Civil War Clouds Looming In Sudan

South Sudan's Ruling Party Pulls Out of Presidential Race -- Voice of America

South Sudan's ruling Sudan People's Liberation Movement has pulled out of the race for the Sudanese presidency, as well as from elections in Sudan's war-torn region of Darfur. The announcement came after days of indecision from within SPLM's leadership about how best to respond to allegations of vote rigging on the part of its tenuous peace partners in the north.

Late Wednesday evening, vice-chair of the SPLM Riek Machar announced that the former southern rebels were dropping out of the race against Sudanese president Omar Hassan al-Bashir, whom they accuse of engineering election fraud. The party will also not participate in Darfur elections, saying the crisis there has yet to be resolved.

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More News On Sudan

US envoy meets opposition in bid to rescue Sudan polls -- AFP
US envoy holds Sudan crisis talks over election move -- BBC
Sudan opposition parties join election boycott -- Reuters
President Bashir's chief rival boycotts Sudan election -- Christian Science Monitor
Challenger in Sudan Elections Quits -- New York Times
Sudan presidential candidate urges boycott -- CNN

Darfur rebels threaten return to arms -- AFP
Sudan, rebels 'unlikely' to clinch accord: UN -- Canada.com
Darfur peace deal "unlikely" to be signed before election - mediator -- Sudan Tribune

My Comment: These are the first steps to the fragmentation of the Sudan as one country. Unfortunately, it appears that bloodshed is the route that is becoming the one most favored by both sides.

Does Brewing Coffee And War Medals Go Together?

Capt Robert Hackett, a soldier from Edmonton stationed in Afghanistan, enjoys his fresh coffee at the new Tim Hortons stand at the Kandahar Airfield. The arrival of the Tim Hortons trailer took Capt Hackett by surprise. “I woke up one morning… walked around the corner of my building and there was the trailer, just being unloaded.” by DND

A Medal for Canada’s Frontline Donut-Vendors? -- The Danger Room

Tim Hortons (”Always fresh/Toujours frais”) is a Canadian institution: This coffee-and-doughnuts chain occupies a cultural space that’s up there with Molson, poutine or The Kids in the Hall. And now employees of Tim Hortons may be eligible for war medals, courtesy of an overhaul of the rules for Canadian civilians who work in war zones.

According to CanWest news service, Canada’s Department of National Defence has clarified the rules for how it recognizes overseas service. The changes, the news service states, “will include the controversial decision to allow Tim Hortons employees at Kandahar Airfield to receive medals from the Afghan war.”

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My Comment: Two confessions to make .... (1) As a Canadian, I love my Tim Hortons coffee. Their sandwiches are also excellent .... as well as their donuts. My American friends always say the same thing when I bring them to a Tim Hortons for a quick coffee or donut .... the restaurants are super clean, and the prices are cheap.

My second confession is that when Tim Hortons asked for people to work at their Kandahar outlet in 2002/2003 (if I recall), I immediately applied for the job. At the time I had no commitments, I was looking for something different, and it would be my way of getting into the Afghan theater without spending any of my money. Unfortunately a new project was dumped onto my lap, and any dreams of going to Afghanistan went away.

It has been a few years since that episode .... and I must confess that I still have regrets on not pushing myself to take advantage of such an opportunity.

Sighhhh ....

Coup D'Eat Attempt Underway In Guinea-Bissau

Military Briefly Detains, Threatens Guinea-Bissau Prime Minister -- Voice of America

Soldiers in Guinea-Bissau briefly detained the country's prime minister and arrested the army chief of staff Thursday in what appeared to be a coup attempt.

Prime Minister Carlos Gomes Junior and Army Chief Zamora Induta were both seized and taken to a military base in the capital, Bissau.

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More News On The Coup D'Etat Attempt In Guinea Bissau

Guinea-Bissau prime minister freed after abortive coup -- The Guardian
Situation in Guinea-Bissau under control-president -- Reuters
Guinea-Bissau soldiers arrest PM in coup bid -- Yahoo News/AFP
Military threatens to kill Guinea-Bissau PM -- AFP
Guinea-Bissau leaders held in apparent coup -- BBC
Soldiers detain head of Guinea-Bissau's army -- AP
TIMELINE - Bissau PM detained -- Reuters
FACTBOX-Facts about Guinea-Bissau -- Reuters

Russia Promises Stiff Response Against Muslim Insurgents In The Caucasus

Russian President Makes Surprise Visit To North Caucasus -- Voice Of America

Russian President Dmitri Medvedev made a surprise visit Thursday to the restive North Caucasus, where he urged local authorities to enact "tough, severe" new measures to fight terrorism.

Mr. Medvedev's comments were televised from the southern republic of Dagestan, where two suicide bombers killed at least 12 people Wednesday. In Moscow on Monday, two suicide bomb attacks killed 39 commuters on the city's subway.

