Iraq sees need for foreign military until 2018

 

 

BAGHDAD: Iraq's defense minister said that his country would need foreign military help to defend its borders for another 10 years and would not be able to maintain internal security until 2012.
"According to our calculations and our timelines, we think that from the first quarter of 2009 until 2012 we will be able to take full control of the internal affairs of the country, "Qadir said.
"In regard to the borders, regarding protection from any external threats, our calculation appears that we are not going to be able to answer to any external threats until 2018 to 2020," he said.
Qadir is currently visiting the United States for weapons acquisitions for the new, U.S.-trained Iraqi army. According to the report, these included ground vehicles, helicopters, tanks, artillery and armored personnel carriers.

14 killed in southern Philippine unrest

 

 

 

COTABATO: Fourteen people have been killed in two days of violence on the volatile southern Philippine island of Mindanao, officials said Tuesday.
Twelve Muslims were killed on Monday when rival commanders of the Muslim separatist Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) clashed in Mamasapano town over a land dispute, said MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu.
In a separate incident on Tuesday, gunmen attacked a military outpost in the town of Palayan near Mamasapano, leaving two soldiers dead, said military spokesman Colonel Julieto Ando.

Al-Qaida cannot take control of Pakistan: Musharraf

 

ISLAMABAD: President Pervez Musharraf said that the extremists cannot take control of Pakistan.
He said that the Al-Qaida is not so strong militarily to defeat Pakistan and it is not powerful politically. There is no possibility of its taking part and winning in the elections.
Talking with a German magazine, President Musharraf said that whenever he feels that the majority of the people is against him then he would not take a moment to step down from the position of the president.
The president said that he would never allow the US army to launch operation in the Pakistani land.
He said that if any need arises then Pakistan itself ask for help and only the local forces are doing operation in Pakistan.

Bin Laden's son applies to move to U.K.

 

CAIRO: Al Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden's son has applied for a visa to the United Kingdom where he intends to live with his British wife.
According to a British daily, the British woman changed her name to Zaina Al Sabah Bin Laden after her marriage to Omar.
If the couple's application is accepted, they will move to Jane's $1.1 million home in Cheshire, near Manchester.
It further said that Umar has divorced his first wife, the mother of his two-year-old son.

6 Gomal Zam project staffers abducted

WANA: Some unidentified armed men kidnapped six employees of the Gomal Zam project including assistant officer Abdullah Marwat along with their official vehicle from Girdawai area in South Waziristan Agency on Monday.

According to reports, Abdullah Marwat, suppliers Shahid Mehood, HameedUllah Afghani, Sohail Khan and Khalil Khan were abducted while traveling in their official vehicle.

They were intercepted by the abductors near Girdwaai area and whisked them away at gunpoint, leaving the vehicle midway.

The project always is hit by snags as some time its employees were either harassed or abducted as a result of which the gigantic Gomal Zam dam project is much behind schedule.