[IsraelTimes] Shuker, an Israeli said to be the last survivor of the Najran Jewish community, was expelled with his community after the State of Israel was declared in 1948
David Shuker, an Israeli who claimed to be the last survivor of the Najran a city in southwestern Saudi Arabia near the border with Yemen. It is the capital of the province of the same name, a favored target of Houthi rocket forces because they can see it, so there's no math involved.... Jewish community in Saudi Arabia ...a kingdom taking up the bulk of the Arabian peninsula, largely made up of sand and oil rigs. Its primary economic activity involves exporting oil and soaking Islamic rubes on the annual haj pilgrimage. The country supports a large number of princes in whatcha might call princely splendor. Formerly dictatorial and steeped in Olde Tyme Religion, deferring to Salafist holy men on all issues, it has now done a 180 and is making a serious effort to modernize, so as not to be left in the sand by its Gulf Arab neighbors. The holy men have been shoved to the background and the nation is now still dictatorial but somewhat rational. That doesn't make them trustworthy, but it's a start... , has passed away, community sources said Wednesday. He was believed to be 82 years old.
In October 2022, Shuker made several public appeals to the kingdom’s rulers to allow him to visit the place of his birth before he died, including in a Wall Street Journal op-ed.
"I’m asking Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman
...Crown Prince and modernizer of Saudi Arabia as of 2016. The Turks hate him, so he must be all right, despite the occasional brutal murder of Qatar-owned journalists... and his father King Salman ...either the largest species of Pacific salmon or the current Sheikh of the Burnin' Sands, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and Lord of Most of the Arabians... to go to the city of my birth, Najran, while I am still standing on my feet... to see where my grandparents are buried," Shuker, a former mayor of the town of Bnei Ayish, near Ashdod, told Channel 13 at the time.
Despite talk of normalization between Saudi Arabia and Israel in recent years, Israelis remain barred from the kingdom and the request was never granted.
Shuker was born in Najran, a city on the Saudi southwest border, in 1944. Once considered part of Yemen ...an area of the Arabian Peninsula sometimes mistaken for a country. It is populated by more antagonistic tribes and factions than you can keep track of... , the city was taken over by Saudi Arabia when the kingdom was formed in 1934. It was known to have had a small Jewish community, but persecution amid the establishment of Israel caused most to flee to Yemen and from there to Israel.
"After the State of Israel was established in 1948, the Jews were called by the king’s representatives to gather in the main square, Shuker wrote in the WSJ. "A convoy of camels was waiting there for 260 people, mostly children like me. Our families’ belongings were loaded onto the camels, and before sunset we began walking toward the Yemeni border."
From there, his family was later brought to Israel in 1951.
Before the expulsion, Jews had a presence in Saudi Arabia for centuries, historians say.
"Jews lived in Najran long before the Saudi rule. In fact, there is evidence that Jews lived there as early as 2,000 years ago," Shuker told Channel 13 in a 2022 interview. Some traditions trace their origin to the Ten Lost Tribes of Israel.
"We were openly Jewish. The relations between the Jewish and Moslem communities were very close. They even helped us keep Shabbat," he said. But "the rulers treated us like second-class citizens... Jews were not equal to Moslems."
"Contrary to the rule in neighboring Yemen, the Jews of Najran were allowed to carry the traditional dagger, the jambiya, on their belts," Shuker wrote in the WSJ. "To this day, I remember the king’s soldiers spoiling me with sweets and patting my curly hair."
In a post announcing his passing, the Yemenite Jewish and Israeli Communities Heritage Center called Shuker "a multifaceted public character whose image is woven into the story of the Jews of Yemen in general and the Najran community in particular."
"His life story is that of the Yemenite Jews — tradition, faith, labor and preservation of identity from generation to generation," the organization added.
Today, official records indicate that no Jews live in Saudi Arabia, although it is estimated that somewhere between dozens and several thousand live there for business, finance, or diplomacy.
