BOWMAN/CIP MOD speak for "Crock of Shit"

MODERN HI-SPEED COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY AT WORK (?) IN AFGHANISTAN

According to a report in the Sunday Mirror and unofficial army blogs the new £2Mn. Bowman radio system (BMN) suffers from exploding lithium batteries when water / rain seeps into the handset (.... as it does).

Apart from a refit of 12,000 batteries the Mirror quotes an MoD spokeswoman who said: "A full investigation is being carried out. All Bowmans destined for Iraq or Afghanistan are getting a new battery cover to ensure no water can get to the battery. (Rumour in Kandahar is that means they will come in a polythene bag)

Apparently a Safety Notice had been issued some time ago advising users of this problem.

The PBI translate BOWMAN as Better off with a Map and a Nokia

BOWMAN - a "Difficult History"

The BAE Systems-led Archer Consortium, was developing the Bowman "armoured internet" digital communications system, which was to replace the heavy and antique analogue "Clansman" system. They were sacked after a reported expenditure of £330 million. (BAE have just sold their share of Airbus to concentrate on their "core skills" of electronics and communications) The National Audit Office - see later - have searing report on this balls up - which was really only an entree for the managerial shambles to follow.

In March 2004 Lord Bach at the MOD in a noticeably upbeat statement (the leitmotif of all MOD statements on the subject) announced that the new BOWMAN developed by the US defence Contractor General Dynamics at a cost of £1.2 Bn was being introduced.The programme is now called BOWMAN/CIP (Combat Infrastructure Platform) and costs £2.4 Bn.

Immediate problems arose over the weight of the "tactical units" which at 15 lbs were heavier than the units they replaced, the base units were even worse.

Initial difficulties were finding space in the Challenger 2 tank and the Warrior armoured personnel carrier. For the light infantry the company level radio unit was too heavy for the 3/4 ton Land Rover ,it was so heavy it broke the vehicle's chassis and it is now to be fitted on a reinforced two-ton Pinzgauer vehicle.

There was however a post design project with Land Rover to investigate the feasibility of an upgrade of front and rear axle weights to allow Bowman to be fitted to the Land Rover.

However the principal problem is that the system was designed in the 80's prior to radical changes in communications technology. The growth in bandwidth requirements due to UAVs etc., transmitting video, graphoc images, 3 d maps and interactive screen displays without providing more money, the lack of robustness and modifiability in its closed architecture software systems spelt trouble from the start.

Add to this a pronounced lack of definition on training and doctrine, and the effects of the program on the now tiny British tactical radio industry and you have the recipe for disaster soup.

NATIONAL AUDIT OFFICE is called in

It is a sure sign that when Sir John Bourne, a man of outstanding ability, penetrating intellect, talent and honesty combined with silky charm and a large dose of affable wit, is brought in ,the Government (of which he is independent - he is a servant of the Houses of Parliament) are in such deep shit they haven't a clue what to do. e.g MRSA, the Millenium Dome etc., etc.,

For those interested further the National Audit Office produced a report on July 26th this year (i.e at the start of the holidays when no-one is looking) , "Delivering digital tactical communications through the Bowman CIP programme" ,you can download the report here (1.6 MN PDF alert)Executive Summary HTML here

"Bowman was declared in service in April 2004 but, not unusually, with some shortfalls in capability (27 provisos, 20 of which still apply, against the achievement of 18 of the Department’s 19 key user requirements)."

It is vital to understand how essential this system is to the core to the capability of the whole UK armed forces...

"Under Bowman CIP some 48,000 radios and 28,000 computer terminals are to be installed in up to 15,700 vehicles, as well as ships, boats and helicopters. An estimated 75,000 ( i.e 75% of the armed forces) users are to be trained on the system."

Chapter headings briefly and starkly determine the utter fucking complete, and costly fucking shambles the managment of this project, core to the capability of the whole UK armed forces has been. Every tax payer should read it.

Management arrangements must be flexible and responsive and embrace all aspects of capability

How the Department can further develop its managerial arrangements for the delivery and sustainment of military capability

Agile decision making must be underpinned by high quality information

What more the Department can do to take well informed, agile decisions

and finally

The future of Bowman CIP

With a sad, almost despairing note ....

10. By December 2004, it was clear that the Bowman CIP programme was over-ambitious and needed thorough revision. A recast programme was approved in July 2006. The recast of the Bowman CIP programme has given the Department and General Dynamics UK greater confidence about the way ahead. Funding for the programme has been raised by £121 million (5%) and the timescale for delivering capability has been extended by two years to mid 2007 for full delivery of the minimum military capability required. Technical challenges remain to be overcome to secure and build on the operational benefits already being obtained through faster, secure voice transmission.

The average tax payer and TV viewer might have noticed that the UK forces have been committed whilst all this has been going on to fighting two wars / battles / insurgencies / asymmetric guerilla wars against, lightweight, poorly armed, but determined and agile foes wholly familiar with their territory, who are defending their homeland against what they see as aggressors and empirical occupiers.

The average tax payer and TV viewer might reasonably take the view that this sad shambles of a spatchcock comms system - replaced by many active soldiers with their cheap, familiar 24/7 service mobile phone has contributed to the unfolding catastrophe in Iraq and Afghanistan.

With this wonderful technology the front line soldier gets 10 free minutes each week to phone home....If he was in prison in the UK he would get 20 minutes

THE PICTURE

This comes from a wonderful document you can find here from a recruitment firm "Jam Jobs" looking for staff for ...Joint Systems Integration Body (JSIB)

"Digitization comprises a number of components, including BOWMAN, ComBAT Information and Platform BISA (CIP) and other BISAs, together with a new generation of sensors, platforms and weapon systems, such as ASTOR, FRES and SOOTHSAYER, to achieve Network Enabled Capability (NEC). Consequently, there is a need to ensure that digitization is delivered in a co-ordinated and coherent way. The Joint System Integration Body (JSIB), a partnering arrangement between General Dynamics UK and the UK MoD Bowman & Land Digitization (BLD) IPT, is the means by which this will be achieved." Copyright Jam Jobs

That looks a truly battle hardened system they are cooking on there but to be fair there are some pictures of soldiers in tanks and an Apache helicopter ...

