Active Duty Military Soldiers Will Still Receive Their Pay As The U.S. Government Shuts Down

Obama Signs Bill Guaranteeing Active Duty Military Pay In Event Of Shutdown -- FOX News

Senate Democrats are vowing to reject House Republicans' last-minute bid to delay ObamaCare by attaching new amendments to a must-pass spending bill.

But the Senate has accepted one Republican idea -- a bill that would pay the military in the event of a shutdown. The Senate easily approved the bill late Monday afternoon and President Obama signed it into law a few hours later, as the government careened toward a shutdown.

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More News On Active Duty Military Pay Being Unaffected As The U.S. Government Shuts Down

Congress Passes Shutdown Exemption For Military Pay -- Defense News
Senate Clears Bill to Pay Military in Shutdown -- Time/AP
Senate Passes Bill to Pay Military in Shutdown -- Military.com
Senate clears bill to pay military in case of shutdown -- Washington Post
Congress can agree on one thing: military will be paid if government shuts down -- CNN

My Comment: The last thing that you want is some soldier in some FOB in Afghanistan wondering if his wife back home will get his pay so that she could then pay the rent.

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President Obama Releases A Message To The Military As The Government Shutdown Begins

Obama Releases Message to Military As Shutdown Begins -- Time

President Barack Obama released a video message early Tuesday morning thanking American servicemembers and Defense Department personnel for their service as most of the federal government shutdown began.

The message, taped hours before the shutdown, features the president addressing the impacts of the shutdown on the Defense Department. Active duty military will continue to serve—and will get paid, thanks to a last-minute measure passed by Congress Monday and signed by the president less than two hours before the government shutdown. Many DOD civilians will be furloughed, while others deemed essential will be required to work without pay.

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Two U.S. Marine Generals Fired Over 2012 Attack In Afghanistan

Two Marine Generals Fired For Security Lapses In Afghanistan -- Washington Post

The commandant of the Marine Corps on Monday took the extraordinary step of firing two generals for not adequately protecting a giant base in southern Afghanistan that Taliban fighters stormed last year, resulting in the deaths of two Marines and the destruction of a half a dozen U.S. fighter jets.

It is the first time since the Vietnam War that a general, let alone two, has been sacked for negligence after a successful enemy attack. But the assault also was unprecedented: Fifteen insurgents entered a NATO airfield and destroyed almost an entire squadron of Marine AV-8B Harrier jets, the largest single loss of allied materiel in the almost 12-year Afghan war.

The commandant, Gen. James F. Amos, said the two generals did not deploy enough troops to guard the base and take other measures to prepare for a ground attack by the Taliban. The two, Maj. Gen. Charles M. Gurganus, the top Marine commander in southern Afghanistan at the time, and Maj. Gen. Gregg A. Sturdevant, the senior Marine aviation officer in the area, “failed to exercise the level of judgment expected of commanders of their rank,” Amos said.

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More News On Two U.S. Marine Generals Fired Over 2012 Attack In Afghanistan

Two Marine Generals Ousted Over 2012 Attack in Afghanistan -- Wall Street Journal
Two generals asked to retire in wake of Bastion attack -- USA Today
Two senior Marine generals forced to retire over deadly Afghan attack -- NBC
Marine generals ousted after Bastion attack -- UT San Diegeo
Marines Sack Two Generals For Failing to Stop Afghan Attack -- Killer Apps/Foreign Policy

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Marine Corps Whistleblower Is Now Facing Vengeance And Reprisals From His Superiors

Marine Corps Whistleblower Faces Vengeance From Superiors -- Washington Times

The Marine Corps officer who filed a complaint against the commandant for intervening in the Taliban urination cases against eight Marines is now the target of reprisals from superiors, his attorney says.

Retired Marine Col. Jane Siegel, who is representing Maj. James Weirick, said superiors have subjected the major to retaliations since it became known that he filed a whistleblower complaint against Gen. James Amos, the commandant and Joint Chiefs of Staff member.

“Headquarters Marine Corps is undercutting a hero,” Col. Siegel said. “He did the right thing, and they are trying to bury it and him.”

Maj. Weirick, a staff judge advocate at the Combat Development Command at Quantico, Va., accuses Gen. Amos of violating the military edict against unlawful command influence by urging guilty verdicts to the general overseeing the cases.

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My Comment:  This is going to get even more easier .... but bottom line .... regardless of what happens .... Maj. James Weirick's career is probably over.

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Is Iran's Anti-Nuke Edict Cited By President Obama Last Week A Phony?

Phony Fatwa? Group Claims Iranian Anti-Nuke Edict Cited By Obama A Hoax -- FOX News

President Obama could be hanging his hopes for productive nuclear negotiations with Iran on a hoax, according to one Middle East-focused think tank.

On Friday, Obama cited a “fatwa,” or religious edict, from Iran’s all-powerful Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, banning the pursuit of nuclear weapons.

“I do believe that there is a basis for a resolution [because] Iran’s Supreme Leader has issued a fatwa against the development of nuclear weapons,” Obama told reporters.

But although talk of such a fatwa has been around for at least eight years, there’s no evidence it was ever issued, according to the Middle East Media Research Institute, which flatly called the fatwa a hoax. MEMRI claims the phony fatwa is promoted by Iranian diplomats and Turkey’s Islamist prime minister, Recep Erdogan.

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My Comment: I recall posting a similar story a year or two ago where I found that even though Iranian officials were always quick to talk about such a fatwa .... trying to find it in any of Khamenei's edicts was impossible. Fast forward to today .... it is amazing that the President of the United States is now saying the same thing even though he (and his administration) also cannot cite the source for such a claim. From claims of weapons of destruction in Iraq to claims to fatwas in Iran .... one has to question if this is just another intelligence failure or a policy that is strongly influenced by White House politics.

