Latest from the offering by the BLOODY RAMADAN - Religion of "peace"

Car bomb in Iraq kills at least 32, wounds 43

The Associated Press - Sep 12, 2008

BAGHDAD (AP) — A car bomb ripped through a crowded commercial district in a mainly Shiite town on Friday, killing at least 32 people, Iraqi officials said ..

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gkx-3oYeFwuWKCusr2jrojs98w8wD935CIQ00



Bombs kill as many as 34 in Iraq

Los Angeles Times, CA - Sep 13, 2008

By Tina Susman, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer BAGHDAD -- Two bombings, one of which killed as many as 32 people, tore through crowds Friday north of the .

http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/asection/la-fg-iraq13-2008sep13,0,4445097.story



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Roadside bomb kills 2 in western Afghanistan

Jerusalem Post

By AP A roadside bomb blast targeting a district chief killed two people Monday in western Afghanistan, where insurgents also attacked two Americans ...

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1221142475427&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull">http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1221142475427&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull


UN's Ban Condemns Taliban Attack on Afghan UN Physicians [14 September 2008] United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has condemned a suicide attack on a U.N. convoy in Afghanistan that killed two Afghan doctors.

http://voanews.com/english/2008-09-14-voa8.cfm



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DELHI, India, Sept. 13 (UPI) -- A series of small bombs were detonated in crowded New Delhi marketplaces Saturday, killing at least 30 people, Indian authorities said.

Besides those killed, at least 90 people were injured in the five blasts police said occurred within 30 minutes of each other in the Karol Bagh, Greater Kailash and Connaught Place markets, the Times of India reported. Three more explosive devices were defused, including one at Children's Park at India Gate, the newspaper said.

TV news channel CNN-IBN said it received an e-mail shortly before the blasts from a group calling itself the Indian Mujahedin.

"Do whatever you can. Stop us if you can," the e-mail said.

Indian Mujahedin has claimed to be behind recent bombings in Jaipur and Bangalore.

http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2008/09/13/Explosions_kill_30_in_New_Delhi/UPI-85341221320693/



Islamic group claims Delhi bombs

By Krittivas Mukherjee and Bappa Majumdar

Monday, 15 September 2008

Police are trawling slums and criminal hideouts in India's capital rounding up suspects after serial bombings in the city on Saturday killed at least 21 people and wounded nearly 100.

Police said they were pursuing several leads, including talking to an 11-year-old boy who said he had seen two men drop off a large plastic bag at one of the blast sites.

At hospitals, relatives of victims accused police of failing to protect them. "Down with the police," they shouted, some with tears in their eyes. "We don't trust you any more."

"Helpless?" read the banner headline of the Sunday Times newspaper, expressing growing frustration at the inability of authorities to prevent a string of bomb attacks in recent months...A group calling itself the Indian Mujahedin sent an email to television stations shortly after the first explosion saying it was responsible.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/islamic-group-claims-delhi-bombs-930865.html

Technorati - 'palestinian' terrorism 'palestinians' Israel 'palestinian' Apartheid Zionism Anti Israel bigotry Islamic Apartheid War on terror Terror victims 'palestinian' propaganda jihad Genocide bombing Anti Israel bias Arab racism Jews IDF Anti Israel racism Islamofacsism Conflict Israel "Palestine" "Palestinians" Israelis Civilwar Arabs MuslimsJihad Terrorism Fatah non-Muslims Christians Hamas Gaza Terrorism India UN Jerusalem Iraq Ramadan Muslims

As Muslims prepare for their Hajj - A Special Bloody Islamic Terror Week

As Muslims prepare for their Hajj - A Special Bloody Islamic Terror Week

Children Hurt in Pakistan Bombing
New York Times, United States - Dec 10, 2007
By DAVID ROHDE ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, Dec. 10 — A suicide bomb attack on a military truck carrying schoolchildren outside a Pakistani Air Force base in ...
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/11/world/asia/11pakistan.html?ref=world

Islamists regroup in Somalia; at least 17 killed
MSNBC - Dec 13, 2007
Dec 11, 2007 Islamic Boimbing in Algeria
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22245198/

