southfront--2020-12-17--In Video: Turkey’s Domestic Air-Defense System Passed Final Acceptance Test

Turkey ’ s domestically-developed HİSAR A + air-defense system has successfully passed its final acceptance test , the Defence Industries Secretariat ( SSB ) announced on December 16 .
The HİSAR A + is an upgraded copy of the HİSAR A short-range system which was developed by ASELSAN and ROKETSAN .
HİSAR A has a range of 15 km only .
The new version reportedly has an increased range and altitude .
SSB also released footage of the successful test showing how HISAR A + located , pursued and hit the target with high-precision .
The missile was guided to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ approaching the target , the missile activated its terminal guidance seeker .
The HİSAR A + air-defense systems were designed to engage a variety of aerial threats , including aircraft , ballistic and cruise missiles as well as drones .
Turkey has been developing domestic air-defense systems , HİSAR A , O and U , since 2007 .
After a series of delays and setbacks , the development program is finally bearing fruit .
“ The most recent test was delayed for a few months .
An embargo was imposed on a part @ @ @ @ @ @ @ What happened then ?
We made the indigenous part in a short time and integrated it into our missile and we reached the result , ” SSB quoted President Recep Erdogan as saying .
The successful test of HİSAR A + comes at a time when Turkey has been hit with U.S. sanctions for acquiring Russian-made S-400 long-range air-defense system .
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Turkey’s domestically-developed HİSAR A + air-defense system has successfully passed its final acceptance test, the Defence Industries Secretariat (SSB) announced on December 16.
The HİSAR A + is an upgraded copy of the HİSAR A short-range system which was developed by ASELSAN and ROKETSAN. HİSAR A has a range of 15 km only. The new version reportedly has an increased range and altitude.
“The high-speed target aircraft was successfully hit at long range with the warhead developed by TÜBİTAK SAGE. HİSAR A + is ready now. We did the final acceptance test of -A + before entering the inventory,” SSB said on Twitter.
SSB also released footage of the successful test showing how HISAR A + located, pursued and hit the target with high-precision. The missile was guided to the target using radar data. After approaching the target, the missile activated its terminal guidance seeker.
The HİSAR A + air-defense systems were designed to engage a variety of aerial threats, including aircraft, ballistic and cruise missiles as well as drones.
Turkey has been developing domestic air-defense systems, HİSAR A, O and U, since 2007. After a series of delays and setbacks, the development program is finally bearing fruit.
“The most recent test was delayed for a few months. An embargo was imposed on a part that was normally supplied from abroad. What happened then? We made the indigenous part in a short time and integrated it into our missile and we reached the result,” SSB quoted President Recep Erdogan as saying.
The successful test of HİSAR A + comes at a time when Turkey has been hit with U.S. sanctions for acquiring Russian-made S-400 long-range air-defense system.
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southfront--2020-12-17--Is Russia Focusing On The Wrong Kind Of Drone?

Serial deliveries of the S-70 Okhotnik-B heavy combat UAV to the Russian Armed Forces are expected to begin in 2024 , Andrei Yelchaninov , First Deputy Chairman of the Board of the Military-Industrial Commission ( MIC ) of Russia , said in an interview with Interfax .
According to him , serial purchases of the Okhotnik-B will be included in the next state armament program for 2024-2033 .
Both the Ministry of Defense and the board of the military-industrial complex of the Russian Federation are already actively working on drawing it up .
Yelchaninov noted that during the joint tests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Su-57 fighter jet , the mutual transfer of information between the aircraft is being tested – the redistribution of targets in flight , maintaining intervals and distances , and performing anti-missile maneuvers .
In the future , the pilot of the Su-57 fighter will be able to distribute tasks to a group of drones and organize the work of the so-called “ swarm ” using artificial intelligence , the first deputy chairman of the board of the Russian military-industrial complex claimed .
Essentially , delivers starting as of 2024 , with only a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how far Russia has to go in order to catch up to market leaders such as the US and Israel in terms of UAV technology .
Russia also doesn ’ t specifically need a heavy combat drone , as it has a large number of fighter aircraft , and also active pilots , with sufficient training .
On the other hand , medium , light combat drones and loitering munitions are critically important .
There is , however , a setback – receiving significant funding on “ small-scale projects ” is difficult , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are very attractive for heavy funding .
This all goes against any successes that the “ small-scale projects ” have .
As a result , Russian developers are focused on UAVs that are not of critical importance , since they are a sort of redundancy of capabilities that already exist .
At the same time , those that are important fall behind , since there ’ s little interest in working with close to no funding .
MORE ON THE TOPIC : • Footage Of First Orion-1 Attack-Reconnaissance UAV Delivered To Russia ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Out Test Flights Of S-70 -B Heavy Attack Drone In Fighter-Intercepter Mode

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Serial deliveries of the S-70 Okhotnik-B heavy combat UAV to the Russian Armed Forces are expected to begin in 2024, Andrei Yelchaninov, First Deputy Chairman of the Board of the Military-Industrial Commission (MIC) of Russia, said in an interview with Interfax.