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Will China Help Saudi Arabia Go Nuclear?

On May 17, 2013, Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal at the Great Hall of the People. Chinese Embassy

Will Beijing Help Riyadh Go Nuclear? -- China Policy Institute Blog/Nottingham University

As negotiations between the West and Iran over Tehran’s nuclear program reach a critical juncture, those most likely to be directly effected by an “Iranian bomb” are showing greater alarm. While the media fixates on Israel and its possible reaction, other regional players have no less at stake.

Despite Riyadh’s long-held advocacy of making the Middle East a zone free of weapons of mass destruction, there has recently been much speculation regarding the possibility of its acquiring or developing nuclear weapons should Tehran obtain the bomb. In the words of King Abdullah: “If Iran developed nuclear weapons … everyone in the region would do the same”. The question that arises here, if Saudi Arabia decided to go nuclear, would China help the Kingdom?

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My Comment: China has the means and technology to fulfill Saudi Arabia's nuclear ambitions .... Saudi Arabia has the oil to feed China's insatiable hunger for more energy. I call this a perfect match in hell .... the question that remains to be answered is .... does China have the political will to make such a deal, and is Saudi Arabia willing to go down this road. My prediction .... if Iran tests a nuclear device, expect Saudi Arabia to follow suit (with Chinese help) very quickly.

Hat Tip: Real Clear Defense for this lead.

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Competition Among Terror Groups?

For An Enlarge Image Of The Above Table Go Here.

Competition Between Islamist Militants May Fuel Big Attacks -- Reuters

(Reuters) - The assault on Kenya's Westgate shopping mall has brought into sharp relief a pattern likely to complicate efforts to counter Islamist militants - competition among jihadis can increase the risk of a major attack.

As with the 2008 assault on the Indian city of Mumbai and this year's raid on an Algerian desert gas plant, the attack in Nairobi by Somalia's al Shabaab was preceded by in-fighting or loss of supporters to other militant groups.

This competition can initially make groups seem divided and weak, while actually making them more dangerous if a leader then feels compelled to mount a big attack to burnish his jihadi credentials - thereby bringing in fresh recruits and funding.

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My Comment: Jihadist leaders and commanders with an ego problem .... talk about a terrible mix.

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The African Desert Is A Perfect Place For Terror Groups To Grow

Africa Desert Helps Breed Radicals, From Al Shabab To Boko Haram To Mr. Marlboro -- Christian Science Monitor

'Sahelistan' is what the French foreign minister calls the sub-Saharan zone of Sahel. Al Qaeda-linked groups from places like Mail and Nigeria have been driven into hiding there and hit Western targets. The zone may become a 'breeding ground' for terrorists, says the UN Security Council.

Africa's Sahel belt is a 600-mile-wide semiarid zone stretching from Senegal in the west to Somalia in the east. The vast, seemingly ungovernable terrain has become a sanctuary for Islamist militants.

After the Arab Spring, and then at the end of Muammar Qaddafi's dictatorship, many hoped for an end to terror in the Sahel.

Instead, weapons spilling out of Libya and ongoing military efforts to drive Al Qaeda-linked groups from places like Mali and Nigeria have hardened Islamist fighters here. This in turn has increased the risk of violence across the region.

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius has called the area "Sahelistan," likening it to remote areas in Afghanistan where US troops struggled for years to pin down the Taliban. The French Army in January intervened whole-scale in Mali to drive Islamist radicals out.

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My Comment: The territory in question is massive .... almost the size of Europe. A perfect place to hide and/or for a terror group to organize and train.

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Al Qaeda Supporter Sues The U.S. Because His Shackles Were Put On Too Tightly

Brennan Linsley-Pool/Getty Images

'My Shackles Were Too Tight': Al Qaeda Supporter From Brooklyn Is Suing US After Claiming Mistreatment Following His Arrest Gave Him Deep-Vein Thrombosis -- Daily Mail

Wesam El-Hanafi says he has been left him with a life-threatening condition
The former computer engineer, 38, faces up to 20 years in jail

An Al Qaeda supporter from Brooklyn is suing the US, claiming that tight-fitting shackles have given him deep-vein thrombosis.

Wesam El-Hanafi, 38, is due to be sentenced for helping terror network Al Qaeda. However, he is simultaneously suing the US, claiming that he's been mistreated since being detained and as a result has potentially life-threatening blood clots in one of his legs.

El-Hanafi, an Egyptian-American, claims that his symptoms started after his arrest in Dubai in 2010.

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My Comment: It is only a matter of time before someone will claim that this is torture.

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Swiss War Game Scenario Prepares For A Debt-Ridden French Invasion

Swiss Wargame Casts An Indebted France As The Enemy -- BBC

The Swiss army has carried out a training exercise which simulated an attack by France, it has emerged.

The wargame - which took place in August - assumed that an indebted region of France had decided to invade Switzerland to recover stolen assets.

Swiss military officials have stressed that the scenario has nothing to do with a current row between the two countries over tax.

Switzerland has not fought a war for nearly 200 years.

The Swiss army created a scenario in which France had split up into several regional entities, following a political and economic crisis.

One of these fictitious regions, known as Saonia, had decided to invade Switzerland to retrieve stolen money that was apparently held in Swiss banks.

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More News On A Swiss Wargame Scenario Preparing For A Debt-Ridden French Invasion

Swiss military simulates French attack -- France 24
Swiss war game envisages invasion by bankrupt French -- The Telegraph
Swiss troops see France as enemy -- Connexion
In Simulation Debt-Ridden France Invades Switzerland -- Eurasia Review

My Comment: Do the Swiss know something that we do not?

