http://www.liveleak.com/browse?q=Announces Thu, 23 May 2013 05:59:03 -0400 Liveleak http://edge.liveleak.com/80281E/u/u/ll2/logo.gif http://www.liveleak.com/browse?q=Announces Sun, 19 May 2013 00:25:09 -0400 http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=948_1368936506 m16carbine The two popular videos on the blogs today are allegedly showing a number of un-uniformed defectors who join the rebel side. The alleged defectors look hungry and depressed and perhaps more interested in securing a loaf of bread than any particular passion towards the rebel cause. The description that came with these videos from the website 'Shabab Souria' : 'The first video uploaded by activists shows a group of men surrounded by armed militants as their leader, Hashim Al-Khalifah, announces the defection of 90 soldiers who allegedly deserted regime's regular troops operating in Albukmal, east of Deir Ezzor. The rebel commander states that Ammar-Bin-Yasser Battalion, an FSA group affiliated with "Allah Akbar" Brigade, was responsible for securing the defectors stressing that it is rebels' duty now to insure a safe return home for those insurgents. At the end of his statement, the battalion leader urges all officers and soldiers who are still to follow on the footsteps of those men and join the ranks of the Free Syrian Army.' 'The second defection video shows a group of 20 soldiers who, according to the narrator, have left the regular Syrian army secured by Tawheed Brigade, a rebel faction operating in Khan Al-Assal west of Aleppo. Each of the defectors announces his full name and military rank.' http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=948_1368936506 m16carbine Some alleged defections in Aleppo and Deir Ezzor syria, syrian civil war, defections, assad, fsa, saa Wed, 08 May 2013 19:55:21 -0400 http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=ec9_1368056827 JustinTime (May 8, 2013) - After nearly three full days of deliberations, an Arizona jury has found Jodi Arias guilty of the first-degree murder of ex-boyfriend Travis Alexander. As a result, Arias will now face a possible death penalty sentencing. The jurors also had the option of convicting Arias of second-degree murder, manslaughter, or acquitting her altogether. Arias has admitted to killing her ex-boyfriend Travis Alexander in June 2008, but her defense has maintained that the stabbing and shooting was done out of self-defense after Alexander became violent during an argument. The defense attorneys attempted to paint Alexander as sexually, physically, and emotionally abusive towards Arias. Because she has been found guilty of the first-degree murder charge, the trial will need to enter a "penalty phase" for the prosecution and defense to argue over the factors that would lead to a death sentence for Arias. http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=ec9_1368056827 JustinTime Jodi Arias Reacts As Jury <span class="highlight">Announces</span> Guilty Verdict For 1st Degree Murder Jodi, Arias, Reaction, Jury, Announces, Guilty, Verdict, Murderer Wed, 15 May 2013 12:03:10 -0400 http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=715_1368633440 th1sf8te Home secretary Theresa May announces proposals for new sentencing for those convicted of murdering a police officer. Speaking at the Police Federation conference on Tuesday, May said such crimes represent an attack on the 'fundamental basis of our society'. She announced that whole-life sentences will be given for such offences in future http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=715_1368633440 th1sf8te Theresa May: murderers of police officers to be given whole-life sentences Theresa May: murderers of police officers to be given whole-life sentences Tue, 14 May 2013 00:49:12 -0400 http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=357_1368506438 RasputinFTW In London many people is poor and the British government wasted the money in Arming Al Qaeda....... _____________ Britain Announces $61 Mln Aid to Syrian Insurgents LONDON, May 14 - Britain will allocate a total of 40 million British pounds ($61.2 million) in humanitarian and non-lethal aid to Syrian rebels battling the regime of President Bashar al-Assad, British prime minister's office said in a statement. British Prime Minister Cameron met with US President Obama on Monday discussing the Syrian conflict following his last week's talks on the same issue with Russian President Vladimir Putin. "During a joint press conference with US President Barack Obama today, Prime Minister David Cameron announced that the UK would be providing an extra lb30 million of humanitarian support for the victims of the Syria crisis, and an additional lb10 million in non-lethal support to strengthen the Syrian opposition, to help reduce the effects of the conflict spilling over into neighboring countries and to support human rights and civil society," the statement said. Two months ago, Syrian leader Assad said in an interview with Sunday Times that Britain played an "unconstructive