"

APACHE - BOWMAN Connectivity...

...is an addition to the ongoing BOWMAN programme that will provide secure data and voice communications between the British Army's attack helicopter and the related land-based operational units. General Dynamics UK's solution delivers this additional capability through an innovative mechanism by adapting some of the BOWMAN Network Access Units (NAU) which then provide an integrated communications network with previously under utilised facilities within the airborne weapons platform." ... which is not what one of the very rare qualified Apache helicopter pilots still in the Army will tell you.

Leading edge hi-tech memory

Demand for fast, low weight, size, power consumption and cost memory has grown at a compound 70% over the last few years. Fortunately the world’s leading suppliers have been able to decrease the size and hence speed and density of solid state memory. The theory of double-density memory growth every 12 months, floated by Dr. Chang Gyu Hwang, president and CEO of Samsung Electronics’ Semiconductor Business in 2002 (like Groves’ famous theory of transistor doubling) has so far been proved correct.

Last year Samsung announced on September 12th 2005 a 16 Gigabit (Gb) NAND density device using 50-nanometer technology.

The 16Gb density translates into 32-Gigabytes (GBs). This 32GB density translates into the ability to store either 200 years of an average daily newspaper, 8000 MP3 music files (680 hours) or 20 DVD resolution movies (32 hours of high resolution video footage) on a mobile device.

The NAND flash market has enjoyed a compounded annual growth rate of 70 % from 2001 through 2005.

Well keeping up with this doubling technology Samsung Electronics today announced the industry’s first 40-nanometer memory device. The new 32 Gigabit (Gb) NAND flash device is the first memory to incorporate a Charge Trap Flash (CTF) architecture, a new approach to further increase manufacturing efficiency while greatly improving performance and which will, by reducing inter-cell noise levels allow manufacturing using 30 and even 20nm traces.

This works by discarding the conventional control gate in a typical floating gate structure. With CTF, data is temporarily placed in a “holding chamber” of the non-conductive layer of the flash memory composed of silicon nitride (SiN).

The CTF design is enabled through the use of the proprietary Samsung TANOS structure was first revealed in 2003 and is comprised of tantalum (metal), aluminum oxide (high k material), nitride, oxide and silicon. The use of a TANOS structure marks the first application of a metal layer coupled with a high k material to the NAND device.

The 32Gb density translates into 64-Gigabytes (GBs) or over 64 hours of DVD resolution movies (40 movies) or 16,000 MP3 music files (1,340 hours - 10 weeks).

Samsungs mass market 8 GB device MOVI announced recently in July provides for 223 minutes of DVD film and id meant for mobile phones, camcorders or as a carrier for rental films – until broadband developments allow fast domestic DVD film downloading.

Devices such as this will provide massive storage facilities for 3/4th generation cell-phones that weigh ounces take colour pictures, colour videos with sound, act as GSP location / direction devices, with Intrent connectivity, e-mail, texting .....

Crowds turn out for Blair in Beirut

Thanks to Nur

Al ist klar

Those readers startled to read in the Daily Torygraph today page 6

" The Labour leadership race will step up another gear today when Peter Hain ...confirms he wants to become Deputy Leader ....."

..and interested in the science of political futurology might wish to turn their attention (and their browser) to :


Sunday, July 16
Political / Police skullduggery, censoring the blogs and Prime Minister Reid in waiting
http://postmanpatel.blogspot.com/2006/07/political-police-skullduggery.html

"It is also evident that Lord Patel's exclusive about the deal between Sir Ian Blair and Tony Blair hs worked out on the square, which is of course pivotal to Reid's enthronement in the Arch - along with Peter Hain."

Thursday, July 13
Lord Patel examines his Crystal Balls
http://postmanpatel.blogspot.com/2006/07/lord-patel-examines-his-crystal-balls.html

"John Rottweiller Reid, fresh from clearing the Augean Stables at the Home Office sweeps in on a tide of regional revolt with Peter Hain, King of Wales and NI as deputy (Prescott having handed in his dinner pail,) Mr Study in Brown stays in his No 11 study."

..but then followers of the venerable Lord Patel and watchers at Betfair will be on the inside track with this one. Now all it needs for that heart murmer to trouble our Dear Leader again.

Unreal story about the Real Thing.

Democracy reaches Iraq via mass hangings in Abu Ghraib and shutting Arab TV stations down. Afghanistan celebrates liberation by American educated President Karzai opening a US$25 Coca Cola Plant.

The old Coke plant was razed in the 62-66 civil war. Now Dubai based businessman Habibullah Gulzar, regional distributor of Coca Cola soft drinks and the world's greatest optimist, is building a state-of-the-art factory, to produce 15 million 24-bottle cases of soft drinks a year.

"This is another step forward for economic growth, self-sufficiency and better living standards for Afghanistan," Karzai said in a speech inside the plant, where 350 people will find jobs (none of them women).

Richard Norland, the Deputy at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul's , said the Coke factory opening, was a positive step that would create more jobs and prove big multinationals could do business in Afghanistan. This diplomatic simpleton said (to Fox News) that a close relationship with Coca-Cola Pakistan might also help improve ties between Kabul and Islamabad. Norland did acknowledged there was a risk the plant would be seen as a "vestige of the modern or Western world and as a target."

"Anybody who goes after this operation is only hurting the people of Afghanistan," he said, which is a species of logic which would be difficult to find on the unlit, sewage strewn, battle scarred and broken streets of downtown Kabul where a suicide bomber killed 16 people including 2 US soldiers on Sunday.

Lord Patel wonders if he is arranging insurance for his plant with the same folks (Wright & Co) who are providing CIA spooks with cover (US$300 p.a.) for torturing prisoners.(WAPO today and JURIST)

Lord Patel is going to lie down in a darkened room for a while.

