Translate

Search This Blog

Saturday, March 31, 2012

Land Day protests


Israeli police and troops were on high alert on Friday ahead of a raft of Land Day protests across Israel and the Palestinian territories, as supporters in Lebanon and Jordan readied to march to the borders. Land Day is held every year on March 30 to mark the deaths of six Arab Israeli protesters at the hands of Israeli police and troops during mass demonstrations in 1976 against plans to confiscate Arab land in Galilee. This year, there have been numerous calls for peaceful demonstrations in Israel, the occupied territories and in neighbouring countries, where supporters have been urged to march towards the borders. The main Land Day march will take place in the Galilee town of Deir Hanna, with another march in Israel’s southern Negev desert, both of which were to start in the mid-afternoon. In the West Bank, demonstrations are to take place after the Friday prayers at Qalandia checkpoint near Ramallah, by the main Bethlehem checkpoint and in many villages in the northern West Bank which normally host weekly popular protests. Another rally was to take place outside Damascus Gate in Jerusalem’s Old City, while in Gaza, all the main factions were to attend a march from the northern town of Jabaliya to Beit Lahiya. Israel is hoping to avoid the bloody confrontations that took place last May when thousands gathered along Israel’s borders with Lebanon and Syria on Nakba Day to protest on the anniversary of Israel’s creation in 1948. Troops opened fire on protesters trying to breach the line from Syria and Lebanon, killing 11 and injuring hundreds, UN figures showed. More than 120 people were also injured by gunfire in similar protests in northern Gaza. A month later, at least 10 people were killed and hundreds injured in the Golan when Syrian protesters tried to cross onto the Israeli side on Naksa Day, which marks the anniversary of the 1967 Six Day-War.

New US Ambassador for India

The Obama administration has repeatedly said it puts a priority on building relations with India. The US Senate has confirmed ambassadors to 16 countries including India, a position that had been left vacant for a year despite calls in both countries for stronger relations. The Senate late Thursday gave its nod to a slew of appointments by President Barack Obama, overcoming a political impasse. A Republican aide said the rival party allowed the vote after a promise by the administration not to bypass Congress by making appointments when lawmakers are in recess. Lawmakers approved career diplomat Nancy Powell as ambassador to India. Obama s first ambassador to India, former congressman Timothy Roemer, announced his resignation in April 2011. Obama tapped Powell in December but the nomination has since languished in the Senate. The Obama administration has repeatedly said it puts a priority on building relations with the world s largest democracy, although relations have recently seen friction over import-dependent India s refusal to cut off oil from Iran. Powell has previously served as US envoy in Pakistan and Nepal and holds the prestigious rank of career ambassador. US presidents have often chosen political appointees instead of career diplomats for India to highlight the importance of the relationship. The Senate also confirmed ambassadors to Barbados, Cambodia, Croatia, Estonia, Georgia, Haiti, Kosovo, Latvia, Libya, Malta, Nicaragua, Panama, Togo, Tunisia and Uruguay. Also approved were a number of other senior officials who have been working without Senate confirmation including Roberta Jacobson, named the assistant secretary of state in charge of Latin America. The long delays in Senate confirmation recently led Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to urge ambassadors, who traditionally step down with the end of an administration, to stay until their replacements are in place.

