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Posted: 29th November 2011 by Junaid Akhlaq in Uncategorized
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In his report ‘Getting Bin Laden’*, The New Yorker’s Nicholas Schmidle says:

http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2011/08/08/110808fa_fact_schmidle?currentPage=all

“The Abbottabad raid was not DEVGRU’s maiden venture into Pakistan, either. The team had surreptitiously entered the country on ten to twelve previous occasions, according to a special-operations officer who is deeply familiar with the bin Laden raid. Most of those missions were forays into North and South Waziristan, where many military and intelligence analysts had thought that bin Laden and other Al Qaeda leaders were hiding. (Only one such operation—the September, 2008, raid of Angoor Adda, a village in South Waziristan—has been widely reported.)”

DEVGRU* is the acronym given to the Naval Special Warfare Development Group (NAVSPECWARDEVGRU, or simply DEVGRU) formerly and famously known as SEAL Team Six*. The secretive team shot to fame* after it reportedly killed Al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden in the Pakistani city of Abbottabad.

http://www.devgru.org/

http://sealteamsix.americanspecialops.com/

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43044332/ns/us_news-life/t/seal-mania-grips-us-wake-bin-laden-raid/

In the same report, Schmidle claims several members of the team had been on missions to various countries around the world days before they landed in Abbottabad.

As Luck Would Have It

Posted: 28th October 2011 by Junaid Akhlaq in Featured, Latest, Opinion, Pakistan
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The players after the game

The players after the game

After a special request from Mohsin KK, I accepted the responsibility of writing the report on Thursday’s match. I must say the two words that come to my mind to describe the game are brilliant and ‘enlightening.’

Although, I have serious reservations to KK’s confidence in my ability to report the game in its entirety (considering my short-term memory problem), I will still try to do it justice in this report.

Pre-Game Preparations
The day started like any other, apart for the fact that the eight long hours were torturous for some of the players (including me, even though I youtubed a lot to kill time). Everyone was excited for the after-work special, even more so due to the anticipated face-off between KK and his victim of last time, Shauki the Man in Blue. However, that was not the only challenge KK had to face, for he had himself challenged Saad (S) to a duel. He had said (on record) that he would ‘overpower’ S and that the latter’s ‘ass was on the line.’ I was especially looking forward to this clash.

However, I must say, neither of the players put their hearts into the challenges that we were hoping would be the highlight of the game.

The highlight was, in the words of S, some off-ball action involving Tanzil The Deity.

Anyway, back to pre-game statistics. A couple of prospective players did ditch us this time around again (Zaheer Tension and Zubair Khamoshi), but we were still four-a-side with a player (Shehryar Chammak Challo) to spare. This certainly proved to be better than last time when we were only three players on either side. This time around, we managed to dedicate a player to the goal.

The Game
The game started with Real Juno facing Jaan FC. Just before the match started, I told my team in a pre-match huddle that since S and the Man in Blue had better stamina than the Deity and I, the former two should be at the fore while the latter two would be on the defence. I must admit, the strategy worked wonderfully, but as luck would have it, we still lost 4-3 to Jaan FC.

S missed no less than SIX easy chances at the goal that were made possible after some wonderful play by the MiB.
In some of these passes by MiB, S was merely feet away from the goal, but as soon as the ball touched his foot, it went astray.

However, the real tragedy would have been if S had not scored at all, but two successful attempts at hitting the net saved him from utter humiliation.

The Abominable Snowman (Haider) scored a pretty controversial, but amazing goal with a shot from the half-line. His team was, and still is, ecstatic about that one, but MM insists it went through the goal after a slight tap by Kami, the TB. The goal is controversial because we had agreed that goals will only be scored from near the goal, not from afar due to our lack in numbers.

Casualties
There were two major incidents in the match that caused play to be stopped. In the first incident, a player from Jaan FC (I don’t remember which one) shot the ball straight into my stomach (good thing I hadn’t eaten my fill during lunch, lol). In the heat of the moment, I managed to clear the ball and averted a goal, but after that one clearing tap at the ball, I fell to the ground because the ball had hit the spot right under the ribcage… the spot that martial artists warn should always be well guarded. However, this incident had good news attached to it too… it heralded the end of the first half.