Saudi Arabia and Israel do not have formal diplomatic relations, but their ties have warmed quietly in recent years, driven largely by shared concerns over Iran ...a theocratic Shiite state divided among the Medes, the Persians, and the (Arab) Elamites. Formerly a fairly civilized nation ruled by a Shah, it became a victim of Islamic revolution in 1979. The nation is today noted for spontaneously taking over other countries' embassies, maintaining whorehouses run by clergymen, involvement in international drug trafficking, and financing sock puppet militias to extend the regime's influence. The word Iran is a cognate form of Aryan. The abbreviation IRGC is the same idea as Stürmabteilung (or SA). The term Supreme Guide is a the modern version form of either Duce or Führer or maybe both. They hate JewsZionists Jews. Their economy is based on the production of oil and vitriol... and regional security. Saudi Arabia has at times signaled cautious openness to normalization under the Abraham Accords. However,
a woman is only as old as she admits... the countries do not maintain open ties, and Israeli citizens cannot visit the nation.
Posted by: trailing wife ||
03/03/2026 2026-03-03 01:20 ||
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Link ||
[1780 views]
Top|| File under: Govt of Saudi Arabia
#1
When I was in middle school we had one Jewish kid and we would baptise him. Basically just stuff his head in the toilet. We did what we could to convince him to eat salami and sausage but his continued reluctance prompted us to baptize that poor bastard everyday. His nickname was ‘’The Last’’
Posted by: F Marino ||
03/03/2026 13:11 Comments ||
Top||
#2
And if he had taken a bite no doubt you would have continued tormenting him over some other excuse, Mr. Marino. Hopefully all of you outgrew that viciousness, and at least one of you at some point apologized to him for it.
[Daily Mail, where America gets its news] 'Sleepy Joe Biden spent all of his time, and our Country’s money, GIVING everything to P.T. Barnum (Zelenskyy!) of Ukraine - Hundreds of Billions of Dollars worth - And, while he gave so much of the super high end away (FREE!), he didn’t bother to replace it,' he wrote.
The president said 'additional high grade weaponry' is 'stored for us in outlying countries' but noted that 'at the highest end, we have a good supply, but are not where we want to be.'
Trump did not elaborate, but his missive came as analysts begin raising concerns about the number of munitions America has as the campaign continues — particularly air defense missiles.
The president said that he 'rebuilt the military in my first term' and slammed Joe Biden for giving too much to Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the outset of the war between Ukraine and Russia.
Posted by: Skidmark ||
03/03/2026 09:27 ||
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Link ||
[1771 views]
Top|| File under: Govt of Iran
[Daily Mail, where America gets its news] The passengers and crews are unable to leave the ships, which have become floating hotels, after escalating hostilities raised fears over safety in the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most vital shipping lanes.
At least six ships from big companies are said to be at a standstill and awaiting news of when they can leave.
This situation has left thousands of travellers and crew stranded in the ports of Dubai and Doha, with no viable exit routes or 'safe corridors' open at the moment.
Posted by: Skidmark ||
03/03/2026 09:06 ||
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[1811 views]
Top|| File under: Govt of Iran
#1
Thousands of cruise passengers hostages are trapped in Gulf ports due to Iran war
[RedState] As RedState’s Ben Smith reported earlier Monday, three U.S. F-15E Strike Eagles flying in support of Operation Epic Fury went down in what is being described as a friendly fire incident. Kuwaiti air defenses reportedly shot them down accidentally, but all six aircrew managed to eject safely, have been recovered, and are in stable, pH balanced condition.
Now, there are multiple photos and videos circulating on social media that claim to show the airmen during and after the incident. They have not been officially confirmed, but there are no "community notes" on the posts, and CENTCOM has not disavowed them.
Multiple reports indicate that at least some of the pilots were rescued by grateful Kuwaitis:
Debris from a Houthi Type-358 surface to air missile was found on al Sa'di mountain in the Rasd Yafe district of Abyan. The missile is assembled locally in Yemen under the name Saqr. Residents said they heard an explosion in the sky above them.
Debris from a Houthi Type-358 surface to air missile was found on al Sa'di mountain in the Rasd Yafe district of Abyan. The missile is assembled locally in Yemen under the name Saqr. Residents said they heard an explosion in the sky above them.
This most likely brought down the Saudi CAIG Wing Loong II drone, which later crash landed about 50 miles southeast of Rasd Yafe in al Maraqesha, also in Abyan governorate (see the post below). It may also explain the shrapnel seen earlier in the drone’s rear fins and near the engine area.