“The drone has shown its performance, and is still being tested. What is currently flying is a technology demonstrator and a prototype of a drone that should enter the troops starting from 2024,” Yelchaninov said.
According to him, serial purchases of the Okhotnik-B will be included in the next state armament program for 2024-2033. Both the Ministry of Defense and the board of the military-industrial complex of the Russian Federation are already actively working on drawing it up.
Yelchaninov noted that during the joint tests of the Okhotnik-B with the fifth generation Su-57 fighter jet, the mutual transfer of information between the aircraft is being tested – the redistribution of targets in flight, maintaining intervals and distances, and performing anti-missile maneuvers.
In the future, the pilot of the Su-57 fighter will be able to distribute tasks to a group of drones and organize the work of the so-called “swarm” using artificial intelligence, the first deputy chairman of the board of the Russian military-industrial complex claimed.
“This is one of the possible scenarios, that also prove that human life is always higher and more expensive. And the capability of one human brain is much higher than the totality of a set of computers,” Yelchaninov said.
Essentially, delivers starting as of 2024, with only a prototype being useable 4 years earlier shows how far Russia has to go in order to catch up to market leaders such as the US and Israel in terms of UAV technology.
Russia also doesn’t specifically need a heavy combat drone, as it has a large number of fighter aircraft, and also active pilots, with sufficient training.
On the other hand, medium, light combat drones and loitering munitions are critically important.
There is, however, a setback – receiving significant funding on “small-scale projects” is difficult, while heavy drones such as the Okhotnik-B are very attractive for heavy funding.
This all goes against any successes that the “small-scale projects” have.
As a result, Russian developers are focused on UAVs that are not of critical importance, since they are a sort of redundancy of capabilities that already exist. At the same time, those that are important fall behind, since there’s little interest in working with close to no funding.
MORE ON THE TOPIC:
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southfront--2020-12-17--Palantir Technologies: Crystal Ball For The Information Age

In Tolkien ’ s The Lord of the Rings novel , the palantíri are magical artifacts created ages before the events of books took place .
The indestructible crystals could be used by a skilled user for communication or to see events of the past or future .
However , misused palantiri can provide unreliable information with subsequent incorrect conclusions .
Despite Gandalf ’ s cautions , leaders on both sides of the war made critical strategic errors based on visions from their palantír .
In 2020 on Earth , Palantir is a technology company that specializes in integrating databases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ actionable conclusions .
Applications of their products range from monitoring how people and companies comply with administrative regulations to chains supply and tracking of terrorist activity .
Gotham , launched in 2008 , is Palantir ’ s first product to be sold to government agencies and private companies .
It was designed to integrate and analyze large data sets with a special attention to fraud investigation , information warfare monitoring and counter-terrorism analysis .
In the last two decades , computer and data gathering capabilities have grown exponentially .
While collecting raw data @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that data into meaningful information is much more difficult .
There is also the problem of use case : software for an airline to analyze plane schedules will probably not be useful to a law enforcement agency tracking human trafficking activity .
For that reason Palantir Technologies Inc was created in 2003 .
Founded by Peter Thiel , PayPal co-founder , the company received venture capital from private groups as well as the CIA investment arm , In-Q-Tel , and have recently went public with a direct listing on the NYSE ( New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ created as a customizable toolset for users to implement according to their specific use case .
The system is designed to integrate data from multiple sources and run on the customers ’ own servers so it can be tailored to their needs .
Data can be entered once , e.g .
a spreadsheet or a report , or through the application programming interface ( API ) to enter data from another system automatically .
For example , if you need to create a program that catalogs headlines of newspaper articles with summary information @ @ @ @ @ @ @ database or spreadsheet of information .
Your implementation of Gotham could then use an API call to copy the data into its own database to add it to the data set .
Gotham is capable of using a variety of industry standard formats and languages , such as Java , REST , XML , and JSON , so it can quickly and seamlessly integrate with existing databases and systems .
This can be done automatically for any period of time and from any number of sources .
After collecting your data , Gotham @ @ @ @ @ @ @ points .
Using proprietary analytic technologies , the system connects simple data , such as matching a phone number in multiple records , and maps its relation to specific objects .
People , places , things , and events can be connected via this automatic analysis , but connections can also be made by users interacting with the system .
The interconnections can be represented in various graphs , maps , by object , or in custom views .
For example , a pharmaceutical company might plot out a graph using information from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ manufacturing schedules .
Changes to the data can be tracked with Gotham ’ s Revisioning Database .
( Note : this does not appear to be connected to Revenants CIE LLC RevDB .
