[Al-Firdaus]

Who stands behind attack in Bieslan? Some think the US
By:Pawel Rzesa, Rzeczpospolita on:06.09.2004 [22:36 ] (89 reads)

Influential persons around Vladimir Putin believe that the attack in Bieslan could be the on the hands of the Americans. Putin treats as one of working versions -an analyst close to the Kremlin has said. Some want a fat piece of our country, and others are helping them, worried that Russia as on the world\'s greatest nuclear powers is seen as a threat to them. Terrorism is certainly only an instrument in achieving these aims\" Vladimir Putin said in a saturday television address According to our informer it is no accident that such cold-war rhetoric has found a place in the head of the nation.

In one of several theories concerning the reasons for the terrorist act in North Osetia, the CIA is behind the attack. \"It is shocking\",says one analyst,\"but many people close to the president really believe it to be so. The attack is meant to ferment instability in the Northern Caucasus and turn our attentions from Southern Osetia.\"

Under the protective umbrella of Moscow in the 90\'s, South Osetia has been separated from Georgia. The young and dynamic Georgian president Michail Saakaszwili, who is backed by the US, is doing everything he can to establish control over the region under Tblisi. In recent times, regular skirmishes have occurred in the volatile region.

Publicist of the political portal polit.ru; Boris Dolgin; in analysis of Putins address,writes that the fragment about the \'fat piece\' is the most interesting and simultaneously most unclear: \"Who helps? If Al-Kaida it is banal and expected;if it\'s the Western powers then the statement is radical\" thinks Dolgin.

If president believes the line pushed by some advisors about an American plot, it is possible to expect a cooling of relations between Russia and the USA and a narrowing of links with western Europe. Already there is a conviction in a radical reform of the defence forces and security services.

In turn, Chechen separatists have accused the Russian Federal Security Service of provocation. Acording to them, the FSB dropped off the bodies of a number of Chechen prisoners,which were held in secret prisons earlier, in order to saddle chechnyan separatists with the blame for the attack. One of killed, according to rebels, was 31 year old Chanpasa Kulajew, who the Russian newspaper \"Gazetia\" identified as a bodyguard of Samila Basajew, and who the rebels say was in Russian hands for 3 years. Most important russian media had informed of his capture in 2001.

http://www.rzeczpospolita.pl/gazeta/...iat_a_7.html#4

NOTE: I translated this from the Rzeczpospolita.pl website, the internet version of a very right-wing publication that kisses the arse of all things US and takes a shot at Russia as often as it can. Not surprising that the idea of US involvement is treated as outlandish,while anything that can discredit Russia is promoted. The last few days have seen a lot of references to Russian atrocities made by so-called Chechen \'witnesses\' that are of the \'Hun in WW1\' style of outlandishness as a way of empathising with the perpretrators of the school massacre. (author DEATHTODUBYA)


Kremlin admits lying Details withheld during hostage crisis
By:By SUSAN B. GLASSER and PETER FINN on:06.09.2004 [23:46 ] (23 reads)
The Washington Post

MOSCOW - The Russian government admitted yesterday that it lied to its people about the scale of the hostage crisis that ended with more than 300 children, parents and teachers dead in southern Russia, making an extraordinary admission through state television after days of withering criticism from citizens.

As the bereaved families of Beslan began to lay loved ones to rest yesterday, the Kremlin-controlled Rossiya network aired gripping, gruesome footage it had withheld from the public for days and said government officials had deliberately deceived the world about the number of hostages inside School No. 1. "At such moments," anchor Sergei Brilyov declared, "society needs the truth."

The admission of an effort to minimize the magnitude of a hostage crisis that ensnared about 1,200 people - most of them children - marked a sharp turnabout for the government of President Vladimir Putin. In previous crises with mass fatalities, such as the sinking of the nuclear submarine Kursk in 2000 and the 2002 siege of a Moscow theater, officials covered up key facts, but never acknowledged doing so.

"It doesn't suit our president," a Kremlin political consultant, Gleb Pavlovsky, said on the show. "Lies, which really acted in the terrorists' favor, did not suit him at all. Lies were weakening us and making the terrorists more violent."

The broadcast included no apology and referred only to the most blatant misstatement by officials, the claim that 354 hostages were inside the school. It did not acknowledge the hostage takers had demanded an end to the war in Chechnya or that the government continues to give conflicting information about whether any of the guerrillas remain at large, who they were and how many were killed.

Nor did it mention that many residents of Beslan have been outraged that the government now appears to be understating the death toll, which stood officially at 338 last night although nearly 200 people are still unaccounted for.

As for the hostage takers, Deputy Prosecutor General Sergei Fridinsky said authoritatively on Saturday there were 26 of them, and all had been killed. Yesterday he said there were 32 - 30 of them dead - and bragged about the capture of one "member of the gang" to be charged in court today. Putin made no public comment yesterday on the deadliest terrorist attack of his presidency, and not a single senior member of his government has commented publicly since the siege began Wednesday at 9 a.m. A day after the president vowed in a televised address to take unspecified new security measures in response to the killing of "defenseless children," the Kremlin was silent on what those steps would be.

Crisis mishandled

Sergei Markov, a political analyst with close ties to the Kremlin, said it had been clear that the government had engaged in a clumsy cover-up. "Everybody understands they are lying," he said. "Everybody can do the math and know there were more than 1,000 people inside the school."

The Kremlin sought to distance Putin from the deceptions through yesterday's broadcast, in which the anchor chided "generals and the military and civilians" for failing to act "until the president gives them ideas what to do." Pavlovsky said Putin had given Russia's political system "a no-confidence vote" for its handling of the crisis.

Such statements could never be aired unless the Kremlin directly ordered them, according to political analysts. Criticism of the president is never broadcast on state television, the continuing war in Chechnya is almost never mentioned and even mild questioning of government policy is not allowed without prior approval from the Kremlin.

"Nothing happens on Rossiya television without the permission of the Kremlin," said commentator Andrei Piontkovsky.

In Beslan, many residents have directed their anger not only at Putin but at the regional leader, Alexander Dzasokhov. In an effort to dispel those concerns, Dzasokhov made a televised visit yesterday to hospitalized children and apologized for failing to protect them adequately.

"I fully understand my responsibility," said Dzasokhov, the president of North Ossetia, the region near Chechnya where Beslan is located. "I want to beg your pardon for failing to protect children, teachers and parents."

Many people in the town have grown increasingly despondent, acknowledging many bodies were burned beyond recognition in an explosion that caused most of the casualties.

At the Beslan House of Culture, a gathering point for families throughout the crisis, volunteers taking names said the list of missing stood at 190 as of Sunday afternoon. Many families have left not only names but snapshots, such as one of a little girl celebrating New Year's wearing a snow princess dress and surrounded by boys in white rabbit costumes.

[Al-Firdaus]

EXCLUSIVE: The Truth Behind The Russian Academy Seige
Sep 08, 2004
By Kunya Abu Mujaahid, Exclusive For JUS

"Oh you who Believe! If a Liar comes to you with a news, verify it, lest you should harm people in ignorance, and afterwards you become regretful for what you have done." [EMQ 49:6]

The siege of a Russian school/higher education and military academy in North Ossetia has ended in massive bloodshed and loss of life, leaving possibly hundreds dead. Some analysts report that at least 700 people have been killed in total.

Friday’s events are but the latest in a chain of recent attacks inside Russia that have almost floored Russia and the failing Putin Presidency. The academy was seized on Wednesday by an group calling itself the Phalanges or divisions of the Martyrs of Riyaadh as-Saaliheen.

A total of 32 men and women stormed the academy in Beslan during its opening ceremony for the new term, taking hostages as human-shields in order to make a political statement to the Russian authority and to the world about the brutal occupation of Chechnya by the Russian invaders.

The mujahideen's demands were ten-fold:

• Putin must be put on trial (with Islam as the judicial process) as a war criminal for Genocide in Chechnya

• A clear timetable for the withdrawal of the occupying Russian forces from Chechnya must be laid out

• A "Release to Release" policy where for every ten academy hostages released the Russians would release a hundred Chechan prisoners languishing in Russian jails, some 6500 to date

• Economic compensation for the Russian aggression

• The result of the recent rigged elections must be overturned

• To leave the country by the agreed date and to let the people in Chechnya take authority

• The removal of all foreign forces in the region

• To allow all the displaced Chechan's to return back to Chechnya from the surrounding areas

• To put the Chechans who work with the Russian authority on trial as traitors who have committed a grave crime in the sight of Islam.

Though officials put the number of hostages at 354, up to 1,500 people were, in fact, taken hostage exposing the Russian lies.

Putin refused to negotiate to save the lives of the hostages. His overriding aim was to demonstrate, though a ruthless and violent action, the power of the state, once he had learnt of the mujahideens demands especially with respect to himself. Indeed, the mujahideen made attempts to release all the children inside the academy freeing 26 women and a number of the youngest children on Thursday. More had been ear-marked to be released. At no-stage did the mujahideen ever contemplate killing women and children, as this was expressly forbidden by Islam, this is borne out by the statements made by those captured and paraded by the Russians on state-run TV.

With the refusal to negotiate, the Russians prepared to attack the academy because as the siege continued to be drawn out more and more people had started to focus on the root causes of the crisis and the atrocities committed by Russia in Chechnya.

On Friday, September 3, after the Russians had cut off power to the academy as well as the food and water supplies, they made an assault using Russian Special Forces brought into Beslan from outside the region. Similarly to the use of the old Red Army when attempting to crush any local opposition groups, Special Forces were ordered in to ensure that the job was done properly and that no hostages were left alive, even if that meant killing their own country men caught in any cross fire.

The explosions and the resulting collapse of the academy roof led to scores of casualties. The fierce fighting left hundreds injured and wounded, including many children caught in the cross-fire.

Twenty-seven of the mujahideen were taken as martyrs (shuhaadaa) and around eight escaped with some of the hostages as protection. Putin, who visited Beslan and the hospital early Saturday, September 4, shut the borders of North Ossetia in order to control the media reporting of the atrocity committed by his own troops and to cover up as much of the evidence as possible.

With respect to the question of the legitimacy of targeting a school in Islam or any other building(s) for that matter, we say the following. Because Jihaad (legislated fighting) in Islam is not restricted by time or by place we do not need an evidence (from the Sharee'ah) to permit fighting in the mountains of Tora Bora or in the streets of Beslan, because by its nature, Jihaad is not restricted by time or place. This much is clear.

Allah (swt) says: "And fight in the way of Allaah those who fight you....And kill them wherever you find them, and turn them out from wherever they have turned you out" [EMQ 2:190-191]

This Qur'anic verse is general (Aam) and is not restricted. At the same time, Islam forbids the mujaahid (fighter) to target those non-fighter women and children and the non-fighter elders, the disabled or those who have any mental health problems, or those who are Priests or Monk's (of different faiths), or farmers (who are living far away from the area of the battle), provided they are non-fighters (i.e. do not take up arms against the Muslims). Having said all that, this does not mean however that the mujahideen are not allowed to take hostage a school or a hospital or a place of worship or any place in the earth becasue the Jihaad is not restricted by place.

Indeed, we find that the Muslims have always fought keeping the ideals of Islam in the back of their minds, nor transgressing any due limits set by Allah. This is a far cry from the Russians who have carried out a merciless war in Chechnya aimed at the suppression of the Islamic revival and demands for the creation of an Islamic bloc in the Caucasus region.

At least 100,000 have died since 1994 in Chechnya. All of the major towns, including the capital city of Grozny, have been razed to the ground. Even Putin was forced to concede his surprise at the extent of the destruction of the city when he visited Grosny in May, following the assassination of the pro-Kremlin governor and apostate, Ahmad Kadyrov. Inhabitants have been subjected to continual house searches, kidnappings, executions, rapes, and extortion. Normal life has been made impossible.

According to the mujahideen, the Russians are responsible for destroying over 72 schools in Chechnya while occupied by students. Thirty hospitals have been destroyed with patients still inside. Over 2 million Muslims in Chechnya have been displaced and become refugees because of the atrocity committed by the Russian forces. Is it any wonder then when such crimes have been committed to a people as we have described that they might retaliate in some small manner?

With respect to the claim of the media that the mujahideen targeted children, we say bring your evidence. If the Russian's were really sincere (and they are not because they are Kuffar and the Kuffar by default are mujrim (criminals)) - why did Putin not delay the burial of the children and setup a public inquiry into the events and allow time for autopsy's to be carried out on the dead to determine who had killed them. Indeed, it would be very easy for any forensic expert to determine whether a Chechan or a Russian had killed the children by analysing the wound and any remaining shrapnel. It is known that the mujahideen have their own distinctive bullets which they have developed, and the Russians have their own manufactured bullets.

Instead of investigating the matter, we see Putin muzzling the media investigation and putting a cloak of secrecy over the events. The Putin government want to hide the evidence and the truth which they fear. Indeed, they were the ones who opened fire and started the assault on the academy and killed their own people including women and children, akin to the storming of the Moscow theatre where hostages lost their lives as a result of the gas employed by secret service special forces when the murderer Putin once again failed to negotiate.

