night watch:  rfn=KONYA -  Turkey has just begun conducting air maneuvers, Anatolia Eagle Exercises, with the US-UK-Jordan-UAE near the city of Konya in central Turkey.  INN reports the 83 aircraft involved will practice aerial battles after the pattern of Nellis U.S. Air Force base in Nevada.  There are also live bombing practices and low altitudes attacks on ground targets defended by surface to air missiles.  With Turkey's strategic cooperation with Iran the performance of the US-UK pilots will be immediately relayed to Teheran and what makes it even easier is that all the aerial combat is filmed.  Washington encourages this cooperation since it sitll nostalgically refers to Turkey as the gateway to Syria-Iran as if Ankara will always work with the West.  In doing so Washington has resolutely ignored the many signs of Ankara having shifted its military cooperation to Iran and other Islamic states for at least the past several years.  Which means Turkey has become Iran's avenue of invasion into Europe.

Ankara immediately realized the potential of Islamic governments working together again, as under the Ottoman Empire, and now under Iran's leadership as the result of the 1979 Islamic revolution in Iran led by the Ayatollah Khomeini.  The current Foreign Minister of Turkey, Professor Ahmet Davutoglu, (Hurriyet) will be visiting four nations this week:  Luxembourg-Germany-US-Russia from June 15-19.  Professor Davutoglu is the author of the book Stragegic Depth which is a diplomatic way of saying Stragegic Offensive in Depth, logistical-material support of offensives by governments who have the same regional-international view of Ankara from the Balkans to Pakistan-Afghanistan.  That is why Turkey uses its NATO membership to inform Iran of the latest discussions and planning in Brussels.  It has been centuries since Turkey has been this important.

rfn=Cairo -  The IPT (Investigative Project on Terrorism - Steve Emerson) has reported an article in the Egyptian paper Al-Masry Al-Youm that the Muslim Brotherhood (MB) has an armed wing.  The latest information comes from the organization's Secretary-General (Guide) Mahdi Akef.  This was also mentioned in 2006 when fighting erupted when Hamas-Hezbollah attacked Israel.  The number mentioned in the armed wing was 10,000 and the MB is deliberately vague as to how they will be used.  But it is obvious, with all the arrests the organization experiences by Egypt security and with the enormous secular opposition to President Hosni Mubarak, a secular opposition larger and more influential than the MB, the armed wing will lead an armed revolt against President Mubarak.  It is quite possible it could be timed to coincide with another Hamas attack on Cairo's control of the Rafah Terminal on the Egypt/Gaza border. 

Teheran ordered Hamas to attack in January 2008 to test Mubarak's response to the call from Palestinian people to do more to assist their situation in Gaza.  Mubarak has refused to do so because of his entrenched mental block against any cooperation of any kind with Islamic radical organizations and governments.  I doubt if this summer will pass without another attack by Hamas on Iran's orders which will force Mubarak to declare war and not only on Hamas.  Mubarak has already publicly warned Hezbollah-Iran to "beware the wrath of Egypt."

rfn=Yekatarinburg -  Study this video from France24/AFP on Iran President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's statement which he read at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit in the Russian city of Yekaterinburg and you will notice the grim disagreement and restrained anger on the expressions of Russia Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and President Dmitry Medvedev.  President Ahmadinejad was announcing the end of the "outside world's" influence in West Asia (Middle East) and Russia is obviously part of that outside world.  Moscow is not about to agree to end its re-emergence and not only in the Caucasus, where they have been fighting against groups supported by Teheran since 1994, the latest being Georgia's government. Moscow has definite plans to restore its influence all over West Asia and they may have projected Iran has enough for one year of offensive warfare beginning this year into the next.  Russia re-emergence, under the direction of the Kissinger-Primakov Strategic Working Group, is supported by every Islamic government in the region.  Moscow's leadership, constantly financed by the West, especially Berlin, is fully aware the real obstacle to its filling the vacuum the West is leaving has nothing to do the the Palestinian/Israel issue, but the regional-international offensives Iran has been actively preparing.  

All the smiles ended as Ahmadinejad read his statement.  The statement is what Iran's Council of Guardians would call continuity.

rfn=Seoul -  "As the U.S. raised the accusation in 2002 I believe (the uranium enrichment program) had started before that.  I believe it has been there for at least seven to eight years."  Gulf-Times/AFP report that was the statement by South Korea Unification Minister Hyun In-Taek on what has long been suspected by Allied governments on North Korea's clandestine nuclear weapons program.  A program fully supported by Beijing because they knew it was designed for export to Pakistan-Iran and now Syria and that if Iran-Pakistan's offensives were successful then three of China's international rivals would become weaker; the West-India-Russia.  Beijing hates the West even more than Teheran does and it is not a new hatred.  World War III revolves around old historical rivalry some of which is quite ancient.

rfn=Guangdong Province -  I suspect that is behind the real reason foreign investors have reduced their economic commitment to China's continued growth which is crucial to China's stablity.  Al Jazeera reports international investors, mainly from the West-Japan, reduced their investment by more than 20 percent (Xinhua) in the first five months of this year.  Ostensibly because of the slow economy, but money is a weapon and I suspect this is just the beginning of the West-Japan's gradual disengagement from economic cooperation with Beijing.  As Iran's missiles fall on the West, guided by technology supplied by Beijing, the West is responding by letting China's economic house of cards fall (Xinhua).  The demonstrations mentioned in the two links are just the tip of the iceberg.  The last year the Central Government attempted to count demonstrations, "mass incidents" was in 2005 and they counted 87,000 mass incidents.  Earlier this year Xinhua reported two Chinese companies in Guangdong province, where most of the foreign investment has been concentrated, were supporting demonstrations against each other.  Diplomatic masques are coming off.

night watch:  rfn=VALI-E ASR SQUARE  -  "In Iran, the election was a real and free one.  The election will improve the nation's power and its future."  Jerusalem Post reports those were just some of the celebration statements by Iran President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad after Iran's most powerful decision making body, the Council of Guardians, arranged for his landslide re-election. (France24) At a post-election rally at Teheran's Vali-e Asr Square the Council even had President Ahmadinejad state the nation should now turn its attention away from the political opposition toward foreign enemies.  It was an extremely intelligent shift away from the political rhetoric and the real election results which revealed mass alienation of Iran's youth, the country's majority, from the political-military establishment.  As a senior Western diplomat (Swissinfo/Reuters) based in Teheran observed, "There is turbulence in the whole system."  Iran's government is an expert in ending divisions within the country, by creating a major crisis, war and not a small one. 

Teheran has been directly involved in supplying the war effort of any group in Iraq-Afghanistan opposed to the U.S-NATO and they realize they must take those wars to the next (f)allout level which is what they have been twenty years in preparing ever since they revived their nuclear weapons program coupled with ballistic missiles.  Teheran also supports the offensive Action Plan of former Pakistan President-General Pervez Musharraf which he presented to them in 2007 and in 2006 Teheran signed a security agreement with Serbia as did Athens.  Iran also established Hezbollah-Hamas for wars against Israel-Egypt.  All of these plans-preparations are now ready for one year of offensive war beginning this year into the next.

Despite diplomatic appearances the West-Russia are aware of these preparations which is why Henri Guaino, close adviser to France President Nicolas Sarkozy warned, "What is happening in Iran is clearly not good news for anyone, neither for the Iranians nor for peace and stability in the world."  Teheran is obviously not about peace and stability and the government was saved by war before, in 1980.  Less than a year after the Ayatollah Khomeini returned from Paris, Feb. 1, 1979, demonstrators, which had jubiliantly welcomed him , were now massively demonstrating against him until Washington had Iraq invade Iran on Sept. 22, 1980 because of the hostage crisis at the U.S. Embassy in Teheran which began Nov. 1979.  Khomeini called the invasion a "gift from Allah" because he knew his government was on the brink of collapse.  The invasion re-united the country especially with the military supporting him and Iranian nationalism merged with Islamic extremism which is the pattern in nearly every Islamic country including Turkey.

rfn=Ashkelon Beach -  With the Iran election over Teheran is now ready to unleash what it warned last month as a "hot June".  The fighting around Israel in 2006 began in Gaza with a Hamas ambush in late June ordered by Teheran and today Jerusalem Post reports there was an Qassam rocket attack, for the first time in months, on the city of Ashkelon ten miles north of Gaza.  The rocket hit a beach near the city which is the location of Israel's most important oil terminal.  The Israel Defense Force (IDF) indicated, at the end of its Operation Cast Lead (Dec. 27-Jan. 18) that it will not wait for rocket fire to become as heavy as it was before its last offensive before it invades Gaza again.  Earlier Sunday the Israel Air Force (IAF) had attacked two smuggling tunnels in south Gaza near the Egyptian border.

rfn=Jerusalem -  On the same day Israel Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu (France24/Reuters) announced Israel will only accept a Palestinian State that had no military.  The Prime Minister (INN) and the IDF realize that can not be achieved peacefully.

rfn=Beirut -  "Hezbollah is a member of the Lebanese society and it is represented in the Lebanese Parliament and it will bear responsibilities."  France24/AFP reports that was the statement by European Union (EU) Foreign Policy representative Javier Solana after his meeting in Beirut with Hezbollah Minister of Parliament Hussein Hajj Hassan.  Hassan responded by saying this "means more EU overture towards Hezbollah, and one at a higher level."  But the key word in Solana's statement was "responsibilities" and I doubt if he and the EU expect Hezbollah to confine itself to elections.  They know Teheran controls them and therefore Hezbollah will be held responsible for its military actions not only against Israel but also against the 13,000 European troops in south Lebanon that arrived in 2006 as a result of the Rome Conference.  The conference was convened after the month long fighting between Israel/Hezbollah that began in mid-July when Iran had Hezbollah stage an ambush in support of the Hamas action. 

