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First Look: 2014 Chevrolet CorvetteJan 13, 2013

First Look: 2014 Chevrolet CorvetteJan 13, 2013 , By Eric Tingwall / Photos by A. J. Mueller





2014 Chevrolet Corvette Front Right ViewSee Full Gallery


Four years ago, the Corvette team first weighed the idea of reviving the historic Stingray moniker for the C7 Corvette. They made the decision only six months ago. It took that long to come to a verdict because neither design VP Ed Welburn nor chief engineer Tadge Juechter nor marketing manager Harlan Charles would make the call until they could confidently say their car delivered the looks, the performance, and the character to live up to the 1963-67 Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray. As automotive design editor Robert Cumberford notes in his analysis, the seventh generation of America's sports car is unmistakably a Corvette without resorting to pastiches. The new Vette accelerates quicker, stops shorter, and grips harder in corners. And Corvette engineers promise an enlightened driving experience. The C7 Corvette is, by every measure, worthy of the Stingray name. Corvette tradition soldiers on under the hood as well, with a new small-block V-8. The 4.4-inch bore spacing has roots in 1955, and the 6162-cubic-centimeter displacement is a remnant from last year's Corvette, yet the number of carryover parts in the new LT1 is in the single digits. New features include variable valve timing, direct injection, and cylinder deactivation, which turns the 6.2-liter V-8 into a 3.1-liter V-4 during low-load cruising. Overhead cams were left out in an effort to keep the engine height -- and the hoodline -- low, and engineers didn't shrink displacement because a smaller engine means fewer opportunities to operate in four-cylinder mode.