Systematic action for Syria

Clinton sought to work out a unified strategy on the crisis in Syria. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton sought to work out a unified strategy on the crisis in Syria in talks with Saudi officials on Friday as further violence stymied U.N. efforts to convince Damascus to implement a cease-fire. Clinton s talks with Saudi King Abdullah and other officials come ahead of a 60-nation gathering of the "Friends of the Syrian People" in Istanbul over the weekend aimed at finding ways to aid Syria s opposition. The U.S. is hoping to help unify the splintered opposition s ranks while pushing for humanitarian aid and further isolation of Assad s regime. Saudi Arabia, along with fellow Gulf nation Qatar, has called for a more aggressive approach, including arming the rebels and carving out a safe haven inside Syria from which the opposition can operate. International opponents of Assad are struggling to pin down a strategy on Syria as a peace plan put forward by U.N.-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan has so far failed to get off the ground. Syria has accepted the six-point plan, which includes a call for it to implement a cease-fire, but so far there has been no halt in fighting, and the opposition suspects Assad has no intention of stopping his crackdown and is only playing for time. Assad said Thursday that he wants the plan to succeed, but insisted that the opposition must first commit to a cease-fire as well. Annan urged the Syrian government to halt its troops first. "The government must stop first and then discuss a cessation of hostilities with the other side," Annan spokesman Ahmad Fawzi said Friday. "We are appealing to the stronger party to make a gesture of good faith. ... The deadline is now." "Clearly, we have not seen a cessation of hostilities and this is of great concern," he said. Syrian activists say fresh fighting erupted Friday between soldiers and rebel fighters in the country s northern Idlib province. More than 9,000 people have been killed in Syria s violence since last March, according to U.N. estimates. Clinton arrived in Riyadh and began talks with Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal, the Saudi Foreign Ministry said. She was to meet later Friday with King Abdullah. "Clinton will hold extensive talks with Saudi counterpart on the situation in Syria and on American efforts to stop bloodbath in Syria," a Saudi Foreign Ministry official in Riyadh said. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he not authorized to discuss the talks. The talks came a day after an Arab League summit in Baghdad, where divisions among Arab nations over Syria were clear. In a sign that they see little hope in diplomatic efforts from the League, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and other Gulf countries sent only low-level officials to the summit. In the end, the summit issued a joint resolution that held little new beyond expressing support for Annan s efforts. President Barack Obama has publicly challenged Assad to leave power, but has refused to entertain U.S. military options to achieve that end. Washington has said it opposes military intervention in Syria, fearing that it would fuel an outright civil war that could break along dangerous sectarian lines. The opposition is born mainly from Syria s Sunni Muslim majority,while Assad s regime is backed by his own minority Alawite community, a Shiite offshoot sect. For the U.S. and its allies, Syria is proving an especially murky conflict and one with no easy solutions. Assad s regime is of Washington s clearest foes, a government that has long been closely allied with Iran and anti-Israel groups Hamas and Hezbollah. Saudi Arabia and other Sunni-led Gulf countries are eager to see Assad s fall in hopes of breaking Syria out of its alliance with their regional rival, Shiite-majority Iran.

Friday, March 30, 2012

Aung San Suu Kyi: Election not fair in Burm

The EU and US have set free and fair by-elections as a key condition for sanctions to be eased. Aung San Suu Kyi has said government officials had denied her party a free and fair election Burma’s democracy movement icon Aung San Suu Kyi said government officials had denied her party a free and fair election campaign in a speech before European Union poll observers. Candidates from her National League for Democracy standing in 44 by-election contests this Sunday had faced intimidation, attempts to disrupt their campaign and false allegations from the pro-government Union solidarity and Development Party and government officials. Her comments could jeopardise efforts by President Thein Sein, who has revealed a series of unexpected and rapid democratic reforms since he met Aung San Suu Kyi, to persuade the United States and European Union to lift sanctions against Burma. Both the EU and US have set free and fair by-elections as a key condition for sanctions to be eased. Her speech marked her first appearance since she was taken ill with exhaustion and sickness while campaigning in the south of the country. Her illness was blamed on government obstruction after officials refused her permission to travel on a larger boat to avoid sickness and corralled her into open unshaded fields for campaign speeches. The Nobel laureate said she now felt delicate but strong enough to continue her campaign and called on election observer groups, including a five-strong delegation from the European Union to investigate abuses throughout the contest.

