Welcome! Our goal at Winds of Change.NET is to give you one power-packed briefing of insights, news and trends from the global War on Terror that leaves you stimulated, informed, and occasionally amused every Monday & Thursday. Thursday’s Winds of War briefings are normally given by Colt, of Eurabian Times. This week Colt is enjoying a well deserved break.

Today’s Winds of War briefing is brought to you by USMC_Vet of The Word Unheard.

TOP TOPICS

• Ken Timmerman’s new book, “Countdown to Crisis: The Coming Nuclear Showdown with Iran”, contains this document showing a definitive link between Iran and al Qaeda, detailing the smuggling of oil products into Iran in the early 1990’s. Timmerman has also written a brief al Qaeda-Iran Timeline, beginning with a relationship spun up by Zawahiri in Sudan in 1992.

• Now that the silly election inconvenience is over, the real Ahmadinejad confidently steps forward in Iran. You’ll remember him. Yes, him.

• Operation Sword has swung into action in western Iraq. So far, information has been sparsely available, save for official press releases and the re-working of them by the press they are released to. Weapons caches have been siezed and there is a report that 13 were captured and detained.

Other Topics Today Include:

Russia ready to build six more reactors in Iran; Iran’s Second Islamic Revolution; Iraq terror manula contains ‘moral justification for killing innocent Iraqis’; a ‘Defining Battle’ for Iraqi troops; Night Stalker down in Afghanistan; Zalmay Khalilzad’s would-be assassins arrested; Operation Diablo Reach Back; Hizballah attacks Israeli positions; Pastor tells congress of ‘North American Community’ borderless ‘security’ plan; Darfur War Crimes considered by ICC; US Coast Guard in Africa; China’s Unocal chase; France is demanding something else again; 70 Achievements in the War on Terrorism and much more.

Read the Rest…

Welcome! Our goal at Winds of Change.NET is to give you one power-packed briefing of insights, news and trends from the global War on Terror that leaves you stimulated, informed, and occasionally amused every Monday & Thursday. In addition, we also have our in-depth Iraq Report today. Today’s Winds of War briefing is brought to you by Bill Roggio and evariste of Discarded Lies.

Top Topics

• Hardliner Ahmadinejad wins the Iranian election, making European raproachment less likely. Here is a tame profile - but Dan Darling notes Ahmadinejad’s connections to Qods Force, which is currently protecting al-Qaeda’s leadership in Iran. Publius Pundit, meanwhile, notes the Iranian people basically boycotted this election.

• Iraq’s Prime Minister puts the pressure on Syria to close the borders to prevent the flow of foreign jihadis into Iraq, and says relations with the US won’t change even if there’s a US conflict with Iran. So much for that “Shi’ite election winners = Iranian allies” idea…

• In Afghanistan, its been a tough week of fighting and the Taliban isn’t holding up so well. Well over 130 have been killed and senior commanders have been killed or captured.

• Rumsfeld admitted on a Sunday morning show that the US has been meeting Sunni insurgency leaders to convince them to lay down their arms, but denied that any negotiation was taking place with Zarqawi’s organization.

Other Topics Today Include:

Al Qaeda in Iran; Ahmadinejad wants nukes, not US; Zarqawi’s #2 bagged; Ansar al Sunnah leader caught; Unsettling times in Gaza for Israelis; Hamas sez more killing!; Mugabe destroys, rebuilds; Terror in Kashmir; Burning in Bangladesh; Choppings in Thailand; Sri Lankan Peace overtures; CIA agents charged for renditions; and much more…

Read the Rest…

Welcome! Our goal at Winds of Change.NET is to give you one power-packed briefing of insights, news and trends from the global War on Terror that leaves you stimulated, informed, and occasionally amused every Monday & Thursday. Thursday’s Winds of War briefings are given by me, Colt, of Eurabian Times.

TOP TOPICS

• Al-Qaeda in Iraq has announced the establishment of an all-Iraqi suicide squad, apparently to dissuade Iraqis that the murderous ‘resistance’ is foreign. The statement did not explain why it took al-Qaeda over two years since the invasion to form such a unit.

• JK: BBC interviewee Jeremy Binnie of Jane’s Terrorism and Insurgency Centre believes the “flypaper strategy” is working. Impearls has a fuller analysis, with some new developments in Europe.

• A survey of arms experts by a Senate committee has found that the experts believe there is a high risk of a WMD attack this decade.

• The IDF seems to have returned to targeted killings. The PIJ target in question escaped.

Other Topics Today Include: Brits arrest Iran dissidents; Russia to deliver nuclear fuel in months; spy-plane crashes; palestinian burn victim tries to blow up hospital; anti-Syrian politician killed; Red-on-Red; Saudis kill two jihadis; 9/11 suspect caught in Mexico; Hezbollah drug ring smashed; Hamas says they spoke to senior German official; Spain arrests five more; Chechens kidnapped young girls for suicide bombings?; Karzai says Pakistan interfering; Taliban kicked out of town; seven Abu Sayyaf get death penalties; more jihad in Thailand; Al-Qaeda’s Africa arm stirs; A-Q angry with Sudan for intelligence tips to U.S.; and much more.

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Welcome! Our goal at Winds of Change.NET is to give you one power-packed briefing of insights, news and trends from the global War on Terror that leaves you stimulated, informed, and occasionally amused every Monday & Thursday.

Today’s Winds of War briefing is brought to you by Bill Roggio of the fourth rail and evariste of Discarded Lies.

Top Topics

• Further endearing his cause to the masses, Al Qaeda leader Ayman al Zawahiri issued a new tape, this time denouncing demonstration, people power and colored revolutions, insisting that peaceful change was impossible and armed struggle (the terrorist kind) was essential. Does he sound scared? One of his Pakistani hideouts may have been discovered.

• Mexican special forces replaced a border town’s entire police force (pop. 500,000), detaining hundreds of them on suspicion of being in cahoots with druglords. Operation Safe Mexico targets 14 cities that are overwhelmed by druglord paramilitary violence. American law enforcement, having shared information in the past that led to no action, is skeptical but keeping an open mind. Nuevo Laredo is across the border from Laredo, TX and is the site of a recent police chief slaying by a drug gang (reported in this space two weeks ago).

• Michael Chertoff plans to propose some big changes for the Department of Homeland Security, but they’re on hold for now while he trims the bureaucracy and tries to mold it into a more effective domestic counterterror force. The intelligence arm of the Department faces a major overhaul, the details of which are to be announced by the end of June.