I expect Hezbollah to be ordered into action during Israel's next offensive which could be before the month is over, followed by the entry of Syria-Iran into the war with Iran committing its brigade size Rapid Deployment Force.  The real reason Iran's Council of Guardians had President Ahmadinejad make those outlandish statements about wiping out Israel was to create a distraction, a publicity smokescreen.  Iran's regional-international policy is very economic and there is no market for salt in the Dead Sea.  Teheran uses the Palestinian issue to generate more Islamic extremism which Iran will direct at Egypt President Hosni Mubarak due to his close relations with the West.  That is the same reason Iran supported the assassination of Mubarak's predecessor Anwar al-Sadat in 1981. 

War is coming between Iran/Egypt.  Sadat's assassination was just two years after the Khomeini revolution, the first regional impact of the 1979 Islamic revolution in Iran, its last regional impact will be Mubarak's removal.  Forty percent of the Egyptian population are in poverty and a lot of the sixty percent which are not want Mubarak replaced with the most popular secular opposition figure.  Some of the Egyptian opposition could be military units.

rfn=Kabul -  Swissinfo/Reuters report the Afghanistan Interior Minister Hanif Htmar stated in the past week the Taliban were able to stage attacks in 25 of the country's 34 provinces.  Htmar added more than 250 people were killed in attacks that take the form of suicide and roadside bomb attacks, an increase of 40 percent from the previous week.  This really has nothing to do with elections but instead is Teheran's way of keeping NATO defensive.

night watch:  rfn=PYONGYANG -  The North Korea government released a series of statements after the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) approved more sanctions in an attempt (France24/Reuters) to intercept North Korean shipments of ballistic missile and nuclear weapons technology, "It opposed and denounced United Nations new resolution."  And that it will "weaponize all plutonium newly extracted."   Xinhua reports the statements also carried new warnings of war, "If the U.S. and its followers attempted to blockade the DPRK (Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea)."  These warnings from Pyongyang have become rather old especially since North Korea had already been saying new sanctions would be regarded as an act of war.  Perhaps some in the North's military-industrial leadership realize the truth of the statement by a North Korean defector to the Wall Street Journal several years ago that the North's military has not been well maintained and therefore a lot of the troops were demoralized. 

I suspect Pyongyang is hoping Seoul-Washington-Tokyo-Moscow would not be willing to risk war but the reason the situation is so immediate is because Teheran is now ready to test the accuracy and effectiveness of its ballistic missile and nuclear technology which has long been assisted by exports from North Korea, missiles that can reach Western Europe.  Pyongyang has 8,000 spent fuel rods (Jerusalem Post/AP) which they have used to produce 110 lbs (50 kg) of plutonium enough for six bombs and after reprocessing they can produce 22 lbs (8-10 kg) more, enough for one bomb.  But U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates has already (Gulf-Times) warned the allies are not going to tolerate a nuclear North Korea implying they are ready for any military response Pyongyang will make. (Swissinfo/Reuters)  South Korea has already deployed 600 more Marines to the Yellow Sea islands of Yeonpyeong and Baekryeong in the disputed maritime boundary area.

The South Korea Navy Chief of Staff Admiral Jung Ok-keun stated in an address they should, "Be ready to chop off the wrist of the enemies if it touches even the tip of our hand."  And in Lecce, Italy the Group of Eight (Italy-Germany-Britain-France-U.S.-Russia-Canada-Japan) announced they are ready to fully support and enforce the new sanctions resolution which again includes interception at sea.  For several years the U.S. has cooperated with fourteen governments in what has been called a secret war with North Korea to intercept its shipments to Iran-Syria.  More successes will force the North to attack.  Pyongyang has given itself no other choice and Beijing has alerted them if any shooting gets started the North is on its own.

rfn=Damascus -  "The Syrian President expressed his confidence in the continued strength of the relations between Teheran and Damascus."  Ynet/AFP report that was the response by the government of Syria in a statement released by the official SANA news agency after the election results were (France24/AFP) announced in Teheran of the re-election of President Ahmadinejad.  I suspect Damascus knew the results would (France24/AFP) guarantee a landslide victory no matter what the real vote was.  The election was used by Iran's Council of Guardians to not only reinforce Iran President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad but also that Teheran's regional-international policy will not only continue but is now ready to go into action, beyond just using the occasional terrorist attack and groups in Iraq-Afghanistan.  The hot June Iran had been warning about wanted to get the elections out of the way.

rfn=Baghdad -  Only yesterday the commander of the U.S. Central Command General David Petreaus stated the previous week in Afghanistan was the worse since 2001.  Teheran wants to see how NATO responds to weeks which will even be more violent while at the same time test the new military cooperation between Baghdad/Washington.  Teheran knows Baghdad will not respond effectively but will be used to trap the Pentagon into some heavy fighting.  That is why the spokesman for the Iraq Defense Ministry, Major-General Mohammed al-Askari announced today, (Xinhua) "Minister of Defense, Abdul Qader al-Obiedi opened today the Joint Military Operations Coordination Committee (JMOCC) to coordinate U.S. and Iraq's military operations after June 30.  The principle of the center is to organize the work and to speed up the U.S. troops intervention without violating the law."  The JMOCC is to provide U.S. troops authorization before they intervene in any fighting after June 30.  I suspect the JMOCC will find plenty of opportunities for the Pentagon to do so just when Washington has begun to concentrate more of its effort on Afghanistan.

For Teheran this is an ideal situation they have been years in planning.  When the Taliban were first overthrown, in 2001, Iran announced they found some of them useful.  Teheran probably realized NATO wanted to show itself off with a power projection outside Europe and assumed all they would have to do would be to train a new Afghan army.  But instead Teheran realized Afghanistan could become another area to keep the West busy, like the Balkans, the U.S. in Iraq and the 13,000 European troops in South Lebanon. 

night watch:  rfn=BAGHDAD/AL-YARMUK DISTRICT -  "This attack was not a conincidence; it was planned.   This was an organized attack carried out by specialists who were professional people."  New York Times reports that was the account by Ahmed Masuudi, a member of the Iraq Parliament with the Sadrist Trend party, on the assassination of prominent (Al Jazeera) Sunni Parliament member Harith al-Obaidi.  Abou Teeba, a shop keeper and eyewitness, stated the gunmen approached al-Obaidi at point blank range as he was surrounded by bodyguards, "I heard him say 'I was sent by_' and he said a name I couldn't hear , then he fired."  The gunman not only killed Obaidi but also three bodyguards before he fell on a grenade after being trapped in a street near the al-Shawaf Mosque in the wealthy Yarmouk neighborhood in western Baghdad.  The name that could not be heard should have been Teheran since al-Obaidi was the most prominent reconciliation figure in the Iraq Parliament, not only by keeping the factions of the Accordance Front together, but he could also work with Shia political groups, Kurds and other independent politicians.  Other observers wondered how the assassination could have taken place so easily in such a heavily guarded area.

Al-Yarmuk was an extremely dangerous neighborhood, a center of Sunni units opposed to the Pentagon's occupation until a couple of years ago, when they agreed to work with Washington under the label Awakening Councils.  But some of them have been arrested and now this. Chaos, organized by Teheran, is about to return.  A chaos designed to catch U.S. bases, not only troops, in a nationwide crossfire.

The relatively stable atmosphere in Parliament and in the country is not something Teheran wants to maintain since they have completed preparations to not only unleash militia groups again, but I suspect Iran is now ready to enter the war directly knowing that means full scale war with Washington that would also engulf the U.S.-British-French bases in the Persian Gulf.  Obaidi was also the leading human rights campaigner in the country visiting prisons regularly. (Asharq al-Awsat/AP)  Masuudi explained, "The Human Rights Committee and Obaidi especially called for the dismissal of some Iraqi generals and big commanders in M.O.D. (Ministry of Defense) and M.O.I (Ministry of Interior)."  That is of course a direct challenge to Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki who read a statement over State TV promising an investigation which in reality is just for appearances.  This comes just one day after he said political violence in the country is going to increase.  Prime Minister al-Maliki was informed on a trip to Teheran, early this year, this assassination-destablizing campaign was going to be revived knowing it would make his government seem incapable of maintaining order.  He was used to make the security agreement with Washington and Iran wants to destroy any semblance of stability the agreement was supposed to provide, especially the orderly withdrawal of U.S. troops. 