role" in the region and accused the country of supplying Syrian militants with weapons. Diplomatic discussions on the Syrian conflict is set to continue this week, with Putin due to hold talks in Russia with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Kerry and Lavrov expected to meet on the sidelines of the Arctic Council meeting in Sweden, which gets under way Tuesday. Syria has been locked in an increasingly bloody civil war since demonstrations broke out against President Assad in March 2011. According to UN estimates, over 70,000 people have been killed in the conflict. http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=357_1368506438 RasputinFTW UK will be give more money to &quot;Moderated&quot; Terrorists SnackbaRats Pedophiles Al Qaeda, Free Syrian Army, Al Qaeda in Syria, Al Qaida in Syria, Al Qaeda, Al Qaida, Al Nusra Wed, 08 May 2013 22:58:10 -0400 http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=507_1368068081 Detroit Iron May 8, 2013 4:36 PM After a successful stint in rehab, Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong has triumphantly returned to the stage in March and reconnecting with fans on the road without incident - until now. Taking to his Instagram account, Armstrong posted a picture of K-pop star Psy , and what he had to say about the "Gangnam Style" hit-maker was far from congratulatory. "This dude is the herpes of music," Armstong wrote . "Once you think it's gone, it comes back." The Green Day singer also added a series of hashtags: #herpes, #flarup and #pleasegoaway. Posted on Tuesday (May 7), by the following day the missive has generated more than 20,000 "likes" from Instagram users, with nearly 2000 comments from fans mostly agreeing with Armstrong's commentary. Armstrong is known for speaking his mind, no matter how politically incorrect the commentary. His infamous Justin Bieber rant at a Las Vegas show last fall led to the singer checking himself into rehab, which forced the group to postpone a high-profile tour. As of press time, there had been no response from Psy or his camp regarding Armstong's critique. Green Day's current world tour finds the band in Europe for much of the summer, with dates in Norway, France and Sweden. The trio set to headline major UK festival Reading in late August. http://news.radio.com/2013/05/08/green-days-billie-joe-armstrong-on-psy-this-dude-is-the-herpes-of-music / http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=507_1368068081 Detroit Iron Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong On Psy: 'This Dude Is The Herpes Of Music' Green Day, Billie Joe Armstrong, K-pop star Psy Tue, 07 May 2013 16:20:45 -0400 http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=08d_1367957207 m16carbine Brigadier General Shapira, May 2, 2013 http://jcpa.org/article/irans-plans-to-take-over-syria/ 1. In mid-April, Hizbullah leader Hassan Nasrallah paid a secret visit to Tehran where he met with the top Iranian officials headed by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and Gen. Qasem Suleimani, the commander of the Quds Force of the Revolutionary Guard Corps. Suleimani prepared an operational plan named after him based upon the establishment of a 150,000-man force for Syria, the majority of whom will come from Iran, Iraq, and a smaller number from Hizbullah and the Gulf states. 2. Suleimani's involvement was significant. He has been the spearhead of Iranian military activism in the Middle East. In January 2012, he declared that the Islamic Republic controlled "one way or another" Iraq and South Lebanon. Even before recent events in Syria, observers in the Arab world have been warning for years about growing evidence of "Iranian expansionism." 3. An important expression of Syria's centrality in Iranian strategy was voiced by Mehdi Taaib, who heads Khamenei's think tank. He recently stated that "Syria is the 35th district of Iran and it has greater strategic importance for Iran than Khuzestan ." Significantly, Taaib was drawing a comparison between Syria and a district that is under full Iranian sovereignty. 4. Tehran has had political ambitions with respect to Syria for years and has indeed invested huge resources in making Syria a Shiite state. The Syrian regime let Iranian missionaries work freely to strengthen the Shiite faith in Damascus and the cities of the Alawite coast, as well as the smaller towns and villages. In both urban and rural parts of Syria, Sunnis and others who adopted the Shiite faith received privileges and preferential treatment in the disbursement of Iranian aid money. 