Canadian troops complete large operation in southern Afghanistan

Canadian soldiers have just completed one of their largest operations in southern  Afganistan. During the operation they killed twenty-one insurgents fighters and have captured a few others.

"Operation Janubi Tapu 2" was aimed to reduce the number of insurgent fighters and reduce the ability of the insurgents to attack Kandahar city.  The head of the military operation was Lieut.-Col. Roger Barret. Over 500 soldiers, most of which were Canadian joined the Afgan national security forces in the three day attack. The soldiers captured twenty insurgents and located and destroyed numerous weapons caches. There were no Canadian casualties. The attacks from insurgents have increased by forty percent this year and over 5,400 people have died as a result. 

It is releiving to hear that the Canadian troops suffered no casualties in one of their biggest operations in Afganistan. This appears to be a victory for the troops as they elminated another insurgent threat. The operation overall was considered a succes by the commander and its good to know because victories in Afganistan are not too common. The troops should be proud, especially Lieut.-Col. Roger Barret because his men suffered no casualties under his command. By far this victory is a good sign for the coalition forces as the insurgency in Afganistan has greatly increased since the troop surge. The Taliban is gathering resources and increasing its influence in Afganistan which is causing problems for the troops. Their work there is far from over but at least there is progress being made in Afganistan unlike the other Western-Middle East conflict the war in Iraq.

Nigerian city tense after riots

Hundreds are feared dead in the Nigerian city of Jos following two days of religious and ethnic clashes. The violence was sparked by rumours that an election has been rigged. The Nigerian government has dispatched soldiers because of the escalating violence. The Nigerian police and military have been ordered to shoot troublemakers on sight. ''The situation this morning is gradually returning to normal," army spokesman Brig Emeka Onwamaegbu told AFP news agency on Sunday." The violence started on Friday when a Christian governing party was declared to have won state elections in Plateau state. The election was accused of being rigged by the All Nigeria People's Party which is mostly Muslim. Groups supporting both parties took to the streets with machetes during causing the riots. Both mosques and churches were burned. In recent years ethnic and religious violence has claimed thousands of lives in Nigeria as political parties fight for control over precious resources. 

This is a big problem for Nigeria because these political parties are promoting ethnic violence so they can get what they want. It is a good thing that the military and the police have been given orders to use lethal force to keep the peace. Without them the riots would not end and more people would be killed. Religious violence does not make any sense because supposedly both religions preach peace. This is the result of greed with people of influence that cause these riots and make neighbors turn against each other. It is a same that innocent people have to die everyday because of these reasons. The government should keep that level of security because that may be the only way to keep the peace because the local people cannot be trusted with peace. One of the opposing groups would allways do something to start another conflict between the ethnicities. People need to be taught to draw a line between religious beleifs and people's freedom. You cannot force someone into your religion if they disagree with your views deal with it, do not kill them. The people in Jos need to understand that violence is not the answer because it has been tried many times to solve conflicts by eleminating the opposition and this option has failed in the past.

Shuttle Endeavour's mission STS-126: The ISS renovation project

                                                                                            The International Space Station is set for an extreme makeover as the latest shuttle mission hauls supplies and components into space. Extreme improvements to the ISS was the focus of Endeavour's mission that lifted off on November 14, 2008 from the Kennedy Space Center. The seven astronauts that are taking off with the Endeavour are to expand the living quarters so that it can house six astronauts. The mission will take 15 fifteen days before the ISS is transformed into a home with three bedrooms, one bathroom, and two kitchenettes. The entire crew are American citizens and one member would replace the current space station's flight engineer Greg Chamitoff. The astronauts are hauling over 14,000 kilograms of supplies and equipment including an exercise machine. One of the main components to be added is a water recycling machine which would recycle the astronaut's urine into drinking water. The crew will also conduct space walks repairing worn out parts and installing cameras on the outside of the space station. The Endeavour will be docking with the Space Station on its 10 anniversary on Nov. 20.

The space station is one of mankind's greatest modern treasures. It is amazing what we can achieve when we work together. I was surprised when I read that the Space Station can only house three astronauts that stay there for a whole six months. Expanding it to house six astronauts does not seem like it is a big difference but that is doubling the crew. It has got me wondering what the astronauts are really doing up there for so long. What are their objectives? I think that space flight and research does not get the amount of funding it needs to achieve impressive results in a short period of time. It seems like progress is slow when it comes to space flight because it has been 10 years since the space station was first launched and now it can house only six astronauts. We need to invest in space exploration because not only because space is the "final frontier" but it could offer access to certain resources that we cannot get on Earth. This is a great achievement because there is now a home for people in space. What should happen next is to start developing a ship that can conviently take people into space that is more economical and safer than the space shuttle. 