Toll in Algeria blast rises to 37
Los Angeles Times
The discovery brings the total killed in Tuesday's terrorist attacks to 37, according to Algeria's Interior Ministry. A group called Al Qaeda in the Islamic ...
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-algiers15dec15,1,1419073.story?coll=la-headlines-world

Los Angeles Times UN toll in Algiers bombing rises
BBC News, UK
More than 30 people died in the attack on UN refugee agency office and a court building in Algeria's capital. Al-Qaeda's North African wing said it carried ...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7145120.stm

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Dec. 13, 2007
MOGADISHU, Somalia - A radical Islamic group that was driven from power one year ago by a Western-supported offensive is making a significant comeback in ...
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22245198/

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Islamists Targeting Christians in Lebanon

Dec 13, 2007
Bomb Kills Lebanese General Who Battled Militants
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/13/world/middleeast/13lebanon.html?em&ex=1197781200&en=909aa62aad2e544b&ei=5087%0A

Lebanon bids farewell to army general slain in car bombing
The leader of Fatah Islam escaped the siege.
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/12/14/africa/ME-GEN-Lebanon-Violence.php

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Five killed in Indian train bombing
Radio Netherlands - Dec 12, 2007
New Delhi (13 December) - At least five people have been killed in a bomb attack on a train in the Indian state of Assam. The bomb was placed on the rails ...
http://www.radionetherlands.nl/news/international/5556931/Five-killed-in-Indian-train-bombing

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Dec 13, 2007
Iraqis mourning the victims of triple bombing in Amarah..
The provincial Health Department lowered the death toll from 41 to 28, citing confusion in the immediate aftermath of the first major bombing to hit the southern city during the Iraq war. At the same time, the estimate of the number of injured grew to at least 180, said Dr. Zamil Shiya, who heads the department...
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/world/iraq/bal-te.iraq14dec14,0,2915879.story

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The Threat and siege of missiles attack from "Palestinians" on Israeli civilians

Power of repression
Soon, 250,000 Israelis will be in rocket range, but residents choose to ignore looming threat...
More than 100,000 people live in Ashkelon today. Should the Palestinian Grad missile do to this town what the Qassam rocket did to Sderot, soon there would be only 90,000 people living here. Hamas would grow the more Ashkelon shrinks. But here, for the time being, repression (of Israelis) is the name of the game...
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3482867,00.html

"Pamlestinian" masses behind genocidal Hamas rally

GAZA — About 200,000 Gazans rallied in support of Hamas on Saturday, the 20th anniversary of its founding.
New York Times, United States - Dec. 15, 2007
The Hamas rally was well-organized and not disrupted, and also featured speeches from Hamas founders and the leader of Islamic Jihad in Gaza, Muhammad al-Hindi. Osama al-Mzeini, a Hamas leader, addressed the Qassam brigades, which are the armed wing of Hamas, saying: “The only language the enemy can understand is the language of power, of force. So speak to them in that language.”
Thousands, including women, sang along with a popular Hamas song, which starts: “A Hamas is not afraid of death.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/15/world/middleeast/15cnd-mideast.html?hp

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Fatah official kidnapped in Gaza
Guardian Unlimited, UK - Dec 14, 2007
On Thursday there was another attempt to kidnap a Fatah official, which failed. After its violent takeover of the Gaza Strip in June, Hamas militants ...
http://www.guardian.co.uk/israel/Story/0,,2227616,00.html

Hamas detains adviser to Palestinian PM
Media earlier reported that the high-ranking Fatah official...
http://en.rian.ru/world/20071214/92547600.html

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At least five dead in Pakistan suicide bombing: army
Dec. 15 2007

ISLAMABAD (AFP) — At least five people were killed and several wounded when a suicide bomber blew himself up outside an army facility in northwest Pakistan on Saturday, the military and police said...
Around 800 people have been killed in attacks this year, more than half of those in suicide attacks carried out since July -- when the army killed about 100 people in a raid on a radical, pro-Taliban mosque in Islamabad.
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5g32hNuT6PnK-6Eh0xnEuWD7hTgGA

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Bombings, unrest kill 14 in Afghanistan
Dec 15 2007

