Syrian opposition elects US-educated tech exec as interim PM

 

The Syrian opposition coalition has elected Western-educated former businessman and US citizen Ghassan Hitto to oversee a provisional government for Syria's rebel-held areas in a vote in Istanbul on Tuesday.

The Syrian opposition coalition has elected Western-educated former businessman and US citizen Ghassan Hitto to oversee a provisional government for Syria's rebel-held areas in a vote in Istanbul on Tuesday.

Hitto, who is viewed as a ‘consensus candidate’ among Syria’s liberal and Islamist factions, received 35 votes out of 49 ballots cast during the Syrian National Coalition meeting.

Opinion: Diplomatic moves pave the way for Easter “Surprise” for Iran

Inspirational speech, a long delayed apology and a Passover gift for Iran.

How to get flight corridors to achieve a surgical strike on Iran’s nuclear ambitions in the immediate future.

On 20 March I received intel from a News Agency insider that the Israeli government are planning an Easter exploit on Iran, that the US was desperately trying to cool things down and planning how best to keep out of it, as was the UK.

Without further verification this would be hard to publish on its own other than as an “insider rumour”,  however as further reaction and results come in from Obama’s visit to Israel, the news stories themselves seem to be verifying it.

Firstly lets look at the nature and the text of Obama’s speech- Essential theme of duality; going beyond, and avoiding mistakes that have attracted criticism in the past (such as his connection of the “holocaust” to the creation of Israel in 2010) to the point of confirming dubious rhetoric that he knows to be false;

“When I consider Israel’s security, I also think about a people who have a living memory of the Holocaust, faced with the prospect of a nuclear-armed Iranian government that has called for Israel’s destruction.”— Obama

Malaysian-trained MNLF fighters 'on attack' : a blow back?

Published on 15 Mar 2013 : The former head of a Filipino separatist group, the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), has told Al Jazeera that despite support from Malaysia in the 1960s, some of his fighters have now turned against the Malaysian government. According to Nur Misuari, the MNLF fighters have joined the Royal Army of Sulu, which has been fighting for control of Malaysia's eastern Sabah state. Al Jazeera's Jamela Alindogan reports from the Philippine capital, Manila, on whether Malaysia's foreign policy in the 1960s has backfired.

Iran and Armenia Find Solidarity in Isolation.

Published on 12 Mar 2013 : While the West seeks to isolate Iran over its disputed nuclear program, landlocked Armenia seeks to build relations with its neighbor without violating international sanctions.

Iran, Pakistan press pipeline despite US sanctions threat

Published on 11 Mar 2013 : Iranian and Pakistani leaders inaugurated the construction of a much-delayed section of a $7.5 billion gas pipeline linking the two neighbours Monday, defying the threat of US sanctions.