Biden’s Pyrrhic Victory

As predicted , the election turned out to be considerably closer than most pundits and polls predicted .
In spite of polling that suggested Biden leading Trump by a margin of 5 % -15 % , in actuality the popular vote margin of victory turned out to be more in the vicinity of modest 3 % , a remarkably lackluster showing on the part of a veteran political operative like Biden running against an incumbent whose tenure in office was characterized by a mishandled pandemic and a crashing economy .
Granted , much of the blame for that ought to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ governors , and their legislatures .
No institution of US governance is coming out of this crisis with an enhanced but , to quote Harry Truman , “ the buck stops ” in the Oval Office .
The weak margin of victory is nevertheless solid enough to survive legal challenges from Team Trump , which moreover lacks serious heavyweight operatives at the helm .
The 2000 election hinged on the outcome in a single state—Florida—which in turn hinged on a recount in a single county .
That was not an insurmountable challenge to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ long-time Bush family retainer , and it was likewise not overly unpalatable to the courts .
This time , however , the situation is far more complex .
It is no longer a matter of mis-counted ballots .
In order to give victory to Trump , the courts would have to in effect invalidate tens of thousands of ballots in several states , on the grounds that they were counted as valid votes in violation of existing laws and regulations .
Barring an extreme case of malfeasance by election officials in several states @ @ @ @ @ @ @ demonstrated , it is unlikely in the extreme the US court system will be willing to set a precedent that in the long term could fatally undermine the entire US system of elections .
Having said that , even senior GOP officials are happy to go along with the argument that Trump was robbed of victory through electoral fraud , in the form of abuse of mail-in ballots .
There is literally no political penalty to pay for that , and moreover casting lasting doubt on the legitimacy of Biden ’ s victory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Democrats casting doubt on the legitimacy of Trump ’ s victory through the RussiaGate scandal .
One has to wonder whether Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ’ s echoing of Trump ’ s allegations of voter fraud were at least in part motivated by him having to put up with being commonly referred to as “ Moscow Mitch ” on social media .
Spending the next four years investigating Biden family finances , and particularly Hunter Biden ’ s business dealings in Ukraine , China , and other regions whose politicians have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s good graces , is vastly preferable to four more years of RussiaGate .
Nevertheless , the GOP machine will hardly much expend political capital on behalf of Donald Trump , in support of his quest to emerge as the winner of the 2020 election .
While Trump proved to be a remarkably effective party base motivator , far better at the task than literally any GOP politician of note , he nevertheless poses a long-term threat to the stability of the two-party system .
Worse , Trump ’ s victory in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ major losses in US Congress , governorships , and state legislature in 2022 and 2024 , with Trump himself being almost inevitably followed into the White House by a Democrat in 2024 , and possibly a very leftist Democrat at that .
That is a scenario that neither party wants to see , but to the GOP it would represent a close brush with death .
With Biden and Harris in the White House , both of them relatively unpopular politicians in their own right lacking even the fake charisma of Barack Obama @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quickly from losing the White House .
Even now it looks like a Pyrrhic victory for Biden , whose party will not retake the US Senate barring the unlikely victory in both of Georgia ’ s runoff races that will take place in January—by which time Biden ’ s gradual walking away from campaign promises and shifting ever further to the right will have demoralized the base of the Democratic Party—and will have actually suffered losses in the House of Representatives .
Biden ’ s victory also has not translated into any gains @ @ @ @ @ @ @ instead of having the Democrats control all three branches of the Federal government by 2024 and at the same time enjoy expanded influence in State governments , it appears rather likely the GOP will return to that level of political dominance in only four short years .
Sacrificing Trump is a price well worth paying for it .
While it is too early to say who will be the GOP ’ s champion in the 2024 presidential elections , Donald Trump created an original blueprint for running an effective presidential campaign championing a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strong element of insular nationalism , as opposed to the aggressive nationalism of globalization that the Democrats embrace .
Almost regardless of who the Republican nominee is , they will run a modified version of Trump ’ s campaign , and they will do so with a high likelihood of success .
Biden ’ s own likely legacy as a one-term president will be the product of the combination of pandemic and associated economic crisis , and the Obama Alumni Association that will be running his administration .
One should not forget Joe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ US Senate by running a “ law and order ” campaign in 1972 , the year of Richard Nixon ’ s spectacular re-election landslide that resulted from his application of the so-called “ Southern Strategy ” of exploiting the backlash to civil rights among the White population of not only the Southern states .
Over the decades , Biden himself rode that backlash to successive re-elections to US Senate by running campaigns with only thinly disguised racist themes .
That record all but vanished from public memory as soon as Biden was chosen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The fact that Biden , an architect of many crime bills whose effect has been to disproportionately incarcerate Blacks , chose someone like Kamala Harris who enthusiastically applied the provisions of Biden ’ s crime bills , indicates Biden has not moved past his 1972 persona .
While paying lip service to “ Black Lives Matter ” and other slogans of the day , Biden ’ s campaign worked really hard to attract suburban White GOP voters and made hardly an effort to woo the growing Hispanic constituency .
Biden also has no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Police , Green New Deal , Medicare for All , that are sacrosanct to the most enthusiastic left wing of the Democratic Party .
It is already evident that the individuals Biden is appointing to his transition team and vetting for administration positions , including the just-announced Chief of Staff Ronald Klain , represent a return to the discredited policies of the Democratic Leadership Council .
Likewise when it comes to foreign policy , we are likely to see all manner of retreads from the Obama Administration and a continuation of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden has already made it clear there will be no reduction in defense spending , no withdrawal from “ US leadership ” , and a return to an emphasis on “ human rights ” which collectively suggest redoubled regime change efforts around the globe .
There is even talk of Hillary Clinton becoming the US Ambassador to the United Nations , where she would presumably continue to ply her brand of American Exceptionalism .
All in all , Biden ’ s ascent to the presidency feels like the post-Napoleonic Bourbon Restoration .
Alas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nothing and forgot nothing ” , everything points to the Democrats making a very similar mistake for which they , and the country , will pay for dearly .
MORE ON THE TOPIC : • Helicopter Crash In Egypt ’ s Sinai Peninsula Claimed Lives Of U.S. , French And Czech Service Members

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Written by J.Hawk exclusively for SouthFront
As predicted, the election turned out to be considerably closer than most pundits and polls predicted. In spite of polling that suggested Biden leading Trump by a margin of 5%-15%, in actuality the popular vote margin of victory turned out to be more in the vicinity of modest 3%, a remarkably lackluster showing on the part of a veteran political operative like Biden running against an incumbent whose tenure in office was characterized by a mishandled pandemic and a crashing economy. Granted, much of the blame for that ought to be shouldered by the Congress, state governors, and their legislatures. No institution of US governance is coming out of this crisis with an enhanced but, to quote Harry Truman, “the buck stops” in the Oval Office.
The weak margin of victory is nevertheless solid enough to survive legal challenges from Team Trump, which moreover lacks serious heavyweight operatives at the helm. The 2000 election hinged on the outcome in a single state—Florida—which in turn hinged on a recount in a single county. That was not an insurmountable challenge to the likes of James Baker, a long-time Bush family retainer, and it was likewise not overly unpalatable to the courts. This time, however, the situation is far more complex. It is no longer a matter of mis-counted ballots. In order to give victory to Trump, the courts would have to in effect invalidate tens of thousands of ballots in several states, on the grounds that they were counted as valid votes in violation of existing laws and regulations. Barring an extreme case of malfeasance by election officials in several states, something that is yet to be demonstrated, it is unlikely in the extreme the US court system will be willing to set a precedent that in the long term could fatally undermine the entire US system of elections.
Having said that, even senior GOP officials are happy to go along with the argument that Trump was robbed of victory through electoral fraud, in the form of abuse of mail-in ballots. There is literally no political penalty to pay for that, and moreover casting lasting doubt on the legitimacy of Biden’s victory represents payback for the last four years of Democrats casting doubt on the legitimacy of Trump’s victory through the RussiaGate scandal. One has to wonder whether Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s echoing of Trump’s allegations of voter fraud were at least in part motivated by him having to put up with being commonly referred to as “Moscow Mitch” on social media. Spending the next four years investigating Biden family finances, and particularly Hunter Biden’s business dealings in Ukraine, China, and other regions whose politicians have an interest in being in Joe Biden’s good graces, is vastly preferable to four more years of RussiaGate.
Nevertheless, the GOP machine will hardly much expend political capital on behalf of Donald Trump, in support of his quest to emerge as the winner of the 2020 election. While Trump proved to be a remarkably effective party base motivator, far better at the task than literally any GOP politician of note, he nevertheless poses a long-term threat to the stability of the two-party system. Worse, Trump’s victory in 2020 would have doomed the GOP to major losses in US Congress, governorships, and state legislature in 2022 and 2024, with Trump himself being almost inevitably followed into the White House by a Democrat in 2024, and possibly a very leftist Democrat at that. That is a scenario that neither party wants to see, but to the GOP it would represent a close brush with death.
With Biden and Harris in the White House, both of them relatively unpopular politicians in their own right lacking even the fake charisma of Barack Obama, GOP is likely to rebound very quickly from losing the White House. Even now it looks like a Pyrrhic victory for Biden, whose party will not retake the US Senate barring the unlikely victory in both of Georgia’s runoff races that will take place in January—by which time Biden’s gradual walking away from campaign promises and shifting ever further to the right will have demoralized the base of the Democratic Party—and will have actually suffered losses in the House of Representatives. Biden’s victory also has not translated into any gains at all in state races. So instead of having the Democrats control all three branches of the Federal government by 2024 and at the same time enjoy expanded influence in State governments, it appears rather likely the GOP will return to that level of political dominance in only four short years. Sacrificing Trump is a price well worth paying for it. While it is too early to say who will be the GOP’s champion in the 2024 presidential elections, Donald Trump created an original blueprint for running an effective presidential campaign championing a conservative version of national greatness with a strong element of insular nationalism, as opposed to the aggressive nationalism of globalization that the Democrats embrace. Almost regardless of who the Republican nominee is, they will run a modified version of Trump’s campaign, and they will do so with a high likelihood of success.
Biden’s own likely legacy as a one-term president will be the product of the combination of pandemic and associated economic crisis, and the Obama Alumni Association that will be running his administration. One should not forget Joe Biden won his first election to the US Senate by running a “law and order” campaign in 1972, the year of Richard Nixon’s spectacular re-election landslide that resulted from his application of the so-called “Southern Strategy” of exploiting the backlash to civil rights among the White population of not only the Southern states. Over the decades, Biden himself rode that backlash to successive re-elections to US Senate by running campaigns with only thinly disguised racist themes. That record all but vanished from public memory as soon as Biden was chosen as Obama’s running mate. The fact that Biden, an architect of many crime bills whose effect has been to disproportionately incarcerate Blacks, chose someone like Kamala Harris who enthusiastically applied the provisions of Biden’s crime bills, indicates Biden has not moved past his 1972 persona. While paying lip service to “Black Lives Matter” and other slogans of the day, Biden’s campaign worked really hard to attract suburban White GOP voters and made hardly an effort to woo the growing Hispanic constituency. Biden also has no use for such hot-button issues as Defund the Police, Green New Deal, Medicare for All, that are sacrosanct to the most enthusiastic left wing of the Democratic Party. It is already evident that the individuals Biden is appointing to his transition team and vetting for administration positions, including the just-announced Chief of Staff Ronald Klain, represent a return to the discredited policies of the Democratic Leadership Council.
Likewise when it comes to foreign policy, we are likely to see all manner of retreads from the Obama Administration and a continuation of the aggressive foreign policy from those years. Biden has already made it clear there will be no reduction in defense spending, no withdrawal from “US leadership”, and a return to an emphasis on “human rights” which collectively suggest redoubled regime change efforts around the globe. There is even talk of Hillary Clinton becoming the US Ambassador to the United Nations, where she would presumably continue to ply her brand of American Exceptionalism. All in all, Biden’s ascent to the presidency feels like the post-Napoleonic Bourbon Restoration. Alas, just as the Bourbons “learned nothing and forgot nothing”, everything points to the Democrats making a very similar mistake for which they, and the country, will pay for dearly.
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southfront--2020-11-14--CH-53E Super Stallion Heavy-Lift Cargo Helicopter (Infographics)