KABUL (AFP) — Two bombs struck the Afghan capital Saturday, one of them killing five civilians, while nine people died in new attacks in a Taliban insurgency that is in its bloodiest year so far, officials said.
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5jC0oCNOiy5TZCDYdz6rryKIkxeFA

Technorati - Freedom 911 Al Qaida Al Qaeda Al Qaida Bin Laden Anti west Anti American Intolerance Terrorist oganization Hamas ''palestinian' propaganda Al Aqsa Alaqsa 'palestinian' terrorism Suicide bombing Saddam Hussein WTC bombing Homicide bombing London bombing Bali bombing Beheading Abu Sayyaf Muslim clerics Mullahs Islamic Hitler Iran Regime Ahmedinejad Iran nukes Human rights War on terror Jihad Sudan genocide Islamic slavery Arab slaver masters Genocide bombing Anti Israel bias Arab racism Anti Israel racism Islamofacsism Conflict Israel Islamic Jihad Hamas "palestinian" Animalism "palestinian" cruelty "palestinian" Savagery "Palestine" "Palestinians" Israelis Jewish refugees Victims of terror Moderates Islam Radical Islam Militants Arab occupation Arab Muslims Arab hatred Muslim hatred 'Palestinian' hatredJewish refugees Death cult 'Palestinian' human shields 'Palestinian' human bombs Arab oil lobby Arab oil mafia Islamic Aparthied Ethnic cleansing Passover massacre Muslims Arabs Arab atrocities Damour massacre Hebron massacre Politically correct Muhammad "palestinian" propaganda "Palestinians" Netanya massacre Fatah Abu Sayaaf Beheading Honor killing Jerusalem massacre Passover massacre Bus bombing Islamists Mufti Koran Quran Radical Islam Islam Islamophobia Beslan massacre CAIR Mohamed Islamic phobia Muhammad cartoons Genocide Terrorism War on terror Jihadists Sharia Fatwa Mullah Kafir Infidels Islamofascism Islamic fascism Whabbism Whabbist Wahabbi Saudi Arabia Islamofacism "religion of peace" Huzbullah Arabism Apes & pigs Ahmadinejad Islamic Hitler Islamization Arabization Islamic Threat Islamic Threat India Somalia Algeria Arab supremacy Eurabia

Italian police arrest 20 Muslims across Europe in suspected suicide bomb plots in Iraq, Afghanistan

Italian police arrest 20 across Europe in suspected suicide bomb plots in Iraq, Afghanistan

By COLLEEN BARRY
The Associated Press

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2003997253_webitalyterror06.html

MILAN, Italy — A Europe-wide sweep disrupted an Islamic cell that was recruiting potential suicide bombers for attacks in Iraq and Afghanistan, Italian police said Tuesday, announcing the arrests of 20 terror suspects.
Police said the suspects, mostly Tunisians, were arrested across Europe as part of the sweep against a cell based in the northern Italian region of Lombardy.
Executing the arrest warrants, police said they found al-Qaida manuals for making explosives, detonation devices and poisons, and instructions on guerrilla techniques.
"The investigation has revealed recruitment, training and passage to aspiring terrorists to Iraq and Afghanistan," lead investigator Gen. Giampaolo Ganzer, of Italy's paramilitary Carabinieri police, told a news conference.
The suspects were wanted on charges ranging from association with the aim of committing international terrorism to falsifying documents to aid illegal immigrants.
"Once more, the central role of Milan and Lombardy in the panorama of Islamic militants has been confirmed," the Carabinieri said in a statement.
The group's members had been indoctrinated in militancy in mosques since at least 1998, according to police transcripts, and appeared to take serious precautions.
In one intercepted call, a suspected cell member said that "things are being done with extreme calm, haste does not bring the desired results."
Eleven were arrested in the northern Italian cities of Milan, Reggio Emilia, Imperia and Bergamo. Nine others were arrested on warrants issued in France, Britain and Portugal, Italian news agencies reported.
Authorities in Britain, France and Portugal confirmed arrestC.
The Lombardy cell had ties with a group in neighboring Emilia Romagna whose aim is to establish an Islamic state extending from Morocco to China, Italian investigators said. Intercepted phone calls made clear the aim of sending jihadist fighters to Iraq via Syria, including specific instructions on shaving off beards before departure to give the impression of making a "peaceful trip."
Ganzer said that while the main aim of the group were attacks aimed at western targets in Iraq and Afghanistan, they also had ties to groups that planned attacks in Italy. Police said the Milan-based cell helped a Tunisian involved in planning a failed attack in Bologna flee to France in 2006. The attack was meant to be carried out around Italy's national elections in April 2006, police said.