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Teaching Syrian Rebels To Shoot Down Assad’s Air Force

Defector Pilot Teaching Syrian Rebels To Shoot Down Assad’s Air Force -- David Axe, War Is Boring

But missile shortage makes his job nearly impossible.

They appear suddenly in clear blue skies, preceded only briefly by the roar of a jet engine or the chop of a rotor blade. Bombs, rockets and cannon fire shatter the earth, rebel installations and human flesh.

The warplanes and helicopters of Syrian Pres. Bashar Al Assad’s air force are the regime’s biggest advantage over the rebel Free Syrian Army. It’s the job of regime defector Col. Zeyad Haaj Abayed to erase that advantage—by training the 200,000-strong FSA to shoot down the aerial marauders.

But Abayed has very little to work with. No warplanes of his own. No radars. No large Surface-to-Air Missiles and only a handful of small, shoulder-fired SAMs. And unlike in many previous wars, it seems unlikely that the outside world is going to do anything to help the colonel in his difficult task.

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My Comment: I call this a hopeless cause. The only way to defeat Assad's air force is to strike and shut down his air fields.

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According To Syria's Foreign Minister There Is No Civil War

Syrian Foreign Minister Al-Muallem (RIA Novosti / Mikhail Voskresenskiy)

Syrian Foreign Minister: 'There Is No Civil War' -- Christian Science Monitor

His comments come as UN inspectors wrap up a visit laying the groundwork for destroying Syria's chemical weapons.

International inspectors have wrapped up their second visit to Syria to investigate more reported instances of chemical weapons use following a rare show of international consensus at the United Nations Security Council to require Syria to give up its chemical arsenal.

Meanwhile, Syria’s foreign minister took the stage at the United Nations, reiterating the government's argument that the violence in Syria is actually part of a larger war against terrorism, not a civil war.

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My Comment: If he believes this, he is completely delusional.

Update: Syria at U.N. compares militant onslaught to 9/11 attacks -- Reuters

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Sea Power Is Back In Vogue

The guided-missile destroyer USS Barry (DDG 52), (front) pulls into formation with the French Marine Nationale anti-submarine frigate Jean de Vienne (D 643) during Exercise Proud Manta 2013 (POMA 13) in this February 26, 2013 handout photo provided by the U.S. Navy. REUTERS/U.S. Navy/Handout via Reuters

Analysis: From Syria To South China Sea, Navies Cruise Back Into Vogue -- Reuters

(Reuters) - After a quarter century of Middle Eastern land wars and a sharp fall in big powers' naval spending after the Cold War, sea power is back in vogue in response to the rise of China and Western reluctance to deploy ground troops in conflicts like Syria.

The greater interest in navies is being felt from the corridors of Washington to the pirate hunting grounds off Africa and the shipyards of Asia.

"You're going to see a much greater emphasis on using sea-based forces to produce an effect," said Admiral Gary Roughead, who retired as Chief of Naval Operations, the professional head of the U.S. navy, in 2011.

"You're seeing it in the Mediterranean, with Syria, and you're seeing it in the Pacific and the Middle East," said Roughead, who is now a visiting fellow at Stanford University's Hoover Institution.

India last month launched its first locally built aircraft carrier and a dozen such ships are to be completed worldwide in the next decade, including two U.S. Gerald R. Ford-class giants, two British vessels, a refurbished Russian carrier for India and one or more of the first indigenous carriers to be built by China.

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My Comment: This is a trend that will probably escalate with time.

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Commentaries, Opinions, And Editorials -- September 30, 2013

Reaching Out: Obama's Ambitious Mideast Diplomatic Offensive -- Dieter Bednarz, Matthias Gebauer and Holger Stark, Spiegel Online

Barack Obama is moving his foreign policy course toward diplomacy and away from military intervention. Suddenly the Iranian nuclear issue and Israeli-Palestinian conflict are back on the table -- but is the Middle East ready for a breakthrough?

The historic moment was carefully choreographed. The foreign ministers of the five permanent member states of the United Nations Security Council, Russia, China, Great Britain, France and the United States, along with Germany, met at 4 p.m. on Thursday afternoon. After 15 minutes the host, European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs Catherine Ashton, called Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammed Javad Zarif into the recently renovated Security Council Chamber. The Iranians shouldn't feel excluded -- but they shouldn't feel too much a part of the global community either.

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Commentaries, Opinions, And Editorials

Iran´s sanctions-busting tells the true story of Rouhani´s overtures to the West -- Con Coughlin, The Telegraph

Charmed by Rouhani, but only to a point -- Doyle McManus, L.A. Times

The Test We're Giving Iran Is Rigged -- James Traub, Foreign Policy

Worries about the Rouhani phone call -- Jennifer Rubin, Washington Post

The Alawites, Ethnic Cleansing, and Syria's Future -- Franck Salameh, The National Interest

The state of al-Qaeda: The unquenchable fire -- The Economist

India and the Rise of the Indo-Pacific -- Vivek Mishra, The Diplomat

When Is it OK to Criminalize a Political Party? -- Joshua Keating, Slate

Russia pressures former Soviet republics to join his economic union. -- Washington Post editorial

What Really Scares Vladimir Putin the Most -- Julia Ioffe, New Republic

Italy: on the brink, once again -- Guardian editorial

Many Saudis don't want women to drive – but it has nothing to do with their ovaries -- Christa Case Bryant, Christian Science Monitor

The Eurozone’s Calm Before the Storm -- Nouriel Roubini, Project Syndicate

Newly Declassified Documents Show How the Surveillance State was Born -- Jeffrey Rosen, New Republic

A World Where No One Listens to America -- Dilip Hiro, Real Clear World

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World News Briefs -- September 30, 2013 (Evening Edition)

Obama Blames House GOP For Imminent Shutdown -- USA Today

President Obama blamed an imminent government shutdown on House Republicans Monday, and said his health care plan is "moving forward" despite GOP efforts to de-fund it.