RevDB was designed to track how , when , and by whom each data point was entered and every connection was made .
An analyst can go back to a “ snapshot ” of data at any time to see what data and connections were in the database at a given moment ; in traditional databases this is not possible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ policy based , granular user security and compartmentalizing of information is also possible .
This is especially helpful to the United States ’ so-called “ intelligence fusion centers ” which consist of local and national law enforcement and intel agencies .
All actions within Gotham databases are tracked in audit logs , which can also be configured with tamper-evident properties .
The logging and revision properties of Gotham are also very useful in low-bandwidth and high-latency situations such as ships at sea and field collection teams .
• Ava is a suite of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to known data patterns when they are spotted .
The module runs around the clock and is customizable .
• The Table module is designed to run on “ massive-scale ” data to allow non-specialized users to analyze efficiently .
• Users may collaborate and share information in real time with the Dossier module .
• The Operations module “ lets users collaborate live to plan , execute , and report on operations.
” ( LINK ) Data is projected on a geographic map with the ability to add any data from Gotham @ @ @ @ @ @ @ app even allows users to file and upload reports from the field for near real-time information .
• Finally , the Nexus Peering module enables multiple instances of your data and analyses to be synchronized .
Changes are detected and merged across sites automatically with two-way , partial or full data sharing support .
In the modern age of computing , most software is sold under the “ Software as a Service ” model .
This means that updates and changes are made by the developers on a continual basis and then released @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Updates to the operating system and apps on your phone and computer are a good example of SaaS in the real world .
However , for US government agencies , any information classified as “ Secret ” or above must be kept on computer systems designated and certified to run that level of classification .
The information security policy supposes their complete separation from the public Internet .
As mentioned above , Gotham was designed to run on the customers in-house servers without an Internet connection , which means Gotham was built @ @ @ @ @ @ @ needs of agencies with classified information systems .
Updates can be received from Palantir through encrypted channels over the Internet , certified and audited by agency information security experts , then installed on the Secret or Top Secret Gotham database .
This allows non-Internet connected Gotham implementations to be updated to the latest versions for bug fixes , security , and new features .
All this adds up to a robust , largely automated database and analysis tool for large organizations .
Gotham ’ s wide ranging capabilities and malleability made it a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s latest update to Gotham , dubbed Titan , was released in 2019 with new data views and modules .
Gotham has a twin product , Foundry .
Foundry seems to be identical in function , but it was built as a SaaS “ cloud-native ” counterpart to Gotham .
According to Palantir ’ s website , all commercial customers had been migrated to Foundry by September 2020 .
A specific use of Palantir ’ s technology by military and intelligence agencies is kept in secret .
In the press , one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its use by IED hunters in Afghanistan , FBI agents tracking terrorists in the US , and bankers searching for fraud and profit .
But individual uses and tactics are classified , which means the general public will probably not directly see the results for 50 years , if ever .
Palantir ’ s blog provides some insight into non-profit organizations use .
Palantir ’ s customers .
In a Securities and Exchange Commission ( SEC ) filing , Palantir declared : “ We have chosen sides .
Our software is used by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Europe and around the world .
Some companies work with the United States as well its adversaries .
We do not .
We believe that our government and commercial customers value this clarity.
” ( LINK ) According to USAspending.gov , Palantir ’ s largest customer is the US Department of Defense , followed by Department of Homeland Security , Department of the Treasury , Department of Justice , and the SEC .
Other noted agencies include Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Internal Revenue Service .
Leaked documents from 2013 show additional @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CDC , US Military Academy West Point , the Joint IED-defeat organization and Allies , the Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board , and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children .
This confirms the wide range of applications , as well as the fact that the U.S. national security and financial agencies largely rely on Palantir ’ s products .
As we ’ ll see later in this report , this has also expanded to health agencies .
Besides the USA , Palantir is especially popular with the European consumers .
Its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ structures .
In 2016 , French internal intelligence service DGSI signed a 10 million euros contract with Palatir Technology that was only a drop of water in American group ’ s total turnover .
Besides the French intelligence services , among the clients of Palantir are the Danish national police , state police in Hesse and North Rhine-Westphalia , Germany and , possibly , Dutch police .
Some states were pushed to use Palantir software by COVID pandemic .
While Germany , France , and Austria chose to develop their corona tracing apps @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has invited Palantir into its health care system .
In the UK Palantir was engaged to work alongside Amazon Web Services , Google and Microsoft to construct a data analytics program for NHSX ’ s work on Covid-19 .
Moreover , it was awarded oversight of the UK ’ s post-Brexit border and customs data .
The list of Palantir ’ s clients consists of such companies as Fiat Chrysler , pharmaceutical laboratories Sanofi and Merck , bank Credit Suisse and the Ferrari Formula 1 team .
European multinational aerospace corporation Airbus is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Company was set up by Airbus with Palantir to create its predictive maintenance service offering .
