heads up - with updates

UPDATE: US Warship docks in Vietnam amid growing row with China on disputed sea

A U.S. warship docked in Vietnam today as part of weeklong naval exercises that highlight a more assertive American role in the region that has irked China. The USS John S. McCain is visiting Danang to mark the 15- year anniversary of normalized relations between the U.S. and Vietnam, according to the Navy. Vietnamese officials made an offshore visit to the USS George Washington nuclear-powered aircraft carrier in the South China Sea two days ago. The exercises follow a diplomatic tiff between the U.S. and China after Secretary of State Hillary Clinton commented on a regional territorial dispute in the sea, which China considers its own. Clinton said last month that resolving disputes was a “leading diplomatic priority,” and she offered to help countries negotiate a code of conduct in the waters.

...China has pressured Exxon Mobil Corp. and BP Plc to halt exploration in waters that Vietnam considers part of its territory, according to U.S. government agencies. Vietnam’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Nguyen Phuong Nga said Aug. 5 that China had conducted seismic surveys of areas near the Paracel islands and encompassing its continental shelf.... The South China Sea covers 3.5 million square kilometers (1.4 million square miles) stretching from Singapore to the Straits of Taiwan. Its waters carry about half the world’s merchant fleet by tonnage each year, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

Estimates of oil and gas reserves in the waters vary, with some Chinese studies suggesting they contain more oil than Iran and more natural gas than Saudi Arabia, according to the U.S. agency. Malaysia, the Philippines, Brunei and Taiwan also claim some or all of the disputed islands.

South China Sea (source)

Here is a good analysis of the geopolitics involved. 

Earlier this month, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates made what’s believed to be the highest-level public U.S. remarks to date on the issue. “The South China Sea is an area of growing concern,” he said at a security forum in Singapore. “This sea is not only vital to those directly bordering it, but to all nations with economic and security interests in Asia.” Gates repeated the U.S.’ longstanding policy that it takes no position on conflicting sovereignty claims in the South China Sea. But he said the U.S. believes “it is essential that stability, freedom of navigation, and free and unhindered economic development be maintained” and that “we object to any effort to intimidate U.S. corporations or those of any nation engaged in legitimate economic activity.”

Stratfor analyst notes that the Philippines wants US protection lest a stronger China start "bossing" the Philippines around. (Video found at VOLVBILIS.) See Nancy Gadian's statements below for context.

Chinese people won't stand for US naval provocation

Just imagine whether the Chinese people will believe US President Barack Obama's statement that "the US does not seek to contain China" or US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's claim "we are in the same boat" if a US aircraft carrier bursts into the Yellow Sea. Imagine how the US could expect China to give a hand when it needs to cooperate with China if it obstructs China like this. Imagine what the consequence will be if China's biggest debtor nation challenges its creditor nation. Imagine how the US would feel if China showed the same ignorance of US interests and security as the US is doing now, and operated military exercises with the US neighbors or competitors in its neighboring or sensitive regions. Do not do to others what you would not have them do to you. The US should think twice about this maneuver. Once US aircraft carrier sails into the Yellow Sea, Sino-US relations will be damaged mainly in the aspect of popular support, which is the basis of international relations.

Needed: A narrative figleaf cover for one of the "conflict scenarios"....?

^^^^^^^

 

"Young sea gypsies sit on their boat outside of their family hut in their neighbourhood in Sulawesi Sea in Malaysia’s state of Sabah on the Borneo island. A community of 30 families of the indigenous ethnic group of sea gypsies are still maintaining a nomadic and sea-based life without fresh water supply, TV nor electricity, and only go to land to bury the dead."  (source: WorldHum)

Speculating here... not the terrorists.

"At the request of the Philippine Government, JSOTF-P works together with the Armed Forces of the Philippines to fight terrorism and deliver humanitarian assistance to the people of Mindanao. U.S. forces are temporarily deployed to the Philippines in a strictly non-combat role to advise and assist the AFP, share information, and to conduct joint civil military operations. JSOTF-P is made up of Special Operations forces and support personnel from all four branches of the U.S. military." 

(source: jsotf-p.blogspot.com, April 2010)

Read on.

