Sadr's Men Set Booby Traps as Slum Erupts/Jordan Times--New WMW

[Gloria]

Up now at http://www.zianet.com/insightanalytical
Tomorrow at Buzzflash.com

WORLD MEDIA WATCH FOR SEPTEMBER 8, 2004

1//Inter Press Service News Agency, Italy--PEACE TALKS COME APART IN SADR CITY (The new outbreak of violence in Baghdad has shattered ceasefire talks between Shia militants and the Iraqi government… Since then two negotiating points seem to have dragged the talks to no end. "One of the most important items is the weapons of people inside Sadr City," al- Obaidi said. "The American troops said that we have to start our truce after surrender of weapons. The Iraqi tribes refused."…The other sticking point in the talks is the presence of U.S. forces in the district. Sadr negotiators demand replacement of U.S. troops by Iraqi police and security forces. Al- Obaidi says the United States insists on maintaining its forces in the district…Residents say the United States army is trying to negotiate on the one hand and arrest as many Mehdi army militiamen as possible on the other. "That's just bad policy and politics," says a leading Iraqi politician. "If anything, the Americans should have learned by now that power politics does not work in this country, at least not in the long term.")



2//The Jordan Times, Jordan--SADR’S MEN SET BOOBY TRAPS AS SLUM ERUPTS(Iraqi Shiite fighters were planting bombs in the street of a Baghdad slum amid echoing machinegun fire Tuesday, as angry foot soldiers of radical cleric Moqtada Sadr cursed the Iraqi government and US "occupiers" after deadly fighting erupted overnight…"I'm planting a roadside bomb. Nine out of 10 traps here are fake bombs with wires to confuse the American soldiers. But this one is real and it's big," says Hazem, 25. "It's very well hidden. Look here, you can't guess there is something under the road. Hopefully, a tank will stop right on top of it and then 'Boom!', we can set if off," he says….On Tuesday afternoon, the command of the Mehdi Army issued a statement reiterating their commitment to a peaceful solution to the crisis, provided US troops enter Sadr City only when they are coming in to help with reconstruction projects. But none of the fighters have turned in their weaponry and the entire area is a ticking bomb. As traffic resumed later Tuesday, thousands of cars were blissfully tripping the hundreds of detonation wires which crisscross the streets.

3//The Independent, UK--IRAN’S OFFER TO STOP ENRICHING URANIUM FALLS FLAT (Iran set the scene yesterday for a stormy meeting of the UN nuclear watchdog next week after Britain and America dismissed an offer that was clearly aimed at avoiding sanctions…But a Foreign Office spokesman said that the Iranian offer did not go far enough because it made no mention of the key issue of the uranium enrichment process itself. "It's the typical tactics before an IAEA meeting," said the spokesman, who said that the Iranian concession appeared tailored for a domestic audience…But despite the latest twist, Britain still appears unwilling to report Iran to the Security Council, fearing it could be counter-productive unless a majority of the 15 members are united in approving action.)


4//The Daily Times, Pakistan--SYRIA ACCUSES U.S. OF INTERFERING IN LEBANON (Damascus has accused the United States of interfering in the affairs of Lebanon and Syria, accusing Washington of bringing undue pressure to force a UN resolution last week on foreign influence in Lebanon. In comments reported by state media on Tuesday, Defence Minister Hasan Turkmani accused Washington of “political escalation to interfere in the internal affairs of Syria and Lebanon under frail pretexts”. Turkmani, whose country has around 17,000 troops in Lebanon, slammed Washington’s role in pushing through last week’s UN resolution that called for the withdrawal of foreign troops from Lebanon. The resolution also warned against foreign interference in Lebanon’s presidential elections. In a speech at a cadets’ graduation ceremony, Turkmani said the resolution was a US attempt to “confiscate” the authority of the Lebanese people and parliament “as if the United States is more keen than the Lebanese on their country and interests”.)

5//The Daily Star, Lebanon--ANALYSIS: DAMASCUS NOT OUT OF THE DIPLOMATIC WOODS JUST YET (With the passing of last week's U.S.-France-sponsored Security Council resolution aimed at ousting Syria from Lebanon, Syrian-U.S. relations have reached a new low, analysts in the region said this week, with some predicting further pressures to come for Damascus. "Syria thought it could show its capabilities and intentions by playing a positive role in Iraq," said Samir al-Taqi, an analyst with the Center for Strategic Studies at Damascus University. "Syria thought that by allowing certain concessions it would provide the U.S. with a kind of confidence building and a show of good intentions."… According to Murhaf Jouejati, a professor of political science at George Washington University and a Syria specialist, Syrian concessions on Iraq have gone unheard. "Syria's efforts to comply with Washington's wishes regarding Iraq have thus far come to naught," said Jouejati. "Washington has, for the most part, turned a deaf ear. This suggests that the 'Syria next' paradigm among the hawkish elements of the Bush administration - the neocons - is still on the table.")

[Tatiana]

1. This is so damn sad.

"If anything, the Americans should have learned by now that power politics does not work in this country, at least not in the long term."

No, they haven't learned. This administration sees one way: their own. They don't deal with reason or logic or even compassion. This whole situation makes me sick.

Thanks for the update, though Gloria. You do a great job.

[Gloria]

3. Thank you, Tatiana....I often am on the verge of not posting the WMW

here at all.....so I appreciate the feedback.

[bemildred]

4. No, no, keep it up. nt

[Swede]

2. Peace has broken out!

Hugs,flowers, mission accomplished.