Reports of the use of Gotham by Europol had a wide public response .
Europol has had an indirect working relationship with Palantir since 2012 as sub-contracted through Dutch IT consulting company Capgemini .
According to official statement by the European Commission , the maximum value of financial expenditure under the framework contract was EUR 7.5 million .
The total value of the expenditure paid under the contract , including the respective services provided by the sub-contractor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Among the other European bodies , there are the European aviation agency EASA , various police forces in EU member states that are using or have shown interest in “ Gotham ” .
Palantir software is used by international organizations like the International Atomic Energy Agency .
The popularity of Palantir products in the structures of the United States and “ its allies ” demonstrates the inability of European countries to ensure the security of national or regional structures .
The direct link between Palantir and American intelligence unequivocally confirms Washington ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ available in European countries .
Palantir has a growing list of customers and a parabolic stock price increase since their direct listing on 30SEP2020 .
The company was valued at $ 10.5 billion at the time of the listing , but since then , the stock price has increased by 300 % .
Financial prognosticators have differing opinions on the future of the company ’ s dollar value and growth potential .
It is also worth mentioning Palantir ’ s controversies .
In March 2018 , a whistleblower testified before United Kingdom lawmakers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CA ) met with senior Palantir employees several times to “ work on that data , ” referring to data used to target Facebook users for political ads .
The following day , Palantir provided a statement to the New York Times saying that their employee “ in 2013-2014 , engaged in an entirely personal capacity with people associated with Cambridge Analytica.
” ( LINK ) This could be true , as Palantir has had no official contract with CA , or this may be a smokescreen to quiet discord and hide something @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was working on some less than ethical projects .
Later in 2018 , employees of Palantir confronted their CEO , Alex Karp , with complaints about the company ’ s involvement with the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency .
Though not explicitly stated , it is very likely that ICE was using Gotham or Foundry to search for and then apprehend illegal immigrants working and living in the United States .
The concerns were addressed in an internal town-hall meeting and Karp went on to renew the $ 42 million contract .
Google @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Google took a step to not seek a renewal of its contract with the US Department of Defense for Project Maven .
The project was commissioned by the DoD in 2017 to analyze drone video and other imaging systems using artificial intelligence with the stated goal of identifying simple objects like cars and people .
However , such technology could be taken one step further to identify targets , and only a step beyond that is an AI self-authorizing firing weapons .
( When was the last time you saw “ The Terminator @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the contract at least partly due to over 3000 employees signing a petition to protest the company ’ s participation .
Thiel and Karp decried this decision , and Thiel went on to call Google ’ s action “ treasonous.
” Palantir later picked up this contract for the DoD and presumably continued where Google left off .
As far back as 2011 , Palantir has faced criticism for its practices .
That year , some of its internal emails with partner security firm HBGary were leaked by the hacker collective Anonymous .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including Palantir , were recruited by a law firm to propose ways of sabotaging WikiLeaks on behalf of Bank of America .
A month into the talks , US defense and intelligence contractor titan Booz Allen Hamilton was added as a consultant .
More leaked data “ suggests targeting WikiLeaks ’ supporters , including Salon.com journalist Glenn Greenwald.
” ( LINK ) A few days later , Alex Karp said in a statement , “ Palantir Technologies do not build software that is designed to allow private sector entities to obtain non-public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attacks ’ or take other offensive measures .
I have made clear in no uncertain terms that Palantir Technologies will not be involved in such activities.
” This sounds like an oblique admission that the leaked information is at least partially true .
( LINK ) Palantir are always looking for ways to expand their business , and the ( first ) year of Covid-19 pandemic is not an exception .
From the moment of the declared pandemic to October , they have secured $ 42 million worth contracts with US federal agencies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Covid deaths , testing , vaccine manufacture and distribution , medical supplies and other metrics from dozens of sources .
Their new system is named Tiberius , apparently after the character James Tiberius Kirk from the original Star Trek and not the 1st century Roman emperor .
The department of Health and Human Services stated that Palantir was a sub-contractor , and would not have direct access to protected health information .
Despite this flat assurance , several Democratic senators wrote a letter in July , stating , “ Neither HHS nor Palantir @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do with this PHI ( Protected health information ) , or what privacy safeguards have been put in place , if any .
We are concerned that , without any safeguards , data in HHS Protect ( Health & Human Services ) could be used by other federal agencies in unexpected , unregulated , and potentially harmful ways , such as in the law and immigration enforcement context.
” ( LINK ) On December 7th , Bloomberg reported Palantir won a three-year contract with the Food and Drug Administration worth $ 44 million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ analyze data , ” bringing the new Covid arm of the business to $ 86 million in contracts this year .
Palantir ’ s stock increased by 17 % the same day .
It seems the pandemic is good for their business .
The last twenty years have seen astronomical growth in internet usage , with social media growing the same , if not more , in the last fifteen years .
