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Military resistance forced Bush to shift on Iran strike
Gareth Porter in Washington
The George W. Bush administration's shift from the military option of a massive strategic attack against Iran to a surgical strike against selected targets associated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) resulted from US military leaders' opposition. Seymour Hersh in the New Yorker earlier this month reported on the issue. Sources say, this appears to have been prompted not by new alarm at Iran's role in Iraq but by the explicit opposition of the nation's top military leaders to an unprovoked attack on Iran's nuclear facilities.
The reorientation of the military threat was first signalled by passages on Iran in Bush's Jan. 10 speech and followed by only a few weeks a decisive rejection by the Joint Chiefs of Staff of a strategic attack on Iran's nuclear facilities.
Although scarcely mentioned in press reports of the speech, which was devoted almost entirely to announcing the troop "surge" in Iraq, Bush accused both Iran and Syria of "allowing terrorists and insurgents to use their territory to move in and out of Iraq". Bush also alleged that Iran was "providing material support for attacks on American troops".
Those passages were intended in part to put pressure on Iran, and were accompanied by an intensification of a campaign begun the previous month to seize Iranian officials inside Iraq. But according to Hillary Mann, who was director for Persian Gulf and Afghanistan Affairs on the National Security Council staff in 2003, they also provided a legal basis for a possible attack on Iran.
"I believe the president chose his words very carefully," says Mann, "and laid down a legal predicate that could be used to justify later military action against Iran."
Mann says her interpretation of the language is based on the claim by the White House of a right to attack another country in "anticipatory self-defence" based on Article 51 of the United Nations Charter. That had been the legal basis cited by then National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice had in September 2002 in making the case for the invasion of Iraq.
The introduction of a new reason for striking Iran, which also implied a much more limited set of targets related to Iraq, followed a meeting between Bush and the Joint Chiefs of Staff on Dec. 13, 2006 in which the uniformed military leaders rejected a strike against Iran's nuclear programme. Time magazine political columnist Joe Klein, reported last May that military and intelligence sources told him that Bush had asked the Joint Chiefs at the meeting about a possible strike against the Iranian nuclear programme, and that they had unanimously opposed such an attack.
Mann says that she was also told by her own contacts in the Pentagon that the Joint Chiefs had expressed opposition to a strike against Iran.
The Joint Chiefs were soon joined in opposition to a strike on Iran by Admiral William Fallon, who was nominated to become CENTCOM commander in January. Mann says Pentagon contacts have also told her that Fallon made his opposition to war against Iran clear to the White House.
IPS reported last May that Fallon had indicated privately that he was determined to prevent an attack on Iran and even prepared to resign to do so. A source who met with Fallon at the time of his confirmation hearing quoted him as vowing that there would be "no war with Iran" while he was CENTCOM commander and as hinting very strongly that he would quit rather than go along with an attack.
Although he did not specifically refer to the Joint Chiefs, Fallon also suggested that other military leaders were opposing a strike against Iran, saying, "There are several of us who are trying to put the crazies back in the box," according to the same source.
Fallon's opposition to a strike against Iranian nuclear, military and economic targets would make it very difficult, if not impossible for the White House to carry out such an operation, according to military experts. As CENTCOM commander, Fallon has complete control over all military access to the region, says retired Air Force Col. Sam Gardiner, an expert on military strategy who has taught at the National War College.
Douglas McGregor, a retired Army Lt. Col. who was a tank commander in the 1991 Gulf War and has taught at the National Defense University, agrees. "I find it hard to imagine that anything can happen in the area without the involvement of the Central Command," says McGregor.
The possibility that Fallon might object to an unprovoked attack on Iran or even resign over the issue represents a significant deterrent to such an attack.
Former NSC adviser Mann believes the Iraq-focused strategy is now aimed at averting any resignation threat by Fallon or other military leaders by carrying out a very limited strike that would be presented as a response to a specific incident in Iraq in which the deaths of US soldiers could be attributed to Iranian policy. She says she doubts Fallon and other military leaders would "fall on their swords" over such a strike.
Gardiner agrees that Fallon is unlikely to refuse to carry out such a limited strike under those circumstances.
Mann believes the Bush-Cheney purpose in advancing the strategy is to provoke Iranian retaliation. "The concern I have is that it would be just enough so Iranians would retaliation against US allies," she says.