The second casualty was about 15 minutes before the end of the game. It happened when KK got a beautiful pass from his team and he was just feet away from our goal. In his excitement, KK didn’t look where he was shooting and the Deity (our goalie) sacrificed everything for the ball. He didn’t let it through the net and cleared the ball, though at a heavy price. Being a good man who always calls a spade a spade, D stopped the ball with a ball. KK, who was furious at missing the goal from such close proximity, forgot his fury and laughed uncontrollably when he heard D’s squeal (KK is still excited that D squeals like a girl).

Media coverage
Right at the beginning of the game, Chammak Challo was assigned the prestigious duty of handling the camera. He was handed the phone that KK had so mischievously abused in our first game ever. CC went on to make what he claims and we can only imagine was a very aesthetically shot video footage of our game. It, however, also involved some pretty controversial close-ups, including D writhing on the ground after being downed by KK and my… well… I think a little editing here won’t hurt now, would it? :)

Anyway, the video was the only evidence that S had missed six easy chances at scoring.

Many players allege that CC had some ulterior motive and has sold the footage to agencies and corporations before deleting it from the phone. The invaluable footage, which was sought far and wide, is now lost… forever.

Terrorists and Talks

Posted: 18th October 2011 by Junaid Akhlaq in Opinion, Pakistan, World News
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Aaj Kamran Khan Ke Saath (AKKKS) had a pretty interesting proposition on October 14, 2011. The programme ran a header saying that since the US plans on holding negotiations with the Haqqani Network, Pakistan should talk to the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

Now this is a pretty interesting concept and one that, I believe, the Pakistan government should pay actually pay attention to.

Considering the US government’s attitude when it comes to the Haqqani Network, it is surprising why the Pakistani government is not following a similar track when it comes to the TTP.

Many US legislators have demanded their government several times to put the Haqqani Network on the list of terrorist organisations. However, the American administration has refused this demand each time, saying that the organisation is an important party for talks on peace in Afghanistan and putting it on the State Department’s list of terrorist organisations would serve to antagonise it. Therefore, the US government has only declared some Haqqani leaders as terrorists, but not the organisation or its founders.

Historically speaking, the Haqqani Network was created in the 1980s during the soviet invasion of Afghanistan. Pakistan Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar has said during an interview with Al-Jazeera that the US had helped create the Haqqani Network and that the organisation had been America’s ‘blue-eyed boy’ for several decades. She also hinted that the CIA might still have an influence over the outfit. When we consider all these facts, there is no surprise the US government is unwilling to declare it a terrorist outfit.

 

Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan

Now consider the case of the TTP. The CIA and ISI had both helped create the Taliban in Afghanistan during the soviet invasion and later supported it when it formed a national government in 1993. Though the CIA left Afghanistan and apparently abandoned the Taliban after Russia was defeated, the ISI kept its links and its influence over the organisation. The TTP is a brainchild of Taliban leaders and operatives. Thus, they have a natural tendency to relate to the Pakistani intelligence, which may already have a lot of influence over the outfit.

Rugby on skates: Women’s roller derby

Posted: 11th October 2011 by Saad Yusuf Mustafa in Featured, Sports, Uncategorized
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Capture

Whip It, Jack, Murder and Von Bitch show off their uniforms.

They’re part of a team, or league, called the London Rockin’ Rollers here for a routine Roller Derby practice session, which is one of Britain’s fastest growing grass root sports. It’s been around in the United States for decades and only arrived in Britain four years ago—but there has already been impressive growth with the emergence of twenty four clubs across the UK. And new teams are popping up almost every month across Europe.

The Rockin’ Rollers began skating in 2007 and their members have doubled since. Teams skate around an oval track trying to score points by getting one of their players, the jammer, to pass through the pack of other skaters. There are five players from either side on the floor at a time, including the pivot, blocker, inside and outside. But the rules aren’t that simple. Things can get a little messy. One of the team members Linda Ericsson (‘Kit Kat Power’) described it as “Rugby on skates” – without the ball of course.