• In a further blow to CIA’s independence (which isn’t a bad thing), its station chiefs around the world will now report both to NDI John Negroponte and their boss Porter Goss. Also, the House intelligence committee chairman says he’s dropping legislation to subject Pentagon intelligence operations, including tactical intelligence for the military, to CIA “coordination”. A bad idea, and it’s good that it was dropped. The CIA and FBI took steps to end their turf war as well.

• Rumors that Israel was being systematically left out in the cold were finally officially confirmed by the Pentagon. Just when Caroline Glick declared that the US was abandoning its alliance with Israel over arms sales to China, Silvan Shalom, Israel’s foreign minister, has formally apologized to the United States over the Harpy drones and Israeli insensitivity to US security concerns, simultaneously with a visit by Condi Rice in which she is said to be taking it easy on a politically shaky Sharon. Rice is seeking to ease Israeli fears over the Gaza pullout, but Israel is taking few chances, commencing construction of an underwater barrier to seal off Gaza. Meanwhile, two Israeli journalists, tapping into rising anti-disengagement sentiment in Israel, say that people close to Sharon think disengagement is more about protecting Sharon from an anti-corruption probe. Colt has more.

Other Topics Today Include:
Iran nuclear doings; Hamas rejects call to disarm; more foreigners in Iraq insurgency; Operations Spear, Dagger underway; Gangbusters bill; OTMs increase to 100,000; Patriot Act hobbled; Ugandan border security; Sudanese peace deal; Ethiopia crackdown denounced; Sudan intel chief visit controversial; Al Qaeda wants to make Afghanistan another Iraq; Aus Fed Police do counterterror in Phillippines; Mullah Krekar in Norway to be deported; 3 imams deported in Holland; German snit over Rummy snub; G8 security leaks, high-level doings and agreements; renditions program running into trouble overseas; UK to deploy 5000 more to Afghanistan and much more…

Read the Rest…

Welcome! Our goal at Winds of Change.NET is to give you one power-packed briefing of insights, news and trends from the global War on Terror that leaves you stimulated, informed, and occasionally amused every Monday & Thursday. Thursday’s Winds of War briefings are given by me, Colt, of Eurabian Times.

TOP TOPICS

• A UAE paper claims that U.S. troops are massing near the Syrian border.

• Iran has been using plutonium for years. They also recieved technology for a weapons program - both things happened much earlier than Tehran had previously admitted.

• The Khadr saga has a good moment: the Mounties have found a cache of information on Zaynab Khadr’s laptop.

Other Topics Today Include: North Korea to build missile bunkers in Iran; al-Adel in Iran; Syria takes out ‘terror cell’; U.S. and Turkey part ways?; child-recruiting Fatah men arrested; Israel predicts more terror from Gaza; PA to collapse; Douglas Wood freed by Iraqi SF; carbomb-maker caught; IAEA tells KSA to cooperate; Congress considers KSA arms ban; Lebanese man given 4 1/2 years for aiding Hezbollah; Mexico ignoring AQ?; Yarkas took metro with Atta; Muslim migrants oppose Dutch gov’t immigration/integration plans; Spanish police net 16; Danes abuse anti-terror laws; Uzbekistan airbases less necessary; Taliban commander caught; Thai Buddhist beheaded by Muslims; U.S. exercises in North Africa; and much more.

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Welcome! Our goal at Winds of Change.NET is to give you one power-packed briefing of insights, news and trends from the global War on Terror that leaves you stimulated, informed, and occasionally amused every Monday & Thursday. In addition, we also have our in-depth Iraq Report today.

Today’s Winds of War briefing is brought to you by Bill Roggio of the fourth rail and evariste of Discarded Lies.

Top Topics

• Three more suspects are arrested in Lodi/al Qaeda sleeper cell case, raising fears that more cells are out there. Dan Darling reminds us that we shouldn’t be shocked that terrorist training camps exist in Pakistan, as the LeT is still open for business. Pakistan denies terrorist camps exist within their borders. The Counterterroism Blog weighs in as well.

• Bill Gertz reports that China analysts have missed a significant buildup in China’s military capabilities, and calls into question the policy of depending on area specialists.

• The humanitarian/authoritarian crisis in Zimbabwe worsens. Where is the UN? The opposition planned a strike, but it was a ‘flop’. More from Joe, who wants to arm the Zimbabwean opposition. Also, there are rumors Mugabe’s health is not so good (or very good, depending on your perspective).

• Salon.com states the Bush administration is trumping up “false” charges against the Assad Regime ala Iraq to precipitate an invasion. Syria’s Ambassador repeats the charges.

Other Topics Today Include:

Bombs in Iran; Iranian protest babes fight sexual discrimination; al Qaeda in Iran; Saudi Religious Police on the outs?; Syria not complying with Lebanon withdrawal; PATRIOT Games; Bolivian blowup; American prisons = Islamists breeding grounds; Africans high percentage of terrorists in Iraq; Darfur update; Resolution in Kashmir?; al Qaeda whereabouts; Thailand terror; Russian train derailed by bomb; ETA at it again; foreign jihadis swell the ranks of Iraqi insurgency; and much more…

Read the Rest…

Welcome! Our goal at Winds of Change.NET is to give you one power-packed briefing of insights, news and trends from the global War on Terror that leaves you stimulated, informed, and occasionally amused every Monday & Thursday. Thursday’s Winds of War briefings are given by me, Colt, of Eurabian Times.

TOP TOPICS

• Outside Iraq, but Deep in the Fight. A long and fascinating look at the trails of jihad leading to Iraq from Syria. Bill Roggio chimes in with The Syrian End of the Ratline

• The Pentagon is looking to kill off the mid-level A-Q terrorists who enable the top-tier to function.

• Iraqi government officials have praised a Shi’ite organisation that many Sunnis say is behind the recent spate of murders of Sunni notables.

Other Topics Today Include: A-Q living in Iran; Iran to work with IAEA; Hezbollah does well; IDF wants to fight Hamas; Hamas willing to talk; PIJ test rockets in Judea and Samaria; poisoned melons; Sunni terrorists may disarm; Kurd president favours Israel ties; Saudi preacher changes tune; bloody-chainsaw man allowed to enter U.S.; father-son A-Q pair arrested in CA; al-Arian’s lawyers deny everything; HRW worried for al-Libbi; Dutch nab two Iraqi ‘resistors’; Zapatero says ETA talks will end terror; CSM picks up 3/11 weirdness; Uzbek jihadis threaten U.S.; Taliban finished as battle force; OIC says Thai terror not religious; GSPC claims attack; and much more besides.