^^^^^^^


State Department: al-Qaeda still top US terror threat
http://www.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=60332

WASHINGTON, Aug. 5, 2010 – Transnational terrorism poses the United States’ gravest security threat, with al-Qaida’s core in Pakistan remaining the most-formidable terrorist organization targeting the U.S. homeland, according to a new State Department report covering worldwide terrorist activity during 2009.

“Country Reports on Terrorism 2009,” released today, notes al-Qaida’s continued adaptability and resilience and concludes that its desire to attack the United States and its interests abroad “remains strong.”

...Daniel Benjamin, the department’s counterterrorism coordinator, said al-Qaida’s attacks on Muslims have hurt its standing in the Muslim world. The latest annual State Department report aims to enhance understanding of the international terrorist threat and help to shape efforts to confront it, he explained.

Daniel Benjamin, one of the many Jews (approximately 2% of the US population) who work at the US State Department shaping policy, notes that al Qaeda's attacks on Muslims have hurt its standing in the Muslim world. Mm hmm. And where does the logic go from there? If al Qaeda is so stupid how does al Qaeda manage to evade capture year after year?


Anyway, why would al Qaeda attack Muslims unless al Qaeda is not who al Qaeda claims to be? Sorry to repost this video again but it's short and to the point.



See: violence around the world



So no surprises with this State Department nonsense really. But this is interesting:

Also identified in the report were terrorist safe havens, by region. In South Asia, it cited Afghanistan and Pakistan; in the Middle East, Iraq, northern Iraq, Lebanon and Yemen; in Africa, Somalia and the Trans-Sahara; and in East Asia and the Pacific, the Sulawesi Sea and Sulu Archipelago.

New places to explore! Quick let's look *before* something happens so that we can smell the bullshit as it wafts over the horizon.

First let us get our bearings with some maps. We are talking about the area to the southwest of the Philippines, in the center of this map. The large island at the bottom of the Philippines is Mindanao. The large island just above "INDONESIA" is Sulawesi. The Sulawesi Sea is also known as the Celebes Sea. Click the images to enlarge.

source: Ocean Maps

source: Minsupala Online

Source: Wikimedia Commons

source: Peter Loud

The State Department tells us that this area is a "terrorist safe haven."

^^^^^^^

Before we go on, you may want to read the post foreshadowing, in particular this part at the end, which is important:

In August 2009, GMANews.TV reported the statements of Lt. Senior Grade Nancy Gadian at a press conference held before an inquiry by the Senate oversight committee on the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) into the activities of US troops in the Philippines.

Gadian, a whistleblower, was invited to the hearing.

Gadian earlier this year exposed the alleged misuse of the P42-million fund allotted for the joint military exercises between the Philippines and the US by high ranking military officials.

Gadian made the following statements:

• US soldiers have joined Philippine troops in actual combat against Muslim rebels.
• The American soldiers were embedded in local units.
• About 500 US soldiers were assigned in Mindanao as "the first line of defense against the enemy."
• US troops usually engaged in operations in Mindanao without informing heads of the Philippine military in the area.
• Philippine forces are fighting the al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf terrorist group and other armed groups in Sulu.
• American troops are stationed in Mindanao even without any Balikatan exercises going on.

• The Philippine government does not monitor the deployment and movement of these troops in the country's southern region.
• Americans in Mindanao usually have programs or projects which they do not tell the leadership of the Southern Command. They just go to areas where they want to go.

• Gadian's affadavit also states:

• The US military of building permanent structures in different military camps in the country. She said US forces have established "permanent" and "continuous" presence in Zamboanga, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi in the south.
• The Philippine military has no access to the camps built by the US soldiers in these areas since they are "fenced off by barbed wires and guarded by US Marines."
• These structures are indications the US troops had no intention of leaving the country, which is a violation of the Philippine Constitution.
• The "arrogant" behavior of many US military officers toward Filipinos.
• Some US military men bringing Filipino women prostitutes to different areas in the camp.
• "On the whole, their assertions of power and authority appear like they rule over us and the country."

Let's be clear then. According to this affadavit, the US has established "permanent" and "continuous" presence in the very areas that the State Department claims is a "terrorist safe haven."

Also, the US military operates without oversight by the Philippine government in these areas.

We recently read the same thing about Mexico.

