Cartoonist: Omaya Joha

Source: Al-Raya, Qatar, June 29, 2009

According to a communiqué issued on June 29, 2009, Al-Shabab Al-Mujahideen inspected warehouses in the Bakara market in Mogadishu and closed down those selling spoiled foodstuffs...

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Cartoonist: Habib Haddad

Source: Al-Hayat, London, June 29, 2009

In a communiqué dated June 28, 2009, which was posted on jihadist websites on June 30, Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) threatened to attack France and its interests in revenge for what it termed France's "renewed open war on our niqab-wearing sisters."

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During a meeting yesterday in Riyadh, leaders of the Gulf and Red Sea states decided to form a joint naval force to fight piracy off the coast of Somalia.

The naval force is to be formed by Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the UAE, Oman, Egypt, Jordan, Sudan, Yemen, and Djibouti.

Source: Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, London, June 30, 2009

Iraqi Ambassador to Damascus 'Alaa Al-Jawadi stated yesterday that the security collaboration between Syria and Iraq is at the highest level.

In a press conference at the Iraqi Embassy in Damascus, he said: "We and Syria are in agreement and will spare no effort to restore Iraq to its leadership role in the region."

With regard to cooperation in the oil sector, he said the agreement exists but that there were technical difficulties that had caused the delay in rehabilitating the pipeline which would carry Iraqi oil from Kirkuk to the Syrian port of Latkia.

[MEMRI reported recently that the rehabilitation of the pipeline was delayed because Iraq was concerned about the flow of jihadists across the Syrian border into Iraq.]

Source: Al-Rafidayn, Iraq, June 30, 2009

A source in the Iraqi border police said that Iranian military forces, using medium and heavy weapons, have occupied an oil field about 400 kilometers (222 miles) south of the city of Basra.

The border police, accompanied by a unit responsible for protecting Iraqi oil installations, engaged the Iranian invading force and forced it to retreat.

Both sides sustained a number of injuries.

According to police sources, this was the biggest in a series of Iranian incursions into Iraq's oil fields.

Source: Al-Zaman, June 30, 2009

The Iraqi government daily Al-Sabah writes about the manifestations of happiness which prevail in the Iraqi street on the eve of the U.S. forces' withdrawal forces from Iraqi cities.

A variety of programs with song and dance are planned for today.

As is customary on these occasions, poets will read their poems extolling Iraq's history, civilization and glories, and the unity of its people.

Source: Al-Sabah, June 29, 2009

The Iraqi daily Al-Mada writes that the political situation in Iran, particularly following the announcement of the election results, would drive the country to export its crisis outside its borders to divert attention from its internal crisis.

The paper stated that the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraqi cities could render Iraq particularly vulnerable.

The Iraqi daily Al-Sabah Al-Jadid writes that the nature of the Iranian regime has fractured, and the leaders are facing two difficult choices: a) the use of massive force to put down the intifada (uprising) "even if the blood flows like a river," which could lead to ethnic and sectarian conflicts that could eventually force the leadership to turn Iran into a complete totalitarian country, and b) the use of a measured amount of force to break the protests or to contain them, which could lead to paralysis.

However, the paper writes that there might be a third option, namely the exporting of the struggle outside the country.

That means activating the allies in Palestine, Lebanon, or the Gulf.

This could mean bringing the entire region into turmoil, without necessarily entering into direct conflict with the U.S.

The Iraqi daily Al-Zaman quotes General David Petraeus, U.S. military central command head, who following a meeting with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak said that Tehran is continuing to arm and train extremist elements inside Iraq to cause security problems.

Sources: Al-Mada, June 30, 2009; Al-Sabah Al-Jadid, June 29, 2009; Al-Zaman, June 30, 2009

In a June 24, 2009 communiqué, Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) claimed responsibility for the June 23, 2009 murder of U.S. citizen Christopher Legget in Nouakchott, Mauritania...

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