Who am I ? Well ... we know where you live+ APB on Lord Levy - kidnapped again ?

I woke up in a Soho doorway
A policeman knew my name
He said "You can go sleep at home tonight
If you can get up and walk away"


chorus:
Well, who are you? (Who are you? Who, who, who, who?)
I really wanna know (Who are you? Who, who, who, who?)
Tell me, who are you? (Who are you? Who, who, who, who?)
'Cause I really wanna know (Who are you? Who, who, who, who?)

“Who are You ?” The Who

Fingerprints have been used as evidence of identity since the French anthropologist Alphonse Bertillon devised a system of standardised measurements. Modern technology provides many different supportive techniques, palm prints, facial, iris patterns , DNA which may be combined with official databases for vehicles, passports / visas / taxes / National Insurance / Immigration / Prison / Police / Courts for law enforcement purposes.

If you are a UK resident and have provided your fingerprints or other information, have been caught speeding through the Automatic Number Plate Recognition system (ANPR) or provided a DNA swab which is required on arrest you may wonder what happens to the record produced… by the way 10 Police forces this month will be trialling LANTERN for live mobile identification in conjunction with APNR and eventually it will be in use by all police forces throughout England and Wales (but not Scotland and Northern Ireland).

If photographed (see Footnote re pic here) your face will appear on FIND, the National Facial Image Database not to forget National Video Identification Strategy (NVIS), which is part of the Home Office's Street Crime Initiative (SCI) of April 2002. Since then, two systems have been used to provide automated and systematic approach to delivering identity parades: Profile Matching which is more commonly known as (PROMAT) and Video Identification Parade Electronic Recording known as VIPER.

Nor should you overlook The Vehicle Procedures and Fixed Penalty Office (VP/FPO) which streamlines (?) the processing and tracking of fixed penalties issued for motoring offences.
Finally … let’s hope you don’t appear on ViSOR the Violent Offender and Sex Offender Register which maintains data and intelligence (?) on those individuals who have been identified as posing a risk of serious harm to the public.

PITO

The Police Information Technology Organisation (PITO) have supported UK law enforcement bodies for the last 10 years. From April 2007 a single organisation, the National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA), will replace all the existing national policing organisations such as PITO.

The Information Systems Strategy for the Police Sevice ( ISS4PS) was officially launched on the 24th July 2006. One of the clearly defined goals of ISS4PS is :
Police IT will be managed under a single governance structure, (NPIA) with clearly defined responsibilities.

PITO used to be responsible for the National Automated Fingerprint Identification System (NAFIS) . In 2001 the huge US defence Contractor Northrop Grumman Corporation introduced Livescan allowing live fingerprint capture with direct transmission of the digital images to NAFIS, enabling an immediate identification (‘live ID’)

Livescan is a product of Identix Incorporated (Nasdaq:IDNX) ihe world's leading multi-biometric technology company. Identix provides fingerprint, facial and skin biometric technologies, as well as systems, and critical system components that empower the identification of individuals in large-scale ID and ID management programs.

In the US the Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD12) will be rolled out by October this year. HSPD12 and FIPS201 call for all federal government employees and contractors to undergo a fingerprint background check as a precursor to being issued an interoperable PIV smart card that would grant secure access to designated buildings and information technology infrastructure across the federal government. Analysts estimate that at least 7 million Federal employees and Contractors will receive a PIV card.

On August 29, 2006, Identix merged with Viisage (NASDAQ: VISG) whose products include IdentityTOOLS(TM) SDK, Viisage PROOF(TM), FaceEXPLORER(R), iA-thenticate(R), ID-GUARD(R), BorderGuard(R), PIER(TM), HIIDE(TM), AutoTest(TM), FacePASS(TM) and FaceFINDER(R).

This deal results in the formation of L-1 Identity Solutions Inc. (With the rather iconic NYSE Ticker : ID).

Viisage's IBT will merge with Identix Identification Services to create a subsidiary offering electronic fingerprinting technology for applicant fingerprint submissions and background checks. IBT's primary business was with the federal government awhile IIS served mostly state government, creating complimentary business operations, says Jim Moar, president of Minnetonka, Minn.-based Identix.

"We're not quite there yet, but we're getting toward creating what is a national network of fingerprinting centers," Moar says.

PITO's Director of Identification, is Dr Fred Preston who In the 1990s spent nearly 4 years working with the FBI, in the US, developing and implementing the United States Federal fingerprint system, Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System (IAFIS) for which Grumman Northrop were major contractors. IAFIS went live nationwide in the US in 1999 with 48 million records. Dr. Preston’s many international connections include promotion of standards for the exchange of information for law enforcement, and he chairs the Interpol AFIS Experts Groups.

In 2000, the US Congress directed the US Department of Justice to develop a plan to integrate the INS Automated Biometric Identification System (IDENT) and the FBI Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System (IAFIS).

IN 2001 Grumman Northrop were contracted for 5 years (US$14.5 Mn contract) to integrate for the US Department of Justice the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) Automated Biometric Identification System (IDENT) and the FBI Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System (IAFIS). When completed, it was stated , the new system will allow federal officials to conduct background checks on illegal immigrants more quickly, efficiently and accurately.
IDENT1

In 2004 the IDENT1 platform developed by Northrop Grumman Corporation (INS Automated Biometric Identification System) was introduced by PITO. In April 2005 the first major project milestone was achieved – start of IDENT1 Service and Transfer of Responsibility (TOR) from NAFIS and Scottish Livescan services to IDENT1

The upgrade of all bureau hardware to IDENT1 strategic platform was completed by November 2005.

By July 2007 it is intended that the Strategic Information Services Platform (SISP) platform to enable biometric identification and links to criminal justice and public safety agencies will be fully installed.

IDENT1

Being able to identify one person from many is a cornerstone of policing.