In this state of flux it is quite possible al-Maliki may also have been instructed to call the agreement null and void when violence becomes worse this summer.  Iraq political analyst Hazimi al-Naimi of Baghdad University warned, "Assassinations of political leaders have a huge effect on national peace and these acts are meant to stoke renewed sectarian strife between Sunnis and Shi'ites and also within feuding factions among the Sunnis."  The sense of betrayal among Sunni leaders will increase.  And this is by no means the last assassination.  France24/AFP report this took place less than three weeks before U.S. troops are scheduled to leave Iraq cities according to the security agreement.  It is quite possible Teheran had al-Maliki insist on that date for the convenience of Iran's military preparations.  Late last month Iran warned of a "hot June."

rfn=Washington -  "The past week was the highest level of security incidents in Afghanistan's post-liberation history.  There is no question that the situation has deteriorated over the course of the past two years and there are difficult times ahead."  Pakistan Tribune reports that was the grim warning from the commander of U.S. Central Command General David Petreaus speaking in Washington.  At the same time U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates announced (Ynet/AP) Russia was assisting the NATO mission by permitting the transport of logisitics and supplies through its territory into Afghanistan.  Officially the reason being that Moscow is concerned of the spread of Islamic extremism into Russia through Tajikistan which borders Afghanistan on the northeast, but I suspect the Kissinger-Primakov Strategic Working Group (SWG) has planned to use bases in Afghanistan as another angle of attack on Iran.  It was in Tajikistan where I believe World War III actually began with the announcement by Russian troops over the BBC in February 1994 that they were on a frontline fighting Islamic fundamentalists.  The SWG had Russia's strategic bombers to begin flying again in August 2007 and both Russia-U.S. have conventional bombs more powerful than nuclear which will make them easier to use.  A lot can happen in Afghanistan without it being reported.

night watch:  rfn=AL-BATHAA -  Iraq Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki warned security officials at a meeting in Baghdad attacks across the country are going to intensify.  Swissinfo/Reuters report the Prime Minister described the car bombing in Al-Bathaa, a village near Nassiriya as "a criminal operation with a political message."  That is definitely the situation but not for the reason al-Maliki mentioned when he added it is designed to disrupt Iraq's January election.  Rather it is an operation directed by Teheran, a campaign of destabilization which the Prime Minister is extremely well versed having visited Teheran earlier this year and he was informed by Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei that violence in Iraq is not over.  Baghdad-Teheran have always realized attacks will continue as long as the U.S. troops and bases remain in the country, the only question being when would the attacks reach a such an intensity it forces the Pentagon to concentrate more on Iraq than it is now doing in Afghanistan. 

Teheran wants Washington to be forced into a panic as violence increases on both fronts to levels not planned by the Pentagon which will be confronted with reports of more direct Iranian involvement leading to Teheran's direct entry into the wars in both Iraq-Afghanistan.  The car bomb near Nassiriya is significant since it is the first bomb attack since 2006 and if this area is hit by more attacks it will stretch the Iraq security forces beyond their limit forcing them to call on the U.S. for assistance.  At the same time it appears the Iraq police have been instructed to not only respond inefficiently but when they arrive at the scene of an attack they begin to harrass and even shoot at some of the people at the bomb site.  It was even reported (New York Times) the suspicious car, a Chevrolet Caprice, was pointed out to the police who did nothing.

Al Jazeera interviewed Iraq Political Analyst Fereydun Rafiq Hilmi who observed, "The philosophy of a car bombing is to create havoc and a feeling of insecurity, a situation where the government look weak, the forces that are actually keeping law and order look weak.  Violence is escalating.  Even today it is not the only bombing or violent attack that we have seen.  There have been attacks all over Iraq in Baghdad or Mosul and Fallujah and in other places.  The shootings and a grenade here and there is not reported.  This happened in an area which has been quiet for some time and that is why I think we have this in the news today whereas the others are not reported."

rfn=Karbala -  It is now being reported, by PressTV, there has been a bomb attack Thursday evening at a cafe in the Shia holy city of Karbala frequented by young people just a mile from the Imam Hussein Mausoleum.  Violence here is always seen as a major blow to any government in Baghdad.  I suspect Teheran is causing these attacks to provide reasons for the militias to re-emerge in the name of stability by attacking U.S. troops.

rfn=Persian Gulf/Sea of Oman -  Xinhua is reporting the Iran Air Force Deputy Commander Mohsen Darrebaqi announced the air force will "stage tactical operations to test new ammunition and hone their defensive capabilities."  By no means are these maneuvers defensive.  His statement is largely for enemy deception.  The air exercises have been designated Milad-e Nour-e Velayat and will involve four stages covering 1,800 miles (3,000 km) in the Persian Gulf/Sea of Oman.  It will probably be designed to attack enemy ships and other stages could be used to provide offensive air support for units in Iraq-Afghanistan.

rfn=Northern Azerbaijan -  Jerusalem Post is reporting two Hezbollah agents have been arrested in northern Azerbaijan in a failed attempt to bomb the Russian radar base at Gabala.  The base is also used by technicians from the Pentagon and is a central part of the Kissinger-Primakov Strategic Working Group's effort to restore Russia's control over the resources of the Caucasus region.  Several years ago Teheran began to shift its support away from Islamic units in the North Caucasus further south to Georgia.

night watch:  rfn=NEW YORK -  After two weeks of closed door meetings, after Pyongyang conducted what may have been an underground nuclear bomb test on May 25, Jerusalem Post/AP are reporting the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, Russia-China-US-UK-France, in coordination with Japan-South Korea, have imposed the most severe sanctions to date on North Korea. (Dawn)  Previous sanctions were not effective due to North Korea receiving continued support from China but with Beijing realizing the international community is taking more serious steps and willing to risk war, Beijing has informed Pyongyang if any shooting gets started the North is on its own.  China is desperate to maintain a lot of foreign investment.  Beijing deliberately used North Korea as a ballistic missile-nuclear bomb test proving ground for export to Iran as a way of supplementing the same weapons technology China had been exporting to Iran in order to weaken three of China's rivals, the West-India-Russia.  To Beijing, the North Korean government has served its purpose so now they are being abandoned.

Today's resolution requires the 192 member nations of the UN to freeze assets of North Korean companies, expand the arms embargo and limit any financial dealings with the state.  But what is definitely the most important part of the resolution calls for interception of any North Korean vessel or any other ship from another nation tranporting nuclear, ballistic weaponry or any other weapons of mass destruction or any material related to its production.  Pyongyang has often indicated that would be a red line, a declaration of war and would respond accordingly.  Though Washington has stated it has no plans to invade it is ready to respond by assisting a large South Korean counterattack.  Several years agon a North Korean defector stated the North's military had not been well maintained and a lot of troops were demoralized.

rfn=Washington -  "Our concern about the nature of the Iran problem has continued to rise as they continue to make further progress, in enriching uranium and also as they have enjoyed some success in their missile field."  INN reports that was the seriously worried statement by U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates in front of the worried Senate Appropriations Committee.  "Our concern with Iran, with Iran's programs-and I believe I can say also Israel's concern-has continued to grow given the unwillingness of the Iranians to slow, stop or even indicate a willingness to talk about their program."  Of course this concern is not limited to Washington-Jerusalem but also to every Allied government in Eurasia and Canada as they are all aware of the importance of Iran's successful satellite test in February.  Moscow warned it indicated Iran can send a warhead to almost any point on the globe.  Recently the Israel Deputy Foreign Minister Daniel Ayalon said Iran now has ballistic missiles that can reach the U.S. East Coast.  Not all of them will be accurate, given the intricate problems of guidance systems, but some of them will.

rfn=Jerusalem -  "Israel views Hamas responsible for all aggressive actions against Israel coming from the Gaza Strip.  The Cabinet directed the IDF (Israel Defense Force) to respond to all aggressive actions against Israel from Gaza."  Jerusalem Post reports that was the announcement in Jerusalem after Israel's Security Cabinet meeting.  The recent attack by Hamas, in support of a new suicide unit using horses, may indicate Teheran wants Israel to be attacked again beginning in the Gaza Strip and followed by a Hezbollah attack from Lebanon as in June-July 2006.  But every government involved now is prepared for more than a heavy month of fighting especially Israel which is ready for a major two pronged offensive into Lebanon-Syria and is ready to intercept the brigade size Rapid Deployment Force from Iran.  Teheran has been using war around Israel to generate more Islamic extremism that Iran will direct at Egypt President Hosni Mubarak, the last Islamic head of state with close relations with the West.  I suspect when fighting begins again in Gaza, Teheran will direct Hamas again toward the Rafah Terminal on the Gaza/Egypt border as in January 2008.  And when that happens Egypt President Hosni Mubarak declares war, not just on Hamas but on Iran also.

rfn=Ankara -  Hurriyet reports Turkey-Iran have just signed, in Ankara, a preliminary accord on military cooperation a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).  Turkey was represented by Deputy Chief of Staff General Hasan Igsiz and Iraq by its Deputy Chief of Staff General Nasier Abadi.  This will at least mean combined operations against Kurdish nationalist groups in both countries which I suspect are intended to remove the Kurdish community from having a major role in the oil production and exports from northern Iraq.  And with major military assistance from Ankara Turkish investors will become a major presence in the oil regions. 