"You don't get to extract a ransom for doing your job," Obama said.

Obama said Congress has two responsibilities: Passing a budget and -- in a reference to the upcoming battle over the debt ceiling -- pay the government's bills, and the Republicans are shirking both.

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MIDDLE EAST

Syria at U.N. compares militant onslaught to 9/11 attacks.

U.N. chemical weapons inspectors leave Syria.

More rebel groups reject Syrian opposition coalition - statement.

Syria conflict: Neighbours plead for international help. With Syria’s neighbours ‘stretched to the limit,’ UN refugee chief urges greater support.

Iranian President Rohani orders study of possible Iran-US flights.

Car bombs kill 54 in Shi'ite districts of Baghdad.

Militants seize army base in Yemen, kill three soldiers.

Netanyahu to Obama - Tighten sanctions if Iran defies West.

Iran nuclear deal could be reached in months: Kerry.

Bahrain unrest: 50 Shia Muslims sentenced to up to 15 years.

Turkish PM unveils reforms after summer of protests.

Turkey frustrated over stalled EU membership bid.

ASIA

4 killed in U.S. drone strike in NW Pakistan.

Powerful typhoon hits Vietnam.

Muslims in hiding in Myanmar after sectarian strife flares.

US Defense Chief: North Korea watching world deal with Syria.

India, Pakistan leaders say they want better ties but reach no concrete agreements. Pakistan-India talks in New York get muted response back home.

Japan PM open to talks - not concessions - with China.

Pakistan condemns latest drone strike in North Waziristan.

Philippines says Zamboanga crisis 'over'.

Australian PM says "united" with Indonesia on migrants.

AFRICA

Smash 'n grab: Big looting during Kenya mall siege.

Kenyan anti-tank rocket ended Westgate siege: soldiers.

Kenya's Westgate siege: Number of missing reduced to 39.

Egyptian jihadist group claims shooting attacks on 'apostates' and 'criminals'.

Mali: 'MNLA rebels' attack soldiers in Kidal. Suicide bombers target northern Mali military camp. Mali soldiers fight Tuareg separatists.

France seeks permanent victory in Mali.

Faced with protests, Sudan's al-Bashir digs in against calls for reform. Sudan protesters call for president Omar al-Bashir to step down.

EUROPE

Exclusive: Vatican Bank likely to close embassy accounts after Iran, Iraq red flags.

Paris prosecutor's office opens investigation into fortune of Syrian president's uncle.

Europe’s record jobless rate seen resisting recovery.

Eurozone inflation falls to lowest rate in three years.

German coalition talks could last into January.

Austria election: 'Grand coalition' can rule again.

Silvio Berlusconi calls for fresh Italian elections 'as soon as possible'.

Russia accuses Greenpeace activists of posing a threat to platform personnel. Russian court orders all Greenpeace activists to stay in jail.

Popes John Paul II and John XXIII to become saints.

Spaniard apologises over Gibraltar 'invasion' video.

AMERICAS

10 things affected by the US shutdown.

US government shutdown looms as Congress fights over spending bill – live.

Senate set to defeat Obamacare delay as government shutdown looms.

Danger to US economy worries experts weighing potential government shutdown, default.

Rising Peronist ready to challenge Fernández.

Venezuela says it expelling three U.S. diplomats for 'stirring violence'.

Venezuela's Sabaneta jail search yields weapons arsenal.

Canadians on hunger strike in Egyptian jail claim they were beaten.

US police obtaining military vehicles to aid hunt for criminals.

Report: Homegrown terrorist plots have surged since 2009.

Cuba athletes 'to keep foreign cash'.

TERRORISM/THE LONG WAR

Competition between Islamist militants may fuel big attacks.

Africa desert helps breed radicals, from Al Shabab to Boko Haram to Mr. Marlboro.

Terrorists used new tactic to spare some Muslims.

Qaeda plot leak has undermined U.S. intelligence.

ECONOMY/FINANCE/BUSINESS

Apple unseats Coca-Cola as World's No. 1 brand of 2013.

Google UK paid £11.2m in corporate tax.

Analysis: New trial for Boeing as Norwegian demands 787 repairs.

US shares hit by the threat of a shutdown.

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Afghanistan Prepares For Next Years Presidential Elections

Battle For Political Power Underway In Afghanistan -- Voice of America

KABUL — Elections for a new president to replace Hamid Karzai in Afghanistan are six months away and the battle for power in the country is heating up. Regional analysts say that powerful political alliances are beginning to form, and the result of the vote will determine whether Afghanistan moves forward or stays mired in long-term conflict.

After decades of war and corruption, Afghanistan is a poor country. The hope is that the April 2014 presidential election will change all that, says Noor Agha.

“We are all tired of war. The next president should work toward peace and improve our lives,” Agha said.

Hamidullah Farooqi, a former transportation minister now part of a political coalition of technocrats, warns of the dangers of a failed election.

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My Comment: The elections are slated for April 2014 .... that is when the opium crop is brought in and the Taliban are preparing for their summer fighting season. Will this impact the elections? If I was a betting man I would say yes.