5. Iran is also recruiting Shiite forces in Iraq for the warfare in Syria. These are organized in a sister framework of Lebanese Hizbullah. Known as the League of the Righteous People and Kateeb Hizbullah, its mission is to defend the Shiite centers in Damascus. It is likely that Tehran will make every effort to recruit additional Shiite elements from Iraq, the Persian Gulf, and even from Pakistan. ---------------------------------------------- Iran Cannot Afford to Lose Syria In mid-April, Hizbullah leader Hassan Nasrallah paid a secret visit to Tehran where he met with the top Iranian officials headed by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and the commander of the Quds Force of the Revolutionary Guard Corps, Gen. Qasem Suleimani, who is in charge of Iranian policy in Lebanon and Syria. The visit was clandestine and no details were divulged on an official level - except for the exclusive posting on Hizbullah's official website of a photograph of Khamenei with Nasrallah beside him in the former's private library, with a picture of Ayatollah Khomeini above them. 1 Suleimani's involvement in the meeting with Nasrallah was significant. He has been the spearhead of Iranian military activism in the Middle East. In January 2012, he declared that the Islamic Republic controlled "one way or another" Iraq and South Lebanon. 2 He now appeared to be prepared to extend Iran's control to all of Syria. A media source normally hostile to Iran and Hizbullah but which nonetheless contains accurate information, reported that Iran has formulated an operational plan for assisting Syria. The plan has been named for Gen. Suleimani. It includes three elements: 1) the establishment of a popular sectarian army made up of Shiites and Alawites, to be backed by forces from Iran, Iraq, Hizbullah, and symbolic contingents from the Persian Gulf. 2) This force will reach 150,000 fighters. 3) The plan will give preference to importing forces from Iran, Iraq, and, only afterwards, other Shiite elements. This regional force will be integrated with the Syrian army. Suleimani, himself, visited Syria in late February-early March to prepare the implementation of this plan. 3 In the past, senior Iranian officers, like Major General Yahya Rahim-Safavi, the former commander of the Revolutionary Guards who is an adviser to Khamenei, have said that Lebanon and Syria gave Iran "strategic depth." 4 Now it appears that Tehran is taking this a step further, preparing for a "Plan B" in the event Assad falls. Nasrallah rarely makes such trips. The last time he went on a visit outside Lebanon was in February 2010 when he met in Damascus with Syrian President Bashar Assad and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Nasrallah has taken great care not to appear in public since the Second Lebanon War in 2006, and even more so since the assassination of the head of Hizbullah's military wing, Imad Mughniyeh, in Damascus in February 2008. Even in Iran itself Nasrallah maintained total secrecy for fear of becoming an assassination target there. After the visit, he gave a speech in Lebanon on April 30, but did not say anything about his visit to Iran. He did remark that Syria "has real friends" that wouldn't let it fall, implying that, if necessary, he would redouble his efforts to defend Iranian interests, which has always been one of the missions of Hizbullah. It appears that Hizbullah's ongoing involvement in Syria, and the extent of this involvement, formed the main issue on the agenda during Nasrallah's visit to Tehran. The more time passes, the more Iran appears to regard Syria as a lynchpin of its Middle Eastern policy, in general, and of leading the jihad and the Islamic resistance to Israel, in particular. Hizbullah's inclusion in the armed struggle in Syria is intended first and foremost to serve the Iranian strategy, which has been setting new goals apart from military assistance to the Syrian regime. Iran already seems to be looking beyond the regime's survivability and preparing for a reality where it will have to operate in Syria even if Assad falls. Even before recent events in Syria, observers in the Arab world have been warning for years about growing evidence of "Iranian expansionism." 5 An important expression of Syria's centrality in Iranian strategy was voiced by Mehdi Taaib, who heads Khamenei's think tank. He recently stated that "Syria is the 35th district of Iran and it has greater strategic importance for Iran than Khuzestan . By preserving Syria we will be able to get back Khuzestan, but if we lose Syria we will not even be able to keep Tehran." 6 Significantly, Taaib was drawing a comparison between Syria and a district that is under full Iranian sovereignty. What was also clear from his remarks was that Iran cannot afford to lose Syria. Syria as a Shiite State All in all, then, Iran will have to step up its military involvement in Syria. Khamenei's representative in Lebanon will have to take part in building the new strategy in Syria, acting in tandem with Iran against the Sunni Islamic groups that threaten Iran's interests in Syria. Tehran has had political ambitions with respect to Syria for years and has indeed invested huge resources in making Syria a Shiite state. The process began during the rule of Hafez Assad when a far-reaching network was created of educational, cultural, and religious institutions throughout Syria; it was further expanded during Bashar's reign. The aim was to promote the Shiization of all regions of the Syrian state. The Syrian regime let Iranian missionaries work freely to strengthen the Shiite faith in Damascus and the cities of the Alawite coast, as well as the smaller towns and villages. 