In a parallel development Iraq Vice-President Tareq al-Hashemi will be meeting with Turkey President Abdullah Gul and Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan.  Vice-President al-Hashmei may brief them on Iran's schedule for renewing major violence and attacks in Iraq.  Teheran has been warning of a "hot June" and may be waiting for the Presidential election Friday June 12.

night watch:  rfn=SHIZAFON BASE -  "Future comprehensive operations will not resemble Operation Cast Lead, but will be devised to go deeper and wider and to take more chances.  We will do everything we can to avoid such things, but when they begin you will be ready for them and will be able to win."  Ynet reports those were some of the observations by Israel Defense Minister Ehud Barak speaking at the Israel Defense Force (IDF) Shizafon Base in south Israel.  The armor unit had been conducting joint operations with infantry, army engineers and with air support in practicing attacks on a Syrian village.  Defense Minister Barak was addressing officer cadets.  IDF Deputy Chief of Staff Major-General Dan Harel warned, "Israel may be small but it carries the same might as a superpower."  Israel has had nuclear weapons since the 1960s and the most likely targets of them will be Hezbollah's missile storage areas in Lebanon and the same kinds of targets in Syria including Syria's more important military bases.  Israel does not want a long engagement on its Northern Front.

rfn=Jerusalem -  "Events around the world have forced the international community into greater cooperation than could otherwise have been expected.  The European Union (EU) and the Russians both understand that it is not possible to solve such problems without cooperation among all the international actors."  INN reports that was Israel Foreign Minster Avigdor Lieberman addressing the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee on Tuesday indicating how serious Europe-Russia are now taking the very real and not distant threat from Teheran.  They are aware Iran, due to its successful satellite test in February, now has ballistic missiles able to reach not only all of Europe but also the U.S. East Coast.  A current example of Europe-Russia working more closely together are the meetings between German Foreign Minister Frank Walter-Steinmeier and Russia Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

Addressing the same meeting was Foreign Ministry representative Hayim Vaksman, "Iran is not cooperating with the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency).  Iran is engaged in significant developments in the field of missile technology.  This is a global problem.  The international community must prevent Iran with a critical dilemma-cooperation or a heavy price it will have to pay.  Action must be taken now, so that we don't wake up one morning and discover that it's too late."

rfn=Shopian -  "Excesses and atrocities are once again becoming the hallmark of State Administration which is finding itself incapable of responding to the situation.  It is not just the security forces who find themselves secure under the cover of special powers but it seems the mindset of Civilian Administration too is governed by these powers as is obvious from the current crisis around the brutal murder of two young women in Shopian town of Kashimr."  IRNA reports that was part of the letter written by former India Chief Minister of Kashmir Mufti Mohammad Sayeed who once served as India's only Muslim Home Minister.  This last minute appeal for a peaceful solution to the Kasmir crisis was made to India Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.  But I suspect Minister Sayeed realizes this is just a formality for the record and that if the Prime Minister ever made any serious attempt to negotiate a solution, a compromise of any kind on India's rule over the Muslim majority state, he would face the same situation Mahatma Gandhi, a Hindu, encountered in 1948, assassination.  And not by Muslims but by Hindus.

Last year sixty unarmed demonstraters were killed by India police and para-military units across Kashmir and the recent rape-murder of the two young women set off nearly a week of violent protests.  It is quite possible Islamic militant infiltration into Kashmir, from Pakistan, could be increased after Iran's Friday elections June 12.  In February 2007 Pakistan President-General Pervez Musharraf presented Iran his Action Plan.  The Mumbai assault last November was probably part of the plan and it signalled Teheran is ready to enter the war in a massive way though for years Iran has staged a deceptive diplomatic charade of great relations with India.  The Action Plan involves increased infiltration which will force Delhi to use its hot pursuit policy and attack the militant bases inside Pakistan.  The fourth war between the two, since independence in 1947, will then become full scale.  Beijing is also poised to enter since it revived its claim over India's northeast state of Arunachal Pradesh in 2006.

night watch:  rfn=KARNI TERMINAL -  "We are slowly beginning to understand the magnitude of the threat from the Gaza Strip."  Jerusalem Post reports that was the observation from Israel Defense Force (IDF) Lieutenant-Colonel Avinoam Stolevitch after a suicide Palestinian unit, the Jund Ansar Allah, (Asharq al-Awsat/AP) conducted a heavy raid of ten gunmen using five horses with explosives strapped to them and the gunmen's bodies under cover of a fog Monday morning.  The unit was supported by heavy mortar fire from Hamas.  No IDF soldiers were killed as they immediately received support from helicopter gunships and tanks.  An Israeli security official stated, "Hamas did not carry out the attack but they certainly provided cover for these small groups.  They turned the area into a war zone." 

Janud Ansar Allah (Soldiers for Allah) is an unknown extremist group connected to Iran-Hezbollah.  Teheran had been warning of a hot June right after elections in Lebanon which ended Sunday with a victory for the most prestigious political leader in Lebanon Saad Hariri.  Teheran has excellent relations with Hariri having provided him with a sizable donation last year after he met with Iran's Ambassador to Beirut.  Hariri also issued many statements of support for Hezbollah during its 2006 war with Israel and Teheran, as always, realizes what a unifying force war and crisis is.  Lieutenant-Colonel Stolevitch warned Hamas was risking an Operation Cast Lead II.  But that is exactly what Teheran wants as Hamas' leader in Gaza Ismail Haniyeh praised today's attackers as martyrs.  It is quite possible Iran wants the smaller Palestinian units to attack Israel while Hamas is sent against Egypt through the Rafah Terminal on the Gaza/Egypt border.  Hezbollah will not be idle as it was during the first Operation Cast Lead (Dec.27-Jan. 18) and will be used to direct Israel's attention north.  Syria-Iran will then enter the war, Iran using its brigade size Rapid Deployment Force.

rfn=Berlin -  To confront these latest developments IRNA reports the German Foreign Minister Frank Walter-Steinmeier will leave for Moscow Tuesday evening to meet Russia Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.  This is obviously to concentrate the efforts of both countries against Iran and Berlin realizes Russia is the only Allied power in any position to confront Iran offensively, through the Caucasus.  Since 1994 Russia/Iran have been competing for influence, control over the region's vast resources between the Black and Capsian Sea and industrial concerns in Germany have long led the West in using Russia to constantly export those rescources to them.  Berlin therefore is the leading investor in Russia's military restructuring it began under Vladimir Putin when Germany had him enter the government of President Boris Yeltsin in 1999 in order to first end Russia's economic collapse then institute military reforms that are continuing under President Dmitry Medvedev with Putin as Prime Minister.

I suspect Steinmeier-Lavrov are planning Georgia restarting the South Caucasus war which last August only lasted five days.  It signaled Moscow is ready to re-take control over the entire region by attacking not only Georgia's military but also whatever support system Teheran has been using to supply the Georgia government in Tbilisi.  Berlin-Moscow realize Teheran's response will not only be directed at Russia but primarily at Iran's main international rival, the West.  Moscow was one of the first governments to warn Iran was using its satellite launchings to develop long range ballistic missiles of several thousand miles.  Teheran deliberately under reported the range of its latest missile the Sejil-2 test fired recently. 

This military-industrial cooperation between Germany-Russia will be maintained and expanded after the war.  Berlin realizes the NATO alliance will not survive and Rome will replace Brussels as the main center of the West's decision making as Washington maintains an active supporting role.

rfn=Itanagar -  "Two army divisions, comprising 25,000 to 30,000 soldiers each will be deployed along the border in Arunachal.  It was part of the planned augmentation of our capabilities to defend the country...The increase in force strength is to meet the future national security challenge."  Swissinfo/Reuters report that was the announcement by the Governor of India's northeast state of Arunachal Pradesh, J.J. Singh on the deployment of 55,000 troops facing China along a 621 mile (1,000 km) border.  This is the area China invaded for one month in Oct. 1962 which is at the beginning of the Dry Season that runs from Sept.-April.  Some consider that to be the best time for war to begin on the Indian subcontinent.  The China/India border stretches all along the Himalaya's from Kashmir east to Arunachal Pradesh which also borders Burma, 2,200 miles (3,500 km) and this is why Beijing established strategic-military relations with Pakistan in 1951 since both governments have border disputes with India.  That is the reason Beijing has been the main supporter of Pakistan's nuclear-ballistic missile program.

Delhi probably realizes Beijing is poised to enter the next Pakistan/India war especially since China revived its claim over Arunachal Pradesh in 2006.  India is also constructing air strips and has sent 155mm artillery pieces to the area.  Governor Singh mentioned India regards China as more of threat than Pakistan since they know less about China's military.  A little more than a year ago RIA mentioned Russia/China conducted joint maneuvers in the Ural mountains, exercises Russia used to evaluate the performance of one of its historical enemies.  Moscow observed the Chinese troops were having difficulty since they were using equipment made with sub-standard steel.  China has been known to cut corners in its industrial production which reduces the quality  in order to cut costs.

rfn=Gulab Post -  Concerning Kashmir, IRNA reports, three Islamic infiltrators were killed near Gulab Post 66 miles (130 km) from Srinagar.  Two Indian soldiers including a Major were also killed in the encounter that took place in North Kashmir.  Indian units are conducting a large search operation due to reports of more infiltration attempts.

rfn=Osan -  "North Korea's firing of ground to sea missiles at our navy ships would prompt counter-attacks simultaneously from surface, air and sea."  Gulf-Times/AFP report that was the warning from Chairman of the South Korea Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) Kim Tae-Young as North Korea continues to warn about "extreme measures" when more sanctions are applied as a result of its nuclear bomb and short range missile tests.  The JCS had just briefed South Korea President Lee Myung-Bak on the military preparations against any North Korean attack.  Seoul's response will include cruise missiles fired by F-15Ks, K-9 self-propelled cannons and precision bombs.  Though North Korea's army of 1.1 million is nearly twice the size of the South's it has not been well maintained and a North Korea defector stated several years ago a lot of the North Korean troops are demoralized.

rfn=New York -  Al Jazeera is reporting the United Nations Security Council remains in closed door session, as it has for the past week, to determine the appropriate level of new sanctions that may even include some economic pressure from China.  Beijing wants to remain on extremely good economic terms with the West-Russia-Japan which are now insisting China isolate the North and no longer use them as a ballistic missile-nuclear proving ground for exports to Iran-Syria.  Beijing held several days of meetings with a senior North Korean official before Pyongyang's failed satellite test in early April and I suspect Beijing informed him if war breaks out the North is on its own.  The Security Council may have been waiting for Seoul to complete its military preparations.