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Syria's Refugee Crisis Is Stretching The Limit For Countries Providing Asylum

Thousands of people flowed from Syria across the Peshkhabour border crossing into Iraq's Dohuk Governorate. Photo: UNHCR/G. Gubaeva

Countries Hosting Syrian Refugees Stretched to Limit -- Voice of America

GENEVA, SWITZERLAND — Participants at a U.N. refugee conference in Geneva are appealing for stronger international support for countries hosting large Syrian refugee populations. They say four neighboring countries of asylum are stretched to the limit.

A U.N. video graphically shows the anguished evolution of Syria’s humanitarian crisis during the past two and one-half years. What began as a series of peaceful protests in March 2011 has developed into a catastrophic situation in which more than 100,000 people have been killed and more than two million Syrians have fled the country.

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More News On How Syria's Refugee Crisis Is Stretching The Limit For Countries Providing Asylum

With Syria’s neighbours ‘stretched to the limit,’ UN refugee chief urges greater support -- UN News Center
Syria's neighbours plead for help in dealing with refugees -- FOX News/AFP
Syria conflict: Neighbours plead for international help -- BBC
UN: Syria refugee crisis hurting region's economy -- Boston.com/AP

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Amid Media Blackout Anti-Government Protests Spread In Sudan

Khartoum Under Threat from Protests, Observers Say -- Voice of America

NAIROBI — Over the past week, Sudan has seen its most serious protests in almost three decades. Demonstrations over rising prices after the government decided to lift fuel subsidies have mutated into riots, and dozens of people have died. The streets have calmed, but analysts say that this could be a turning point for the ruling party and longtime President Omar al-Bashir.

The protests started a week ago in one town, but quickly spread to others and the capital, Khartoum, where protesters torched vehicles, gas stations, police buildings and hurled stones at security forces.

The protests are seen as the greatest challenge to Bashir’s rule since he came to power in a 1989 military coup.

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More News On The Growing Protests In Sudan

Sudan defends crackdown as protests enter second week -- AFP
Sudanese protesters call on President Omar al-Bashir to resign -- The Independent
Sudan: Protests Across Sudan -- allAfrica
Tear gas fired at Sudan protest -- Al Jazeera
Sudan Blacks Out Internet to Hide Brutal Suppression of Protests -- allAfrica
Amid heavy media blackout, Sudanese protesters resort to smartphones to defy authorities' ban -- FOX News/AP
Sudan arrests 700 people in week of deadly anti-government unrest -- Reuters
Minister: photos of Sudan protest victims faked -- Al Arabiya

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New Images Of Kenyan Mall Attack Aftermath Are Released

Abandoned Trolleys, Dumped Shopping Bags And Shattered Glass: First Pictures Inside Cafes And Shops Of Kenyan Massacre Mall Where 67 People Were Killed -- Daily Mail

* Chilling photographs show businesses in the Westgate Mall after it was targeted by terrorists last week
* Shopping trolleys were abandoned while customers left purses and bags on cafe tables as they fled the violence
* Shattered glass was left on the ground in an eery reminder of the atrocities which took place at the mall
* 39 people are still missing following the attack, the local Red Cross revealed today

Shopping trolleys abandoned, bags dropped on the floor and beer bottles left where they stand, these haunting images show the shops which were deserted in the aftermath of the Nairobi mall massacre which left 67 people dead and dozens more missing.

Carts full of goods were left standing in Westgate Mall as shoppers fled for their lives when jihadi terrorists rushed the building and started gunning down customers.

The photographs show how people apparently dropped bags on the ground as they made their escape, forming a disturbing portrait of the moment chaos broke out.

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Update #1: First images emerge from inside Nairobi's Westgate mall -- The Telegraph
Update #2: Aftermath Of Terror Shown In New Images Of Kenyan Mall -- NBC

My Comment: This is disgusting .... Smash 'n grab: Big looting during Kenya mall siege -- Seattle PI/AP

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Last Months Leak Of An Intercepted Al Qaeda Communication Has Resulted In Severe Damage To American Counterterrorism Efforts

Qaeda Plot Leak Has Undermined U.S. Intelligence -- New York Times

WASHINGTON — As the nation’s spy agencies assess the fallout from disclosures about their surveillance programs, some government analysts and senior officials have made a startling finding: the impact of a leaked terrorist plot by Al Qaeda in August has caused more immediate damage to American counterterrorism efforts than the thousands of classified documents disclosed by Edward Snowden, the former National Security Agency contractor.

Since news reports in early August revealed that the United States intercepted messages between Ayman al-Zawahri, who succeeded Osama bin Laden as the head of Al Qaeda, and Nasser al-Wuhayshi, the head of the Yemen-based Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, discussing an imminent terrorist attack, analysts have detected a sharp drop in the terrorists’ use of a major communications channel that the authorities were monitoring. Since August, senior American officials have been scrambling to find new ways to surveil the electronic messages and conversations of Al Qaeda’s leaders and operatives.

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Update #1: Reports: Al-Qaeda Has Gone Quiet Since Surveillance Leaks -- Atlantic Wire
Update #2: Experts: Media Leaks Make Tracking Al Qaeda Terrorists Harder -- Arutz Sheva

My Comment: My understanding is that Al Qaeda has always worked on the assumption that their communications were always being intercepted by U.S. intelligence .... so for them to all of a sudden stop because of one leak is a surprise.

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Why is Twitter Allowing Terrorist Accounts And Suggesting Others To 'Follow Them'

al-Qaeda's own Twitter account has been suspended

Twitter Not Only Allows Terrorist Accounts, But Suggests Terrorists to Follow -- Bridget Johnson, PJ Media

As terrorists increasingly have embraced social media, Twitter has increasingly come under criticism for hosting terror feeds. Al-Shabaab is on it sixth account after getting suspended in the past for tweeting photos of a dead French special ops soldier, and most recently the Somali terror outlet blazed through a few accounts after suspensions for gloating about the Westgate mall massacre. Their latest account, @HSM_PR, has remained active for many days now and has racked up 59 tweets. During the attack and its aftermath, journalists were checking the Shabaab feed for its latest claims and links to statements.