Thursday, March 29, 2012

North Korea ready to launch missile test

North Korea had begun injecting liquid fuel into the rocket despite West pressure. North Korea has begun fuelling a rocket for a launch that the West considers a missile test, a Japanese newspaper reported Thursday, citing a source "close to the government" in Pyongyang. "The launch is coming closer. The possibility is high that the launch date will be set for April 12 or 13," the source said according to the Tokyo Shimbun in a report from Seoul. It cited the source as saying that North Korea had begun injecting liquid fuel into the rocket. The paper also said a diplomatic source had confirmed that North Korea has moved the rocket to a launch pad in Tongchang-ri in the country s far northwest. The report came after North Korea insisted Tuesday it would go ahead with what it says is a satellite launch, snubbing a call from US President Barack Obama to drop the plan and accusing him of a "confrontational mindset". The United States has suspended plans to send food aid to North Korea, saying it has broken a promise to halt missile launches and cannot be trusted to give the help to those who need it, a Pentagon official said Wednesday. The West and North Korea s Asian neighbours have urged Pyongyang to give up on the rocket launch, which is seen as the pretext for testing ballistic missile technology.

Baghdad summit, focus on Syria

Six visiting Arab leaders as well as UN chief Ban Ki-moon had arrived in Baghdad on Thursday. Arab leaders will stop short of calling for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to quit on Thursday in Baghdad, with the city locked down for its first major regional summit in a generation. With 100,000 security forces standing guard in the Iraqi capital, officials took unprecedented measures to prevent attacks, by closing off a large swathe of the city s roads and mobile phone networks, and shutting down its airport and surrounding airspace to commercial traffic. And with the country having suffered deadly violence just last week, just one attack has been reported since Tuesday s meeting of economy and finance ministers, a low figure by Baghdad s often brutal standards. Six visiting Arab leaders as well as UN chief Ban Ki-moon had arrived in Baghdad by Thursday morning for the summit, which regional officials have pushed to focus on a wide variety of issues, ranging from the Arab-Israeli conflict to jumpstarting the area s economy. The focus, however, has been on Syria, and officials say Arab leaders will stop short of calling for Assad s ouster. Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari s confirmed Wednesday evening that the summit of the 22-member Arab League will steer clear of the strong moves advocated by Qatar and Saudi Arabia to resolve the Syria crisis. The UN says more than 9,000 people have been killed in a bloody crackdown by Syrian forces on a year-long revolt.

Religion, World, Wealth Or Zardari?


A very amusing incident has taken place in the examination of matriculation, Lahore Board that a question in the paper of Urdu subject for grade nine (9) was asked “what is the system of life based on?” (Nizam-e-Zindagi kis cheez per qayam he?) and the options for the answer of the question were “religion, world, wealth or Zardari Sahab?” The section consists of objective questions included this question and perhaps the question was asked in order to ridicule or make fun of the president, Asif Ali Zardari. It feels that everybody in the country is fed up with the policies of the president or PPP government and surely this ridiculous question can be a reaction of confusion created by the government. Lahore board has issued clarification concerning the issue that the paper was prepared by Dera Ghazi Khan Board whereas investigation about the incident has started and if someone is found guilty, he will be punished according to law. However, the issue is being highlighted by Pakistani media whereas people of Pakistan after a long time have been entertained through such an incident in this era of confusion.

Bloodshed In Karachi, Pakistan


At last MQM’s terrorists sighed of relief after killing various innocent people and injuring various others whereas burning various buses and harming public properties. No sooner were only two suspended activists of MQM shot dead, the terrorists from the party immediately got activated in order to take disadvantage of the situation whereas police, rangers and law enforcement agencies kept quiet on the whole, putting the innocent people’s lives at risk. The whole Karachi was hostage under fistful MQM terrorists who willingly bathed the whole Karachi in blood. I strongly condemn this act of terrorism which was surely supported by police, rangers and law enforcement agencies who were perhaps ordered by the government not to arrest any terrorists and let them do what they want! May Allah save Pakistan and its nation and rid us from PPP, MQM, ANP and other terrorists from various political parties and destroy all of them! Aameen!

