Deze pagina's zijn Engelstalig, omdat er veel weblinks zijn voornamelijk
in het Engels.
De vele Wikipedia weblinks zijn doorgaans ook in het Nederlands te bekijken.
Baghdad, Iraq
IRAQ - Republic of Iraq
Iraq (Wikipedia), with capital Baghdad,
borders Syria to the northwest, Turkey to the north, Iran to the east, Jordan to the
southwest and Kuwait and Saudi Arabia to the south. Iraq has a narrow section of coastline
on the northern Persian Gulf. Right picture shows the old flag and left picture the Coat
of Arms of Iraq.
Most of the Iraqi people is Shia muslim and a lesser part is Sunni
muslim. Also there is a minority of other religions, mostly Christian related.
The old historic Greek name of Iraq was Mesopotamia, as land of the two major
rivers, Tigris and Euphrates. See also the rich history of the ancient empires of Assyria and Babylonia.
GEORGE BUSH
delivers the State of the Union address and the Axis of Evil (January, 2002)
SADDAM HUSSEIN. His latest calls,
addresses and letters (Year 2001-2003)
. US Secretary of State Colin Powell: Full statement in the UN
on Iraq point by point. (Feb 05, 2003). "Leaving Saddam Hussein in possession of
weapons of mass destruction for a few more months or years is not an option," said Mr
Powell.
in English, the
original website of the Satellite Sender Al Jazeera (and not Aljazeerah.info)
Aljazeerah.info in Arab and English. Your
Gateway to Understanding the world system, American Foreign Policy, and the Arab and
Muslim Worlds ...
I remember the days that Bush invited all his close allies to rebuild Iraq and being
rewarded with Iraqi oil dollars. See the pictures: We need more cheep Iraqi oil, Who
told it and the British alliance with free British
oil. All pictures from the web site Political
humor. See also the video Leading to
war (72 minutes) from www.leadingtowar.com.
Right picture shows the April 2003 toppling of Saddam Hussein's statue by US troops and
right picture there above US troops in Baghdad.
Personality Identification Playing Cards as a web page or as an
Acrobat Reader .pdf-file
(704 Kb) featuring the top 52 of the Iraqi leadership
NORTH KOREA - Democratic People's Republic of Korea
North
Korea (Wikipedia) is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean
Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves
as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea. The Yalu and the Tumen rivers form
the border between North Korea and China. A section of the Tumen River in the far
northeast is the border with Russia.
Overview with key facts, figures and dates. Includes
The Secret State which explains the background of nuclear tensions, the divided peninsula
and ..
The
New York Times - North Korea News World news about North Korea. Breaking news and
archival information about its ... David E. Sanger reports that North Korea has entry into
the nuclear club ..
Outrage over North Korea
nuclear test - BBC. May 25, 2009. Russia's defence
ministry estimated a blast of up to 20 kilotons - comparable to the American bombs that
flattened Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945.
BBC, June 17, 2009: North Korea warns of
retaliation. North Korea threatens a 'thousand-fold' military strike against the US
and its allies if it is provoked.
Wikipedia: Kim Jong-il, the Supreme Leader of
North Korea died December 17, 2011, because an heart attack. His Great Successor is now
his youngest son Kim Jong-un.
Tehran, Iran
IRAN - Islamic Republic of Iran
Iran (Wikipedia) is a country in Southern and
Western Asia with capital Tehran. Iran is bordered on the east by Afghanistan and
Pakistan, on the south by the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, on the west by Iraq and
on the northwest by Turkey. An older name for Iran was Persia. Iran is now the official
name.
Iran: Government This page
contains links to Iranian government ministries and agencies.
President News Welcome to the site of Islamic
Republic of Iran Presidential Office ... President outlines one-year achievements of 9th
government 2006/10/09 ... See also: Tehran Times.
Iran's leading international daily newspaper.