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Welcome! Our goal at Winds of Change.NET is to give you one power-packed briefing of insights, news and trends from the global War on Terror that leaves you stimulated, informed, and occasionally amused every Monday & Thursday. Thursday’s Winds of War briefings are given by me, Colt, of Eurabian Times.

TOP TOPICS

• Is Zarqawi wounded? Bill and Dan look at what his condition might be, and where he might have gone, as well as the repercussions of his death.

• Mystery Achievement has a translation of an Italian article, in which Iyad Allawi claims that Zawahiri was invited to Iraq in 1999.

• Operation Charm Offensive Towards Islamists. The U.S., now, not just the Europeans.

Other Topics Today Include: Iran diplomatic wrangling; Egypt’s reforms; Hezbollah admits to rocket arsenal; PA rejects prisoner release offer; Hitler to run in PLO elections; Syria quits co-operation with U.S.; Zarqawi guys nabbed; Iraq legalises alcohol; Roggio analyses; Hezbollah in the U.S.; U.S. looking to protect Europe from Islam; central America terror alert a false alarm; ETA bomb wounds 50+; Bosnian police chief retracts 3/11 detonator claim; E.U. improving Hezbollah, Hamas ties; petrol bombs thrown at Syrian embassy in Berlin; three dead civilians in Kashmir; Taliban commander caught; Thai A-Q teacher and students arrested; Taylor recieves A-Q cash; West Africa a potential al-Qaeda base; and much more.

Read the rest…

Welcome! Our goal at Winds of Change.NET is to give you one power-packed briefing of insights, news and trends from the global War on Terror that leaves you stimulated, informed, and occasionally amused every Monday & Thursday. In addition, we also have our in-depth Iraq Report today.

Today’s Winds of War briefing is brought to you by Bill Roggio of the fourth rail and evariste of Discarded Lies.

Top Topics

• Nathan Hamm has kindly assembled a briefing on the situation in Uzbekistan: Early Friday morning, gunmen stormed Andijon’s prison freeing 2,000 prisoners, including 23 men charged with belonging to a banned Islamic group who were at the center of protests that began May 10. During the day on May 13, about 10,000 people gathered in Andijon’s central square where troops opened fire on the crowd killing more than 200 people. First-hand reports describe a city under siege. The city is calm now, though unrest continues in two towns on the border with Kyrgyzstan. Though it is still unclear whether or not those who seized government buildings were protesters or militants taking advantage of the situation, the primary concerns of those who were protesting throughout the week are economic.

• Blogosphere counter-terror expert Dan Darling offers further analysis re: what’s going on in Uzbekistan.

• The Qu’ran abuse story reported by Newsweek has been retracted. This false story has cost over 16 lives and sparked numerous riots in the Muslim world. No one will riot when copies of Newsweek are flushed this week.

• Haitham al-Yemeni, the reported successor to captured al Qaeda commander Abu Farraj al-Libbi, has been reported to have been killed in a strike by a US Predator in Pakistan. The Pakistani government denies this, however. Musharraf is claiming al Qaeda in Pakistan has been broken by al-Libbi’s capture. Right…

Other Topics Today Include: Enriching Iran; US interferes in Iran; Is/Hezb deathmatch; Saudi democracy in action; Yemeni cell jugged; Egypt just says no to the Muslim Brotherhood; Airplane!; Fake badges and visas; Flight turned away; Somolia still a mess; UN causes rape, pilliage, plunder in Darfur; LPG tanker recovered; The Rising Sun?; US interferes in Myanmar; Kashmiri presents; Bomb Thailand; Nork’s Nukes; Ocalan’s unfair trial; US interferes in former Soviet republics; Basque bombs; The perils of al Qaeda middle managers; Osama bracketed; another Zarqawi aide detained, and much much more…

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Welcome! Our goal at Winds of Change.NET is to give you one power-packed briefing of insights, news and trends from the global War on Terror that leaves you stimulated, informed, and occasionally amused every Monday & Thursday. In addition, we also have our in-depth Iraq Report today.

Today’s Winds of War briefing is brought to you by Bill Roggio of the fourth rail and evariste of Discarded Lies.

Top Topics

• This analysis looks at the implications for US security and policies in the Mideast in light of Chinese paranoia and energy opportunism. Two specific recent events are cited as telling-an editorial exposing the Communist regime’s paranoia and hostility towards the US program of Middle East democratization, and a Chinese promise to Iran to block any moves against it in the Security Council.

• Sandia boffins want to “abolish anonymity, the terrorist’s friend, and establish a voluntary decentralized surveillance system.” This was one of a many different approaches under discussion via worksops, scenario sessions, etc. The Sandia article explains.

• The PLO is inviting Hamas and Islamic Jihad to join the party. Abbas cannot muster the will to crack down on Palestinian “gunmen” who attack his own seat of government. Now that’s moderate! When Palestinian security chiefs resign over the lawlessness, it must be real bad.

• Arthur Chrenkoff’s latest Good News from Afghanistan briefing is up today!

Other Topics Today Include:
The Islamic revolution is over; Khomeini set aside a cool 2.5 bil for nukes in 2004; Saudi terror duplicity; Hamas terrorist admits of Syrian training; Day 1 of the Minutemen; FBI to blame in intel turf wars; Al Qaeda can carry out attacks at will in N. Africa, Europe; Mugabe ready to forgive wicked Blair; Pakistan finna blow; AQ Khan met Al Qaeda; Musharraf imitates Comical Ali; Zarqawi wants to imitate Chemical Ali; Mullah Krekar faces deportation at sweet long last; Al Qaeda are bourgeois pigs; surprising Al Qaeda progress on weaponizing bioagent; Osprey undergoing final tests and much, much more…

Read the Rest…

Welcome! Our goal at Winds of Change.NET is to give you one power-packed briefing of insights, news and trends from the global War on Terror that leaves you stimulated, informed, and occasionally amused every Monday & Thursday. Thursday’s Winds of War briefings are given by me, Colt, of Eurabian Times.

TOP TOPICS

• Al-Quds al-Arabi says Alistair Crook set up a meeting between Hamas, Hezbollah and PIJ representatives and U.S. notables in Beirut. This would fit with this, a State Department official telling journalists that Hezbollah disarming is “an issue that should be decided by the Lebanese government”. Update: praktike in the comments points to a report from ‘diplomats said’ that Bush and Chirac agreed to a strategy in Lebanon that would accept a political role for Hezbollah.

• The Arab world will show solidarity with Syria against further foreign intervention at the Algiers conference. Another bomb in a Christian neighbourhood has killed three people. More on that from Publius Pundit.

• New terrorist training camps are springing up in Iraq, and evidence suggests the trainees include foreigners. But Iraqi and U.S. forces are killing them now.