As Muslims, we must always be wary of what news the Kuffar (non-Muslims) bring us. We are not allowed to doubt Muslims, but we are obliged to doubt the Kuffar. This principle must be known to the Muslims and takes on great significance in this time of deception and the 24-hour media broadcasts. Doubting the Kaafir is part of the Muslims Aqeedah (creed). Doubting Muslims is against the Muslims Aqeedah. When a Muslim speaks, we must believe he speaks the truth. When the Kuffar speak, we must be cbelieve mamy be lying, especially when they speak about the affairs of the Muslims. The Kaafir journalist or reporter are considered liars, until they can prove they are not lying. And even if they can somehow prove that they are speaking the truth, we still must not believe them without our own verification.

Shame on those Muslims who take what the media report as free from bias or lies, and sit back in their own armchairs whether in the U.K. or in the U.S. condemning what the media of the Kuffar have reported the mujahideen to have carried out. Shame on those Muslims who take media reports as some kind of revelation and issue immediate press releases declaring as "Haraam" (prohibited) the actions they know nothing about, except what the Kuffar media have reported to them. How irresponsible is this?

It is high time we as Muslims, start to understand the demand our Aqeedah makes on us as believers, and to stop condemning or condoning until we have heard from the Muslims themselves as to what happened, whether that is in Afghanistan, or Iraq or wherever Muslims are working to make the word of Allaah the highest.

"And they the non-Muslims plan, and Allaah plans, and Allaah is the best of planners" [EMQ]


Russians lose faith in media after Beslan
By:Chris Tryhorn on:08.09.2004 [10:43 ] (130 reads)

85% of respondents did not trust Russian media reports about the siege

Public confidence in the media in Russia has fallen to rock-bottom levels following controversial coverage of the Beslan school siege.
A new opinion poll showed that just 13% of Russians trusted media reports about the tragedy, in which at least 335 people died. Eighty-five per cent of respondents expressed disbelief in the reports, according to the poll conducted across Russia by the St Petersburg-based Independent Analytical Centre over the weekend.

It is a sobering statistic for a country that emerged more than a decade ago from the Soviet era, when state-run media outlets were closely vetted by the Communist party and misinformation was all too common. Television stations in particular have come under fire after they followed the government line that only around 350 people had been taken hostage at the school - less than a third of the actual number - and then hesitated to show the unfolding tragedy on Friday, when explosions rang out and troops moved in to start a gun battle with hostage takers.

It took an hour for two of the country's main three television stations to go live to Beslan, and even then one of them returned to its schedule to show a drama after just 10 minutes. Presenters stuck to the Kremlin-approved line about what was happening, insisting that the Russian troops had no plan for storming the school. The stations are all controlled by the state in one way or another and have been accused of providing a mouthpiece for government evasions and lies.

They have reportedly toned down their approach since the Dubrovka theatre siege in Moscow two years ago, when President Vladimir Putin criticised them for abusing media freedom and accused them of jeopardising the safety of hostages with their coverage. While TV stations appeared to have erred on the side of censorship, several Russian newspapers have been vigorous in their attacks on the government and the TV channels' coverage.

"My God, how our valiant state television stations took fright and lost their heads," wrote columnist Irina Petrovskaya in the daily paper Izvestiya on Saturday. The Moskovsky Komsomolets said: "They're lying to us all the time... the last five terrorist attacks have been one long uninterrupted stream of lies." But such criticism has not been without a cost - Izvestiya's editor, Raf Shakirov, was later forced to resign over his paper's handling of the disaster.

That said, the paper returned to the fray on Tuesday with a point-by-point rebuttal of the official version of events. Controlled by businessman Vladimir Potanin through the Prof-Media publishing house, Izvestiya has a reputation for steering clear of overt criticism of Mr Putin. Papers run by Russia's "oligarchs" - super-rich businessmen who profited from the sale of state assets under President Yeltsin - sometimes show restraint in their coverage to avoid getting their owners into trouble with the Kremlin.

Fears that press freedom in Russia is hanging by a slender thread have been highlighted by a number of other incidents in the past few days. Journalist Anna Politkovskaya, a high-profile critic of the Kremlin's policy on Chechnya, was allegedly poisoned on a flight to Beslan last week. Andrei Babitsky, a correspondent for the US government-funded Radio Free Europe, was detained by Russian authorities at Moscow airport and prevented from travelling to the town after he was provoked into a fight that landed him in jail.

And a Georgian TV crew was reportedly detained in Beslan for crossing the Russian border without visas, an hour after they made a report on the siege.


Moscow rebuffs Israel anti-Islam bid
By:Iribnews on:08.09.2004 [07:29 ] (574 reads)

Al-Khalil, Sept 7 - The Zionist regime has been seeking to exploit the bloody tragedy in southern Russia earlier this week to incite Russia against the Muslim world, but the odious attempt has apparently failed. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov arrived in the Zionist state in a previously-scheduled visit aimed at bolstering Russia's role in the moribund Middle East peace process.

However, in light of the Beslan tragedy, talks between Lavrov and Zionist leaders are expected to focus on cooperation against' international terror'. Zionist regime, whose army killed and maimed thousands of Palestinian children during the past four years since the Palestinian uprising broke out in the occupied lands, is also expected to offer to accept a significant number of child victims of the hostage siege for rehabilitation in the Zionist state.

Lavrov welcomed cooperation with the Zionist regime in fighting against 'international terror' but rebuffed the Zionists' implied incitement against Islam and Muslims, saying the terrorists had no nationality or religion. "The fight against terrorism has nothing to do with Islam. To present this fight as a kind of a religious conflict or a clash of civilization would only play into the hands of terrorists who in reality have neither national or religious identity."

The Zionist regime has been striving rather rapidly to make a connection between the Chechen struggle for independence and the Palestinian struggle for freedom from the Zionists' decades-old colonialist occupation. Lavrov's also tacitly criticized Zionist regime's unilateralist approach toward the Palestinians, saying Russia was still committed to the quartet plan for peace in the Middle East, known as the roadmap.

link

[linskyjack]

Originally Posted by Al-Firdaus

EXCLUSIVE: The Truth Behind The Russian Academy Seige
Sep 08, 2004
By Kunya Abu Mujaahid, Exclusive For JUS

"Oh you who Believe! If a Liar comes to you with a news, verify it, lest you should harm people in ignorance, and afterwards you become regretful for what you have done." [EMQ 49:6]

The siege of a Russian school/higher education and military academy in North Ossetia has ended in massive bloodshed and loss of life, leaving possibly hundreds dead. Some analysts report that at least 700 people have been killed in total.

Friday’s events are but the latest in a chain of recent attacks inside Russia that have almost floored Russia and the failing Putin Presidency. The academy was seized on Wednesday by an group calling itself the Phalanges or divisions of the Martyrs of Riyaadh as-Saaliheen.

A total of 32 men and women stormed the academy in Beslan during its opening ceremony for the new term, taking hostages as human-shields in order to make a political statement to the Russian authority and to the world about the brutal occupation of Chechnya by the Russian invaders.

The mujahideen's demands were ten-fold:

• Putin must be put on trial (with Islam as the judicial process) as a war criminal for Genocide in Chechnya

• A clear timetable for the withdrawal of the occupying Russian forces from Chechnya must be laid out

• A "Release to Release" policy where for every ten academy hostages released the Russians would release a hundred Chechan prisoners languishing in Russian jails, some 6500 to date

• Economic compensation for the Russian aggression

• The result of the recent rigged elections must be overturned

• To leave the country by the agreed date and to let the people in Chechnya take authority

• The removal of all foreign forces in the region

• To allow all the displaced Chechan's to return back to Chechnya from the surrounding areas

• To put the Chechans who work with the Russian authority on trial as traitors who have committed a grave crime in the sight of Islam.

Though officials put the number of hostages at 354, up to 1,500 people were, in fact, taken hostage exposing the Russian lies.

Putin refused to negotiate to save the lives of the hostages. His overriding aim was to demonstrate, though a ruthless and violent action, the power of the state, once he had learnt of the mujahideens demands especially with respect to himself. Indeed, the mujahideen made attempts to release all the children inside the academy freeing 26 women and a number of the youngest children on Thursday. More had been ear-marked to be released. At no-stage did the mujahideen ever contemplate killing women and children, as this was expressly forbidden by Islam, this is borne out by the statements made by those captured and paraded by the Russians on state-run TV.

With the refusal to negotiate, the Russians prepared to attack the academy because as the siege continued to be drawn out more and more people had started to focus on the root causes of the crisis and the atrocities committed by Russia in Chechnya.

On Friday, September 3, after the Russians had cut off power to the academy as well as the food and water supplies, they made an assault using Russian Special Forces brought into Beslan from outside the region. Similarly to the use of the old Red Army when attempting to crush any local opposition groups, Special Forces were ordered in to ensure that the job was done properly and that no hostages were left alive, even if that meant killing their own country men caught in any cross fire.

The explosions and the resulting collapse of the academy roof led to scores of casualties. The fierce fighting left hundreds injured and wounded, including many children caught in the cross-fire.

Twenty-seven of the mujahideen were taken as martyrs (shuhaadaa) and around eight escaped with some of the hostages as protection. Putin, who visited Beslan and the hospital early Saturday, September 4, shut the borders of North Ossetia in order to control the media reporting of the atrocity committed by his own troops and to cover up as much of the evidence as possible.

With respect to the question of the legitimacy of targeting a school in Islam or any other building(s) for that matter, we say the following. Because Jihaad (legislated fighting) in Islam is not restricted by time or by place we do not need an evidence (from the Sharee'ah) to permit fighting in the mountains of Tora Bora or in the streets of Beslan, because by its nature, Jihaad is not restricted by time or place. This much is clear.

Allah (swt) says: "And fight in the way of Allaah those who fight you....And kill them wherever you find them, and turn them out from wherever they have turned you out" [EMQ 2:190-191]

This Qur'anic verse is general (Aam) and is not restricted. At the same time, Islam forbids the mujaahid (fighter) to target those non-fighter women and children and the non-fighter elders, the disabled or those who have any mental health problems, or those who are Priests or Monk's (of different faiths), or farmers (who are living far away from the area of the battle), provided they are non-fighters (i.e. do not take up arms against the Muslims). Having said all that, this does not mean however that the mujahideen are not allowed to take hostage a school or a hospital or a place of worship or any place in the earth becasue the Jihaad is not restricted by place.

Indeed, we find that the Muslims have always fought keeping the ideals of Islam in the back of their minds, nor transgressing any due limits set by Allah. This is a far cry from the Russians who have carried out a merciless war in Chechnya aimed at the suppression of the Islamic revival and demands for the creation of an Islamic bloc in the Caucasus region.

At least 100,000 have died since 1994 in Chechnya. All of the major towns, including the capital city of Grozny, have been razed to the ground. Even Putin was forced to concede his surprise at the extent of the destruction of the city when he visited Grosny in May, following the assassination of the pro-Kremlin governor and apostate, Ahmad Kadyrov. Inhabitants have been subjected to continual house searches, kidnappings, executions, rapes, and extortion. Normal life has been made impossible.

According to the mujahideen, the Russians are responsible for destroying over 72 schools in Chechnya while occupied by students. Thirty hospitals have been destroyed with patients still inside. Over 2 million Muslims in Chechnya have been displaced and become refugees because of the atrocity committed by the Russian forces. Is it any wonder then when such crimes have been committed to a people as we have described that they might retaliate in some small manner?

With respect to the claim of the media that the mujahideen targeted children, we say bring your evidence. If the Russian's were really sincere (and they are not because they are Kuffar and the Kuffar by default are mujrim (criminals)) - why did Putin not delay the burial of the children and setup a public inquiry into the events and allow time for autopsy's to be carried out on the dead to determine who had killed them. Indeed, it would be very easy for any forensic expert to determine whether a Chechan or a Russian had killed the children by analysing the wound and any remaining shrapnel. It is known that the mujahideen have their own distinctive bullets which they have developed, and the Russians have their own manufactured bullets.

Instead of investigating the matter, we see Putin muzzling the media investigation and putting a cloak of secrecy over the events. The Putin government want to hide the evidence and the truth which they fear. Indeed, they were the ones who opened fire and started the assault on the academy and killed their own people including women and children, akin to the storming of the Moscow theatre where hostages lost their lives as a result of the gas employed by secret service special forces when the murderer Putin once again failed to negotiate.

As Muslims, we must always be wary of what news the Kuffar (non-Muslims) bring us. We are not allowed to doubt Muslims, but we are obliged to doubt the Kuffar. This principle must be known to the Muslims and takes on great significance in this time of deception and the 24-hour media broadcasts. Doubting the Kaafir is part of the Muslims Aqeedah (creed). Doubting Muslims is against the Muslims Aqeedah. When a Muslim speaks, we must believe he speaks the truth. When the Kuffar speak, we must be cbelieve mamy be lying, especially when they speak about the affairs of the Muslims. The Kaafir journalist or reporter are considered liars, until they can prove they are not lying. And even if they can somehow prove that they are speaking the truth, we still must not believe them without our own verification.