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My Comment: I doubt that Twitter's management are happy with terror groups using their platform to promote violence. With tens of millions of users I suspect that Twitter operates automatically .... and so these groups can easily slip in and use their services.

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Commander Of Iran's Elite Revolutionary Guards: Iranian President Rouhani Should Not Have Talked To President Obama

Commander Of Iran's Elite Revolutionary Guards: Major General Mohammad Ali Jafari. Tasmin News Agency

Iran Guards chief: Rouhani should have spurned Obama call -- Daily Star

TEHRAN: The commander of Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards said Monday that President Hasan Rouhani should have refused to take last week's historic telephone call from US counterpart Barack Obama.

"The president took a firm and appropriate position during his stay" in New York for the United Nations General Assembly, General Mohammad Ali Jafari said in an interview with the Tasnimnews.com website.

"But just as he refused to meet Obama, he should also have refused to speak with him on the telephone and should have waited for concrete action by the United States."

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More News On The Commander Of Iran's Elite Revolutionary Guards Criticizing recent Talks Between Iran And The U.S.

IRGC Commander Lauds Rouhani’s "Mighty" Stances in New York -- Tasmin News Agency
Iran Guards chief criticises Rouhani-Obama call -- FOX News/AFP
Revolutionary Guards chief: Rouhani should have waited to talk to Obama -- Jerusalem Post
Revolutionary Guards chief decries Rouhani’s talk with Obama -- Times of Israel
Rouhani should have spurned Obama call - Iran Guards chief -- Voice of Russia

My Comment: For the moment .... the Iranian Guards Chief's remarks are a minority .... it appears that after years of anti-Americanism, Tehran’s political establishment signals support for detente -- Washington Post

Update: Even Ahmadinejad is sort of happy about Iran’s opening with Obama -- Max Fisher, Washington Post

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Israel PM Netanyahu To Meet President Obama Today. Iran Is On The Agenda

Netanyahu and Obama during a meeting at the White House. Photo by Avi Ohayon, Haaretz

Israel's Netanyahu Meets Obama, Will Urge No Let-Up On Iran -- Reuters

(Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will warn President Barack Obama in White House talks on Monday that Iran's diplomatic "sweet talk" cannot be trusted and will urge him to keep up the pressure to prevent Tehran from being able to make a nuclear bomb.

While Obama will attempt to reassure Netanyahu that he will not act prematurely to ease sanctions on Iran, growing signs of a U.S.-Iranian thaw have rattled Israel and could make for a tense encounter between the two leaders, who have not always seen eye-to-eye on the Iranian nuclear dispute.

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More News On Today's Meeting Between Israel PM Netanyahu And President Obama

LIVE BLOG: Obama meets Netanyahu at White House in effort to assuage concerns on Iran -- Haaretz
Netanyahu to warn Obama on Iran's 'sweet talk' -- AFP
Israeli prime minister to White House: Don’t be fooled by Iran’s new leader -- National Post/AP
Obama, Netanyahu meeting comes with baggage -- CNN
Netanyahu, Obama confer in Washington -- YNet News
Netanyahu to Obama: Don't be naive about Iran -- Christian Science Monitor
Iran-US 'rapprochement' challenges Israel's Netanyahu -- Jonathan Marcus, BBC

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War Returns To Northern Mali

Malian Army Clashes With Tuareg Rebels For Second Day In Kidal -- Reuters

(Reuters) - Malian troops clashed with Tuareg rebels in the northern desert town of Kidal for a second day on Monday, residents said, after the separatists ended a ceasefire with the new government last week.

The fighting began late on Sunday afternoon outside a bank in the center of Kidal, with both sides accusing the other of firing first. After calm returned overnight, shooting re-started early on Monday morning.

"The firing began at around 5 o'clock (1 a.m. ET) this morning between the army and the MNLA," said Mohamed Toure, a trader. "I have not opened my shop today."

The clashes are the latest in a series of attacks in recent days that threaten to derail peace efforts and complicate France's plan to reduce its troop presence in the West African country after a military operation to destroy an Islamist enclave.

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More News On The Escalating Conflict In Northern Mali

Fighting Flares Between Mali Army, Rebels in Kidal -- ABC News/AP
Fresh fighting in Mali rebel bastion -- FOX News/AFP
Mali: 'MNLA rebels' attack soldiers in Kidal-- BBC
Situation in northern Mali deteriorates amid fighting, suicide bomb attack -- Global Times
Rebels clash with Mali troops as violence surges in restive north -- The Telegraph
Malian army exchanges fire with rebels in Kidal -- The Guardian
Al-Qaeda's African branch claims Mali bombing -- FOX News/AFP
Mali Soldiers Fight Tuareg Separatists -- Voice of America
Mali Soldiers Fight Tuareg Separatists -- Voice of America
Resident: Mali Army, Rebels Exchange Fire in Kidal -- ABC News/AP
Tuareg separatists, Malian army clash in northern town -- Reuters
France Seeks Permanent Victory In Mali -- Strategy Page

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Al Qaeda Fighters Storm And Seize Major Yemen Military Base

Gunmen Take Over Military Compound In Yemen -- Al Jazeera

Dozens of unidentified gunmen capture Yemeni army compound in port city of al-Mukalla, killing at least three troops.