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More News On Russia's War In the Caucasus

Russia's Medvedev promises 'crueler' measures -- AP
Russia's Medvedev visits North Caucasus after bombings -- Reuters
Medvedev in Caucasus as Russia buries bomb victims -- Yahoo News/AFP
Russian Leader Calls for Tougher Actions Against Militants -- New York Times
Russia's Medvedev promises 'crueler' measures -- Yahoo News/AP
Medvedev seeks tougher response to terror -- UPI

Chechen Rebel Leader Speaks via YouTube -- New York Times
Chechen warlord Doku Umarov claims Moscow metro bombings -- Christian Science Monitor

Another blast in Dagestan kills two -- Press TV
Russia Seeks to Eliminate North Caucasus Terrorists -- Voice of America
Suspects held in Russian bombings, organizers identified - FSB -- RIA Novosti
Masterminds behind Moscow, Dagestani explosions known: FSB -- Xinhuanet
The FSB Dropped the Ball -- Moscow Times

Mexican Drug Gangs Are Now Attacking Mexican Army Bases

Mexican Army members view one of the suspected dead gunmen.
Photo from Metro

Mexican Drug Gangs Attack Army Bases Near the Border -- FOX News/Sky News

Attempts to blockade soldiers inside their bases were part of seven attacks across two northern border states of Tamaulipas and Nuevo Leon.

Drug gangs in Mexico have attacked two army bases in a serious escalation in the country's drug war.

Eighteen gang members died in the ensuing gun battles, in which gunmen attacked in force in bulletproof vehicles, using hand grenades and assault rifles.

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More News On Mexico's Drug Cartel War

18 gunmen die in attack on two army bases in Mexico -- L.A. Times/AP
18 Gunmen Killed in Attacks on Mexican Army Bases -- ABC News
Mexico Makes 2 Arrests Linked to Drug Gangs -- New York Times/AP
Five killed in Mexican drug shootout -- Irish Times
Mexico nabs police chief with drug cartel suspect -- FOX News/AP
Mexican Officials May Have Discovered Motive for Killing of US Citizens -- Voice of America
Texas jail guard 'the target' in Mexico murders -- BBC
Suspect Says Juárez Killers Had Pursued Jail Guard -- New York Times
10,000 March for Peace in Crime-Wracked Mexican city -- Latin American Herald Tribune

My Comment: It is stupid to attack an Army base that is prepared for such incursions, but it also reveals how cocky and confident these Mexican drug gangs are becoming. From my point of view this is a development that speaks volumes on where Mexico's drug cartel war is now trending to .... and it is a development that should make us all very afraid.

U.S. Judge Riles The N.S.A. Wiretapping Program Is Illegal

Federal Judge Finds N.S.A. Wiretapping Program Illegal -- New York Times

WASHINGTON — A federal judge ruled Wednesday that the National Security Agency’s program of surveillance without warrants was illegal, rejecting the Obama administration’s effort to keep shrouded in secrecy one of the most disputed counterterrorism policies of former President George W. Bush.

In a 45-page opinion, Judge Vaughn R. Walker ruled that the government had violated a 1978 federal statute requiring court approval for domestic surveillance when it intercepted phone calls of Al Haramain, a now-defunct Islamic charity in Oregon, and of two lawyers representing it in 2004. Declaring that the plaintiffs had been “subjected to unlawful surveillance,” the judge said the government was liable to pay them damages.

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More News On The Ruling That The N.S.A. Wiretapping Program Is Illegal

Court Says Bush Illegally Wiretapped Two Americans -- Threat Level
Judge Rules NSA Wiretapping Used Illegally -- ABC News
Bush wiretapping program takes hit in Calif ruling -- AP
Wiretap by U.S. Illegal, Judge Says -- Wall Street Journal
U.S. illegally wiretapped Islamic charity group, judge rules -- L.A. Times
Government held liable in warrantless wiretapping case -- CNN
Warrantless Wiretaps Of Islamic Group, Lawyers Illegal: Judge -- NPR
Judge rules in favor of charity in warrantless wiretapping suit -- Politico
Court Rejects Government's Executive Power Claims and Rules That Warrantless Wiretapping Violated Law -- Electronic Frontier Foundation

My Comment: This ruling is going straight to appeal. This may have been a program that was set up during President Bush's term, but the Obama administration have made it clear that they want it to.

U.S. Navy Sinks Pirate Ship Off African Coast After Being Fired Upon

The USS Nicholas came under fire from a pirate vessel and then captured it.

U.S. Warship Captures Suspected Pirate Mother Ship -- CNN

A U.S. warship sank a pirate skiff and captured a pirate mother ship in the Indian Ocean on Thursday, according to a statement from U.S. Naval Forces Africa.

The frigate USS Nicholas came under fire from a pirate vessel shortly after midnight in international waters west of the Seychelles, according to a U.S. military statement.

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More On Today's Attack Between Somali Pirates And US Naval Forces

USS Nicholas captures suspected pirates -- U.S. Africa Command
U.S. Navy Captures 5 Pirates Near Somalia -- CBS News
U.S. Navy frigate captures pirate mother ship -- MSNBC/AP
U.S. Navy Captures 5 Pirates Near Seychelles -- NPR
US navy nabs pirate suspects -- Straits Times
US Navy frigate captures 5 pirates near Seychelles -- Huffington Post
Somali Pirates: US Navy Frigate Takes Out Pirate Mother Ship -- Eaglespeak