Sunday, March 9, 2014

Missile downed Malaysian plane?



Missile downed Malaysian plane?

Follows recent warning of 'nightmare' threat to airliners
Just eight days after a terrorist attack in the city of Kunming dubbed “China’s September 11th,” a Malaysia Airlines flight carrying mostly Chinese passengers disappeared over the South China Sea.

While the international probe is in its early stages and questions are being raised about the prospect of terrorism, investigators would be wise to thoroughly examine the possibility of a missile attack in light of recent information about the global proliferation of such projectiles capable of downing civilian airliners.

Further, China has issued a series of warnings about North Korean missiles, including one that crossed paths with a Chinese airliner carrying 220 people just last week.

On Friday, China complained to North Korea when one of its missiles crossed paths with a civilian jet last Tuesday that had departed Tokyo’s Narita airport en route to the northeastern Chinese city of Shenyang.

One day earlier, South Korea’s defense ministry released a statement saying the Chinese civilian plane had “passed as the ballistic missile (from North Korea) was in the course of descending.”

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang told reporters, “On this issue, we have already contacted the North Korean side to convey our deep concern.”

“If any country is to hold training or exercises, it should take measures in accordance with international practice to ensure the safety of civil [facilities] in relevant airspace and maritime space,” said Qin.

Qin said the jet was flying over international waters at an altitude of 10,000 meters, or 32,800 feet.

“The rocket could have hit the plane on its way down,” he said. “North Korea had not given any warning. It was an unexpected and immoral act that goes against international norms.”

One week earlier, North Korea reportedly test-fired two short range missiles into the sea.

In January, former CIA Director David Petraeus warned of a “nightmare” scenario in which the proliferation of missiles could provide terrorists the ability to shoot down passenger airplanes.

The largest terrorist looting of Man-Portable-Air-Defense-Systems, or MANPADS, reportedly took place immediately after the U.S.-NATO military campaign that helped to end Moammar Gadhafi’s rule in Libya.

Gadhafi had hoarded Africa’s biggest known reserve of MANPADS, with his stock said to number between 15,000 and 20,000. Many of the missiles were stolen by militias fighting in Libya, including those backed by the U.S. their anti-Gadhafi efforts.

Last week, there were unverified claims some MANPADS went missing in Ukraine.

Last April, the United Nations released a report revealing that weapons from Libya to extremists were proliferating at an “alarming rate,” fueling conflicts in Mali, Syria, Gaza and elsewhere.

Most MANPADS are designed to down a low-flying aircraft. Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, however, reportedly disappeared from radar while flying at cruising altitude in fine weather.

The details surrounding the fate of the Malaysia Airlines flight could take months or even years to fully emerge. While it is too early to jump to conclusions and the possibilities will evolve along with the investigation, some reports about the flight are technically consistent with a potential missile strike.

Reuters has exclusively quoted a senior source inside the probe saying they were narrowing the focus of the investigation to the possibility the aircraft disintegrated mid-flight.

Malaysia Airlines CEO Ahmad Jauhari Yahya told reporters the airline had no indication of any distress signal from the pilot, with CBS News reporting this suggested “that whatever happened to the plane occurred quickly and possibly catastrophically.”

Other reports say radar tracking the flight indicated the pilot may have turned back from its path to Beijing before disappearing. It was unclear how quickly the airplane did an about face or why the pilot may have decided to reverse course.

Meanwhile, international intelligence agencies have joined the investigation amid news that two passengers boarded the jet using stolen passports, raising terrorism concerns.

‘Nightmare’ threat targets passenger aircraft

At a conference in Tel Aviv in January, Petraeus warned of a “nightmare” scenario in which missile proliferation could provide terrorists the capability to shoot down a civilian airliner.

Petraeus was speaking at the annual conference of the Institute for National Security Studies, a think-tank at Tel Aviv University.

He referred to a video posted on YouTube by the Sinai-based Ansar Jerusalem jihadist group, which claimed it had fired a surface-to-air missile at an Egyptian helicopter.

“I mean, shooting down a helicopter with an apparent shoulder-fired missile is a big deal,” Petraeus said.

“As you know, that was always our worst nightmare, that a civilian airliner would be shot down by one. Which is why we were so concerned when they moved around,” he said.

The MANPADS didn’t just move around. Thousands were looted when Gadhafi’s reserves were unprotected following the NATO campaign there in 2011.

At the time, CBS News reported the U.S. was unable to secure “thousands” of MANPADS.

CBS quoted a “well-placed source” divulging that hundreds of missiles were tracked going to the group Al Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb, AQIM, the al-Qaida franchise based in Algeria that is now considered to be one of the gravest threats to the U.S.

Malaysia
Joseph Y. Yun is the U.S. ambassador for Malaysia, and was the deputy assistant secretary for the U.S. Department of State.

