I have gleaned some very curious articles from recent links posted here at the boards. Most notable is Debka (thanks, Beagle), which seems to be a fairly rabid mouthpiece for Israeli intelligence reporting. However frothy they may be, their articles carry a significant amount of information that I have never seen (nor expect to see soon) in the American press.
One fairly disturbing piece (excerpted below) was titled:
China Moves Forces into Afghanistan
6 October: Before even the launching of the major US military offensive in Afghanistan, long Chinese convoys were carrying armed Chinese Muslim servicemen through northwest China into Afghanistan, according to DEBKAfile’s intelligence experts. They were sent in to fight alongside the ruling Taliban and Osama Bin Laden’s Al Qaeda. Their number is estimated roughly between 5000 and 15,000. Our sources report another three convoys are behind the first 3000, who crossed the frontier Friday, October 5.
(Look to the bottom right of the linked page for the article. There is also an exceptionally interesting analysis of the recent Aeroflot plane crash.)
This is entirely contrary to reporting in the mainstream news media. As indicated by this (excerpted) article:
China Offers Its Wary Support for Attacks.
By ERIK ECKHOLM
BEIJING, Monday, Oct. 8 — The Chinese government offered wary support today for the American and British attacks in Afghanistan, issuing a brief statement that it “opposes terrorism of any form.”
I’m hoping that China Guy or any other Asian members or experts can help clarify this obviously contradictory information. It is far too easy to think that China might foment further hostilities in Afghanistan in order to divert our attention from the Straights of Formosa. Taiwan’s economic might most likely has the Politburo drooling in their sleep as they dream of reabsorbing the island into the communist fold. I find it difficult to believe that the PRC could be this stupid, but their policies do not always reflect carefully reasoned logic.
Does anyone else have some input on this rather disturbing turn of events? I am also interested in any critiques of the Debka organization and its credibility. They certainly had some extremely interesting material on our recent spy cases. I refer you to this article (halfway down the linked page):
Clinton Goes, Bush Arrives and Jonathan Pollard Remains Behind Bars
Why is Pollard at Large a Threat to the Bushes?
A DEBKAfile Exclusive, Monday, 22 January 2001
PS: Mods, I am posting this in Great Debates because I am interested in comparing the relative interests that the PRC may have in this new tinderbox.