PITO-inspired technology now lets the authorities do this faster and more accurately than ever. IDENT1, supersedes NAFIS, adds increasingly sophisticated identification techniques to the existing platform, while ensuring business continuity of the existing service to police.
IDENT1 is part of a wider drive towards formulating codes of best practice for government use of biometrics, such as facial imaging, fingerprint and iris technology.

Grumman Northrop in development of IDENT1 worked with SAGEM (Sagem Defense Securite is a high-technology company in the SAFRAN Group) who with Identix developed the Mexican voting system identification procedures which produced such an interesting result last month.

WHY ?

Why do the UK Law enforcement services rely on a US based defence contractor to plan, develop, install and maintain their internal law enforcement agencies personal identification services ? Ask your MP.

AND FINALLY

If you wonder what all this technology is designed to achieve consider these figures from the Cambridgeshire Police Website explaining their use of mobile and static APNR systems ;
1. 1.9 million vehicles on the DVLA database have no registered keeper.
2. Up to 10% of cars do not have a valid MOT certificate. (automatic £60 fine)
3. Over 1.6 million vehicles on UK roads do not have valid vehicle excise – a loss to the Treasury over £150 million every year. (automatic £60 fine and payment of unpaid tax)
4. The Association of British Insurers estimates 1 Mm. (5% of all drivers) Drivers drive without insurance - this equates to around 5% of all drivers. (An offence punishable by an endorseable £200 fine and six points on your license).
5. It is not unusual for drivers caught for the above offences to have outstanding fines, credit card fraud problems, or have other reasons to appear on the Police National Computer.
6. By use of multiple cameras in different locations, speeding vehicles can be identified.
With the completion of the LANTERN system with real time Livescan fingerprint identification, your details can be checked instantly at the roadside – and of course you vehicle and other details, name, address etc., will enter the IDENT1 database.

FOOTNOTE

Lord Patel does not have the resources of the Metropolitan Police who recently kidnapped Lord Levy (this may be a picture of the Karaoke King) who relieved him not only of his computers, but after taking his fingrepritns also his DNA (ugh!).

His picture is posted here ( as what our transatlantic ousins call an All Point Bulletin -APB) in case anyone saw him accompanying his tennis partner on abrief holiday in the Holy Land and adjacent territories this weekend as his personal messenger and Middle East envoy and food taster.

Lord Patel' s (admittedly limited) database , records in 1999 he visited 8 Middle Eastern countries in this capacity staying in British Embassies, including Syria, Jordan, Oman, Qatar, Israel, Egypt and Lebanon (where he was accused by the Lebanese Government of bringing them the Israeli position and the British Ambassador had to issue a statement to try and calm the situation down).

The Guradian (20/8/06 - 3 weeks ago) did report that the stackheeled diplomatic gadfly had "private talks with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to "test the diplomatic waters," and he also met Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.

The Jewish Telegraph said that reports of him being snubbed at this much heralded meeting were untrue and that,"Prime Minister (Ehud) Olmert has stated unequivocally that he views Prime Minister Blair as a sincere partner for the furthering of peace and stability in the Middle East," quoting an Israeli (London) embassy spokesman. The Jewish Telegraph online said reports spoke of , "the Israeli people look forward to welcoming Tony Blair to Israel in the near future."

Which wasn't what they said in Lebanon...Hezbollah leader Ghaleb Abu Zeynab, told Tony to stay away....

"I am not speaking on behalf of Hezbollah but all the Lebanese people. They do not want someone who cried crocodile tears to visit their country," Zeynab is quoted saying.

"He is up to his ears in the blood of Lebanese women and children.

He is not welcome here. He is a killer. He killed a whole nation, not just individuals," he said.

Which rather suggest that bouffant haired bon vivant was not really getting his Middle Eastern Envoy act together too well.

At a recent Downing Street Press Briefing (14th July 2006) the PMOS said when asked about the ME activities of the Totteridge Tennis coach , (without, the official scribe remarks a trace of irony) , " the PMOS said that the vast bulk of his work was behind the scenes ".

Which is why we circulate his picture. Of course if you see him being escorted in handcuffs to the rear of a Police van. Don't worry he is in good hands.

Asymmetrical warfare

Sixty-seven white roses , each representing a British passport holder who died on September 11^th five years ago, when the World Trade Centre was destroyed, were laid in a memorial garden in Grosvenor Square near the US Embassy today. The ceremony was organised by the US Embassy. Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell was there to represent the UK Government and laid a wreath as did US Ambassador Robert Tuttle.

At 1346 BST, the exact moment the first WTC South Tower was hit, and the first people were killed, a minutes silence was observed.

In Manhattan, Prince Andrew was among dignitaries to attend an hour long service at the British Memorial Garden, half a mile from where the deaths occurred. The Duchess of York, who lost a number of her friends in the attacks, and had an office in the WYC joined him at the service ,which will include music from the choir of St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle, the West Yorkshire Police brass band and the New York Scottish Pipes and Drums Band.

Curiously there are no reports of similar ceremonies in memory of the sole Israeli passport holder who died in the Manhattan Holocaust, either in Israel or New York. (Source NYT September 22^nd 2001, quote from Alon Pinkus , Israel’s consul general)

The US Department of State has details of the 76 US Citizens who were Jews who died, who worked for Cantor Fitzgerald, Marsh & McLellan, and the Aon Corporation, and other companies.

Roy Bailey. Ex MBE and Working Class Hero

In the 2000 Honours List, Roy Bailey , all round good egg and Professor Emeritus of Social Studies at Sheffield Hallam University received the MBE for services to folk music. Lord Patel has just discovered that on 23rd August 2006, he returned the MBE in protest at the UK government's foreign policy with regard to Lebanon, Iraq and Palestine.

The reasons for this dreadful case of lese majeste are detailed on his website http://www.roybailey.net/ an excerpt..