India: Pirate 'mother ship' left in flames

An Indian warship that exchanged fire with a pirate vessel off the Horn of Africa sunk the ship in the Gulf of Aden. The skirmish took place on Tuesday when the frigate spotted the pirate ship towing two small speed boats. The pirate ship was left badly damaged and in flames but the captain of the frigate could not confirm it had sunk. The battle followed a recent pirate strike seizing the Saudi-owned supertanker. The oil tanker was carrying an oil cargo worth up to $100 million, which the pirates anchored of the coast of Somalia. So far no confirmation of a ransom can be made. The owner of the ship "Sirius Star" were negotiating with the pirates. The frigate that opened fire on the pirate vessel the Tabar, demanded that the ship stop so it could be inspected. The pirates replied by threatening to destroy the frigate and opened fire on the Tabar. The International Maritime Bureau in London quotes the "it has never seen a situation like this before". Of the 39 succesful pirate captures 17 of them are still in pirate hands. The risks are low for pirates in these areas and the return that they can get outweigh the risks. The pirates are taking advantage of this low-risk opportunity to loot and hold for ransom the valuable ships that pass through the Gulf of Aden.

This is sort of a surprise to me that pirates nowadays still exist and are seizing giant ships such as oil tankers. I never knew that Somali pirate's have acces to enough resources to take on the navi of many different countries patroling the Gulf of Aden let alone hijack cargo ships. I doubt that there are not enough military ships around to stem the piracy. Nowadays most people when they think of pirates they think of Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom in the Pirates triology. It seemed that for a while that piracy was extinct until this year when Somali pirates have succesfully captured over 39 ships. I think that the only reason these pirates have succesfully captured so many ships is that the countries and shipping companies of the world have become careless by forgetting there is a risk other than weather on the high seas. I am sure that the crew of members of these cargo ships would at least be trained to deal and avoid pirate attacks. After all these ships carry million of dollars worth of cargo it would be absent minded not to protect them with an armed crew or more naval ships patroling. The only problem with an armed crew is that if the pirates succed the crew may be killed so it is up to the naval ships to intercept the pirates before they attack an unsuspecting trade ship.

Impossible task for UN in DR Congo

The UN peacekeeping force in the Democratic Republic of Congo is the largest, most expensive and powerful in the world. Yet it still has been unable to prevent civilians from being killing in the conflict. The force was sent under the UN's most powerful piece of legislation - Chapter Seven. This gave the peace keepers the right to use and means necessary to impose their will. This tactic should have proved effective as it gives them the right to use lethal force in any situation. An additional 3,000 troops have been sent to Congo after an urgent appeal for troops made by the civilian head of the missions on the ground, Alan Doss. Since then thousands of people have been displaced from their homes and many have been slaughtered. Both sides of the conflict, the rebels and the government troops have been accused by the United Nations of committing war crimes. The UN force in Congo is made of soldiers from 18 different countries, India being the largest contributor. Yet with about 16,500 troops in the Congo the UN force is still outnumbered by 1000 to 1 by the civilian population needing protection. The former commander officer of the UN forces in the Congo resigned after stating that he believe that the mission in the Congo was "doom to fail". However, despite the great challenges facing the troops in the Congo they have managed to secure the capital Goma which is definitely a main target of the rebel forces. 

It is relieving to know that there are efforts being made by the UN that they have not done before. I think it was a good idea to allow the soldiers the right to use lethal force if necessary to impose their will. I also think that one of the great successes of this mission was securing the capital Goma. The UN is really making an effort this time by stationing the largest force it has there. Yet there are still atrocities being committed on both sides of the war. Both the government and the rebels are committing war crimes and this should be taken very seriously by the international community. Since the government is committing these crimes the UN should forcefully change the leadership in the government because obviously they are no better than the rebels themselves. People are being murdered and raped by both the rebel and government troops. I can understand why the commanding officer of the UN resigned because the force that the UN is against is a massive array of rebel forces who are driven by ethnic hatred and the desire to control the countries mineral wealth. What I cannot understand is the intensity of the ethnic hatred shown by these people. I do not know what can make a human hate another so much that he would be happy to slaughter his family as well as anyone associated with him.  

Congo rebels make roadblock out of bodies

The road that leads into rebel-controled Congo has been blocked by the two bodies of government soldiers laid across the road. The two soldiers were blocking the road that led into Congo's capital Goma. The scence was meant to warn government troops who fought the rebels recently. For the terrified civilians it is seen as a clear message that Congo's ruthless civil war is easing.  Over 250,000 people have been displaced in the vicious fighting between the army and the rebels loyal to Laurent Nkunda despite having the largest UN peacekeeping force in the world stationed there. Eastern Congo has been unstable since the millions of Tutsi and Hutu refugees fled across the border in Rwanda's 1994 genocide. Many of the Hutu extremists have remained in the region and are prompting the Tutsi-held Rwandan government to send troops into the Congo to flush them out. 

