DEPARTMENTS
ANTI-WAR
DEATH PENALTY
ELECTIONS
ENVIRONMENT
GLBT ISSUES
HEMP
INTERNATIONAL
NATIONAL
REVIEWS
|
Departments International Issues Panetta expects Taliban won't turn Petraeus's adultery into propaganda Asked if he was concerned about the Taliban creating propaganda from the extramarital affair by former CIA director Gen. Petraeus, who previously led U.S. and coalition forces in Afghanistan, Mr. Panetta replied: "Obviously, you are never quite sure what the Taliban may or may not use for propaganda purposes, to try to advance their cause. "Obviously, this is a possible area for them to explore but I think frankly that, you know, that if they want to have an impact, there are probably other issues that they could focus on, besides the Petraeus matter," Mr. Panetta said. The Taliban consider adultery as a violation of Islam's sharia law, punishable by death. Afghanistan's Taliban publicly executed suspect men and women, including death by stoning, during their 1996-2001 regime which was toppled by a U.S. invasion. During the past decade, the Taliban executed several adulterous people after staging brief tribunals in rebel-held territory. Under U.S. military law, adultery is punishable by a possible court martial. Gen. Petraeus publicly admitted having an extramarital affair with his biographer, Paula Broadwell, and resigned on Nov. 9 as CIA director. In Bangkok, Mr. Panetta was speaking at a news conference while flanked by his Thai counterpart, Defense Minister Air Chief Marshal Sukumpol Suwanatat. They signed a "2012 Joint Vision Statement for the Thai-U.S. Defense Alliance," to update a 1962 U.S.-Thailand statement describing their security relationship. Mr. Panetta had arrived earlier in the day from Australia on a regional week-long tour. After Bangkok, he planned to go to neighboring Cambodia. Mr. Panetta was asked by another reporter if he was concerned that other people who worked for him might have been targeted by Mrs. Broadwell, who reportedly sent e-mails about her female rival, Jill Kelley, to other unidentified people. "I am not aware of any others that could be involved in this issue at the present time," said the bespectacled Mr. Panetta who wore a dark suit. Mr. Panetta also remarked about potentially scandalous e-mail sent to and from Gen. John Allen to the Florida-based socialite Mrs. Kelley. Gen. Allen became the top commander of U.S. and coalition forces in Afghanistan after Gen. Petraeus left that position to direct the CIA in the summer of 2011. After Mr. Panetta was told about the e-mails between Gen. Allen and Mrs. Kelley, "I thought it was important to refer it to the Defense Department's inspector general, in order to determine what the facts are here," Mr. Panetta said, concerning the Marine four-star general's case. "What I don't want to do is to try to characterize those [e-mail] communications, because I think I don't want to do anything that will impact on their [the inspector general's] ability to conduct an objective review of what was contained in those e-mails," he said. "I don't think anybody ought to jump to any conclusions as to where any of this will lead. But I do think it is important for the inspector general to conduct this review, so that we can get to the facts and determine what exactly happened here," Mr. Panetta said. In their "Joint Vision Statement," the U.S. and Thailand said they would cooperate in "the Asia-Pacific region" to provide security and also "open access by all to shared maritime, space, and cyber domains". "The United States supports Thai defense modernization and training requirements, including through the sale of U.S. defense equipment, Excess Defense Article transfers, Foreign Military Financing," and other assistance, their statement said. It highlighted Thailand's 2004 designation as "a major non-NATO ally of the United States". Their statement cited Bangkok for allowing the Pentagon to annually stage, on Thai territory, "Cobra Gold, the world's largest unilateral military exercise and premier training event in Asia." ---------------------- Richard S. Ehrlich is a Bangkok-based journalist from San Francisco, California, reporting news from Asia since 1978, and recipient of Columbia University's Foreign Correspondent's Award. He is a co-author of three non-fiction books about Thailand, including "Hello My Big Big Honey!" Love Letters to Bangkok Bar Girls and Their Revealing Interviews; 60 Stories of Royal Lineage; and Chronicle of Thailand: Headline News Since 1946. Mr. Ehrlich also contributed to the final chapter, Ceremonies and Regalia, in a new book titled King Bhumibol Adulyadej, A Life's Work: Thailand's Monarchy in Perspective. His websites are Asia Correspondent http://www.flickr.com/photos/animists/sets>Flicker http://www.amazon.com/Hello-My-Big-Honey-ebook/dp/B009ESEGY0>Hello My Big Honey (Copyright 2012 Richard S Ehrlich) |