Click to see the full-size image The CH-53E Super Stallion is a heavy-lift helicopter developed for the United States military @ @ @ @ @ helicopter , the MH-53E Sea Dragon , is used by the United States Navy for @ @ @ @ @ countermeasures missions as well as perform heavy-lift operations .
MORE ON THE TOPIC : • @ @ @ @ @ About Armenian Losses In Nagorno-Karabakh War

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The CH-53E Super Stallion is a heavy-lift helicopter developed for the United States military. Another version of the helicopter, the MH-53E Sea Dragon, is used by the United States Navy for long-range minesweeping and airborne mine countermeasures missions as well as perform heavy-lift operations.
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southfront--2020-11-14--Dozens Of People Reportedly Taken Hostage In Montreal, Canada (Updated)

UPDATED : Police evacuated people from the Ubisoft building in Montreal , where the hostage situation turned out to be false .
The reason was a false phone call to the police .
Dozens of people were reportedly taken hostage at the Ubisoft company building in Montreal , Canada , local media reported on November 13 .
Dozens of people were on the roof of the building that is situated on Boulevard Saint Laurent in Montreal .
The images taken via a helicopter show that the employees barricaded the door giving access to the terrace .
More people were allegedly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worked on the spot .
The images from the ares show a large number of police officers , a truck of the City of Montreal Police Service tactical group that arrived on site around 2:30 p.m. Those gathered on the roof of the Ubisoft office were allegedly the ones who managed to escape the attackers .
However , no threat was confirmed .
Ubisoft Entertainment is a French company that is specialized in the development of computer games .
There are also offices of other companies in the building .
Moreover , an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ night .
A young man in medieval clothes and armed with a sword killed two people and injured five others in the historic center of Quebec before being arrested .
In particular , the attack took place in the district of the Château Frontenac , a tourist hot spot in the capital of the French-speaking Canadian province , according to the police .
The attacker was a 24-years old Canadian .
MORE ON THE TOPIC : • Who Benefit From Terror In Europe , US Political Chaos And Regional Wars ?
• ISIS @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ceremony At Saudi Cemetery • Russian Peacekeepers Get Into Position , As France Offers “ Message Of Support To Armenian Friends ” ( Updated )

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UPDATED: Police evacuated people from the Ubisoft building in Montreal, where the hostage situation turned out to be false. The reason was a false phone call to the police.
Dozens of people were reportedly taken hostage at the Ubisoft company building in Montreal, Canada, local media reported on November 13.
Dozens of people were on the roof of the building that is situated on Boulevard Saint Laurent in Montreal. The images taken via a helicopter show that the employees barricaded the door giving access to the terrace. More people were allegedly closed inside the building.
Special Forces worked on the spot. The images from the ares show a large number of police officers, a truck of the City of Montreal Police Service tactical group that arrived on site around 2:30 p.m.
Those gathered on the roof of the Ubisoft office were allegedly the ones who managed to escape the attackers. However, no threat was confirmed.
What we know so far about the police operation near Ubisoft: -police haven't confirmed what the threat is
-one employee said Ubisoft sent a memo asking staffers to barricade themselves and stay quiet
-a SWAT truck is on the scene
-no injuries reportedhttps://t.co/u1WQL57oqR — CTV Montreal (@CTVMontreal) November 13, 2020
Ubisoft Entertainment is a French company that is specialized in the development of computer games. There are also offices of other companies in the building.
Moreover, an attack took place in Canada on Halloween night. A young man in medieval clothes and armed with a sword killed two people and injured five others in the historic center of Quebec before being arrested. In particular, the attack took place in the district of the Château Frontenac, a tourist hot spot in the capital of the French-speaking Canadian province, according to the police. The attacker was a 24-years old Canadian.
Taking into account the terrorist threat in Europe, the growing insecurity in Canada may be connected with the recent claims made by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Mr Trudeau expressed Canada’s solidarity with the French following the attacks in Nice, Lyon and Paris. “Freedom of expression is not without limits”, he said commenting on the right to show a caricature of the Prophet Mohammed. Montreal and Quebec are two largest french-speaking cities of Canada.
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southfront--2020-11-14--Three Iranian Border Guards Killed In Western Azerbaijan Attack

Three Iranian border guards were killed and two others were injured on November 13 , when they were attacked by unknown gunmen .
According to the Islamic Republic News Agency , IRNA , the border guards were killed while preventing “ terrorists ” from sneaking into the Iranian province of West Azerbaijan , which borders Turkey , the Iraqi Kurdistan Region and the Azerbaijani region of Nakhchivan .
According to the IRNA , the gunmen , who are yet to be identified , suffered heavy casualties in their infiltration attempt in West Azerbaijan .
A number of attacks carried out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ISIS targeted Iranian troops in West Azerbaijan in the past .
Last month , the Iranian military deployed large reinforcements in West Azerbaijan and other northwestern areas , while the battle between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces in the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh was heating up .
Iran had voiced its concern over the deployment of thousands of Syrian militants by Turkey and Azerbaijan in Nagorno-Karabakh along its northwestern border .
The militants were brought into the region to back the Azerbaijani attack on Armenian forces .
It remains unclear if those militants were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Azerbaijan .
This , however , remains a possible scenario .
Iran usually responds with brutal force to any attacks on its troops .
MORE ON THIS TOPIC : • Armenian Defense Collapsed In Central Nagorno-Karabakh .
Shusha Is In Hands Of Azerbaijan

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Three Iranian border guards were killed and two others were injured on November 13, when they were attacked by unknown gunmen.
According to the Islamic Republic News Agency, IRNA, the border guards were killed while preventing “terrorists” from sneaking into the Iranian province of West Azerbaijan, which borders Turkey, the Iraqi Kurdistan Region and the Azerbaijani region of Nakhchivan.
According to the IRNA, the gunmen, who are yet to be identified, suffered heavy casualties in their infiltration attempt in West Azerbaijan.
A number of attacks carried out by Kurdish separatists or militants linked to ISIS targeted Iranian troops in West Azerbaijan in the past.
Last month, the Iranian military deployed large reinforcements in West Azerbaijan and other northwestern areas, while the battle between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces in the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh was heating up.
Iran had voiced its concern over the deployment of thousands of Syrian militants by Turkey and Azerbaijan in Nagorno-Karabakh along its northwestern border. The militants were brought into the region to back the Azerbaijani attack on Armenian forces.
It remains unclear if those militants were linked to the recent attack in West Azerbaijan. This, however, remains a possible scenario. Iran usually responds with brutal force to any attacks on its troops.
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southfront--2020-11-14--Dozens Of Syrian Soldiers Killed In Recent ISIS Attack In Eastern Homs

The death toll in a recent ISIS attack in the eastern Homs countryside had risen to 21 soldiers and pro-government fighters , the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on November 13 .
The attack was carried out on November 11 .
The terrorist group stormed three bases of the Syrian Arab Army ( SAA ) and the National Defense Forces that are located north of the town of al-Sukhnah .
The attack was launched from the Homs desert , which lays between eastern Homs and western Deir Ezzor .
The desert is the main stronghold of ISIS in central @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shelter there .
Prior to the attack , ISIS terrorists targeted a supply truck of the SAA near al-Sukhnah , according to a report released by the Amaq news agency on November 12 .
ISIS terrorists are launching attacks from the Homs desert on a regular basis .
On November 10 , the terrorists abducted then executed a civilian named Mashhur al-Gad ’ an in the southern Deir Ezzor countryside after accusing him of spying for the Syrian intelligence .
The SAA and its allies are yet to find an effective strategy to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the central region .
The terrorist group is rapidly working to expand its influence there .
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The death toll in a recent ISIS attack in the eastern Homs countryside had risen to 21 soldiers and pro-government fighters, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on November 13.
The attack was carried out on November 11. The terrorist group stormed three bases of the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) and the National Defense Forces that are located north of the town of al-Sukhnah.
The attack was launched from the Homs desert, which lays between eastern Homs and western Deir Ezzor. The desert is the main stronghold of ISIS in central Syria. Hundreds of terrorists are taking shelter there.
Prior to the attack, ISIS terrorists targeted a supply truck of the SAA near al-Sukhnah, according to a report released by the Amaq news agency on November 12.
ISIS terrorists are launching attacks from the Homs desert on a regular basis. On November 10, the terrorists abducted then executed a civilian named Mashhur al-Gad’an in the southern Deir Ezzor countryside after accusing him of spying for the Syrian intelligence.
The SAA and its allies are yet to find an effective strategy to counter the growing threat of ISIS in the central region. The terrorist group is rapidly working to expand its influence there.
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southfront--2020-11-14--Separate Russian Humanitarian Center To Be Established In Nagorno-Karabakh