Dalai Lama creating "disturbances"

Dalai Lama and his associates are instigating immolation protests. This has been alleged by China days before China s president visits to India, repeating past assertions blaming the spiritual leader for dozens of such protests. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said the Dalai Lama and his associates have been instigating Tibetan independence and creating "disturbances" and that showed the Dalai Lama and his associates "single-handedly" planned the man s self-immolation. "These acts aimed at achieving Tibetan independence and separatism through taking people s lives will never possibly be successful and will be severely condemned by the international community," Hong told reporters at a regular news briefing. About 30 such protests have occurred over the past year in ethnic Tibetan areas of China, and a Tibetan self-immolated last year in India, where many exiles reside. The Tibetan self-declared government-in-exile has rejected the Chinese government s accusations and issued statements discouraging self-immolation. "In the long-term interest of the Tibetan cause, we urge Tibetans to focus on secular and monastic education to provide the necessary human resources and the capability to strengthen and sustain our movement," the group said in a statement Tuesday. "We once again remind Tibetans to refrain from drastic actions." Tibetans inside China and exiles say China s crackdown on Tibetan regions is so oppressive, those who choose such a horrific form of protest feel they have no other way to express their beliefs. Jamphel Yeshi, 27, lit himself on fire during a demonstration against Chinese rule over Tibet and against Chinese President Hu Jintao s visit to India this week. Photos and video of Yeshi in flames were widely circulated across the globe in contrast to previous self-immolations that have happened in Tibetan areas in China that are subject to an intense security crackdown and largely inaccessible to the media.

US needs to respect Pak sovereignty

COAS Gen Kayani has made it clear that US needs to respect Pak sovereignty. US Central Command Commander General James N. Mattis, and ISAF Commander in Afghanistan General John Allen called on Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani at the GHQ on Wednesday. The November 26 strikes, for which the United States has so far refused to apologise, came under discussion in detail. The strike had prompted Pakistan to shut its Afghan border to NATO supplies and evict American personnel from an air base reportedly used in its drone war against Al-Qaeda and the Taliban. According to a statement issued by ISPR, it was the first high level meeting after Salala incident and focused on the inquiry into the incident and improvements in Border Coordination Procedures. On Thursday, US President Barack Obama met Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani at a nuclear summit in Seoul, and vowed to rescue their troubled alliance which almost ruptured over months of mistrust and recriminations. It was the highest-level exchange between the two sides since the killing of Osama bin Laden in a clandestine US raid last May, which humiliated Pakistan and raised fresh questions about its allegiance in the war on terror.

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Karachi under attack


8 killed, over 50 vehicles torched in Karachi violence after killing of MQM workers. A wave of terrorism has engulfed Karachi once again and various people have become the victims of this terrorism who were either killed or injured severely indiscriminately whereas many buses were torched and public properties were damaged or destroyed hugely in a few hours. The terrorism not only harmed to Karachi financially but also all social activities were paralysed due to which people faced difficulties to buy edibles as the shops were closed owing to the terrorism. All this happened because the police, rangers and other law enforcement agencies did not take any steps to stem the terrorists who were openly killing innocent people and burning buses and other public properties whereas the government’s quietness on the fresh acts of terrorism in Karachi is a question mark! It is elusive why everyone harms Karachi and why is the Karachi handed over to the terrorists who do what they want willingly! The authorities concerned should immediately take serious steps to cope with the increasing terror activities in Karachi and saving the lives and properties of innocent people, ensuring the positive working or business environment so that Pakistan can be consolidated economically. Also the terrorists be dealt with strictly in order to restrain from any future terror activities and every criminal either belonging to any political parties or not should be accounted for seriously.

Chocolate makes you slim


Those who habitually eat chocolate tends to be thinner: the good news is the University of San Diego, California, and is based on research that has analyzed the eating habits of nearly one thousand U.S.: who followed the diet, how many calories they ate and Their body mass index.

According to the study, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine , those who eat chocolate several times a week on average thinner than those who eat it rarely. Chocolate is a food very caloric but contains ingredients that may help you lose weight, according to the authors and the correlation remains valid even if other factors are included in the overall evaluation, as the amount of exercise. The important thing also is not the amount of chocolate ingested but the regularity of consumption.

