Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan to combat terrorism

[bemildred]

Source: AFP

TEHRAN — The leaders of Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan agreed on Saturday to join forces in combating militancy as they attended a counter-terrorism summit overshadowed by an Afghan hospital bombing that killed at least 20 people.

The joint statement by the three neighbouring presidents followed an announcement by US President Barack Obama that Washington will withdraw 33,000 of its 99,000 troops from Afghanistan by the end of next summer.

"All sides stressed their commitment to efforts aimed at eliminating extremism, militancy, terrorism, as well as rejecting foreign interference, which is in blatant opposition to the spirit of Islam, the peaceful cultural traditions of the region and its peoples' interests," the statement said.

They agreed to continue meetings at ministerial level ahead of the next summit in Islamabad before the end of 2011, added the statement carried by Iran's official IRNA news agency.

Read more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5iZ1wnWcbOBJSudn9Hany0zuXuJVA?docId=CNG.25958359d6449cfeae5aafcba92ce217.481

[earcandle]

1. A sign of civilization asserting itself in the middle east?

[groundloop]

2. Or perhaps these regimes combating the forces that might drive them from power

Their "terrorists" are likely any group that would prefer to see the current rulers driven from power.

[cosmicone]

3. Pakistanis combating terrorism

is like a bunch of hedge-fund managers combating greed.

[bemildred]

6. Two of our friends, whom we dump boatloads of money on, and one of the Axis of Evil.

Discussing how to fight "terrorism". I would expect this to cause a certain amount of cognitive disconnect.

[hack89]

4. So no more money and weapons for Hamas and Hezbollah? nt

[lsewpershad]

5. Good news

But wait a minute only America know who are the the terrorists.

[fujiyama]

7. I'll believe that when I see it

NT

[bemildred]

8. Iran slams U.S. at conference on fighting terrorism

Reporting from Tehran and Beirut—
A battered Peugeot sedan greeted visitors Saturday to a conference hall in north Tehran.

"Professor Massoud Ali Mohammadi, martyred in front of his house," explained an accompanying poster. It was a reference to the mysterious assassination last year of the Iranian physicist, killed when a bomb exploded near his car in Tehran. Iranian authorities have blamed the West for the killing.

The Peugeot was the symbolic scene-setter for a two-day conference in the Iranian capital on fighting terrorism. According to the Iranian media, officials from more than 60 countries and several heads of state flew in for the talks — among them Sudanese President Omar Hassan Ahmed Bashir, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court on war crimes charges.

The event was heavy on U.S.-bashing, generally reflecting Tehran's views about Washington's policy in the region.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-iran-terrorism-20110626,0,5332719.story