Giuliano Amato, Italy's interior minister, said the suspects are mostly Tunisian. He praised the sting as an example of strong cooperation among European countries.
In Britain, authorities said two suspects were arrested in London and Manchester and face extradition to Italy. The men, identified as Ali Chehidi, 34, and Mohamed Khermiri, 53, were accused of forging documents to help volunteers enter Italy illegally.
Portuguese police said they arrested a North African in the northern Portuguese city of Porto on suspicion of international terrorism, illegal immigration and smuggling. He had been in Portugal for three years and had a Portuguese residence permit allowing travel within Europe's Schengen area.
— — —
Associated Press writers Barry Hatton contributed from Lisbon, Portugal and John Leicester in Paris contributed to this report.

Technorati - Freedom 911 Al Qaida Al Qaeda Al Qaida Bin Laden Islamofascism Islam Apes and pigs Terrorism Terrorist oganization Hamas 'palestinians' Al Aqsa Alaqsa Muslims bombing Infidels Israel US Security Arabs Iraq Eurabia Europe Netherlands Germany France Switzerland UK Immigration Intifada Tunisia UK Portugal Italy Iraq Afghanistan Iran Jihad West

Why the Policy of supporting the lessor evil is not only 'correct' but 'vital'

Why the Policy of supporting the lessor evil is not only 'correct' but 'vital'

WHO WANTS THE US TO 'ACT' NOW?

Pakistan is in unrest, no one is calm, the strategic delicate map [Afghanistan-Iran] a lions' den of extremists, plus an Islamic State with nukes, and/or how 'safe' they already are yet, it has been a mere week and we already hear drumbeats to "act", political writers/bloggers on the liberal spectrum, that usually cry out loud for any action by the US govt., all-of-a-sudden, now request a full US interference.Just as the far left critics of the Iraq war like to bring up again and again, how we [the US] had our hands full in scratching Saddam's back in the Iran-Iraq war.
OPEN SECRET OF 'UNHOLY ALLIANCE'

This argument and the like, has basically zero value, Does backing Saddam against the radical Mullahcracy of Iran mean we ever proclaimed or legitimized brutal Saddam-ism? or that anyone in the US government "loved" him?

Speaking of Iran, you can't go on without mentioning the [Jimmy] Carter factor/failure of pressuring the Shah way too much, that ultimately brought Iran to it's 'Islamic Revolution', which [now] puts the area if not the world in peril.

(IranianVoice.org - Carter Sold Out Iran 1977-1978, At the time, a senior Iranian diplomat in Washington observed, "President Carter betrayed the Shah and helped create the vacuum that will soon be filled by Soviet-trained agents and religious fanatics who hate America." Under the guise of promoting" human rights," Carter made demands on the Shah while blackmailing him with the threat that if the demands weren't fulfilled, vital military aid and training would be withheld. This strange policy, carried out against a staunch, 20 year Middle East ally http://www.iranianvoice.org/article774.html )

Let's not commit the same Iranian mistake in Pakistan, No! Musharraf is no Ghandi, not even a typical US, UK, Australian, Israeli, European, etc. leader, he is a typical [undemocratic] leader in the Islamic world (nor is Palestinian leader Fatah's Mahmoud Abbas a real moderate 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, but trust me, You want much less a Hamas Caliphate), but we need him, the world needs him, call it an "unholy alliance", the alternative is not only worse, it's a catastrophe.

Eiffel Tower lookin' good tonight - Sarkozy: America can count on France

Sarkozy: America can count on France
Baltimore Sun, United States -

And because of that America can count on France in its battle on terror.” America might also be able to count on France as a full partner in NATO. ...
http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/news/politics/blog/2007/11/sarkozy_america_can_count_on_f.html

Bush-Sarkozy Text

Wednesday November 7, 2007 10:16 PM
By The Associated Press

Text of the news conference Wednesday by President Bush and French President Nicolas Sarkozy at Mount Vernon, Va., as transcribed by CQ Transcriptions.