See all 23 Photos<>"There won't be a Corvette if we don't care about fuel economy," Juechter says. "We can't drag General Motors' Corporate Average Fuel Economy numbers down." To that end, the C7 should deliver incremental gains over last year's 16/26 mpg EPA city/highway rating. Fortunately, a more efficient engine also leads to a more powerful engine. The LT1 sees modest output improvements over the old LS3, to 450 hp at 6000 rpm and 450 lb-ft of torque at 4000 rpm. Chevrolet promises a 0-to-60-mph time of less than four seconds. To keep pace with the Porsche 911, the Corvette will introduce the industry's second seven-speed manual transmission when it arrives in late 2013. The seventh gear stretches the ratio spread from 5.32 in the C6 to 6.33. Curiously, a Corvette with a clutch pedal will also come with paddle shifters. In manual cars, they activate and disable the automatic rev-matching program. We're grateful to hear there's a defeat for the software, but paddles are awfully prominent for a feature you're un-likely to toggle between very often. The automatic transmission is still a six-speed married to the engine via torque converter. That it's not a dual-clutch gearbox or an eight-speed is a matter of torque: no one sells a dual-clutch transaxle that can handle the LT1's torque (unless Porsche is interested in becoming a Corvette supplier), and Chevrolet wasn't in a position to develop one; additional gears offer negligible benefits for the big V-8 engine that makes so much low-end torque. "When we can offer better fuel economy and better performance with more gears, we will do it," Juechter says. The one significant improvement we can have now is a pair of proper shift paddles, larger than in the C6, with the left handling downshifts and the right managing upshifts. A driving-mode selector located just behind the shifter signals the Corvette's arrival to the electronic age. Weather, Eco, Tour, Sport, and Track modes alter up to twelve parameters: the digital gauge cluster, throttle mapping, shift points, cylinder deactivation, active exhaust, electronic limited-slip differential, steering effort, magnetic ride control, launch control, stability control, traction control, and Performance Traction Management. The C7 also makes the daunting transition from hydraulically assisted steering to electric power steering. We're hopeful, though, as General Motors has shown increasing prowess at calibrating electric steering, with the Camaro ZL1 serving as a testament to the engineers' capabilities. Feedback should also benefit from a steering structure (the rack, the column, the tilt/telescope mechanism, and their mountings) that is five times stiffer. The C6's suspension arrangement of control arms and transverse leaf springs carries over, but fitting Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires as standard equipment will help the base Corvette produce a lateral-grip figure in excess of 1 g. The old car's sliding- caliper brakes have been replaced with fixed four-piston Brembo calipers front and rear that chop the 60-to-0-mph stopping distance by eleven feet. That puts the base C7 on par with the Z06. Until Z06 and ZR1 replacements arrive, the Z51 performance package is the hot ticket. It features revised gear ratios, a dry-sump oil system, an electronically controlled limited-slip differential, brake-cooling ducts, slotted rotors, and transmission and differential coolers. A lip spoiler and an underbody tray help it generate more downforce than a ZR1. The Z51 package is also the gateway to Magnetic Ride Control, the adjustable magnetorheological dampers suited for both lumpy roads and glass-smooth racetracks. An aluminum frame, once the exclusive domain of the Z06 and the ZR1, is now the base for all Corvettes. The main rails are hydroformed, the crash structures are extruded, and the suspension mounting points are hollow cast for strict control over strength and weight, with wall thickness varying between two and eleven millimeters. Abandoning steel yields a structure that is 99 pounds lighter yet 57 percent stiffer than the C6 Corvette's. Another 37 pounds have been scraped from the body. The featherlight balsa wood sandwiched in the floorpan has been replaced with structural foam. The hood and roof are carbon fiber, the underbody trays are lighter, and the composite body panels now come from a lower-density material. Those weight savings quickly evaporate, however, when the Corvette is fitted with the equipment needed to meet modern expectations and safety standards. The new engine hardware and infotainment electronics add more than 30 pounds each. The torque tube between the engine and the transaxle is now steel, rather than aluminum, to quell vibrations during four-cylinder operation, and the door beams are beefier to perform better in new crash tests. So when Chevrolet announces the official weight figures later this year, expect a slight increase over the C6's 3208 pounds. The C7 is also larger, measuring 2.5 inches longer than its predecessor and within 0.2 inch of the Porsche 911. It is 1.3 inches wider and 0.4 inch lower, and, to keep weight distribution in check, the front wheels have been pushed forward one inch. The proportions are unmistakable, though. The C7's impossibly low hood, tall rear fenders, and wide stance are inspired by the outgoing Grand Sport model. The departure is most dramatic in the tapered greenhouse that sports the Corvette's first rear-quarter window since the 1962 model. The split rear glass, however, teased on the 2009 Stingray concept and rumored for production, was tossed. Designers say rearward visibility was decent but that the styling looked forced on prototypes. Instead, much of the C7 conversation will center around its squarish, Camaro-esque taillights. "These are our pop-up headlights," Juechter says, referencing the controversial move to fixed headlamps for the C6. That car's single-bulb round taillights may be iconic, but internally they were known as RV lights for their simplicity, and they didn't offer much of a stage for showing off the LEDs that the design team wanted to incorporate for the C7. The stylized solution also provides a connection to the vents, which serve as an outlet to the air inlets on top of the rear fender. Those vents send fresh air over the transmission and differential coolers and create a low-pressure area at the exit that improves aerodynamics. As expressive as the exterior is, Juechter characterizes the interior makeover as the single greatest change for the C7. At the top of the upgrade list were the seats and the steering wheel, perennial shortcomings for the Corvette. Chevrolet sent the interior designers to the track and then benchmarked Porsche and Recaro seats for lateral support. The result is two different seats to accommodate the Corvette's divergent customer set: a GT version and a Competition Sport seat. At the very least, the results look promising. And while the bolsters get larger, the steering wheel shrinks from 14.6 inches to 14.2 inches. Eight-inch screens are nested between analog gauges in the cluster and in the center stack. That center panel is canted toward the driver, and a grab handle in the console isolates the passenger from the touchscreen and the physical controls. The only consolation is a small rocker with a digital readout screen below the passenger-side dash vent that controls the temperature for that half of the cabin. At least passengers will be aware that they're riding in a $50,000-plus car. All interiors are fully wrapped in either premium vinyl or leather, with carbon-fiber, aluminum, and microsuede trim. The seventh-generation Corvette advances America's sports car with a more aggressive aesthetic, more advanced technologies, more power, and a more fitting cockpit. But the most exciting prospect of the C7 is something very familiar. When we look at the new Corvette, we get the same feeling as when we see a '63-'67 Sting Ray: we want to drive it. POWERTRAIN
Engine: 16-valve OHV V-8
Displacement: 6.2 liters (376 cu in)
Power: 450 hp @ 6000 rpm (est.)
Torque: 450 lb-ft @ 4000 rpm (est.)
Transmissions: 7-speed manual 6-speed automatic
Drive: Rear-wheel CHASSIS
Steering: Electrically assisted
Front suspension: Control arms, semi-elliptic spring
Rear suspension: Control arms, semi-elliptic spring
Brakes: Vented discs, ABS
Tires: Michelin Pilot Super Sport
Tire sizes F, R: 245/40R-18, 245/35R-19 MEASUREMENTS
L x W x H: 177.0 x 73.9 x 48.6 in
Wheelbase: 106.7 in
Weight: 3300 lb (est.)
Weight dist. F/R: 50/50% (est.)
Fuel mileage: 17/27 mpg (est.)