TONY BLAIR INSISTS HIS DECISIONS ARE IN SUPPORT OF DEMOCRACY. WE CANNOT BOMB PEOPLE INTO ACCEPTING DEMOCRACY ANY MORE THAN WE COULD SLAUGHTER PEOPLE INTO ACCEPTING CHRISTIANITY.

Good Old Roy, guardian of the working class conscience, friend of Tony Benn (Ex Viscount Stansgate - who relieved himself of the title but not the rich inheritance) who could in his earlier days do a very passable imitation of the Queen who bestowed the MBE on him. Few will forget his Queen's Broadcast as the theatre lights dimmed at the start of the Leicester University Rag Revue in 1960 (?). His clipped regal tones announced.." My husband and I cannot be with you tonight, but we send our best wishes , and so do Charles, and Anne and Andrew ..and ... and .. pssst what's the other one called ...."

.. and that was in the days when the Lord Chancellor's Blue Pencil was supposed to censor stage productions.

Sunny Side on the Up

Through the wonders of technology, BBC Radio 2 and the ageing "Whispering" Bob Harris, I have found the sounds of Sunny Sweeney. Go to www.sunnysweeney.com to order her self promoted CD "Heartbreaker's Hall of Fame" ( At the current rate of exchange that's £11.00 Dld UK or US$15 in the US ),
produced by TomTom Productions (Tommy Detamore and Tom Lewis) and recorded at Cherry Ridge Studio .. their Steel Guitar Tracks with many many steel guitar tracks brings back memories of the Hillsiders of my youth ... try Peeling My Label by Kina Lankford

Goto her Myspace download or listen to her songs.

Not everyone's taste - but then I like the Dixie Chicks and that's an arrestable offence in Texas. Very animalistic she has, she claims 3 dogs ... named Merle, Nash, and Dolly and is also scheduled to play in the "Poodle Dog" Austin, soon and the "Hogs Breath Saloon" in Key West FL . in January 2007. She appears again on the BBC 2 Bob Harris show from Nashville, September 21st.

Gordon Defiant .... Bring 'em on !!!

News of the World today

"I am HAPPY for there to be a leadership contest. I think there SHOULD be. If people decide they want to stand when there is a leadership contest, whenever that happens, they should feel free to do so. I would WELCOME the open contest."

KIm Howells is both mad and ignorant ... Taliban triumphant

British Minister hails Pak-Taliban deal in Waziristan Sept 9th 2006 ZeeNews

The peace deal between the Pakistan government and pro-Taliban militants which it is claimed will end 5 years of unrest in the tribal area bordering Afghanistan is a "great step forward" and could be a "future model" for insurgency-ridden Kabul,Foreign Minister Kim Howells told reporters during his visit to Peshawar yesterday.

"I am absolutely certain if there is possibility for negotiations which are constructive and not just a gesture... If it is likely to throw up the kind of results which the negotiations in Waziristan have thrown up, then it could be a future model for Afghanistan," he was quoted as saying by Daily Times.

Howells went on to say that Pakistan was "not a source of terrorism" and was not responsible for the unrest in southern Afghanistan.

He said there had been much unrest in Balochistan, saying the area "has been controlled by warlords and drug barons" and had been infiltrated by Taliban militants from Afghanistan.

Well that is not a universal view indeed our friend Rick Moran who fills the idle hours of Wide Awake Radio writes in the curiously titled American Thinkerof "Musharraf's Deal with the Devil" (September 7th, 2006)

It is, he says, an apparently equitable arrangement that addresses the serious problems of Taliban and al-Qaeda incursions across the border into Afghanistan to fight NATO troops as well as bringing an end to the fighting between Pakistani forces and the fierce, independent tribesman in the region.

President Musharraf, he points out that in the presence of Afghan President Karzai he boasted that the treaty was a boon to the embattled Afghanistan government.

“No militant activity, no training activity, they have accepted this,” General Musharraf said. “This is the bottom line of the peace agreement.”
Rick Moran points to Bill Roggio , at the Fourth Rail who claims in a piece cunningly entitled ... "Talibanistan: The Establishment of the Islamic Emirate of Waziristan" that the “truce” is in fact a surrender. According to an anonymous intelligence source,(now who on Earth could that be ?? Hmmmm ...so ... no guarantee of the truth, authenticity or accuracy of this information is provided) ...the terms of the truce are said to include:

1. The Pakistani Army is abandoning its garrisons in North and South Waziristan.
2. The Pakistani Military will not operate in North Waziristan, nor will it monitor actions the region.
3. Pakistan will turn over weapons and other equipment seized during Pakistani Army operations.
4. The Taliban and al-Qaeda have set up a Mujahideen Shura (or council) to administer the agency.
5. The truce refers to the region as “The Islamic Emirate of Waziristan.”
6. An unknown quantity of money was transferred from Pakistani government coffers to the Taliban. The Pakistani government has essentially paid a tribute or ransom to end the fighting.
7. “Foreigners” (a euphemism for al-Qaeda and other foreign jihadis) are allowed to remain in the region.
8. Over 130 mid-level al-Qaeda commanders and foot soldiers were released from Pakistani custody.
9. The Taliban is required to refrain from violence in Pakistan only; the agreement does not stipulate refraining from violence in Afghanistan.

He further claims that “Taliban commanders” in attendance include Jalaluddin Haqqan, military commander of the Taliban in Afghanistan (see Footnote), and Tahir Yuldashev, the commander of the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan.(Wikipedia Yuldashev biog.) Pic = Jalaluddin Haqqan foreground and son Nazruddin.

The Pakistani government he says (despite what Rentagob Howells says) has ceded a region the size of New Joisey, with a population of about 800,000 to the Taliban and al-Qaeda.

An intelligence source ( who again we wonder ? Hmmmmm .. same caveats apply as above but other sources indicate this is so) indicates similar negotiations between the Taliban and the Pakistani government are being held in the agencies of Khyber, Tank, Dera Ishmal Khan and Bajaur. The jihadi dreams of al-Qaeda's safe havens in western Pakistan may become a reality. So any gains made by the Coalition / NATO in Afghanistan (at huge cost) have now officially been wiped away with the peace agreement in the newly established Islamic Emirate of Waziristan.

