Region Rife with Reports of Imminent Shalit Release

New reports declaring an imminent end to Gilad Shalit’s years as a prisoner of Hamas are rife throughout media and within diplomatic channels. Israeli President Shimon Peres, returning from a one-day trip to Cairo where he met with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, confirmed to reporters that “progress has been made,” in the Shalit affair. News networks reported on Sunday that Israel has approved a list of 70 names that fit the criteria it has set forth for release to replace those rejected. It is believed that 450 Hamas members will be exchanged for Shalit. An Arabic news service said the deal will be executed on Friday. The soldier was captured in a cross-border raid by several Palestinian terrorist organizations in June 2006. Negotiations for his release have dragged on, reportedly over the make-up of the list of Hamas members held in Israeli jails who will be exchanged for Shalit.   

Iranian Military Exercises Underway, Simulating Attack on Nuclear Facilities

5-days of muscle-flexing military exercises aimed at demonstrating how well-protected its nuclear sites are, got underway in Iran on Sunday. Rhetoric continues to complement the actual exercises, with Iranian officials warning that any attempt by Israel to strike at the nuclear sites will result in missiles “raining down on Tel Aviv.” The exercises include the Revolutionary Guard and regular army units. Iran calls the war games the biggest ever, claiming the maneuvers will cover more than 230,000 square miles of territory.  

U.S., British Forces Train Local Militias to Fight Taliban in Afghanistan

In an effort to minimize foreign military activity in Afghanistan, British troops will begin training local militia to be the first line of defense against the Taliban. The Times quoted Brigadier James Cowan, the British commander in Helmand Province, as saying that the tactic “is exactly what the Americans did in Iraq. That is what we need to do here.” The Times reports that the Community Defense Initiative, which will see British troops training young Iraqi men at the local Police training school, will commence on December 5. Participants will receive instruction and uniforms; and will be paid by the British for participating. Once the training ends, the trainees will assume positions alongside British and Afghani soldiers. The American military is training local militias in 14 other areas of Afghanistan. In both the U.S. and British situations, the trainees are being watched for signs of loyalty to the Taliban. 

Iraq Loses FIFA-Sanctioned Soccer Because of Government Sectarian Fighting

Iraqi soccer fans are losing their nation’s ability to participate in play sanctioned by FIFA, soccer’s international governing organization, because of sectarian fighting over the sport by government agencies. The Iraqi Football Association is controlled by Sunnis Muslims while the Olympic Committee and government officials represent Shia Muslims. Both sects continue to fight for control of the sport. In response, FIFA has banned Iraqi teams from all international play. Several months ago, The Media Line reported on the first international competition to be held in Iraq since the American-led invasion in 2003. But FIFA’s emergency committee issued a statement suspending all play due to “governmental interference.” It singled out “measures taken by the Olympic Committee and security forces” as being “unacceptable to Fifa as they stand in total contradiction of FIFA and Fifa statutes.” The ruling bars Iraqi teams from playing against foreign teams at home or abroad.   

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