• Al-Qaeda has released a new document, charmingly titled The Management of Barbarism.

Other Topics Today Include: enrichment to restart; Khamenei: death to America; Shihab-3 breakthrough; Irangeles; Knesset vote on referendum; Britain’s Berlin Wall; Hamas martyr week; Abdullah says Hezbollah & Syria help terrorists; Turkish media supports Assad; Medhi murders; 50,000 Iraqi troops ready; A-Q scuba bombers; Panama as a base of operations; UK courts jihadis; GCHQ warns of electronic attack; Dutch MPs “captive”; exposure of jihadis attacked by Belgian gov’t, Muslims; Karachi protest against Musharraf; Indonesia to outlaw JI; North Korea says they’ve built more nukes; teenage bombmaker caught; GSPC threatens, seethes; U.S. official shot in Darfur; and much more.

Read the Rest…

Welcome! Our goal at Winds of Change.NET is to give you one power-packed briefing of insights, news and trends from the global War on Terror that leaves you stimulated, informed, and occasionally amused every Monday & Thursday. In addition, we also have our in-depth Iraq Report today.

Today’s Winds of War briefing is brought to you by Bill Roggio of the fourth rail and evariste of Discarded Lies.

Top Topics

• Condi Rice demanded a full and honest accounting from Pakistan of all its nuclear dealings with Iran. She even demanded access to interrogate AQ Khan. Sounds like she means business.

• The US is convinced Iran is pursuing nuclear weapons, and Regime Change Iran lays out the case..

• Final Historian has an interesting analysis that argues we’re in the third phase of the GWOT-“Breakout”. Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3. Great stuff, FH!

• Three US carrier battle groups converge on Middle Eastern waters; something’s up, sooner or later.

• Come and get it, Al Qaeda! Saudi Arabia’s oil facilities are extremely well-protected against terrorism-the phrase used is “colossal means”.

Other Topics Today Include:
Iran intransigence; Irangeles; Kurds inflitrating Iran; Arafat’s moolah; Al Qaeda wannabes busted; Full Lebanon pullout; bombings all over the Middle East; Homeland Security is vigilantly protecting the nation’s miniature golf courses; blowing up satellites; US weapons import sting operations net many bad guys; East Africa coast threat to shipping; UN to take more concrete action on Sudan?; Ethiopian troops to Somalia?; Taiwan invasion dress rehearsal; Russia offers plastic surgery for tips on Basayev; did we lose our wargame with India on purpose?; IRA threatens to bomb the UK mainland again; Spain arrests a Syrian; UK coppers stifled by bureaucracy, spend 90% of their time filling forms; the SEALs get a really nice new gun while the Marines get virtual marksmanship training; deserters; rendition; blood for oil and much more…

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Welcome! Our goal at Winds of Change.NET is to give you one power-packed briefing of insights, news and trends from the global War on Terror that leaves you stimulated, informed, and occasionally amused every Monday & Thursday. In addition, we also have our in-depth Iraq Report today.

Today’s Winds of War briefing is brought to you by Bill Roggio of the fourth rail and evariste of Discarded Lies.

Top Topics

• A member of the Israeli parliament that works closely on defense issues states that Israel will only attack Iran “as a last resort”. Israel has plans for a combined attack on the Natanz nuclear facility, including raids by the storied Kingfisher commando unit and bunker-busters dropped from F-15s. Ariel Sharon and his inner cabinet gave preliminary approval for a plan to strike last month in a meeting at his ranch.

• Secret FBI report (if it’s so secret why do we know what’s in it?): Al Qaeda can’t hit us spectacularly any more. Condi: don’t be so quick to write them off. Interpol: Al Qaeda still formidable. FBI chief Mueller is concerned about Al Qaeda members crossing the border with fake IDs. And what hope is there, really, to block fake IDs when authorities admit that college students are always one step ahead of them?

• Zarqawi’s thoughts on attacking the US mainland are disturbing, as he ponders hitting “soft” targets like schools and restaurants.

• This Daily Star editorial looks at Hezbollah’s poor strategizing in siding with Syria over the Lebanese it claims to represent.

• America’s still putting the heat on Syria as the first Syrian troops returned home from Lebanon. And not only America…even Russia.

Other Topics Today Include:

• Iranian nuclear games: Roulette; Fun in Palestine; Nour free at last; Legitimizing Hezbollah?; The Homeland update; Aryans hearts Islamists; The Blind Sheikh still can speak to his flock; GPSC thinks big; The Nigerian Time-bomb; JI heart MILF; China hearts hates Taiwan; Khan!!!!!!; The dangers of outsourcing, to the Indians; New sheriff in Chechnya; A variety of European failures on the policing front; Kofi hearts Hezbollah; UN Peacekeepers heart Rape; Terrorist marketing strategies; and much, much more…

Read the Rest…

Welcome! Our goal at Winds of Change.NET is to give you one power-packed briefing of insights, news and trends from the global War on Terror that leaves you stimulated, informed, and occasionally amused every Monday & Thursday. In addition, we also have our in-depth Iraq Report today.

Today’s Winds of War briefing is brought to you by Bill Roggio of the fourth rail and evariste of Discarded Lies.

Top Topics

• The Word Unheard looks at the indicators that al Qaeda may be planning another 9-11 style attack, based on the support of Iran. There is a Lebanon connection. Dan Darling follows up with some thoughts on Iran’s involvement.

• Did you read with dismay of China’s vast espionage outfit in the United States, and wonder if we were going to do anything about it? Wonder no more, Bill Gertz has the scoop. We’re doing something about it, and how.

• Chester puts it all together and ponders whether the US is preparing to invade Abu Musa island as an effective show of force against Iran that would nonetheless avoid attacking the Iranian mainland and triggering nationalist sentiment, and would neutralize much of Iran’s ability to impose the new oil shock they recently threatened us with if we dared impose sanctions. Final Historian doesn’t think they can make a closure of the Hormuz strait stick for very long, and will be the weaker for it.

• Can what this writer calls “The Mighty Japanese Navy” (second only to ours) become a force for the maintenance of Pax Americana in the Pacific, in the face of Chinese aggression and a military buildup powered by European technology? They’re drafting constitutional amendments to establish Japan’s right to military action. Rummy and Condi were in Japan meeting their counterparts and strengthening the bilateral alliance while Bush pretended to like Europe. The Japanese are lining up with us on every important issue, and they’re going to make their military interoperable with ours. That’s huge. As Japan grows closer to Taiwan, it’s built up a fleet of anti-submarine destroyers and can begin to pose a credible deterrent to China. Realignment, and much intrigue, is afoot.