This was a timely and deliberate move by the Houthis. Saudi ISR drones have been flying over South Yemen for some time. Hitting one means a clear decision was made to engage a Saudi aircraft at this moment.
[Daily Mail, where America gets its news] France is sending warships and anti-air attack systems to Cyprus amid deepening questions about Britain's ability to defend its own bases from Iranian attacks.
A generous gesture.
Emmanuel Macron has ordered units including two frigates to the eastern Mediterranean after RAF Akrotiri was struck by a drone which pierced its air defences on Sunday night.
They will supplement forces already in the region and the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier strike group, which has been ordered to deploy to the area from the Baltic Sea.
The Cyprus Mail said president Nikos Christodoulides appealed to both Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz to send naval vessels to help protect the island.
Posted by: Skidmark ||
03/03/2026 09:17 ||
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Link ||
[1786 views]
Top|| File under: Govt of Iran
#1
How the mighty have fallen.
Posted by: Abu Uluque ||
03/03/2026 11:03 Comments ||
Top||
#2
"Where is Boaty McBoatface?"
How old do you have to be to remember when England ruled the seas?
-ding-
You have been fined 10 credits for violating Fairness in Internet Political Discussion. Expect up to five civil volunteers to visit your residence within the next 48 hours. You are expected to be present to make even on the penalty.
#9
The Brits have 134 flag officers in their navy.
Posted by: Super Hose ||
03/03/2026 19:59 Comments ||
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#10
I don't understand how Starmer remains in power.
I suspect both Labour and Tories are terrified that if they actually go to elections the anti-immigrant populists will actually win this time, and then both historical parties will be toast.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited
[Regnum] Two defendants in the Crocus terrorist attack, Dzhabrail Aushev and Khusen Medov (listed as terrorists and extremists by Rosfinmonitoring), requested in their closing arguments to be sent to the Special Military District. This was announced on March 2 by the victims' lawyer, Daniel Gauthier.
Aushev said he wanted to prove he had nothing to do with the terrorist attack. Medov added that he hoped to "atone for his guilt with blood."
"Aushev Dzhabrail Magomedovich and Medov Khusen Alievich want to sign a contract and go to the SVO," the lawyer said in a conversation with TASS.
Both defendants face life imprisonment.
A previously classified witness in the criminal case surrounding the Crocus terrorist attack confirmed during questioning the involvement of all 19 defendants, who have already been identified and are in the dock, in organizing and participating in the attack on spectators.
[Daily Mail, where America gets its news] Mossad operatives hacked into Tehran's traffic camera network to spy on Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, his bodyguards and other top Iranian officials for years before his assassination, according to a report.
Israel gained access to almost all the city's cameras, which are used extensively by Iran to spy on regime opponents and its own population, and tracked the movements of key bodyguards.
Images were said to be transmitted back to Tel Aviv and southern Israel, allowing Mossad to develop intimate knowledge on the guards' addresses, work schedules and who they were assigned to protect.
One camera angle proved especially helpful and allowed agents to track where bodyguards parked their personal cars when arriving at the Supreme Leader's compound on Pasteur Street in the heart of Tehran.
The hacks were part of a years-long intelligence campaign which eventually led to the killing of Khamenei on Saturday after jets, which had travelled directly from Israeli military bases for hours, fired up to 30 precision munitions on his complex.
The Supreme Leader's body was found in rubble after the daylight bombing raid aimed at toppling the regime.
Khamenei presided over a brutal regime for 36 years which slaughtered thousands of his own citizens, repressed women and funded terrorist proxies Hamas and Hezbollah which seek to eliminate Israel.
When Israel located Khamenei on Saturday morning, they disrupted around a dozen mobile phone towers near Pasteur Street, making phones appear busy when called and preventing his security from receiving possible warnings.
'We knew Tehran like we know Jerusalem,' an Israeli intelligence official told the Financial Times.
'And when you know [a place] as well as you know the street you grew up on, you notice a single thing that's out of place.'
The CIA also had a human source who provided vital intelligence, according to the newspaper.
Combined with Israeli AI tools and algorithms which sifted through a vast mountain of data on Iran's leadership and their movements, the source allowed them to trace Khamenei to the meeting where he was hit.