7 A field study by the European Union in the first half of 2006 found that the largest percentage of religious conversions to Shiism occurred in areas with an Alawite majority. 8 In both urban and rural parts of Syria, Sunnis and others who adopted the Shiite faith received privileges and preferential treatment in the disbursement of Iranian aid money. The heads of the tribes in the Raqqa area were invited by the Iranian ambassador in Damascus to visit Iran cost-free, and the Iranians doled out funds to the poor and financial loans to merchants who were never required to pay them back. 9 The dimensions of the Iranian investment in Raqqa, which included elegant public buildings, mosques, and Husayniyys (a Shiite religious institute), were recently revealed by Sunni rebels who took over the remote town and destroyed, plundered, and removed all signs of the Iranian and Shiite presence there. 10 As of 2009 there were over 500 Husayniyys in Syria undergoing Iranian renovation work. In Damascus itself the Iranians invested huge sums to control the Shiite holy places including the tomb of Sayyida Zaynab, the shrine of Sayyida Ruqayya, and the shrine of Sayyida Sukayna. These sites attract Iranian tourism, which grew from 27,000 visitors in 1978 to 200,000 in 2003. Iran also operates a cultural center in Damascus that it considers one of its most important and successful. This center publishes works in Arabic, holds biweekly cultural events, and conducts seminars and conferences aimed at enhancing the Iranian cultural influence in the country. The Iranian cultural center is also responsible for the propagation and study of the Persian language in Syrian universities, including providing teachers of Persian. 11 Iran's Sponsorship of Shiite Forces in Syria At present, bloody battles are being waged over the centers of Iranian influence in Syria, most of all the mausoleum of Sayyida Zaynab - sister of the Imam Husayn - who in 680 carried his severed head to Damascus after the massacre at Karbala. In Iranian historiography, the great victory over the Sunnis is marked in Damascus in the form of a Shiite renaissance in the capital of the hated Umayyad Empire. The Sunnis, however, are now threatening these Iranian achievements. Hizbullah has been recruited to the cause, with hundreds of its fighters coming to Syria from Lebanon. These fighters try to downplay their Hizbullah affiliation and instead identify themselves as the Abu El Fadl Alabbas Brigade, named after the half-brother of the Imam Husayn. Iran is also recruiting Shiite forces in Iraq for the warfare in Syria. These are organized in a sister framework of Lebanese Hizbullah. Known as the League of the Righteous People and Kateeb Hizbullah, its mission is to defend the Shiite centers in Damascus. 12 Hizbullah fighters are also operating in other areas, some of them beyond the Lebanese border in the Shiite villages in Syrian territory on the way to Homs, thereby creating a sort of territorial continuity for ongoing Alawite control under Iranian influence. This continuity is strategically important to Iran since it links Lebanon and Damascus to the Alawite coast. 13 Iran aims to have a network of militias in place inside Syria to protect its vital interests, regardless of what happens to Assad. 14 The war in Syria persists with no decisive outcome on the horizon. Hizbullah's battle losses are growing. Subhi Tufayli, the first head of Hizbullah who was dismissed from its leadership by Iran at the start of the 1990s, has been one of the prominent critics of Hizbullah's involvement in Syria. Tufayli claimed that 138 Hizbullah fighters had been killed there along with scores of wounded who were brought to hospitals in Lebanon. 15 Ceremonies for burial of the dead are frequently held clandestinely, sometimes at night, so as to avoid anger and resentment. These casualties, however, did not disappear from sight, and the families have raised harsh questions about such unnecessary sacrifice that is not in the sacred framework of jihad against Israel, which is Hizbullah's raison d'^etre. Tufayli, for his part, asserted that Hizbullah fighters who are killed in battle in Syria "are not martyrs" and "will go to hell." Syria, he remarked, "is not Karbala" and the Hizbullah men in Syria "are not fighters of the Imam . The oppressed and innocent Syrian people is Karbala and the members of the Syrian people are the children of Husayn and Zaynab." Tufayli went on to say that he "lauds the fathers and mothers who prevent their children from going to Syria and says to them that God's blessing is with them." Tufayli further pointed out that, legally speaking, no fatwa has been issued that permits Hizbullah's participation in the war in Syria. He said he had appealed to the supreme religious authority - the sources of emulation ( Maraji Taqlid ) in Najaf and in Lebanon - not to issue such a fatwa . 