But the issue of what evidence of Iranian complicity would be adequate to justify such a strike evidently remains a matter of debate within the administration. A story published by McClatchy newspapers Aug. 9 reported that Vice President Dick Cheney had argued some weeks earlier for a strike against camps in Iran allegedly used to train Iraqi Shiite militiamen fighting US troops if "hard new evidence" could be obtained of Iran's complicity in supporting anti-US forces in Iraq.
But Cheney and his allies have been frustrated in the search for such evidence. Mann notes that British forces in southern Iraq patrolled the border very aggressively for six months last year to find evidence of Iranian involvement in supplying weapons to Iraqi guerrillas but found nothing.
After several months of trying to establish specific links between Iraqis suspected of trafficking in weapons to a specific Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard contact, the US command has not claimed a single case of such a link. Maj. Gen. Rick Lynch, the US commander for southern Iraq, where most of the Shiite militias operate, admitted in a July 6 briefing that his troops had not captured "anybody that we can tie to Iran".
Sen. Joe Lieberman, who is known to be closely allied with Cheney on Iran policy, has betrayed impatience with a policy that depends on obtaining proof of Iranian complicity in attacks. On June 11 he called for "strike over the border into Iran, where we have good evidence that they have a base at which they are training these people coming back into Iraq to kill our soldiers."
Lieberman repeated that position on July 2, but thus far it has not prevailed.
Gareth Porter is an historian and national security policy analyst. His latest book, "Perils of Dominance: Imbalance of Power and the Road to War in Vietnam", was published in June 2005.
- Inter Press Service
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THE KARACHI MAYHEM
People question PPP's strategy for public rally
Fakir S. Ayazuddin
The people of Pakistan are very angry at being treated like fools, by a Government that is completely unconcerned about the effect on the masses, of the deals being struck, and the manner of the deals. To be 'pushed' by the Americans, into accepting Benazir, is an insult to all Pakistanis. No Nation in the world has allowed its corrupt leadership to walk away from its crimes. The Bangladeshis are laughing at us, for both their ex PMs are languishing in jail, while our leadership lives in opulent exile!
How can our Government follow such instructions, which fly in the face of any moral decency, and is such a brazen impingement on our internal affairs, that the mind boggles at our capacity, to absorb, such crude and shameless interference, and the ability of our rulers to show such servility to the Anglo-Americans, the proud brokers of the deal. There should have been an outpouring of people on the streets, our intelligentsia on every street corner. Have our legal torchbearers lost their will for real justice, or have they succumbed to the call of their political masters into following their agendas, and keeping count of their clients who will benefit from the cleansing bath of the NRO.
Surely the Supreme Court is aware of the stench that permeates the land, and the anger of the people that stretches from the Khyber to the beaches of Baluchistan. What is even worse is the likening of the NRO to the South African model. This is such a ludicrous claim, that the many supporters of the beneficiaries under the NRO should be taken to South Africa to see how the South African Black was treated in his country, and for how long. We in Pakistan have not felt the whip, nor the dehumanising segregation suffered by the Blacks. Funnily enough the corrupt and the criminal amongst the politicos are being given the blanket of Mandela with which to walk through to his cleansing. Gentlemen please spare us from your insane comparisons. Mandela -- no less. Perhaps the PPP hierarchy and the N and Q league should be nominated for the Nobel also.
I had written over a year ago, that the extremist element in the region spread between Afghanistan and Pakistan had shifted their focus towards Pakistan, which was a softer target, and far more lucrative in terms of available body counts. The PPP has proved me right in providing the opportunity and the crowds for the extremists to lay on a lavish show, which has set records for a body count, and with the number of cameras and media present, has shown how Pakistan is indeed in the heartland of terror. And can compete with Baghdad for deaths in one day, - not the best of Baghdad, but equal to a good day! The point in the analogy is to draw attention to the fact that a large public reception was highly irresponsible, as it would be in Baghdad and could not have been controlled by any Government.
Pakistan is not the Pakistan of eleven years ago, the dangers are far more acute, for the entire region Iraq, Baluchistan, Wana, Afghanistan -Islamabad, is today a hotbed of extremists armed with sophisticated weapons, and, far worse, large numbers of suicide bombers, as the new weapon, for which there is no known counter, except for extreme care, which was discarded on that Thursday, in the desire to 'show' political street power of the PPP. The outcome was sad indeed, and should have been avoided. Will someone come forward and take the blame?