Once Israel and the US became aware of where Khamenei was holding his meeting, they decided they had to act.
During a war the Ayatollah would be shifted underground into bomb resistant bunkers and acting early gave them the element of surprise.
Mossad officials planned the attack for months but decided to act immediately once they confirmed his location.
They used traffic cameras which showed Khamenei's meeting was on schedule, hacked phone networks, and the CIA source on the ground.
During the strike, senior Iranian national security officials were in another part of the building.
Two high-level military leaders - Rear Adm. Ali Shamkhani, and commander of the IRGC Maj. Gen. Mohammad Pakpour - and Khamenei's daughter, grandchild, daughter-in-law and son-in-law were also obliterated in the Tehran strikes.
The wife of Iran's Supreme Leader, 79-year-old Mansoureh Khojasteh Bagherzadeh, was also killed. As was Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
Iran has since retaliated, furiously carrying out strikes across its neighbouring Gulf states, with explosions in Qatar, Israel, Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq, Oman and Saudi Arabia.
The war spread further on Monday, with Israel exchanging fire with Hezbollah militants in Lebanon, US jets being downed in Kuwait and Qatar taking out Iranian fighter planes.
But on Monday night Donald Trump warned Iran that the 'big one' was coming as he said he was not afraid to put boots on the ground if needed.
Mr Trump estimated the conflict would last 'four weeks or so', but boasted that US and Israeli forces were 'way ahead of schedule'.
The US President added that soldiers would be sent 'if they were necessary'.
#3
@1 I figure anywhere I go shows up traffic cams at this point. Connecticut has cameras on most of the streets and cameras and I think radiation sniffers (and cameras) on highways coming into the state.
DOT says the cameras are just for traffic control. Uh hu.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited
[Regnum] The price of Brent crude oil exceeded $80 per barrel following the US and Israeli attack on Iran. This is according to trading data from March 2 on the ICE exchange website.
The record 10% price jump occurred at 1:00 PM Moscow time, when the price of a barrel was $81.50.
According to the exchange's infographic, the price of Brent oil is currently hovering around $79 per barrel.
Earlier, a Saudi Aramco oil refinery in Saudi Arabia suspended operations. Riyadh noted that Iran launched the strike using a drone, and although the refinery suffered minimal damage, its operations were suspended as a precaution.
Also on March 2, Qatar halted liquefied natural gas production following an attack on the facility by a drone launched from Iran. The country's Ministry of Defense stated that it was investigating the extent of the damage.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited by Pavel Anisimov
[REGNUM] Norway is refraining from supporting strikes on Iran, wishing to avoid escalation. The country is attempting to balance its foreign policy principles with the practical risks for Norwegians in the region.
The situation, in which the Scandinavian country is trying to maintain its diplomatic course, has sharply escalated. The joint Israeli-American operation against Iran marked a shift from targeted strikes to broader military action. The massive Israeli-American attacks prompted retaliatory missile strikes against US targets and Iran's neighbors.
Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide noted that the failure of diplomacy has led to a new large-scale war that could draw regional players into a protracted conflict.
The Ministry of Defense confirmed that all its personnel in the Middle East—approximately 60 service members involved in stabilizing the situation in Iraq—are safe and have strengthened security protocols.
Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre emphasized the absence of Norwegian bases in the region, noting that the country does not intend to become part of the war, relying on diplomacy and the support of compatriots.
More than 2,000 Norwegian civilians have found themselves in countries affected by the conflict—Iran, Israel, the UAE, Jordan, and Lebanon. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has established a crisis center to monitor and process inquiries. Although only about 10 Norwegians are registered in Iran, the actual number is higher. Oslo has been calling on its compatriots to leave the country since January, but is not carrying out evacuations, leaving the decision up to the citizens themselves.
In contrast to the harsh condemnation of Tehran voiced in some European capitals (Paris, London and Berlin), Oslo adopted a cautious tone, supporting dialogue and trying to avoid a rift with Washington.
Støre noted that the attacks "do not comply with international law" and expressed alarm at the "large-scale war in the region," calling on all parties to exercise restraint. Minister Eide noted the illegality of the Israeli strikes, but without mentioning the United States.