Design analysis
Sleek Our key question before seeing the C7 was, "Will it look like a Corvette?" One glance lets us say, most emphatically, that it does. The second was, "Does it look like a Corvette because it's plastered with historical references?" No, there's absolutely nothing retro about it. This is the cleanest, most honest Corvette prepared for sale to the public since the original 1953-55 C1. The C7 Corvette -- once again called Stingray -- is totally free of inauthentic styling fakery for the first time in fifty-eight years. Every opening in the C7's body surface is functional. If there is an inlet, air flows in. If there's an outlet, air comes out, having performed its specific task on the way.There are traces of previous fender profiles in the side view, but transverse sections are completely new, and the way surfaces are handled is completely novel for Corvettes. There are numerous subtle surface breaks that leave just-visible lines all over the body, emphasizing the sleekness of the overall form. If the body side sills are a bit convoluted, the ensemble is still cohesive and convincing, as a detailed look will show. The architecture is as before, but the effect is completely new. -- Robert Cumberford 1 Add-on spoiler for the Z51 has a twin-radius flat on the horizontal upper profile. It fits around the CHMSL, which overlaps the taillight clusters. 2 Roof profile is a stylist's dream, a pure curve recapitulated in the side glass profile. 3 The least attractive aspects of the whole shape are these tall, flattish rear fender surfaces behind the wheel openings, almost the only carryover effect from C5 and C6 shapes. 4 Triangular outlets outboard from the taillights evacuate brake and transmission heat. 5 The dark lower part of the rear fascia is raised, letting the fender and air outlets drop down as inverse fins at the outer edge. 6 LED taillights are deeply and dramatically insetand are virtual tunnels into the rear fascia. 7 Sharp edge carries all the way around the trapezoidal concave section, encompassing lamps and air outlets. 8Exhaust-pipe module is prominent at the center, the huge chrome trumpets punctuating the rear-end composition, which is at once tough, serious, and completely unlike previous Corvettes. 9 Rear edge of the artful trapezoidal opening to the door-latch control aligns with the B-pillar. 10 One of the nicest features on the car is the paired inlets for the transmission-cooling exchanger tucked into the back, eliminating lines to the front -- and weight and cost. 11 Lift-off roof panel can be painted or left in natural carbon fiber, or a translucent plastic panel can be substituted. Panels can be carried in the trunk, covering the (limited) luggage space. 12 These subtle surface breaks result in visible longitudinal lines. There is one in the center of the hood, another pair on each side defining the radiator air outlet, and a surprising outer line that spreads outward toward the front. The hood bulge doesn't restrict visibility too much, given the depressed area in front of the driver. 13 Louvers put energy from air heated by the radiator into the airstream over the cabin. 14 Look carefully at the hood cutline that defines the transverse section, noting the excellent sight line through the concavity between fenders and hood bulge. 15 These buttresses are present for pedestrian-safety considerations but are used to aerodynamic advantage as well through engineering-styling collaboration. 16 Apart from the badge, a single transverse blade is the only bright metal on the front end. 17 A single lens serves both low and high beam, neither one steerable. Foglights have been eliminated. An illuminated L-blade is for daytime running; six turn-signal LEDs are outboard. 18 Side markers front and rear are integrated into wheelhouse perimeter bands. 19 On this Z51, the brake details are visible through the wheels -- gray on some cars, glossy black on other models -- giving a technical look. But bright red and yellow calipers are still optional, alas. 20 Front fender lines are generated from a bend in the headlamp cover and by its inner perimeter. 21 Paired surface-change lines parallel those on top of front and rear fenders. 22 This vent for the engine compartment generates two hard lines on top, a triangular cove below. 23 Rear-fender profile line starts just above and ahead of the Stingray badge and becomes double on top of the fender, behind the transmission-cooling air inlet. 24 Shades of former BMW design chief Chris Bangle. 25 These bends outward toward the front and rear wheelhouses are the least straightforward surfaces.