Moran goes on to say that the war against the Taliban in North Waziristan was forced on Musharraf by the United States, when terrorists were using the region as a staging ground for attacks in Afghan. Sending 80,000 troops to patrol the borders. The tribes rose up and in a series of fierce, small unit engagements inflicted many casualties on the Pakistani forces. It became clear that the historically independent-minded tribes would not submit and in June, a cease fire was declared so that a deal could be hammered out.

He points to the limits of American power Musharrif sees as the Taliban grow stronger in Afghanistan as well as the slow progress (?) of American and Coalition forces in Iraq. Perhaps he doesn’t feel quite as secure and believes that a deal with the Taliban in North Waziristan (and other tribal areas as well) is better than relying on the American military to defeat the terrorists.

Secondly, and more significantly, Parvez Musharraf created a huge problem for himself on August 26 when he ordered the killing of aged Nawab Akbar Bugti, the tribal leader and former governor of Balochistan (although educated at the Sorbonne).Troubles which have been increased by former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif (in Paris) elaborating on the decision and method of killing him. In a bizarre twist his sons want him exhumed to test his DNA because they claim he escaped, although over 40 died in the attack on him.

Balochistan is the largest province in Pakistan and also its most troublesome. There has been an independence movement in existence even before partition, with 4 major rebellions since the 1950’s. Each insurrection was brutally suppressed by the government along with a crackdown on Baluchi traditions and culture. With abundant natural resources as well as some large natural gas fields, the province has proved to be virtually ungovernable. Some Baluchis resent the government taking so much wealth from the province and putting very little back in the form of government services, while others agitate for outright independence.

The killing of Bugti set off a wave of unrest all across Pakistan, but especially in the rebel leader’s home province. If another uprising is in the offing, Musharraf may have need for many of those 80,000 troops he sent to North Waziristan. As it stands now, Bugti’s militia and other tribal forces have carried out a few attacks against the gas pipelines ( a constant occupation in the area) but have not directly challenged government troops in the area ...yet. The prospect of another rebellion could have spurred Musharraf to make peace with the Taliban so that he could turn his attention to the growing insurgency nearer at home in Balochistan.

Moran goes on to identify what Frederic Grare, a visiting scholar at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, has to say ..

"The killing of Bugti has exposed a Pakistani President both unable to fulfill his commitments in the War on Terror and only able to act decisively against his own people. Musharraf’s actions have reversed decades’ worth of slow progress toward national integration."

With elections scheduled for next year, it is unclear whether Musharrif will allow a vote - the alternative – an extremist Islamic regime with its hands on nuclear weapons is too awful for Washington and Tel Aviv to contemplate.

One thing is certain...Parvez will need to keep his personal Glock pistol ready to hand for a long time.... even then it doesn't hurt to imagine the consequences of his early death.

Expect a few good trade deals / dollars and military hardware winging their way from Uncle Sam in the near future, and maybe the fleeting sight of Condi on a fly by / drive by diplomacy trip.

FOOTNOTE

Jalaluddin Haqqani served as Taliban tribal affairs minister. He had been a prominent leader in the 1980's struggleagainst the Soviets. Haqqani is a northern Pashtun with his power base in Khost, Paktia and Paktika. Haqqani has long-standing ties with Pakistan's intelligence services (SIS). The center of Taliban power was/is in Kandahar, home of the southern Pashtuns.

Afghan nonsense and Yorkshire common sense

Reviewing comments before the Afghan deployment this extract from a well argued and well informed piece by the Yorkshire Ranter is well worth re-reading ...

Thursday, December 15, 2005 Strategic Drift

" ....All this uncertainty about aims has shaken up unpleasant memories with the Dutch, who are now remembering Srebrenica and rowing back on their commitment to send 1,000 men to Uruzgan province, next door to 16AAB. This in turn seems to have unsettled John Reid to the point that a really awful decision might get made. It has been suggested that Reid is considering trimming Op. HERRICK and sending just two of 16AAB's infantry battalions to Helmand rather than the full monty. This is dangerous nonsense. Just reducing the stakes does not necessarily reduce the risk. It's possible - like the Provincial Reconstruction Teams - to be safe through keeping a low profile. It's possible to be safe through being overwhelmingly strong. Two battalions of light infantry - in fact, airborne infantry, the lightest of the light - spread across a large tract of wild mountains are enough to present a wide range of attractive targets, but not enough unless concentrated to be secure.

The full 16AAB includes a field artillery regiment with 105mm guns and the capability to deploy by parachute or helicopter, and an Army Air Corps regiment that has just completed re-equipping with the WAH64-D Apache attack helicopter, and an engineer squadron. With this backup, and the RAF Harriers currently stationed at Kandahar, even small groups of Paras can essentially go anywhere in Afghanistan. But the new option is to leave essentially all the Brigade's support firepower at home, as well as one-third of the infantry. Bizarrely, the government appears to be thinking along the lines that having fewer allies means we need less power of our own...."

The seeds of current difficluties were foreseen ..sufficient for a commentator to suggest that the High Command were happy to countenance failure to re-inforce the disastrous cut backs they see on military spending. The current (and new) CGS's first published comments suggest that, that is a drum which he wishes to bang pretty hard.

Trying to beat any sense into Beckett and Browne will be a waste of time and John Reid has long gone and is absorbed in his anxious pursuit of the seat at the top of the greasy pole.

Manchester Museum of Science & Technology

 

Globalisation ...another perspective

Chip and PIN ...forget it.

Organization: RETALIX LTD. (RTXL : NASDAQ)
Position: President & CEO : Mr. Barry Shaked
Address: 10 Zarhin St., Corex House,P.O.Box: 2282,Raanana,ISRAEL, 43000
Telephone: 09-7766677
Fax: 09-7400471
Email: info@retalix.com
WEB site: www.retalix.com

A DEA report about itinerant Israeli students hawking artwork around US Government offices included this fascinating bit of information.