16 In the Lebanese Shiite community, Tufayli is not alone in leveling severe criticism at Hizbullah's role as an arm of Iran in Syria. Voices within Hizbullah itself are increasingly casting doubt on the wisdom of involving the movement on Bashar Assad's side. Others refuse to go and fight in Syria, and there have already been desertions from Hizbullah's ranks. So far, though, it does not appear that all this is deterring Hizbullah from persisting. At the end of the day, Hizbullah is not a Lebanese national movement but a creation of Iran and subject to its exclusive authority. Nasrallah was summoned to Tehran so as to encourage him and order him to continue as a faithful and obedient soldier of Velayt-e Faqih (literally: the Rule of the Jurisprudent, referring to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei). It is likely that Tehran will make every effort to recruit additional Shiite elements from Iraq, the Persian Gulf, and even from Pakistan. For the Islamic Republic, this is a war of survival against a radical Sunni uprising that views Iran and the Shiites as infidels to be annihilated. This is the real war being waged today, and it is within Islam. From Iran's standpoint, if the extreme Sunnis of the al-Qaeda persuasion are not defeated in Syria, they will assert themselves in Iraq and threaten to take over the Persian Gulf, posing a real danger to Iran's regional hegemony. Khamenei does not intend to give in. Hizbullah's readiness to fight shoulder-to-shoulder with Iran against the radical Sunnis could shatter the delicate internal order upon which the Lebanese state is based and bring about a Hizbullah take-over of Lebanon in its entirety. * * * Notes 1. On the picture and its significance, see Ali al-Amin, Al-Balad, April 23, 2013, http://www.alahednews.com.lb/essaydetails.php?eid=74383&amp;cid=76. 2. "Chief of Iran's Quds Force Claims Iraq, South Lebanon under His Control, Al Arabiya News, January 20, 2012, http://english.alarabiya.net/articles/2012/01/20/189447.html. 3. A-Shiraa, March 15, 2013. 4. Nevvine Abdel Monem Mossad, "Implication of Iran Accepting Military Role in Syria, Lebanon," The Emirates Center for Strategic Studies and Research, October 7, 2012. 5. Abdul Rahman Al-Rashed, "Iran and Its Expansionist Tendencies," Arab News, February 6, 2013, http://www.arabnews.com/iran-and-its-expansionist-tendencies; "US Embassy Cables: Omani Official Wary of Iranian Expansionism," The Guardian, November 28, 2010, http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/us-embassy-cables-documents/165127. 6. Ali-al-Amin, Al-Balad, February 17, 2013. 7. On the Shiization of Syria, see Khalid Sindawi, "The Shiite Turn in Syria," Hudson Institute, Current Trends in Islamist Ideology, vol. 8, 82-127, http://www.currenttrends.org/research/detail/the-shiite-turn-in-syria. 8. Ibid., 84. 9. Ibid., 89-90. 10. Martin Kramer, "The Shiite Crescent Eclipsed," April 16, 2013, http://www.martinkramer.org/sandbox/2013/04/the-shiite-crescent-is-broken. 11. Nadia von Maltzahn, "The Case of Iranian Cultural Diplomacy in Syria," Middle East Journal of Culture and Communication 2 (2009): 33-50. 12. Rabbiah Jamal, "Iraq's Kateeb Hezbollah announces involvement in Syria," Now Lebanon, April 7, 2013. 13. See the excellent article by Hanin Ghadder, "Hezbollah sacrifices popularity for survival: In Syria, The Party of God is struggling for an un-divine victory," Now Lebanon, April 10, 2013. 14. Karen DeYoung and Joby Warrick, "Iran and Hezbollah Build Militia Networks in Syria in Event that Assad Falls, Officials Say," The Washington Post, February 10, 2013, http://articles.washingtonpost.com/2013-02-10/world/37026054_1_syrian-government-forces-iran-and-hezbollah-president-bashar. 15. http://www.metransparent.com, April 25, 2013. 16. Subhi Tufayli, interview, Al Arabiya, February 26, 2013. http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=08d_1367957207 m16carbine Iran's Strategy in Syria syria civil war, syria, saa, assad, fsa, israel, iran, lebanon, syrian, hezbollah Sun, 05 May 2013 00:05:54 -0400 http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=332_1367726370 loslaynes USAToday.com May 2, 2013 USAToday.com May 2, 2013 Troops Inclined To Proselytize May Face Court MartialAfter news of Pentagon ban, activists claim military is becoming hostile to religion.By Bob Smietana, USA Today A Pentagon ban on proselytizing has left some conservative activists fearful that Christian troops - and even military chaplains - could face court martial for sharing their faith. The Defense Department said this week that proselytizing - trying to get someone to change faiths - is banned. Its statement does not define proselytizing or address the role of military chaplains. It also does not rule out court martial for those whose share their faith too aggressively. News of the ban came after an activist met with Air Force officials to demand that troops who spend too much time talking about Jesus be booted from the military. If superior officers try to convert those under their command, they should face a court martial, said Mikey Weinstein, president of the Albuquerque, N.M.