the Wednesday Edition

Corporal Daniel James, an interpreter for the British NATO Commander in Afghanistan, pled not guilty to charges of spying for the Iranians.

A British soldier charged with passing on secret information “to the enemy” is to stand trial at the Old Bailey.

Corporal Daniel James, 44, of Brighton, who was born in Iran, appeared before City of Westminster magistrates charged under the Official Secrets Act 1911.

He is accused of “communicating to another person information that may be directly or indirectly useful to the enemy” - widely believed to be Iran.

He was remanded in custody until a preliminary hearing on 12 January.

Mr James is an interpreter for General David Richards, the British commander of Nato forces in Afghanistan.

He confirmed his name, age and address when the details were read out by the court clerk at Wednesday’s hearing.

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As Mr James was being led from the dock after the hearing, he said to the court: “Not guilty. This is the way the Army has repaid me.”

Outside court, his solicitor David Martin made a statement in which he said his client was “absolutely confident” of clearing his name.

He said: “He served with the British Army for almost 20 years in any way that he has been called to do so, irrespective of religious or political considerations and he’s been proud to do so.

I hope this information he allegedly passed did/does not lead to any coalition casualties.

New Taliban rules target Afghan teachers By JASON STRAZIUSO, Associated Press Writer Sat Dec 9, 2:26 PM ET

KABUL, Afghanistan - The Taliban gunmen who murdered two teachers in eastern Afghanistan early Saturday were only following their rules: Teachers receive a warning, then a beating, and if they continue to teach must be killed.

The Religion of Peace shows it’s true colors once again.

ASADABAD, Afghanistan - A rocket slammed into a packed school yard Tuesday near a U.S.-led coalition base in eastern Afghanistan, killing seven children and wounding 34 other people. Police blamed Taliban militants for the explosion at the Salabagh School in Asadabad, about 105 miles northeast of Kabul, in volatile Kunar province near the Pakistani border.

Another rocket exploded as parents rushed to the scene but it hit an open field and caused no casualties, said local police commander Mohammed Hasan.

It was unclear if the intended target was the school or the coalition base that has frequently come under attack. Coalition helicopters patrolled the area after the attack.

Hasan blamed the militants for targeting the school as part of a campaign against government-sponsored education.

I’m so sick and tired of us getting portrayed as the bad guys when dirtbags like these get the title of “Freedom Fighters”

A purported Taliban spokesman, Qari Mohammed Yousaf, denied involvement in the attack. “We do not kill innocent children. This is not our work,” he told The Associated Press in a telephone interview.

Of course you don’t.