142 dead, over 500 injured. These are horrific numbers, and the PPP is behaving as if it was a strategic victory that will now propel the party to greater heights. The people show is being displayed as the strength of the Party. For the two brokers of the deal, it is indeed sad that they would take these figures for anything other than stupidity on the part of the organisers. If anything the brokers who guaranteed the deal, certainly must share the deadly blame with their protégé.
This Black Thursday, coupled with the Black NRO has brought nothing but shame to the bulk of our people, with the few benefiting at a huge cost to the many. The resultant anger is widespread, and the uneasy silence should not be misread. The people are desperately unhappy, and angry. This cannot continue, and it needs just a small trigger, to destroy the semblance of Peace that exists here. The NRO has already set off rumblings in the Extremist elements, that the looters will not go free, and the Taliban will be welcomed. A refrain that is being echoed by the rest of the country. Can Islamabad be so deaf?-- or the American think tanks so stupid?
Newsweek in its cover Story last week declared that Iraq is not the most dangerous place in the world-Pakistan is. Will Condoleeza Rice still advise Benazir to lead public rallies?
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Sri Lanka: Initiative on to put peace process back on track?
Jehan Perera in Colombo
Recently a peace. initiative has been taken by Sri Lankan Catholic religious leaders. The government media has given banner headlines to the peace initiative by religious leaders who are expected to travel to the LTTE-controlled Wanni in the near future "to explore the possibility of putting back the derailed peace process back on track." The emphasis would be on resuming the peace talks and preventing clashes between the Security Forces and the LTTE. This latest resolve for peace follows a meeting between Catholic religious leaders who met President Mahinda Rajapaksa to discuss the prospect of the sacred Madhu shrine in Mannar being declared a zone of peace.
The Catholic initiative is being led by the Bishop of Mannar, Rayappu Joseph, who has considerable experience in the field of shuttle diplomacy, having been an unofficial facilitator between President Chandrika Kumaratunga and the LTTE leadership together with Malcolm Ranjith, the former Bishop of Ratnapura who is presently holding high office in the Vatican, in the period 1998 to 2001, up to the time of the Norwegian entry into the Sri Lankan peace process.
The Madhu shrine obtained a name for itself in the 17th century when the Catholics who were being persecuted by the Dutch colonial administration fled to Madhu along with a statue of the Virgin Mary which they believed saved them. Madhu today lies in the fastness of thick Wanni jungles which have for long been the stronghold of the LTTE. The LTTE has situated its long distance artillery guns in proximity to the shrine, as the presence of the shrine serves to deter counter strikes by the Sri Lankan military.
Another important feature of the Madhu shrine is that it serves as a refuge to those who flee the war zones of the north. From 1990 onwards the precincts of the Madhu Shrine have become a refuge to those fleeing from military confrontations between the government security forces and the LTTE. It functioned as an Open Relief Centre under the international mandate of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) housing over 30,000 persons in the height of displacement of civilians in the early 1990s. It has remained an unofficial "Zone of Peace" except for a brief period between April and November 1999 when the Sri Lankan army entered the area.
Endangered shrine
Today, once again, the inviolability of the Madhu shrine is in doubt. The LTTE have not spared the people in all parts that they control from being forced to contribute men and women, boys and girls, to swell the ranks of their cadre. In addition, there is the government's oft proclaimed intention of re-taking the entirety of the north from the LTTE. The government recently re-took the Silavaturai area of Mannar south of Madhu, following its successful re-taking of the entirety of the Eastern Province from the LTTE. The expectation that there could be a full scale battle for control of the north poses a threat to the safety of the Madhu shrine.
The apprehension on the part of the Catholic Church is that any full scale governmental attack on the LTTE's positions in the vicinity of the Madhu shrine will lead to the destruction of the shrine. There is an incident from the past that gives credence to such a fear. On November 20, 1999 38 civilians taking refuge in the Madhu Shrine to escape the fighting were killed by a surprise mortar attack. The dead included 13 children and 57 persons were wounded. There was fighting around the church and it is unclear who was responsible for the shell attack. The LTTE and the Army blamed each other. The military said that the church was targeted because there were 300 Sri Lankan soldiers at the time in the church premises. The LTTE in turn accused the Army of using civilians in Madhu as human shield. The Sri Lankan soldiers in the church premises left the area the next day on orders from President Chandrika Kumaratunga.