Dozens of unidentified gunmen have captured a Yemeni army compound in the southeast of the Arabian peninsula country, a military official said.

At least three soldiers were killed and six others wounded in the fighting on Monday as the attackers wrested control of the army compound in the port city of al-Mukalla.

Officials said the gunmen were since holding an unknown number of soldiers hostage.

"Some of the attackers managed to infiltrate into the base," the official said.

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More News On Al Qaeda Fighters Storming And Seizing A Major Yemen Military Base

AQAP fighters storm Yemen Army base in east -- Threat Matrix
Security officials say suspected al-Qaida gunmen take over major military base in Yemen -- Washington Post/AP
Al-Qaeda gunmen seize military base in Yemen -- Arab News/AP/Reuters
Al Qaeda Seizes Yemen Military HQ -- Arutz Sheva
'Qaeda' gunmen seize army HQ in Yemen port city -- FOX News/AFP
Al-Qaida Seizes Military Base in Yemen Taking High-Ranking Officers Hostage -- International Business Times
Suspected Qaeda militants capture Yemen army base: official -- Reuters

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World News Briefs -- September 30, 2013

US Government On Verge Of Shutdown -- Voice of America

The U.S. Senate is scheduled to meet on Monday afternoon, allowing itself just hours to reach a compromise with the House of Representatives on a spending bill before a midnight deadline for a partial shutdown of the U.S. government.

Republican lawmakers are insisting that any measure either delays or defunds President Barack Obama's signature health care law intended to provide coverage for millions of uninsured Americans.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has promised that a spending bill passed by the House in the early hours of Saturday morning, which would delay key parts of the Affordable Healthcare Act, known as Obamacare, for one year, will not be approved.

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MIDDLE EAST

U.N. chemical weapons inspectors leave Syria.

More rebel groups reject Syrian opposition coalition - statement.

Syria conflict: Neighbours plead for international help.

Car bombs kill 54 in Shi'ite districts of Baghdad.

Militants seize army base in Yemen, kill three soldiers.

Obama to meet with Netanyahu.

Iran nuclear deal could be reached in months: Kerry.

Bahrain unrest: 50 Shia Muslims sentenced to up to 15 years.

Turkey frustrated over stalled EU membership bid.

ASIA

US Defense Chief: North Korea watching world deal with Syria.

India, Pakistan leaders say they want better ties but reach no concrete agreements. Pakistan-India talks in New York get muted response back home.

Japan PM open to talks - not concessions - with China.

Pakistan condemns latest drone strike in North Waziristan.

Philippines says Zamboanga crisis 'over'.

Australian PM says "united" with Indonesia on migrants.

AFRICA

Kenyan anti-tank rocket ended Westgate siege: soldiers.

Kenya's Westgate siege: Number of missing reduced to 39.

Egyptian jihadist group claims shooting attacks on 'apostates' and 'criminals'.

Mali: 'MNLA rebels' attack soldiers in Kidal. Suicide bombers target northern Mali military camp. Mali soldiers fight Tuareg separatists.

France seeks permanent victory in Mali.

Sudan protesters call for president Omar al-Bashir to step down.

EUROPE

Eurozone inflation falls to lowest rate in three years.

German coalition talks could last into January.

Austria election: 'Grand coalition' can rule again.

Silvio Berlusconi calls for fresh Italian elections 'as soon as possible'.

Russia accuses Greenpeace activists of posing a threat to platform personnel. Russian court orders all Greenpeace activists to stay in jail.

Popes John Paul II and John XXIII to become saints.

AMERICAS

US government shutdown looms as Congress fights over spending bill – live.

Senate set to defeat Obamacare delay as government shutdown looms.

Danger to US economy worries experts weighing potential government shutdown, default.

Venezuela's Sabaneta jail search yields weapons arsenal.

Canadians on hunger strike in Egyptian jail claim they were beaten.

US police obtaining military vehicles to aid hunt for criminals.

Report: Homegrown terrorist plots have surged since 2009.

TERRORISM/THE LONG WAR

Africa desert helps breed radicals, from Al Shabab to Boko Haram to Mr. Marlboro.

Terrorists used new tactic to spare some Muslims.

Qaeda plot leak has undermined U.S. intelligence.

ECONOMY/FINANCE/BUSINESS

Google UK paid £11.2m in corporate tax.

Analysis: New trial for Boeing as Norwegian demands 787 repairs.

US shares hit by the threat of a shutdown.

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Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- September 30, 2013

HQ for the British intelligence agency, GCHQ. Gizmodo

UK Becomes First Country To Disclose Plans For Cyber Attack Capability -- Information Age

Ministry of Defence announces plans for cyber "strike capability", making it the first nation state to do so

The UK has become the first country to publicly commit to the aggressive use of cyber attacks to protect national security.

Over the weekend, the Ministry of Defence announced that it is developing a "full-spectrum military cyber capability, including a strike capability, to enhance the UK’s range of military capabilities".

"For years, we have been building a defensive capability to protect ourselves against ... cyber attacks," defence secretary Philip Hammond said in an interview with the Daily Mail. "That is no longer enough."