• A bomb of a pro-Bashir demonstration in Damascus, only 3,000 show up. And the Bekaa valley remains an area of interest to Syria. Publuis offers up the latest Lebanon roundup.

Other Topics Today Include:
Iran tunnels; State trying to throw cash around; Clinton looks to extend his streak of pointless apologies; Iranian secret police murdering dissidents abroad; France and Spain want to legalize Hamas; Israeli technomagic; democracy in Lebanon? Fat chance; New glam shots of Zarqawi, who may be in custody; Shi’a win seats in Saudi elections; Palestinian economy minister in bed with Hamas; Hezbollah won’t beat its swords into ploughshares; Syria expels two terrorists; I believe I(raq) can fly; Syria’s best gambit in Lebanon is…more chaos!; Hamas could attack US; US WMD sensors not too shabby; military recruitment is really hurting; Air Force, Boeing patch things up; Waterways Watch program inaugurated; CIA claims innocence of torture; tunnels being found at alarming rates; Canadians confiscate an Al Qaeda laptop; the nature of submarine warfare; Chinese submarine development; B2s deploy to Guam; Smurfs actually shoot some people in the Congo; GPSC not done terrorizing Algeria yet; The wheels on the Kashmir bus go round and round; Pakistan raids Waziristan Al Qaeda hideout; Lashkar e Taiba killed and arrested in India, merely arrested in the UK; Swiss bag 5; info on Dutch and UK antiterror bills; Hillary to NK; Beslan killers killed; 200 AQ walk the streets of the UK; terrorists flourish in Germany, spirit fighters to Iraq; wandering Pakistani imams threaten Italian security; Italian kidnapping a hoax?; Singapore’s new elite maritime force; FSB wants global terrorist list and more…

Read the Rest…

Welcome! Our goal at Winds of Change.NET is to give you one power-packed briefing of insights, news and trends from the global War on Terror that leaves you stimulated, informed, and occasionally amused every Monday & Thursday. In addition, we also have our in-depth Iraq Report today.

Today’s Winds of War briefing is brought to you by Bill Roggio of the fourth rail and evariste of Discarded Lies.

Top Topics

• Russia and Iran signed a deal for Russia to provide nuclear fuel for the Bushehr reactor and collect the spent fuel, over US objections. Iran may start receiving fuel as soon as two months from now.

• Canada drops out of the North American Nuclear Missile Defense program. North Korea is developing a bigger, more accurate Scud missile that can be launched from anywhere in North Korea to assault the South. More ominously for us, missile tests of the Taepodong-II, which has already had a successful engine test and which can reach the US mainland, are next. Meanwhile, Canada insists there is no problem and we’re only being provocative by developing missile defense. The Navy conducted another successful test of its AEGIS Theater Missile Defense missile system, from the usually missile defense skeptics at DefenseTech.

• China is building a brand-new deep-sea port in Pakistan, and has extracted “sovereign guarantees” over the facility from Musharraf. The Pakistani and Chinese navies conducted their first-ever naval exercises this October.

Other Topics Today Include:
Iran is the greatest threat to peace; Iran to Europe: you can trust us to stay three months away from a nuclear weapon; Iran denies custody of bin Laden; Iran nuke threat has been fermenting for 20 years; terrorist recidivism shocka; Syria redeploying to Bekaa murmurs; Hezbollah, not IJ, behind latest suicide bombing; Trident submarines join the GWOT; more tidbits on brutal MS-13 gang; sting nabs 2 La. individuals untroubled by selling fake IDs to Abu Sayyaf; MANPAD attacks on airliners?; missing fuel rods found in Cali; cosmic rays detect nukes through shielding; smuggling tunnel from Mexico to US found; India a preeminent power within 15 years; China antisecession law brings repercussions; US ads in Pakistan may be paying off; Nepal blockade over-for now; NK wants six way talks resumption, has scary missiles in the pipeline; US to sell India arms; a look at the Philippines; Euros love wiretapping; Italian troubles and UK successes in combating terror; dumb IRA moves and tone-deafness; Jordanian Australian in chokey in Lebanon; Arab Bank ordered to cease wire transfers; Zarqawi’s inner circle shrinking; CIA recruiting at Guantanamo; Dutch upping Afghan commitment; Planespotters hurt CIA secrecy; maritime terrorism; and more.

Read the Rest…

Just breaking now [8:46am EST] on MSNBC and CNN (tv)- no link yet. Will update as soon as link is available.

Also notable in conjuction with this story:

Syria and Iran say to build ‘common front’

Iran and Syria, both locked in rows with the United States, said on Wednesday they will form a common front to face challenges and threats.

“We are ready to help Syria on all grounds to confront threats,” Iranian Vice-President Mohammad Reza Aref said in Tehran after meeting Syrian Prime Minister Naji al-Otari.

Otari told reporters, “This meeting, which takes place at this sensitive time, is important, especially because Syria and Iran face several challenges and it is necessary to build a common front.”

Update:

State TV: Powerful explosion in area with power plant

An unknown aircraft fired a missile on Wednesday in a deserted area near the southern city of Dailam in the province of Bushehr where Iran has a nuclear power plant, Iranian state television said.

“A powerful explosion was heard this morning on the outskirts of Dailam in the Bushehr province. Witnesses said that the missile was fired from an unknown plane 12 miles from the city,” Iran’s Arabic language Al-Alam said.

Sky News

Update: (Related)

Iran Threatens to Shoot Down U.S. Drones

Iran’s intelligence chief on Wednesday accused the United States of flying spy drones over its nuclear sites and threatened to shoot down the unmanned surveillance crafts.

Intelligence Minister Ali Yunesi comments backed a report in The Washington Post on Sunday that quoted unidentified U.S. officials as saying the drones have been flying over Iran for nearly a year to seek evidence of nuclear weapons programs.

“U.S. spying activities over Iranian airspace have been going since a long time ago,” Yunesi told reporters.

“Most of the shining objects that our people see in Iran’s airspace are American spying equipment used to spy on Iran’s nuclear and military facilities,” the minister told reporters

.

Related: Defense Tech: Drones Over Iran.

Update from Sky News:

Later reports suggested a fuel tank may have fallen off an Iranian plane.

Russia said there had been no attack on the plant.

The nuclear plant, being built with Russian help, is 90 miles from the port.

Local officials have been despatched to the site to identify the cause of the explosion, according to Arab-language television Al-Alam.

Iranian Interior Ministry spokesman said he could not confirm reports anti-aircraft fire had been shot off near the plant.

Israel said it was not involved.

More on Fox.