Ayatollah
Ruhollah Khomeini was the leader of the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran, which saw the
overthrow of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the Shah of Iran. Following the revolution and a
national referendum, Khomeini became the country's Supreme Leader - a position created in
the constitution as the highest ranking political and religious authority of the nation -
until his death 1989.
The
Army of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution, often called Revolutionary Guards, is
a branch of Iran's military, founded after the Iranian revolution. Whereas the regular
military defends Iran's borders and maintains internal order, according to the Iranian
constitution, the Revolutionary Guard is intended to protect the country's Islamic system.
In fact, according to some outside observers, it is intended to prevent internal dissident
and military uprisings. Source: Wikipedia.
The Quds Force (or Qods
Force) is a special unit of Iran's Revolutionary Guard. It has
been described as tasked with exporting Iran's Islamic revolution,or
responsible for extraterritorial operations of the Revolutionary Guard. The Quds Force
reports directly to the Supreme Leader of Iran Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The
force is described as active in dozens of countries. Source: Wikipedia.
Supreme Leader of Iran, ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has
issued a fatwa
saying the production, stockpiling and use of nuclear weapons was forbidden under Islam.
The fatwa was cited in an official statement by the Iranian government at an August 2005
meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
in Vienna.
Iran's nuclear program has been a
subject of international debate for decades. The Iranian government claims the purpose of
its nuclear development is to produce electricity, while some western countries accuse it
of trying to create nuclear weapons.
Mahmoud
Ahmadinejad became President on 3 August 2005. Ahmadinejad is a controversial figure
both within Iran and internationally. Major opposition parties, traditional clerical
circles and influential Iranian politicians questioned the legitimacy of his presidency.
CIA - The World
Factbook -- Iran Features map and brief descriptions of the geography, people,
government, economy, communications, transportation, military and transnational issues.
A comprehensive guide to Iranian special weapons, including nuclear weapons, missiles and
related facilities.
How Israel can strike Iran
(BBC News - 27 Februari 2012). Any Israeli attempt to destroy Iran's nuclear programme
poses huge technical challenges for Israeli military planners. Right picture shows an
Israeli warplane. Maybe could be used to carry the guided bunker busters.
Israel’s
Last Chance to Strike Iran (NY Times - 1 March 2012). Opinion of Amos Yadlin, a former
chief of Israeli military intelligence, now the director of Israel’s Institute for
National Security Studies.
Afghanistan
Afghanistan (Wikipedia) is bordered by Pakistan in the southeast, Iran in the west,
Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan in the north, and China in the far northeast.
Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Official
government portal provides links to ministries, departments, agencies, Consultative groups
(CGs) and databases. Includes key speeches and policy ...
Task Force Uruzgan (TFU) - TFU
is part of NATO's International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan. TFU is
leaded till Aug. 2010 by the Dutch and supported by Australian, Slovakian and Afghan
soldiers.
The battle of Chora - The
Dutch contribution. Click the picture right for more pictures (text only in Dutch). Dutch
and Afghan soldiers fight shoulder to shoulder against Taliban. YouTube: Video with
allies, fighting as brothers in arms Part
1 and Part 2..
Hamid
Karzai became a dominant political figure after the removal of the Taliban government in late
2001during Operation Enduring Freedom. He was then chosen as
the Interim President in 2002 for two years in Kabul, Afghanistan. After the 2004
presidential election, Karzai won and became President of the Islamic Republic of
Afghanistan. He again won the 2009 presidential election.
Wikipedia - 2001
war in Afghanistan The 2001 war in Afghanistan started in October 2001, in the wake of
the ... In the weeks prior to the military action in Afghanistan, U.S. President George
Bush ...
Syria (Wikipedi)
is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West,
Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest.
Syria Gate - Syria -
Government. Syria Gate, the complete information resource about Syrian companies,
business, cities, culture & Art, society, hotels, restaurants and much more.
Syria's Secret Nuclear Threat -AINA
(April 1, 2005). In his testimony, Mr. Bolton said: ".. on the nuclear side we are
concerned about Syria's nuclear R&D program and continue to watch for any sign of
nuclear ..