|
Recent International Issues Articles Ten of my favorite things about 2012 Universal Declaration of Human Responsibilities Pile of Skulls Internal Security Act clamped on Bangkok to stifle coup demand Brand Names and Mass Graves Internal Security Act clamped on Bangkok to stifle coup demand Panetta expects Taliban won't turn Petraeus's adultery into propaganda Obama following his grandfather to Burma Two Members of Pussy Riot Sent to Russian Penal Colonies New demands for an immediate coup in Thailand China mourns Sihanouk's death & continues advancing in Cambodia Empire and its Consequences 13 Murders on the Mekong River International Peace Day from Kabul, Afghanistan The Innocence of U.S. Foreign Policy Funding teachers doesn't get embassies attacked Love, Hate and Indifference: singer/songwriter/activist David Rovics The Hidden Agenda of Green Party VP Candidate Cheri Honkala A Black, Green and White Talk with Shamako Noble of Hip Hop Congress New American judge may help bring five more Khmer Rouge to trial Julian Assange, International Intrigue and What’s Going On With Ecuador Yes We Camp Beyond Money Love is the key ingredient for successful social movements, not religion, per se. 1,500 fake "Bomb Detectors" fail to stop explosions in Thailand SPECIAL REPORT -- EXPOSING U.S. AGENTS OF LOW-INTENSITY WARFARE IN AFRICA: The Neocons vs. the ‘Arab Spring’: Back on the Warpath Iran and everything else Beyond the two-state solution Thailand's robots can save your life or kill you, but not yet love you War and Climate Change Flesh-eating fish are feeding on tourists' feet Veterans For Peace supports U.N. committee in questioning U.S. recruitment, killing of children Seeking a Visa for Dr. Wee Teck Young NASA's atmosphere probe is grounded by Thailand's squabbling For Love or Money Julian Assange's Artful Dodge Turkish court indicts Senior Israeli Military Officials in murders on Gaza flotilla: On the Second Anniversary of the Gaza Freedom Flotilla Aung San Suu Kyi leaves Burma after 24 years No one hears the poor Millions of Illegal Methamphetamines Made From Medicine in Thailand's Hospitals FBI seizes server from progressive internet service provider Thaksin wants to avoid assassination and prison in Thailand Via campesina and allies call for global solidarity in fight against land grabs Proud to wear a forbidden burqa in France A message of peace and friendship from Iran Aung San Suu Kyi stoops to conquer Burma Universal Declaration of Human Responsibilities Why Israel attacked Gaza: Bibi stirring trouble Columbus Activists Look South to help build Global Justice Movement Alcohol & politics: A volatile mix in Thailand Activists Call for Kroger's Support of Migrant Farm Worker Rights Large coalition asks for Obama's Nobel Peace Prize to be rescinded Iranians allegedly posted "Baked Clay" signs to attack Bangkok Alleged Iranian bombers cavorted with Thai women in beach resort Cold war in warm waters: US-China's dangerous contest for Asia-Pacific Three alleged Iranian bomb-makers arrested after bungling the plot Happy savages Food Sovereignty Activist Calls for Alliances between Progressives and ' Radicals ' Alleged Iranian bomb-maker blows off his own leg Obama's Super-Bowl Fumble on Iran A Banquet Feasts on Yingluck's Troubles in Thailand Thai government promotes Red Shirt leader & pro-Mugabe supporter Terror suspect says ammonia in his "Cool Packs" not for bombs Alleged terrorist reveals stockpile of bomb-making chemicals in Bangkok Church of the Dude, inspired by The Big Lebowski, sets up in Thailand A tale of 2 countries Aljazeera coverage: The revolution will be televised, and also manipulated Read International Issues Articles by Year: |
FREE PRESS EMAIL UPDATE
Donate to the Free Press Election Protection Fund to help us investigate and monitor election fraud in this year's election.
FOLLOW US ON
twitter
facebook
SEARCH THE FREEPRESS
1021 E. Broad St. Columbus, OH 43205 | 614.253.2571 | truth@freepress.org
All content © 1970-2012 The Columbus Free Press
Disclaimer