Update: Looks like there was no “bomb”

According to Iranian state television, an explosion that went off Wednesday not far from an Iranian nuclear plant may be the result of a fuel tank falling from a plane.

Few details were offered, but the broadcast cited local officials speculating that a falling part from an Iranian aircraft could be the cause.

Iran’s Interior Ministry said it is still investigating and cannot confirm any information. There had been earlier reports the blast might have been due to anti-aircraft fire in the region.

Two residents in the area, though, tell The Associated Press they didn’t hear any explosions.

However, Iranian officials are denying any reports of a fallen fuel tank. And some witnesses are claiming they saw a missile being fired.

More at the Guardian.

Update:

Pentagon Doubts Iran Under Attack

Update:

Friendly Fire?:

An Interior Ministery spokesman said “friendly fire” may have been the cause.

“We have no reason to say it’s a hostile attack,” he said.

“There is a big possibility that it was a friendly fire by mistake.

“Several such mistaken friendly fire has been reported there in recent days.”

Welcome! Our goal at Winds of Change.NET is to give you one power-packed briefing of insights, news and trends from the global War on Terror that leaves you stimulated, informed, and occasionally amused every Monday & Thursday. In addition, we also have our in-depth Iraq Report today.

Today’s Winds of War briefing is brought to you by evariste of Discarded Lies. Bill Roggio of the fourth rail returns to the briefing next week. He’s been doing yeoman’s work on a little matter called Easongate which you may have heard of. Happy Valentine’s Day! That’s your love quota for today, from here on out it’s all war.

Top Topics

• The FBI is now recruiting foreign nationals while they’re on US soil to spy in their home countries when they return, leading to a turf war with the CIA, whose role this has traditionally been. Porter Goss and Robert Mueller are exchanging letters and proposed memoranda of understanding over the matter, to solidify the relationship between the two agencies.

• The Chinese military is engaging in espionage on a vast scale in Silicon Valley.

• As China aggressively builds up its naval power, India seems to have decided that it will develop its navy as a strategic force. It’s equipping its navy with “nuclear powered and strategic bomber and maritime strike aircraft and submarines”.

• Palestinian sources say Hezbollah has threatened to assassinate Abbas for making too-genuine peacemaking noises at Israel.Both Israeli and Palestinian sources say that Iranian and Syrian backed Hezbollah is trying to recruit suicide bombers to derail the Israeli-Palestinian ceasefire. Al Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades: We must give Abu Mazen’s political and domestic steps a chance. Anyone who attempts to foil them will be treated as someone who wants to preserve a state of anarchy. I blame the Bush administration for the sudden flat tire that the Cycle of Violence seems to have suffered. Israel is allowing some 56 terrorists deported to Europe or Gaza to return to the West Bank in a bid to bolster Abbas’ negotiations with Hamas to honor the ceasefire-this had been one of Hamas’ conditions.

Other Topics Today Include:
Iran UFO mania: now they’re IFOs!; Iran: we won’t give up the heavy waters; US using MEK to infiltrate Iran; Iran develops stealth torpedo; Iran guns down dissidents in Pak; Rafsanjani echoes North Korea and demands to deal directly with Uncle Sam; Germany calls on US to give Iran more carrots and make nicer; Hamas to be next Hezbollah?; Syria wants Russian antimissile system; UAE to receive first batch of F16s; Saudi minister says ideology not unemployment behind terrorism; angry Israelis slash Bibi’s tires; Saudi Arabia’s Grand Mufti says “just say No to terrorism”; Homeland Security study to unleash gases upon NYC; 9790 faith-based ghosts will patrol the border along with 210 new agents; Russia to sell Chavez 100000 AK-74s to use as flowerpots; Nevada after drivers to report fishy individuals; 17+ Colombians killed in FARC ambush; Halliburton’s Americium can’t be found in Americia; USS San Francisco cmdr relieved, reprimanded; Castro blusters; Somalia sucks; African regional groups come into their own?; Hutu guerrillas still causing mayhem; Al Qaeda’s chances in Ethiopia; Nigeria and (maritime, not mp3) piracy; what’s behind Rummy’s renewal of China military ties; Pakistan failed state by 2015; Indonesia cleans up money laundering act; North Korea freaks everyone out; Pakistani army pays Al Qaeda a half mil; India’s carrots are bland and undergrown, and its sticks are skinny and twiggy; Nepal chaos; Belgium nearonazis grow cos Islamist menace not being dealt with by mainstream parties; Binnie claimed to have nuke material, tried to get blueprints; Al Zawahiri issues B-side of blah, blah, blah; NATO realigns in Afghanistan; El Baradei ouster still on US agenda and more…

Read the Rest…

Welcome! Our goal at Winds of Change.NET is to give you one power-packed briefing of insights, news and trends from the global War on Terror that leaves you stimulated, informed, and occasionally amused every Monday & Thursday. In addition, we also have our in-depth Iraq Report today.

Today’s Winds of War briefing is brought to you by evariste of Discarded Lies. Bill Roggio of the fourth rail is working on Easongate with several other fine bloggers like Chester and Blackfive, Brian Scott and Charles Goggin this week; he returns to the briefing next week.

Top Topics

• Iran continues to blatantly court Palestinian leaders, inviting Abbas himself to Iran for an official visit (he accepted). When is Israel going to stop letting Palestinian leaders visit Iran to conspire? Is Farouq Qaddumi’s welcoming of Iranian infiltration not a bad enough sign? Fatah officials are especially bad about this.

• Taiwan says China’s missile threat is gathering as China accelerates its buildup of ballistic missiles across the strait to 120 a year, bringing the total to 706.

• It’s official: Russia and China have a strategic partnership, and it’s aimed at foiling Uncle Sam. Great.

• Powered combat exoskeletons-on the cheap (like $15k)! That’s what I call good, old-fashioned American ingenuity.

• Tony Blair is setting up “tough tests” for immigrants to the UK, turning away those who do not bring professional skills or economic benefits to the UK, to preempt the Tories on an issue that’s very much in the public mind in the runup to the May 5th elections. Recently, Jane’s reported that the UK was rapidly becoming a base for members of Al Takfir wal Hijra due to lax asylum policies.