Shame on those Muslims who take what the media report as free from bias or lies, and sit back in their own armchairs whether in the U.K. or in the U.S. condemning what the media of the Kuffar have reported the mujahideen to have carried out. Shame on those Muslims who take media reports as some kind of revelation and issue immediate press releases declaring as "Haraam" (prohibited) the actions they know nothing about, except what the Kuffar media have reported to them. How irresponsible is this?

It is high time we as Muslims, start to understand the demand our Aqeedah makes on us as believers, and to stop condemning or condoning until we have heard from the Muslims themselves as to what happened, whether that is in Afghanistan, or Iraq or wherever Muslims are working to make the word of Allaah the highest.

"And they the non-Muslims plan, and Allaah plans, and Allaah is the best of planners" [EMQ]


Russians lose faith in media after Beslan
By:Chris Tryhorn on:08.09.2004 [10:43 ] (130 reads)

85% of respondents did not trust Russian media reports about the siege

Public confidence in the media in Russia has fallen to rock-bottom levels following controversial coverage of the Beslan school siege.
A new opinion poll showed that just 13% of Russians trusted media reports about the tragedy, in which at least 335 people died. Eighty-five per cent of respondents expressed disbelief in the reports, according to the poll conducted across Russia by the St Petersburg-based Independent Analytical Centre over the weekend.

It is a sobering statistic for a country that emerged more than a decade ago from the Soviet era, when state-run media outlets were closely vetted by the Communist party and misinformation was all too common. Television stations in particular have come under fire after they followed the government line that only around 350 people had been taken hostage at the school - less than a third of the actual number - and then hesitated to show the unfolding tragedy on Friday, when explosions rang out and troops moved in to start a gun battle with hostage takers.

It took an hour for two of the country's main three television stations to go live to Beslan, and even then one of them returned to its schedule to show a drama after just 10 minutes. Presenters stuck to the Kremlin-approved line about what was happening, insisting that the Russian troops had no plan for storming the school. The stations are all controlled by the state in one way or another and have been accused of providing a mouthpiece for government evasions and lies.

They have reportedly toned down their approach since the Dubrovka theatre siege in Moscow two years ago, when President Vladimir Putin criticised them for abusing media freedom and accused them of jeopardising the safety of hostages with their coverage. While TV stations appeared to have erred on the side of censorship, several Russian newspapers have been vigorous in their attacks on the government and the TV channels' coverage.

"My God, how our valiant state television stations took fright and lost their heads," wrote columnist Irina Petrovskaya in the daily paper Izvestiya on Saturday. The Moskovsky Komsomolets said: "They're lying to us all the time... the last five terrorist attacks have been one long uninterrupted stream of lies." But such criticism has not been without a cost - Izvestiya's editor, Raf Shakirov, was later forced to resign over his paper's handling of the disaster.

That said, the paper returned to the fray on Tuesday with a point-by-point rebuttal of the official version of events. Controlled by businessman Vladimir Potanin through the Prof-Media publishing house, Izvestiya has a reputation for steering clear of overt criticism of Mr Putin. Papers run by Russia's "oligarchs" - super-rich businessmen who profited from the sale of state assets under President Yeltsin - sometimes show restraint in their coverage to avoid getting their owners into trouble with the Kremlin.

Fears that press freedom in Russia is hanging by a slender thread have been highlighted by a number of other incidents in the past few days. Journalist Anna Politkovskaya, a high-profile critic of the Kremlin's policy on Chechnya, was allegedly poisoned on a flight to Beslan last week. Andrei Babitsky, a correspondent for the US government-funded Radio Free Europe, was detained by Russian authorities at Moscow airport and prevented from travelling to the town after he was provoked into a fight that landed him in jail.

And a Georgian TV crew was reportedly detained in Beslan for crossing the Russian border without visas, an hour after they made a report on the siege.


Moscow rebuffs Israel anti-Islam bid
By:Iribnews on:08.09.2004 [07:29 ] (574 reads)

Al-Khalil, Sept 7 - The Zionist regime has been seeking to exploit the bloody tragedy in southern Russia earlier this week to incite Russia against the Muslim world, but the odious attempt has apparently failed. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov arrived in the Zionist state in a previously-scheduled visit aimed at bolstering Russia's role in the moribund Middle East peace process.

However, in light of the Beslan tragedy, talks between Lavrov and Zionist leaders are expected to focus on cooperation against' international terror'. Zionist regime, whose army killed and maimed thousands of Palestinian children during the past four years since the Palestinian uprising broke out in the occupied lands, is also expected to offer to accept a significant number of child victims of the hostage siege for rehabilitation in the Zionist state.

Lavrov welcomed cooperation with the Zionist regime in fighting against 'international terror' but rebuffed the Zionists' implied incitement against Islam and Muslims, saying the terrorists had no nationality or religion. "The fight against terrorism has nothing to do with Islam. To present this fight as a kind of a religious conflict or a clash of civilization would only play into the hands of terrorists who in reality have neither national or religious identity."

The Zionist regime has been striving rather rapidly to make a connection between the Chechen struggle for independence and the Palestinian struggle for freedom from the Zionists' decades-old colonialist occupation. Lavrov's also tacitly criticized Zionist regime's unilateralist approach toward the Palestinians, saying Russia was still committed to the quartet plan for peace in the Middle East, known as the roadmap.

link

The bold face section kinds of sums up the sickness of Islam.

[GoneForNow]

linskyjack............Not a challenge but a request. If you wish to just quote part of Allah Al's posts please feel free to do so but cut out the unnecessary part. It's bad enough his propaganda gets posted once, please let's avoid repeating it.

[philip1519]

Amen brother! Linskyjack, cracked me up about the footnote. Alf is on a tear and even though I have seen a great deal of respect thrown his way I am increasingly disillusioned about his voracity and commitment to American/Muslim understanding. As if he ever had any.

[Davey7549]

Philip
Al is a self involved basket case who sees little but a computer screen. His understanding of the Quran is limited to Islammemo and other radical websites and his family knows not what he preaches.... That is of course he has parents\family he respects or hasn't had killed for being infidels!

Dave

[Al-Firdaus]

Russians Blast US-UK Sponsorship Of Chechen Terror
By:Webster Griffin Tarpley on:20.09.2004 [08:18 ] (588 reads)

In the wake of the terrorist atrocity at a school in Beslan, North Ossetia, in the Russian Federation, Russian President Vladimir Putin has made remarks to the western press which expose the key role of the US and British governments in backing Chechen terrorism.

www.globalresearch.ca 18 September 2004 The URL of this article is: http://globalresearch.ca/articles/TAR409A.html

In the wake of the terrorist atrocity at a school in Beslan, North Ossetia, in the Russian Federation, Russian President Vladimir Putin has made remarks to the western press which expose the key role of the US and British governments in backing Chechen terrorism. Whatever Putin's previous role in events regarding Chechnya, his current political posture is one which sharply undercuts the legitimacy of the supposed Anglo-American "war on terror," and which points up the hypocrisy of the Bush regime's pledge that it will make no distinction between the terrorists and those who harbor them — since Washington and London are currently harboring Chechens implicated in terrorism. All in all, Putin's response to Chechen events has, with the third anniversary of 9/11, brought the collapse of the official 9/11 myth measurably closer. The hypocritical terror demagogy of Bush and Blair has now been undercut by the head of state of another permanent member of the UN Security Council...

On Monday September 6, Putin spoke for three and one half hours with a group of some 30 western correspondents and Russia experts at his dacha near Novo Ogarevo outside Moscow. There is no official transcript so far, but accounts have been published in The Guardian, The Independent, and Le Monde. The Washington Post waited until Friday, September 10 to publish an article, but left out the most significant remarks. There are now signs that the Anglo-American press is beginning a new campaign against Putin as a dictator, stressing the obvious in order to silence his attacks on the US-UK sponsorship of Chechen terror.

[Al-Firdaus]

The Euro Will Destroy the U.S. Dollar

THE INTERNATIONAL FORECASTER editor Bob Chapman writes: The group that massacred 170 children and 130 adults in Beslan led by CIA operative Shamil Basayev, took their orders from abroad ... there is no question this is an extension of Anglo-American foreign policy to dismember Russia as we predicted 12 years ago.

Russia has retaliated by demanding that Akhmad Zakayew, now being given sanctuary in London and Ilyas Akhmadov now residing in the US, be turned over to Russia for planning and conducting the Beslan massacre.

In fact, Ilyas Akhmadov has political asylum in the US and receives a Reagan-Fascell monthly stipend, medical insurance and an office, from which he engages in political circles and informs the media.

The Fascell Foundation is funded by Congress through the US State Department. Their actions show they not only want to dismember Russia but they want to use the instability they have caused to access oil in the Caspian region and in the process control Georgia and Azerbaijan ... if you remember in the late 1980s, the revolt against the Soviet Union began in Azerbaijan.

Thus, we believe the UK and US want to drive Russia out of the Caspian and Caucasus regions effectively neutering the country. The Beslan event has driven a wedge between Ossetians, Ingushis and Chechens, which will set the Caucasus aflame. If we were not already into WWIII, we are now.

The elitists are about to again destroy Russia and Russians in their efforts to achieve world government. Russia has a nuclear arsenal and they have to be brought to capitulate. If they do not, the elitists will pay a high price for their efforts. The ultimate aim is to destabilize Russia politically and otherwise and plunge the country into crisis.

If you observe the western media and cut through the hot air you will see the blame is being placed on Russia not on the butchers. They know what is going on but are terrified to report it.
The elitists are very fearful as a retaliatory measure that Russia will accept euros for their oil ... which Saddam Hussein did and for that and other reasons he was deposed. This, of course, would destroy the dollar as a reserve currency.

Once Russia moves to the euro, and we believe they will after Beslan, Iran, Venezuela and Indonesia will follow. This would lead to a US and world depression, which is on the way anyway.

The US would have to set up protective trade barriers, manufacturing would have to reawaken and free trade, globalization and outsourcing would come to an end. We are getting close.

The Economist, an elitist mouthpiece, gave Russia a virtual ultimatum, capitulate on the Caspian oil riches or we will destroy you via inter-ethnic wars. That means Russia must get aggressive and they will. Russia is the victim. Never did we ever think we would write these words, but that is just the way it is. New things are happening that are turning old relationships upside down. You had best reinvent your thinking or you will be left behind.

THE INTERNATIONAL FORECASTER
P. O. Box 510518, Punta Gorda, FL 33951, USA
Bob Chapman international_forecaster@yahoo.com

[alex_holker]

If you observe the western media and cut through the hot air you will see the blame is being placed on Russia not on the butchers.

That's funny Al Firdaus, last time weren't you one of the ones blaming the Russians? Killing one-quarter of the Chechan population, was it? Why the turnaround?

Alex

[buddhafabio]

hey he justs reads the opening title and dont read the posts within. i wish the mods could limit the cut and pasting on some accounts.


but any way this situation in russia may help set the stage for the biblical prediction on an attack on isreal

[Al-Firdaus]

Russian military intel report (Part 1)
By: Ramzaj, www.iraqwar.ru on: 18.10.2004 [05:16 ] (1193 reads)

Editor note: We start the publication of Ramzaj reports (March-April 2003). They were published at www.iraqwar.ru which domain name is unavalable now. Also you can find these reports at www.aeronautics.ru.

Russian military intel report: update on the situation in Iraq

Exclusive from IraqWar.Ru - During the March 14, 2003, emergency meeting the top Russian military commanders discussed the situation around Iraq. Reports were presented by the chief of Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff (GRU GSh) Col. Gen. Valentine Korabelnikov and the chief of Main Tactical Directorate of the General Staff (GOU GSh) Col. Gen. Alexander Rukshin. The GRU report contained information of the strength and composition of the US forces and its allies as well as strength and composition of the Iraqi forces.

According to Col. Gen. Korabelnikov beginning at 1200 on Friday March 14 US forces operate in the high combat readiness state and are capable of initiating combat operations 3-4 hours after they receive orders to such effect. All necessary combat orders have been delivered to all levels of command structure down to the battalion level commanders.

The GRU chief reported that due to the current international situation it is unlikely that the US will seek a vote in the UN Security Council on the new Iraq resolution. Doing so will inevitably lead to a failure to gain necessary support, which is most undesirable for the US. Therefore, the Bush administration will prefer to act using the previous UN resolution as an excuse for starting the war.

It seems likely that the combat operations will begin on 19-22 of March at around 2-4 am local time.

In connection with these developments the GRU and General Staff departments responsible for the Persian Gulf region will go to a 24-hour mode of operation. All Russian electronic reconnaissance brigades and divisions, intelligence agencies based in regions neighboring the conflict zone, sea- and space-based technical reconnaissance assets will be put on full combat alert.

The GOU GSh report provided an analysis of the Iraqi army's defensive capabilities and possible scenarios of the war.

The first phase of the operation will consist of a strategic air operation which, according to the US command, will last between 8 and 10 days. The goal of this operation will be complete suppression of Iraqi air defenses, disruption of command and control structures, destruction of main command and communication centers, disruption of the main Iraqi forces, destruction of the military infrastructure and defense industry facilities.