This strategy aims to preserve transatlantic unity while minimizing risks to European interests in nuclear negotiations and security. At the same time, Norway condemned Iran's retaliatory actions.
Oslo's position also has a domestic dimension. The Police Security Service (PST) warned that Iranian intelligence and security agencies will intensify operations in 2026, ranging from influence and sabotage to cyberattacks. According to the PST, Iran is monitoring the activities of dissident immigrants, hacking their emails, and attempting to acquire dual-use technology in defiance of sanctions.
In the face of increasing unpredictability, the service has stepped up surveillance and enhanced risk assessments, which only strengthens the government's arguments for a restrained approach.
Beyond security concerns, the economy is at stake. As a maritime power, Norway is concerned about shipping in the Persian Gulf, where a standoff could disrupt trade routes and impact exports. The Prime Minister emphasized the need for diplomatic initiatives to protect economic interests.
Overall, however, Norway benefits financially from the destabilization of the Middle East. The escalation is pushing up oil prices, promising billions in additional revenue for the treasury and a rise in the share price of Equinor, the oil giant in which Oslo owns 67%. However, Minister of Petroleum and Energy Terje Aasland insists that the country does not desire this benefit.
Meanwhile, the 2026 state budget estimates oil and gas revenues at 521 billion kroner—lower than last year's forecast of 664 billion kroner at a price of $67 per barrel. Disruptions in supplies from the Persian Gulf could sharply increase prices, strengthening Oslo's position as a supplier.
Norway believes the conflict once again reveals the fragility of the regional security system: an attempt to resolve the Iranian nuclear issue by force creates multiple threats for everyone, from the closure of energy routes to the involvement of neighboring countries. This is why it is cautious.
🇪🇸🇺🇸 BREAKING: Spain has ordered U.S. tanker aircraft to leave its Morón and Rota bases after Madrid rejected allowing support for the military strikes against Iran, Reuters reports. pic.twitter.com/XY6uB0yrhA
#3
FAFO. Spain has proved it's unreliable, surrenders (once again) to muslims, and begins its decline. Pull US forces out of Spain and cut off the flow of $$$ to that nation. Rota was a nice alternative, but no longer essential. Moron, Torrejon, and Zaragosa can also be replaced or ignored. As the saying goes, "Go Woke, Go Broke". Spain has entered the "collapse" stage.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
03/03/2026 11:29 Comments ||
Top||
A furious Donald Trump has said he will cut all ties with Spain after the country denied the US permission to use their shared bases to launch attacks against Iran.
#6
Interestingly, the last time Spain girded its loins to do the Jews dirty, the Jews they expelled in 1492 did what they could to support their refuge, the Netherlands, in their fight for independence against Spain. From both self-inflicted blows Spain has never recovered.
#9
Hey, Angel @ #7:
Actually, that's already going on. New treaty that Starmer has been pushing gives Spain entry visa control of Gibraltar, as well as right of refusal over military storage.
It's like Brexit never existed.
Posted by: ed in texas ||
03/03/2026 17:24 Comments ||
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[RedState] An Iranian-linked mosque in Manassas, Virginia, a suburb of Washington, D.C., held a memorial service Sunday evening honoring Ayatollah Ali Khamenei ...the very aged actual dictator of Iran, successor to Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini...> , calling him "our leader" and sending "glad tidings on the martyrdom of His Eminence." A now-deleted post on Manassas Mosque's Instagram page detailed the Sunday evening service to honor the now-obliterated strongman they saw as their leader, noting a "potluck" meal would be take place before the commemoration.
