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Thursday, February 7, 2013

Israel, Iran, Syria, Hezbollah, Palestine .... Middle East in 2013: war or peace?


With over 5,000 hours of flight from their country to be caught in the war of '73, Amos Yadlin was one of eight Israeli pilots who attacked the Iraqi nuclear reactor in 1981 . Just 26 years later, and as head of military intelligence (Aman), was instrumental in the 'raid' in Syria that destroyed what Israel and the United States identified as Syrian-North Korean nuclear reactorIn his four years as head of Aman (2006-2010), received information of each rocket and missile reached the Islamist group Hamas in Gaza and the Shiite Hezbollah in Lebanon. But, above all, his antennae were centered incentrifuges for uranium enrichment in IranMajor General in reserve, did not participate in meetings at the highest level in Israel that led to the attack last week on a convoy of weapons (SA-17 anti-aircraft missiles) and military research center in Syria. In a meeting with foreign media at the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS English) speaking on that raid. With words and silences. And not only in Syria, but Iran, Hezbollah and the negotiations with the Palestinians in the strategic assessment for 2013 by former intelligence analysts and academics INSS center in Tel Aviv who runs Yadlin. The report states that "despite increasing threats, Israel has several opportunities to improve its strategic position, for example, aninternational diplomatic solution to curb the threat of Iran's nuclear program , the resumption of dialogue with the Palestinians and expanding relationships with Sunni Muslim states. "

Is Israel attacked in Syria? Will military confrontation with Syria and / or Hezbollah?

"Since the war in 2006, Hezbollah violated the resolution 1701 of the Security Council of the UN weapons you get banned. Ehud Olmert warned that Israel would not allow the introduction in Lebanon arsenal of four types : chemical weapons, anti-aircraft missiles, rockets long-range missiles and land-sea advanced Yakhont. If confirmed what happened last week in Syria, it means somebody wanted to break these rules and that someone acted to prevent it." The advanced anti-aircraft missiles threaten the freedom of action of Israeli planes (with and without pilot) who frequently violate Lebanese airspace. Yadlin rule out an impending retaliation from Syria, Iran and Hezbollah ."Hezbollah and why should respond if the attack occurred, say, in Syrian territory?" Replies before adding wryly: "Hezbollah was created and promoted by Iran and Syria to act according to the interests of these countries. And now is not the time to wear." Syria? "In the civil war, Bashar Assad remains in power because the world has not intervened. Their army is far superior to the forces of the rebels, but now it is not interested in war to divert external front . Asad's big mistake would involving Israel, Turkey or NATO." "Now we do not expect a war but mistakes on both sides can lead to it. Syria and Hezbollah have memory and know how to react but not directly, but, for example, attacks against Israelis and committed in Thailand, New Delhi and Bulgaria or sporadic Katyushas into northern Israel not claim responsibility. "

What suits Israel the victory of the rebels or the continuity of Asad?

Yadlin recognize the "danger" of the chaos that can make a Syria dominated by opposition groups, including elements linked to Al Qaeda, but believes that " the fall of Asad strengthen Israel , as it will weaken the radical axis Iran-Syria-Hezbollah- Hamas ".

Will Israel attack Iran's nuclear plants?

Commitment to dialogue and international diplomatic option to prevent a nuclear Iran, including an agreement. But it warns: "If there is no choice and you have to choose between two difficult choices, Iran with a nuclear bomb or bomb to not have the bomb, we agree with the Government that this is the least dangerous for Israel."
"Iran has completed all the necessary components to build a nuclear bomb. If continues its current rate of uranium enrichment and, she decides to cross the red line between this spring and summer . "
Clarifies that an attack would come "only when other options have failed" and requires maximum cooperation with U.S. President Barack Obama.

If Israeli attack and Iranian response, a regional war erupt??

"The Middle East will not be involved in a large-scale war, but surely there will be a confrontation . Iran will respond in a calculated, limited, and who knows what and how Israel would react to his reaction. 're not as powerful at military as they think . "

Resumption of dialogue? Palestinians or violent confrontation?

He argues that one of the priorities of Benjamin Netanyahu must resume negotiations: "It's not so important to discuss who is to blame the stalled dialogue but resumed.'s Very important for both sides. Contrary to the most pessimistic, we do not see a third intifada . "
Supports an agreement based on the parameters of the Clinton Plan , but adds: "I see the Palestinians signed an agreement."
All these issues, which can lead to war or clashes calm punctuated by low-intensity focus of Obama's visit in late March in Jerusalem, Ramallah and Amman.