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MILITARY AND INTELLIGENCE NEWS BRIEFS

UK seeks full cyber warfare capability, experts -- Reuters

How Britain’s new cyberarmy could reshape the laws of war -- Washington Post

UK military R&D is aggressive and counter-productive -- The Guardian

Air Defense For The Winter Olympics -- Strategy Page

Iran's Revolutionary Guard unveils attack drone -- SFGate/AP

Concerns Mount Over Turk-China Defense System -- Defense News

Lada submarines: Made to defend and win -- Russia & India Report

Swiss military simulates French attack -- France 24

Airbus A400M military transport plane launched at last -- Euronews

Afghanistan Wants Post-2014 Troops to Battle the Taliban, not al Qaeda -- Defense One

Japan, US to discuss strengthening cyber-security: reports -- Space Daily/AFP

Marine Corps assigns elite units to Pacific, Middle East, Africa -- Marine Times

The Pilotless F-16 -- Strategy Page

Air Force tanker makes emergency landing with suspected fuel leak -- Stars and Stripes

Pentagon in 'triage mode' in preparing for possible shutdown -- The Hill

Shutdown Looms at Midnight; US Military Pay Protection Uncertain -- Defense News

Hagel calls government shutdown threat 'shortsighted' -- AP

New FBI Director James B. Comey stunned by impact of sequestration on agents in the field -- Washington Post

Next scoop from Snowden on NSA assassination program, reporter says -- Stars and Stripes/AP

Sex Assault More Likely for Women in 'Combat' -- Military.com/Stars and Stripes

New Army tattoo policy faces opposition from Fort Drum area soldiers, businesses -- Stars and Stripes/Watertown Daily Times, N.Y.

Soldiers and their robots robots: Military bots get awards, nicknames ... funerals -- NBC

WWII airman missing since 1944 buried in Utah -- AP

The Widening Gulf Between Americans and Their Military -- Albert R. Hunt, Bloomberg

Defense Cuts Conundrum: Weighing the Hard Choices Ahead -- Foreign Affairs

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South Korean President Park Criticizes Japan During Her Meeting With US Defense Secretary Hagel

BLUE HOUSE

U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, center, greets South Korean President Park Geun-hye at the Blue House in Seoul, South Korea, Sept. 30, 2013. The two leaders later met to discuss bilateral defense topics. DOD photo by Erin A. Kirk-Cuomo

Park Urges Japan To Resolve Grievances Over Colonial-Era Atrocities -- Global Post/Yonhap news

SEOUL, Sept. 30 (Yonhap) -- South Korean President Park Geun-hye told U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel on Monday that Japan should first resolve long-running grievances over its sexual enslavement of Korean women and other colonial-era atrocities if the two neighbors are to build trust and improve ties.

Park made the remark after Hagel talked about the importance of resolving historical problems and other issues between Seoul and Tokyo in order to establish a three-way security cooperation between South Korea, Japan and the United States, senior presidential secretary Lee Jung-hyun said.

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Update #1: South Korea’s president criticizes Japan during meeting with US defense secretary -- Washington Post/AP
Update #2: Japan, S. Korea fail to mend fences -- Japan Times

My Comment: The old bitterness and hatreds are still there .... even though the occupation and war ended almost 70 years ago.

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US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel Is In South Korea For Security And Military Talks

DEMILITARIZED ZONE

U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, right, and South Korean Defense Minister Kim Kwan-jin, second from right, stand at the Ouellette Observation Post at the Demilitarized Zone separating North and South Korea, Sept. 30, 2013. DOD photo by Erin A. Kirk-Cuomo

Chuck Hagel In South Korea For Military Talks -- BBC

US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel is in South Korea for talks, where the eventual transfer of military control to Seoul is expected to be a key issue.

Under the current alliance, the US has operational control over South Korean troops in the event of war.

Seoul was due to resume control in 2015, but appears to want an extension, given ongoing tensions with the North.

The two Koreas remain technically at war as the 1950-53 conflict ended in an armistice and not a peace treaty.

Mr Hagel, who is visiting South Korea for the first time since becoming defence secretary, said Seoul's military had become "much more sophisticated, much more capable".

"We're constantly re-evaluating each of our roles," he told reporters on Sunday during his flight to Seoul.

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More News On US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel Visiting South Korea For Security And Military Talks

Handover of U.S. command of South Korean troops still under debate -- Washington Post
No decision on extending US wartime command of SKoreans: Hagel -- FOX News/AFP
Hagel to Assess South Korea Readiness With Handover Looming -- Bloomberg Businessweek
Hagel in South Korea; will discuss extending US wartime control of South’s forces -- Washington Post/AP
Hagel: US Will Not Cut Forces in Korea -- Voice of America
Hagel Praises 60-year-old U.S.-South Korean Alliance -- US Department of Defense
Hagel tours last Cold War frontier in Korea -- FOX News/AFP
Hagel Watches Training, Tours DMZ During Korea Visit -- US Department of Defense
North Korean soldiers eye, photograph Chuck Hagel during his visit to DMZ -- NBC
U.S. defense chief makes symbolic visit to Korea's truce village -- Global Post/AFP
Dempsey, Hagel arrive in South Korea as part of military pivot to Asia -- Washington Times

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A Lightsaber For Every Soldier?

Coming to a store near you … Ewan McGregor with a lightsaber in Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith Photograph: Digital work by ILM

Star Wars Lightsabers Finally Invented -- The Guardian

Scientists in America have 'accidentally' found a way forward to the creation of real-life weapons as used by Jedi Knights

Wannabe Jedi Knights rejoice, for scientists have discovered that the famous lightsaber weapon wielded by Luke Skywalker and his ilk in the long-running space opera saga might one day exist beyond the realms of fiction.

Harvard and MIT physicists writing in the new edition of Nature say they have discovered a way to bind photons together in order to form a new molecule which behaves almost exactly like George Lucas's deadly devices.

"Most of the properties of light we know about originate from the fact that photons are massless and do not interact," said Harvard university physics professor Mikhail Lukin. "What we have done is create a special type of medium in which photons interact with each other so strongly that they act as though they have mass, and bind together to form molecules.

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My Comment: We are still a long long long way from that reality (of soldiers having lightsabers). But the science is making progress.

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