05 January 2008 Military News

German army "horrified" over reckless driving of soldiers in Afghanistan IRNA 05 Jan 2008 -- The German army is reportedly "horrified" over the reckless driving of its soldiers in Afghanistan, causing numerous bad accidents in the war-stricken country, the weekly Der Spiegel news magazine cited Saturday an internal document of the German Defense Ministry.

Warsaw still undecided on US missile shield: official IRNA 05 Jan 2008 -- Poland is still undecided on given its green light for the deployment of the US missile shield, Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski told Saturday's edition of the Polish Gazeta Wyborcza newspaper.

Hamas Chief Calls for Talks With Rival Fatah VOA 05 Jan 2008 -- The exiled political leader of the Palestinian militant group Hamas is calling for talks with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas of the rival Fatah party.
Bush to Urge US Mideast Allies to Israeli-Palestinian Peace Talks VOA 05 Jan 2008 -- President Bush travels to the Middle East in the coming week in hopes of urging U.S. allies in the region to support Israeli-Palestinian peace talks
Israeli Army Ends Operation in Nablus VOA 05 Jan 2008 -- Israel's army has left the West Bank town of Nablus ending an intense, three-day operation aimed at finding Palestinian militants and their weapons.

Georgians Vote In Early Presidential Elections RFE/RL 05 Jan 2008 -- Georgians voted today in early presidential elections, in what is seen as a democracy test for the former Soviet republic. Incumbent President Mikheil Saakashvili is opposed by six challengers
Bhutto's assassination an attempt to destabilize Pakistan IRNA 05 Jan 2008 -- Visiting Iran's Foreign Minister Manoucher Mottaki while offering condolences over death of former Prime Minister Pakistan Peoples Party Chairperson Benazir Bhutto, said her death was ''an attempt to destabilize Pakistan and derail ongoing democratic process.