TERRORISM | According reveals 'The Washington Post' United States maintains a secret 'drones' in Saudi Arabia


The CIA has held for the past two yearssecret base drone , known as "drones" in Saudi Arabia, as reported by U.S. media. According to sources from said base operations were conducted against terrorist organization linked to Al Qaeda and located in YemenA drone was sent from this base in September 2011 to kill Anwar al Awlaki, a radical Islamist cleric born in the United States and known for being one of the leaders of Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, as cited by the media. The base was established two years ago to intensify the war against Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, as is known to the branch of the terrorist organization in Yemen. John Brennan , appointed by the Obama administration to head the CIA and White House adviser on counterterrorism, played a key role in negotiations with Saudi Arabia to build such a base, said the newspaper 'The Washington Post'. The newspaper did not reveal the exact location of the base, which could be a subject for counterterrorism operations in the United States develops this troubled region.

No imminent attacks

Indeed, the White House said yesterday that attacks with "drones" against U.S. citizens abroad suspected terrorists are "legal, ethical and sensible" . The U.S. Executive made ​​this statement after government disseminated a memorandum justifying these attacks, even without evidence of an imminent terrorist act . "We carried out these attacks because they are necessary to mitigate actual threats ongoing plots stop, prevent future attacks and save American lives," said White House spokesman, Jay Carney . Carney said that the U.S. used "occasionally" remotely piloted aircraft to "perform targeted attacks against specific al Qaeda terrorists," butdeclined to give details of the criteria that continue to empower them. Meanwhile, a group of 11 senators called on Monday in a letter to Obama to disclose the assumptions under approving drone attacks when it comes to U.S. citizens. That request for information came on the eve of tomorrow will be held in the Senate confirmation hearing of John Brennan, one of the promoters of the strategic use of "drones".

Twitter buys a company to measure the rating


While neither Twitter nor Bluefin Labs confirmed the purchase, the U.S. press predicts that this could be the largest acquisition of microblog, which would have paid between $ 50and $ 100 million for the deal. Bluefin Labs tools also allow to analyze the meaning of the tweets from users in a broader context of social networks. In fact, says the company, is able to use the meaning of words to connect the old comments on events, people, products, trademarks and service points that caused the user would express those words at that time. Even Bluefin Labs can get to establish a kind of social rating: tools focuses on user feedback regarding programs and advertising, allowing testing and measuring responses and results.

China declares war on social inequality


The plan 35 points and approved by the State Council, the Chinese executive, raising taxes raises to state enterprises (SOE), the wealthy or investment property tax to allocate this income to raise the minimum wage or spending on education, health or public housing. As for the tax reforms, the government will increase by 5% tax on the profits of state companies, currently transferring only a small part of their profits to the state coffers. These companies are under a lot of pressure from the reformist sectors, ensuring thatbenefit from certain privileges with respect to private sector companies. Now, the benefits of these companies are seen as a potential source of funding for Chinese Social Security, including pensions or health of 1,300 million citizens of the country. The document notes, without setting an exact time, it will be uploaded fees for real estate transactions and activities and luxury goods, and opens the possibility of introducing an inheritance tax. Since the Development and Reform Commission of China, responsible for developing the plan, and warned in a statement that these reforms are "sophisticated and complex"and that "involve the reassignment of many interests, so there is no way to carry out overnight "The guidelines, which focus on the objectives but the details escape-especially regarding tax-hikes, are horizon concrete reforms before 2015, and marked the target lift 80 million people out of povertyThe authorities will go through, in three years, putting the country's minimum wage to 40% of the average wage of urban workers, covering about 75% of health spending or get 20% of homes in the cities are officially protected. "The plan looks good, as it focuses on the fundamental problems of the Chinese economy, which are the great inequities and unbalanced growth, " said Ole AndrĂ© Kjennerud, analyst at Norwegian bank DnBHowever, the expert also felt that these guidelines "should have come sooner, as in 2007 or 2008 the nation was in an ideal position to implement many of the initiatives of the plan." Furthermore, the document gives a clear signal to change the economic growth model far too dependent on public investment, to give a greater role to consumption and domestic demandIt also addresses the changing of residence permits or "hukou", noting that rural citizens "will have more opportunity to transfer his official residence to the cities ", and opens the door to pro-market reform of interest rates. According Kjennerud, deregulation of these rates "is a step towards a more equitable distribution of income," since, in his view, "boost the wealth of the middle and lower classes, something that will serve the domestic economy and consumption". The economic growth of the Asian giant with an annual average of 10% in recent decades has led to gross inequalities in income, especially between rural and urban populations and between eastern and western areas of the country. According to official data, in 2011 there were up to 128 million people below the poverty threshold, which is set to 2,300 yuan per year (the equivalent of $ 366)Recently, the National Bureau of Statistics estimated the Gini coefficient, an indicator of the country between zero and one that measures inequality in income-0.474, above the level of 0.4, according to the United Nations, indicates danger of discomfort social"I think the most important part of this plan is the message," says Norwegian analyst, who adds that, in the words of former Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping, "to the smaller boat gets up on a sea that grows. And now they want to increase the size of the smaller boats. "