High level Mexican military and government sources revealed that U.S. Special Forces and DEA agents are operating in Mexico. They have been allowed into Mexico to seek clandestine terrorist groups believe operating in Mexico. The government of Felipe Calderón authorized some American Special Forces and US anti-narcotics agents to operate in some states without oversight by Mexican authorities. The permission provides that DEA agents will not be required to issue a report to Mexico on their work in the country. Mexican sources said they have no knowledge of which terrorist groups or drug cartels or drug bosses the group will try to meet with because that information “is reserved and the government of the president of the US, Barack Obama, considers it of national security.”  (source: http://bignews.biz/?id=799408&keys=)

Aangirfan writes about Indonesia regularly. One year ago, August 7, 2009: "The army is behind the jihad."

Dr George J. Aditjondro is the leading expert on Indonesian politics.

Aditjondro wrote, in October 2002, that Indonesia's military and business elites have very close ties to Israel and Mossad.

Here is an extract from a program produced by SBS, Australia's Special Broadcasting Services (Inside Indonesia's War on Terror):

George Aditjondro says that in every Indonesian hotspot, the army foments trouble by funding and arming both sides. In the case of Central Sulawesi, both Muslim and Christian militia.

GEORGE ADITJONDRO: So the money does not have to come from rich people like Osama bin Laden and the weapons don't have to come from southern Philippines or from other exotic places but is actually coming from the official sources and that is why I am saying that the kind of terrorism which we see in Indonesia is home grown terrorism. It's a kind of duel function or triple function of the armed forces.

The late reverand Agustina Lumentut told me in 2001 that the Indonesian military was using proxy armies to do their dirty work.

^^^^^^^

I found a very interesting blog about the Sulu Archipelago.

The Island of Pearls, and the wisdom behind it. Supports peaceful Sulu assertion of independence. 1. People, 2. Territory, 3. Independence, 4. Sovereignty.

Bangsa Sug Declaration: Assertion of Independence, Dinar and Durham is the Currency!!! by Neldy Jolo

Sultanate of Sulu has been in existence long before the concept of nation was born. Its sovereignty can never be questioned. It had signed the international treaties between Spain, America, France, Germany and Britain. It has also long trade relations with these countries, including the Peoples Republic of China.

By these treaties, Sultanate of Sulu was strongly recognized as sovereign and independent country of sovereign native people. No country that could ever signed any treaty with other country if it does not recognized each country's sovereignty. Sovereignty is perpetual.
After long been longing for total and complete freedom and liberty, 17 November 2010 would be the sacred and historical date and moment for the people of Sulu, the date that could remind them of the rebirth of their country's independence, the Sultanate of Sulu.
The people group themselves as United Tau Sug People, the citizens of the Sultanate of Sulu. The cause of the people here is legal and followed and adheres to the principle of international law. The people are committed to the principle the international peace and security by “denouncing war and renouncing terrorism.”

...Adam Tanner and Reed Stevenson reported in http://sg.news.yahoo.com/, “World court says Kosovo independence declaration is legal” that Marko Prelec of think tank the International Crisis Group says, "It will strengthen Kosovo's position vis a vis Serbia in the international scenes and weaken Serbia's position. There will be many more recognitions now."

Hopefully Sultanate of Sulu people would experience the same fate, as they had declared the choices of the Philippines to “please free us or kills us.” And Philippines Please out Now from the Sultanate of Sulu.” If the call is understandable, no one will ever stay longer for more in the territory of not his own, since Sultanate of Sulu is not part of the Philippines?

Sultanate of Sulu will also use the Gold Dinar and Dirham currency as what State of Kelantan and Nagroe Aceh Darussalam are using according to the World Islamic Mint (WIM) standard. Reported on 22 July, government of Aceh promised to mint Dinar and Dirham very soon as the Governor of Aceh Bapak Irwanid Yusuf with the representative of WIM.The State of Kelantan will be laungching the coins this coming 12 August 2010 at it capital Kota Bahru. As reported: “The ceremony will be attended by many guests: besides Chief Ministers of several Malaysian states, there will be government officials from Sulu Sultanate, Indonesia, Pakistan, Turkey, as well as leaders of various jama’as and organizations from Germany, Spain, Kazakhstan and other countries. The event will undoubtly signify the emergence of the new centre of the Islamic world in the 21st century: NUSANTARA.”