On November 13 , Russian President Vladimir Putin signed an executive order to create a humanitarian center for the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh , where a heated battle between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces has been taken place over the last two months .
In a statement , the Kremlin said the inter-agencies center will include representatives of the Ministry of the Russian Federation for Civil Defence , Emergencies and Elimination of Consequences of Natural Disasters , the Foreign Ministry of the Russian Federation , the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation as well as representatives of other federal bodies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ministry of the Russian Federation was tasked with resolution of organizational and other issues related to the creation and activities of the inter-agency center .
President Putin hoped that the international community will provide support for the work of the center in Nagorno-Karabakh .
“ I ask the Russian Foreign Ministry to continue work to inform the OSCE Minsk Group partners about the decisions made as well as the International Committee of the Red Cross … and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights , ” TASS quoted Putin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issues in Nagorno-Karabakh .
“ Constructive and full-scale work should be established with these agencies , particularly with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and UNESCO ; we should come in contact with colleagues in UNESCO.
” “ I am counting on their support.
” Meanwhile , Russia continues to deployed troops in Nagorno-Karabakh and nearby areas to control the implementation of the November 9 peace deal between Armenia and Azerbaijan .
On November 13 , the Russian military deployed BM-21 122 mm multiple rocket launchers in the Armenian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Nagorno-Karabakh border .
From there , the rocket launchers can provide fire support to peacekeepers in the disputed region if needed .
The terms of the November 9 agreement seem to be respected .
Both sides are showing their commitment to the Russian-brokered agreement .
On November 13 , Armenia and Azerbaijan began the process of exchanging the bodies of those killed in battle .
Russian peacekeepers and the International Committee of the Red Cross and Committee are monitoring the process , which is likely to last a few days .
MORE @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Know About Russia ’ s Peacekeeping Force In Nagorno-Karabakh

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On November 13, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed an executive order to create a humanitarian center for the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh, where a heated battle between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces has been taken place over the last two months.
In a statement, the Kremlin said the inter-agencies center will include representatives of the Ministry of the Russian Federation for Civil Defence, Emergencies and Elimination of Consequences of Natural Disasters, the Foreign Ministry of the Russian Federation, the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation as well as representatives of other federal bodies of the executive power.
The Defense Ministry of the Russian Federation was tasked with resolution of organizational and other issues related to the creation and activities of the inter-agency center.
President Putin hoped that the international community will provide support for the work of the center in Nagorno-Karabakh.
“I ask the Russian Foreign Ministry to continue work to inform the OSCE Minsk Group partners about the decisions made as well as the International Committee of the Red Cross … and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights,” TASS quoted Putin as saying during a meeting on humanitarian issues in Nagorno-Karabakh. “Constructive and full-scale work should be established with these agencies, particularly with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and UNESCO; we should come in contact with colleagues in UNESCO.” “I am counting on their support.”
Meanwhile, Russia continues to deployed troops in Nagorno-Karabakh and nearby areas to control the implementation of the November 9 peace deal between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
On November 13, the Russian military deployed BM-21 122 mm multiple rocket launchers in the Armenian area of Goris, 19 km away from Nagorno-Karabakh border. From there, the rocket launchers can provide fire support to peacekeepers in the disputed region if needed.
Peacekeepers with T72B and Bm21 Grads lol pic.twitter.com/vnU4DYnC0a — ZOKA (@200_zoka) November 13, 2020
The terms of the November 9 agreement seem to be respected. Both sides are showing their commitment to the Russian-brokered agreement. On November 13, Armenia and Azerbaijan began the process of exchanging the bodies of those killed in battle.
Russian peacekeepers and the International Committee of the Red Cross and Committee are monitoring the process, which is likely to last a few days.
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southfront--2020-11-14--Erdogan Claimed Northern Syria, Iraqi Kurdistan As Turkish Territory

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has finally admitted that Turkey has ambition in the territories of Syria and Iraq , where its troops occupy vast areas .
The Turkish President let his guard down during his speech on November 1 at the congress of the ruling Justice and Development Party in the northern city of Samsun .
Erdogan reminded his audience of the Turkish military operation against Kurdish forces in Syria ’ s Afrin in 2018 , the recent confrontation with the Syrian military in Idlib and a series of attacks against the Kurdistan Workers ’ Party in the Iraqi Kurdistan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ claim that these territories are now a part of the “ motherland.
” Today , the Turkish military maintains thousands of heavily armed troops in northern Syria and in the northern part of the Kurdistan Region .
During his speech , Erdogan also boasted about Turkish military presence in Libya , where his support allowed the Government of National Accord to survive an attack by the Libyan National Army .
Turkey is reportedly hoping to establish two military bases in Libya , where Turkish troops could be deployed for the long term .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the last Azerbaijani attack on Armenian forces in Nagorno-Karabakh .
Ankara shipped hundreds of Syrian militants to Baku to back its offensive .
In the past , Erdogan maintained that his country supports the “ territorial integrity ” of Syria , Iraq and other countries where Turkish forces are involved .
This soft tone has apparently ended and the Turkish President is now setting the ground for the annexation of foreign territories .
MORE ON THIS TOPIC : • Turkey To Build Railway Connecting To Nakhchivan , As Azerbaijan Does The Same • @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Turkish Armed Forces

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President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has finally admitted that Turkey has ambition in the territories of Syria and Iraq, where its troops occupy vast areas.
The Turkish President let his guard down during his speech on November 1 at the congress of the ruling Justice and Development Party in the northern city of Samsun.
Cumhurbaşkanı Erdoğan Samsun'da açıklamalarda bulundu. ? "İdlib'de, Afrin'de, Zeytin Dalı'nda, Pençe Harekatı'nda şehitler verdik. Ama şunu unutmayın, her şehit bizim için arazilerin vatan olması demektir." — Yeni Şafak (@yenisafak) November 1, 2020
Erdogan reminded his audience of the Turkish military operation against Kurdish forces in Syria’s Afrin in 2018, the recent confrontation with the Syrian military in Idlib and a series of attacks against the Kurdistan Workers’ Party in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region. He then went on to claim that these territories are now a part of the “motherland.”
“We had martyrs in Idlib, Afrin, Operation Olive Branch and Operation Claw, but we shouldn’t forget that everything was to make these territories a part of the motherland,” Erdogan said “If you wish to have a motherland, then you should wage struggle.”
Today, the Turkish military maintains thousands of heavily armed troops in northern Syria and in the northern part of the Kurdistan Region.
During his speech, Erdogan also boasted about Turkish military presence in Libya, where his support allowed the Government of National Accord to survive an attack by the Libyan National Army.
Turkey is reportedly hoping to establish two military bases in Libya, where Turkish troops could be deployed for the long term.
Furthermore, Turkish forces were allegedly supporting the last Azerbaijani attack on Armenian forces in Nagorno-Karabakh. Ankara shipped hundreds of Syrian militants to Baku to back its offensive.
In the past, Erdogan maintained that his country supports the “territorial integrity” of Syria, Iraq and other countries where Turkish forces are involved. This soft tone has apparently ended and the Turkish President is now setting the ground for the annexation of foreign territories.
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southfront--2020-11-14--U.S. Defense Officials Misled Trump On Number Of Troops In Syria To Halt Withdrawal – Report

U.S. defense officials routinely misled President Donald Trump on the number of American troops deployed in Syria , James Jeffrey , former Special Representative for Syria Engagement , revealed in an interview with Defense One that was released on November 12 .
In October of 2019 , Trump ordered the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Syria .
The decision was met with a backlash from officials in Washington as well as the media .
As a result , the decision was de-facto reversed .
Defense officials convinced President Trump to leave 200 troops to guard oil fields in the Syria @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to Jeffery , the real number of troops was “ a lot more than ” 200 .
Some officials put the number as high as 900 .
Jeffery said each time Trump was tempted to withdraw troops from Syria , he and other officials would come up with “ five better arguments for why we needed to stay.
” Currently , at least 500 U.S. troops are deployed in several bases in al-Hasakah and the part of Deir Ezzor , where Syria ’ s major oil fields are located .
The U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and infantry fighting vehicles in the region .
Jeffery ’ s interview with Defense One is a testimony to how the deep state in Washington works to prevent any shift or reform in U.S. foreign policy .
MORE ON THIS TOPIC : • 75 Syrian Soldiers , ISIS Terrorists Killed In Central Syrian Clashes In Last Two Weeks

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U.S. defense officials routinely misled President Donald Trump on the number of American troops deployed in Syria, James Jeffrey, former Special Representative for Syria Engagement, revealed in an interview with Defense One that was released on November 12.
In October of 2019, Trump ordered the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Syria. The decision was met with a backlash from officials in Washington as well as the media. As a result, the decision was de-facto reversed.
“We were always playing shell games to not make clear to our leadership how many troops we had there,” Jeffrey said.
Defense officials convinced President Trump to leave 200 troops to guard oil fields in the Syria’s northeastern region. However, according to Jeffery, the real number of troops was “a lot more than” 200. Some officials put the number as high as 900.
“What Syria withdrawal? There was never a Syria withdrawal,” the senior diplomat, who left his post earlier this month, added.
Jeffery said each time Trump was tempted to withdraw troops from Syria, he and other officials would come up with “five better arguments for why we needed to stay.”
Currently, at least 500 U.S. troops are deployed in several bases in al-Hasakah and the part of Deir Ezzor, where Syria’s major oil fields are located. The U.S. military maintains a number of attack helicopters and infantry fighting vehicles in the region.
Jeffery’s interview with Defense One is a testimony to how the deep state in Washington works to prevent any shift or reform in U.S. foreign policy.
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southfront--2020-11-14--Globalist Puppet Patriarch Bartholomew Claims He Should Have ‘Special Powers’ In Orthodox World

