The Hellenic Navy (HN) (Greek: Πολεμικό Ναυτικό, Polemikó Naftikó, abbreviated ΠΝ) is the naval force of Greece, part of the Greek Armed Forces. The modern Greek navy has its roots in the naval forces of various Aegean Islands, which fought in the Greek War of Independence. During the periods of monarchy (1833–1924 and 1936–1973) it was known as the Royal Navy (Βασιλικόν Ναυτικόν, Vasilikón Naftikón, abbreviated ΒΝ).The total displacement of all the navy's vessels is approximately 150,000 tons.The motto of the Hellenic Navy is "Μέγα το της Θαλάσσης Κράτος" from Thucydides' account of Pericles' oration on the eve of the Peloponnesian War. This has been roughly translated as "Great is the country that controls the sea". The Hellenic Navy's emblem consists of an anchor in front of a crossed Christian cross and trident, with the cross symbolizing Greek Orthodoxy, and the trident symbolizing Poseidon, the god of the sea in Greek mythology. Pericles' words are written across the top of the emblem. "The navy, as it represents a necessary weapon for Greece, should only be created for war and aim to victory."...............The Hellenic Merchant Marine refers to the Merchant Marine of Greece, engaged in commerce and transportation of goods and services universally. It consists of the merchant vessels owned by Greek civilians, flying either the Greek flag or a flag of convenience. Greece is a maritime nation by tradition, as shipping is arguably the oldest form of occupation of the Greeks and a key element of Greek economic activity since the ancient times. Nowadays, Greece has the largest merchant fleet in the world, which is the second largest contributor to the national economy after tourism and forms the backbone of world shipping. The Greek fleet flies a variety of flags, however some Greek shipowners gradually return to Greece following the changes to the legislative framework governing their operations and the improvement of infrastructure.

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This is a bilingual blog in English and / or Greek and you can translate any post to any language by pressing on the appropriate flag....Note that there is provided below a scrolling text with the 30 recent posts...Αυτό είναι ένα δίγλωσσο blog στα Αγγλικά η/και στα Ελληνικά και μπορείτε να μεταφράσετε οποιοδήποτε ποστ σε οποιαδήποτε γλώσσα κάνοντας κλικ στη σχετική σημαία. Σημειωτέον ότι παρακάτω παρέχεται και ένα κινούμενο κείμενο με τα 30 πρόσφατα ποστς....This is a bilingual blog in English and / or Greek and you can translate any post to any language by pressing on the appropriate flag....Note that there is provided below a scrolling text with the 30 recent posts...Αυτό είναι ένα δίγλωσσο blog στα Αγγλικά η/και στα Ελληνικά και μπορείτε να μεταφράσετε οποιοδήποτε ποστ σε οποιαδήποτε γλώσσα κάνοντας κλικ στη σχετική σημαία. Σημειωτέον ότι παρακάτω παρέχεται και ένα κινούμενο κείμενο με τα 30 πρόσφατα ποστς.........

Saturday, September 11, 2010

Al Qaeda bigs underground..[ 1778 ]

President Obama boasts air attacks driving Al Qaeda bigs underground

BY James Gordon Meek
DAILY NEWS WASHINGTON BUREAU

Saturday, September 11th 2010, 4:00 AM

Missile attacks by agency drones have driven Al Qaeda big wigs underground.

Pratt/AP

Missile attacks by agency drones have driven Al Qaeda big wigs underground.

WASHINGTON - President Obama for the first time Saturday thumped his chest about a CIA campaign of air strikes that he claimed has driven two Al Qaeda kingpins in the 9/11 attacks underground.

Obama alluded to the rapid tempo of missile attacks by agency drones in Pakistan's lawless tribal belt, where Osama Bin Laden and his deputy Ayman al-Zawahiri are believed to be in hiding.

"Capturing or killing Bin Laden and Zawahiri would be extremely important to our national security....It remains a high priority of this administration," he said.

Obama praised counterterror officials for a "very successful" offensive - which he said began in the last months of ex-President George W. Bush's administration - to "ramp up the pressure on Al Qaeda and their key leaders."

"And as a consequence, they have been holed up in ways that have made it harder for them to operate," the President told reporters. "Bin Laden has gone deep underground. Even Zawahiri, who is more often out there, has been much more cautious."

Zawahiri put out 14 propaganda tapes in 2009 but only a few this year as the drone strikes increased.

Obama defended locking up terrorists in U.S. prisons: "Our track record is they've never escaped."

But in 2005, Abu Yahya al-Libi - now poised to be Al Qaeda's No. 3 leader - escaped the U.S. maximum security prison at Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan.

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/2010/09/11/2010-09-11_prez_boasts_air_attacks_driving_qaeda_bigs_underground.html#ixzz0zDlhbMLV

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