The source document for that last paragraph about the new currency is very, very interesting.

Kota Bharu (source)

Alhamdulillah, we are happy to announce the news all of us have been waiting for – the official launch of Dinar and Dirham in the state of Kelantan will be held in its capital, Kota Bharu, on 12 August 2010.

The upcoming event in Kelantan is history in making as it marks the beginning of both, the rise of Islam and demise of Capitalism for the two can’t co-exist: when the light comes darkness disappears.

This is the first time in the last 100 years, since the fall of the Ottoman Caliphate, when a Muslim government introduces Shariah Currency. Indeed there has been four generations of Muslims who have not seen Gold Dinar and Silver Dirham; four generations of Muslims who have been divided into little national reservations and sentenced to permanent robbery first by local, then by international Masters of Riba; four generations of Muslims who haven’t known what is their Deen. The introduction of Gold Dinar and Silver Dirham in the state of Kelantan is not a new idea or experiment, it is the return to the medium of exchange that has been known for 1400 years throughout Dar al-Islam as Money of Shariah taking its legislation from Allah’s Revelation and Rasul’s Sunnah.

On the 12th August people of Kelantan are going to say “NO” to the insane world order created by bankers after WWII not by blasting offices and embassies nor by deciphering bloodlines and agendas of occult societies but by putting Halal money in their pockets.

On the 12th August people of Kelantan are going to say: “One Dinar – One Ummah”.

On the 12th August people of Kelantan will uplift dignity of Malays not through nationalistic UMNO-type policies of Bumiputra privileges but through restoration of Muamalat.

On the 12th August the government of Kelantan will start moving with the current, Divine Current, and every stroke in the direction of the current would bring Kelantan 10 times farther than a stroke against it; the first stroke will be the payment of 25% of salaries to public servants in Dinar and Dirham; all state companies will be accepting payments in Dinar and Dirham is another stroke; 600 shops will receive stickers “We Accept Dinar and Dirham” – yet another stroke.

However the 12th August is not the moment of celebration but rather the moment of Tauba, Tauba for all of us without exception, for we all have allowed the Deen of Islam, the most precious gift we were given, to slip away from our lives and replace it with primitive puritanical monotheism centered around sexuality, woman’s dress code and halal chicken, a religion which Umar Pasha Vadillo calls Islamic Protestantism.

Yes, before and especially on the 12 of August we have to put our foreheads on prayer mat in a long sajdah and ask forgiveness from Allah Subhanahu for letting Riba, the most heinous crime, become part of our daily existence, for our great Ulama in the past would not tolerate even one bank in their lands, let alone declare it Halal, because they really believed that “dirham of Riba is worse than adultery 36 times”. And there are Ulama today too who are not compromising the Deen, Umar Pasha Vadillo said in one of his lectures in Kazakhstan last year: “One bank on your street is worse than prostitution in your own family!”.

So this is the moment of realization of how far we have gone out of the Deen and how urgently we need to go back.

August 12 is not the end but the beginning of our affair as the Shariah currency is the first element to be put in place then to be followed by the second, Souq (Islamic market) which in turn will require all other elements of Islamic Muamalat to come into picture thus bringing an entire paradigm shift of what is money, trade, wealth, investment, - and what is not.

The ceremony will be attended by many guests: besides Chief Ministers of several Malaysian states, there will be government officials from Sulu Sultanate, Indonesia, Pakistan, Turkey, as well as leaders of various jama’as and organizations from Germany, Spain, Kazakhstan and other countries. The event will undoubtly signify the emergence of the new centre of the Islamic world in the 21st century: NUSANTARA. [Nusantara being an ancient word for the Indonesian archipelago. - ed.]

Muslim leaders, activists and especially media are most welcome to Kota Bharu, Kelantan to witness the main Islamic event of the last 100 years.
As the historic day of 12th August approaches Muamalah Council Malaysia and its chairman, Hajj Umar Azmon, wish to express thankfulness to Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz and Datuk Husam Musa of Kelantan state government; may Allah grant Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz and Datuk Husam Musa, their families and their people total success in this world and, most importantly, in the next. Amin.

I am speechless just imagining how this development must be viewed, spun and torpedoed by the ruling class.