This morning’s key headlines from GenerationalDynamics.com.
* Arab League prepares package of sanctions against Syria
* Israel to assist Kenya’s invasion into Somalia to attack Al-Shabaab
* Egypt’s liberal parties show confusion as Muslim Brotherhood gathers strength
* U.S. and Nato air strikes at border post kill 24 Pakistan soldiers
* Pakistan to U.S.: Pack your bags
* Nasa launches car-sized ‘Curiosity’ rover to Mars
Arab League prepares package of sanctions against Syria
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Although president Bashar al-Assad likes to consider Syria the “heart” of the Arab world, his regime’s continuing bloody violence against innocent Arab people and apparent repeated lies to the Arab League have turned a lot of the Arab world against him. The Arab League finance ministers worked late into the evening on Saturday to prepare a package of sanctions, to be submitted on Sunday. The sanctions call on Arab states to cut commercial ties with Syria’s government, freeze its assets, ban travel by senior Syrian officials, and halt commercial flights to the country. However, some Arab states, especially Iraq, are opposed to the sanctions, and it’s not clear whether they will have much effect. Reuters and AFP
Israel to assist Kenya’s invasion into Somalia to attack Al-Shabaab
Israel is offering to help Kenya in its recently begun invasion of Somalia to eliminate the terrorist group al-Shabaab. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that “Kenya’s enemies are Israel’s enemies.” However, several Muslim lobby groups in Kenya are opposing Israeli intervention. According to one lobbyist, “Many Muslim countries have cut diplomatic ties with Israel. Even the president’s efforts to woo the Arab world into supporting the war against al-Shabaab may not yield much.” Jamestown and All Africa
Egypt’s liberal parties show confusion as Muslim Brotherhood gathers strength
With parliamentary elections coming up on Monday, the 30-plus secular “liberal” parties are fractured and in a state of confusion. The only parties with good organizations are the Muslim Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice Party and Hosni Mubarak’s old ruling National Democratic Party (NDP). According to one prominent liberal blogger, “We’re not fighting any political party, or the army, or the Muslim Brotherhood – we’re fighting a structure. And that’s what the liberal political elite don’t seem to understand. I’d much rather have the Muslim Brotherhood in place and get rid of Scaf than I would have [liberal figurehead] Mohamed ElBaradei running the government but leave Scaf in power. The revolution against Scaf is now; there will be time later to play the reformist, gradualist game where we sit down and argue over minute policy differences.” Guardian
U.S. and NATO air strikes at border post kill 24 Pakistan soldiers
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In possibly the biggest blow yet to Pakistan-U.S. relations, U.S. and NATO helicopters and fighter jets attacked two Pakistan army border posts in Mahmoud, killing 24 people and injuring 13. Pakistani officials said there had been no militant activity in the area, and most of the Pakistani soldiers were asleep. They also said NATO had the grid references of the posts and therefore should not have fired. NATO military sources say US-Afghan special forces had been in the area, where they believed a Taliban training camp was operating, and that they returned fire when they came under attack from Pakistan. The conflicting stories will be investigated by both sides. BBC
Pakistan to U.S.: Pack your bags
“Going a step ahead of merely condemning the outrageous NATO attack on a military outpost in Mohmand, the Defence Committee of Cabinet (DCC), on Sunday, decided to close with immediate effect the NATO/ISAF logistics supply lines through the country. The decision has been taken in accordance with the resolution of the joint session of parliament of May 14, 2011, which was held after the May 2 incident in which US forces violated the country’s airspace to hunt down Osama bin Laden. The DCC also decided to ask the US to vacate the Shamsi Airbase within 15 days. The committee termed the attack on Pakistan Army border posts totally unacceptable, which warrants an effective national response. The DCC also discussed the terms of engagement with the US and ISAF for war against terrorism and concurred on revisiting and undertaking a complete review of all programmes, activities and cooperative arrangements with US/NATO/ISAF, including diplomatic, political, military and intelligence.” Daily Times (Islamabad)
Nasa launches car-sized ‘Curiosity’ rover to Mars
Mars Science Laboratory, which carries a car-sized rover named Curiosity, lifted off at 10 am Saturday, with expected arrival on Mars on August 6, 2012. Instead of using parachutes or bubble wrap to land the rover, as in previous missions, this mission will use a “sky crane” attached to a small rocket to gently land the rover on Mars.
The following Youtube video is a cool 11 minute animation that shows how it will all play out.