Read more: http://www.automobilemag.com/auto_shows/detroit/2013/1303_2014_chevrolet_corvette/viewall.html#ixzz2HxVii99K

Star Trek TOS Phaser Rifle

Aleppo Citadel - συγκρούσεις με ελεύθερο σκοπευτή

Barry White - Staying Power

Barry White, born Barry Eugene Carter (September 12, 1944 -- July 4, 2003), was an American composer and singer-songwriter.

A two-time Grammy Award-winner known for his distinctive bass voice and romantic image, White's greatest success came in the 1970s as a solo singer and with the Love Unlimited Orchestra, crafting many enduring soul, funk, and disco songs such as his two biggest hits, "You're the First, the Last, My Everything" and "Can't Get Enough of Your Love, Babe." Along with Isaac Hayes, White is considered by Allmusic.com as a pioneer of disco music in the early 1970s.

During the course of his career in the music business, White achieved 106 gold albums worldwide, 41 of which also attained platinum status. White had 20 gold and 10 platinum singles, with worldwide sales in excess of 100 million, according to critics Ed Hogan and Wade Kergan.[1] His influences included Rev. James Cleveland, Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin plus Motown artists The Supremes, The Four Tops and Marvin Gaye.

ΔΙΕΘΝΗ. ΤΡΟΜΟΚΡΑΤΙΑ

Hakeemullah Mehsud orders Taliban to end attacks on Pakistani military in North Waziristan: report
French troops intervene in Mali
Al Qaeda in Sudan launches 'student wing' at University of Khartoum
Shabaab kills, captures French soldiers during failed rescue mission in Somalia
Al Nusrah, jihadist allies overrun Syrian airbase
Stennis in the Arabian Sea
Benghazi suspect's brother is al Qaeda facilitator


Hakeemullah Mehsud orders Taliban to end attacks on Pakistani military in North Waziristan: report

Posted: 12 Jan 2013 01:01 PM PST




Waliur Rehman Mehsud (left) and Hakeemullah Mehsud (right), from their latest propaganda tape. Image from Dawn.


Hakeemullah Mehsud, the emir of the Movement of the Taliban in Pakistan, has ordered his fighters to end attacks against government forces in North Waziristan,according to a report from Reuters:
The Pakistani Taliban said on Saturday they would not attack the Pakistani army in the Taliban stronghold of North Waziristan but concentrate attacks on Nato forces in Afghanistan instead.

Thousands of Pakistani soldiers are stationed in North Waziristan, along the Afghan border.

There have been infrequent clashes there between the soldiers and Taliban but a leaflet issued by Taliban leader Hakeemullah Mehsud ordered those to stop. A senior commander confirmed the pamphlet's veracity.