Unlike television , plain old telephone systems , and newspapers , communicating through and accessing information on the internet provide the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In the last four years , we have seen mass-bans of selected individuals , organizations , and even ideas from social media platforms and other internet services like blogs and domain registration .
The ostensibly separate companies seem to be coordinating actions .
Some collect data on who talks to whom , how often , through what channels , and what is said .
Some collect data on how often someone reads which websites , what was liked or upvoted , and what was read .
Some collect data on where you are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ room through the cell phone you carry with you .
Others collect data on your financial history and healthcare .
All your interactions with the system are collected by hundreds of ‘ cyber-gatekeepers ’ as you leave a trail , or digital footprint , across the internet .
We must assume this data is stored indefinitely .
Add in the prospect of bad actors fabricating data that would be indistinguishable from the real thing , and you can see the implications .
In the hands of a benevolent group , such as the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or the World Food Bank , Gotham and Foundry can be , and probably are , used to allow organizations to do good and work more efficiently .
However , in the hands of the CIA , FBI , FDA , DoD and other alphabet agencies , the morality and benefits to society are less clear .
The track record of such agencies speaks for itself .
We know personal data is easily available to alphabet agencies through flimsy and infinitely repeatable warrants and the court system the US government created to check @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than a rubber stamp .
The power of Palantir ’ s tools combined with this mass of data is extraordinary .
Gandalf would warn us of the dangers of such informational power in the hands of a less than neutral user .
However , we can not “ un-invent ” this kind of technology .
Even if Palantir went out of business , the idea of , and therefore the demand for , big data analysis is a part of our digital society .
Palantir ’ s “ chosen sides ” statement echoes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : “ You ’ re either with us or against us.
” MORE ON THE TOPIC : • Inside Look : Russia Uses Augmented Reality Technologies To Produce SU-57 Fighter Jet • How Peter Thiel And Palantir Became Key Players In The Iran Deal

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Written by Robert Barlow exclusively for SouthFront
In Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings novel, the palantíri are magical artifacts created ages before the events of books took place. The indestructible crystals could be used by a skilled user for communication or to see events of the past or future. However, misused palantiri can provide unreliable information with subsequent incorrect conclusions. Despite Gandalf’s cautions, leaders on both sides of the war made critical strategic errors based on visions from their palantír.
In 2020 on Earth, Palantir is a technology company that specializes in integrating databases, analyzing that data, and drawing actionable conclusions. Applications of their products range from monitoring how people and companies comply with administrative regulations to chains supply and tracking of terrorist activity.
Gotham, launched in 2008, is Palantir’s first product to be sold to government agencies and private companies.
It was designed to integrate and analyze large data sets with a special attention to fraud investigation, information warfare monitoring and counter-terrorism analysis.
In the last two decades, computer and data gathering capabilities have grown exponentially. While collecting raw data is relatively easy, searching and analyzing that data into meaningful information is much more difficult. There is also the problem of use case: software for an airline to analyze plane schedules will probably not be useful to a law enforcement agency tracking human trafficking activity. For that reason Palantir Technologies Inc was created in 2003. Founded by Peter Thiel, PayPal co-founder, the company received venture capital from private groups as well as the CIA investment arm, In-Q-Tel, and have recently went public with a direct listing on the NYSE (New York Stock Exchange). Gotham was created as a customizable toolset for users to implement according to their specific use case.
The system is designed to integrate data from multiple sources and run on the customers’ own servers so it can be tailored to their needs. Data can be entered once, e.g. a spreadsheet or a report, or through the application programming interface (API) to enter data from another system automatically. For example, if you need to create a program that catalogs headlines of newspaper articles with summary information and time/date, this would create a database or spreadsheet of information. Your implementation of Gotham could then use an API call to copy the data into its own database to add it to the data set. Gotham is capable of using a variety of industry standard formats and languages, such as Java, REST, XML, and JSON, so it can quickly and seamlessly integrate with existing databases and systems. This can be done automatically for any period of time and from any number of sources.
After collecting your data, Gotham allows you to search and connect data points. Using proprietary analytic technologies, the system connects simple data, such as matching a phone number in multiple records, and maps its relation to specific objects. People, places, things, and events can be connected via this automatic analysis, but connections can also be made by users interacting with the system. The interconnections can be represented in various graphs, maps, by object, or in custom views. For example, a pharmaceutical company might plot out a graph using information from internal databases and government statistics to adjust manufacturing schedules.