Bartholomew I of Constantinople continues his hard way to the desire of being the Pope-like leader in the Orthodox World .
In the recent interview with National Gazette , Patriarch Bartholomew claimed that it is needed to revise the doctrine of the Church and recognize that there should be “ First ” not only in honor but also “ with special powers ” in the Orthodox World .
According to the main supporter of the globalist/neo-liberal agenda in Europe , Orthodox Christians should subject themselves to a self-criticism and reconsider their ecclesiology if they do not want to become a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is observed among Protestants .
Patriarch Bartholomew said that the main goal of his work is the unity of the Orthodox World .
In his opinion , the problem of unity can be solved if it is recognized that there is a bishop in the Orthodox Church who is higher than other bishops and has exclusive power .
For sure , Patriarch Bartholomew should be this ‘ executive leader ’ that would lead the Church to the ‘ bright future ’ .
This ‘ bright future ’ has already been shown by Mr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that recently became victims of the attacks of Euro-Atlantic structures aimed against the canonical local churches .
Instead , Bartholomew and his allies supported the creation of various pseudo-church organizations to undermine the unity of the local conservative societies and entrench globalist agenda there .
MORE ON THE TOPIC : • Cypriot Orthodox Church Riots Against Its Leader Over Ukraine Question • Democracy In Action : Ukraine Adopts Law To Send Russians To Internment Camps In Case Of “ Aggression ”

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Bartholomew I of Constantinople continues his hard way to the desire of being the Pope-like leader in the Orthodox World.
In the recent interview with National Gazette, Patriarch Bartholomew claimed that it is needed to revise the doctrine of the Church and recognize that there should be “First” not only in honor but also “with special powers” in the Orthodox World.
According to the main supporter of the globalist/neo-liberal agenda in Europe, Orthodox Christians should subject themselves to a self-criticism and reconsider their ecclesiology if they do not want to become a federation of Churches, similar to what is observed among Protestants.
Patriarch Bartholomew said that the main goal of his work is the unity of the Orthodox World. In his opinion, the problem of unity can be solved if it is recognized that there is a bishop in the Orthodox Church who is higher than other bishops and has exclusive power. For sure, Patriarch Bartholomew should be this ‘executive leader’ that would lead the Church to the ‘bright future’. This ‘bright future’ has already been shown by Mr Bartholomew and his masters in eastern Europe that recently became victims of the attacks of Euro-Atlantic structures aimed against the canonical local churches. Instead, Bartholomew and his allies supported the creation of various pseudo-church organizations to undermine the unity of the local conservative societies and entrench globalist agenda there.
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southfront--2020-11-14--Syrian Intelligence Collaborator Survived Assassination Attempt Near Lebanon’s Border

On November 14 , a civilian accused of collaborating with the Syrian intelligence survived an assassination attempt in the town of Rankos in the Eastern Qalamun Region .
The civilian , Hikmat Susaq , was reportedly shot multiple times by unidentified gunmen while he was on his way back from work in Ras al-Qaimah center .
The man , who sustained serious wounds , was taken to a nearby hospital .
Opposition sources claimed that Susaq was working as an informant for the Syrian intelligence .
However , no evidence was presented .
The sources revealed that Hikmat is the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ commander who was executed in the early years of the war .
Muhamad was accused of cooperating with Hezbollah , which maintains positions in Lebanon ’ s territory a few kilometers north of Rankos .
This was not the first assassination to take place in Rankos .
On November 7 , a civilian named Adel Shahen was reportedly assassinated for cooperating with the Syrian intelligence .
Rankos was one of the al-Qaeda ’ s Nusra Front main strongholds near the Syrian capital , Damascus , during the early years of the conflict .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a large-scale operation by the Syrian military and Hezbollah .
Earlier this year , the Syrian military and security forces eliminated a group of nine suspects in a security operation inside Rankos .
The new attacks will not likely be tolerated by the authorities .
MORE ON THIS TOPIC : • 75 Syrian Soldiers , ISIS Terrorists Killed In Central Syrian Clashes In Last Two Weeks

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On November 14, a civilian accused of collaborating with the Syrian intelligence survived an assassination attempt in the town of Rankos in the Eastern Qalamun Region.
The civilian, Hikmat Susaq, was reportedly shot multiple times by unidentified gunmen while he was on his way back from work in Ras al-Qaimah center. The man, who sustained serious wounds, was taken to a nearby hospital.
Opposition sources claimed that Susaq was working as an informant for the Syrian intelligence. However, no evidence was presented.
The sources revealed that Hikmat is the son of Muhamad Susaq, a rebel commander who was executed in the early years of the war. Muhamad was accused of cooperating with Hezbollah, which maintains positions in Lebanon’s territory a few kilometers north of Rankos.
This was not the first assassination to take place in Rankos. On November 7, a civilian named Adel Shahen was reportedly assassinated for cooperating with the Syrian intelligence.
Rankos was one of the al-Qaeda’s Nusra Front main strongholds near the Syrian capital, Damascus, during the early years of the conflict. In 2014, the town was cleared in a large-scale operation by the Syrian military and Hezbollah.
Earlier this year, the Syrian military and security forces eliminated a group of nine suspects in a security operation inside Rankos. The new attacks will not likely be tolerated by the authorities.
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southfront--2020-11-14--Armenian Authorities Arrested Former National Security Service Head Over Plot To Assassinate Pashiny

Armenian Authorities Arrested Former National Security Service Head Over Plot To Assassinate Pashinyan

Armenian authorities arrested the former director of the National Security Service ( NSS ) and leader of the Homeland Party , Artur Vanetsyan , the lawyers of the politician told media .
Vanetsyan was arrested over the alleged plot of violating the following articles of Armenia ’ s Criminal Code : Article 235 .
Illegal procurement , transportation or carrying of weapons , ammunition , explosives or explosive devices ; Article 300 .
Usurping state power ; Article 305 .
Assassination of a state , political or public figure .
In other words , he was allegedly planning an assassination @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anti-Armenian and pro-Western policies of whom led to the current crisis in Armenia and the loss of the Nagorno-Karabakh war .
NSS employees also searched the house of Vanetsyan ’ s parents .
“ The flight of thought of the authorities , capable of “ creativity ” to silence political opponents only within the state , gave rise to accusations of preparations for the usurpation of state power and the murder of Nikol Pashinyan , ” Lusine Sahakyan , one of Vanetsyan ’ s lawyers , told media .
Frist allegations that leaders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opposition figures were suspected of organizing a rally during martial law and disclosing state secrets appeared on November 12 .
All suspects are supporters of 17 opposition forces that created the Rescue Committee demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Pashinyan .
The government responded to rallies organized by the opposition with mass arrests .
MORE ON THE TOPIC : • Armenian Death Toll Grows : Health Ministry Says Over 2,000 Service Members Killed In Karabakh • Azerbaijani Troops Caught On Tape Committing Another War Crime In Karabakh ( 18+ Video )

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Armenian authorities arrested the former director of the National Security Service (NSS) and leader of the Homeland Party, Artur Vanetsyan, the lawyers of the politician told media.
Vanetsyan was arrested over the alleged plot of violating the following articles of Armenia’s Criminal Code: Article 235. Illegal procurement, transportation or carrying of weapons, ammunition, explosives or explosive devices; Article 300. Usurping state power; Article 305. Assassination of a state, political or public figure. In other words, he was allegedly planning an assassination of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, the anti-Armenian and pro-Western policies of whom led to the current crisis in Armenia and the loss of the Nagorno-Karabakh war. NSS employees also searched the house of Vanetsyan’s parents.
“The flight of thought of the authorities, capable of “creativity” to silence political opponents only within the state, gave rise to accusations of preparations for the usurpation of state power and the murder of Nikol Pashinyan,” Lusine Sahakyan, one of Vanetsyan’s lawyers, told media.
Frist allegations that leaders of four opposition parties and eight other opposition figures were suspected of organizing a rally during martial law and disclosing state secrets appeared on November 12. All suspects are supporters of 17 opposition forces that created the Rescue Committee demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Pashinyan. The government responded to rallies organized by the opposition with mass arrests.
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southfront--2020-11-14--At Least Two Missiles Hit Ethiopian Airports As War In Tigray Widens

Two airports in Ethiopia ’ s Amhara state , located near the Tigray battle zone , were targeted by rocket fire late on November 13 , according to pro-government sources .
The targeted airports were : the Gondar airport and the Bahir Dar airport in Amhara state .
According to the Tigray People ’ s Liberation Front ( TPLF ) , TPLF forces conducted strikes on military bases in Bahir Dar and Gondar in retaliation for air strikes conducted by federal government forces .
“ As long as the attacks on the people of Tigray do not stop , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a spokesperson for the TPLF , said in a statement on the Facebook page of the Tigray state ’ s communications office .
A brief summary of the recent developments : • On November 13 , several rockets were fired by TPLF towards the Bahir Dar and Gondar airports , according to Ethiopian officials ; • On November 14 , heavy shelling was reported around Senafe , an Eritrean trading centre 24 km north of the Ethiopia-Eritrea border ; • On November 12 , Amnesty Int accused TPLF forces of killing hundreds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) town .
MORE ON THE TOPIC : • Ethiopian Government Forces With The Upper Hand In Tigray , But Chaos Is Brewing All Around

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Two airports in Ethiopia’s Amhara state, located near the Tigray battle zone, were targeted by rocket fire late on November 13, according to pro-government sources.
The targeted airports were: the Gondar airport and the Bahir Dar airport in Amhara state.
According to the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), TPLF forces conducted strikes on military bases in Bahir Dar and Gondar in retaliation for air strikes conducted by federal government forces.
“As long as the attacks on the people of Tigray do not stop, the attacks will intensify,” Getachew Reda, a spokesperson for the TPLF, said in a statement on the Facebook page of the Tigray state’s communications office.
A brief summary of the recent developments:
On November 13, several rockets were fired by TPLF towards the Bahir Dar and Gondar airports, according to Ethiopian officials;
On November 14, heavy shelling was reported around Senafe, an Eritrean trading centre 24 km north of the Ethiopia-Eritrea border;
On November 12, Amnesty Int accused TPLF forces of killing hundreds of civilians in Mai-Kadra (May Cadera) town.
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southfront--2020-11-14--Al-Qaeda’s Second-in-Command Assassinated By Israeli Intelligence in Iran’s Tehran – Report