The report confirms that the Movement of the Taliban in Pakistan continues to operate in North Waziristan, despite claims from Hafiz Gul Bahadar, the top Taliban leader in the tribal agency (who is not part of Hakeemullah's group) that the group has been expelled.

Hakeemullah and Bahadar are part of the Shura-e-Murakeba, an al Qaeda-brokered alliance that also includes the Mullah Nazir Group and the Haqqani Network. The Shura-e-Murakeba was formed at the end of 2011. The members of the Shura-e-Murakeba agreed to cease attacks against Pakistani security forces, refocus efforts against the US, and end kidnappings and other criminal activities in the tribal areas. Despite the agreement, Hakeemullah and Bahadar's forces occasionally attacked Pakistani military units.

It is unclear as to why Hakeemullah issued the pamphlet, or if he is even serious about abiding by it. It is possible that with tensions between the Pakistani and Indian militaries at the Line of Control (two Pakistan and two Indian soldiers have been killed during clashes over the past week), Hakeemullah is easing up the pressure. The last time Pakistan and India nearly came to blows after the Lashkar-e-Taiba launched the assault on Mumbai, India in November 2008, the Taliban vowed to back up the Pakistani military, and a senior Pakistani military commander described Hakeemullah's forces as "patriots."


French troops intervene in Mali

Posted: 12 Jan 2013 12:40 PM PST


Just two days after jihadists from al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, the Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa, and Ansar Dine stormed the central Malian town of Konna and routed government forces, the French government authorized its military to engage in combat against the al Qaeda-linked groups. French aircraft, including Mirage fighters and attack helicopters, have opened fire on jihadist columns that were advancing south on the towns of Mopti and Sevare. One French pilot was killed after his helicopter was "downed" during the fighting.

French troops are said to be arriving in force in Sevare, where a major airport is located. The Malian military claimed hundreds of jihadist fighters were killed in airstrikes and the town of Konna is no longer under enemy control. From The Associated Press:
French intelligence services had detected preparations for an important offensive organized and coordinated by al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb, known as AQIM, and its jihadist allies, Ansar Dine and MUJAO [Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa], against the towns of Mopti and Diabaly. After a large number of vehicles were spotted heading toward the strategic town on Thursday, France sent in its first unit to Sevare, a town adjacent to Mopti, to support the Malian combat forces, Le Drian said.

On Friday, French President Francois Hollande authorized the use of French air power following an appeal from Mali's president. Soon after, French pilots targeted a column of jihadist fighters who were heading down toward Mopti from Konna. He said that the helicopter raid led to the destruction of several units of fighters and stopped their advance toward the city. It was in the course of this battle, that one helicopter was downed, and a French pilot fatally wounded.

Overnight Saturday, air strikes began in the areas where the fighters operate, Le Drian said, led by French forces in Chad, where France has Mirage 2000 and Mirage F1 fighter jets stationed.

The strikes destroyed vehicles in Konna, and a command post in the region. A contingent of French special forces arrived at the Bamako airport on Saturday afternoon in order to secure the capital, said Le Drian, where Islamists claim they have sleeper cells ready to carry out suicide bombings.



A spokesman for Ansar Dine told Reuters that French citizens will be targeted.

"There are consequences, not only for French hostages, but also for all French citizens, wherever they find themselves in the Muslim world," Boumama said. "The hostages are facing death."

In a sign of the times, the US has offered to send drones to support the operation, but will not otherwise get involved militarily.

The intervention has staved off the very real threat of the jihadist alliance seizing control of the entire country. If the town of Mopti falls, the terror groups would have an open path to the capital of Bamako. The Malian military has shown no capacity to halt the southward advance of the jihadists; Malian forces withered as AQIM, MUJAO, and Ansar Dine forces moved into Kanno.

The United Nations, the European Union, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and countries such as Algeria have dithered over getting involved in Mali, and weren't considering sending forces to the West African nation until September 2013. AQIM, MUJAO, and Ansar Dine have forced their hand by advancing southward.