Other Topics Today Include:
US and Israel may be conducting surveillance into Iran; Halliburton, BP and GE will not do any more business with Iran; Rumsfeld says Iran is “years away” from a nuclear weapon; Iran not happy with Rice’s “threats”; Saudi Arabia trying to reform Islamists; Rice’s plans for a Palestinian “viable” state; Colorado seeks 4 illegal truckers; South Americans think local government is good government; 3rd world gangs, 4th generation warfare; fugitive Venezuelan general caught; Jacksonville security; Khartoum’s grip loosening further; More Beslans promised; Danger to India from Nepal developments; Singapore anti-maritime terrorism unit launched; Abu Sayyaf kidnapper caught; Madrid bombers sold drugs to pay for it; French jihadi cannon-fodder; Iranian terrorist infrastructure in the Balkans since the 90s; Communist informers and spies list leaked onto internet by Polish journalist; How the Euroblob will eat us all; NK gave Libya uranium; US troops get training in counterterrorism in India; lessons learned from eavesdropping on terrorists and more…

Read the Rest…

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said a U.S. attack on Iran “is simply not on the agenda,” despite the United States’ continued criticism of Iran’s human rights record and suspected nuclear weapons ambitions.

Rice would not say whether the United States supports a change of government in Iran, although Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage has expressly said that regime change is not the U.S. goal.

Speaking in London, first stop on a weeklong tour of European capitals, Rice said there is broad international agreement that Iran cannot be allowed to use a civilian nuclear power project to conceal a weapons program.

More…

Welcome! Our goal at Winds of Change.NET is to give you one power-packed briefing of insights, news and trends from the global War on Terror that leaves you stimulated, informed, and occasionally amused every Monday & Thursday. In addition, we also have our in-depth Iraq Report today.

Today’s Winds of War briefing is brought to you by Bill Roggio of the fourth rail and evariste of Discarded Lies.

Top Topics

• China is purchasing the capability to destroy entire carrier battle groups, the backbone of the US ability to project power globally. That turns out to be what the strategic bomber purchase from Russia we reported recently was about.

• Russia officers are implicated in the Belsan massacre. Two high ranking officers have been arrested.

• Al Qaeda failed to thwart the Iraq elections as it vowed to do.

• North Korea is reported to have purchased a complete nuclear bomb from a former Soviet Republic or from Pakistan. Speaking of which, is the Juche regime finally starting to collapse?

Other Topics Today Include:
U.S. possibly testing Iran’s air defenses; Iran is manufacturing chemical weapons; EU negotiations with Iran hit a wall; Iran nearing nuclear point of no return; El Baradei wants more intelligence on Iran; Turkey sounding alarm over Kurds in Kirkuk; Oman roundup; Hamas, Hezbollah stick to their suicide belts; Israel considering freeing schoolbus bombers; Iran, Russia equip Hezbollah, Syria with missiles respectively; contract awarded for new fleet of Marine One helicopters; domestic sabotage reports examined; Islamic charity terror links probed shocka; somebody set us up the antimatter bomb; Lenovo purchase of IBM PC division in jeopardy; tighter border security; Qaddafi whines; Sudan bombs Darfur; Phillippines bombs JI/Al Qaeda camps killing 40; Congress waking up to China threat; Pakistan breakup coming?; China wheels and deals with Chavez; Get your national security documents on Kazaa; UK officials lament loss of terrorist detention powers; Israelis develop TATP-explosives detection device; China reselling missile designs it developed for Iran; Hezbollah hiring European spies; bioterror response wargame shows preparedness gaps, Albright involved for unfathomable reasons; rogue elements in Nicaragua dealing in MANPADs and more…

Welcome! Our goal at Winds of Change.NET is to give you one power-packed briefing of insights, news and trends from the global War on Terror that leaves you stimulated, informed, and occasionally amused every Monday & Thursday. In addition, we also have our in-depth Iraq Report today.

Today’s Winds of War briefing is brought to you by Bill Roggio of the fourth rail and evariste of Discarded Lies.

Top Topics

• Ansar al Islam is seeding Europe with battle-hardened Iraqi veteran terrorists.

• Regime change is in the air as a once-defunct, now-revived Committee On The Present Danger, staffed by such luminaries as George Schultz and James Woolsey, advocates a comprehensive reengagement approach to overthrowing the mullahs.

• At Asia Times, an overview of the faultlines that could shake Asia in the next few years.

• James Dunnigan looks at the wars of 2004.

• A Kuwaiti intellectual asks why the Muslim Brotherhood isn’t on US terrorism lists.

• China’s Defense Minister Cao Gangchuan warned the United States to “mind its own business” in the three-way spat between China, Israel and the United States over Israeli-made Harpy drones that Israel is refurbishing and upgrading for China, and that the US is demanding Israel keep.

Other Topics Today Include:
Iran threatens Europe; Iran continues to brutally quash free speech; New group claims to hold missing Israeli woman; Libya ambassador asked to leave Saudi; 1st video of Dimona reactor; Belligerent Egyptian incursions into Israeli airspace; US gets foreign advice in the war on terror; Mideasterner tries to purchase McVeigh fertilizer explosive; Illegal immigrant detentions, crossings up; Threat chatter level down; Sudan - 1 war ended, 1 genocide ongoing; Philippines; 1st Aussie airport antiterror team; Turkey facing Islamist blowback; Stratfor 9/11 commentary; Afghan judge helped terrorists kill 10 Americans; UK closes Yemen embassy; Pakistan strife reports; US to sell Taiwan Hellfires, purchase 300mn bullets; Spain arrested 130 terrorists in 2004; Belarus authoritarian mocks democratic revolutions; New robotic warriors are coming to the battlefield and much more…

Welcome! Our goal at Winds of Change.NET is to give you one power-packed briefing of insights, news and trends from the global War on Terror that leaves you stimulated, informed, and occasionally amused every Monday & Thursday. In addition, we also have our in-depth Iraq Report today.

Today’s Winds of War briefing is brought to you by Bill Roggio of the fourth rail and evariste of Discarded Lies.

Top Topics

• Ansar al Islam is seeding Europe with battle-hardened Iraqi veteran terrorists.

• Regime change is in the air as a once-defunct, now-revived Committee On The Present Danger, staffed by such luminaries as George Schultz and James Woolsey, advocates a comprehensive reengagement approach to overthrowing the mullahs.

• At Asia Times, an overview of the faultlines that could shake Asia in the next few years.

• James Dunnigan looks at the wars of 2004.

• A Kuwaiti intellectual asks why the Muslim Brotherhood isn’t on US terrorism lists.

• China’s Defense Minister Cao Gangchuan warned the United States to “mind its own business” in the three-way spat between China, Israel and the United States over Israeli-made Harpy drones that Israel is refurbishing and upgrading for China, and that the US is demanding Israel keep.