Changes to the data can be tracked with Gotham’s Revisioning Database. (Note: this does not appear to be connected to Revenants CIE LLC RevDB. RevDB was designed to track how, when, and by whom each data point was entered and every connection was made. An analyst can go back to a “snapshot” of data at any time to see what data and connections were in the database at a given moment; in traditional databases this is not possible. By tracking this metadata information, policy based, granular user security and compartmentalizing of information is also possible. This is especially helpful to the United States’ so-called “intelligence fusion centers” which consist of local and national law enforcement and intel agencies. All actions within Gotham databases are tracked in audit logs, which can also be configured with tamper-evident properties. The logging and revision properties of Gotham are also very useful in low-bandwidth and high-latency situations such as ships at sea and field collection teams.
Modules add flexibility to Gotham:
Ava is a suite of artificial intelligence algorithms that can alert users to known data patterns when they are spotted. The module runs around the clock and is customizable.
The Table module is designed to run on “massive-scale” data to allow non-specialized users to analyze efficiently.
Users may collaborate and share information in real time with the Dossier module.
The Operations module “lets users collaborate live to plan, execute, and report on operations.” (LINK) Data is projected on a geographic map with the ability to add any data from Gotham to the map manually. A smartphone app even allows users to file and upload reports from the field for near real-time information.
Finally, the Nexus Peering module enables multiple instances of your data and analyses to be synchronized. Changes are detected and merged across sites automatically with two-way, partial or full data sharing support.
In the modern age of computing, most software is sold under the “Software as a Service” model. This means that updates and changes are made by the developers on a continual basis and then released to customers over the Internet as patches. Updates to the operating system and apps on your phone and computer are a good example of SaaS in the real world. However, for US government agencies, any information classified as “Secret” or above must be kept on computer systems designated and certified to run that level of classification. The information security policy supposes their complete separation from the public Internet. As mentioned above, Gotham was designed to run on the customers in-house servers without an Internet connection, which means Gotham was built from the ground up to serve the needs of agencies with classified information systems. Updates can be received from Palantir through encrypted channels over the Internet, certified and audited by agency information security experts, then installed on the Secret or Top Secret Gotham database. This allows non-Internet connected Gotham implementations to be updated to the latest versions for bug fixes, security, and new features.
All this adds up to a robust, largely automated database and analysis tool for large organizations. Gotham’s wide ranging capabilities and malleability made it a superpower in data analysis technology. Palantir’s latest update to Gotham, dubbed Titan, was released in 2019 with new data views and modules.
Gotham has a twin product, Foundry. Foundry seems to be identical in function, but it was built as a SaaS “cloud-native” counterpart to Gotham. According to Palantir’s website, all commercial customers had been migrated to Foundry by September 2020.
A specific use of Palantir’s technology by military and intelligence agencies is kept in secret. In the press, one can find dozens of generalized anecdotes on its use by IED hunters in Afghanistan, FBI agents tracking terrorists in the US, and bankers searching for fraud and profit. But individual uses and tactics are classified, which means the general public will probably not directly see the results for 50 years, if ever. Palantir’s blog provides some insight into non-profit organizations use.
Palantir’s customers.
In a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filing, Palantir declared: “We have chosen sides. Our software is used by the United States and its allies in Europe and around the world. Some companies work with the United States as well its adversaries. We do not. We believe that our government and commercial customers value this clarity.” (LINK) According to USAspending.gov, Palantir’s largest customer is the US Department of Defense, followed by Department of Homeland Security, Department of the Treasury, Department of Justice, and the SEC. Other noted agencies include Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Internal Revenue Service. Leaked documents from 2013 show additional agencies to be NSA, FBI, CDC, US Military Academy West Point, the Joint IED-defeat organization and Allies, the Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board, and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. This confirms the wide range of applications, as well as the fact that the U.S. national security and financial agencies largely rely on Palantir’s products. As we’ll see later in this report, this has also expanded to health agencies.
Besides the USA, Palantir is especially popular with the European consumers. Its products are widely used in the states structures. In 2016, French internal intelligence service DGSI signed a 10 million euros contract with Palatir Technology that was only a drop of water in American group’s total turnover. Besides the French intelligence services, among the clients of Palantir are the Danish national police, state police in Hesse and North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany and, possibly, Dutch police. Some states were pushed to use Palantir software by COVID pandemic. While Germany, France, and Austria chose to develop their corona tracing apps by their own forces, the UK has invited Palantir into its health care system. In the UK Palantir was engaged to work alongside Amazon Web Services, Google and Microsoft to construct a data analytics program for NHSX’s work on Covid-19. Moreover, it was awarded oversight of the UK’s post-Brexit border and customs data.
The list of Palantir’s clients consists of such companies as Fiat Chrysler, pharmaceutical laboratories Sanofi and Merck, bank Credit Suisse and the Ferrari Formula 1 team. European multinational aerospace corporation Airbus is closely cooperating with Palantir. The Skywise Company was set up by Airbus with Palantir to create its predictive maintenance service offering.
Reports of the use of Gotham by Europol had a wide public response.