According to the scientist who led the study , Dr. Beatrice Golomb, quoted by the BBC website, there is a chance in a hundred that these results depend on chance. For  Dr. Golomb, “the results suggest that the impact on the final weight is determined not only by quantity but the type of calories consumed.” Already several other studies suggest that chocolate has beneficial effects on the heart, blood pressure, cholesterol levels, especially the dark chocolate contains antioxidants which may serve to inhibit the effect of free radicals, chemicals that can damage cells uncertain .

According to the study of catechins (a group of antioxidants belonging to the category of flavonoids) may improve muscle mass and reduce weight. This would be verified by experiments on animals: rats fed for 15 days with epicatechin (present in dark chocolate) improve muscle tone. For researchers in San Diego must now step up to a phase of clinical trials on humans to confirm all data collected.

In the absence of evidence , not thrown on the chocolate: if you want to change its diet, the experts continue to recommend … First fruits and vegetables.

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

9,000 death in Syria

United Nations said on Tuesday more than 9,000 civilians have been killed in Syria. "Credible estimates put the total death toll since the beginning of the uprising one year ago to more than 9,000," Robert Serry, the U.N. special coordinator for the Middle East peace process, told the 15-nation Security Council. The previous U.N. estimate was that more than 8,000 civilians had been killed.

Benfica v Chelsea, the probable formation

After eliminating Napoli, Roberto Di Matteo Chelsea will try to mortgage the semi-finals of the Champions League. at 20.45, Londoners descend upon the field of Benfica in a match marked by the prediction valid for the first leg of the quarterfinals. The Italian coach will rely usual Didier Drogba, author of a great performance against the Neapolitans at stamford Bridge. Here the likely formations: Benfica (4-3-1-2): Artur; Maxi Pereira, Luisao, Garay, Emerson, Gaitan, Javi Garcia, Witsel; Aimar, Rodrigo Cardoso. Coach: Jesus. Chelsea (4-3-3): Cech, Bosingwa, David Luiz, Terry, Cole, Ramires, Meireles, Lampard, Sturridge, Drogba, Mata. Coach: Di Matteo.

landmine blast in India

Indian Maoists killed 15 policemen on Tuesday in a landmine blast. The blast took place in the centre of the country, an official said, marking the deadliest attack by the left-wing rebels since June 2010. The strike, which occurred in Maharashtra state, is the latest incident in the low-intensity conflict that pits the insurgents against local and national authorities in the forests and villages of central and eastern India. "Fifteen CRPF (Central Reserve Police Force) are dead. The attack happened around 11.30 am (0600 GMT) when the bus carrying them struck an IED (improvised explosive device)," CRPF spokesman B.C. Khanduri told AFP. "The injured are now being taken to hospital. We don t have an exact estimate for the number of injured yet." The attack occurred in Gadchiroli district, about 1,000 kilometres (620 miles) from the state capital Mumbai and close to the state border with Chhattisgarh, a hotbed of Maoist activity. The head of anti-Maoist operations in Chhattisgarh, Ramniwas, who uses one name, told AFP that 12 were dead and 25 were injured -- the latest victims in a decades-long conflict that has costs tens of thousands of lives. The attack comes in the same month that Maoists took two Italians and a local Indian lawmaker hostage in two separate incidents in the eastern state of Orissa, one of several areas where Maoists control much of the countryside. Before the kidnappings -- the first to target foreigners -- the Maoists had been on a tactical retreat, according to analysts, but Tuesday s strike will reinforce suggestions that the rebels are swinging back into action. One of the Italians was released on Sunday, and the following day Indian government officials resumed talks with representatives of the rebels, who had issued a series of demands for the Europeans  release. The guerrillas, who say they are fighting for the rights of tribal people and landless farmers, have a powerful influence over large areas of central and eastern India, collecting funds through extortion and protection rackets. The Maoist insurgency, which began in 1967, has been described by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as the country s biggest internal security threat and has been targeted since 2009 in a government offensive known as "Operation Greenhunt." But the often poorly-trained police have faced a series of strikes as they attempt to fend off the rebels. In January, a landmine attack in eastern India killed at least 12 policemen and injured three others who were trapped by the Maoists in their vehicle in a forested area of Jharkhand state, according to authorities. In June 2010, the rebels killed 26 police officers in an ambush in Chhattisgarh, two months after an assault in the same state that left 76 policemen dead.