BUSH: Mr. President, welcome. Thank you very much for coming here to Mount Vernon. And thank you for coming to the United States.

I think it's safe to say that you've impressed a lot of people here on your journey. You bring a lot of energy, enthusiasm for your job, love of your country and a strong set of universal values in your heart.

We've just had an extensive conversation, one that you'd expect good friends to have.

We talked about Iran and the desire to work jointly to convince the Iranian regime to give up their nuclear weapons ambitions for the sake of peace.

We talked about the Middle East and the upcoming talks at Annapolis, Maryland.

We spent some time on Kosovo, and I appreciate the president's leadership on Kosovo.

I can't thank the president enough for his willingness to stand with young democracies as they struggle against extremists and radicals. And one such democracy is Afghanistan.

Mr. President, your leadership on that issue for your country was very impressive. You sent a very clear message. It's clear that you're a man who does what he says he's going to do. It's the kind of fellow I like to deal with.

And so, Mr. President, I also want to thank your administration and your strong stance for human rights and human dignity. Whether they be those who are oppressed in Burma or Darfur or on the island of Cuba, France's voice is important and it's clear that the human rights of every individual are important to the world.

And I look forward to advancing peace and freedom with you, Mr. President. Our bilateral relations are important. They are strong. And we intend to keep them that way.

And so welcome here to George Washington's old home. Proud to have you in America. Thanks for coming.

SARKOZY (THROUGH TRANSLATOR): I want to thank President Bush, his administration, and all Americans, who have welcomed us in such exceptional fashion. I get the distinct sense that it is France that has been welcomed so warmly, with so much friendship, so much love. This was my hope, my ambition. And with Bernard Kouchner, Christine Lagarde, Rachida Dati and myself, this is exactly what we wanted.

We have been very moved, deeply moved, by your wonderful welcome, together with Mrs. Laura Bush yesterday at the White House. I especially enjoyed the skit of the dialogue between George Washington and Lafayette that we witnessed.

The tokens of friendship that we have seen since we have been here, your open-mindedness, and the fact that we can address any and every subject, all those that you mentioned, sir, even though the European defense policy and NATO have also been addressed, environmental issues, which are close to our heart, and Afghanistan.

I said that we would stay there because what is at stake is the credibility of the Atlantic Alliance and the fight against terror.

We spent hours discussing important issues, commercial, economic and others, and I would say that we have done so in a spirit of openness and trust and that is something I have been particularly struck by. And I can tell you, that this visit I think has been very widely covered in France.

And when I say that the French people love the American people, that is the truth and nothing but the truth.

Now, I spoke at length this morning, and I think the best would be that after President Bush, whom I wish to thank once again, we could answer any questions you may have.

Q: Mr. President, you came down so hard on Burma and other nations for their crackdowns on pro-democracy demonstrators, yet you seem to be giving Musharraf a pass. So the question is, why are you going so soft on Musharraf? Is there a double standard?

BUSH: I spoke to President Musharraf right before I came over here to visit with President Sarkozy. And my message was that we believe strongly in elections and that you ought to have elections soon, and you need to take off your uniform. You can't be the president and the head of the military at the same time.

So I had a very frank discussion with him.

Look, our objective is the same in Burma as it is in Pakistan, and that is to promote democracy.

There is a difference, however. Pakistan has been on the path to democracy. Burma hadn't been on the path to democracy. And it requires different tactics to achieve the common objective.

And as I told you, I just spoke to President Musharraf before I came here and my message was very plain, very easy to understand, and that is, the United States wants you to have the elections as scheduled and take your uniform off.

You want to call on somebody?

SARKOZY (THROUGH TRANSLATOR): In France, I don't choose - I don't pick the journalists.

BUSH: You don't get to choose? Who chooses?

I choose?

Who would you like me to choose?

Oh, he chose. Wait a minute, didn't last very long, did it?

SARKOZY (THROUGH TRANSLATOR): I didn't choose. I indicated a general direction.

