"That reality describes the world of a group of Central Asians,
mostly Uzbek by nationality, who went through local terrorist schools
in the mid-1990s. Their course of study is laid out in 10 remarkable
notebooks we acquired in 2001–2002. Covering topics such as the use
of weapons, the making of poison, and the ideology of jihad, the notebooks
offer a unique window into a frightening mind-set that predates
the expansion of Osama bin Laden’s network in the region and still
holds sway in much of Central Asia..."

The Terrorist Notebooks

Excerpt: "This might be a good moment for Hersh to be wrong - but it should be remembered that his track-record is an impressive one."

Which is exactly why I question the timing and source of this report. Suspect a carefully planned disinformation campaign. Something to confuse and complicate the Iranian plans. Either we have disinformation or a worse-that-suspected failure happening within the CIA. Cheers, -Pk

Analysis: Is Iran next for US military?

Written in response to a Washington Post article in early December '04.

Excerpt: "China is already Iran's top advanced weapon supplier, including cutting edge missile technology and weaponization of nuclear, chemical and biological materials."

Cheers, -Pk

Ahwazi: the Controversial Iranian-Chinese Oil Deal!

Some people believe that PY2005 (Political Year 2005) will be the year of Social Security in the States. Edward H. Crane of CATO (Libertarian "think tank") consolidates a lot of pro-privatization views in this piece.

Excerpt: "Individual accounts should be as large as feasible, ideally at least half of payroll taxes. There are several proposals in Congress now, including one by Rep. Sam Johnson, Texas Republican, based on work by the Cato Institute, that show how this can be done in a fiscally responsible way."

Cheers, -Pk

Social Security Reform Now

Excerpt: "The battle against the Iraqi terror is not being reported accurately. One reason is that the American military cannot release information then have about the enemy, as that would let the terrorists know what is known about them. This is a war of information. The terrorists depend on secrecy for protection. They must remain invisible to survive."

We've all read tens of these types of analysis. This one can be considered a pre-primer to some of the recent pro-war/invasion books. Although it doesn't discuss the regional political implications at all (dissapointing miss in ~any~ war article). Cheers, -Pk

The War in Iraq That Isn't Reported

Excerpt: "With its new economic resources China has embarked upon a military traverse from reliance upon mass to devotion to quality, with stress upon war in space, the oceans, and the ether--three areas of unquestioned American superiority."

Is this more old-Pentagon thinking of near-peer? Or is this a reality that we have to consider along with current terrorism reconfigurations? While some people would like to believe China is not a threat I think it's important to note the Chinese-Iranian connection in recent months. On this topic the author, Mark Helprin, writes: "An example of China's growing power to interfere with crucial U.S. interests is the new Sino-Persian $100 billion trade agreement, the perfect complementarity of which--manufactures and military goods in exchange for oil and Islamic endorsement--is echoed by the fact that, at present, the chief American counter to Iranian nuclear weapons development is the threat of a trade embargo, which China need not observe, through the Security Council, over which China has a veto."

I wonder what Thomas P.M. Barnett will have to say about this article. (Hours later there is http://www.thomaspmbarnett.com/weblog/archives2/001284.html on Barnett's blog. I knew he had to have seen the WSJ article.)

Cheers, -Pk

Beyond the Rim - 'We ignore China's growing military and economic power at our peril.'