Al-Qaeda ’ s second-in-command Abu Muhammad al-Masri was assassinated by the Israeli intelligence in the Iranian capital Tehran three months ago , the New York Times reported on November 14 , citing U.S. officials .
Al-Masri , whose real name is Abdullah Ahmed Abdullah , is one of the founders of al-Qaeda and thought to be first in line to lead the organization after its current leader , Ayman al-Zawahri .
The Egyptian-born terrorist is believed to be behind a series of attacks in Africa , mainly the bombing of the United States Embassies in Dar es Salaam , Tanzania @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
More than 200 people were killed in those bombings .
Al-Masri was gunned down by two operatives of the Israeli intelligence in Tehran ’ s Pasdaran Avenue on August 7 , the anniversary of the embassy attacks .
According to the report , the Israeli intelligence operatives , who were riding a motorcycle , approached al-Masri ’ s white Renault L90 , and fired four bullets killing him and his daughter , Miriam , the widow of Osama bin Laden ’ s son Hamza bin Laden .
A fifth bullet missed , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
According to the New York Times ’ report , the Israeli intelligence carried out the assassination upon a request from the U.S. American intelligence officials told the New York Times that al-Masri had been in Iran ’ s “ custody ” since 2003 .
However , he had been living freely in the Pasdaran Avenue .
These claims remain unverified .
The New York Times claimed that Iran had attempted to hide the assassination by announcing that the August 7 shooting targeted Habib Daoud , a Lebanese Shiite history professor , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the UAE-based al-Arabiya TV and Lebanon ’ s MTV claimed that Daoud was affiliated with Hezbollah .
Both channels are aligned with the U.S. and not Iran , which raises some doubts on the New York Times ’ report .
The New York Times report came amid rumors of al-Zawahiri death .
Telegram channels linked to al-Qaeda ’ s branch in Syria , Horas al-Din , alleged this week that the leader had died after a “ struggle with illness.
” Al-Qaeda has not yet released any statement clarifying the fates of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any of them will be a heavy blow to the terrorist group .
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Al-Qaeda’s second-in-command Abu Muhammad al-Masri was assassinated by the Israeli intelligence in the Iranian capital Tehran three months ago, the New York Times reported on November 14, citing U.S. officials.
Al-Masri, whose real name is Abdullah Ahmed Abdullah, is one of the founders of al-Qaeda and thought to be first in line to lead the organization after its current leader, Ayman al-Zawahri.
The Egyptian-born terrorist is believed to be behind a series of attacks in Africa, mainly the bombing of the United States Embassies in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania and in Nairobi, Kenya in 1998. More than 200 people were killed in those bombings.
Al-Masri was gunned down by two operatives of the Israeli intelligence in Tehran’s Pasdaran Avenue on August 7, the anniversary of the embassy attacks.
According to the report, the Israeli intelligence operatives, who were riding a motorcycle, approached al-Masri’s white Renault L90, and fired four bullets killing him and his daughter, Miriam, the widow of Osama bin Laden’s son Hamza bin Laden. A fifth bullet missed, hitting a nearby vehicle without injuring anyone.
According to the New York Times’ report, the Israeli intelligence carried out the assassination upon a request from the U.S.
American intelligence officials told the New York Times that al-Masri had been in Iran’s “custody” since 2003. However, he had been living freely in the Pasdaran Avenue. These claims remain unverified.
The New York Times claimed that Iran had attempted to hide the assassination by announcing that the August 7 shooting targeted Habib Daoud, a Lebanese Shiite history professor, and his 27-year-old daughter Maryam.
Back then, the UAE-based al-Arabiya TV and Lebanon’s MTV claimed that Daoud was affiliated with Hezbollah. Both channels are aligned with the U.S. and not Iran, which raises some doubts on the New York Times’ report.
The New York Times report came amid rumors of al-Zawahiri death. Telegram channels linked to al-Qaeda’s branch in Syria, Horas al-Din, alleged this week that the leader had died after a “struggle with illness.”
Al-Qaeda has not yet released any statement clarifying the fates of al-Masri and al-Zawahiri. The death of any of them will be a heavy blow to the terrorist group.
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southfront--2020-11-14--Saudi-Forces Counter Attack In Mass Base Area In Yemen’s Marib

Click to see the full-size image Clashes between the Houthis ( also known as Ansar Allah ) and Saudi-backed forces @ @ @ @ @ Maas base area in the Yemeni province of Marib .
On November 12 , serveral @ @ @ @ @ have captured the base .
However , as of November 14 , they have not @ @ @ @ @ control of it and the area still remains contested .
• On November 14 , @ @ @ @ @ Saudi-led forces continue near the Maas base despite earlier reports about the retreat of Saudi-led @ @ @ @ @ On November 13 , Ansar Allah advanced in the Raghwan district and reached to the @ @ @ @ @ THE TOPIC : • Russia Returns To Power Game In Red And Arabian Seas

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Clashes between the Houthis (also known as Ansar Allah) and Saudi-backed forces have been ongoing in the Maas base area in the Yemeni province of Marib. On November 12, serveral sources reported that the Houthis have captured the base. However, as of November 14, they have not been able to establish full control of it and the area still remains contested.
On November 14, clashes between Ansar Allah and Saudi-led forces continue near the Maas base despite earlier reports about the retreat of Saudi-led forces from there;
On November 13, Ansar Allah advanced in the Raghwan district and reached to the Asahel area;
On November 13, Ansar Allah captured the Bahrah mountain.
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southfront--2020-11-14--75 Syrian Soldiers, ISIS Terrorists Killed In Central Syrian Clashes In Last Two Weeks

The situation in central Syria , where ISIS terrorists have been stepping up their attacks , remains tense , according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights ( SOHR ) .
On November 14 , the London-based monitoring group said in its report that the terrorist group is carrying out attacks against Syrian government forces in eastern Hama , southern Raqqa and eastern Homs on a regular basis .
ISIS terrorists attacked Syrian military positions , ambushed pro-government troops and targeted several vehicles in the central region over the last two weeks .
This had lead to heavy human losses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attacked three bases of the Syrian Arab Army and the National Defense Forces near the town of al-Sukhnah in eastern Homs .
21 soldiers and pro-government fighters were allegedly killed in the attack .
ISIS terrorists are launching their attacks in central Syria from the Homs desert , which lays between eastern Homs and western Deir Ezzor .
The terrorists are reportedly buying supplies , including weapons , from U.S.-backed fighters in the southeastern area of al-Tanaf , where the U.S.-led coalition maintains a garrison .
Syrian government forces and their allies are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Homs desert on a regular basis .
However , they are yet to address the terrorist group ’ s well-established presence within the region .
MORE ON THIS TOPIC : • Dozens Of Syrian Soldiers Killed In Recent ISIS Attack In Eastern Homs

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The situation in central Syria, where ISIS terrorists have been stepping up their attacks, remains tense, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR).
On November 14, the London-based monitoring group said in its report that the terrorist group is carrying out attacks against Syrian government forces in eastern Hama, southern Raqqa and eastern Homs on a regular basis.
ISIS terrorists attacked Syrian military positions, ambushed pro-government troops and targeted several vehicles in the central region over the last two weeks. This had lead to heavy human losses.
“48 regime soldiers and allied militiamen were killed, while 27 ISIS members were killed,” the SOHR said in the report, “the death toll is expected to rise as some injured are in serious condition, amid reports of further fatalities.”
Earlier this week, ISIS terrorists attacked three bases of the Syrian Arab Army and the National Defense Forces near the town of al-Sukhnah in eastern Homs. 21 soldiers and pro-government fighters were allegedly killed in the attack.
ISIS terrorists are launching their attacks in central Syria from the Homs desert, which lays between eastern Homs and western Deir Ezzor.
The terrorists are reportedly buying supplies, including weapons, from U.S.-backed fighters in the southeastern area of al-Tanaf, where the U.S.-led coalition maintains a garrison.
Syrian government forces and their allies are carrying out combing operations in the outskirts of the Homs desert on a regular basis. However, they are yet to address the terrorist group’s well-established presence within the region.
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southfront--2020-11-15--ISIS Terrorists Slaughtered Pro-Government Oil Guards In Southern Raqqa

Late on November 14 , ISIS terrorists attacked fighters from the al-Qatirji security group , which guards government oil shipments @ @ @ @ @ to the London-Based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights , the terrorists managed to capture five @ @ @ @ @ road .
All of them were slaughtered on the spot .
A day earlier , @ @ @ @ @ tanker guarded by al-Qatirji group in southern Raqqa with an improvised explosive device .
The @ @ @ @ @ with the al-Qatirji Company that imports oil from Syria ’ s northeastern region , controlled @ @ @ @ @ , to government-held areas .
The company and its owners are sanctioned by the U.S. @ @ @ @ @ al-Qatirji group and on Syrian government oil shipments over the last few months .
The @ @ @ @ @ was working to mount more pressure on the Syrian government , which is facing a @ @ @ @ @ ON THIS TOPIC : • U.S. Defense Officials Misled Trump On Number Of Troops In @ @ @ @ @ Report

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Late on November 14, ISIS terrorists attacked fighters from the al-Qatirji security group, which guards government oil shipments in southern Raqqa.
According to the London-Based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the terrorists managed to capture five pro-government fighters on the Ithriyah-Raqqa road. All of them were slaughtered on the spot.
“Connection has been lost with other members and reports suggest that they may have been also arrested by ISIS,” the monitoring group.
A day earlier, ISIS terrorists targeted an oil tanker guarded by al-Qatirji group in southern Raqqa with an improvised explosive device.
The al-Qatirji security group is affiliated with the al-Qatirji Company that imports oil from Syria’s northeastern region, controlled by the Syrian Democratic Forces, to government-held areas. The company and its owners are sanctioned by the U.S.
ISIS intensified its attacks on al-Qatirji group and on Syrian government oil shipments over the last few months. The attacks started as the U.S. was working to mount more pressure on the Syrian government, which is facing a serious financial crisis.
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southfront--2020-11-15--Azerbaijan Extended Deadline For Armenian Troops Withdrawal From Kalbajar District Of Nagorno-Karaba

Azerbaijan Extended Deadline For Armenian Troops Withdrawal From Kalbajar District Of Nagorno-Karabakh