The first wave of the attack will consist of between 200-250 Tomahawk cruise missiles followed in 30-50 minutes by an aircraft strike. The initial air attack will last up to six hours. It will consist of around 2000 combat flights and the launch of around 400 cruise missiles. During the next five days it is planned to deliver at least two major air strikes per day with a gradual shift toward sustain air operations against newly discovered targets.

After the first phase of the operation is complete the US command plans to spend two more days for additional reconnaissance and destruction of any new or remaining targets. After this the available air assets will switched entirely to support the ground forces. The total time for the operation against Iraq is estimated by the US military planners to run between 15 and 21 days.

According to Col. Gen. Rukshin it is unlikely that the first phase of the US attack will be able to achieve its goals and destroy most of the main Iraqi forces. This stage of the operation is likely to take between three week and one-and-a-half months. During that time the US command will put an emphasis on the destruction of Iraq's top political and military leadership, including Saddam Hussein. For this purpose the US plans to use high-power aviation bombs capable of penetrating reinforced underground facilities at great depth. Additionally, for the first time the US plans to use tactical airborne troops and special forces against Iraq's military and political command sites.

GOU GSh finds it possible that the military campaign against Iraq will be considerably more difficult than expected by the US military planners. The US troops may encounter determined resistance from the Iraqi forces, which may lead to the slow down and even complete halt of the attack and will force the US to resume the mass bombing campaign. This will inevitably prolong the war into the 2-3-month timeframe and possibly longer.

Russian military intel report: update (2) on the situation in Iraq

According to the information received from one of the Russian Defense Ministry's radio intercept units, certain aspects of the planned military operation against Iraq were uncovered by the Russian military intel. During one of the radio communications between Kurd troops information was intercepted indicating that during the next 48 hours there may be a large-scale airdrop of US troops in Kurd-controlled northern Iraq.

Information obtained from additional sources shows that Turkey's refusal to permit a large number of US ground troops on its territory threw into turmoil the US plans for invading Iraq from the north. However, after a further analysis of the situation, the US command concluded that Turkey's refusal creates a possibility for an element of surprise in the US attack from the north.

Radio intercepts of Kurdish and some Turkish sources allow for a reasonable conclusion that with the beginning of the military operation the US will rely on Turkey's permission to use its airspace to transport between 18,000-22,000 troops in two days to Northern Kurdistan. This fast-response group of forces will form the core of the northern attack force.

It is believed that by the end of the fifth day of the war this attack group will be able to initiate full-scale combat operations against the Iraqi forces. In their advance from the north the US forces are expected to make full use of the Kurdish troops and the sympathetic local population. In connection with these plans some 300 British Commandos from the 22-nd SAS regiment have been already deployed to the Kurdish-controlled territories. These troops are conducting reconnaissance of the Iraqi forces deployed in the region, organizing cooperation between the Kurdish forces and the US and British commanders in the region, and preparing landing sites for the upcoming drops of airborne troops.

Communication specialists and electronic equipment already have been delivered to Northern Kurdistan along with "Patriot" surface-to-air missile systems and are ready to support the air drop of troops.

Russian military intel report: update (3) on the situation in Iraq

Based on the intercepted US military communications the Russian military intelligence believes that the US command is attempting to create a false impression of a pending massive ground attack on Basra.

Russian Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU) believes that all the talk about the attack on Basra is nothing more than disinformation designed compliment a diversionary strike to pin down large Iraqi forces around this city.

The main thrust of the US ground attack, Russian military thinks, will bypass Basra from the west splitting the Iraqi defenses through An Nasiriya (population under 500,000) and Al' Amarah (population under 500,000) at the end reaching the Hor-Es-Savakiya lake and forming an external encirclement facing Basra.

From An Nasiriya the invaders will advance along the Euphrates river reaching the Habbaniyah lake and capturing the city of Al Habbaniyah (population under 20,000), thus creating a solid front facing Baghdad from the south and partially reaching around Baghdad from southwest.

The encircled Basra forces will be contained using mass air strikes and ground troops to cut off the Iraqis in Basra from their main forces. The US command believes that the air bombardment will weaken and disorganize the Basra defenders and allow the US ground troops to further split these Iraqi forces into smaller pockets of resistance.

During these operations the US command plans to rely to a large extent on tactical airborne units dropped immediately behind the forward lines of Iraqi defenses to disorganize and to demoralize them, as well as to capture pockets of territory and hold them until the arrival of the main forces. A particularly important role in these operations will be played by combat aviation as the primary means of supporting ground troops and containing the enemy.

Already around 30 diversionary and reconnaissance units have been airdropped in Iraq by the US and Britain. Their primary task of these forces is provide targeting information for the upcoming initial waves of air strikes. Available information suggests that the first air strike may take place as early as Thursday morning 1.5-2 hours before the end of Washington's ultimatum. However, the sand storm currently raging over Iraq may force the US command to delay the planned attack by one or two days.

[ translated by Venik ]

Russian military intel update: War in Iraq, March 19, 2003

Based on the intercepted US military communications the Russian military intelligence believes that the US command is attempting to create a false impression of a pending massive ground attack on Basra.

Russian Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU) believes that all the talk about the attack on Basra is nothing more than disinformation designed compliment a diversionary strike to pin down large Iraqi forces around this city.

The main thrust of the US ground attack, Russian military thinks, will bypass Basra from the west splitting the Iraqi defenses through An Nasiriya (population under 500,000) and Al' Amarah (population under 500,000) at the end reaching the Hor-Es-Savakiya lake and forming an external encirclement facing Basra.

From An Nasiriya the invaders will advance along the Euphrates river reaching the Habbaniyah lake and capturing the city of Al Habbaniyah (population under 20,000), thus creating a solid front facing Baghdad from the south and partially reaching around Baghdad from southwest.

The encircled Basra forces will be contained using mass air strikes and ground troops to cut off the Iraqis in Basra from their main forces. The US command believes that the air bombardment will weaken and disorganize the Basra defenders and allow the US ground troops to further split these Iraqi forces into smaller pockets of resistance.

During these operations the US command plans to rely to a large extent on tactical airborne units dropped immediately behind the forward lines of Iraqi defenses to disorganize and to demoralize them, as well as to capture pockets of territory and hold them until the arrival of the main forces. A particularly important role in these operations will be played by combat aviation as the primary means of supporting ground troops and containing the enemy.

Already around 30 diversionary and reconnaissance units have been airdropped in Iraq by the US and Britain. Their primary task of these forces is provide targeting information for the upcoming initial waves of air strikes. Available information suggests that the first air strike may take place as early as Thursday morning 1.5-2 hours before the end of Washington's ultimatum. However, the sand storm currently raging over Iraq may force the US command to delay the planned attack by one or two days.

[ translated by Venik ]

Russian military intel update: War in Iraq, March 20

The sand storm raging over Iraq is seriously interfering with the US plans for the first air strike. So far the US Air Force was unable to launch any large-scale bombing raids against the positions of the Iraqi forces along the line of contact in southern Iraq. A sand cloud is covering the Iraqi positions and air strikes were carried out by the US only using cruise missile and only against well-known stationary targets.

Main air strikes are currently being carried out against the Iraqi positions in the vicinity of Basra. According to Russian radio intercepts of US military communications some 40 cruise missile launches and 200 combat flights were carried out by the US during the first 6 hours of the war against Iraq.

The US command is troubled by the news of the withdrawal of the Iraqi Republican Guard division from Basra region. Available information suggests that the defense of Basra will be carried out only by the regional defense units and by the Basra garrison, which numbers some 30,000 soldiers and officers, about 200 T-55 and T-62 tanks and up to 300 pieces of artillery. This points to a possibility that the Iraqi command is not concentrating on strong defense of the border regions but, instead, withdrawing its most combat-capable units deeper inside the country.

Military command of the anti-Iraq coalition demanded from its air forces an immediate increase in the intensity of air strikes. At the same time the Coalition is in a rush to process all the recon information obtained during the initial air strikes. Aerial and satellite reconnaissance forces of the Coalition are concentrating on detecting Iraqi air defenses as well as command and control facilities used by the Iraqis to deflect the first wave of air strikes.

Based on radio intercepts, several US combat units deployed in the demilitarized zone were bombarded by Iraqi artillery around 0730hrs Moscow time. American commanders requested emergency artillery and air support. Up to five USAF planes were forced to return back to their bases after suffering onboard equipment failures. At 0950hrs Moscow time one of the helicopters of the US 101st airborne division crashed due to low visibility conditions. So far there is no information about casualties in this crash.

In the next 24 hours Americans are anticipating news of “sharp political changes” in Iraq. Analysts believe that an overthrow plot against Saddam Hussein prepared by the CIA during the past few months is the reason behind such expectations. However, Russian agents are reporting that this plot was either uncovered in time or was under control of the Iraqi security agencies from the very beginning. This information is confirmed by a certain air of unease within the CIA command center in Qatar, as the expected overthrow of Hussein was supposed to take place several days ago.

According to the information received from Baghdad, the US air strikes directed against the Iraqi leadership did not acheive their goals. Saddam Hussein and all key members of his cabinet are alive and distributed across several different locations. It is likely that Iraq’s political and military leadership will be organized in accordance with the so-called “network” principle, originally implemented in Iraq in 1991 and later adopted by Yugoslavia in 1999. Iraqi political and military leadership will be constantly moving across a network of bunkers and other secure locations, conducting all communications using only secure lines and refraining from concentrating in one place more than two key leaders.

Information obtained by the radio intercept units of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Russian Armed Forces (GRU VS RF) shows that the majority of the Iraqi air defenses did not take part in the deflection of the initial US air strike. Not a single surface-to-air missile was launched during this first wave of strikes. Moreover, immediately following the initial air raid alert all Iraqi radars with known positions ceased operation and over 300 decoy radar transmitters were engaged. This indicates that the Iraqi command is relying on preserving as many of its air defense assets as possible and that it is preparing for long-term conflict. At the same time at least four cruise missiles were shot down by anti-aircraft artillery fire.

In an emergency phone conversation with the President of the United States George Bush the British Prime Minister Tony Blair expressed his strong disappointment with the fact that the British military and political leadership was informed about the planned start of the combat operations just 20 minutes before the first air strike. Blair called this decision by Bush “unfriendly” and characterized the US actions as a breach of trust between the two allies. All of this gives a double meaning to the role of Britain in the military partnership with the US, especially against the background of a major internal split in the ruling political coalition in the UK.

[ translated by Venik ]

Russian military intel update: War in Iraq, March 21, 2003

Moscow - In the course of yesterday’s US military command meeting on Iraq the primary topic of discussion was the unexpected tactics adopted by the Iraqi forces. The coalition aircraft over Iraq encountered a huge number of various kinds of target mockups and other decoys on the ground. Thus, for example, after the post-strike aerial reconnaissance mission of an Iraqi airbase near Basra it was determined that all of the 20 Iraqi aircraft reported earlier by the coalition pilots as being destroyed in the bombing turned out to be aircraft mockups. Additionally, nearly all Iraqi radars discovered earlier have ceased transmission and relocated to new positions. As the result, every third coalition aircraft designated for the role of suppressing Iraqi air defenses returned to base with its full combat load unused. The pilots report that there is no way to know if the weapons released against the Iraqi air defenses hit the real targets or just more decoys. “…We engaged everything that looked like a radar. But there is no way in hell we can know what it really was!” - reported one of the coalition pilots back to ground control after releasing missiles against a suspected Iraqi radar site.

A particular point of concern for the coalition air force commander is the fact that after the first 24 hours of the bombing campaign by the coalition aircraft Iraq is yet to launch a single air-to-surface missile. Coalition aerial, electronic and satellite reconnaissance forces are being urged to determine the locations and composition of the Iraqi air defenses in the next 16 hours.

The sources insist that the elements of the 3rd infantry division were purposefully provoked into fighting by the Iraqi mobile units, which from the first hours of the ground campaign used the “pinprick” tactics by launching more than 20 artillery attacks against the positions of the coalition forces. To prevent further such attacks the coalition command ordered its troops to pursue all attacking Iraqi units.

The GRU GSh RF radio intercept units reported that during one of such pursuits the Americans lost one of their helicopters. Following the loss of this helicopter Russian reconnaissance detected the take-off of a US search-and-rescue helicopter. This was at least a third helicopter lost by the coalition during the first 24 hours of fighting. As the result of the hit-and-run tactics employed by the Iraqis almost the entire 3rd infantry division was pulled inside Iraq and spent the day by conducting reconnaissance missions and exchanging fire with the Iraqis 20-60 kilometers from the Kuwaiti border. To protect the flanks of the division the US command was forced to begin the operation to encircle Basra an by 1900hrs the coalition ground forces (possibly the US Army III Corps which includes the 4th Infantry Div. Mech. and the 1st Cavalry Div., aided by the 1st Marine Div. (1) begun advancing with one part of their forces encircling Basra from the west, while the part moved in the direction of Baghdad. This maneuver was predicted by the Russian intelligence even before the war started.

