World View: China Threatens Al-Jazeera Ship in South China Sea

This morning’s key headlines fromGenerationalDynamics.com:

• China makes armed threat on al-Jazeera ship in South China Sea
• Canada said has no plans for military action in Mali
• Anti-Sunni rant given by Shia cleric
• Syrian regime massacre receives widespread condemnation

China makes armed threat on al-Jazeera ship in South China Sea 

An Al-Jazeera vessel sent to the Scarborough Shoal in the South ChinaSea to do a story on China’s aggression in the region was threatenedwith a military attack by a Chinese warship if it did not leave theScarborough Shoal region immediately. The al-Jazeera ship captain didas he was ordered. The incident appeared in a segment aired onAl-Jazeera’s online televised newscast, and will appear soon in afull-length documentary, but has not yet appeared in a story on itsweb site. 

According to the segment, China is sending a flotilla of 30well-armed fishing vessels to fish in the Scarborough Shoal, which isoff the coast of the Philippines, and has historically been part ofPhilippines territory. The flotilla is being sent as the meeting inPhnom Penh of ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) ends inbitter division of China’s claims to the entire South China Sea,including many areas historically belonging to other countries. Atthe ASEAN meeting, China’s message was that other countries shouldn’tmake trouble, but should maintain harmonious relations with China.Apparently, when China tells you not to “make trouble,” it means thatyou should do exactly as demanded or they’ll kill you. Al-Jazeera

Canada said has no plans for military action in Mali

As we reported yesterday,France is considering sending the military to northern Mali,where Ansar al-Dine, a wealthy, well-armed terrorist grouplined to Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) has taken control,and can use the region as a base to launch terrorist attacksagainst France. On Friday, Canada’sForeign Affairs Minister John Baird

“Let me be clear that Canada is not contemplating amilitary mission in Mali.

We support the significant international diplomatic efforts tohelp restore democracy, led by the Economic Community of WestAfrican States, and we certainly stand ready to support theorganization once its needs are identified.

We have done a significant amount of work with the EconomicCommunity of West African States in the past and we certainlystand ready to support them in the future.”

The United States, France and the UN Security Council have agreed toprovide logistical support for such an operation. On Friday,U.S. President Barack Obama authorized the release of up to$10-million for emergency relief efforts in northern Mali. Globe and Mail (Ottawa)

Anti-Sunni rant given by Shia cleric

On June 16, Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Nayef bin Abdul-Aziz al Sauddied. Born in 1933, he was perhaps the most ruthless of the leadersin governing al-Saud family. In an address posted on the internet, aShia cleric, Sheikh Nimr Baqer Al-Nimr, rejoiced in the death ofNayef. I found his rant to be interesting because it illustrates thevitriolic hatred between Sunnis and Shias in the Mideast. Thefollowing are some excerpts:

“Where is [Crown Prince] Nayef’s army now? Will itprotect him from the Angel of Death? Where are his intelligenceagencies? Where are his officers? Can they protect him from theAngel of Death? He will be eaten by worms and suffer the tormentsof Hell in his grave. …

Imam Hussein said: ‘No shedder of blood shall enter Paradise.’Will Nayef enter Paradise? Some say: ‘Don’t talk ill of Nayefbecause he’s dead.’ Are you stupid?

Don’t you see that the Koran says: ‘On that day shall thebelievers rejoice’? Why shouldn’t we be happy at the death of theman who imprisoned and killed our children? This is the man whospread fear and terror, so why shouldn’t we rejoice?

the Saud, Khalifa, and Al-Assad dynasties.

The sons of Abd Al-‘Aziz will rule this land until Judgment Day -that’s what Nayef declared. Let’s see how he rules it… Let himrule it from the grave. It is a reckless, tyrannical regime.

Who is the Saud clan? They are killing our brothers inBahrain. If any good can become of them, let them liberatePalestine from the Zionists, rather than [bully] half a millionBahrainis – good defenseless people.”

The [Saud clan] says that they are the ‘lions of the Sunna.’ You,the lions of the Sunna? Pffff… Nonsense. They said: ‘We are thelions of the Sunna facing Iran.’ Don’t make me laugh. You? FacingIran? The day Saddam entered Kuwait, you all fled and brought theU.S. to defend you.”

Al-Nimr references Bahrain, where the Shia majority population isbeing ruled ruthlessly by a small Sunni leadership, supported by SaudiArabia’s army. The violence between Shias and Sunnis has spread intoeastern Saudi Arabia in recent weeks, and is being inflamed further bythe sectarian violence in Syria. Telegraph and Memri

Syrian regime massacre receives widespread condemnation

The regime of Syrian president Bashar al-Assad’s has been trying toblame Thursday’s horrific massacre on mysterious groups of gunmen.Over 200 people were killed in the village of Taramseh, near Homa.However, nobody seems to be accepting al-Assad’s story line. UNSecretary-General Ban Ki-moon said, “I condemn, in the strongestpossible terms, the indiscriminate use of heavy artillery and shellingof populated areas, including by firing from helicopters.” KofiAnnan, who runs around from country to country trying to sell one ofhis Syria “peace plans,” said that he was “shocked and appalled” byreports of regime violence. (If I’m not mistaken, Annan always justsays he’s “shocked and appalled.”) US Secretary of State HillaryClinton said that the use of artillery, tanks and helicopters, providecivilians.” None of this makes any difference, however, sinceal-Assad’s strategy of extermination and atrocity is fully supportedby the Russians. Reuters