European Commission commented on this issue:
“Europol has been using Palantir software for analyzing operational data as part of Task Force ‘Fraternité’ in 2016 and since mid-2017 for the operational analysis of all counter terrorism related data. Customised Palantir Gotham software is used at Europol as a tool for operational analysis, in particular for the visualization of data sets and to identify new lines of investigation in support of the competent authorities in EU Member States and beyond. The product holds operational personal data in the context of counter-terrorism investigations and operations, processed in line with Europol’s applicable legal framework.”
Europol has had an indirect working relationship with Palantir since 2012 as sub-contracted through Dutch IT consulting company Capgemini. According to official statement by the European Commission, the maximum value of financial expenditure under the framework contract was EUR 7.5 million. The total value of the expenditure paid under the contract, including the respective services provided by the sub-contractor, was around EUR 4 million.
Among the other European bodies, there are the European aviation agency EASA, various police forces in EU member states that are using or have shown interest in “Gotham”. Palantir software is used by international organizations like the International Atomic Energy Agency.
The popularity of Palantir products in the structures of the United States and “its allies” demonstrates the inability of European countries to ensure the security of national or regional structures. The direct link between Palantir and American intelligence unequivocally confirms Washington’s high level of access to any data available in European countries.
Palantir has a growing list of customers and a parabolic stock price increase since their direct listing on 30SEP2020. The company was valued at $10.5 billion at the time of the listing, but since then, the stock price has increased by 300%. Financial prognosticators have differing opinions on the future of the company’s dollar value and growth potential.
It is also worth mentioning Palantir’s controversies.
In March 2018, a whistleblower testified before United Kingdom lawmakers that the CEO of Cambridge Analytica (CA) met with senior Palantir employees several times to “work on that data,” referring to data used to target Facebook users for political ads. The following day, Palantir provided a statement to the New York Times saying that their employee “in 2013-2014, engaged in an entirely personal capacity with people associated with Cambridge Analytica.” (LINK) This could be true, as Palantir has had no official contract with CA, or this may be a smokescreen to quiet discord and hide something. It is already known that CA was working on some less than ethical projects. Later in 2018, employees of Palantir confronted their CEO, Alex Karp, with complaints about the company’s involvement with the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency. Though not explicitly stated, it is very likely that ICE was using Gotham or Foundry to search for and then apprehend illegal immigrants working and living in the United States. The concerns were addressed in an internal town-hall meeting and Karp went on to renew the $42 million contract.
Google faced a similar situation in 2018. Google took a step to not seek a renewal of its contract with the US Department of Defense for Project Maven. The project was commissioned by the DoD in 2017 to analyze drone video and other imaging systems using artificial intelligence with the stated goal of identifying simple objects like cars and people. However, such technology could be taken one step further to identify targets, and only a step beyond that is an AI self-authorizing firing weapons. ( When was the last time you saw “The Terminator”?) Google chose to drop the contract at least partly due to over 3000 employees signing a petition to protest the company’s participation. Thiel and Karp decried this decision, and Thiel went on to call Google’s action “treasonous.” Palantir later picked up this contract for the DoD and presumably continued where Google left off.
As far back as 2011, Palantir has faced criticism for its practices. That year, some of its internal emails with partner security firm HBGary were leaked by the hacker collective Anonymous. According to the emails, intelligence companies, including Palantir, were recruited by a law firm to propose ways of sabotaging WikiLeaks on behalf of Bank of America. A month into the talks, US defense and intelligence contractor titan Booz Allen Hamilton was added as a consultant. More leaked data “suggests targeting WikiLeaks’ supporters, including Salon.com journalist Glenn Greenwald.” (LINK) A few days later, Alex Karp said in a statement, “Palantir Technologies do not build software that is designed to allow private sector entities to obtain non-public information, engage in so-called ‘cyber attacks’ or take other offensive measures. I have made clear in no uncertain terms that Palantir Technologies will not be involved in such activities.” This sounds like an oblique admission that the leaked information is at least partially true. (LINK)
Palantir are always looking for ways to expand their business, and the (first) year of Covid-19 pandemic is not an exception. From the moment of the declared pandemic to October, they have secured $42 million worth contracts with US federal agencies to provide expertise and software to track Covid deaths, testing, vaccine manufacture and distribution, medical supplies and other metrics from dozens of sources. Their new system is named Tiberius, apparently after the character James Tiberius Kirk from the original Star Trek and not the 1st century Roman emperor. The department of Health and Human Services stated that Palantir was a sub-contractor, and would not have direct access to protected health information. Despite this flat assurance, several Democratic senators wrote a letter in July, stating, “Neither HHS nor Palantir has publicly detailed what it plans to do with this PHI (Protected health information), or what privacy safeguards have been put in place, if any. We are concerned that, without any safeguards, data in HHS Protect (Health & Human Services) could be used by other federal agencies in unexpected, unregulated, and potentially harmful ways, such as in the law and immigration enforcement context.” (LINK) On December 7th, Bloomberg reported Palantir won a three-year contract with the Food and Drug Administration worth $44 million to provide software to “integrate and analyze data,” bringing the new Covid arm of the business to $86 million in contracts this year. Palantir’s stock increased by 17% the same day. It seems the pandemic is good for their business.