Opportunity
From the latest headlines in the government media it appears that President Mahinda Rajapaksa is ready to grasp at the latest opportunity that would create a public impression of himself and his government as potential peace makers. The President is always prepared to say that he wishes to have peace talks with the LTTE and that a political solution is necessary to end the ethnic conflict. On the other hand, during the Presidential election campaign of November 2005, President Rajapaksa and his campaign speakers spoke in vehement opposition to the peace process, to a federal solution and to the prevailing Ceasefire Agreement. But at the same time the President went public with the dramatic announcement that he would solve the problem by having face-to-face talks with LTTE leader Pirapaharan.
The problem with any peace initiative at the present time is the absence of groundwork, or evident readiness on the part of the government to engage in the fundamental political reforms that would make such peace talks meaningful. Under President Rajapaksa the government has little or no track record of proposing a viable political solution. Ironically, the worst example has been the functioning of the All Party Conference that the President summoned to work out a political solution to the ethnic conflict. When the Chairman Prof. Tissa Vitharana proposed a political package based on the findings of an Expert Committee established by the President, the President not only overruled them all, but offered a diluted alternative that is only acceptable to nationalist Sinhalese parties.
The problem that the government seems reluctant to grasp is that peace talks and peace itself cannot be sustained in a political vacuum. One of the lessons of the failed peace process of 2002-05 is that peace talks and a ceasefire by themselves cannot sustain peace on the ground. Peace talks and a ceasefire can only be a means to an end, and not be ends in themselves, if lasting peace is to be the outcome. Peace talks and a ceasefire need to be supported by a series of political reforms and power sharing arrangements if they are to be sustainable. Unfortunately, Sri Lanka appears to be far from such a scenario under the present government leadership.
Today, nothing more is heard about progress in the deliberations of the All Party Representatives Committee which was mandated to find a political solution to the ethnic conflict. Instead it was recently reported that this body was going into hibernation in view of the forthcoming debate on the budget, and the political maneuvers that would be associated with the make or break vote on the passage of the budget. But without a political solution in the making, little or no progress can be expected by having peace talks. The option that is left is to continue with the present military campaign, the high costs of which are evident in the recent LTTE attack on the Anuradhapura air force base.
High cost
The Tamil Tiger's ground and air attack on the Anuradhapura Air Force base damages at least 8 aircraft, as admitted by the government. Independent analysts say, a large part of the infrastructure and air defence systems was destroyed costing billions of Rupees, and 35 persons were killed. Apart from the human cost, the economic cost of the attack will mean further and longer impoverishment of the country and its people.
If this state of affairs continues, the human and economic costs are likely rise to unbearable proportions and civilised values will further collapse. The manner in which the LTTE sent 2 suicide cadre to perform the ground attack, and the manner in which their naked bodies were exposed by government authorities after the attack, were manifestations of the disregard for human life and breakdown of civilised norms that is accompanying the conflict.
Military action
The attack on the Anuradhapura Air Force base is also an indication that the theatre of Military action cannot be confined to the contested north and east of the country. This has been seen in previous instances as well, such as the LTTE attack on Katunayake International Airport in 2001 and numerous bomb attacks in Colombo. The government's victories in the east have been accompanied by the spread of fighting in the north and outside of it in the south. It is tragic that history is repeating itself with catastrophic consequences to the lives of people and to the economy, but the military and political leaders of the country fail to learn from the past.
The proposed peace mission of the religious leaders is a positive initiative and needs to be welcomed and supported. But if the government is sincere about peace it needs to do more than giving mere verbal and logistical encouragement to such peace visits. The government needs to work in a concrete manner with the religious leaders to improve the humanitarian and human rights situation in the country, which has presently brought the country unfavorably into the international spotlight as one of the world's worst offenders. The government also needs to learn from international experience and Sri Lanka's own past and provide bold leadership to the All Party Representatives Committee to develop a political solution to the ethnic conflict as the basic foundation to ending the war.
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ISLAMABAD DIARY
Jonaid Iqbal
Nawaz Sharif's Muslim League is being mentioned in newspaper dispatches these days, after the tragedy that followed on Benazir Bhutto's return to Karachi 12 days ago, probably because her interaction with the government in recent days have not produced quite the desired response.
One might reach this conclusion from statements made from government side that it (the government) was not discussing the formation of interim government with her. She was quite certain at one time that the government would do every thing now with her consent.
A few days ago she had named Amin Fahim as a candidate for interim Prime Minister, but she is now saying that she wanted a neutral setup with consultation reached among all political parties.
Reports have also appeared about overtures made to NS to climb down and make up with President Musharraf.
Stories appearing in the press, say that during his recent trip to Saudi Arabia President Musharraf showed willingness to meet Newaz Sharif, in the same sort of way, in which he held a meeting with Benazir at Dubai, last July.