night watch:  rfn=PAKTIKA PROVINCE -  "A group of armed militants ambushed the convoy of Mohammed Janan, the Police Chief of Saroza District at 11:00 am local time. (GMT 0630) killing him and wounding the District Chief Raz Mohammad who travelled along with the ill-fated Police Chef."  Xinhua reports that was the announcement by Paktika Provincial Administration spokesman Hamidullah Zuwak after the latest ambush against a government convoy in the province which borders Pakistan's northwest and is less than a hundred miles south of Kabul.  This is just weeks after the Omna District Governor was killed along with his three sons in a similar ambush.  Though the Kabul government and Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai is working closely with Teheran there are some Afghan officials who have close relations with NATO and actively support the effort against Iran-Pakistan's influence.  They are the ones who are at extreme risk and targeted for assassination.

rfn=Dir A-Zur -  The United Nations International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna released a report Friday that admitted traces of uranium, not natural to the area, were found in a second site in Syria.  INN/Reuters reports the IAEA released this statement, "The Agency must condemn Syria for hiding facts regarding this activity."  Jerusalem has responded by demanding IAEA Director Mohamed ElBaradei use every means at his disposal to uncover more about Syria's nuclear weapons program but the agency's contact in Damascus was murdered more than a year ago.  After the very successful raid on Syria's weapons grade plutonium base at Dir A-Zur by the Israel Air Force (IAF) on Sept. 6, 7007, Damascus has followed Iran's example and dispersed its nuclear facilities to different parts of the country.  Dir A-Zur was constructed with direct assistance from North Korea and was financed by Teheran and as long as North Korea is able to maintain its own plutonium production it will continue to export to Syria-Iran.  And what Iran is producing it mainly targeted at the West.   Recently Israel's Deputy Foreign Minister Daniel Ayalon warned Iran has missiles that can reach the U.S. East Coast.

Concerning Iran's known uranium enrichment production a UN senior official stated, "There is now a forest of 7,000 machines (centrifuges).  That's quite a lot, it's a very impressive pace, and they will be installing more which could mean 9,000 soon."  The reason why I say known enrichment is because the IAEA inspections have been really nothing more than guided tours conducted by Teheran which never welcomed the UN inspections.  But Iran realized as they continued to produce warheads and test long range ballistic missiles they had to put on a show of cooperation.  The show also included conducting deceptive negotiations with the West for the past several years giving the false impression perhaps a peaceful end to Iran's nuclear weapons program was possible.  That is why I have long written the first target of Iran's missiles, now known to be called the Sejil-2, will be Vienna.

In October last year (10-30-08) this site reported the INN article that mentioned Iran's announcement of an earthquake Oct. 25, was in reality an underground nuclear test and that Iran had done this before, announced an earthquake to masque an underground test.  The reason why Iran has been able to do so and pursue ballistic missile testing is because the day after the 1990-91 Gulf War ended, CNN showed the London branch office of Bechtel Group invited to Iran.  The engineering concern is headquarted in San Francisco and it constructed the network of bases for Saudi Arabia during the 1980's some of them underground and nuclear bomb proof.  The branch of Bechtel's ownership in Britain deliberately decided to have no embargo against Iran for this purpose, assuming the region would continue to blow itself up and there were obviously those in Washington-New York-San Francisco which agreed to go along with the scheme.  In making that assumption London-Washington ignored the unifying influence of the Ayatollah Khomeini.  None of those involved in the decision, which in effect sold the foreign policy to Iran, are lucid enough to comment or to explain their extremely dark, twisted, perverted decision making.

Such decisions have been Iran's greatest weapon and is the reason why Bin Laden is blamed for 9/11.  When the subterranean bases for Iran were completed Saddam Hussein was removed in 2003 leading to the trap of Iraq.  Governments all over the West are aware of that decision and ignored warnings from former U.S. Secretary of State Dr. Henry Kissinger as to the consequences of a larger war a few years later when the Gulf War was ending.  Governments have put those decisions out of whatever minds they have left.

night watch:  rfn=QALQILIYA -  In the latest developments in the rapidly deteriorating situation in the West Bank, Ynet reports Hamas has just published a "hit list" on Palestinian Authority (PA) security officials that have ordered the attacks and raids on Hamas military cells in the West Bank, beginning in the city of Qalqiliya just ten miles from Tel Aviv.  The raid began right after PA President Mahmoud Abbas visited U.S. President Barack Obama in the White House last week.  These operations are President Abbas' chance to defeat Hamas and become the head of the Palesinian community.  Reuters is even reporting an Islamic preacher, in support of Hamas, has called for an intifada (uprising) against the PA which is now being denounced as puppets of the U.S.-Israel.  The PA security has been trained under the supervision of U.S. Lieutenant-General Keith Dayton and have been called by Islamic militants the Dayton militias.

rfn=Qalqiliya -  As an indication of Israel's support for the PA's effort the Jerusalem Post is reporting the Israel Defense Force (IDF) has opened up 422 crossing and removed the Ha'ble roadblock east and south of Qaqiliya.  They have also opened a crossing near Nablus on a 24 hour basis to ease the movement of Palestinian people.

rfn=Ramallah -  There is another level to this internecine Palestinian power struggle which reminds me of my description of the community a few years ago as a fragmentation grenade.  Khaled Abu Toameh of the Jerusalem Post writes President Mahmoud Abbas managed to alienate the majority of the Palestinian Fatah organization just before his trip to Washington by forming a new government without consulting the Fatah leadership and by announcing the Sixth Palestinian Assembly for July 1 in either Bethlehem or Jericho.  His article for me is something of a revelation because I had always assumed the PA and Fatah were virtually the same organization and the same people.  Abbas is actually not the only head of Fatah there is a radical faction that demanded some of their members be allowed to join the PA government and not to appoint Salaam Fayyad as Prime Minister.  But Fayyad is highly respected in Europe-U.S. and since they provide the PA with most of its budget Abbas was obliged to appoint him instead Fatah members more representative of the Palestinian community.  And with the Sixth Assembly to be held in the West Bank it will allow Israel to control access to it and prevent the more radical Fatah members from attending.

This is the most serious, divisive crisis the Fatah movement has experienced in more than forty years as Abbas is obbiously not the young radical he used to be and groomed by Yasir Arafat head of the PLO.  Abbas assumed the Palestinian leadership at Arafat's death and all the corruption which went along with it.  He has since attempted to achieve international respectability and can only do so by defeating Hamas militarily.  But he now has another enemy, Fatah which may easily begin to form a military alliance with Hamas and with the finanical-military support from Teheran that will support any effort to eliminate the PA leadership that is now obviously working with Jerusalem-Washington.  Fatah has tens of thousands of supporters throughout the West Bank in refugee camps and villages that can be used to attack and disrupt Abbas' authority.

rfn=Tonchang-ni -  "The launch pad appears to be operational."  Al Jazeera reports that was the warning from Tim Brown, Senior Fellow with Global Security, after satellite images revealed North Korea's new missile launch site, Tonchang-ni in the country's northwest near China's border, appears to be ready after ten years of construction.  The launch could take place as early as next week in another attempt to impress Iran that North Korea can export long range ballistic missile technology in the range of 4,000 plus miles. 

rfn=Kaesong -  At the same time France24/AFP is reporting North Korea has agreed to conduct negotiations with Seoul at the joint industrial complex at Kaesong near South Korea's border.  Seoul has demanded nothing will be settled until the South Korean manager, detained since March 30, is released.  Seoul's position during this crisis has become increasingly non-negotiable.

rfn=Sakhalin -  PressTV/Vladivostok Times are reporting Russia-Japan are conducting joint naval drills in and around Sakhalin island.  There are observers from every nation in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) governments from Central Asia which Moscow leads and observers also from Germany-Finland.  Maneuvers will also involve border troops.  Of course no reason, publicly, for the maneuvers has been given but this is definitely preparation for war in Northeast Asia against North Korea.  Border troops can be used to control refugees from the North.  Several years ago a high level North Korean defector stated Pyongyang had not maintained its military very well and a lot of troops were demoralized.

rfn=Kremlin -  "We have all the necessary information, including classified, about those who continue to deliver weapons to Georgia and at what volumes.  This information is dispiriting."  RIA reports that was the grim announcement by the Russia Ambassador to NATO Dmitry Rogozin, an announcement which sounds like a veiled threat Moscow is about to prevent governments like Iran to continue to arm Georgia.  Teheran has supported any group or government fighting Russia in the Caucasus since 1994.  Russia has responded by delaying the completion of Iran's Bushehr nuclear facility on the Persian Gulf, Russia's version of sanctions, and has been preparing to attack Teheran's military support of Georgia.  Moscow is doing this under the direction of the Kissinger-Primakov Strategic Working Group (SWG) instituted in April 2007 with former U.S. Secretary of State Dr. Henry Kissinger's arrival in Moscow to work with former Russia Premier Yevgeny Primakov.

I would not be surprised if U.S. President Barack Obama may have been briefed on these latest preparations during his brief visit to Germany.  Industrial concerns in the West, led by Berlin, have long used Russia to export resources from the Caucasus-Caspian Sea region.  They cannot afford to have Iran use Georgia or anyone else to disrupt the supply.  In so many ways World War III revolves around the control of the world's energy markets.

rfn=Tiananmen -  Xinhua reports He Guoqiang, Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CDI) has listed the five principal areas where most of the corruption in China's economy occurs: construction contracts, real estate development, land and mining management, financial business and law enforcement.  These are not the only areas of corruption just the most glaring examples and any official or agency in China involved in arresting or monitoring corruption realizes they are fighting a losing battle against what has been historically called the Chinese disease.  A disease which has caused China to experience its age old cycle of an imperial central government gradually having its authority and rule wasted away by corruption which ends the population's respect and loyalty to it.  Regional governments then emerge which can be more militaristic and corrupt than the central government which is no longer functioning.  This report means the days of this central government are indeed numbered as it is in fact a government in name only, controlling only its ceremonies and some state industries.  Beijing has virtually no impact on the most important foundation of China's economy-foreign investment.