Note: James Keith was the U.S. ambassador for Malaysia, and the deputy assistant secretary for the U.S. Department of State.
John F. Kerry is the secretary at the U.S. Department of State for the Barack Obama administration, and married to Teresa Heinz Kerry.
Teresa Heinz Kerry is married to John F. Kerry, and an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank).
Ivo H. Daalder was a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution (think tank), and is the U.S. permanent representative for NATO.
John R. Allen was the supreme allied commander Europe nominee for NATO, and is a fellow at the Brookings Institution (think tank).
Cyrus F. Freidheim Jr. is an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank), and a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago.
William M. Daley is a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago, a contributor for the CBS News, was the chief of staff for the Barack Obama administration, and a director at the Boeing Company.
Jessica Tuchman Mathews was an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank), a board member for the International Crisis Group, is the president of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank), a director at the American Friends of Bilderberg (think tank), and a 2008 Bilderberg conference participant (think tank).
Ed Griffin’s interview with Norman Dodd in 1982
(The investigation into the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace uncovered the plans for population control by involving the United States in war)
Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Brookings Institution (think tank), the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank), the Human Rights Watch, and the Aspen Institute (think tank).
George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society, a benefactor for the Human Rights Watch, and is a board member for the International Crisis Group.
Anwar Ibrahim was a board member for the International Crisis Group, and the deputy prime minister for Malaysia.
Wesley K. Clark is a board member for the International Crisis Group, and was the supreme allied commander – Europe for NATO.
Javier Solana was the secretary general for NATO, is a director at the Human Rights Watch, a board member for the International Crisis Group, and a trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank).
James S. Crown is a trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank), a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago, a director at the General Dynamics Corporation, and the president for Henry Crown and Company.
Lester Crown was a lifetime trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank), a director at the General Dynamics Corporation, is a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago, and the chairman for Henry Crown and Company.
John M. Keane is a director at the General Dynamics Corporation, a friend of David H. Petraeus, and was a senior adviser for KKR & Co. LP.
David H. Petraeus is a friend of John M. Keane, and the KKR Global Institute chairman for KKR & Co. LP.
James N. Mattis is a director at the General Dynamics Corporation, and was the supreme allied commander for NATO.
James L. Jones Jr. is a director at the General Dynamics Corporation, the national security adviser for the Barack Obama administration, the supreme allied commander – Europe for NATO, and a director at the Boeing Company.
Thomas R. Pickering was the SVP for the Boeing Company, a lifetime trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank), is a co-chair for the International Crisis Group, and a distinguished fellow at the Brookings Institution (think tank).
Anwar Ibrahim was a board member for the International Crisis Group, and the deputy prime minister for Malaysia.
Henry Crown and Company is an investor in the General Dynamics Corporation, and an investor in the Chicago Bulls.
Dennis Rodman was a player for the Chicago Bulls, and met with Kim Jong Un in 2013.
Kim Jong Un met with Dennis Rodman in 2013, and is the leader of North Korea.
Dennis Rodman Defends North Korean Trips, But Won’t Go Back There
By Anne Lu | March 10, 2014 9:20 AM EST
Dennis Rodman will not go back to North Korea if the people don’t want him to. The former Chicago Bulls star apologised if he has put anyone in harm’s way during his trips to the hermit nation.
“I wish they understood the whole purpose of why I went to North Korea. I wish they did,” the retired baller told ESPN in an interview.
Rodman insisted that his motives were pure when he went to the East Asian country twice to meet its leader Kim Jong-un.
His trips were highly criticised, with some people saying his fraternisation with the North Korean dictator meant he was condoning him.
Former U.S. Ambassador to the UN Bill Richardson also slammed Rodman’s trip, claiming it interfered with diplomacy efforts.
Bill Richardson was the United Nations U.S. ambassador for the Barack Obama administration, and is a director at Refugees International.
Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for Refugees International.
George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society, and is a board member for the International Crisis Group.
Mark Malloch-Brown was the vice chairman for Refugees International, and is a co-chair for the International Crisis Group.
Samantha Power was a board member for the International Crisis Group, and is the United Nations U.S. ambassador.
Anwar Ibrahim was a board member for the International Crisis Group, and the deputy prime minister for Malaysia.
Jessica Tuchman Mathews was a board member for the International Crisis Group, an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank), is the president of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank), a director at the American Friends of Bilderberg (think tank), and a 2008 Bilderberg conference participant (think tank).
Ed Griffin’s interview with Norman Dodd in 1982
(The investigation into the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace uncovered the plans for population control by involving the United States in war)
Teresa Heinz Kerry is an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank), and married to John F. Kerry.
John F. Kerry is married to Teresa Heinz Kerry, and the secretary at the U.S. Department of State for the Barack Obama administration.
James Keith was the deputy assistant secretary for the U.S. Department of State, and the U.S. ambassador for Malaysia.
Joseph Y. Yun was the deputy assistant secretary for the U.S. Department of State, and is the U.S. ambassador for Malaysia.

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