Azerbaijan has granted Armenia ten additional days to pull its troops out from the district of Kalbajar , also known as Karvachar , in Nagorno-Karabakh , Hikmet Hajiyev , a top aide to Azerbaijani President , announced in a briefing on November 15 .
According to the Armenian-Azerbaijani peace deal , that was brokered by Russia on November 9 , Armenian forces should be out of Kalbajar by November 15 .
According to Hajiyev , the Armenian side appealed to Azerbaijan through Russia to extend the withdrawal terms by ten days .
Baku agreed to the proposal .
“ The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only one road in that direction , the Vardenis road , and the capacity of the road is low , ” Hajiyev said , “ Azerbaijan has agreed to evacuate the civilian population in Kalbajar by November 25 .
The obligations remain in force , no special statement has been signed on the extension.
” The presidential aide noted that the withdrawal of Armenian forces from Agdam and Lachin was not delayed , and will be in place by November 20 .
Ethnic Armenian civilians , who will leave these areas in Nagorno-Karabakh @ @ @ @ @ @ @ begun to burn their houses and belongings .
Meanwhile , more Russian peacekeepers are arriving in Nagorno-Karabakh to monitor the implementation of peace deal .
The Ministry of Defense of Russia announced that two An-124 aircraft carrying peacekeepers had landed in Yerevan on November 15 .
The aircraft carried about 30 servicemen , 10 BTR-82A armored personnel carriers as well as logistic means .
The troops headed to the Armenian city of Goris near Nagorno-Karabakh .
The terms of the November 9 peace deal seem to be respected .
So far , both @ @ @ @ @ @ @ planned while showing flexibility .
MORE ON THIS TOPIC : • Armenian Authorities Arrested Former National Security Service Head Over Plot To Assassinate Pashinyan • Armenian Death Toll Grows : Health Ministry Says Over 2,000 Service Members Killed In Karabakh

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Azerbaijan has granted Armenia ten additional days to pull its troops out from the district of Kalbajar, also known as Karvachar, in Nagorno-Karabakh, Hikmet Hajiyev, a top aide to Azerbaijani President, announced in a briefing on November 15.
According to the Armenian-Azerbaijani peace deal, that was brokered by Russia on November 9, Armenian forces should be out of Kalbajar by November 15.
According to Hajiyev, the Armenian side appealed to Azerbaijan through Russia to extend the withdrawal terms by ten days. Baku agreed to the proposal.
“The weather is getting worse, there is only one road in that direction, the Vardenis road, and the capacity of the road is low,” Hajiyev said, “Azerbaijan has agreed to evacuate the civilian population in Kalbajar by November 25. The obligations remain in force, no special statement has been signed on the extension.”
The presidential aide noted that the withdrawal of Armenian forces from Agdam and Lachin was not delayed, and will be in place by November 20.
Ethnic Armenian civilians, who will leave these areas in Nagorno-Karabakh along with military troops, have reportedly begun to burn their houses and belongings.
Meanwhile, more Russian peacekeepers are arriving in Nagorno-Karabakh to monitor the implementation of peace deal.
The Ministry of Defense of Russia announced that two An-124 aircraft carrying peacekeepers had landed in Yerevan on November 15.
“Two An-124 Ruslan aircraft of the Russian military transport aviation brought armored vehicles and personnel of units of the 15th peacekeeping brigade to the Yerevan airport,” the Ministry said in a statement.
The aircraft carried about 30 servicemen, 10 BTR-82A armored personnel carriers as well as logistic means. The troops headed to the Armenian city of Goris near Nagorno-Karabakh.
The terms of the November 9 peace deal seem to be respected. So far, both sides have been fulfilling their commitments as planned while showing flexibility.
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southfront--2020-11-15--War Started In Western Sahara

War Started In Western Sahara

The new war between Morocco and the Sahrawi People ’ s Liberation Army has started in western Sahara after a 30-year ceasefire in the region .
HINT : Western Sahara is the disputed region on Africa ’ s Atlantic coast .
Morocco controls about 80 % of the territory , including its phosphate deposits and fishing waters .
The official position of the Kingdom is that Western Sahara is an integral part of the country despite the UN rulling that the Sahrawi people have a right of self-determination .
The Polisario Front , with some support from Alrgeria , fought @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1991 that ended in September 1991 under the aegis of the UN .
However , the planned referendum on self-determination has been repeatedly postponed due to a dispute between Morocco and the Polisario Front over the composition of the electorate and the status of the territory .
Negotiations on the situation in Western Sahara involves Morocco , the Polisario Front , Algeria and Mauritania .
They have been suspended for several months .
On November 13 , Morocco launched a military operation to open the road to Mauritania in the Western Sahara region @ @ @ @ @ @ @ end “ provocations ” by the Polisario Front and “ put a stop to the blockade ” of trucks travelling between Moroccan-controlled areas of the disputed territory and neighbouring Mauritania , and “ restore free circulation of civilian and commercial traffic.
” The Moroccan military already seized the Guergarat border crossing located in the no-man land formally controlled by the Polisario Front and its Armed Force – the Sahrawi People ’ s Liberation Army .
The crossing is located on the southern coast of the disputed Western Sahara , along the road leading @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nouakchott , a buffer zone patrolled by a United Nations ’ peacekeeping force .
In response , the Polisario Front said that Morocco had broken their ceasefire and “ ignited war ” and Secretary-General of the Polisario Front Mr. Brahim Ghali issued a presidential decree ( he ’ s the head of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic ) announcing the end of the commitment to the ceasefire signed between the Polisario Front and the Kingdom of Morocco in 1991 .
“ After the Kingdom of Morocco violated the ceasefire agreement on 13 November @ @ @ @ @ @ @ front of the illegal Guerguerat breach , and opening three new breaches within the Moroccan military wall in flagrant violation of the Military Agreement No .
1 signed between the Polisario Front and the Kingdom of Morocco under the auspices of the United Nations , in implementation of Security Council Resolution 690 of 1991 , which provides for the organization of the referendum of self-determination for the Sahrawi people , and based on the decisions of the extraordinary session of the National Secretariat of the Polisario Front held on 07/11/2020 , and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Law of the Polisario Front and the constitution of the SADR , Mr Brahim Ghali , the President of the Republic and Secretary General of the Polisario Front , issued a presidential decree on November 13 , 2020 , declaring the end of the commitment to the ceasefire , which the Moroccan occupation had undermined and the consequent resumption of armed struggle in defense of the legitimate rights of our people , ” the statement of the Presidency of the Republic said .
As of November 15 , the Sahrawi People ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ carrying out attacks on forces of the Kingdom in response to their violations .
They allegedly conducted several attacks inflicting casualties along the Moroccan Western Sahara Wall ( often called by Polisario supporters ‘ the Wall of Shame ’ ) .
The Moroccan Western Sahara Wall is an approximately 2,700 km long military barrier that separates the Moroccan areas on the west from the Polisario-controlled areas on the east .
The Ministry of National Defense of the Polisariio government claimed that several of its military bases , support points and supply centers came @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which was the attack last night on the 13th base of the 67th legion in the Bakari sector near Tinelik .
Local sources report that sporadic clashes regularly appear between the sides in the region .
Videos showing the current situation in the region : MORE ON THE TOPIC : • At Least Two Missiles Hit Ethiopian Airports As War In Tigray Widens

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The new war between Morocco and the Sahrawi People’s Liberation Army has started in western Sahara after a 30-year ceasefire in the region.
HINT: Western Sahara is the disputed region on Africa’s Atlantic coast. Morocco controls about 80% of the territory, including its phosphate deposits and fishing waters. The official position of the Kingdom is that Western Sahara is an integral part of the country despite the UN rulling that the Sahrawi people have a right of self-determination. The Polisario Front, with some support from Alrgeria, fought a war for independence from 1975 to 1991 that ended in September 1991 under the aegis of the UN. However, the planned referendum on self-determination has been repeatedly postponed due to a dispute between Morocco and the Polisario Front over the composition of the electorate and the status of the territory. Negotiations on the situation in Western Sahara involves Morocco, the Polisario Front, Algeria and Mauritania. They have been suspended for several months.
On November 13, Morocco launched a military operation to open the road to Mauritania in the Western Sahara region claiming that this operation is needed to end “provocations” by the Polisario Front (outlawed in the parts of Western Sahara under Moroccan control, while it is considered the legitimate representative of the Sahrawi people in the region by the UN) and “put a stop to the blockade” of trucks travelling between Moroccan-controlled areas of the disputed territory and neighbouring Mauritania, and “restore free circulation of civilian and commercial traffic.”
The Moroccan military already seized the Guergarat border crossing located in the no-man land formally controlled by the Polisario Front and its Armed Force – the Sahrawi People’s Liberation Army. The crossing is located on the southern coast of the disputed Western Sahara, along the road leading to Mauritania, some 380km north of Nouakchott, a buffer zone patrolled by a United Nations’ peacekeeping force.
#MapImage الصور الأولى لمعبر الكركرات بعد تحريره من طرف القوات المسلحة الملكية Premières photos du passage de Guergarat après sa libération par les FAR pic.twitter.com/EG3IC0gG1H — Agence MAP (@MAP_Information) November 14, 2020
In response, the Polisario Front said that Morocco had broken their ceasefire and “ignited war” and Secretary-General of the Polisario Front Mr. Brahim Ghali issued a presidential decree (he’s the head of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic) announcing the end of the commitment to the ceasefire signed between the Polisario Front and the Kingdom of Morocco in 1991.
“After the Kingdom of Morocco violated the ceasefire agreement on 13 November 2020 by attacking civilians peacefully protesting in front of the illegal Guerguerat breach, and opening three new breaches within the Moroccan military wall in flagrant violation of the Military Agreement No. 1 signed between the Polisario Front and the Kingdom of Morocco under the auspices of the United Nations, in implementation of Security Council Resolution 690 of 1991, which provides for the organization of the referendum of self-determination for the Sahrawi people, and based on the decisions of the extraordinary session of the National Secretariat of the Polisario Front held on 07/11/2020, and the powers conferred upon him by the Basic Law of the Polisario Front and the constitution of the SADR, Mr Brahim Ghali, the President of the Republic and Secretary General of the Polisario Front, issued a presidential decree on November 13, 2020, declaring the end of the commitment to the ceasefire, which the Moroccan occupation had undermined and the consequent resumption of armed struggle in defense of the legitimate rights of our people,” the statement of the Presidency of the Republic said.
As of November 15, the Sahrawi People’s Liberation Army announced that it has been carrying out attacks on forces of the Kingdom in response to their violations. They allegedly conducted several attacks inflicting casualties along the Moroccan Western Sahara Wall (often called by Polisario supporters ‘the Wall of Shame’). The Moroccan Western Sahara Wall is an approximately 2,700 km long military barrier that separates the Moroccan areas on the west from the Polisario-controlled areas on the east.
The Ministry of National Defense of the Polisariio government claimed that several of its military bases, support points and supply centers came under fire, the most recent of which was the attack last night on the 13th base of the 67th legion in the Bakari sector near Tinelik.
Local sources report that sporadic clashes regularly appear between the sides in the region.
Videos showing the current situation in the region:
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southfront--2020-11-15--Military Situation In Syria On November 15, 2020 (Map Update)