By sunrise the 1st armored division was forced to stop their advance after encountering a minefield. According to the intercepted radio communications, mines destroyed some two US armored vehicles.

Additionally, at 0730hrs forward Marine units walked into an ambush and called in air support and medevac helicopters. Based on the intercepted radio communications Russian military intelligence believes that the Marines have encountered one the Iraqi mobile units. Currently this area is being bombarded by the US aviation.

The US command is disappointed with its psychological campaign designed to damage the morale of the Iraqi troops. So far there were no mass surrendering of Iraqi troops. During the first day of the war only a few dozen Iraqi soldiers have surrendered. These soldiers came mainly from the border checkpoints and border patrol units. Reports by the majority of the US field commanders show that they do not see any confusion or any loss of control on the part of the Iraqi forces.

So far the weak bombing attacks against Baghdad and other large Iraqi cities, analysts believe, are due to the continuing hopes by the US command that the planned coup against Saddam Hussein would finally materialize. The bombing campaign is being restricted to avoid heavy civilian casualties and provide the coup organizers with more favorable conditions in the cities. However, a step-up in the intensity of the bombing campaign against the Iraqi cities should be expected by the end of the day today, as the hope for a coup against the Iraqi president fades.

At lest two of the eight supposedly Iraqi missiles that hit Kuwait turned out to be US sea-launched cruise missiles that strayed off course. This can be clearly seen even from the craters left in the ground by the explosions of these missiles. After detonation the “Scud” warhead leaves a crater as much as 8 meters deep. What was observed in Kuwait, however, is the typical crater left by the detonation of a cruise missile’s warhead. The story with the rest of the Iraqi missile launches is also unclear. Experts are leaning toward a possibility that the explosions in the Kuwaiti border regions were caused not by missiles but by 120-mm mortar shells fired by the Iraqi mobile units.

The British troops failed to quickly capture the Fao peninsula. Once they landed on the peninsula they were hit with a heavy artillery barrage and held down near the shoreline. Only after the requested aviation support has arrived the British were able to advance 3-5 kilometers inland. During this operation, according to the intercepted radio communications, the British have suffered some casualties and called for medevac helicopters. Russian intelligence reports that the peninsula is being defended by up to two Iraqi regiments and by the armed civilians from the local population supported by several artillery battalions. Currently the British and the US forces are attempting to prevent the defending Iraqi forces at Fao peninsula from retreating toward Basra.

The coalition casualties during the first day of war numbered 23, as war reported to the US Secretary of Defense by the coalition commander Gen. Franks. However, during the next 12 hours the casualties are likely to grow to 40 killed and over a hundred wounded. At the moment the exact coalition casualty figures are difficult to determine due to the continuing evacuation of wounded from the Fao peninsula, the Basra region, and from the battlefield 70 km from the Kuwaiti border.

The first day of ground combat confirms the conclusion that the Iraqi command is organizing defenses in the central regions of the country. All main Iraqi forces have been pulled toward central Iraq leaving huge mine fields and many ambushes on the path of the advancing US forces.

The defense of Basra is carried out by the part of the Iraqi 4th Army Corp. and volunteer brigades formed by the resident of Basra. It is believed that the Iraqi command is not counting on preventing the US forces from taking Basra but is simply trying to inflict as many casualties on the coalition forces as possible.

The main battles of this war may begin as early as by the end of tomorrow, when the US forces reach central Iraq.

[translated by Venik]

Russian military intel update: War in Iraq, March 22, 2003

Information received during the last night is very contradictory. During all day and night fighting continued around Basra, Al-Nasiriya, and on the Faw (Fao) peninsula. Despite of numerous reports by the American and British command about the capture of Umm Qasr the coalition forces have so far failed to establish full control over this small borderline town. Exchange of fire in the city is continuing. Elements of the [Iraqi] 45-th Infantry Brigade, which is defending the town, are surrounded but continue to resist and are trying to break out toward Basra.

According to intelligence reports, at Umm Qasr American and British forces have sustained 10 killed and around 40 wounded soldiers and officers. Additionally, the Iraqis have destroyed up to 8 British and US armored personnel carriers.

"Iraqi resistance turned out to be far more determined than we've expected," the British and US commanders are reporting. - "They are surrounded but continue fighting even after losing much of their heavy equipment. Often we could only advance after completely destroying them with artillery and aviation."

So far there was no success in trying to clarify the reports about the capture or surrender of the 51st Infantry Division. According to intercepted radio communications, this division was fighting as a part of the 3rd Army Corp (Al-Nasiriya). It's brigades took up defensive positions along the northwestern approaches to Basra and participated in combat since the first day of fighting, which makes their voluntary surrender unlikely. Analysts believe that the anglo-american coalition reports refer to a surrender by a capture of one of the destroyed units or to a successful operation by their special forces.

Analysis of the video footage of the captured Iraqis, distributed by the coalition press-service, makes it difficult to accept the Iraqi army's "moral breakdown" story advertised by the Americans. Most of the captives retain their dignity and show no fear or ingratiation characteristic of demoralized enemy. In addition to that, Americans did not come up with a single video recording of destroyed or abandoned combat vehicles or any other equipment, nor did they provide any interviews with the captured Iraqis.

The US forces have halted their advance into Iraq and are now actively engaged in reconnaissance along the directions of Al-Nasiriya, An-Najaf and Al-Ammara. However, the main efforts of the coalition are being concentrated around the approaches to Basra. It is expected that by tomorrow they will build up a strike force to storm the city. Most major events of the upcoming several days will be unfolding in this region. Radio intercepts show that up to 25,000 British and American troops are already in the Basra region. The city is under a constant artillery and aviation bombardment.

During the past night a fuel supply convoy of the US 3rd Infantry Division was attacked by Iraqi special forces. Up to 7 fuel trucks have been lost in the attack. Three US soldiers were killed and nine wounded. Another three US soldiers are considered MIA and are believed to have been captured by the Iraqis.

As was expected, after realizing the failure of the coup against Hussein the US have resorted to intensive bombing of Baghdad beginning on the evening of March 21st. Just during that night Baghdad was attacked with 500 cruise missiles and over 1,000 aviation bombs. The city is engulfed by numerous fires.

Additionally, more than 20 other Iraqi cities were also bombed. More than 1,000 cruise missiles were launched against various targets and over 3,000 bombs were dropped. At the moment it is difficult to estimate the effectiveness of these strikes. However, judging by the high activity levels of Iraqi radio transmitters, the US was unable to disrupt the control of the Iraqi army.

Russian radio intercept units are certain that at least one coalition combat plane was shot down in these air raids.

Our sources believe that the high-intensity air strikes will continue for another 24 hours and after that the coalition will be forced to scale down the attacks to conduct additional reconnaissance and to regroup its forces.

A radio intercept made last night at approximately 4:40 am indicated that two British helicopters were shot down by a "Strela" SAM system after flying into a SAM trap. It is believed that the two SAR helicopters were to retrieve the pilot of the combat plane downed during the earlier air strike. The number of dead and wounded is still being established. So far the coalition command did not report these losses. (1)

The coalition commander Gen. Tommy Franks demanded from the Air Force a maximum possible increase in the close air support of the ground forces. During a "radio-bridge" with the commanders of all units Gen. Franks expressed his concern with the mounting casualties and the stubborn Iraqi resistance. "We've just spent three days trying to capture one small town, so we can only guess what awaits us in Baghdad!" - angrily said the commander and demanded better aviation support to soften up the defending Iraqi forces ahead of the advancing coalition units.

For the past day the coalition losses ar up to 30 killed and around 40 wounded. Ten coalition armored vehicles were destroyed my land mines. At least two armored vehicles were destroyed by anti-tank weapons.

[Al-Firdaus]

Iraqi losses are estimated in the range of 250-300 killed and up to 500 wounded. So far it is not possible to determine the damage from the night bombing raids. However, more than 500 people have been taken to hospitals in Baghdad - all of them were civilians.

Additional information about the situation in the primary combat areas in southern Iraq became available by 1300hrs (Moscow time, GMT +3). The US command reports about the supposed surrender of the entire Iraqi 51st Infantry Division turned out to be a complete fabrication. According to our sources the 51st Division continues to fight on the approaches to Basra and we can only talk about individual cases of Iraqi soldiers being captured in combat.

Elements of the US 3rd Infantry Division and the 1st Marine Infantry Division ended up in an exceptionally difficult situation. While attempting to encircle Basra from the north and to block An-Nasiriya elements the 3rd and 1st infantry divisions found themselves wedged between the defending Iraqi forces. The Iraqi command used this situation and delivered a decisive counterattack with up to 80 tanks in the open flank of the US forces, slicing through their combat orders. As the result of this counterattack these US units are now at risk of being separated from the main coalition forces and being surrounded.

By 1100hrs MSK Iraqi units advanced into the US attack front by 10-15 kilometers and Gen. Tommy Franks, the commander of the coalition forces, ordered his troops to switch entirely to defensive operations. At the same time he issued orders to the forward-deployed coalition tank units to halt their reconnaissance operations in the directions of Es-Samaba and An-Najaf and to move immediately to support the defending US forces. However, the situation is complicated by the fact that a part of the coalition tanks are currently disabled due to the lack of fuel and are awaiting the arrival of fuel convoys. Thus the tanks are able to gradually rejoin combat in small numbers as the fuel becomes available.

Currently the US and the Iraqi tank forces are engaged in mobile head-on combat approximately 70-90 kilometers to the south of An-Nasiriya. Combat orders have been received by the carrier borne aviation in the Persian Gulf, which until now did not take part in this battle. At the same time orders were issued to all available coalition strike aircraft in Qatar to scramble in support of the defending coalition forces.

Intercepted radio communications indicate that during the morning period of March 22 the US forces lost 10-15 tanks destroyed or disabled and up to 30 other armored vehicles. Medevac helicopters flew more than 30 search-and-rescue missions, which suggests heavy coalition losses.

Our sources report that during the early morning hours in southwestern Iraq in the vicinity of Akashat the Iraqi forces have engaged and surrounded a tactical paratroop unit of the 101st Airborne Division. Some of the surrounded paratroopers were able to break out into the desert, where they request air support and finally lost their Iraqi pursuers. However, up to 30 US troops were killed or captured in this engagement. Additionally, Russian radio intercept units report that one the US attack helicopters providing close air support was shot down.

The top US military command is planning to enhance the coalition command. During the Joint Chiefs of Staff meeting its Chairman Gen. Richard Mayers expressed strong criticism of the actions by the coalition commander Gen. Franks and proposed to strengthen his headquarters with several other senior military commanders. Gen. Franks is required to do everything he can to change the current situation on the front. Analysts believe that, if during the next 3-5 days Gen. Franks fails to achieve any significant results, than it is entirely possible that he will be replaced as the commander of the coalition forces.

Update: The coalition forces were able to capture a bridge in the suburbs of Nasiriya. Their control of the Basra airport is tentative at best as large numbers of Iraqi forces continue to resist with heavy artillery and machine gun fire. Around Basra the coalition forces have advanced at most by 1.5 kilometers. Gen. Franks has announced a change in plans: the coalition forces are no longer set on capturing Basra so not to "create military confrontations in that city." The coalition forces still do not control Umm Qasr and appear to be losing territory.

[ translated by Venik ]

Russian military intel update: War in Iraq, March 23, 2003

The situation in southern Iraq can be characterized as unstable and controversial. Heavy fighting is taking place in the Umm-Qasr-An-Nasiriya-Basra triangle. Satellite and signals intelligence show that both sides actively employ armored vehicles in highly mobile attacks and counterattacks. Additionally, fighting is continuing near the town of An-Najaf. As of this morning the Iraqi defenses along the Basra - An-Nasiriya - An-Najaf line are holding.

Following the yesterday's Iraqi counter strike near An-Nasiriya the US command was forced to halt the advance of its troops toward An-Najaf and to redirect a portion of available tank forces to cover the flanks of the 3rd Motorized Infantry Division attacked by the Iraqis. By late evening yesterday constant air strikes and increasing strength of American tank attacks forced the Iraqis to withdraw their troops back to eastern parts of Nasiriya, across the Euphrates river, were they assumed defensive positions along the river bank.

During the last day of fighting the Iraqis lost up to 20 tanks, up to 2 artillery batteries, and around 100 troops. Yesterday's US losses are estimated at 10 destroyed or disabled tanks, several armored personnel carriers and up to 15 troops killed in action.

By 0700hrs MSK today the fighting at Nasiriya stopped. Currently both sides are rushing to regroup their forces and to get them ready for more fighting in this area.

Near Basra the advance of the coalition forces came to a complete halt at the near approaches to the western and southwestern outskirts of the city. The US and British forces are rushing to settle into defensive positions after failing to surround Basra. Eastern and northern approaches to Basra remain open and under control of the Iraqi forces.