Also, the same day that France intervened in Mali, its commandos attempted to free Denis, Allex, a French intelligence operative held for three years by Shabaab, al Qaeda's affiliate in Somalia. French officials were concerned that their involvement in Mali would lead to the execution of Allex. Shabaab repelled the raid and killed one French soldier and captured another.


Al Qaeda in Sudan launches 'student wing' at University of Khartoum

Posted: 12 Jan 2013 12:34 PM PST


Al Qaeda in the Land of the Two Niles, an al Qaeda affiliate in Sudan, has been in the press the past several weeks after years of toiling in silence. Last month, a video was released that showed the operatives who assassinated a US diplomat and his driver on New Years Day in 2008, and last week, the US government added two of the al Qaeda operatives behind the assassination to the list of Specially Designated Global Terrorists. And now, the terror group launched a "student wing" at the University of Khartoum. From the Sudan Tribune:
The organization Al-Qaeda in Sudan announced yesterday the birth of its student wing in the University of Khartoum in a new sign of growing extremist influence in the country.

The Main Street in Al-Wasat complex in Khartoum witnessed a public address on Wednesday afternoon by what appeared to be Al-Qaeda sympathizers who spoke on "The preceding Jihad in the Land of Two Niles".

The speakers said they disagree with the ultra-conservative Ansar al-Sunna Salafist group in Sudan but they do not consider them blasphemous. They also expressed readiness to conduct a dialogue with secularists.

They denied that Al-Qaeda group is being pursued by the Sudanese security and rejected their labeling as extremists saying that the US is behind this adding that they adhere to the Quran and Sunna of the Prophet.



Sudan has a long history of supporting al Qaeda. Osama bin Laden, Ayman al Zawahiri, other al Qaeda leaders, and a host of fighters had their base in the country until they were kicked out by the government after US pressure. Sudanese jihadists continue to operate in multiple theaters, including in nearby Somalia.


Shabaab kills, captures French soldiers during failed rescue mission in Somalia

Posted: 12 Jan 2013 08:14 AM PST




Denis Allex, from one of two Shabaab propaganda tapes.


Shabaab, al Qaeda's affiliate in Somalia, killed one French commando and captured another during a failed French attempt to rescue Denis Allex, an intelligence operative who has been in the terror group's custody since 2009.

Allex and Marc Aubriere, two DGSE agents, were captured in July 2009 at a hotel in Mogadishu. Both men were posing as journalists and trainers for the Somali military. Aubriere escaped under mysterious circumstances and it is rumored the French government paid a ransom for his release.

Today the French Defense Ministry confirmed that one of its soldiers was killed and another was captured, and that 17 Shabaab fighters were killed during the early morning raid, France24 reported. French officials said they now believe that Allex is dead, but would not provide further details of the raid. The raid was carried out by the General Directorate for External Security (DGSE), the Defense Ministry's external intelligence and paramilitary force.

Shabaab denied reports that Allex was killed in the raid, in an official statement released on its Twitter site, @HSMPress (Harakat Al-Shabaab Al Mujahideen Press Office). The statement also provided additional details on the raid and confirmed that Shabaab captured a French soldier.

"At around 0200 hours Saturday morning five French helicopters attacked a location in the town of Bula-Marer, around 30 km South of Marka in the Islamic Administration of Lower Shabeelle, in a botched rescue attempt aimed at releasing the French hostage Dennis Allex," Shabaab said.

Shabaab said the fighting "lasted for about 45 minutes" and that their forces "managed to repel the French forces," killing several and capturing one after he was wounded. Shabaab denied that Allex was at the house where the raid took place, and said the French forces targeted the wrong location in what it described as "a fatal intelligence blunder."

"Several French soldiers were killed in the battle and many more were injured before they fled from the scene of battle, leaving behind some military paraphernalia and even one of their comrades on the ground," the statement continued. "The injured French soldier is now in the custody of the Mujahideen and Allex still remains safe and far from the location of the battle."