Click to see the full-size image A brief overview of the recent developments in Syria : • On November 15 @ @ @ @ @ ( SAA ) soldier was killed in the town of Jasim by unknown gunmen ; @ @ @ @ @ SAA artillery shelled positions of Turkish-backed forces in the Ehsim area ; • On November @ @ @ @ @ positions of Turkish-backed forces in the al-Barah area ; • On November 15 , Turkish-backed @ @ @ @ @ Rajo town over their participated in protests , demanding the restoration of local services in @ @ @ @ @ November 14 , a member of the Sultan Murad Division was killed in a landmine @ @ @ @ @ .
MORE ON THE TOPIC : • U.S. Defense Officials Misled Trump On Number Of @ @ @ @ @ Withdrawal – Report

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A brief overview of the recent developments in Syria:
On November 15, an Syrian Arab Army (SAA) soldier was killed in the town of Jasim by unknown gunmen;
On November 14, SAA artillery shelled positions of Turkish-backed forces in the Ehsim area;
On November 14, SAA artillery shelled positions of Turkish-backed forces in the al-Barah area;
On November 15, Turkish-backed forces arrested several people in Rajo town over their participated in protests, demanding the restoration of local services in the region;
On November 14, a member of the Sultan Murad Division was killed in a landmine explosion north of Tal Tamar.
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southfront--2020-11-15--A Dedicated Obsession: Washington’s Continuing Iran Sanctions Regime

One dogma that is likely to persist in US foreign policy during a Biden presidency will be the sanctions regime adopted towards Iran .
Every messianic state craves clearly scripted enemies , and the demonology about the Islamic Republic is not going to go begging .
Elliot Abrahams , the current US special representative for Iran , told Associated Press on November 12 that , “ Even if you went back to the ( nuclear deal ) and even if the Iranians were willing to return … this newly enriched uranium , you would not have solved these fundamental questions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ permitted to violate long-term commitments it has made to the world community.
” It is worth pointing out that it was President Donald Trump who proved so itchy to renege on the nuclear deal to begin with .
In May 2018 , his administration formally withdrew from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action ( JCPOA ) , the long negotiated harvest of the Obama administration in July 2015 .
Over the course of 120 days , it re-imposed all previously lifted economic sanctions , including “ secondary sanctions ” on non-US entities conducting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A unilateral shredding of Washington ’ s own undertakings was made while still expecting the mullahs to continue in sweet compliance .
The less than compliant response from Tehran has not made this one of Trump ’ s finer moments : an abandonment of nuclear limits marked out by the agreement ; a resumption of the nuclear program ; an increasingly emboldened stance in the Middle East .
According to UN inspectors , Iran ’ s enriched stockpile currently lies at 2,440 kilograms .
Under the deal , it would have been under @ @ @ @ @ @ @ place despite the precipitous fall in oil exports , a decline in currency value and a steep rise in inflation .
Even before the pandemic , human rights organisations were already warning about the broader health implications of a brutal sanctions regime .
As Human Rights Watch explained in an October 2019 report , the consequences of such sanctions “ pose a serious threat to Iranians ’ right to health and access to essential medicines – and has almost certainly contributed to documented shortages – ranging from a lack of critical drugs for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Iranians with cancer.
” The US State Department and the Treasury ’ s Office of Foreign Assets Control continue to maintain that humanitarian goods , which also covers medicine and medical supplies , are exempt in the sanctions policy .
A rosily inaccurate picture , given the imposition of sanctions on 18 Iranian banks including those entities engaged in financing foods and medicines .
To this comes the added complication of what the US considers “ dual use ” items : hazmat suits , face shields , oxygen generators , air filters .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of bureaucrats , are tardily made .
The advent of the novel coronavirus pandemic inspired a ghoulish train of thought in the Trump administration .
Easing sanctions to better enable Iran to cope with COVID-19 was never entertained .
Instead , as Djavad Salehi-Isfahani of the Brookings Institute observed , “ the US piled on more sanctions , and chose to ignore calls from world leaders , former US diplomats , and the United Nations to ease sanctions.
” Such a bloodthirsty sentiment was captured by the in March 2020 , whose editors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Iran becoming a pandemic hotspot .
“ If American sanctions were the culprit , it might be reasonable to consider lifting them .
But the regime ’ s incompetence and self-interest are to blame.
” Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif thought differently of it , accusing the US of “ medical terrorism ” in blunting Tehran ’ s efforts to access financial resources during the COVID-19 crisis .
Hadi Yazdani , a physician and a member of the reformist Union of Islamic People Party , sports a more nuanced view : US sanctions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic policy , but so has inefficiency and habitual bureaucratic mismanagement .
The dedicatedly nasty sanctions regime encouraged and enforced by the United States is now frustrating efforts in the country to make advance payment to the COVAX facility , created to assist in providing future COVID-19 vaccines to more indigent states .
This will become more pressing , given rising death tolls .
( On November 13 , 461 were reported in the state media . )
The rate of COVID-19 infections is also scorching : 11,737 cases over 24 hours from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a health ministry spokeswoman who has become the regular herald of doom .
She also admitted that various questions on the vaccines remained unanswered , notably in terms of “ how effective the vaccine is and for what groups it is more effective.
” During the transition period in US politics , we can expect the Trump administration to be particularly testy about modifying its position on sanctions .
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo continues to busy himself with blacklisting Iranian entities .
The Treasury Department , for instance , recently placed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , claiming it “ facilitated the procurement of sensitive goods , including US-origin electronic components ” for an Iranian entity linked to the production of “ military communication systems , avionics , information technology , electronic warfare , and missile launchers.
” Pompeo – and in this , he has a few devotees- argues that a return to the nuclear deal would be dotty and dangerous .
“ It ’ s a crazy idea to think that you ’ re going to get back into a deal that permitted a clean pathway for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by which they could terrorize the entire world.
” President-elect Joe Biden , for his part , insists that Iran “ must return to strict compliance with the deal .
If it does so , I would rejoin the agreement and use our renewed commitment to diplomacy to work with our allies to strengthen and extend it , while more effectively pushing back against Iran ’ s other destabilizing activities.
” The statements of the president-elect suggest nothing comforting to health specialists and policy makers bearing witness to the suffering caused by sanctions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” policy might be abandoned in name , but will continue exerting a haunting influence .
The hawks in the Republican Party will be sharpening their talons , ever watchful of any softening towards Tehran .
Dr. Binoy Kampmark was a Commonwealth Scholar at Selwyn College , Cambridge .
He lectures at RMIT University , Melbourne .
Email : bkampmark @ gmail.com MORE ON THE TOPIC :

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Submitted by Dr. Binoy Kampmark
One dogma that is likely to persist in US foreign policy during a Biden presidency will be the sanctions regime adopted towards Iran. Every messianic state craves clearly scripted enemies, and the demonology about the Islamic Republic is not going to go begging. Elliot Abrahams, the current US special representative for Iran, told Associated Press on November 12 that, “Even if you went back to the (nuclear deal) and even if the Iranians were willing to return … this newly enriched uranium, you would not have solved these fundamental questions of whether Iran is going to be permitted to violate long-term commitments it has made to the world community.”
It is worth pointing out that it was President Donald Trump who proved so itchy to renege on the nuclear deal to begin with. In May 2018, his administration formally withdrew from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the long negotiated harvest of the Obama administration in July 2015. Over the course of 120 days, it re-imposed all previously lifted economic sanctions, including “secondary sanctions” on non-US entities conducting financial or commercial transactions with Iran. A unilateral shredding of Washington’s own undertakings was made while still expecting the mullahs to continue in sweet compliance.
The less than compliant response from Tehran has not made this one of Trump’s finer moments: an abandonment of nuclear limits marked out by the agreement; a resumption of the nuclear program; an increasingly emboldened stance in the Middle East. According to UN inspectors, Iran’s enriched stockpile currently lies at 2,440 kilograms. Under the deal, it would have been under 300 kilograms. All of this took place despite the precipitous fall in oil exports, a decline in currency value and a steep rise in inflation.
Even before the pandemic, human rights organisations were already warning about the broader health implications of a brutal sanctions regime. As Human Rights Watch explained in an October 2019 report, the consequences of such sanctions “pose a serious threat to Iranians’ right to health and access to essential medicines – and has almost certainly contributed to documented shortages – ranging from a lack of critical drugs for epilepsy patients to limited chemotherapy medications for Iranians with cancer.”
The US State Department and the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control continue to maintain that humanitarian goods, which also covers medicine and medical supplies, are exempt in the sanctions policy. A rosily inaccurate picture, given the imposition of sanctions on 18 Iranian banks including those entities engaged in financing foods and medicines. To this comes the added complication of what the US considers “dual use” items: hazmat suits, face shields, oxygen generators, air filters. Decisions to grant exemptions, the purview of bureaucrats, are tardily made.
The advent of the novel coronavirus pandemic inspired a ghoulish train of thought in the Trump administration. Easing sanctions to better enable Iran to cope with COVID-19 was never entertained. Instead, as Djavad Salehi-Isfahani of the Brookings Institute observed, “the US piled on more sanctions, and chose to ignore calls from world leaders, former US diplomats, and the United Nations to ease sanctions.” Such a bloodthirsty sentiment was captured by the Wall Street Journal in March 2020, whose editors decided that sanctions should continue, despite Iran becoming a pandemic hotspot. “If American sanctions were the culprit, it might be reasonable to consider lifting them. But the regime’s incompetence and self-interest are to blame.”
Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif thought differently of it, accusing the US of “medical terrorism” in blunting Tehran’s efforts to access financial resources during the COVID-19 crisis. Hadi Yazdani, a physician and a member of the reformist Union of Islamic People Party, sports a more nuanced view: US sanctions have well hobbled the government’s pandemic policy, but so has inefficiency and habitual bureaucratic mismanagement.
The dedicatedly nasty sanctions regime encouraged and enforced by the United States is now frustrating efforts in the country to make advance payment to the COVAX facility, created to assist in providing future COVID-19 vaccines to more indigent states. This will become more pressing, given rising death tolls. (On November 13, 461 were reported in the state media.)
The rate of COVID-19 infections is also scorching: 11,737 cases over 24 hours from Friday, according to Sima Sadat Lari, a health ministry spokeswoman who has become the regular herald of doom. She also admitted that various questions on the vaccines remained unanswered, notably in terms of “how effective the vaccine is and for what groups it is more effective.”
During the transition period in US politics, we can expect the Trump administration to be particularly testy about modifying its position on sanctions. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo continues to busy himself with blacklisting Iranian entities. The Treasury Department, for instance, recently placed a supply chain network on the list, claiming it “facilitated the procurement of sensitive goods, including US-origin electronic components” for an Iranian entity linked to the production of “military communication systems, avionics, information technology, electronic warfare, and missile launchers.”
Pompeo – and in this, he has a few devotees- argues that a return to the nuclear deal would be dotty and dangerous. “It’s a crazy idea to think that you’re going to get back into a deal that permitted a clean pathway for the Iranians to have a nuclear weapon by which they could terrorize the entire world.” President-elect Joe Biden, for his part, insists that Iran “must return to strict compliance with the deal. If it does so, I would rejoin the agreement and use our renewed commitment to diplomacy to work with our allies to strengthen and extend it, while more effectively pushing back against Iran’s other destabilizing activities.”
The statements of the president-elect suggest nothing comforting to health specialists and policy makers bearing witness to the suffering caused by sanctions. Trump’s “maximum pressure” policy might be abandoned in name, but will continue exerting a haunting influence. The hawks in the Republican Party will be sharpening their talons, ever watchful of any softening towards Tehran.
Dr. Binoy Kampmark was a Commonwealth Scholar at Selwyn College, Cambridge. He lectures at RMIT University, Melbourne. Email: bkampmark@gmail.com
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southfront--2020-11-15--BLM/Antifa Thugs Attack Trump Supporters, Including Children, After D.C. “Million MAGA March”