Q: Thank you, Mr. President.

My question is on Iraq. Mr. President, this morning you talked at length about Afghanistan, Iran, but not Iraq.

And I wanted to ask both of you: Is France reconciled with the United States, as the United States is reconciled with France?

So what about Iraq?

Can France, for instance, help to get out of the Iraqi quagmire?

And, President Bush, where do you stand on Iraq and your domestic debate on Iraq?

Do you have a timetable for withdrawing troops?

BUSH: I don't - you know quagmire is an interesting word. If you lived in Iraq and had lived under a tyranny, you'd be saying: God, I love freedom, because that's what's happened.

And there are killers and radicals and murderers who kill the innocent to stop the advance of freedom. But freedom's happening in Iraq. And we're making progress.

And I can't thank the president enough for sending his foreign minister to Baghdad. It was a clear message that freedom matters, that when people are struggling to live in freedom, that those of us who have the comfort of a free society ought to help them.

We had a difference of opinion with your great country over whether or not I should have used military force to enforce U.N. demands. I reminded a TV reporter - I don't know if the person's here or not - but I said, I just want to remind you that (U.N. resolution) 1441 was supported by France and the United States, which clearly said to the dictator, you will disclose, disarm, or face serious consequences.

Now, I'm the kind of person that, when somebody says something, I take them for their word.

Having said that, we had a difference of opinion. But I don't sense any difference of opinion now, that a struggling democracy wants help from those of us who live in the comfort of free societies.

And, Mr. President, the strong gesture of sending your foreign minister there wasn't a message to the United States, because we're good friends. It was a message to the Iraqi citizens that said, We hear your cries for freedom. We want you to succeed. Because one of the lessons of history is free societies yield peace.

And so I appreciate your leadership on that issue, and I want to thank you foreign minister for - for - I don't see your foreign minister.

Look, the guy was here.

Oh, there he is, yes, next to - like the president was blocking.

Next to Madam Rice.

Anyway, thank you, sir.

SARKOZY (THROUGH TRANSLATOR): Allow me to give you two answers in one.

On Pakistan, yes, we're worried about the situation. It's worrisome, and we need to have elections as swiftly as possible.

You cannot combat extremism using the same methods as extremists. And it is very important, it is of the essence, that Pakistan organize elections. And, like President Bush, I wish this to take place as speedily as possible.

Let me remind you that this is a country of 150 million inhabitants who happen to have nuclear weapons. This is very important for us, that one day we should wake up with a government, an administration in Pakistan which is in the hands of the extremists.

And we should, each and everyone of us, think about this. The principles, the values that we uphold and that we defend, and we must continue to uphold. And then there's the complexity, as it were, in the field. That's why it's important to convene elections - call elections.

Now, on Iraq, Bernard Kouchner's trip to Iraq was very successful. What does France want? A united Iraq. No one - it is in no one's interest to see Iraq dismantled. We want a democratic Iraq. We want a diverse Iraq where each component - component element of Iraqi society has learned to live with others, an Iraq which can administer and govern itself and that has the means of ensuring the peace and security of every one of its citizens.

And that is exactly Bernard Kouchner's message when he went to Iraq, and this is in the interest of one and all that it be thus. And that position is the position I will defend until the end.

Q: Mr. President, with what ...

BUSH: Which one?

Q: Both of you.

BUSH: Get moving, will you?

Q: Mr. President, with oil approaching $100 a barrel, are you concerned that your hard words for Iran on its nuclear program are helping drive up oil prices, which can end up hurting the U.S. economy?

BUSH: No. I believe oil prices are going up because the demand for oil outstrips the supply for oil. Oil is going up because developing countries still use a lot of oil. Oil is going up because we use too much oil. And the capacity to replace reserves is dwindling. That's why the price of oil is going up.

Now, I believe it is important for us to send clear signals to the Iranian government that the free world understands the risks of you trying to end up with a nuclear weapon. And therefore, we will work together to try to find if there's not rational people inside your government, who are tired of isolation and who believe there's a better way forward.

Every time I give a talk about Iran, I make sure I speak to the Iranian people. And I want them to hear once again that we discussed your country today, that we believe, that I believe that you've got a bright future, that we respect your history and respect your tradition.

