Mess with the Zohan Dvir One of Israel's largest arms / weapons exporters, Rafael, came up with this video for the Indian market.
I know a little bit about the weapons manufacturing market and I'm not sure that having a Zohan wannabe dancing and singing with a harem of sari clad Indian looking women is how I would instill confidence and increase name recognition.
On the other hand... I'm just a blogger, what do I know?
تنسيق-الكليات-لعام سكس نيك كس This year the Jewish Festival of Purim begins Monday at dusk.
...from another IDF Blogger
Tonight was the start of Purim, which in Jerusalem lasts through Sunday. Purim is the holiday remembering a very specific story of Jewish past. In short, we were exiled from the Land of Israel (6th century BCE), and found ourselves under Persian rule. Persian King Ahasverus had a high-ranking officer named Haman. When Haman was entering the palace, the high priest of the Jews, Mordechai, would not bow down to him. Haman wanted to kill Mordechai and the Jews, and he got Ahasverus' permission to make a decree to exterminate all the Jews in the Persian Empire. So, Mordechai sends in his niece, Ester, Ahasverus' new queen, and she talks to old Ahas. He loves her, she reveals Haman's plan, Ahasverus has Haman hung on the very trees he planned to hang the Jews on... yay! As we say: They tried to kill us, they got theirs, now let's get drunk!
Purim is celebrated by giving gifts to the poor, gifts to our friends (mishloach manot), listening to the reading of the Scroll of Ester (telling this story -- which is found in the Tanach/Bible), and finally, getting very drunk during a ritual meal. If you want to know why, I can tell you.
Apparently, in Roman times a custom was developed to dress up in silly costumes for Purim. So, Purim is like the Jewish Halloween, minus paganism and plus a strong religious purpose, theme, and traditions. Everyone is dressed up in Israel tonight. Everyone is partying. Everyone is out and about and... most seem to have a mouse outfit on.
I was walking down a back alley, taking a shortcut to my bank's ATM, when out of nowhere a motorcycle screams by, going way too fast, and the driver was gunning his engine in the manner that cyclists do to get attention. Very manly. Or should I say, very mously?
Yeah, I never claimed to be a comedian! But seriously, this was the funniest thing I've seen in months. You don't even realize how much effort it took to get these pictures. I had to chase him around 3 different corners, me on foot, him on a powerful streetbike. Eventually I turned a corner and there he was, getting off his bike, and walking into a sushi restaurant. Five minutes later he comes out, I get the pictures. I felt like either a Mossad agent or a stalker. More here
تنسيق-الكليات-لعام سكس نيك كس Bookmark this post. Now you'll be able to come back here anytime you hear about something stupid the president or secretary of state do and teach them a lesson.