Provincial rulers control the provinces economy and the foreign investment, if there is any problem it is the provincial government that is left to its own resources to handle/control it, including calling on "black societies" to attack demonstrations against the constant misrule.  These are called "mass incidents" demonstrations that have even begun with a traffic dispute.  The last time the government attempted to count the number of demonstrations was in 2005 and they counted more than 87,000 mass incidents.  Xinhua even reported earlier this year there was a demonstration in Guangdong province between two Chinese companies.  Guangdong is the province which surrounds Hong Kong and has received most of the foreign investment in manufacturing and that was just a small example of the economic rivalry between provinces all over the country.  It is enormously expensive to transport goods between one province and another.  It is less expensive to transport them from China to Long Beach.  And in case foreign investors experience any problems with their investments Beijing is of no use. 

Ten years ago the Financial Times mentioned some international bankers in the West which made an investment in Guangdong guaranteed by a local mayor.  The bankers were then told the investment has been lost so the bankers go to Beijing which told them we did not guarantee these investments and that should be a lesson about investing in China.  The problem of corruption will never get fixed because the problem is rooted in China's culture, an addiction to extreme excesses.  That is why the Central Government turned a deaf ear to the demand of the student-labor demonstrators in (Al Jazeera) Tiananmen in 1989 and opened fire on the night of June 3-4 killing 6,000.  That is why when law enforcement becomes even worse no one will respect Beijing's authority, even in Beijing because the capital is fast becoming nothing more than a cultural attraction between dust storms.  It still controls some tourists.  Another War of the Three Kingdoms could be coming, economically it is already happening.

Any business network foreign investors have established is extremely fragile.

night watch:  rfn=QALQILIYA -  "Our fighters have the right to defend themselves and to confront this conspiracy."  Asharq al-Awsat/AP report that was the response by Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum after three more Hamas members were killed in Qalqiliya in the West Bank, just ten miles from Tel Aviv, by security forces of the Palestinian Authority (PA) of President Mahmoud Abbas.  This is the second firefight after President Abbas' trip to Washington last week to meet President Barack Obama.  The U.S. has been using Lieutenant-General Keith Dayton to train the PA police which is why Hamas refers to them as the Dayton Militia.  Jerusalem Post reports Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum observed it was no coincidence the PA raids began right after Abbas' visit to Washington.  (Swissinfo/Reuters)  He added it is part of a "plot to finish off resistance and the Hamas movement."  This is definitely the PA-Fatah's chance to achieve statehood and international recognition if they defeat Hamas which is actively supported by Iran-Hezbollah-Syria.  Teheran cannot afford for that to happen which is why the fighting on this new front is going to escalate to an intensity even greater than that of Israel's periodic invasions of Gaza. 

Hamas military cells are heavily armed with rockets, machine guns and bombs and they can be reinforced by Hezbollah which could possibly enter the West Bank through Jordan.  The Israel Defense Force (IDF) can disrupt Iran's attempt to support Hamas by attacking Hezbollah in Lebanon leading to Iran and Syria's entry into the war.  This is the expanded regional war Teheran has been years in preparing and it seems to have begun in the West Bank.  It is now being reported a Hamas military cell in Tulkarm, just ten miles north of Qaqiliya, is being targeted now.  Hamas members have been ordered not to surrender and to attack senior commanders of the PA.

night watch:  rfn=ELYSEE PALACE -  "Today the President met the Iranian Foreign Minister to discuss the risks to peace caused by Iran's initiatives in the nuclear field.  He (Sarkozy) underlined the importance and seriousness of the initiatives by the six.  (Fr.-UK-US-Rus-Ger.-China)  Failing that, Iran will expose itself to constantly growing international pressure on all levels."  Swissinfo/Reuters reports that was the statement released by the office of France President Nicloas Sarkozy after no breakthrough was made on Iran's uranium enrichment into weapons grade material during discussions with Iran Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki in the Elysee Palace.  The Foreign Minister was at the head of a high level delegation and supposedly was prepared to deliver a message from the "highest Iranian authorities".  But long before Mottaki left for Paris, Iran's leadership indicated again, as they have for the past several years, even during the European Union 3 (EU 3) negotiations Paris was a part of, that there is no compromise or ending of the uranium enrichment.  And Teheran still proudly maintains the official lie the nuclear program is to just generate energy for civilian use.  From Mottaki's photo with France Foreign Minister Bernard Kochner on the steps of the Palace it seems Mottaki had difficulty maintaining a straight face.

I suspect Mottaki took his visit to the house the French government provided (IRNA) to the Ayatollah Khomenei in Oct. 1978 more seriously than his meeting with Sarkozy.  It was Khomenei's last residence in exile and the house was in the Paris suburb of Neauphle-le-Chateau.  Khomenei was there only four months, (Oct. 1978-Feb. 1979) and it was here the French provided him with the massive communication assistance he needed in order to become the leader of the mass demonstrations going on in Teheran against the Shah of Iran.  Industrial combines in France and their banks, concentrated on Boulevard Haussmann, assumed Khomenei's government would be weak and unstable which would enable Russia to be control Iran's resources once again.  That is why France had long been one of the leading investors in Russia, an investment which increased during the Cold War during Russia's rebuilding.  It is an old scheme, Iran was occupied by Britain-Soviet Union in World War II.  The Allies even had one of their more important conferences in Iran, the Teheran Conference of 1943.  There it was decided when Russia finishes rebuilding from World War II Moscow would complete its southern expansion through Iran. 

It was not only a scheme of the French establishment.  Four heads of state took part in the meeting Jan. 4, 1979 on the Caribbean island of Guadeloupe to support the Shah's removal:  France Pres. Valery Giscard d'Estaing, U.S. Pres. Jimmy Carter, German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt and Britain Prime Minister Leonard Callaghan all of them representing industrial - financial services in their respective countries that have invested not only in the Soviet Union's reconstruction but on its next expansion.  And at first Khomenei's government was weak, it was actually on the verge of collapse due to the infighting that emerged within the coalition which replaced the Shah until Iraq's invasion, Sept. 22, 1980.  Iraq's government was controlled by the West and Washington had Baghdad conduct the invasion due to the hostage crisis at the U.S. Embassy in Teheran.  Khomeini actually called the invasion a "gift from Allah" since it saved his regime by reuniting the country, especially Iran's military now supporting him.  And now Iran's military has completed their preparations for full scale fighting against Iran's main enemy, the West.  Teheran intends to become the main voice in the international energy markets and will not concentrate on controlling the salt in the Dead Sea.

rfn=Washington -  "I repeat what I have always said, we are not taking any options off the table.  We are talking about a number of months, no more.  Whether it is late August or early or mid-September it shall be enough to understand whether the Iranians are serious (about compromise) or whether they are just playing for time."  Swissinfo/Reuters reports those were the words of Israel Defense Minister Ehud Barak in Washington after a meeting with U.S. officials.  Teheran has obviously used the time and the fear of governments in the West, to prepare ballistic missiles to reach beyond West Asia (Middle East).  It is now suspected, due to Iran's successful satellite test early this year, that Iran possesses missiles which can reach the U.S. east coast.

rfn=Zahedan-Bam -  "Armed rebels killed a passenger and wounded two others when they fired on a bus travelling from Zahedan to Bam."  Asharq al-Awsat/AFP report that was the announcement by Ahmed Reza Radan, Deputy Police Chief of Zahedan after Teheran had this bus attacked in order to blame it on the U.S. and foreign forces in Afhghanistan.  Teheran began to stage attacks in this area last week in Sistan-Baluchistan province on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in order to justify military cooperation with both countries against those held responsible, the U.S.-NATO.  I suspect Iran wants to wait until right after its June 12 Presidential election to make a military response that will raise the level of fighting in Afghanistan enormously.

rfn=K P Nalla Forward Outpost -  WebIndia123 reports there was another ceasefire violation by Pakistan troops when India's K P Nalla forward outpost came under heavy fire from Pakistan's Kobra post from across the Line of Control (LoC) for a half hour, 10:30 am-11:00 am.  There was no return fire from India as the action took place in the Sabjian area of Poonch district of Jammu-Kashmir.  Usually these attacks are Pakistan troops providing cover fire for Islamic infiltration units.  This is part of former Pakistan President-General Pervez Musharraf's Action Plan that he presented to Teheran in Feb. 2007.  It was General Musharraf who designed the Kargil probe in Kashmir in 1999.

night watch:  rfn=BERLIN -  The meeting of the Russia Minister of Defense Anatoly Serdyukov and the Minister of Defense of the Federal Republic of Germany Dr. Franz Josef Jung will go ahead today.  Discussions on a wide range of topics.  That is a virtual quote from the site, mil.ru the site of the Russian Federation of the Ministry of Defense.  The announcement is from a meeting held in late March as the two Defense Ministers not only discussed but planned bilateral defense cooperation and technical cooperation.  This is not just some temporary ad hoc arrangement but actually represents an extension of centuries of economic relations since German investors conducted some of the initial investments that established Russian society from the Mongols and encouraged Russia's expansion east and south ever since, even more so since industrialization.  Established investment societies at the center of this would have seen the first two world wars only as a brief interruption and the usefulness of Communism to guarantee inexpensive labor in a country where labor strikes are illegal.  And with Germany's enormous concentration of industry they have long been the main purchaser of Russia's eleven time zones of raw materials Moscow's  main source of finance. 