Concussions, broken limbs and torn muscles are just some of the injuries roller derby players have suffered. But the Rockin’ Rollers say that injuries are just a part of sport. One of the team’s most experienced members Jayne Plackett (‘Bloody Valentine’) explained legal blocking maneuvers as anything between the shoulders and knees—almost anything goes.

But everyone wears protective gear like helmets, mouth guards and elbow and knee pads—and players aren’t allowed to skate until they do so. Jayne says that people don’t have to be expert skaters to join the sport. The team has a ‘newbie’ program which runs from 10-12 weeks that teaches the basics of skating.

Refreshingly, this is primarily a female dominated contact-sport, but if you look around closely, you can spot the lone male somewhere in the room. In fact men are allowed to help out as referees—with interesting names like ‘Pissed and Broke’.

The names are probably one of the more invigorating aspects of the sport. There is one organization in the US where players can register their name and number, which is unique to them. Some put a crazy twist to their own names, while others just make up intimidating titles like the ‘Von Bitch’.

Finances though still remain a problem for the fledgling sport and teams mostly have to promote events themselves through the internet and word-of-mouth—the equipment doesn’t come cheap either. But some equipment manufacturers are beginning to sponsor sides. While players in the states may be able to earn a sizeable amount playing the sport, the Rockin’ Rollers all rely on day jobs.

According to the Women’s Sport and Fitness Foundation three percent of women participate in team sports compared to seventeen percent of men—so why are more women joining one like roller derby? Linda says there are a number of reasons—the most important being the need to break free from the daily routine and add some much-needed excitement.

Dr. Victor Thompson, a clinical sports psychologist, says that the pressures of daily life drive both men and women to have physiological stimulation and rushes of the ‘feel good’ hormone, endorphin. But Dr. Thompson puts the increasing participation of women down to the changing dynamic of society where they occupy increasingly dominant roles. He says their more aggressive roles allow them to express themselves in a similar manner in sports. Dr. Thompson says that Roller Derby, like other active sports, also has health benefits. It helps improve cardiovascular health and has real social advantages for those involved.

This story was originally published on www.thefirstpint.co.uk on February 27th, 2010. I was assisted during the interviews on the story by a classmate, who did a related piece. Watching the sport for real was quite an experience – hats off to these ladies for doing what they do. 

Back to square one

Posted: 9th October 2011 by Saad Yusuf Mustafa in Uncategorized
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What a difference a a couple of months make. Last season Arsenal faced the mighty Barcelona in the knock out stages of the UEFA Champions League somewhat on level footing. For the first time in a couple of seasons the Gunners were still in contention for an unprecedented quadruple and they had an exceptionally fit squad. The first leg of that tie was possibly one of the best games of football I’ve seen in a long time. It wasn’t the scoreline or Arsenal’s magnificent comeback that made this a special game ? it was the manner in which Barcelona were beaten.

One of the Sky Sports commentators offered the following analysis of the recent Barcelona-AC Milan game. He said, “Milan scored the only kind of goals Barca are likely to concede. That is if you get a pass through their backline and have someone like Pato on the pitch – and the second from a set piece.”

The beauty of Barcelona’s defeat earlier this year at the Emirates lay in the details. For once both teams were able to put out full strength squads, and for once they were beaten at their own game. The goals did not come from set pieces rather from some brilliant one-touch football. Barcelona were matched pass for pass that night. Wenger showed his arrogant side yet again by playing such a high line in defence, which could have ultimately cost him.Eight months later the Gunners have lost two of their most influential players and are suffering an unprecedented injury crisis that has left their season in tatters. On Wednesday night they held on for a nervy 2-1 win over Greek Champions Olympiakos – a scoreline similar to that against Barcelona – the contrast was immense. Despite the fact that they lost two group games in the Champions League last season away from home, Arsenal’s goal scoring record was phenomenal. However, all that has changed this term. They are struggling to find inspiration in the middle of the pitch and that has made goals even harder to come by.