Syria accepted 6-point peace plan

The Syrian government has accepted 6-point peace plan endorsed by UNSC, former UN official said. The government in Damascus has agreed to accept UN-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan's six-point plan on ending the bloodshed in Syria, the former UN chief s spokesman said Tuesday. "The Syrian government has written to the Joint Special Envoy Kofi Annan accepting his six-point plan, endorsed by the United Nations Security Council," spokesman Ahmad Fawzi said in a statement. "Mr Annan views this as an important initial step that could bring an end to the violence and the bloodshed, provide aid to the suffering, and create an environment conducive to a political dialogue that would fulfil the legitimate aspirations of the Syrian people," he said. Annan has written to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad asking Damascus to "put its commitments into immediate effect". Annan s plan calls for a UN-supervised halt to fighting, with the government pulling troops and heavy weapons out of protest cities, a daily two-hour humanitarian ceasefire and access to all areas affected by the fighting. He also urged the release of people detained over the past year of the uprising against Assad s regime in which monitors say more than 9,100 people have been killed. "Mr Annan has stressed that implementation will be key, not only for the Syrian people, who are caught in the middle of this tragedy, but also for the region and the international community as a whole," Fawzi said. 

Karachi closed by terrorist group MQM

Karachi, Pakistan  remained tense after killing of MQM’s (Pakistan biggest terrorist group & part of present government) sector member in PIB Colony.  After the killing, MQM workers start  torched vehicles more than 50, 2 killed, Aerial firing, schools and petrol pumps also remained closed after spiraling violence in Karachi.& the traffic also suspended in most of the city.

Syria plan seeks Beijing's support


International envoy Kofi Annan will meet China s premier on Tuesday as he seeks Beijing's support for his proposal to end violence in strife-torn Syria, after winning Moscow s full backing. Annan, the United Nations and Arab League envoy on Syria, will hold talks with Premier Wen Jiabao on the plan, which calls for a UN-supervised halt to fighting and pushes for a transition to a more representative political system. China -- along with Russia -- drew international criticism earlier this year for blocking a UN Security Council resolution condemning Syria s protracted and deadly crackdown on protests. But it has repeatedly called for an end to violence in Syria, and earlier this month backed a UN statement urging President Bashar al-Assad to work toward ceasing hostilities. Beijing has also unveiled its own six-point plan, calling for an immediate end to the conflict -- which monitors say has left more than 9,000 dead since March 2011 -- and for dialogue between Assad s regime and the opposition. Analysts say that while China agrees to political dialogue to help resolve the crisis, it opposes foreign military intervention or any attempt at regime change after Western efforts helped depose Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi. The support of China and Russia is crucial for Annan's plan to move forward, since both are veto-wielding permanent members of the powerful UN Security Council. China's foreign ministry said Monday that Beijing supported Annan s efforts to mediate the crisis, but it was unclear whether this meant full support for the envoy s plan or broad backing for his attempts. "China values and supports the mediation efforts of Mr. Annan and hopes this visit will allow in-depth discussions on a political resolution of the Syrian issue," spokesman Hong Lei said. He added China hopes for a "fair, peaceful and proper solution". Analysts say Beijing may look carefully at Annan s plans for a Syrian-led democratic transition before giving a resounding go-ahead. But they add that Annan s job has been made easier after Russia -- which like China is a Syria ally -- expressed full support for the envoy, who visited Moscow on Sunday. During Annan s trip, Medvedev warned Syria that the international envoy represented the last chance for avoiding a civil war. "China may see a window here... to jump in and exert more visible support for the Kofi Annan visit and the UN initiative," said Jean-Pierre Cabestan, a politics professor at the Hong Kong Baptist University. Annan s plan calls for the government to pull troops and heavy weapons out of protest cities, a daily two-hour humanitarian pause to hostilities and access to all areas affected by the fighting. It also calls for the release of people detained in the uprising. However, it imposes no deadline for Assad to carry out these demands, nor does it call for his resignation.