(September 16, 2007). It
was just after midnight when the 69th Squadron of Israeli F15Is crossed the Syrian
coast-line.
President
Hafez al-Assad - Wikipedia. Hafez al-Assad (6 October 1930 – 10 June 2000) was
the President of Syria for three decades. He drew criticism for repression of his own
people, in particular for ordering the Hama massacre
1982, which has been described as "the single deadliest act by any Arab government
against its own people in the modern Middle East". He was succeeded by his son,
current president Bashar al-Assad, in 2000.
President Bashar al-Assad - Wikipedia.
Dr. Bashar al-Assad is the President of the Syrian Arab Republic, Regional Secretary of
the Ba'ath Party, and the son of former President Hafez al-Assad. On 27 May
2007 Bashar was approved president for another seven-year term.
Official web site of President Bashar
al-Assad with biography, decrees, speeches, interviews and press releases.
The
2011 Syrian uprising is an ongoing internal conflict, occurring in Syria since March
2011. The demands of protesters include for President Bashar al-Assad to step down, for
the ruling Baath Party to allow other political parties, to end extrajudicial killings and
torture, equal rights for Syria's ethnic and religious groups, and broad political
freedoms, such as freedom of press, speech and assembly.
The Syrian National Council or SNC - Wikipedia is a Syrian
opposition coalition created during the 2011 Syrian uprising against the government of
Bashar al-Assad. When the Arab Spring broke out, Syrian protesters began consolidating
numerous opposition councils. The SNC itself claims to represent approximately 60
percent of the Syrian opposition. Left you see the Logo of Syrian National Council and
right the SNC Chairman Burhan Ghalioun. The only
UN member state to have stated, that it recognizes the Syrian National Council, as the
sole legitimate representative body of Syria, is Libya, though several others have
welcomed its formation. See also Syrian opposition alliance
(BBC, 3 October 2011).
Since 2012 there are many other
UN member states who recognize or support the Syrian National Council and are considering
to give weapons, volunteer fighters, and training via the Free Syrian
Army.
Timeline of
the 2011 Syrian uprising, a series of major protests and unrest taking place in Syria,
which began on 26 January 2011, influenced by concurrent protests in the region.
See also BBC - Guide:
Syria Crisis. A guide to the Syrian protests, which pose the greatest challenge to
four decades of rule by the Assad family in Syria.
Jerusalem, Israel
HAMAS AND FATAH TERRITORIAL ENTITIES IN PALESTINE - Claiming
for a Palestinian State
Palestine (Wikipedia)
is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the
Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands. The region is also
known as the Land of Israel.
The Palestinian State
(Wikipedia) claims the Palestinian territories (the Gaza Strip and the West Bank) and has
designated Jerusalem as the capital of the future State Palestine. The proposed location
includes the Gaza
Stripand the autonomously controlled areas of the West Bank, currently controlled by the
Palestinian National Authority. These more or less independent territories are officially
still part of the State of Israel.
The
Palestinian National Authority - Wikipedia is an interim administrative organization
that governs parts of the West Bank (now controlled by the Fatah faction) and the Gaza
Strip (now controlled by the Hamas faction).
Fatah-Hamas
conflict - Wikipedia. The tensions between Hamas and Fatah began to rise in 2005 after
the death of the charismatic PLO leader Yasser Arafat who passed away on
November 11, 2004.
The Gaza
Strip government - Wikipedia is the de facto government of the Gaza Strip.
Since the Battle for Gaza (2007), Gaza is controlled by Hamas, while Hamas' political and
military rival, Fatah, controls the West Bank. Both governments regard themselves as the
sole legitimate Palestinian government.