In all honesty that is more down to injuries than to anything else. I can?t help but imagine how the Gunners would fare with Wilshere and Vermaelen in the first team. The latter of the two could be back sooner rather than later, but Wilshere is out for this year and possibly further. Given the current crop of players at the managers disposal  I am convinced he will have to dip into the transfer market in January – exclusively for a midfielder.

While I was dwelling on the Gunners achievements earlier this year, I was also checking in on the North-London derby from work. A three-game winning streak (never thought I’d see the day) that was supposed to be a confidence booster came to an abrupt end at White Hart Lane courtesy a spectacular goal from Kyle Walker, which should propel him to instant stardom like Danny Rose.

To Arsenal’s credit, they did show flashes of what they’re capable of, sadly both the good and bad were on show. Aaron Ramsey scored the equalizer on an afternoon where he left a lot to be desired. The defence played their usual frenzied game – and Szczesny made a rare error. However, the disappointment of losing was nothing compared to the broken leg suffered by Bacary Sagna. Both the manager and Barcelona’s Cesc Fabregas seem to concur that he will be out for at least three months. I’m not sure about the other Arsenal fans, but I am getting sick and tired of all these injuries. Either the support staff hasn’t got the players on proper diets, or they’re generally lightweights and we’re really unlucky this season.

Either way it’s one more reason for the manager to delve into the transfer market in January. Midfield is probably the priority, but a quality replacement for Bacary Sagna and more defensive cover should also be on the agenda. Otherwise we might only see this team’s real potential towards the tail end of the season by which time it could already be too late.

Al-Qaeda Propagandist Samir Khan Killed with Awlaki

Posted: 1st October 2011 by Junaid Akhlaq in News, World News
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The Yemeni government has said in a statement that a second Al-Qaeda leader was killed in the drone strike that killed Yemeni-American cleric Anwar al-Awlaki, key recruiter for the militant group.

Samir Khan

Al-Qaeda propagandist and magazine editor Samir Khan

The second person killed has been identified as Samir Khan, the editor of Al-Qaeda’s English-language magazine in the Arabian Peninsula – Inspire. The magazine frequently published Awlaki’s writings.

The Al-Qaeda propagandist was a North Carolina-based American of Pakistani origin.

Since its launch in June 2010, seven issues of the magazine have been released, but publication has been far from smooth. British intelligence officers hacked into an early edition, inserting a pdf file containing fairy cake recipes and garbling most of the magazine’s 67 pages.

University Student Makes Flying Carpet from Plastic

Posted: 1st October 2011 by Junaid Akhlaq in News, Weird News, World News
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Princeton University graduate student Noah Jafferis has made a miniature flying carpet out of a sheet of smart plastic.

Electrical currents through the plastic force it a undulate in such a way that pockets of air become trapped underneath and pushed backwards.

The sheet in turn is lifted by the air packets, and propelled forwards.

The long-term plan is to make it autonomous by giving it an independent power supply, such as solar panels or thin-film batteries, and on-board digital controls.

Gunmen Kidnap Disabled Frenchwoman From Kenyan Resort

Posted: 1st October 2011 by Junaid Akhlaq in News, World News
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Gunmen who snatched a disabled 66-year-old Frenchwoman from her home near a luxury Kenyan resort and fled towards Somalia were intercepted by Kenyan coastuards at sea Saturday, officials said.

Frenchwoman kidnapped from Kenyan resort

Frenchwoman kidnapped from Kenyan resort

“There is still a stand-off between the Kenyan coastguards and the gunmen. An army helicopter is also hovering over the vessel and we are continually monitoring the situation,” Tourism Minister Najib Balala told AFP by telephone.

Balala said two coastguard vessels had surrounded the abductors’ boat in the Arabian Sea.

The kidnapping, which happened late Friday just across an idyllic lagoon from the celebrity-packed resort island of Lamu, came less than a month after a British woman was abducted and her husband killed a few kilometres to the north.

“It is true that we are looking for an elderly woman from France who was abducted by gunmen last night from Manda Bay,” a senior police officer in the coastal city of Mombasa said earlier.