However, you are governed by people who are making decisions that are isolating you from the rest of the world, and you can do better than that.

The idea of Iran having a nuclear weapon is dangerous, and, therefore, now is the time for us to work together to diplomatically solve this problem. We spent a lot of time on the subject. And I thank the French president for his resolve on solving this issue peacefully.

SARKOZY (THROUGH TRANSLATOR): I just wanted to say that we exchange all the intelligence and information we had. It is unacceptable that Iran should have at any point a nuclear weapon. But Iran is entitled to the energy of the future, which is civilian nuclear energy.

I believe in the effectiveness of sanctions. I believe even in the need to toughen the sanctions. But in my mind, the two go together. In other words, the open, the outstretched hand of dialogue, of continuing discussions, because Iran deserves a better fate than that isolation.

And I cannot imagine that there are not people, leaders in Iran, who have stopped to think about the consequences of what is going on. This is a great people and a great civilization, and we must be firm for as long as there is no gesture on their part. And we have to keep the way of dialogue open, because we must do everything to avoid the worst-case scenario.

And this is indeed was the subject of a very lengthy conversation which showed exactly how convergent our views were.

QUESTION (THROUGH TRANSLATOR): To the president: With respect to your statements on Afghanistan and France's commitment and engagement, does this mean that France is going to be sending additional ground troops in to fight in the southern regions of Afghanistan, as the U.S. wishes them to do?

How do you feel about the fact that France has been engaging Syria on the upcoming Lebanese presidential election?

Do you think that's a good idea?

And what are the chances that Lebanon will have a presidential election by November 24?

BUSH: Thanks. Good question. Want me to go first?

SARKOZY (THROUGH TRANSLATOR): Well, on Afghanistan, I said what I thought, and what I think. We've talked about it with President Bush. We will not pull out of Afghanistan because what is at stake here is the solidity of our alliance.

And ultimately, what is at stake here is the fight against terror. We're thinking about the best way to help bring about a democratic Afghanistan.

Is it by stepping up our training efforts so that we lay the groundwork or the basis of a modern Afghan state, or is it by other means, maybe, perhaps, military means?

We're still thinking about it.

BUSH: First of all, you know, the Syrian influence in Lebanon was something the previous government and I worked on collaboratively.

And because France and the United States worked together, we passed 1551, a resolution of the United Nations which got Syria out of Lebanon, by and large.

And so, we spent time collaborating on how best to make sure that Syria doesn't influence the presidential elections, that, in fact, the presidency is picked by the Lebanese people.

And I'm very aware that Mr. Hariri and Nabih Berri are in consultations to whether or not they can come up with an acceptable candidate to them - not to Syria, whether or not the Lebanese people can be assured that their president is going to be representing the people of Lebanon, not the people - not the government of Syria.

And I'm comfortable with President Sarkozy's government sending clear messages that meet common objectives. And our common objective here is for this Lebanese democracy to survive, thrive and serve as an example for others.

We will work with France and with others to see that this process be completed by November 24th. We believe it's in the interests of the Middle East that this Lebanese democracy survive.

I want Lebanon to serve as an example for the Palestinians, to show them what's possible. I believe in a two-state solution. I believe there ought to be two states living side by side in peace. So does the president. We discussed that today.

There's nothing better for the Palestinians to see - what is possible with a stable democracy in Lebanon.

The interesting challenge we face in the world in which we live is there are murderers who will try to stop the advance of democracy, particularly in the Middle East. Isn't it interesting that the places where there's most violence is where there's young democracies trying to take hold, whether it be Iraq or Lebanon or in the Palestinian territories.

And the call for nations such as ourselves is to support those who want to live in freedom. Freedom is a great alternative to the ideology of people who murder the innocent to achieve their political objectives. By the way, the very same ones that came and killed 3,000 of our citizens.

And so what I'm telling you is - let me end this press conference by telling you this. I have a partner in peace, somebody who has clear vision, basic values, who is willing to take tough positions to achieve peace.

So when you ask, am I comfortable with a Sarkozy government sending messages? You bet I'm comfortable.

Mr. President, thanks for coming. Appreciate you being here.

END

http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-7058876,00.html

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