Other Topics Today Include:
Iran threatens Europe; Iran continues to brutally quash free speech; New group claims to hold missing Israeli woman; Libya ambassador asked to leave Saudi; 1st video of Dimona reactor; Belligerent Egyptian incursions into Israeli airspace; US gets foreign advice in the war on terror; Mideasterner tries to purchase McVeigh fertilizer explosive; Illegal immigrant detentions, crossings up; Threat chatter level down; Sudan - 1 war ended, 1 genocide ongoing; Philippines; 1st Aussie airport antiterror team; Turkey facing Islamist blowback; Stratfor 9/11 commentary; Afghan judge helped terrorists kill 10 Americans; UK closes Yemen embassy; Pakistan strife reports; US to sell Taiwan Hellfires, purchase 300mn bullets; Spain arrested 130 terrorists in 2004; Belarus authoritarian mocks democratic revolutions; New robotic warriors are coming to the battlefield and much more…

Welcome! Our goal at Winds of Change.NET is to give you one power-packed briefing of insights, news and trends from the global War on Terror that leaves you stimulated, informed, and occasionally amused every Monday & Thursday. Thursday’s Winds of War briefings are given by me, Colt, of Eurabian Times.

TOP TOPICS

• UPDATE: A senior official in the US administration has told the Jerusalem Post that the United States may strike Syria. Not full-scale hostilites, mind, and he emphasised that cross-border military action is still a matter of discussion.

• Asia Times Online reports that the Pakistani army is taking a firm line against the jihadists in their midst: Purging Pakistan’s jihadi legacy.

• A special analysis: A window in to al-Qaeda.

• A Hamas front is operating quite openly in the United Kingdom, with the blessings of the British government.

• Iraq says they have photographs of Syrian officials with insurgents and terrorists.

Other Topics Today Include: organ harvesting infidels; Iran’s nuclear efforts; Iran no match for U.S.; Ansar al-Sunnah primer; Arafat’s kosher investments; peace activists or Zionist saboteurs?; GCC pledges to fight jihadi cashflow; Egypt builds more tanks to fight Nile crocodiles; honeymoon suicide bombers; French journalists released; ‘I married a terrorist’; Spain terror cell busted; Basayev defrauding financiers; Basayev and Maskhadov key to Chechen jihad; Zio-drones in Kashmir; JI leader: “Jemmah what?”

Read the Rest…

Welcome! Our goal at Winds of Change.NET is to give you one power-packed briefing of insights, news and trends from the global War on Terror that leaves you stimulated, informed, and occasionally amused every Monday & Thursday. In addition, we also have our in-depth Iraq Report today.

Today’s Winds of War briefing is brought to you by Bill Roggio of the fourth rail and evariste of Discarded Lies.

Top Topics

• A secretive government scientific advisory panel called “The Jason Group” is telling the government that the current security classification system, devised in the 1940s, has grown too unwieldy and inflexible, and is hampering America’s warfighting and intelligence needs. Both under-classification (by warfighters who fear not being able to share intelligence freely enough) and over-classification (by zealous bureaucrats) are a problem. It’s a document-centered relic of the industrial age and does not fit into an information-age military-a fascinating alternative system is proposed that is better suited to the way intelligence is consumed today, based on the risk of compromise of any individual transaction rather than on the control of access to physical documents.

• Russia has broken the US monopoly on long-range conventional cruise missiles launched from strategic bombers, the closest comparison to them being called America’s Tomahawk missile in the Russian press. Russia plans to use them to preemptively strike terrorist bases much more cheaply, a policy it has announced but not begun to implement yet.

• Osama bin Laden released his latest tape praising the attack in Jeddah, calls for the overthrow of the Saudi government and directs his followers to attack the oil infrastructure in the Middle East.

• Dan Darling profiles Said al-Adel, al Qaeda’s commander of military operations.

• Canada’s Senate (an appointed body) has issued a scathing report on Canada’s lax border and interior security and cited the grave threat to $1.4 billion dollars a day in trade with the US if a terrorist attacker on the US arrived via Canada.

Other Topics Today Include: Russia builds Iran’s nukes; More terror in the Middle East; Iran meddles; Hezbollah TV banned; Congo Capers; Death in Darfur; Pakistan cleaning house?; Taliban finished?; Thailand points fingers; arrests in Europe; Is recruitment a problem?; The secrets of Gitmo; Contracting Colombians; Gaddafi speaks.

Read the Rest…

Welcome! Our goal at Winds of Change.NET is to give you one power-packed briefing of insights, news and trends from the global War on Terror that leaves you stimulated, informed, and occasionally amused every Monday & Thursday. Thursday’s Winds of War briefings are given by me, Colt, of Eurabian Times.

TOP TOPICS

• A yet-to-be-authenticated message from Osama Bin Laden calls upon followers to attack oil targets in the Gulf and Iraq.

• Musharraf says he will not tolerate Jaish, Sipah or Lashkar or organisations like them.

• Will al-Qaeda focus more on Arab governments and Israel? According to these guys, yes

• The hijackers of an Athens bus were bluffing when they threatened to blow it up unless their demands were met.

Other Topics Today Include: Iran plots to attack NH reactor; Iran report; Hezbollah in P.A.; Israel-Syria talks?; Hamas vs PIJ; U.S. looks at Syria insurgency; Israeli airport security; the carnival of the liberated; Al-Manar = terrorists; A-Q responsible for anthrax?; LAX guards against SAMs; FSB report on A-Q; Belgian link to Van Gogh murder; 3/11 arrests; 10 years for Strasbourg plotters; LeJ prisoners in Karachi; Jaish & Sipah ‘neutralised’; LeT hang villager; spawn of Bashir denies terror role; New Year’s Eve plot thwarted?; and much much more.

Read the Rest…

Welcome! Our goal at Winds of Change.NET is to give you one power-packed briefing of insights, news and trends from the global War on Terror that leaves you stimulated, informed, and occasionally amused every Monday & Thursday. In addition, we also have our in-depth Iraq Report today.

Today’s Winds of War briefing is brought to you by Bill Roggio of the fourth rail.

Top Topics

• Hamid Karzai, Afghanistan’s democratically elected president, was officially sworn into office last week, defying the al Qaeda and the Taliban’s attempts to prevent successful elections. Arthur Chrenkoff has more Good News from Afghanistan, and Winds of Change.NET has it organized by category, with special jump-links.

• A London police chief states a Madrid-style attack has been prevented, and hundreds of suspected terrorists are being processed through the legal system.

• Dan Darling explains the scope of the threat posed by al Qaeda, and documents the expansive nature of bin Laden’s Islamic International Front, which is an amalgamation of over 40 terrorists groups. Dan also provides the Cliff’s Notes summaries re: Osama bin Laden, Ayman al-Zawahiri and