“We have dispatched a chopper to chase the abductors who are suspected of being headed to Somalia,” Ernest Munyi, head of police for the Coast province, told AFP.

He said the abductors had forced a man working for the Frenchwoman and living nearby to take them to his employer.

“The gang knocked on the door of the house help who stays in an adjacent house and when he resisted, they forced themselves in. They then directed him to take them to the house of their boss, which he did,” he said.

“We are yet to establish if the gang was Somali pirates, the Shebab militia or a normal gang,” Munyi said.

Local sources said the woman was wheelchair-bound and well known in the area, where she spends much of the year. The kidnappers did not take the wheelchair with them.

“We were all startled awake because there were gunshots,” said Jeremiah Kiptoon, who works on Manda Island.

“The dogs were barking and people were screaming… I ran to the place to see what was happening but by the time I got there, the lady was gone.”

She was kidnapped on Manda Island, just across a lagoon from Shela, an exclusive resort on Lamu island popular with the rich and famous. Princess Caroline of Monaco owns property there.

The island – part of the Lamu archipelago on Kenya’s Indian Ocean coast – hosts a luxury hotel and was until recently considered to be one of the safest destinations in the country.

In the wake of Friday’s kidnapping France’s consulate in Nairobi issued a formal warning to French visitors to avoid the archipelago and the region up to the Somali border.

On September 11, gunmen attacked a British couple in their fifties — Judith and David Tebbutt — on holiday north of Lamu.

The Tebbutts, from the town of Bishop’s Stortford in southeastern England, were the only guests at the Kiwayu Safari Village, just 40 kilometres (25 miles) from the border with conflict-ravaged Somalia.

David Tebbutt was shot dead and his wife was captured. She is believed to have been sold on to pirates now holding her in central Somalia.

Following Tebbutt’s kidnapping France had warned its citizens to be careful in the region, while Britain advised against all but essential travel to within 60 kilometres (35 miles) of the Somali border, widened from a previous 30 kilometres.

Somalia has been lawless for two decades after plunging into a bloody civil war with the 1991 ouster of president Mohamed Siad Barre.

Somali pirates frequently seize crew from merchant ships and pleasure craft in the dangerous waters off the conflict-ravaged Horn of Africa and have taken millions of dollars in ransom for their release.

A Briton kidnapped in southern Somalia in 2008, environmental researcher Murray Watson, is still missing.

A French secret service agent has also been held in Somalia for more than two years.

The Lamu archipelago is often included in package holidays to Kenya, together with game-viewing safaris in some of the country’s national parks.

Courtesy: AFP

Pakistan Toughens Up to the US… Finally!

Posted: 30th September 2011 by Junaid Akhlaq in News, Pakistan
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Hina Rabbani Khar talking to Al-Jazeera

Hina Rabbani Khar talking to Al-Jazeera

Pakistani foreign minister Hina Rabbani Khar has said on Wednesday that the United States has intelligence links with several international terrorist organisations.
In an interview with Al-Jazeera, Khar criticised the US for accusing Pakistan of having an influence over the Haqqani Network and using it to attack American troops in Afghanistan. The Haqqani Network is a militant organisation that, Khar said (cautiously), the CIA had created in Afghanistan in the 1980s. It is now said to have bases in the tribal areas of FATA and the bordering regions of Afghanistan.
Pakistan has always denied the allegation and Khar’s statement clearly indicated that Pakistan knew of US links to similar organisations across the globe. Khar said the Haqqani Network had been America’s blue-eyed boy for many years, possibly also suggesting that America still may have links within the network. An interesting fact is that the US government has so far refused to brand the network a terrorist outfit though several of its lawmakers have demanded, many times, that it be included in the list of international terrorist organisations.

Wardak Attack:
Talking about the infamous truck bomb attack on a CIA base in Wardak province of Afghanistan, it was difficult to understand that although the US knew of the truck attack at least two days before it happened, how did the truck travel all the way from FATA to west of Kabul and successfully attacked the US base without being checked by NATO forces. Kabul is at least 223 kilometres from the Pakistan border. And Wardak is further west of the capital.