Shabaab said it has warned the French in the past not to attempt to rescue Allex, and then issued an ominous statement that indicated the group may execute him.

"As a response to this botched rescue operation by the French forces, Harakat Al-Shabaab Al-Mujahideen assures the French people that it will give its final verdict regarding the fate of Dennis Allex within two days," the statement concluded.

Rescue attempt coincides with French intervention in Mali

France's failed rescue mission in Somalia took place just one day after President François Hollande announced that the military would intervene in Mali as three al Qaeda-linked jihadist groups are advancing southward. French forces launched an airstrike in central Mali yesterday, and European soldiers were seen disembarking from an airplane in Sevare, near the city of Mopti. French citizens have been advised to leave Mali.

The rescue mission in Somalia was attempted as France feared Shabaab would execute Allex due to the French intervention in Mali.


Al Nusrah, jihadist allies overrun Syrian airbase

Posted: 11 Jan 2013 04:29 PM PST




Jihadists tour Taftanaz aair base in Idlib, Syria after overrunning it earlier today.



The Al Nusrah Front for the People of the Levant, an al Qaeda-linked jihadist group that is fighting Bashir al Assad's regime in Syria, and allied jihadist groups overran a key Syrian air force base in Idlib province after fighting a pitched battle with government forces.

A jihadist alliance made up of the Al Nusrah Front, Ahrar al Sham, and the Islamic Vanguard stormed the key air base in Taftanaz earlier today. At least seven jihadist fighters and one of their commanders were killed during the assault of Taftanaz, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported on its Facebook page. An unknown number of Syrian soldiers were also killed during the fighting.

"The fighting at Taftanaz military airport ended at 11:00 am and the base is entirely in rebel hands," Rami Abdel Rahman, the director of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, told The Voice of Russia.

Although the Syrian government claimed to have repelled the assault, videos of the jihadists touring the base and inspecting seized tanks, armored vehicles, and helicopters have been posted on YouTube, LiveLeak, and other video sharing websites. Crates of weapons are seen in the background. Additionally, jihadists posted videos of Syrian soldiers who had been either killed during the fighting or executed; their bodies were thrown into a ditch.

Taftanaz, which is located between the cities of Idlib and Aleppo, was used by government forces to launch airstrikes on anti-regime forces. More than 60 helicopters operated from Taftanaz, and were used to attack nearby towns and cities as well as rebel forces.

Al Nusrah leads assaults on major Syrian bases

Taftanaz is the third major military base to have been overrun by the Al Nusrah Front. On Dec. 10, the Al Nusrah Front and allied jihadists took control the Sheikh Suleiman base, or Base 111. Arab and Chechen fighters participated in the assault on Sheikh Suleiman, which is said to be a key research facility linked to the regime's chemical weapons program [see LWJ report, Al Nusrah Front, foreign jihadists seize key Syrian base in Aleppo].

And on Oct. 11, Al Nusrah, the supposedly secular Free Syrian Army, and Chechen fighters overran a Syrian air defense and Scud missile base in Aleppo [see LWJreport, Al Nusrah Front commanded Free Syrian Army unit, 'Chechen emigrants,' in assault on Syrian air defense base].

Al Nusrah is also leading a siege against a strategic base in Wadi Deif, which is also in the province of Idlib, and attempting to seize control of the main airport in Aleppo [see Threat Matrix report, Al Nusrah Front on the offensive in Aleppo].

The terror group has become one of the most powerful and effective units in the Syrian insurgency, and it has begun to absorb elements of the Free Syrian Army. The Al Nusrah Front also conducts joint operations with the Free Syrian Army and other supposedly secular groups, and has numerous foreign fighters in its ranks.

An al Qaeda affiliate

The Al Nusrah Front was designated by the US as a Foreign Terrorist Organization on Dec. 11. The US government said that al Qaeda in Iraq's emir, Abu Du'a, or Abu Bakr al Baghdadi al Husseini al Qurshi, "is in control of both AQI and Al Nusrah."