I do not think there will ever be peace in the Congo. This area of Africa has been fighting for years. There are just too many minority groups trying to get power. These groups are no willing to compromise for peace. They just want to eliminate the opposition so there is nothing stopping them from gaining absolute power. The UN peacekeepers are doing nothing to stem the violence. They are not positioned between the rebels and the government troops which is the most effective position for peacekeepers. The global community is just sitting back and not interfering with force as it should. This could be another genocide like the one in Rwanda if it is not one all ready. It is disgusting to realize that when a country in Africa is found with a resource of value the local community is displaced by wars. I do not understand how the other countries of the world found peace and but countries in Africa still have ruthless leaders slaughtering people to maintain control. 

Egypt: 4,300-year-old pyramid discovered

Archeologists have recently discovered an 4,300 year old pyramid under the sands of Saqqara. Saqqara is an ancient burial site which is mostly unexplored but has recently unearthed a string of pyramids. The monument is beleived to have belonged to the mother of the founder of Eygpt's 6th dynasty and was built several hundred years after the Great Pyramids of Giza. The discovery was a part of the burial site of the rulers of Memphis, which was the capitol of Eygpt's old kingdom. All that is left of the pyramid 5m tall structure buried under 25m of sand. Zahi Hawass is Eygpt's chief of antiquities. His team was excavating at the site for over two years before they discovered that the structure they unearth was a pyramid. The structure they found was the base of the pyramid. From the evidence the excavating team found at the site they calculated that the pyramid was once 14m tall. This is the 118th pyramid discovered in Egypt so far. The diggers are about two weeks from being able to get into the tomb, but Hawass is sure that grave robbers looted the tomb long before.

This is a very exciting find. I never knew that archeologists were still unearthing pyramids and tombs in Eygpt. I could not beleive that this pyramid is the 118th found by archeologists. It is amazing how much is hidden underneath Egypt's desert sands. I also did not realize that grave robbers werw able to steal so many antiquities and treasures from the tombs. These tombs were buried under the sands for thousands of years how can they find them. The thieves must have stolen the treasures soon after the tomb was built. I was a little disapointed when the article stated that the finding was only the base of a pyramid. I was expecting it to be something like the Great Pyramids of Giza buried completely under the sands.

Ottawa alleges Toronto charity is running a tax-shelter scheme

The Canada Revenue Agency shut down a charity that was taking part in a tax sheltering scheme. The Choson Kallah Fund received numerous donations of malaria and other pharmaceutical drugs bought overseas at a greatly reduced price. Then the charity sold these drugs for $177 million at a higher Canadian retail value. The charity kept 1% of the total as a fee, which is about $1,770,000. In a letter that outlined the allegations, the Canada Revenue Agency stated that the Choson Kallah charity was "promoting a tax shelter scheme. The willful promotion of the for-profit scheme violated its charitable status. The charity was being run as a business instead of a non for profit organization. In 2003 the Choson Kallah had about $6 million in total revenues, donating money mostly to Jewish organizations and schools. None of the donations exceeded $25,000. The Choson Kallah is no longer a charitable organization and is now being taxed as if it was a business.

I think this is mainly the government's fault. They need to realize that their policies have loop holes where tax evaders can slip through. I think the person who was running the Choson Kallah is very lucky to not have been prosecuted yet. Isn't it a crime to make a profit from a charity? There has to be some type of fine he must pay at least. I know if anyone evades taxes for years and gets caught, they have to pay those taxes back plus interest. If they can pay it back they need to get a bank loan or be put in prison. Not only does the owner of the organization need to pay a fine for deceit, he needs to pay the taxes that he was exempt from because his business was registered as a charity.

Palin costing McCain, poll suggests

A recent poll on the United State's elections has suggested that Republican Vice Presidential nominee Sarah Palin is costing Senator John McCain votes for the presidency. The CNN run poll released the results of a survey it conducted showing that McCain's running mate is becoming less popular with the voters which is costing him the votes he needs to win.  The results stated that 57% of likely voters believe that Sarah Palin does not have the personal qualities that a president should have. Surveys down in early September showed that 53% of likely voters would vote for Sarah Palin instead of Joe Biden if there was a separate vote for the Vice Presidency. Now, Joe Biden would beat Sarah Palin by a good 12 points if they were voted in separately. If voting was separate for the Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates, calculations have shown that Sarah Palin is costing John McCain 2 percentage points.

I think choosing Sarah Palin as a running mate was a big mistake for John McCain and it could be something that could cost him the presidency. Sarah Palin talks to a country as if it was a six year old. She embarrassed herself when she claimed that she had foreign policy experience because Russia is next door to Alaska. She has never met any Russian government official as governor and only sees their planes fly over Alaska. She is somewhat hypocritical in her beliefs especially when it comes to teenage pregnancy. Her daughter is a teen parent yet she is pushing to cut social funding to teenage parents. She has no knowledge on the economy and foreign affairs. She does not know what exactly the Vice President does. Usually someone reads the job description before applying for it. She has none of the experience Democratic Vice President nominee Joe Biden has. I personally think she is a terrible public speaker and that everything she says is 100% scripted and not original. I was not surprised when the news got out of Sarah Palin being prank called by comedians from Montreal who made her beleive that she was talking to Nicolas Sarcozy.