A DC-area mosque pledged its loyalty to the Iranian dictator “martyred” by the US. Its membership views Khamenei, not America’s elected representatives, as “our leader.” pic.twitter.com/VsGxoapEF2
I previously wrote about Atefeh Rokhvand, the daughter of the imam, the founder of Teachers Against Genocide who a DC judge ordered to pay a rabbi for falsely accusing him of a crime because he prayed outside the Israeli embassy.https://t.co/BJwV6HQgEG
The Manassas Mosque is funded by the Alavi Foundation, which the DOJ said was a front for the Iranian regime. Its head destroyed documents after a subpoena and pleaded guilty to two felonies, but the Obama admin gave him only a slap on the wrist. DETAILS:https://t.co/zMggTrWrYe
Back over on Instagram, Manassas Mosque was tagged as a sponsor of an anti-war protest slated for Monday evening outside the White House, along with this message:
This conflict has the potential to quickly expand into a devastating regional war which will bring unthinkable death and destruction. Already, other countries in the region have been drawn into the war. Trump is lying when he says that Iran poses any kind of threat to the United States. And he has made it clear that he is willing to sacrifice the lives of U.S. servicemembers in this regime change war, along with an unlimited number of Iranians and others in the region.
But a mass anti-war movement can put an end to this destruction! Take to the streets on Monday, March 2 to demand: stop the war on Iran now!
Code Pink, Party for Socialism and Liberation, Black Alliance for Peace, and American Muslims for Palestine are among the other sponsors of the Monday rally.
Manassas Mosque has a long, sordid history of allying with far-left and anti-semitic agitators, and, following the confirmation of Khamenei's death, the daughter of the mosque's leader reposted a quote calling the United States and Israel a "demonic transgressive empire."
And there's way more:
After the October 2023 terrorist attacks against Israel, the Manassas Mosque endorsed the actions of Hamas. In a community newsletter, the mosque issued a statement explicitly expressing support for the terrorist group. “We stand firmly with the Palestinian Resistance (Hamas),” the mosque’s leaders declared at the time.
Manassas Mosque’s Imam Abolfazl Bahram Nahidian claimed at a 2010 rally on Quds Day, an annual anti-Israel day of protest calling for the destruction of the Jewish state, that Israelis orchestrated the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks as part of a Zionist conspiracy to sow Islamophobia.
“All the plots and the schemes that they make are to destroy humanity,” Nahidian said of the Israeli people, calling them “the most devilish ones on Earth.”
It is worrisome, indeed, that any mosque in the U.S., much less one operating in the shadow of Washington, D.C., is using such incendiary rhetoric and implied threats against its neighbors. As RedState's Ward Clark wrote earlier Monday, we need to be worried about way more than simple rhetoric, as terror cells are already likely be operating within the United States and could be ready to use the military action in Iran as an excuse to unleash violence against Americans.
Whether or not Manassas Mosque is part of any planned unrest in the U.S. is unclear at this point, but its public and unabashed praise for a foreign jihadist regime and its history of extremist rhetoric should set off serious alarm bells for law enforcement and the public alike.
#4
I hope there was Video of those attending.
So HLS/FBI/NSA can keep tabs for future problems?
Before someone bleeding Heart screams Separation of Church and State.
This Group, that Satan likely supports, OPENLY PREACHES & PRACTICES DEATH TO ALL OTHERS. Their stated agenda would likely eliminate 99% of the Liberals, ALT-SEX side, except maybe the Goat Breeding types of course.
#6
I'm thinking that the FBI (and maybe more) have the cellphone numbers, license plates and pictures of everyone who attended. All of that information has been fed into computers and now they have list of known associates and if any of them have received large sums of money recently.
It was nice of them all to show up at the same place so we could gather all this information.
Also thinking the FBI and other organizations are doing a far better job of identifying and stopping terrorists then we think.
BILAN FEVRIER 2026 – Attaques de groupes armés en Afrique de l’Ouest
En ce mois de février 2026, 97 attaques terroristes ou de groupes rebelles ont été recensées dans 4 pays de l’Afrique de l’Ouest (sources locales et revendications des groupes armés) :
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
...a kingdom taking up the bulk of the Arabian peninsula, largely made up of sand and oil rigs. Its primary economic activity involves exporting oil and soaking Islamic rubes on the annual haj pilgrimage. The country supports a large number of princes in whatcha might call princely splendor. Formerly dictatorial and steeped in Olde Tyme Religion, deferring to Salafist holy men on all issues, it has now done a 180 and is making a serious effort to modernize, so as not to be left in the sand by its Gulf Arab neighbors. The holy men have been shoved to the background and the nation is now still dictatorial but somewhat rational. That doesn't make them trustworthy, but it's a start...
...the very aged actual dictator of Iran, successor to Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini...>