Some quarters also state that attempts were made from the government side for rapprochement during the coming election with PML president Shahbaz. However, his elder brother, NS, won't take the calls.
Arrival controversy
About Sharif, a rather unusual story appeared last Sunday in a prominent newspaper, that is was a mystery as to who really sent NS back to Jeddah after his arrival at Islamabad airport on 10th September. This interesting story was published last Sunday by Umar Cheema, a journalist with excellent connection, in the important newspaper, The News.
It appears now that no one was willing to take the responsibility as to who actually ordered Sharif to be flown away to Jeddah, in a PIA aircraft.
According to the story, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz is said to have stated on record to the Supreme Court, that he knew nothing of the sordid affair. Nor do the Chief Minister, the National Accountability Bureau, the PIA chief, the Civil Aviation Authority, and FIA (the Federal Investigation Authority) have any knowledge. The whole lot of them says they had nothing to do with Newaz's deportation.
The FIA, that controls exit, and arrivals of passengers at airport, said in the reply that Sharif did not present himself at the counter, to have his passport endorsed with the arrival stamp. In other words, he never arrived on that day!
PIA chief Zafar Khan said the Supreme Court order that as a citizen of Pakistan, Sharif had an inherent right to enter Pakistan and to be dealt with according to law in case of a court case standing in his name, and his right to block his entry inside the country should not be blocked.
Press reports
In point of fact, Sharif was never given a chance to register his arrival, except for the witnesses who travelled with him, and there were many journalists with him who filed stories to their newspapers detailing the shabby treatment he received at the airport and how he was whisked away by, as it seems now from the details of replies furnished to the court by some outside agency and no one was willing to acknowledge as to who were these people.
From the reply furnished to the Supreme Court (which has yet to fully hear the case) no body really knows the people who were these people who are said to belong to some 'other agency?
But, there is a tell tale report from the Foreign Office. PIA Chief Zafar Khan says the Foreign Office had asked for a PIA aircraft, but the name of the passenger was not disclosed.
The PIA also did not accept responsibility for flying the plane to Quetta and authorising the aircraft at Gawadar to change course and head towards Jeddah.
They can't even account who that somebody was to pass the order to the pilot of the aircraft. Even the Civil Aviation Authority, which normally chart the course of aircraft during flights, and direct at the altitude it should fly, and give information about the weather, swear they didn't do it.
It is mentioned that the Foreign Ministry did say that the P.M. had asked them to have an aircraft on hand for some kind of job to be done. However, the foreign ministry did not know the reason for it.
As mentioned in the story; Sharif's name did not appear in the passenger's list when he was flown to Jeddah, nearly three hours after his landing at Islamabad airport on PK 786 flight on that day.
Then who did it? The question has remained unanswered.
Maybe it was a ghost plane, and Nawaz Sharif a ghost passenger, because he did not know where he was heading to, until he landed at Jeddah.
As one newspaper stated in the headline, on Sept 11, from London to Jeddah, via Islamabad.
Post script
Nawaz Sharif's deportation to Saudi Arabia: SC asks AG who is to blame, wrote the Daily Times from Lahore.
The Supreme Court asked Attorney General (AG) Malik Qayyum to point out those who had violated the court's orders and sent former prime minister Nawaz Sharif back to Jeddah hours after he landed in Islamabad of September 10.
Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry reiterated that Nawaz Sharif could return to Pakistan any time, and that the court's earlier judgement directing the government not to stop his return remained intact.
"[The violators] have been making a mockery out of justice. You have to point out who we issue notices to," the CJP told the AG.
Higher authorities: The court adjourned the hearing till November 18 after AG Qayyum sought time to discuss the issue with higher authorities. A seven-member bench, headed by the CJP, issued its interim order, which said that the court wanted its August 23 judgement implemented "in letter and spirit".
The AG conceded that no one could stop Nawaz from coming back. "Give me some time for a statement [to be filed with the court] so that the same saga is not repeated," he said.
PM's involvement: The CJP said it was clear that the court's orders were violated at the highest level, which was proven from a statement of the foreign secretary claiming that the principle secretary to the prime minister had verbally and in writing asked them to arrange a VVIP flight to Jeddah. The statement also hinted that preparations to send Nawaz back had begun on September 6.
The court also admonished Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) Chairman Zafar Khan for his ambiguous statements and warned him of legal action for concealing facts.