More controversial reports are coming in from the town of Umm-Qasr. As early as three days ago the US command has declared that the coalition forces have captured this small port town and the adjacent oil terminal. However, throughout these three days heavy fighting continued in the town and in the suburbs. The US forces are still unable to break the defense put up by the Iraqi 45th brigade defending the town. Moreover, several counterattacks by the Iraqi forces at Umm Qasr have pushed the US forces out of some part of the town. During last night the Iraqi 45th brigade was reinforced by a special tank battalion of the 51st Infantry Division. The reinforcement included up to 600 troops and 10 tanks. However, the coalition forces were also strengthened overnight with two tank battalions and self-propelled artillery.

As of 1000hrs MSK this morning heavy fighting continues at Umm Qasr. According to intercepted radio communications, the British marine infantry units in defensive positions on the Fao peninsula have requested emergency air and artillery support after being attacked by superior Iraqi forces. So far it is not clear whether this was an actual counterattack by the Iraqis or just a nuisance attack. The British commanders report that their positions are being attacked by up to a regiment of infantry supported by tanks.

Other intercepted radio traffic suggests that, as the British and US forces bend the Basra - An-Najaf line of defense, the Iraqi command will pull back its main forces to the Al-Ammara - Ad-Divaniya line. Already most of the Iraqi forces in this region have moved to the Al-Ammara - Ad-Divaniya positions and within the next 48 hours defense of Basra and Fao peninsula will be reduced to just the local units and garrisons.

The goal of the remaining forces will be to tie up superior coalition forces in these areas. According to radio intercepts during today's night the coalition begun airdropping troops in northern Iraq from airfields in Turkey and Jordan. These forces are being used to form mobile strike groups in northern Kurdistan and near the western-Iraqi town of Er-Rutbah. Already up to 5,000 coalition troops have been delivered to northern Kurdistan and up to 1000 paratroopers have landed near Er-Rutbah.

Russian military intelligence has uncovered a range of facts pointing to a separate arrangement between the top leadership of Jordan and the US military command. Officially Jordan has declared its neutrality in the war against Iraq and refused to provide its airspace to the coalition aviation. However, at the same time Jordan has allowed the anti-Iraq coalition to place surveillance radars and radio reconnaissance stations on its territory. Jordan has also allowed the coalition to use its military airbases. Available information indicates that coalition special ops units, including up to 400 troops and their command headquarters, have been deployed to the Jordanian Zarka military base and to the home base of the Jordan's 71st special ops brigade.

Reports that have surfaced in the media in the past 12 hours about the capture of a US special ops unit near Baghdad are probably not true. It is likely that these reports refer to the capture of coalition paratroopers yesterday morning near the town of Akashat. During the past 12 hours there has been a drop in intensity of air strikes against Baghdad. Analysts attribute this to the fact that most of available coalition air assets are now deployed in support of ground forces. Intercepted coalition radio traffic shows that most of the bombing attacks against Baghdad are carried out by the US strategic aviation and by sea-launched long-range cruise missiles.

So far the US was unable to destroy the air defense networks in central Iraq. As before, the Iraqis continue to covertly use their radars and SAM launchers on a limited bases while employing a huge number of decoys designed to imitate radars. The US was also unable to disrupt the central control over the Iraqi army. The US command is forced to admit that, despite the best efforts of the coalition aviation, the Iraqi forces maintain high combat readiness and reliable command and control structure.

[Russian] radio intercept units have reported the loss of two coalition planes. One of the planes was a "Tornado" strike aircraft and the other one was believed to be an F-16 fighter-bomber. The F-16 was shot down over Baghdad and is believed to have crash-landed in a desert in southern Iraq. A coalition search-and-resque unit was immediately dispatched to this area. A CIA referent in the combat area Col. Davis (likely to be a pseudonym) and the US DoD Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) regional director were demoted due to their inadequate performance in estimating the strength of Iraq's forces and their combat readiness. Eyewitnesses report that Gen. Tommy Franks looks extremely exhausted and irritated. Gen. Franks has cancelled the meeting with journalists planned for this morning.

Work is paralyzed at the coalition press-center in Kuwait. Journalists are not able to get any information except for the hourly press communique from the command. A variety of reasons are cited by the military to reduce the number of trips into the combat zone for the journalists. All reports coming from the journalists attached to the coalition units are now being strictly censored by the military. All live broadcasts, as those seen during the first day of the war, are now strictly prohibited by a special order from the coalition command. The required time delay between the time news video footage was shot and the time it can be broadcast has been increased to a minimum of 4 hours. More accurate information became available regarding the losses sustained by both sides during the first three days of the war. The coalition has officially acknowledged the deaths of some 25 servicemen.

However, intercepted radio communications show that the actual number of coalition casualties is at least 55-70 troops killed and no less than 200 wounded. The emergency dispatch of the "Comfort" medical ship closer to the combat zone is a direct indication of serious casualties. The "Comfort" is expected to arrive to the southern tip of the Fao peninsula later tonight. It is more difficult to evaluate the losses of the Iraqi especially due to the air strikes. On the south front Iraqi losses are estimated at 400-600 killed, 1,500 wounded and up to 300 captured.

[ translated by Venik ]

Russian military intel update: War in Iraq, March 24, 2003

As of morning (MSK, GMT +3) March 24 the situation in Iraq can be characterized as quiet on all fronts. Attacking coalition forces have settled into positional warfare, they are exhausted, lost the attacking momentum and are in urgent need for fuel, ammunition, repairs and reinforcements. The Iraqis are also busy regrouping their forces, reinforcing the combat units and setting up new defense lines.

Exceptionally heavy fighting continued for two days and nights near An-Nasiriya. Both warring sides employed large numbers of tanks and artillery. More than 20,000 troops of the US 3rd Motorized Infantry Division, supported by 200 tanks, 600 other armored vehicles and 150 artillery pieces, were opposed by the Iraqi 3rd Army Corps consisting of up to 40,000 troops, up to 250 tanks, more than 100 artillery, up to 100 mortars and 1000 rocket propelled grenade launchers (RPG) and anti-tank guided missiles (ATGM). The two-day battle ended without any significant results.

The Americans have failed in trying to use their momentum in capturing An-Nasiriya and attempted to encircle the town from the west, where they encountered strong layered Iraqi defenses and forced to withdraw. The Iraqi forces used this opportunity to attack the US flanks with two brigades, breaking the US combat orders and causing panic among the US troops. The US command was forced to halt the advance of its forced toward An Najaf and once again redirect several tank battalions to support the attacked units. Nearly 6 hours was needed for the US aviation to stop the Iraqi attack and restore combat order of the US forces.

During the past day the coalition aviation flew more than 2,000 close support missions in this area [An-Nasiriya]. "We can only thank God for having air dominance!” said the commander of the US 15th Marines Exp. Corps Col. Thomas Waldhauser in a private conversation with one of the CNN reporters. Later the CNN journalist cited the Colonel in a phone conversation with his editor. The conversation was intercepted.

According to the intercepted radio traffic, the US forces have sustained up to 40 killed, up to 10 captured and up to 200 wounded during the fighting near An-Nasiriya. There is confirmed information about one lost attack helicopter and an unconfirmed report about a lost ground attack plane. The US forces have also lost up to 40 armored vehicles, including no less than 10 tanks. Several intercepted reports by the US field commanders stated that their troops are unable to advance due to their soldiers being demoralized by the enemy's fierce resistance and high losses.

Four days of continuous advance exhausted the coalition forces, which now have settled into defensive positions nearly on every front to rest and regroup. As of this morning (MSK, GMT +3) the coalition forces are in control of the western part of An-Nasiriya but have no foothold on the left bank of Euphrates. The left bank of the river is controlled by the Iraqi forces, which are conducting engineering works to reinforce their defenses.

A part of the Iraqi forces have been deployed to strengthen the defense of An-Najaf, where they expect the next coalition attack. Around 2300hrs (MSK, GMT +3) March 23 a British platoon was ambushed by Iraqi Special Forces unit near Basra. Following a powerful initial artillery barrage the Iraqis engaged the British in close combat and destroyed several armored vehicles. After the Iraqis withdrew the British commander reported up to 8 killed, two missing and more than 30 wounded British soldiers.

Thus over the 30% of the unit's troops have been disabled in the attack. Reinforcements and medevac helicopters have been dispatched by the coalition to the scene of the attack. During the past day there has been a sharp increase in combat activity in the coalition's rearguard. Reports have been intercepted showing at least 5 attacks on the coalition military convoys, 8 vehicles destroyed by landmines and 2 ambushes. Iraqi special operation units are mining the roads, setting up ambushes and conduct search and reconnaissance operations.

The coalition forces have been ordered to halt the movement of convoys during dark hours and to provide each convoy with combat escort units and air cover. The situation around the borderline town of Umm Qasr (population 1,500) still remains unclear. Radio intercepts and satellite images show that the town was under constant bombardment throughout out the night. The morning photos indicate its complete destruction. This shows that the coalition command, fed up with the Iraqi's stubborn resistance, ordered the complete destruction of the town using aviation and artillery. However, according to reports by the British troops ordered to "clean up" Umm Qasr the town still contains many pockets of resistance. The overall coalition losses at Umm Qasr during the past four days amounted to up to 40 killed and up to 200 wounded.

Currently it is impossible to estimate the Iraqi losses at Umm Qasr. As of yesterday's morning the Umm Qasr garrison consisted of 1600 troops. The units of the British marine infantry have failed to establish control over the strategically important Fao peninsula. After yesterday's counterattack by the Iraqis the British forces have been thrown back some 3 to 5 kilometers and were forced into defensive positions. Intercepted radio communications indicate that today the British command will attempt to regain the lost ground after spending the night reinforcing their units on Fao with two additional marine infantry battalions.

The overall British losses on the Fao peninsula during the past four days of fighting include up to 15 killed and up to 100 wounded. The Iraqis lost here up to 100 killed and around 100 captured. A heated exchange of fire continues near Basra. The coalition units hesitate to enter the city and limit their actions to constant artillery and aviation bombardment of Basra. So far the coalition forces have failed to completely surround the city and to cut off the defending Iraqi garrison from the main Iraqi forces.

The US troops continue landing in northern Iraqi territories controlled by the Kurds. It is expected that as early as tomorrow morning these forces supported by the Kurdish units will make an attempt to capture the town of Kirkuk. Aerial strikes against Iraq continued throughout the night. A total of up to 1,500 combat flights were carried out by the coalition aviation. Additionally, B-52 bombers launched more than 100 cruise missiles from the so-called "Turkish corridor".

Some 150 more cruise missiles have been launched by the US and British naval forces. Intercepted radio traffic indicates another lost coalition plane this morning. There was a confirmed loss of a "Predator" unmanned aerial reconnaissance aircraft. Any further advances by the coalition within the next 8-12 hours are unlikely. The coalition command in Qatar has been in meeting since the early morning and is expected to come up with significant changes to the overall operational plan.

According to most experts the coalition command made a most serious strategic error by starting the ground phase of the operation nearly at the very start of the war. The Americans have violated their own doctrine where the ground phases of a military operation coincide in time with the destruction of the enemy from the air. The US made serious errors in their estimates of the Iraq's army strength and combat readiness. The US military intelligence and the CIA failed to uncover the true potential of the Iraqi forces and, in essence, misinformed the top military and civilian leadership of the coalition member countries.

[ translated by Venik ]

Russian military intel update: War in Iraq, March 25, 2003

As of the morning March 25 the situation on Iraqi fronts remains quiet. Both sides are actively preparing for future engagements. Exhausted in combat the US 3rd Motorized Infantry Division is now being reinforced with fresh units from Kuwait (presumably with up to 1 Marine brigade and 1 tank brigade from the 1st Armored Division (all coming from the coalition command reserves) and elements of the British 7th Tank Brigade from the area of Umm Qasr. The troops have a stringent requirement to regroup and, after conducting additional reconnaissance, to capture An-Nasiriya within two days.

The Iraqis have reinforced the An-Nasiriya garrison with several artillery battalions and a large number of anti-tank weapons. Additionally, the Iraqis are actively deploying landmines along the approaches to their positions.

However, currently all combat has nearly ceased due to the sand storm raging over the region. Weather forecasts anticipate the storm's end by noon of March 26. According to intercepted radio communications the coalition advance will be tied to the end of the sand storm and is planned to take place during the night of March 26-27. The coalition command believes that a night attack will allow its forces to achieve the element of surprise and to use its advantage in specialized night fighting equipment.

There have been no reports of any losses resulting from direct combat in the past 10 hours. However, there is information about two coalition combat vehicles destroyed by landmines. Three US soldiers were wounded in one of these incidents.

Positional warfare continues near Basra. The coalition forces in this area are clearly insufficient for continuing the attack and the main emphasis is being placed on artillery and aviation. The city is under constant bombardment but so far this had little impact on the combat readiness of the Iraqi units. Thus, last night an Iraqi battalion reinforced with tanks swung around the coalition positions in the area of Basra airport and attacked the coalition forces in the flanks. As the result of this attack the US forces have been thrown back 1.5-2 kilometers leaving the airport and the nearby structures in the hands of the Iraqis. Two APCs and one tank were destroyed in this encounter. According to radio intelligence at least two US soldiers were killed and no less than six US soldiers were wounded.

