Headlines:

• US: Republican Candidates Back Arming Syria Rebels
• UK Follows US in Warning Israel not to Attack Iran
• Bahrain Rocked by Protesters
• Nato Apology for Afghan Qur'an Burning
• Pakistan: US, Israel, India Responsible for Killings in Balochistan

Details:

US: Republican candidates back arming Syria rebels:

Republican presidential candidates Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich on Wednesday lent their support to the idea of arming the Syrian opposition in its fight to topple President Bashar al-Assad. Speaking at a CNN debate in Mesa, Arizona, Romney said the United States needed to team up with allies to help the rebels. "We need to work with Saudi Arabia and with Turkey to say, 'You guys provide the kind of weaponry that's needed to help the rebels inside Syria,'" the former Massachusetts governor said. The Republican seen most likely to face President Barack Obama in November's presidential election, Romney said such support was needed to turn Syria away from Iran at a critical time when Tehran was possibly trying to develop nuclear weapons. "If we can turn Syria and Lebanon away from Iran, we finally have the capacity to get Iran to pull back," Romney said. There were signs earlier this week that the Obama administration may be opening the door to eventually arming the Syrian opposition if a political solution to the conflict proves impossible. But a White House spokesman cautioned that such action could further contribute to the militarization of Syria and lead it down a dangerous path, although the administration did not rule out additional measures.

Once again American politicians are expecting the leaders of Turkey and Saudi to support their invasion of Syria. And rather than opposing America, the leaders of Turkey and Saudi are more than happy to support their tyranny. Their collective stance is a betrayal of the ummah. The Quran mentions:" O ye who believe! Betray not Allah and His messenger, nor knowingly betray your trusts." [TMQ 8:27].

UK follows US in warning Israel not to attack Iran:

Amid heightened tensions in the Persian Gulf, Britain today said it would not be ''wise'' for Israel to launch pre-emptive military strikes on Iran's atomic installations as it would have ''enormous downsides.'' Foreign Secretary William Hague said that Britain has urged Israel not to strike. "We support a twin-track strategy of sanctions and pressure and negotiations on the other hand."All options must remain on the table" but a military attack would have "enormous downsides", he told the Daily Telegraph. Separately, Hague told the BBC that the UK had not been shown any plans by Israel for an attack on Iran and had not been asked to be involved in any such attack. "I don't think the wise thing at this moment is for Israel to launch a military attack on Iran," he said."I think Israel, like everybody else in the world, should be giving a real chance to the approach that we have adopted, of very serious economic sanctions and diplomatic pressure, and the readiness to negotiate with Iran. "And that's what we now have to make a success of."He said that the UK was 100 per cent focused on using diplomacy and economically targeted sanctions "bringing Iran back to the table".

Earlier the US also warned the Jewish state not to attack Iran. General Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told CNN that an attack on Iran by Israel would be "destabilizing and wouldn't achieve [Israel's] long-term objectives." He said, "I think it would be premature to exclusively decide that the time for military action was upon us."

After creating a golden opportunity to facilitate an attack on Iran, America and her allies are insisting that the Jewish state should hold back. Is it because America is using Iran to protect her interests in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan? For those who believe that deception is a part of foreign relations, this explanation appears more and more plausible.

Bahrain rocked by protesters:

More than 120 protesters have been wounded in clashes with police in Bahrain, activists said Wednesday, and a top opposition figure said the government had put out feelers about talks to resolve the Gulf state's year-long crisis. Activists using the name "February 14 Youth Coalition" called for more demonstrations a day after protests to mark the first anniversary of a violently suppressed pro-democracy uprising with Sunni-Shia sectarian overtones. There were clashes in Musalla near Manama and the flashpoint town of Sitra, and police were arresting people in house to house raids in Sanabis, a Shia village on the edge of the capital, and Budaiya, a district outside Manama. "There were over 100 cases Tuesday and 37 of them are bad, with head injuries and fractures," said a medic who works with researchers of an international organization and asked not to be identified. "On Monday we had 20 people (wounded) in villages around the country." The medic said some casualties had been hit by birdshot, which Bahraini police deny using. Most of the wounded are treated in village homes or private health clinics because protesters from the Shia majority fear they will be arrested if they go to hospitals run by the government, which is appointed by the Sunni monarchy. The protests began as a spontaneous movement embracing both Shias and Sunnis, cutting across religious and class divides with demands for broad political, social and economic reform.

Again West's hypocrisy knows no bounds. On the one hand the West wants to intervene in Muslim countries to liberate them from despots and on the other hand the West is happy to support despots in their efforts to suppress their people. Clearly then the West places her material interests above principles.

Nato apology for Afghan Qur'an burning

Nato forces have rushed to apologize for discarding and possibly burning copies of the Qur'an, as thousands of furious Afghans gathered to protest outside Bagram military airbase. Some carried ancient hunting rifles and others used slingshots to pelt the outer walls of the airbase with stones for several hours, despite the bitter cold, shouting "down with America" and other slogans. The crowd swelled to up to 3,000, and police stationed on roads leading to the base turned back other would-be protesters from further away, according to General Muhammad Akram Bekzad, Parwan province's police chief. At least 12 civilians were injured by rubber bullets fired by coalition soldiersto control the protesters, said Haji Abdul Aziz, police chief for Bagram district. Nato-led forces confirmed that "some non-lethal munitions were used to help disperse the crowd." Any destruction of, or damage to, Islam's holy book is a highly sensitive issue in Afghanistan that has sparked sometimes deadly riots in the past. As details of the apparent burning emerged, the top US and Nato general in Afghanistan apologised and promised an inquiry - seemingly to try to contain the spreading outrage. "I assure you ... I promise you ... this was NOT intentional in any way," General John Allen said in a statement addressed to the "noble people of Afghanistan". Copies of the Qur'an taken from prisoners at the airbase had been handed over for incineration late on Monday, and were spotted by Afghan workers, according to Afghan and western officials.

Allah Says: "O ye who believe! Take not into your intimacy those outside your ranks: They will not fail to corrupt you. They only desire your ruin: Rank hatred has already appeared from their mouths: What their hearts conceal is far worse. We have made plain to you the Signs, if ye have wisdom." [TMQ 3:118]

Pakistan: US, Israel, India responsible for killings in Balochistan:

Foreign countries and agencies strongly opposed to the Gwadar Port and determined to drive a wedge between Pakistan and Iran are involved in terrorist activities in Balochistan, military sources say. They told The Nation that Gwadar Port had the capacity to bring about economic prosperity in the impoverished Balochistan and this was precisely what the enemies could not tolerate. Similarly, the sources said, the countries that did not like cooperation between Pakistan and Iran were out to employ all sorts of machinations to create differences between the two Islamic states. They patronise terrorist organisation Jundullah for activities inside Iran. The United States, CIA, XE Services (the new name of erstwhile Blackwater), India and Israel, the sources said, were some of those involved in terrorist activities in Balochistan and are fanning secessionist tendencies among angry Balochis. The interior ministry, the sources said, has failed to deport such elements from Balochistan, because of which the terrorist activities are still going on. Terrorist activities and daily killings in Balochistan have created unrest among the people, providing some leaders with an opportunity to speak against the Federation. Some of them have also started talking of an independent Balochistan. The government and some political parties plan to hold separate conferences to discuss threadbare the grievances of the people of Balochistan and their possible solution. However, the enemies have also stepped up their efforts to fan sense of deprivation among the Balochis.