"Afghanistan" Great Game

Tens of thousands of people in Afghanistan fell victims to the carnage of the early 1990s. The shattered shell of Kabul s Darul Aman palace bears witness to Afghanistan s years of brutal civil war, a history many Afghans fear will be renewed when foreign troops leave in 2014. Designed by French and German architects in the 1920s as part of a new government quarter, the building s lion-headed buttresses are broken, its colonnades pockmarked by bullets, the metal sheets of its roof crumpled. Like tens of thousands of people in the capital, the palace fell victim to the carnage of the early 1990s as rival mujahideen groups fought for power following the fall of a Soviet-backed regime after Moscow withdrew its troops. With the end of the NATO mission looming in turn, analysts warn that without a sustainable peace deal, Afghanistan could disintegrate into yet another virulent civil war. Some Afghans are similarly pessimistic. "Every time I look at this building I m too upset, I can t say anything," said Mohammed Gul, 52, who sells drinks and snacks -- along with the occasional toy gun -- from a stall by the palace. "If this country became good everybody could live in peace. After the Americans go there will be too much fighting," he said. "Again the wars, again the fighting." He had no confidence in the ability of Kabul s security forces to maintain peace. "The Afghan police, the army, if there is an explosion or a suicide attack they can t do anything." The central premise of Washington s strategy is to leave behind a nation stable enough to secure itself and thwart an Al-Qaeda renaissance, supported by only a small US presence, subject to agreeing a strategic pact with Kabul. It is proving a difficult road, with a series of major setbacks this year -- a video showing Americans urinating on Taliban corpses, copies of the Koran being burnt on a US military base and a rampage by a US soldier that left 17 civilians dead -- plunging the countries  relationship to new lows. After the massacre, Afghan President Hamid Karzai called for international troops to be withdrawn from villages -- the frontlines of NATO s anti-Taliban war -- and an accelerated handover of security. The US commander on the ground, General John Allen, told Congress last week that he thought a future 230,000-strong Afghan force, scaled down from a planned 352,000, was "the right target given what we think will be the potential enemy scenario for 2017". But a security consultant with 10 years  experience in the country said of the Afghan army and police: "When you see them operating on the ground, their capabilities are pretty dire to be honest." Even in two years  time, he said on condition of anonymity: "It s pretty unlikely they are going to be able to take care of security operations." In a report released Monday, the International Crisis Group think tank said "desperate and dangerous moves" by Karzai s government to bring the Taliban and other insurgent leaders to negotiations were unlikely to lead to lasting peace. The Taliban say they have suspended putative moves towards talks following the US soldier s shootings in Kandahar, and some fear the insurgents are biding their time until NATO leaves. "The negotiating agenda has been dominated by Washington s desire to obtain a decent interval between the planned US troop drawdown and the possibility of another bloody chapter in the conflict," said the ICG report. US embassy spokesman Gavin Sundwall denied this, saying the US would "continue our strategy of defeating Al-Qaeda and strengthening the Afghan state so that terrorist groups like Al-Qaeda can never find a home there again". The pact -- still subject to thorny negotiations -- would "provide a long-term framework for our bilateral cooperation in the areas of security, economic and social development, and institution building", he added. Across the road from the palace, a new parliament building has only recently started construction after years of delays, symbolising Afghanistan s slow struggle to achieve any semblance of democratic stability. Standing by the ruins of the palace -- whose name can mean "home of Amanullah", the king who built it, or "abode of safety" -- 30-year-old doctor Cena Durrani is exactly the kind of young professional that Afghanistan needs. But he said he would look to leave when foreign forces do: "I am full of hopelessness. "If the Americans leave Afghanistan we will be like in 1990 and 1991," he added, referring to the very worst of the country s civil war. "If I were the president of Afghanistan I would contract with them to stay for 1,000 years."