-based Military Religious Freedom Foundation. Weinstein's demands caused a stir on Twitter after the Pentagon told Fox News about the ban on proselytizing. Ken Klukowski, a senior fellow at the Washington, D.C.-based Family Research Council, said a ban on proselytizing is impossible to enforce. Military personnel are free to talk about their faith, he said. Ban 'unconstitutional' "Any halfway decent lawyer would tell you that a ban is unconstitutional," Klukowski said. But new rules published last year by the Air Force warn leaders to be careful in talking about faith. "For example," the rules state, "they must avoid the actual or apparent use of their position to promote their personal religious beliefs to their subordinates or to extend preferential treatment for any religion." Joe Carter, a former Marine and editor for the Gospel Coalition, a Birmingham, Ala.-based group, said coercion has no place in faith. However, Carter said, Jesus told his disciples to spread the faith in Matthew 28, in a passage known as "The Great Commission." That's an essential part of the faith for many Christians, he said. "We don't want your boss saying you have to go to a Bible study," he said. "But what if he just invites you?" Bob Jenkins, director of public relations for Fort Campbell, an Army base near Clarksville, said he was not aware of any new rules about proselytizing and could not comment. He did say that his office often announces religious events on base as it does any other community activity. "I have never heard of any commander endorsing one faith over another," he said. The public affairs offices of four branches of the military were not aware of any military personnel who were prosecuted for proselytizing. That's in part because the military code of justice doesn't ban the practice. The Air Force's public affairs office, using the Merriam-Webster dictionary, defines proselytizing as "to induce someone to convert to one's faith," said Capt. Jody Ritchie in an email. "When on duty or in an official capacity, Air Force members are free to express their personal religious beliefs as long as it does not make others uncomfortable," he said in an email. "Proselytizing, as defined above, goes over that line." Late last week, conservative activists accused the Defense Department of censorship when some Army computers blocked the website of the Southern Baptist Convention. The furor died down after the problem turned out to be a computer virus on the Baptist website. But the military's changing demographics may make the proselytizing controversy harder to resolve. According to Department of Defense statistics, the largest faith group among active-duty personnel is nondenominational Christians. They are often evangelicals who actively share their faith. The second largest group: those with no religious affiliation, who may be less interested in converting. Bob Smietana also writes for The Tennessean May Face Court MartialAfter news of Pentagon ban, activists claim military is becoming hostile to religion.By Bob Smietana, USA Today A Pentagon ban on proselytizing has left some conservative activists fearful that Christian troops - and even military chaplains - could face court martial for sharing their faith. The Defense Department said this week that proselytizing - trying to get someone to change faiths - is banned. Its statement does not define proselytizing or address the role of military chaplains. It also does not rule out court martial for those whose share their faith too aggressively. News of the ban came after an activist met with Air Force officials to demand that troops who spend too much time talking about Jesus be booted from the military. If superior officers try to convert those under their command, they should face a court martial, said Mikey Weinstein, president of the Albuquerque, N.M.-based Military Religious Freedom Foundation. Weinstein's demands caused a stir on Twitter after the Pentagon told Fox News about the ban on proselytizing. Ken Klukowski, a senior fellow at the Washington, D.C.-based Family Research Council, said a ban on proselytizing is impossible to enforce. Military personnel are free to talk about their faith, he said. Ban 'unconstitutional' "Any halfway decent lawyer would tell you that a ban is unconstitutional," Klukowski said. But new rules published last year by the Air Force warn leaders to be careful in talking about faith. "For example," the rules state, "they must avoid the actual or apparent use of their position to promote their personal religious beliefs to their subordinates or to extend preferential treatment for any religion." Joe Carter, a former Marine and editor for the Gospel Coalition, a Birmingham, Ala.