As the evening has progressed , so has the violence – almost entirely committed by leftist thugs against conservatives .
What was that about unity ?
Massive crowds of people converged at Freedom Plaza in Washington on Saturday , joining other rallies around the country to show support for President Donald Trump and ask for fairness in the election process .
, the participants marched to the U.S. Supreme Court holding signs that read “ Stop the Steal , ” “ Make America Fair Again , ” and “ Trump 2020.
” Before the start of the march , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including Rep. Louie Gohmert ( R-Texas ) and My Pillow founder Mike Lindell .
Several other prominent figures including Rep. Paul Gosar ( R-Ariz. ) and former Trump advisor Sebastian Gorka were also on the speaking list .
Participants chanted slogans calling to “ stop the steal , ” which is also the name of the grassroots movement organizing the event in part .
Organizer Ali Alexander told The Epoch Times in a previous interview that the events are a grassroots effort by a coalition of about a hundred activists and influencers to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fair elections and transparent counting.
” Similar events , although smaller in scale , were organized in around 50 other states on the same day .

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Originally appeared at ZeroHedge
Update (2130ET): As the evening has progressed, so has the violence – almost entirely committed by leftist thugs against conservatives.
Joe Biden voters attack an elderly American. We are not the same. Will Joe Biden denounce? pic.twitter.com/mK9mr3mkV1 — Benny (@bennyjohnson) November 15, 2020
Antifa and Black Lives Matter activists vandalize a black man's MAGA merch stall. pic.twitter.com/27bNiTzQ6P — Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) November 15, 2020
Antifa and BLM members attack people who are eating dinner near BLM Plaza. They threw projectiles and a large firework. pic.twitter.com/w96nbZaJ8F — Julio Rosas (@Julio_Rosas11) November 14, 2020
Here is a pro Trump marcher taking a knife from an apprehended BLM female protester. pic.twitter.com/8NLwGy6uCC — Matthew Miller (@mattmiller757) November 15, 2020
What was that about unity?
* * *
Massive crowds of people converged at Freedom Plaza in Washington on Saturday, joining other rallies around the country to show support for President Donald Trump and ask for fairness in the election process.
As The Epoch Times’ Allen Zhong reports, the participants marched to the U.S. Supreme Court holding signs that read “Stop the Steal,” “Make America Fair Again,” and “Trump 2020.” Before the start of the march, the crowd heard speeches from prominent Trump supporters including Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas) and My Pillow founder Mike Lindell. Several other prominent figures including Rep. Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.) and former Trump advisor Sebastian Gorka were also on the speaking list.
Participants chanted slogans calling to “stop the steal,” which is also the name of the grassroots movement organizing the event in part. Organizer Ali Alexander told The Epoch Times in a previous interview that the events are a grassroots effort by a coalition of about a hundred activists and influencers to show “support for President Trump and fair elections and transparent counting.”
Similar events, although smaller in scale, were organized in around 50 other states on the same day.
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southfront--2020-11-15--Weapons Of Ethiopian War: The Soviet MiG-23 Variable Geometry Fighter Aircraft

The MiG-23 is a variable geometry fighter aircraft , designed by the Mikoyan-Gurevich design bureau in the Soviet Union .
It is a third-generation jet fighter , the world ’ s most-produced variable-geometry aircraft .
It was the first Soviet fighter to field a look-down/shoot-down radar and one of the first to be armed with beyond-visual-range missiles .
Production started in 1969 and reached large numbers with over 5,000 aircraft built , making it the most produced variable-sweep wing aircraft in history .
Other than that , the aircraft is in widespread use in Eastern Europe and the Middle East @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been used extensively by the former Soviet Union and its Warsaw Pact allies including Poland , Hungary , Bulgaria , East Germany , Rumania , and Czechoslovakia .
Other countries including Libya , Syria , Egypt , India , Cuba , Algeria , Iraq , Afghanistan and North Korea have imported such fighter jets .
Meant as a point defense fighter , the MiG-23 offers a powerful radar , an infrared search and track system , a selection of radar and infrared guided weapons and tremendous speed ( Mach 2.35 ) to counter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , variable , swept-back , and tapered with blunt tips .
There is one turbofan engine inside the body .
There are rectangular , box-like air intakes forward of the wing roots and a single exhaust .
The fuselage is long and tubular , except where intakes give a box-like appearance .
It has a long , pointed nose and a stepped canopy .
There is a large , swept-back , and tapered belly fin under the rear section .
The tail is swept-back , has a tapered tail fin , has a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an angular tip .
Swept-back , tapered flats have angular tips and are high-mounted on the fuselage .
The MiG-23 ’ s standard armament is a twin-barreled 23mm Gryazev-Shipunov GSh-23L cannon with 200 to 260 projectile rounds mounted in a GP-9 gun pack under the fuselage .
Six total hardpoints allowed for up to 6,600lbs of external stores .
Hardpoints included two fuselage stations , two underwing “ glove ” stations and two underwing pylons for the fitting of various air-to-air missile systems .
Cleared missile systems eventually included the AA-7 “ Apex @ @ @ @ @ @ @ AA-10 “ Alamo ” , AA-11 “ Archer ” and AA-12 “ Adder ” missiles of differing seeker heads and engagement range .
A typical interceptor loadout became 2 x AA-7 “ Apex ” radar/infra-red and 2 x AA-8 “ Aphid ” short-range infrared missile assortments .
In 1974 , “ double pylons ” – fitting two missiles to one weapon station – were fitted for increased loadouts .
Currently , only a handful of countries still operate the MiG-23 , Ethiopia is one of them .
According to media reports , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fighter bomber variant of the warplane against the Tigray People ’ s Liberation Front ( TPLF ) in the civil war for control over the Tigray region .
The video below shows the MIG-23BN jet in service with the Ethiopian Air Force : MORE ON THE TOPIC : • Ethiopian Government Forces With The Upper Hand In Tigray , But Chaos Is Brewing All Around

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The MiG-23 is a variable geometry fighter aircraft, designed by the Mikoyan-Gurevich design bureau in the Soviet Union.
It is a third-generation jet fighter, the world’s most-produced variable-geometry aircraft.
It was the first Soviet fighter to field a look-down/shoot-down radar and one of the first to be armed with beyond-visual-range missiles.
Production started in 1969 and reached large numbers with over 5,000 aircraft built, making it the most produced variable-sweep wing aircraft in history.
Other than that, the aircraft is in widespread use in Eastern Europe and the Middle East. The MiG-23 series of aircraft has been used extensively by the former Soviet Union and its Warsaw Pact allies including Poland, Hungary, Bulgaria, East Germany, Rumania, and Czechoslovakia.
Other countries including Libya, Syria, Egypt, India, Cuba, Algeria, Iraq, Afghanistan and North Korea have imported such fighter jets.
Meant as a point defense fighter, the MiG-23 offers a powerful radar, an infrared search and track system, a selection of radar and infrared guided weapons and tremendous speed (Mach 2.35) to counter its adversaries.
The wings are high-mounted, variable, swept-back, and tapered with blunt tips. There is one turbofan engine inside the body. There are rectangular, box-like air intakes forward of the wing roots and a single exhaust. The fuselage is long and tubular, except where intakes give a box-like appearance. It has a long, pointed nose and a stepped canopy.
There is a large, swept-back, and tapered belly fin under the rear section. The tail is swept-back, has a tapered tail fin, has a curved dorsal in the leading edge and an angular tip. Swept-back, tapered flats have angular tips and are high-mounted on the fuselage.
The MiG-23’s standard armament is a twin-barreled 23mm Gryazev-Shipunov GSh-23L cannon with 200 to 260 projectile rounds mounted in a GP-9 gun pack under the fuselage.
Six total hardpoints allowed for up to 6,600lbs of external stores. Hardpoints included two fuselage stations, two underwing “glove” stations and two underwing pylons for the fitting of various air-to-air missile systems. Cleared missile systems eventually included the AA-7 “Apex”, AA-8 “Aphid”, AA-10 “Alamo”, AA-11 “Archer” and AA-12 “Adder” missiles of differing seeker heads and engagement range. A typical interceptor loadout became 2 x AA-7 “Apex” radar/infra-red and 2 x AA-8 “Aphid” short-range infrared missile assortments. In 1974, “double pylons” – fitting two missiles to one weapon station – were fitted for increased loadouts.
Currently, only a handful of countries still operate the MiG-23, Ethiopia is one of them. According to media reports, the Armed Forces are currently using the MiG-23BN fighter bomber variant of the warplane against the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) in the civil war for control over the Tigray region.
The video below shows the MIG-23BN jet in service with the Ethiopian Air Force:
MORE ON THE TOPIC:
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southfront--2020-11-15--Erdogan Claimed Northern Syria, Iraqi Kurdistan As Turkish Territory


southfront--2020-11-15--U.S. Defense Officials Misled Trump On Number Of Troops In Syria To Halt Withdrawal – Report