Berlin was also the government that enabled an intelligence officer, KGB Colonel Vladimir Putin, to join the government of President Boris Yeltsin, which had been depositing Russia's budget in Switzerland, but with Putin as head of state Russia's budget could not only return but would be used under better, more serious management.  Several years ago the New York Times had a picture of Putin's economic adviser, a young Russian man of German ancestry.  Under Putin Russian soldiers were paid again.  They were not being paid during the first Chechen war from 1994-96, at the beginning of World War III, which is why Moscow lost control over the North Caucasus but began to regain control when fighting broke out again in 1999 and it was never any secret the Islamic groups Russia was fighting were supported by Teheran which has now shifted its support further south to Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia's government. 

Industrial, resource security concerns is the motivation for this increased military relationship and I suspect those concerns are the reason why former U.S. Secretary of State Dr. Henry Kissinger arrived in Moscow April 2007 to co-chair the Strategic Working Group (SWG) with former Russia Premier Yevgeny Primakov.  With Germany increasing its military budget this year it puts them in position to send air-ground support for Russia's next war with Georgia that could erupt any minute with an incident caused by Moscow through Abkhazia on the Black Sea or South Ossetia further east.  Both are on Georgia's border and seceded from Georgia at the end of the Cold War in 1990.  That dispute and Teheran's support of Georgia will be targeted and that could even include Russia's Strategic bombers attacking Iran's Bushehr nuclear facility on the Persian Gulf Russia has refused to complete.

Germany is not alone in its industrial concerns as virtually every nation in NATO needs access to the same resources from the Caucasus-Caspian region but NATO wanted war with Serbia and decided to protect the opium market in Afghanistan.  Berlin realizes not only those mistakes but also that the misguided alliance will not survive the war.  Germany will remain allied closely with Russia after Iran's foreign policy runs its offensive course this year and into 2010.

rfn=Tbilisi-Zugdidi Rail Line - "I think it's a pure terrorist attack because some explosives and a clock mechanism were used.  Thank God it happened before the passenger train approached.  Several meters of the railway line are destroyed and repair works are under way and it will be reopened very soon." Swissinfo/Reuters report that was the account of Zurab Gogokhia the Chief of Georgia Railways in the west after the 3:30 am (2230 GMT) explosion.  It took place near the village of Ingiri 180 miles (300 km) west of Tbilisi and was not on one of the rail lines from Azerbaijan to the Black Sea used to carry oil shipments from the Caspian.  The SWG did not want to damage that one.  Last year's August war was begun with Georgia responding to artillery fire from South Ossetia and the West-Russia staged an elaborate diplomatic act of being opposed to each other over the issue for Iran's benefit.  I think Teheran has fallen for the act.

rfn=Zahedan -  "We consider (Abdolmalek) Rigi's network linked with some foreign forces in Afghanistan."  Dawn/Reuters reports that was the announcement from Iran Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki speaking to reporters in Teheran on Thursday"s bombing in the mosque in the Iranian city of Zahedan on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.  Foreign Minister Mottaki added they had "obtained evidence" of the involvement of foreign forces and that usually means NATO units in Afghanistan.  The bomb attack was caused by Teheran and was planned during its trilateral meetings with Kabul-Islamabad recently in Teheran as the three governments have planned combined operations against NATO.  This is part of the hot June Teheran mentioned recently. 

Chief of Iran Armed Forces General Hassan Firouzabadi stated Iran had located the base of the group responsible for Thursday's attack and had informed Pakistan.  Islamabad has agreed the group should be disbanded and wiped out.  Xinhua reports Iran Chief Justice Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Sharoudi stated, "The United States has provided financial support for terrorist groups to operate against Iran.  There are many documents and pieces of evidence confirming that terrorist groups are recognized by arrogant powers and the United States in particular and are financially supported.  It is a big mistake to think that the United States seeks to stop the activities of terrorist groups because it still provides all-out support to terrorists."

rfn=Farah -  The three governments are using the bomb attack to justify for violence against NATO units.  France24/AFP report Taliban attacks all across Afghanistan have resulted in the deaths of 43 people Tuesday.

rfn=Qalqiliya -  "The committee will investigate the incident and will come up with the results and show it to the public opinion and sue those who were in charge of the clashes."  Xinhua reports that was the warning by Talal Abu Zarifa, senior official of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP) after the meeting in Gaza with Hamas and other Palestinian units which was held after the seven hour gunbattle between Palestinian Authroity (PA) police and Hamas in the West Bank city of Qalqiliya.  There is no word on whether Hamas agrees but it is significant it is not the PA police that are being accused but their leadership, especially PA President Mahmoud Abbas.  The firefight took place just days after his trip to Washington where he was ordered to take more action against Hamas and the PA police have been trained by U.S. General Keith Dayton.

rfn=Srinagar -  Dawn/AFP reports Srinagar remains paralyzed as large, (NewsBlaze/Fayaz Wani) violent demonstrations (NB/FW) continue for the third day against Indian troops in Kashmir (NB/FW) after the bodies of two young women, aged 17 and 22, were found dumped in a river after (PakTribune) being raped then murdred on Saturday.  Last year it was the massive demonstrations against the planned construction of a Hindu shrine that set off the demonstrations across India's only Muslim majority state.  This year it is the deaths of these two young women.

night watch:  rfn=QALQILIYA -  "From tonight you must go into action without delay against every Palestinian/Israel target within reach, using all the resources prepared in recent months.  There are no limits on targets, the more senior, central and important the better."  Debka reports that was the directive issued by the Hamas leadership, which is directly controlled by Teheran, as a result of two Hamas West Bank commanders being killed Sunday morning in Qaqiliya by Palestinian Authority (PA) Police after a seven hour gunbattle.  Hamas will use car bombs, roadside bombs and missiles.  All PA senior officials are to be targeted inculding President Mahmoud Abbas whose meeting last week at the White House with President Barack Obama began the PA operations against Hamas. (JPost)  The PA police, members of his Fatah organization, have been trained under U.S. General Keith Dayton and are derisively referred to by Arab media as the Dayton Forces. 

rfn=Gaza City -  Hamas-Teheran believe they could not stand up to a sustained offensive by Palestinian militants as in June 2007 in Gaza.  Sources have informed Xinhua Hamas has called for a meeting of Palestinian units in Gaza.  Senior leaders from Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) and the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP) will attend.  Teheran will use the new offensive to disrupt the latest attempt by Washington to use its peace process to control the region.

rfn=Dongchang-ri -  "Preparations for the launch are likely to be completed in mid-June."  Swissinfo/Reuters report that was a warning from South Korea intelligence as North Korea has begun preparations for a new intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launch just two months after their failed satellite test with Iranian assistance from Musudan-ri on North Korea's east coast.  But this missile launch is from the new Dongchang-ri base in the country's northwest just 36 miles (60 km) from China's border.  It has been under construction for years and this new missile is reportedly to have a range of 3,900 miles (6,500 km) which was the theoretical range of the Taepondong-2 in April yet it barely managed more than half that.  Nothing works as well as advertised.  Kim Tae-woo of Seoul's Institute for Defense Analysis commented, "The launch of what North Korea called a satellite in April failed to show intercontinental capabilities, so they want to show it this time around."

rfn=Yellow Sea -  The South Korea government has alerted the Japanese Coast Guard the North has announced a "no navigation zone" in the Yellow Sea between June 13-14 from 8 am - 7 pm.  At the same time Japan Vice-Foreign Minister Mitoji Yabunaka stated after a meeting with U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Jim Steinberg, "We absolutely cannot accept that North Korea will have nuclear weapons."  This matches what U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates indicated when he said there are other measures that could be taken if diplomacy fails to end North Korea's nuclear tests and ballistic missile launches.  The results of these tests, including equipment and technology, are shipped to Iran-Syria for their comparable weapons program.

rfn=Seoul -  "We sincerely hope for peace, but will sternly deal with any threats."  France24/AFP reports that was part of the weekly radio message by South Korea President Lee Myung-Bak who warned Seoul would "never tolerate" the North taking a "path of military threats and provocations."  And Xinhua is reporting governments involved in this crisis are in almost constant telephone communication.  Though North Korea has a  million troops a North Korean defector stated in a Wall Street Journal interview several years ago, they had not been well maintained and a lot of the units were demoralized.

rfn=Zero Point -  Pakistan Tribune/PPI report this is the statement released by Islamabad after Teheran closed the Zero Point border crossing on the Iran-Pakistan border; 'Pakistan says that it is with Iran in the fight against terrorism and there will be no compromise on this principle under any circumstances.'  This enables the Revolutionary Guard units Iran has positioned on the Afghan-Pakistan border to enter Pakistan without any hindrance from the local population.  Teheran has blamed the explosion in the Zahedan mosque on U.S. Special Forces in Pakistan's Baluchistan province. 

night watch:  rfn=QALQILIYA -  "These kinds of clashes have happened in the past, but these are by far the most serious in the West Bank."  That was a warning from Nour Odeh in Ramallah reporting for Al Jazeera.  This is without a doubt the most serious enagement between Hamas/Palestinian Authority (PA) since Hamas took over control of Gaza from the PA in 2007.  Two commanders of the Hamas armed wing in Qalqiliya were killed in the seven hour firefight that began Saturday night and did not end until mid-day Sunday. (Xinhua) Three Palestinian police officers were killed.  After the Hamas members responded with a grenade then machine gun fire PA officers first fled then returned with reinforcements.  By all accounts no Israeli units were involved.  It is no coincidence this took place just three days after PA President Mahmound Abbas was at the White House meeting President Barack Obama.  It is obvious Abbas was told in order for the PA to continue to receive international support it must do more to cooperate with Israel against Islamic extremists.  The PA police have been trained by Washington and this is their chance to become the Palestinian government but only if Hamas and Palestinian militants are seriously weakened. 