-based group, said coercion has no place in faith. However, Carter said, Jesus told his disciples to spread the faith in Matthew 28, in a passage known as "The Great Commission." That's an essential part of the faith for many Christians, he said. "We don't want your boss saying you have to go to a Bible study," he said. "But what if he just invites you?" Bob Jenkins, director of public relations for Fort Campbell, an Army base near Clarksville, said he was not aware of any new rules about proselytizing and could not comment. He did say that his office often announces religious events on base as it does any other community activity. "I have never heard of any commander endorsing one faith over another," he said. The public affairs offices of four branches of the military were not aware of any military personnel who were prosecuted for proselytizing. That's in part because the military code of justice doesn't ban the practice. The Air Force's public affairs office, using the Merriam-Webster dictionary, defines proselytizing as "to induce someone to convert to one's faith," said Capt. Jody Ritchie in an email. "When on duty or in an official capacity, Air Force members are free to express their personal religious beliefs as long as it does not make others uncomfortable," he said in an email. "Proselytizing, as defined above, goes over that line." Late last week, conservative activists accused the Defense Department of censorship when some Army computers blocked the website of the Southern Baptist Convention. The furor died down after the problem turned out to be a computer virus on the Baptist website. But the military's changing demographics may make the proselytizing controversy harder to resolve. According to Department of Defense statistics, the largest faith group among active-duty personnel is nondenominational Christians. They are often evangelicals who actively share their faith. The second largest group: those with no religious affiliation, who may be less interested in converting. Bob Smietana also writes for The Tennessean http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=332_1367726370 loslaynes Troops Inclined To Proselytize May Face Court Martial US Military, Religion, Born Again, Aggressive Delima Put Down Mon, 29 Apr 2013 12:46:39 -0400 http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=0b6_1367253784 weldongrisham Back in August, I heard noise from a deep-money source that a United Arab Emirates sheik was prepared to pay a ton of money for a New York-based MLS team. The owner was reportedly lobbying for "crazy benefits and tax breaks." Some nine months later, The New York Times reports that Abu Dhabi sheik Mansour bin Zayed al-Nahyan is set to pay $100 million for the rights to the team-more than double the expansion price for a Montreal MLS team in 2012. The new stadium will be located in Flushing, Queens, somewhere just outside of Arthur Ashe Stadium and the USTA's tennis campus. The deal is apparently a few weeks away. A source said in August that the sheik was "filthy rich," but he also said he was from Dubai. It's unclear if this is the same guy or if there are a few oil magnates from the Middle East who really wanted to buy a Queens soccer team. The Times story notes that MLS didn't want to negotiate with the Qatari family since they have some very awkward ties with Hamas. But Abu Dhabi? Come on in. This oil and gas mogul, Sheik Mansour, does pass the filthy rich test. The Times says he's worth $4.9 billion and his family is worth about $150 billion. He owns Manchester City in the U.K., which is probably why he wants this team in New York. The Times reports: "A New York franchise could help develop young players for Manchester City, Szymanski said, while Sheik Mansour positions himself in the event M.L.S. takes off in terms of attracting a wider television audience, offering larger salaries and becoming more appealing to soccer fans in the United States who now prefer the international game. Buying into M.L.S., Szymanski said, may also be a subtle signal by Sheik Mansour that he has other alternatives if he begins to feel impinged by a European soccer initiative called Financial Fair Play. This is an attempt to curb runaway deficit spending and restrict teams to income generated from broadcast rights, ticket sales, corporate sponsorships, merchandising and competition prize money." Well, even if his interest in a New York team is all about leveraging his prized European football trophy, that seems just fine to MLS officials. And what about the fabled Cosmos and their inevitable move to MLS? Still waiting. http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=0b6_1367253784 weldongrisham An Abu Dhabi Sheik Is About To Buy A New York MLS Expansion Team Abu, Dhabi, Sheik, buy, New York, MLS, Football, Soccer, Expansion, Team, Balls Thu, 11 Apr 2013 12:33:42 -0400 http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=550_1365697730 shivanandh The Foreign Secretary, William Hague says he has reached an historic agreement with ministers from the G8 group of nations to tackle sexual violence in conflict. He said the ministers had pledged "to work together to end sexual violence in conflict", which he said was his own "personal priority" for the talks. The UN's Zainab Hawa Bangura said the move by the G8 represented "remarkable progress". The actress Angelina Jolie, who is a special envoy for the UN High Commissioner for refugees, welcomed the new commitment. http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=550_1365697730 shivanandh G8 <span class="highlight">announces</span> initiative to tackle sexual violence in conflict G8 announces initiative to tackle sexual violence in conflict Mon, 01 Apr 2013 14:37:01 -0400 http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=216_1364841089 The Judge Latest olfactory technology will allow up to 15 million scents to be sampled In the comfort of your own home or from your mobile phone when the new hardware is included in the next generation of pc's and mobiles. http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=216_1364841089 The Judge Google <span class="highlight">Announces</span> 'Google Nose Beta', the New Scent Search Engine Google, Announces, 'Google Nose Beta', the, New, Scent, Search, Engine Mon, 01 Apr 2013 09:59:55 -0400 http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=4b4_1364824622 BFTV , a leader of ASL, announces the death of Bashar Assad / http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=4b4_1364824622 BFTV Khabiya Abu Ali, a leader of ASL, <span class="highlight">announces</span> the death of Bashar Assad / Bashar Assad Wed, 10 Apr 2013 08:01:56 -0400 http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=a96_1365594801 Charetard Al-Qaeda's branch in Iraq says it has merged with Syria's armed opposition group Jabhat al-Nusra, a move that shows the rising confidence of hardliners within the Syrian rebel movement and is likely to stoke renewed fears among its international backers. A website linked to Jabhat al-Nusra confirmed on Tuesday the merger with the Islamic State of Iraq, whose leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, first made the announcement in a 21-minute audio message posted on websites late on Monday. Jabhat al-Nusra has taken an ever-bigger role in Syria's conflict over the last year, fighting in crucial battles with President Bashar al-Assad's forces and staging several large suicide bombings. The US has designated it a terrorist organisation. The Syrian group has made little secret of its links across the Iraqi border, but until now it has not officially declared itself to be part of al-Qaeda. Group's new name Baghdadi said that his group, the Islamic State of Iraq, and Syria's Jabhat al-Nusra will now be known as the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant. "It is time to announce to the Levantine people and the whole world that Jabhat al-Nusra is merely an extension and part of the Islamic State of Iraq," he said. He said that the Iraqi group was providing half of its budget to the conflict in Syria. In-depth coverage of escalating violence across Syria Baghdadi said the Syrian group would have no separate leader but instead be led by the "people of Syria themselves", implying that he would be in charge in both countries. The formal merger of such a prominent Syrian rebel group to al-Qaeda is likely to cause concern among backers of the opposition who are enemies of the global network, including both Western countries and Gulf Arab states. It may increase resentment of Jabhat al-Nusra among other rebel factions. Rebels have until now respected the hardline group's fighters for their prowess on the battlefield, but a merger with al-Qaeda will complicate any effort to send arms to rebels from abroad. A website linked to Jabhat al-Nusra known as al-Muhajir al-Islami, the Islamic emigrant, confirmed the merger. The authenticity of neither message could be independently confirmed, but statements posted on major websites belonging to groups are rarely disputed by armed groups afterwards. Disparate rebel groups Jabhat al-Nusra emerged as an offshoot of Iraq's al-Qaeda branch in early 2012, as one of a patchwork of disparate rebel groups in Syria. A top Iraqi intelligence official told the Associated Press news agency in Baghdad that they have always known that "al-Qaeda in Iraq is directing Jabhat al-Nusra". He said they announced their unity because of "political, logistical and geographical circumstance". The official said Iraqi authorities will take "strict security measures to strike them". Iraqi officials say armed groups are sharing three military training compounds, logistics, intelligence and weapons as they grow in strength around the Syria-Iraq border, particularly in a sprawling region called Jazeera, which they are trying to turn into a border sanctuary they can both exploit. It could serve as a base of operations to strike either side of the border. http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2013/04/201349194856244589.html http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=a96_1365594801 Charetard Al-Nusra Front <span class="highlight">Announces</span> Merger with Al-Qaeda Al Qaeda, Syria, Rebels, Nusra, Front