Mahmoud Abbas -
Wikipedia, also known as Abu Mazen, has been the Chairman of the Palestine Liberation
Organization (PLO) since 11 November 2004 and became President of the Palestinian National
Authority on 15 January 2005 on the Fatah
ticket. Elected to serve until 9 January 2009, he unilaterally extended his term for
another year and continues in office even after that second deadline expired. As a result
of this, Fatah's main rival, the political party Hamas announced that it would not
recognize the extension or view Abbas as rightful president. Left the Fatah flag. The emblem in the center of the flag shows two fists holding rifles
and a hand grenade superimposed on a map of historic Palestine. Click on the picture to
enlarge. See also BBC News: Profile
Mahmoud Abbas (5 November 2009) and BBC News: Palestinian Statehood in UN
(20 September 2011) promoted by president Mahmoud Abbas.
The Hamas is classified as a terrorist organization by a number
of governments, including those of Israel, the European Union, the United States, Canada
and Japan. The Hamas originated as a part of the Muslim Brothers. Left the Hamas Logo and
right the Muslim Brotherhood Logo.
The Muslim Brotherhood is an Islamist transnational movement and the
largest political opposition organization in many Arab states, first founded in Egypt.
Hamas violence, as the Egyptian Brotherhood, has been directed at Israel, Egypt of Hosni
Mubarak, and rivaling Palestinian movements in the West Bank and Gaza.
Left picture above shows the Dome of the Rock, now an Islamic shrine. It is a Muslim
mosque, famous for its large golden dome, located on the Temple Mount in the Old City of Jerusalem and build on
the place of the ruined old Jewish
temple.
Palestinian
Islamic Jihad is a small Palestinian militant organization related to Hamas. The group
has been labeled as a terrorist group by the United States, the European Union, the United
Kingdom, Japan, Canada, Australia and Israel. Their goal is the total destruction of
Israel with all means allowed, such as suicide bombers, missiles fired from the Gaza strip
and all other sorts of violence. Just as the Hamas this movement is an offshoot of the
Muslim Brotherhood. They are supported by the Hezbollah in Lebanon, Syria and Iran.
Right you see the emblem of the Palestinian Jihad. On a background of the Dome of the
Rock, the map of greater Palestine is represented flanked by rifles. The inscription Allah
is Great is between them.
Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades
is a coalition of Palestinian nationalist militias in the West Bank. The group's name
refers to the al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. The organization has been designated as a
terrorist group by the governments of Israel, the United States, Canada, Japan and the
European Union. Originally the al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades where the secret military wing of
the PLO since Yasser Arafat and now Fatah, working in small cells, doing terrorist attacks
on Israeli soldiers and civilians, including suicide bombing. But Fatah wants nowadays to
live in peace with Israel and ordered the Brigades to lay weapons down. Left you see the
emblem of the al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades.
Right you see the emblem of the Palestine
Liberation Organization (PLO), the original organization, from where almost all other
later Palestinian organizations originated, or are related, but each going now their own
artful ways.
Beirut, Lebanon
HEZBOLLAH IN LEBANON - Fundamental Shia Muslim movement
Lebanon (source:
Wikipedia) is a country in the East Mediterranean. It is bordered by Syria to the north
and east, and Israel to the south. Lebanon's location at the crossroads of the
Mediterranean Basin and the Arabian hinterland has dictated its rich history, and shaped a
cultural identity of religious and ethnic diversity. The earliest evidence of civilization
in Lebanon dates back more than 7,000 years predating recorded history. Lebanon was the
home of the old Phoenicians 3,000 BC years ago, a maritime culture that flourished for
nearly 2,500 years. Right you see the Flag of Lebanon and left the Coat of arms.
Hezbollah
is a Shi'a
Muslim militant group and political party based in Lebanon. It receives financial and
political support from Iran and Syria, and its paramilitary wing is regarded as a
resistance movement throughout much of the Arab and Muslim worlds. The United States, the
Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada and Israel classify Hezbollah as a
terrorist organization, in whole or in part. Left you see the flag of Hezbollah. Right
picture shows you the Abraham River in Lebanon. Abraham or Ibraim is well known from
the holy books of the Islam, Christianity and Judaism.