Abbas aide (JPost) Nabil Abu Rdeneh stated, "To build our country, we need to have one authority, one gun one law."  On Saturday the PA-Fatah arrested 22 Hamas members.  Hamas spokesman Abu Obeida warned, "We call on the Palestinian people in the West Bank to reject and denounce these acts of the suspicious personnel and to confront and stand up for the high treason...the blood of those martyred in Qalqiliya will remain a curse and we hold Mahmoud Abbas with direct responsibility."  Speaking from Gaza one of Hamas' leaders Salah al-Bardawil observed the gunbattle was not just a devastating blow to Palestinian people but to a lot of the Arab world who had hoped the Hamas/PA-Fatah negotiations, led by Cairo, would result in a unity government and end the serious divisions within the community but that was an illusion at best and obviously impossible now.  Arab governments and the Arab street are also very much aware this took place right after President Abbas' trip to Washington and that is where Abbas' loyalty now is.  Abbas has now become a marked man for assassination which will be arranged by non-Arab Iran the principle supporter of Islamic extremism no matter what Muslim community it is, from Morocco to the Philippines. 

Regular readers of this site know I have long suspected Teheran would begin the expanded regional war with Hamas then Hezbollah attacking Israel unless Jerusalem attacked them first.  But it seems to have begun already and unlike the 2007 fighting in Gaza this will not remain in the West Bank between Hamas/Fatah.  It is quite possible members of Hezbollah are preparing to enter the West Bank through Jordan as Iran-Syria use whatever means they have to send Hamas members more equipment.  The Israel Defense Force (IDF) will immediately come to the Palestinian Authority's assistance which will brand the PA as a traitor in the eyes of most of the Islamic world since the PA is now openly working with Israel-U.S.  In order too disrupt Hezbollah's support Israel could then launch its attacks in Lebanon unless Hezbollah had already attacked Israel.  Iran will soon enter the war afterward with its brigade size Rapid Deployment Force as their magnanimous military gesture of support for Palestinian people.  That will inflame the Arab world especially in Egypt as the population demands President Hosni Mubarak open the Rafah Terminal on the Gaza/Egypt border which he has stubbornly refused to do since it represents to him less control over events.  Hamas will then be instructed by Teheran to attack the terminal again as they did in January 2008 resulting in President Mubarak declaring war not only on Hamas but also on Iran-Hezbollah and he recently warned both to "beware the wrath of Egypt."  The 13,000 European troops serving with UNIFIL in south Lebanon will be caught in the crossfire.

rfn=Jerusalem - "The ceasefire is not complete and is very fragile.  We do not want to strengthen Hamas, not by allowing them to rebuild their defenses."  PressTV reports that was a statement by Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the Sunday Cabinet meeting.  The way regional events are developing Israel's next offensive into Gaza could be just days away.

rfn=Zahedan -  "As a result of the obstacles they face in the region, the Americans seek to find a way forward in order to attain their demands at all costs, but these terrorist acts will eventually cost them dearly."  PressTV/FarsNews reports that was the warning from Ali Larijani the Speaker of the Iran Majlis (Parliament) just two days after Teheran planted a bomb in the mosque in Zahedan the Iranian city on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border.  Larijani stated Pakistan has pledged cooperation against what he called U.S. Special Forces in Pakistan's Baluchistan province on the Iran-Afghan border.  Recently Iran shifted Revolutionary Guard units to its east and south-east border just for this purpose, planned by the trilateral meetings Teheran conducted recently with Kabul-Islamabad.

rfn=Ahvaz -  "The enemies want to create a security threat environment before the country's Presidential election and to create hopelessness among people. (PressTV)  The plant...was unsuccessful due to the security forces awareness and those behind it were arrested."  Swissinfo/Reuters reports that was the announcement by Mohammad Hassan Kazemi the Iran Revolutionary Guard commander in charge of aviation security after his unit planted a homemade bomb on a domestic Kish Air flight bound for Teheran.  The flight made an emergency landing at the airport in Ahvaz which was chosen due to it being so close to Iraq's border and just 80 miles from Basra.

rfn=New York -  INN reports Israel Deputy Foreign Minister Daniel Ayalon, speaking to Fox News in New York, warned Iran now has ballistic missiles that can reach the U.S. East Coast.  Earlier this year Iran conducted a successful satellite launch and Moscow warned afterward Iran now had the capability to send a warhead to any point on the globe.  This is not only due to assistance from China-North Korea.  When the Soviet Union broke up, at the end of the Cold War in 1990, articles then mentioned some Russian scientists went south.  I never found out how many, Berlin may have kept the best count.  Everyone knows Jihad pays well.  Iran has been reported, more than ten years ago by Reuters, of being engaged in laser research and lasers can be used to set cities on fire.  Some of the Russian scientists are laser experts.  That may be why INN is also reporting, as Israel begins its Turning Point 3 nationwide exercise, representatives of 70 nations are taking part as observers.

rfn=New York -  Hurriyet reports Turkey Foreign Minister Professor Ahmet Davutoglu will arrive in Washington Sunday and from there go to New York.  This is in preparation for Turkey heading the United Nations Security Council for one month beginning tomorrow June 1.  Professor Davutoglu is the author of the book Strategic Depth which advocates an active role for Ankara in every region bordering Turkey, the Balkans-Caucasus-West Asia (Middle East).  For several years this site has been a chronicle of the strategic meetings between Ankara-Teheran where they openly discussed strategic (military) planning and the potential both countries could experience with their success in support of groups more representative of Islamic people as opposed to groups more aligned with the West.  Both Ankara-Teheran have excellent relations with every nation in the former Yugoslavia including Serbia.  Ankara has recently increased its defense cooperation with Belgrade and Teheran signed a security agreement with Belgrade in 2006 as did Athens. 

Davutoglu will be meeting with blink-tanks that have long specialized in denying the obvious significance of not only these developments but others revolving around Teheran's preparations for full scale fighting and convinced themselves it was a wonderful, fun idea to divide Yugoslavia to justify war against Serbia and that Bin Laden can arrange flight school training.  Some of the blink-tanks, which are directly connceted to industrial services that arm the Pentagon, have even convinced themselves Israel is the main cause of these problems instead of the enormous corruption of the decision making in established U.S-European society.

rfn=Moscow -  Ynet/AP report Israel Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman will leave for Moscow Monday to confront the Russian government on their meetings with Hamas recently.  Foreign Minister Lieberman will meet Russia President Dmitry Medvedev, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.  Moscow may say they were merely recognizing Hamas' importance and Lieberman could respond Jerusalem will negotiate with whoever is left.

night watch:  rfn=SINGAPORE -  "I think that the combination (Xinhua) of their progress in developing nuclear technology and their progress in developing multi-stage long range missiles is a harbinger of a dark future."  Jerusalem Post/AP report those were just some of the many observations by U.S. Secretary Robert Gates at the 27 nation Asia Security Conference in Singapore, the Shangri-La Dialogue.  I think it is called that since it is probably being held in the Shangri-La hotel. (Xinhua)  Secretary Gates continued, "North Korea perhaps in the past may have most often believed that it could be perhaps rewarded for its wrong behavior.  But that is no longer the case.  I think that everyone in the room is familiar to the tactics that the North Koreans use.  They creat crisis and the rest of us pay a price to return to the status quo ante.  But as the expression goes in the United States 'I am tired of buying the same horse twice.'  I think that this notion that we may buy our way back ot the status quo ante is an approach that I personally at least think we ought to think very hard about.  There are perhaps other ways to try and get the North Koreans to change their approach."

Gates continued, "We will not bend to pressure or provocation.  We will not stand idly by as North Korea builds the capability to wreak destruction on any targets in Asia or on us.  At the end of the day, the choice to continue as a destitute, international pariah is North Korea's choice to make.  The world is waiting."  The world will not have to wait long for Pyongyang's answer since Swissinfo/Reuters reported this quote from the South Korea newspaper Dong-a Ilbo, "Preparations to move an ICBM (Intercontinental Ballistic Missile) from the Saneum Weapons Research Center near Pyongyang by train have been captured by U.S. spy satellites"  The paper was quoting a source in Washington.  Pyongyang and the two governments that purchase North Korea's nuclear-ballistic missile exports, Iran-Syria, are aware the international community has become more serious than ever to end North Korea's shipments which have provided Pyongyang with billions of dollars. (France24)  The military-industrial government in the North would collapse without it and they will defend it to the death.

But fortunately without much help from North Korea's military which a defector stated several years ago had not been well maintained and was demoralized.  During the Asia Security Conference Secretary Gates held a Trilateral meeting with the Defense Minister of South Korea Lee Sang-hee and Japan's Defense Minister.  Significantly in attendence was also the Deputy Commander in Chief of  the General Staff of China's PLA (People's Liberation Army) Lieutenant-General Ma Xiaotian who stated, "Traditional and non-traditional security threats are interwoven, leading to a more complex regional security situation."  General Xiaotian could be one of the more reliable military contacts in China and he may have received assurances if there is a flood of North Korean refugees into China allied governments will assist in financing their support.  Beijing may even be willing to do something militarily against the North if need be.

rfn=Beirut -  Due to Israel's nationwide "Turning Point 3" drill beginning Sunday, Jerusalem Post reports