The coalition forces are still unable to completely capture the small town of Umm Qasr. By the end of yesterday coalition units were controlling only the strategic roads going through the town, but fierce fighting continued in the residential districts. At least two British servicemen were killed by sniper fire in Umm Qasr during the past 24 hours.

The coalition command is extremely concerned with growing resistance movement in the rear of the advancing forces. During a meeting at the coalition command headquarters it was reported that up to 20 Iraqi reconnaissance units are active behind the coalition rear. The Iraqis attack lightly armed supply units; they deploy landmines and conduct reconnaissance. Additionally, captured villages have active armed resistance that is conducting reconnaissance in the interests of the Iraqi command and is organizing attacks against coalition troops. During the past 24 hours more than 30 coalition wheeled and armored vehicles have been lost to such attacks. Some 7 coalition servicemen are missing, 3 soldiers are dead and 10 are wounded.

The coalition commander Gen. Tommy Franks ordered his forces to clear coalition rears from Iraqi diversionary units and partisans in the shortest possible time. The British side will be responsible for fulfilling these orders. A unit from the 22nd SAS regiment supported by the US 1st, 5th and 10th Special Operations Groups will carry out this operation. Each of these groups has up to 12 units numbering 12-15 troops each. All of these units have some Asian or Arabic Americans. The groups also have guides and translators from among local Iraqi collaborators, who went through rapid training at specialized centers in the Czech Republic and in the UK.

The sand storms turned out to be the main enemy of the American military equipment. Just the 3rd Motorized Infantry Division had more than 100 vehicles disabled. This is causing serious concern on the part of the coalition command. The repair crews are working around the clock to return all the disabled equipment back into service. The M1A2 Abrams tanks are not known for the their reliable engines as it is, but in the sand storm conditions multiple breakdowns became a real problem for the tank crews.

All attempts by the US paratroopers to capture the town of Kirkuk have yielded no result. The Americans counted on the support of the Kurds but the latter refused to take a direct part in the attack and demanded guarantees from the US command that it will prevent a Turkish invasion. The Turkish themselves are avoiding making any promises.

Additionally, the situation [at Kirkuk] is affected by the lack of heavy weapons on the part of the US paratroopers. The aviation support alone is clearly not sufficient. The northern group of forces commander Marine Brig. Gen. Osman has requested artillery and armored vehicles.

All indications are that so far the US is unable to form a combat-capable strike force in this area.

According to satellite reconnaissance it seems likely that the Iraqis had time to remove the captured Apache Longbow attack helicopter of the 11th Aviation Regiment. The pieces remaining at the landing site following a US bombing strike indicate that the bombs hit a crudely constructed mockup.

Aerial bombardment of Baghdad has so far failed to produce the expected results. All targets designated before the war have been hit 3 to 7 times, but this had almost no effect on the combat readiness of the Iraqi army, their air defenses or the command and control structures.

It seems that during preparation for the war the Iraqis were able to create new, well-protected communication lines and control centers. There is plenty of intelligence information indicating that so far the US electronic reconnaissance was unable to locate and to penetrate the Iraqi command's communication network, which is an indication of the network's high technological sophistication.

A particular point of concern for the US command is the huge overuse of precision-guided munitions and cruise missiles. Already the supply of heavy cruise missiles like the "Tomahawk" has been reduced by a third and, at the current rate of use, in three weeks the US will be left only with the untouchable strategic supply of these missiles. A similar situation exists with other types of precision-guided munitions. "The rate of their use is incompatible with the obtained results. We are literally dropping gold into the mud!" said Gen. Richard Mayers during a meeting in Pentagon yesterday morning. [reverse translation from Russian]

The US experts already call this war a "crisis". "It was enough for the enemy to show a little resistance and some creative thinking as our technological superiority begun to quickly lose all its meaning. Our expenses are not justified by the obtained results. The enemy is using an order of magnitude cheaper weapons to reach the same goals for which we spend billions on technological whims of the defense industry!" said Gen. Stanley McCrystal during the same Pentagon meeting. [reverse translation from Russian]

Since the early morning today the coalition high command and the Joint Chiefs of Staff are in an online conference joined by the Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld. This meeting immediately follows an earlier meeting last night at the White House. During the night meeting with President Bush emergency actions were outlined to resolve the standstill in Iraq. The existing course of actions is viewed as "ineffective and leading to a crisis". The Secretary of State Collin Powell warned that, if the war in Iraq continues for more than a month, it might lead to unpredictable consequences in international politics.

The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Richard Mayers reported on the proposed actions and corrections to the plan of the operation in Iraq. George Bush demanded that the military breaks the standstill in Iraq and within a week achieves significant military progress. A particular attention, according to Bush, should be paid to finding and eliminating the top Iraqi political and military leadership. Bush believes that Saddam Hussein and his closest aides are the cornerstone of the Iraqi defense.

During today's online meeting at the coalition headquarters Gen. Franks was criticized for inefficient command of his troops and for his inability to concentrate available forces on the main tasks.

[Al-Firdaus]

According to [Russian military] intelligence Pentagon made a decision to significantly reinforce the coalition. During the next two weeks up to 50,000 troops and no less than 500 tanks will arrive to the combat area from the US military bases in Germany and Albania. By the end of April 120,000 more troops and up to 1,200 additional tanks will be sent to support the war against Iraq.

A decision was made to change the way aviation is used in this war. The use of precision-guided munitions will be scaled down and these weapons will be reserved for attacking only known, confirmed targets. There will be an increase in the use of conventional high-yield aviation bombs, volume-detonation bombs and incendiary munitions. The USAF command is ordered to deliver to airbases used against Iraq a two-week supply of aviation bombs of 1-tonn caliber and higher as well as volume-detonation and incendiary bombs. This means that Washington is resorting to the "scorched earth" tactics and carpet-bombing campaign.

[translated by Venik]

Russian military intel update: War in Iraq, March 26, 2003

As of the morning March 26 fierce battles have resumed in Iraq along the entire front. As was previously expected the sand storm has halted the advance of the coalition forces. Additionally, the coalition troops were in serious need of rest, resupply and reinforcement.

For much of the day unfavorable weather paralyzed combat activities of one of the main attack groups of the coalition - the 101st Airborne Division, which was forced to completely curtail all of its combat operations. Combat readiness of this division is of strategic importance to the entire coalition force primarily due to the fact that the division operates 290 helicopters of various types, including the 72 Apache attack helicopters. The 101st Airborne Division along with the 82nd Airborne Division and the 3rd Infantry Division (Mechanized) forms the backbone of the XVIII Airborne Corps - the main strike force of the coalition.

In essence, the 101st Airborne Division provides suppression of the enemy while simultaneously conducting aerial reconnaissance and suppression of any newly-discovered enemy forces. It maintain constant contact with the enemy and contains the enemy until the main forces arrive.

Currently the coalition's main forces are conducting combat operations along the approaches to the towns of Karabela and An-Najaf.

During the past 24 hours the coalition units in these areas sustained 4 killed and up to 10 wounded. All indications are that one coalition special operations helicopter was lost and no communication with the helicopter could be established. The faith of its crew and the troops it carried is still being investigated. Another two coalition helicopters made emergency landings in areas controlled by friendly forces. Aircraft engines were found to be extremely susceptible to the effects of sand.

As was determined by our [GRU] intelligence even before the start of combat operations, the primary goal of the coalition command was an energetic advance across the desert along the right bank of the Euphrates river, reaching the central Iraq with a further thrust toward Baghdad through Karabela. Another strategic attack was to go around Basra through An-Nasiriya toward Al-Ammara followed by a full isolation of the southern Iraqi forces, effectively splitting Iraq in half.

The first part of the plan - a march across the desert toward Karabela - was achieved, albeit with serious delays. The second part of the plan in essence has failed. Up to this moment the coalition troops were unable to punch through the Iraqi defenses near An-Nasiriya and to force the Iraqis toward Al-Ammara, which would have allowed the coalition to clear the way to Baghdad along the strategically important Mesopotamian river valley with Tigris and Euphrates covering the flanks of the advancing forces. So far only a few coalition units were able to get to the left bank of the Euphrates, where they are trying to widen their staging areas.

Additionally, the prolonged fighting near An-Nasiriya allowed the Iraqis to withdraw most of their forces from Basra region and to avoid being surrounded.

Currently the coalition forces are trying to get across the river near An-Najaf and Karabela, where, all indications are, heavy combat will continue during the next two days.

Harsh criticism from the top US military leadership and pressure from Washington forced the coalition command to resort to more energetic actions. In addition to that the shock of the first days of war among the coalition troops, when they expected an easy trek across Iraq but encountered stiff resistance, is now wearing off. They are now being "absorbed" into the war. Now the coalition actions are becoming more coherent and adequate. The coalition command is gradually taking the initiative away from the Iraqis, which is in part due to the reliance of the Iraqi command on inflexible defensive tactics.

Now the main tactical move of the US troops is to use their aerial and ground reconnaissance forces to test the Iraqi defenses, to open them up and, without entering direct close combat, to deliver maximum damage using artillery and ground attack aircraft. The coalition has finally stopped pointlessly moving around in convoys, as was characteristic of the first three days of the ground war.

The tactics allowed for increased combat effectiveness and considerably increased losses of the Iraqi side. Due to such attacks by the coalition during the previous night and today's early morning the Iraqis have lost 250 troops killed and up to 500 wounded. Up to 10 Iraqi tanks were destroyed and up to three Iraqi artillery batteries were suppressed.

However, despite of the increased combat effectiveness, the coalition forces have so far failed to capture a single sizable town in Iraq. Only by the end of the sixth day the British marine infantry was able to establish tentative control over the tiny town of Umm Qasr. During the hours of darkness all movement around the town is stopped and the occupying troops withdraw to defensive positions. Constant exchanges of fire take place throughout the town. Out of more than 1,500-strong local garrison the British managed to capture only 150 Iraqis. The rest has either withdrew toward Basra or changed into civilian clothes and resorted to partisan actions.

Near Basra the British forces in essence are laying a Middle Ages-style siege of a city with the population of two million. Artillery fire has destroyed most of the city's life-supporting infrastructure and artillery is used continuously against the positions of the defending units. The main goal of the British is two maintain a strict blockade of Basra. Their command is confident that the situation in the city can be destabilized and lack of food, electricity and water will prompt the local population to cause the surrender of the defending forces. Analysts point out that capture of Basra is viewed by the coalition command as being exceptionally important and as a model for the future "bloodless" takeover of Baghdad.

So far, however, this approach does not work and the city's garrison is actively defending its territory. Just during the past night at least three British soldiers were killed and eight more were wounded in the exchange of fire [near Basra].

It is difficult not to not to notice the extremely overstretched frontline of the coalition. This frontline is stretching toward Baghdad through An-Najaf and Karabela and its right flank goes all the way along the Euphrates and is completely exposed. All main supply and communication lines of the coalition are going through unprotected desert. Already the supply routes are stretching for more than 350 kilometers and are used to deliver 800 tonnes of fuel and up to 1,000 tonnes of ammunition, food and other supplies daily to the advancing forces.

If the Iraqis deliver a decisive strike at the base of this front, the coalition will find itself in a very difficult situation, with its main forces, cutoff from the resupply units, losing their combat readiness and mobility and falling an easy pray to the Iraqis.

It is possible that the Americans are relying on the power of their aviation that should prevent any such developments. It is also possible that this kind of self confidence may be very dangerous.

Massive numbers of disabled combat vehicles and other equipment becomes a strategic problem for the coalition. Already, radio intercepts indicate, all available repair units have been deployed to the front. Over 60% of all available spare parts have been already used and emergency additional supplies are being requested.

The sand is literally "eating up" the equipment. Sand has a particularly serious effect on electronics and transmissions of combat vehicles. Already more than 40 tanks and up to 69 armored personnel carriers have been disabled due to damaged engines; more than 150 armored vehicles have lost the use of their heat-seeking targeting sights and night vision equipment. Fine dust gets into all openings and clogs up all moving parts.

The coalition command has effectively acknowledged its defeat in the information war with the strikes against the television center in Baghdad and now further strikes should be expected against television and ground satellite transmitters. The coalition is attempting to leave the Iraqis without information in order to demoralize them.

The extreme length of the resupply routes and the actions of the Iraqi reconnaissance units have created a new problem: the coalition command is forced to admit that it has no information about the conditions on the roads. Currently, as intercepted radio communications show, the coalition command is trying to establish the whereabouts of more than 500 of its troops that fell behind their units, departed with resupply convoys or were carrying out individual assignments. So far it was not possible to establish how many of these troops are dead, captured or have successfully reached other units.

[ translated by Venik ]

to be continued

8 comments

Ah the olde'days....
by Chevrus Guest on 18.10.2004 [07:42 ]

I recall reading these reports back in the day and marvelling at thier staitforewardness, and unassuming nature. What I would love to hear is more of this type of analysis. Several regualar posters are giving it a shot , though they are not sure of details and dont pretend to be. The more socially political articles these days are fine, but I value the nuts'n'bolts approach to the realities onthe ground and in the air far more.

