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Moderator
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,954
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Daily Summary - Monday, December 19, 2005
Middle East:
- Iraq: Iraqis in former rebel stronghold now cheer American soldiers - In the low-slung concrete buildings of Tal Afar, a city built on dirty sand and mud, George W Bush sees the potential for military success in Iraq. In recent weeks it has been one case study the American president has consistently cited in order to buttress the rhetoric that the insurgency, and the killing, can be ended. Tal Afar was the site of the largest military operation of 2005, when 8,000 US and Iraqi troops reclaimed it from armed groups. It has since been used to test a new strategy of "clear, hold, build", in which areas would be purged of insurgents and then rejuvenated to win support from local people, before being handed over to the Iraqi security forces. It is also called "ink spot" strategy, whereby one area of control would spread to another - like an ink spot spreading on blotting paper - until the entire country was covered, in a model similar to that adopted by the British in Malaya. In Tal Afar, according to the president, military success had been followed by the restoration of law and order and the implementation of reconstruction projects to give "hope" to its citizens. Visiting the city, nestled near the Syrian border in the north-west of the country, there is no doubt that something has been achieved. … (The Daily Telegraph)
- Iraq/Bulgaria: Bulgarian soldiers farewell - Saturday, 17th of December, was the last day of Bulgarian contingent duty in Multinational Division Central South. During farewell ceremony MNDCS Commanding General MG Piotr CZERWINSKI thanked Bulgarian soldiers for their outstanding duty in MNDCS.… (Multinational Division Central-South)
- Saudi Arabia: Kingdom Sets Free 400 Detainees - Saudi Arabia has released nearly 400 detainees, held for security reasons, after providing them with intense counseling and making sure they are free of deviant thoughts, the Saudi Press Agency reported yesterday quoting a security official.… (Arab News)
South & Central Asia:
- Afghanistan/The Netherlands: Dutch delay decision on more troops for Afghanistan - The Dutch cabinet delayed a decision on Monday on sending more troops to Afghanistan as part of NATO plans to expand operations to the troubled south of the country where U.S. forces are still fighting Taliban guerrillas. NATO agreed earlier this month to boost its International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) from around 9,000 troops now to about 15,000 next year, with Britain due to take command and deploy troops in the south alongside Canadian and Dutch forces. But Dutch concerns have mounted in recent weeks about the plans to send an extra 1,100-1,300 troops to Afghanistan in addition to some 600 Dutch troops are already serving there.… (Reuters Alertnet)
East Asia and the Pacific
Europe
- Spain: Spain arrests 15 suspected Islamic militants - Spanish police arrested 15 people on Monday who are suspected of recruiting al Qaeda fighters to send to Iraq, the government said. The 15, of several nationalities, were detained in southern and northeast Spain and on the island of Mallorca, Interior Minister Jose Antonio Alonso said.… (Reuters Alertnet)
Africa
- Chad/Sudan: Chadian army deserters retreat to Sudan after attack - Chadian army deserters who launched a failed offensive on a military base on Sunday have retreated over the border to Sudan's remote west, Sudanese rebels said on Monday. A group of Chadian army deserters launched an attack on the border town of Adre on Sunday, but were repulsed after heavy fighting claiming around 100 lives, the Chadian government said, holding Sudan responsible.… (Reuters Alertnet)
- Sudan: Arab militias attack Darfur village, kill 12 - Arab militias on camels and horses attacked a village in West Darfur on Monday, killing 12 people, rebels and government officials said. "The Janjaweed attacked this morning and killed 12 innocent civilians, including one man who was over 60-years old," said Hassan Khamis, a commander in the Darfur rebel National Movement for Reform and Development (NMRD).… (Reuters Alertnet)
The Americas
- Bolivia: Leftist claims victory in Bolivia - A leftist candidate from one of Bolivia's Indian peoples who wants to legalise coca-growing has claimed victory in the presidential election.… (BBC)
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