Justice Javed Iqbal observed that government functionaries were shifting blame, but there was sufficient evidence of involvement against the prime minister. "It will be advisable [for the government] not to contest the matter," Justice Javed said.
Nawaz's party also asked the court to tell the government to arrange his return.
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NEWS NOTES FROM NEW YORK
Fazle Rashid
Pakistan to disintegrate
"I believe losing in Afghanistan is worse than losing in Iraq. It will mean Pakistan will fall and it will have serious implications internally for the security of our own countries and will instigate a wider Shia-Sunni regional war on grand scale."
This prognostication has been made by Lord Ashdown, the former UN high representative for Bosnia and Harzegovina, after he was offered the office of the "Super Envoy" in Afghanistan. "We have lost. I think and success is now unlikely," Lord Ashdown said.
Hamid Karzai said his country is prepared to shoulder more burden but "we still need help".
Lt.Gen Peter Leahy of Australia sounded as pessimistic as Lord Snowdown saying the Islamic militants confront our weakness not our strength. Winning the conflict would take time and patience - two things our enemy possesses in far grater abundance than US, Gen Leahy was quoted as saying by the Sydney Morning Herald.
Economic Tsunami
The price of petrol hovering around $94 a barrel and analysts predicting the price could go up to $120 a barrel -- thus a massive tsunami is set to engulf the global economy. The ever expanding Chinese economy is likely to unleash even greater instability on global markets than the US had.
Chinese economy grew at 13.5 per cent and inflation remained at 6 per cent. China has refused to revise upward the value of its currency which is upsetting the balance.
China has surged ahead of Germany to become world's top exporter prompting louder demands for revaluing theYuan. China's export in August was $111 billion up 55 per cent from last year's figure.
US Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson said it is in her own interest that China should revalue its currency. China has resisted Western pressure for faster appreciation.
China's all round progress was in evidence as it launched its first moon orbiter with great fanfare and patriotic zeal.
US blamed for aggravating the situation
Mohammad El Baradei, Chief of International Atomic Energy Commission. The UN nuclear watchdog categorically stated he had found no evidence of Iran acquiring a nuclear bomb as suspected by the US and Israel in the foreseeable future. He blamed US for adding fuel to fire' with its recent bellicose rhetoric, Israel a nuclear power itself, accused El Baradei of taking side with Iran. President Ahmadinejad has denied speculation that foreign minister Mottaki has resigned.
Washington reacted by saying it would use diplomacy to resolve the issue but did not rule out a military option. Former President Jimmy Carter said it would be sheer madness if US opt to use military force against Iran.
Although Russia will stand by Iran and press for a diplomatic solution Moscow along with Washington has called upon all nations to destroy their medium range nuclear missile. They want their 20-year old treaty to be embraced by all.
Europeans are trafficking children
Europeans are luring children from Chad by offering them sweets and biscuits and whisking them to Europe where they are sought after. Officials in Chad investigating the allegations found this be true.
Chad police have detained seven crew of a Spanish aircraft which was set to take off with 103 Chadian children. Chandian police have also arrested nine French national. French President Sarzoky is in touch with President Idris of Chad to discuss the issue.
Grim UN forecast
United Nations Global Environment Outlook Report 4 reveals a scale of unprecedented ecological damage with more than 2 million people dying prematurely of air pollution and close to 2 billion are likely to suffer absolute water scarcity by 2025.
The study found water, land, air plants animals and fish stock depleting. Reports warns that 6.75 billion people worldwide have reached a point where the amount of resources needed to sustain it exceeds what is available.
All about cricket
Australian national coach Tim Nielsen expressed exasperation at the steady exodus of the Australian coaches after losing Jamie Siddons to Bangladesh. Three other Australian coaches -- Trevor Bayliss( Sri Lanka) Geoff Lawson ( Pakistan ) and John Dyson (West Indies) -- are also engaged in coaching assignments.
There was a tussle between West Indies and Bangladesh to secure the services of John Dyson. West Indies offer was lucrative. Dave Whatmore another Australian will take assignment in India. Tim Nielsen has called upon Cricket Australia, the parent body to devise ways a means to prevent the exodus of the talents.
Muralitharan, Sri Lankan star with a test of haul 700 wickets, has set his sight on clipping the world record of 708 test wickets now being held Shane Warn. Whether he will be able to reach his target during the two tests Sri Lanka will play against Australia in the current tour of down under.
Muralitharan hopes to bag 1000 test wickets.
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