On May 9, 2001 three Israeli nationals arrived at Dallas Fort Worth via Air France Flight #40 from Paris, France.

They were identified as
Tomer BEN DOR, male, Israeli, DOB: 08-24-75

BEN DOR stated he planned on being in the Dallas, TX area for approximately two weeks and then was planning on traveling to Mexico, New York City, and Canada before returning to Israel. BEN DOR was in possession of a return ticket to Israel dated July 8, 2001 and a rental car reservation through Hertz for May 9, 2001 to June 9, 2001. BEN DOR stated he works for NICE, a software engineering company in Israel. BEN DOR stated he served in the Israeli military on a unit that was responsible for Patriot missile defense.

BEN DOR stated he intended to stay at the La Quinta Inn, 14925 Landmark Blvd, Addison, TX, however a check of the hotel revealed no reservations under his name. BEN DOR was in possession of $1500 in cash and a credit card, which he stated he was going to use to help pay his expenses while in the U. S. BEN DOR stated he is a friend of GLIKMAN and traveled to the U.S. with her, but might travel throughout the U.S. alone. During a search of BEN DOR's luggage a printout from a Windows readme file named "WinPOS-53-readme" was found that has some reference to a file named "DEA Groups".


Marina GLIKMAN, female, Israeli, DOB: 12-15-72.


Marina GLIKMAN stated she would be visiting the U.S. for two months in the Dallas area. She originally claimed to be traveling alone, but later claimed to be traveling with BEN DOR. GLIKMAN stated that an individual named Ronen AKIVA or "HILLEL" (subsequently identified as Hillel DOR) would pick her up. GLIKMAN did not know the address of AKIVA or HILLEL, but had home and cellular telephone numbers for both, (not identified). GLIKMAN stated she did not know whom AKIVA worked for. GLIKMAN also stated she was planning on staying at the La Quinta Inn, and was in possession of $1500 in cash and a credit card. Again, a check of the hotel revealed no reservation under her name. GLIKMAN claimed to be a computer programmer for RETALIX RAANANA in Israel, and a prior intelligence officer in the Israeli military. During a search of her personal luggage, a Declaration for Personal Effects Shipping to Overseas was found which reflected she has shipped personal effects, to include furniture and clothing, to 8081 Royal Ridge Parkway, Irving, TX, the address used by RETALIX USA.

I&NS Inspectors identified Hillel DOR, male, Israeli, DOB: 04-06-71 and

Zeev MILLER, male, Israeli, DOB: 09-04-71.

MILLER had also arrived on the same flight as GLIKMAN and BEN DOR. MILLER claimed he was a student at Tel Aviv University studying software engineering while working part-time for RETALIX in Israel. MILLER stated he intended to travel to Mexico, New York, and Canada while on vacation. MILLER stated he was an explosive ordinance/combat engineer while in the Israeli military. MILLER was in possession of $1200 in cash and a Visa credit card. Hillel DOR stated he was at the airport to pick-up GLIKMAN. I&NS S/As verified that DOR had entered the U.S. in January, 2001 as an H-1B nonimmigrant, working for RETALIX USA.

See also
Le Monde Mercredi 6 Mars 2002


Un réseau d’espionnage israélien a été démantelé aux Etats-Unis


Retalix Ltd. with a worldwide staff of 1,400 provides integrated enterprise–wide software solutions for the food and consumer goods retail and distribution industries worldwide, they have over 37,000 installations around the world,

On September 20, 2005 – Retalix USA formed an alliance with Pay By Touch to integrate Pay By Touch’s biometric authentification payment system with Retalix’ Point Of Sale solutions for grocery retailers.

California based start up Pay By Touch is the pioneer of a patented consumer biometric authentification payment system allowing shoppers to validate payment for purchases with a simple fingerprint scan linked to their financial accounts.

Pay By Touch holds more than two dozen issued U.S. patents covering tokenless biometric transactions for authentification, age verification, loyalty, and check-cashing, with more than 70 patents pending. These patents give the company exclusive intellectual property coverage over biometric transactions, irrespective of the type of biometric used (e.g. fingerprint, voice scanning, iris and retinal imaging, etc). The Pay By Touch patent portfolio has been filed in all major foreign countries and is the basis of the company's vision to transform the way the world pays.

Retalix has scheduled its 2006 annual shareholders meeting to take place on October 15, 2006 at 10:00 a.m. Israel time, at the offices of the Company, to discuss the accounts to Y/E 2005, re-elect 4 shareholders, issue a raft of Directors share options and re-appoint Directors. They posted a loss of 13 centsa share in Q2 compared with EPS of 13 cents last year.

Globalisation on the march ....

It's been a busy time for Dr Chang Yung-Fa, Chairman of the Evergreen Group. On 18 July 2006 he was in London receiving the Commander of the British Empire (CBE) (for services to shipping and British economic interests.) at a ceremony held in the Foreign & Commonwealth Office , London. Dr Chang is seen here with old China hand, Baroness Thatcher, and the UK's Deputy Prime Minister Ex bar steward and serial shagger Mr John Prescott. He then went on to Buckingham Palace with HRH the Duke of York, Prince Andrew, the UK's Special Representative for International Trade and Investment.

Evergreen Group company, Hatsu Marine, was established as a British shipping company in 2002, and is now one of the largest shipowning entities in the UK and received the Queen's Award for Enterprise: International Trade this year.

On the 26th August Ever Steady, the latest in a series of ten 7024TEU S-type vessels being built for Evergreen in Japan, was launched. These S type vessels were designed for environmental protection and as Dr Chang claimed, "We don't want fuel oil tanks to be located at the sides and at the bottom of the ships. If fuel oil tanks are located inside the hulls along the transverse bulkhead, damage to tanks and oil leakage incidents caused by grounding and collisions can be dramatically reduced."