Hezbollah first emerged in response to the 1982
Israeli invasion of Lebanon, during the Lebanese civil war. Its leaders were inspired by Ayatollah
Khomeini, and its forces were trained and organized by a contingent of Iranian Revolutionary Guards.
Hezbollah promotes the destruction of Israel, their so called Zionist entity, and supports
the Palestinian Hamas and Palestinian Jihad with weapons, such as missiles from Iran.
The
names Islamic Jihad
Organization, Organization of the Oppressed on Earth and the Revolutionary
Justice Organization are considered to be synonymous with Hezbollah by the United
States, Israel, and Canada.
Left you see the Bekaa valley, Lebanon’s most important farming region. Industry
also flourishes in Bekaa, especially that related to agriculture. Lebanon is also a
splendid country, because his rich nature and history.
Sana'a, Yemen
YEMEN - Republic of Yemen
Yemen
(Wikipedia) is a country located in the Western Asia, occupying the southwestern to
southern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the north, the
Red Sea to the west, and Oman to the east. Its capital and largest city is Sana'a.
Yemen's territory includes also over 200 islands at the southern cost. Around an half of
the population are Sunni moslems while the other half are Shia
moslems. Right picture shows the flag of Yemen and left the Coat of Arms.
I only mention this country because there were many rebellious local
conflicts there. In February and March 2011, the Yemini uprising against the government
began, and clashes with police and pro-government supporters have steadily intensified.
Also Al-Quaeda is very active in Yemen just as in Afghanistan and Somalia.
Right
picture shows Ali Abdullah Saleh,
who had been President of Yemen from 1990 to 2012, now formally retreated from power
(Februari 2012).
The 2011-2012 Yemini uprising followed
the initial stages of the Tunisian Revolution and occurred simultaneously with the
Egyptian Revolution and other mass protests in the Arab world in early 2011. The uprising
was initially against unemployment, economic conditions and corruption, as well as against
the government's proposals to modify the constitution of Yemen. The protestors' demands
then escalated to calls for President Ali Abdullah Saleh to resign.
President Saleh promised to step down and formally
ceded power to his deputy Abdrabuh Mansur Hadi at the
Presidential Palace on 27 February 2012. But Saleh still stays in name the official
president till next elections. The future will learn, if peace now shall return or not.
I do not classify all states mentioned on this web page under one of the
names as pariah, rogue country or failed state. Some countries or states are returning
from this status, but some others are coming in.
Manama Bahrain
BAHRAIN - The Kingdom of Bahrain
Bahrain (Wikipedia) is a small island
state near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. It is an archipelago of 33 islands, many islands
are connected with each other by bridges. The capital is Manama, located at Bahrain
Island. Bahrain is known for its oil and pearls.
It is ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. The population in 2010 stood at 1,234,596,
including 666,172 non-nationals. Formerly an emirate, Bahrain was declared a kingdom in
2002. Most Bahrani are Shia or Sunni Muslims, but also there is a minority of Christians
and Hindus.
In February 2011 started the opposition with protests, just as in other
Arabic countries (see Arab Spring).
The demonstrators (mainly Shiite protesters) wanted more political freedom and respect for
human rights. March 14, 2011 came troops from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to
stop the the demonstrations with hard hand. An official rapport (Bahrain Independent Commission of
Inquiry) judged later that the police used excessive violence and that prisoners were
tortured.
Left above you see a desert landscape in Bahrain, as 92% of the country is. But Bahrain
is rich with a lot of oil, pearls and fish around. Right picture shows the King of Bahrain
Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa,
who promised improvements in his governmental laws. I hope that the King and people of
Bahrain can live in peace now and in the future.
De As van het Kwaad - Paria en
schurken staten, ook mislukte en instabiele staten
X-Dossiers en de Raderen
des Onheils - Engels en andere talen 
Baghdad, Iraq
Syria (Wikipedi)
is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West,
Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest.
President
Hafez al-Assad - Wikipedia
The Syrian National Council or SNC - Wikipedia
The Hamas
The Muslim Brotherhood