U.S. expands sanctions against Iran


The United States confirmed that implemented new sanctions against Iran, in order toblock access to its oil revenuesThis time were included in the blacklist of Washington entities involved in acts of censorship. Measures should prevent the Iranian authorities "use oil revenues in custody in foreign financial institutions" and "repatriate" those funds to the country. "The new sanctions, which come into force on February 6, prohibit the countries that buy Iranian oil pay with currency, but allows them to provide goods in exchange, "said Ramin Mehmanparast, spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, quoted by Mehr . "It is another example of the hostility (U.S.) against Iran," he added. These penalties reinforce others adopted by the United States and the European Union against oil exports and Iran's banking sector, due to the nuclear policy of the Islamic Republic, suspected of trying to acquire nuclear weapons.

Lernstift l The pen that corrects errors


Manuscripts are threatened by constant technological advances that facilitate everyday actions. Word processors and autocorrect on mobile phones reached to avoid falling into typing errors . Now, this will be possible in a manuscript with  LernstiftPen appeared able to recognize our mistakes, and emits a slight vibration to notice.Lernstift not only make the calligraphic failures , but also corrects spelling mistakes and gramticalThe pen is programmed to recognize the movements associated with each letter and, as calligraphy, is able to vibrate when a handwriting was a bit strangely or recognizableWhile in spelling mode, is able to recognize the spelling and grammatical errors , and vibrates once and a misspelling twice a grammatical error. It was designed by the German company Lernstift to help young people learn to write, but could be popular with people of all ages . The stylus, located at the prototype stage, is able to collect the errors of spelling or letter formation in real timeFalk Wolsky and Mandy , its creators were inspired by early writing attempts of his son , and soon begin to take shape this element that will provide many facilities for young people and adults. The inventors will launch a project of public donations to raise funds to develop and commercialize the idea.

Obama visit to Israel revives hope for peace


According to the Deputy Foreign Minister of Israel outgoing, Danny Ayalon, Barack Obama might want to hold a joint meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud AbbasAccording to his view, Obama would not travel to the country if it was not clear that his visit would be some kind of breakthrough in the stalled peace talks between Israelis and PalestiniansDirect dialogue between the two sides has been frozen since September 2010, when Netanyahu refused to extend a moratorium on settlement building in the West Bank . In fact, the Israeli government extended its plans since the UN General Assembly recognized Palestine as an observer stateFor its part, the U.S. ambassador in Tel Aviv , Dan Shapiro, said that Obama will not try to pressure Israel during its visit to the country in the coming months. "Come to discuss with all parties on the problems, but also opportunities for the region," he said. In the meeting between the President of the United States and Netanyahu will address, in addition to the peace process with Palestine , the nuclear dispute with Iran and the Syrian conflict. The White House announced on Tuesday, the first visit of Obama as president to Israel, probably during the first half of the year. The trip will also include visits to the West Bankand Jordan

Bad weather l Pakistan, dozens of deaths

A terrible wave of bad weather with snow and rain, has caused dozens of deaths in the last 48 hours in Pakistan. The areas most affected are those in the provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Baluchistan minor injury were also recorded in the tribal areas bordering Afghanistan, where there have been collapses in the home more precarious. An initial budget is about 43 dead and 68 wounded.