US Policy Regarding Pakistan:
During the interview, the Pakistani FM also suggested that the American civil administration and its military brass do not seem to be on the same line on their policy regarding Pakistan. She said that though she had a very constructive meeting with the US secretary of state, the US military leadership seems to be following a policy of alienating its top War on Terror ally. She urged the US to try and understand Pakistan’s policies from the latter’s perspective.

Blame Game:
Khar said the US needs to keep its doors open as making Pakistan a scapegoat and playing the blame game wouldn’t solve any problems. She said the allegations that the US keeps levelling on Pakistan and its never-ending demands of ‘do more’ are not helping the two countries’ partnership. She said Pakistan wanted to partner with the US on the basis of mutual respect, with the aim of achieving mutual goals. Khar said Pakistan had been a very mature ally to the US and this fact should be respected.

Terrorist Threat:
The Pakistani foreign minister said that her country was the most at risk when it came to terrorist attacks. But America’s policy of taking unilateral surgical strikes like the May 2 raid on Osama bin Laden’s hideout in Abbottabad were a dangerous trend and one that would not be tolerated. She said the only solution to the common threat is a common solution, not unilateral strikes. Staying on this line, Khar said the US drone strikes on terrorist targets within Pakistan territory must be stopped because they are not only a violation of the country’s sovereignty, but are also counter-productive. She said the Pakistani government had finally convinced its people to own the war on terror, but when they are attacked by US drones they drift away from the government and its fight. In fact, the families whose members have fallen prey to drone strikes are the most vulnerable and terrorists use their sentiments of grief and revenge to recruit them as volunteers against the Pakistani and US troops in both neighbouring countries.

Herman Cain Wins Early Florida Test Vote – Can He Keep the Momentum?

Posted: 26th September 2011 by Junaid Akhlaq in News, World News
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Herman Cain won an early test vote in Florida that lacked most of the leading candidates’ participation.

Herman Cain

Herman Cain during the debate

Cain captured 37.1 percent of the vote in Saturday’s straw poll, with Texas Governor Rick Perry coming in second with 15.4 percent.

Cain is currently basking in the glory of his Saturday win in Florida, but he’s lagging way behind in national polls and his latest victory will only serve to intensify the scrutiny in his position.

Talking to Fox News after the results of the straw polls came out, Cain said, “The takeaway from Florida, that we took away, is that number one, the citizens movement is more powerful than the establishment wants to give me credit for. So yes, they keep treating me like the Rodney Dangerfield of this primary contest.”

Cain claimed that the people were with him. He also went on to challenge the US establishment and said they would not make the call this time and the people’s will would reign supreme.

Most analysts see Saturday’s unscientific Florida poll of 2,657 delegates (party activists who paid $175 to participate) as one blip on a long trail of debates and straw polls – and one that mainly was a rebuke of Texas Governor Rick Perry.

Perry, whose three debate performances seem to have gotten progressively worse and some of whose positions have drawn sharp critical response from party conservatives, managed to win just 15 percent of the straw poll tally compared to 37 percent for Cain. The loss was all the more troubling for the Perry camp since the Texas governor and late entry to the race had lobbied hard for delegate votes.

Cain’s principal thrust has been on the economy, mainly his ’999 Plan’ for tax reform starting with a 25 percent limit on personal and business taxes, then moving to a 9 percent flat tax for businesses and individuals, plus a 9 percent national sales tax.

But he’s also made some controversial statements that may come back to haunt him if his campaign continues to succeed and he comes under greater scrutiny.

He’s called Social Security a scam, for example. And he’s had to apologise to Muslim Americans for suggesting that communities could ban mosques.

So far, Cain has yet to take off in national polls. The latest Rasmussen poll gives him just 7 percent; the McClatchy-Marist poll has him at 5 percent, as does the CBS News/New York Times poll of Republican primary voters; the Bloomberg News national poll gives him 4 percent; and the CNN/Opinion Research poll puts Cain at 5 percent.

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