I suppose its up to us lowely contributors to iron it out in specualtive but informed commentary. If I had one wish , it would be "more of that!" ...there is nothing better than a group of intelligent people cross referencing intel and coming up with a working model. Every thing from inventing a new engine or figuring out a way to generate sustainable yield farming can be accomplished in this way. Trying to uncover the hidden realities of the war are, well very necessary at least for those of us who give a damn and have an interest in military affairs.

On a more immediate note: How is the Crunch going to manifest? US forces seem to be lacking just about everything , from ammo to fuel and morale. They have been encircled and overrun in a few cases, the current offensive is simply to keep from having to sit home and get mortared and rocketted. That and hoping to make the resistance forces keep their heads down, which they have ample practice doing. Does the resistance dare to mass larger #'s of troops to deliver a hammer blow? Is it more efective to stay in small pod, use mechanical ambushes, and keep bleeding them? What of the new US "offensives"? Is a strategic withdrawal really possible at all? I'm interested to hear what y'all think. I have my 2 cents.

Great reports, can we have some more?
by BigBird Guest on 18.10.2004 [10:47 ]

They are very interesting. Was the main reason I visited iraqwar.ru and veniks aeronautics.ru (which still has interesting info on military flying objects).

To Chevrus
by Guest on 18.10.2004 [10:47 ]

A lot of us on this site are armchair Generals with a view to realities of an unwanted and resisted occupation.My personal view is that it has all been badly managed and occupation troops are in a dire way.Just looking at a map Baghdad is slap in the middle of the country 400 miles in either direction to any border,also most of the habitation of towns,villages and major cities are between 2 rivers the Euphrates and Tigris,meaning that mechanised armoured divisions are trapped basically needin bridges to cross them.

The inhospitable rock desert out side the fertile area between the rivers makes it impossible to move armour or supplies.The communication lines are in short supply as there are not too many A and B type roads,which makes it very easy to disrupt supply lines.The weather in Iraq in summer of being 45 degees C means that it is impossible for troops wearing 60kg of body armour and equipment to move any distance at all.The open plains with good visability for miles especially around communications lines,makes it very easy to ambush either by IED or by Anti Armour missles.The cities are ancient which means streets are narrow,building built as close to each and tall again which makes urban combat very difficult,due to booby traps and close quarter combat.

The limited quantity of troops ie 200,000 to control,communication lines,cities,towns,borders,ports etc is inadequate.The bedouine tribes people that know the area are able to bring supplies into the resistance.The bordering countries of Iran,Syria,Turkey,Jordan,Kuwait and Saudi are unhelpful to the U.S and make it impossible to stop smuggling into Iraq.Also there is not a single point of command for the Iraq resistance i read that there are as many as 70 different groups fighting in Iraq,plus tribes,local town brigades,the fedyeen,republican guard,the mahdi army etc.So it is virtually impossible to organise ceasefires or truces.

As you end up doing a deal with 1 group in an area,U.S troops move 1 mile away and are being fired apon by another group.Also the U.S has made a big mistake in using its national guard,these are not professional soldiers most are between the ages of 30 and 50 who have real jobs,famillies and a way of life back home.These guardsmens morale will be hit very low.
I can not see how the U.S is going to be able to win this.Abu Gharib and carpet bombing cities have turned the local population against occupation.They have limited troops,limited armour and limited supplies.

The Resistance seems to have broken down into small groups and concentrted on ambush techniques and disrupting supplies,which yes bleeds the occupation,not only from supplies,equipment manpower but most importantly morale,quoting those 17 soldiers who recently refused to drive trucks on a suicide mission(who would blame them).Unless the resistance can start getting hold of heavy weaponary of which i doubt they can,then it is probably wiser that they stay uncoordinated in small teams.

Otherwise what happens is large groups form together and with out being able to take out airpower,get bottled up in an area then f14s drop 500lb ordance all over them,net result a lot of dead assets.We will see what happens,it doesnt look good for the Long term prospects for the U.S in Iraq,thats for sure.Even with the green zone all they have done is build themselves a 20 square mile prison and active practice artillery range for the resistance.

Why were these stopped
by Anon Guest on 18.10.2004 [13:14 ]

Why were these stopped (Rice's visit, the bombing of the embassy convoy) and the information blockade thereafter. thanls very much.........

Thanks Ramzaj, Venik, and GRU Team
by zhen Cheng Guest on 18.10.2004 [14:22 ]

Those were the days I crazily waiting for the Reports. They bring us hope, and carried us here today. It is a struggle not only for and of Iraqi People. It is struggle for the whole humanity as well. Victorious Iraqi People!

still the best non DoD SITREPS
by Mikey The Mad MIRV Guest on 19.10.2004 [00:35 ]

veniks was probably the best intel going outside of internal DoD reports.Very little fluff,lots of good factual reads.With general area wide unrest heating up(from sinai,north and east throught the 'Stans,its a shame theres not more updates.Whats important to note is the number of "leaks" being dribbled to the western press from insiders.The mis-content must be burning up.I suspect between now and election time a bombshell will be unloaded--Mikey out

A fact and crucial factor in the international media during Iraq War
by Marx&Lenin&Che&MalcomX Guest on 19.10.2004 [08:09 ]

These reports were a reference during Iraq War. These reports denuded all the western media. These reports, like the War itself, made history. The reality of the conflict on those days showed precious materials for meditation about the future of the war. Not only about the future of short or localized wars, but about the future Great War. The myths about the absolute USA military supremacy çin conventional war were denounced and well showed to the world. All we are waiting for the return of reports like these. Long life, great victory to Iraqi Resistence

Reason why this kind of report stopped
by Q' Guest on 19.10.2004 [20:01 ]

Q' thinks Russia is preparing something that Venik couldn't go in details. Something happened at Saddam international airport before the "fall of Bagdad". Possibly Venik had been ordered to not go further because Russia seems to have an important strategy that cannot be revealed. Q' understands the reason so all people can do is read the current Iraqi Resistance Report. It won't surprising that some Russian general gave advice to some Resistance.

[Al-Firdaus]

Russia Summons U.S. Diplomat Over Iraq Arms Claim
By: Reuters on: 29.10.2004 [13:01 ] (299 reads)

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia summoned a U.S. diplomat to protest at a Pentagon claim that Russian soldiers spirited away hundreds of tons of explosives from a site in Iraq just before the U.S. invasion, Interfax news agency said on Friday.

The missing cache of explosives has become a political hot potato in the U.S. election race, with Democratic challenger John Kerry site in Iraq accusing the administration of President Bush of failing to secure the site.

In a Washington Times story this week, Pentagon official John Shaw pointed the finger at Russian special forces, saying they had moved many of Iraq's weapons into Syria in the weeks before the March 2003 invasion.

"The Russian Ministry of Defense summoned the U.S. military attache in Moscow to express a resolute protest in connection with the comments by John Shaw," Interfax quoted an anonymous source at a Russian defense agency as saying.

A spokesman at the U.S. embassy in Moscow confirmed that a member of the embassy's defense staff had been "called in," but denied it was the chief military attache and declined to say what had been discussed at the meeting.

Russia's Defense Ministry dismissed the allegation that there had been any Russian involvement in the disappearance of the explosives in Iraq.

"You can't really take statements like this as anything but far-fetched rubbish," said spokesman Vyacheslav Sedov.

"I can officially confirm that the Ministry of Defense and the organizations that report to it could not have taken part in the disappearance of the explosives, since Russia's servicemen and military specialists left Iraq 12 years ago."

Bush and Pentagon officials have argued that Saddam Hussein (news - web sites)'s government may have moved the explosives from the Al Qaqaa storage site near Baghdad before the start of the war to protect it from U.S. attack.

But Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has distanced himself from the comments by Shaw, who is deputy undersecretary for defense for international technology security.

link

10 comments


by mike uk Guest on 29.10.2004 [13:10 ]

dont you just love it!

ameriKKKans nervous about it
by Guest on 29.10.2004 [13:21 ]

I hope all explosives will be used against all amerikKKans.

Russian pussies.
by Wondering Guest on 29.10.2004 [13:29 ]

Summon? Putin government have just become insane like Bush regime. Should the Russians be not helping Iraqi Resistance with latest weapons to take revange of their humiliating defeat in Afghanistan which was fully funded by another war mongering nut Reagan?

way to go
by NJ Guest on 29.10.2004 [14:21 ]

Just as somebody mentioned before on this site, time for smiles is over. punch their crap back into their liaing mouths. 'Wondering' you forgot to mention French, they will help resistance as well, because they just 'love to see' toy soldiers calling thier mamas.

Russia's a key player.
by Thinks r lookin bleak for the coalition !!! Guest on 29.10.2004 [15:01 ]

Its in Russian intrests to get arms to these Iraqi freedom fighters. To kick USUK bitt becasue the race for oil is on. Although Vialls says russians have proved peak oil is a scam as deep wells are supposed to yield sufficient oil although it requires technology (which only the rissians have at the mo) that the USUK dont have. The current oil production is cheap to get thats why the race is on. Russia helping the IFF would do well for them in the eyes of its own muslim population and for Russian arab relations. As well as boost Russian revenue and a weapons testing ground. Iraq (largest proven reserves) and Iran (significant producer) allied with russia (largest producer) as well as the hostile to the US Venuswela will be a massive headace to the US and its zionist driven evil expiditions and adventure for world domination. Go on Russia!

WOW, mainstream media lets out dog
by Guest on 29.10.2004 [15:19 ]

Link

Iraq Video Shows U.S. Soldiers Checking Missing Arms, ABC Says

Oct. 29 (Bloomberg) — Explosives that went missing from Iraq's al-Qaqaa facility were still present after the U.S.-led invasion, according to ABC News, which aired a videotape shot at the site last year by a network affiliate.

U.S. soldiers are shown breaking into a bunker and then looking into crates and barrels marked ``explosive'' on the tape from KSTP, a station in St. Paul, Minnesota. KSTP's crew was embedded with the U.S. 101st Airborne Division when it passed through al-Qaqaa on April 18, 2003, ABC said on its Web site. ...

TRLBFTC!!!
by Smartass troll Guest on 29.10.2004 [15:48 ]

If towel heads pull it off things will start looking REAL bleak for the civilazion as we know it. The best possible scenario is the US getting marred in Iraq for years to come.

Guest [15:19]
by Wondering Guest on 29.10.2004 [15:50 ]

Ignorant ill informed illeterate American voters are not paying any attention to this story at all. They believe all the lies on campaign trail coming out from Bush and Dick.

The result. Bush still a strong leader. Fighting terrorists to keep America safe. I wonder they will even demand to keep Bush in power until he finishes off all the terrorists. No election until terrorists get defeated by this superman Bush and Dick.

Vyacheslav Sedov get the story straight
by Tet on 29.10.2004 [15:58 ]

"You can't really take statements like this as anything but far-fetched rubbish," said spokesman Vyacheslav Sedov.

Come on now, you can't take any statement made by the US government as anything but far-fetched rubbish. Peace.

Guest 15:50
by Guest on 29.10.2004 [17:35 ]

Many Americans hate Bush. But he will win anyway. If not by vote then by trickery.

[Al-Firdaus]

Russian Observer Shocked by U.S. Election Procedures
By: Q' on: 03.11.2004 [18:56 ] (143 reads)
A Russian parliamentarian taking part in international monitoring of the U.S. presidential elections has said that the elections were held in violation of U.S. law and that that he was shocked after seeing how the elections were held.

The Interfax news agency cited State Duma deputy Aleksei Ostrovsky of the Liberal Democratic Party as saying that he was shocked by the way the elections were held in the U.S.

“In my opinion there are possibilities to forge the elections results and these possibilities are caused by serious, as we see it, violations of the electoral law,” the MP said in a telephone interview.

The parliamentarian noted that primarily he was shocked by the fact that U.S. citizens do not produce any ID as they come to polling stations. “It is enough to say ’I am Mr. Smith,’ and he is allowed to vote; the same person can exit one polling station and go to another and vote again using the same procedure,” the Russian MP said.

Ostrovsky also noted that all Americans who he talked to had said they did not like voting by computer. “Often people simply do not understand how to vote and nobody really tries to explain it to them,” the observer said.

Apart from Aleksei Ostrovsky two more Russian parliamentarians are observing the U.S. presidential elections under the aegis of the OSCE. They are the deputy chief of State Duma’s International Affairs Committee Aleksandr Kozlovsky of the United Russia faction and a member of the Committee for Affairs of Federation and Regional Policy, Leonid Ivanchenko of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation.

Source: http://www.mosnews.com/news/2004/11/...observer.shtml

3 comments

USan "democracy"
by Spies and Traitors will be Shot. Guest on 04.11.2004 [06:12 ]

As if. Why am i not as shocked as this obeserver?

Pleez
by your worst nightmare Guest on 04.11.2004 [19:25 ]

Russian election procedures are much worse.

HE FOUND IT!
by plums and pears Guest on 04.11.2004 [19:26 ]

HE DISCOVERED A FLAW IN U.S. ELECTORAL PROCESS!! WHAT TOOK SO LONG?