Additionally, two senior Al Nusrah leaders, Maysar Ali Musa Abdallah al Juburi and Anas Hasan Khattab, both members of al Qaeda in Iraq, were added to the US's the list of global terrorists. The emir of Al Nusrah, Sheikh Abu Muhammad al Julani, was not added to the list of global terrorists, however. [See LWJ report, US adds Al Nusrah Front, 2 leaders to terrorism list, for information on the designation of the AL Nusrah Front and the two leaders.]

Despite Al Nusrah's known affiliation with al Qaeda and its radical ideology, Syrian opposition groups, including the supposedly secular Syrian National Coalition, have rallied to support Al Nusrah. Immediately after the US designated Al Nusrah as a terrorist group, 29 Syrian opposition groups signed a petition that not only condemned the US's designation, but said "we are all Al Nusrah," and urged their supporters to raise Al Nusrah's flag (which of course is al Qaeda's flag) [see LWJreport, Syrian National Coalition urges US to drop Al Nusrah terrorism designation].


Stennis in the Arabian Sea

Posted: 11 Jan 2013 03:50 PM PST



[click on photo for larger version]

The aircraft carrier the USS John C. Stennis operates during sunset in the Arabian Sea in the US 5th Fleet area of responsibility, Jan. 5, 2013. The Stennis is conducting maritime security operations, theater security cooperation efforts, and support missions for Operation Enduring Freedom. US Navy photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class James Stahl.


Benghazi suspect's brother is al Qaeda facilitator

Posted: 11 Jan 2013 01:48 PM PST


Writing for The Daily Beast, Eli Lake has an important update on the investigation into the Sept. 11, 2012 terrorist attack in Benghazi, Libya. Lake reports that the investigation is being treated as a criminal matter, with the FBI taking the lead and the CIA and Defense Department taking a back seat.

Lake also provides an update on the investigation into Ali Ani al Harzi. I wrote about Harzi being set free here and Ansar al Sharia Tunisia posting pictures of the three FBI agents who interviewed him here. As Lake initially reported, Harzi posted real-time updates about the Benghazi attack online.

I previously noted that one of Harzi's brothers made his way to Iraq to wage jihad, and noted also this raises the possibility that the family is tied to al Qaeda in Iraq. Well, indeed they are. Lake reports:
According to [US intelligence] officials, Harzi's brother is believed to be Tariq Abu Ammar, a midlevel planner for al Qaeda's franchise in Iraq. Today Ammar's main job is arranging the travel of fighters from North Africa to Syria's al Qaeda-linked opposition, known as the al-Nusra Front.

Harzi was arrested in October in Turkey. He was reportedly en route to Syria to fight, undoubtedly under the al Nusrah Front's banner. The Tunisian government had previously arrested Harzi in 2005 or 2006 (the exact year isn't clear) for trying to make his way to Iraq to fight -- presumably for al Qaeda in Iraq.

This is entirely consistent with a report by CNN in October ("US intel believes some Benghazi attackers tied to al Qaeda in Iraq"). CNN reported:
U.S. intelligence believes that assailants connected to al Qaeda in Iraq were among the core group that attacked the diplomatic mission in Benghazi, a U.S. government official told CNN.

...The latest intelligence suggests the core group of suspects from the first wave of the attack on the Benghazi mission numbered between 35 to 40. Around a dozen of the attackers are believed to be connected to either al Qaeda in Iraq or al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, the government official said.



Terrorists with ties to al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), al Qaeda in Iraq (AQI), an Egyptian network of jihadists run by Muhammad Jamal al Kashef (alongtime subordinate to Ayman al Zawahiri), and Ansar al Sharia all took part in the assault.

Etapa 5/6 - Camion/Quad - Resumen de la Etapa (Arica Calama)

Obama: US forces in Afghan support role by spring