Crossfire War - Emir of Qatar Discusses His Concerns at GCC Summit in Doha

By Willard Payne

Crossfire War - RAPID FIRE NEWS=DOHA - TEHRAN - RIYADH WATCH - Eurasia Theatre: Doha - Tehran - Riyadh - Ankara - Tbilisi - Islamabad - Baghdad - Damascus - Beirut - Ramallah - Gaza/Jerusalem - Paris - Rome - London - Washington - Cairo - Delhi - Sukhumi - Tskhinvili - Moscow - Tokyo; "Security and Development Two Faces of the Same Coin" - HH The Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani Address at GCC Summit - Iran Pres. States Nuclear File Closed - Putin-Bush 40 Minute Phone Conversation on Iran Nuclear Weapons Program - Regional Issues

Night Watch: DOHA - Gulf-Times reports security and continued prosperity were the concerns addressed by Qatar head of state HH The Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani in his inaugural address at the GCC Summit in Doha in the Persian Gulf. For the first time in the organization's history an Iranian President attended, this time in the person of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, to a very warm welcome a very real indication Tehran and the Persian Gulf governments all agree concerning their relations with non-Islamic governments with varying digress of hostility. They all look forward to the attack against Western military bases in the region and the post-World War III world. The Emir revealed his position when he openly visited Beirut after last year's war between Israel/Hezbollah where he openly praised Hezbollah and stated he wished oil had been used as a weapon. I suspect oil will be used as a weapon before winter is over. [GULFTIMES]

But Emir al-Thani is in no position to fool himself, nor are the other Arab representatives as they realize the Jihad will run its offensive course in 2008, that there is no such thing as a war in which everything goes according to how one planned it, especially a war of this magnitude, in this case Tehran and their support of it, so His Excellency listed his security concerns realizing things could get out of control if not already: Iran's nuclear program, armies and fleets mobilized in the Gulf, conditions in Iraq and the threat it presents to the Arab homeland, the growing forms of worry in Pakistan, dormant terrorist cells, Palestinian issue, and the occupation of Golan and Shabaa farms.

Moscow - Obviously His Highness does not take seriously the recent assessment of the U. S. National Intelligence Estimate, heralded by Washington as is if it were a divine revelation, that Tehran abandoned its nuclear weapons program in 2003 and neither does the operator of this website. The statement by U. S. President George W. Bush and before that by his National Security Advisor Stephen Hadly was an act, an attempt to fool Tehran's government that Washington no longer believes a military attack is necessary. Though Bush did mention that option is still on the table he was actually saying it will not be Washington leading the attack and that is why his timing is so significant. The Chief of Russia General Staff General Yury Baluyevsky arrived in Washington yesterday for a five-day visit to outline Moscow's offensive in the South Caucasus on Iran's border. And that is why RIA reports Russia's strategic bombers have conducted over 70 patrols since August and quite often with aircraft from the West. The Pentagon will have an active supporting role with its three carrier groups in the Persian Gulf and Northern Arabian Sea. [RIA]

Surrounded by the reality of this war and the dangers confronting his region His Highness' theme was Security and Development are Two Faces of the Same Coin and both have to be maintained and not just for the people of the Persian Gulf but worldwide. He stressed the dangers threaten the oil wealth and its importance to international markets in the East and West. "They are dangers that not only affect security but also the means of progress, the levels of production, standards of living and welfare and all aspects of life in today's world. Though we realize that the risk-fraught crises have their course and backgrounds we wish at the same time that all those concerned with regional and international affairs reconsidered their positions before it is too late. Disputable claims are not served by rushing to mutual intimidations and hatred campaigns that provoke anger and deepen suspicions, or by taking uncalculated risks that lead to unwanted consequences. We have also to realize that the new tools of world politics, the conventions and institutions, including the UN's specialized agencies, unconditional and unrestricted dialogue, and careful assessments of the consequences before being driven by instincts, are all factors that help reconsideration and avoidance of evils. We are, therefore, called upon to double the efforts to realize these expectations, since we do not lack the potentials or the abilities."

In a lot of ways this sound like a speech advocating the restoration of international relations after the war. One of His Highness' key observations was acknowledging the "risk-fraught crises have their courses and backgrounds." The history of current events is extremely important; he remembers the Ayatollah Khomeini was in exile in a suburb of Paris when he overthrew the Shah of Iran in 1979 and not outside Mecca, Jerusalem or Doha. The West armed and unleashed the Jihad and they will have to face it with more than press conferences and conventions.

Doha - At Doha the Gulf-Times reports Iran President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad announced the file on Iran's nuclear program is closed and Tehran senses no real threat to it. Iran's Defense Ministry has stated repeatedly, ever since the lost alliance of London-Washington marched into the trap of Iraq in 2003, as long as London-Washington have forces committed in Iraq and Afghanistan they are no serious threat. Nor will Israel have the time to launch any air attack on Iran due to the immediate serious threats they are surrounded by on all fronts. [GULFTIMES]

The Kremlin - Despite his statement-act of believing Tehran ended its nuclear weapons program President Bush had a 40-minute phone call with Russia President Vladimir Putin on the very same issue and their mutual regional concerns. Xinhua/Itar-Tass/Interfax report the two also discussed "the situation in the Middle and Near East." Established society in the West is beginning to admit what they have always known privately, the vehicle for them to re-enter the region is through Moscow. This is a fulfillment of the Shah of Iran's warning the end of his regime would mean the end of Western influence in the Persian Gulf. [XINHUA]

Night Watch Information Service
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