The Port of Los Angeles awarded Evergreen awarded first ever Environmental Excellence award for their 'S' type vessels.

Now EVA Air, a subsidiary of Dr K C Chang' s Taipan based Evergreen Group (now ranked amongst the top ten air cargo carriers, ahead of both British Airways and Air France) in partnership with General Electric have seen the first (and hughly successful) flight of the huge new Boeing 747-400 Large Cargo Freighter (LCF) at 10:38 a.m. (UTC/GMT +8 hours) today.

The enormous jet -- with its enlarged upper fuselage that can accommodate three times the cargo by volume of a standard 747-400 freighter. It has been modified by Evergreen Aviation Technologies Corp., and is the first of 3 to be modified for ferrying parts of the Boeing Dreamliner.There will be 500 hours of testing before it receives approval.

A fleet of three LCFs will ferry 787 assemblies between Nagoya, Japan; Grottaglie, Italy; Wichita, Kan. and Charleston, S.C., before flying them to the Boeing factory in Everett, Wash., for final assembly. The first two LCFs will enter service in early 2007; the third will follow later.

Scott Strode, 787 vice president of Airplane Development and Production tells me "The LCF fleet is the foundation of our lean, global production system." ... which is not good news for Seattle.

Meanwhile BAE have agreed the sale of their 20% interest in EADS manufacturers of the Airbus.

BMJ - most important medical advances

The Editor of the British Medical Journal has asked readers to nominate the most important medical breakthroughs since 1840 when the BMJ was first published.... when he points out life expectancy was half what it is today.

Nominations in les than 100 words by Wednesday 20 September. The most popular 15 breakthroughs will then be voted on and the results announced in January 2007.

Entries to date - many and varied, can be read here. Interesting views on medical advances in the last 166 years.

Canuck Defence Minister in shock upside down world view move

Canadian Defence Minister O'Connor is in New Zealand presently so his antipodeal present may accoutnn for his antithetical view of events in Afghanistan. Apologies to Canuck viewers normal service might be resumed some day.

Toronto Star 9th September
Taliban `on run,' says O'Connor

"They're basically being suppressed and on the run at the moment," he said. "Our people are flowing more freely through the area right now but we always have to be wary of the Taliban from a security point of view and we will," (Defence Minister) O'Connor said. And he hinted Canada might be sending more military resources to help troops expand development work in the battle-scarred region of southern Afghanistan. I want more projects produced, I want more development activity," O'Connor said.


Christian Science Monitor 8th September

Canadian defense minister: 'Impossible to defeat Taliban militarily'
NATO wants reinforcements for increasingly difficult Afghan campaign.
By Tom Regan| csmonitor.com

Canadian Defense Minister Gordon O'Connor, speaking in an interview on Thursday, said that it is "impossible to defeat the Taliban militarily." The Toronto Star reports that Mr. O'Connor's remarks were confirmed by Chief of the Defense Staff Gen. Rick Hillier in Ottawa. The Star also reports that the comments are "are certain to stun Canadians who are increasingly concerned about the rising number of Canadian casualties in Afghanistan." Thirty-two Canadians have been killed in Afghanistan since Canada joined the NATO mission there in 2002.

Plod prepared

 

Afghan violence spills over into Manchester streets

Raby Street is in the heart of Moss Side, in the southside of Manchester UK. Police found the body of 15, Jesse James after receiving news of a shooting at 2.45 am today.

Jesse lived in Graeme Street, Moss Side, and attended the nearby Manchester Academy High School.

GMP Supt John O'Hare said: "It is still early days. We do not know of any motive yet, but we believe this was a planned attack."

There has been a recent increase in shootings caused by drug gang warfare in area - a notorious drug distribution centre.

The street price for a heroin "wrap" is £10.

Afghanistan ... the centre cannot hold.. things fall apart

Why It's Not Working in Afghanistan
By Ann Jones posted at Tom Dispatch


Remember when peaceful, democratic, reconstructed Afghanistan was advertised as the exemplar for the extreme makeover of Iraq? In August 2002, Rummy was already proclaiming the new Afghanistan "a breathtaking accomplishment" and "a successful model of what could happen to Iraq." Everybody now knows, the model isn't working in Iraq. Don't be surprised. It's not working in Afghanistan either.

The Afghanistan success story was always more fairy tale than fact -- one lie used to sell another. Now, as the Bush administration hands off "peacekeeping" to NATO forces, Afghanistan is the scene of the largest military operation in the history of that organization. Today's personal email brings word from an American surgeon in Kabul that her emergency medical team can't handle half the wounded civilians brought in from embattled provinces to the south and east. American, British, and Canadian troops find themselves at war with Taliban fighters -- which is to say "Afghans" -- while stunned NATO commanders, who hadn't bargained for significant combat, are already asking what went wrong…. Read on ...highly recommended.

Not if you are Tony Blair or his successor John Reid...

At the other end of the highway, in Kandahar city -- President Karzai's home town – and in the southern provinces of Kandahar, Helmand, Zabul, and Uruzgan, Taliban commander Mullah Dadullah is reported to have more than 12,000 men under arms and squads of suicide bombers at the ready. They ambush newly arrived NATO troops. The embattled British commander, Lieutenant-General Richards, recently issued a warning: "We need to realize that we could actually fail here."


Journalist and photographer Ann Jones spent much of the last four years in Afghanistan working as a human rights researcher and women's advocate with international humanitarian agencies and teaching English to Kabul high school English teachers. She writes about her Afghan experience for the Nation magazine and notably in a new book Kabul in Winter: Life Without Peace in Afghanistan (Metropolitan Books, 2006). For more on her, check out her website.
Copyright 2006 Ann Jones

See also Legal Alien @ New York for news of Dutch efforts by Huib Riethof.

Lord Patel in February 2006 posted this about the Dutch army contribution and the drug smuggling Government ministers

Also Lord Patel last Labor Day posted this about building roads in Afghanistan