The last twenty years have seen astronomical growth in internet usage, with social media growing the same, if not more, in the last fifteen years. Unlike television, plain old telephone systems, and newspapers, communicating through and accessing information on the internet provide the server with information about the viewer. In the last four years, we have seen mass-bans of selected individuals, organizations, and even ideas from social media platforms and other internet services like blogs and domain registration. The ostensibly separate companies seem to be coordinating actions. Some collect data on who talks to whom, how often, through what channels, and what is said. Some collect data on how often someone reads which websites, what was liked or upvoted, and what was read. Some collect data on where you are and even what is said in the room through the cell phone you carry with you. Others collect data on your financial history and healthcare. All your interactions with the system are collected by hundreds of ‘cyber-gatekeepers’ as you leave a trail, or digital footprint, across the internet. We must assume this data is stored indefinitely. Add in the prospect of bad actors fabricating data that would be indistinguishable from the real thing, and you can see the implications.
In the hands of a benevolent group, such as the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children or the World Food Bank, Gotham and Foundry can be, and probably are, used to allow organizations to do good and work more efficiently. However, in the hands of the CIA, FBI, FDA, DoD and other alphabet agencies, the morality and benefits to society are less clear. The track record of such agencies speaks for itself. We know personal data is easily available to alphabet agencies through flimsy and infinitely repeatable warrants and the court system the US government created to check and balance this power is little more than a rubber stamp. The power of Palantir’s tools combined with this mass of data is extraordinary. Gandalf would warn us of the dangers of such informational power in the hands of a less than neutral user. However, we cannot “un-invent” this kind of technology. Even if Palantir went out of business, the idea of, and therefore the demand for, big data analysis is a part of our digital society. Palantir’s “chosen sides” statement echoes that of G. W. Bush in 2001: “You’re either with us or against us.”
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southfront--2020-12-17--In Video: PKK Drone Drops Projectiles On Turkish Targets In Hakkari Province

The Kurdistan Workers ’ Party ( PKK ) rekeased a video showing strikes with an improvised combat drone on positions @ @ @ @ @ in the Cukurca district of Hakkari Province , southern Turkey .
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The Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) rekeased a video showing strikes with an improvised combat drone on positions of the Turkish Armed Forces in the Cukurca district of Hakkari Province, southern Turkey.
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southfront--2020-12-17--Putin’s Annual Press Briefing: The Arms Race, Hypersonic Weapons, Defenses And The New Cold War

In his annual press briefing , Russian President Vladimir Putin answered a plethora of questions on various topics such as economics , the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown , Nagorno-Karabakh , and various military-related issues .
Notably , he spoke of hypersonic weapons , Russia ’ s defenses against hypersonic weapons and the development of the United States ’ integrated anti-missile system which is specifically aimed at countering Russia ’ s strategic potential .
While answering to a question regarding Sergei Skripal ’ s alleged poisoning and the accusations that he was poisoned under order of the Russian government with Novichok @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t specifically worried what it would come to because it was essentially an empty accusations and wasn ’ t true .
The question also was longer than that also asking if whether Putin considered that he was to blame for the pitiful relations between Russia , and the West – namely with the UK , the US and NATO , a a whole .
He , however , said that there are more pressing matters that are of concern rather than largely made-up accusations of poisoning , especially when it comes to NATO @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ There are some other issues that cause our concern .
We are forced to respond to them , to these questions .
But with all this , there is now a threat of termination of the New START Treaty .
Then there will be no restrictions at all associated with the arms race , nothing at all .
A And we initially called and are calling on our partners to extend this agreement for at least a year and to conduct substantive , as diplomats say , negotiations on what to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We understand that Russia has developed types of weapons , modern , hypersonic systems that no one else in the world has .
We are aware of this , but we are not opposed to taking this circumstance into account .
But to this day , no one talks to us about this in any way .
Similar systems are being developed , by the way , in European countries – in Great Britain , in the same United States .
But not yet , we understand this , but we are open @ @ @ @ @ @ @ far no one leads any .
So answer your question : who is “ white and fluffy ” and who is “ prickly and aggressive .
We have two or three bases , and in terroristically dangerous directions : in Kyrgyzstan , in Tajikistan , in Syria .
The other side , I mean the United States , has a huge network around the world .
Do you know how much our military budget is ?
46 billion .
In Great Britain it is much more .
In the USA – 770 billion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is somewhere in the sixth place in the world .
USA , China , Saudi Arabia , Great Britain , France , Japan – everything is ahead of us .
So who is white and fluffy and who is aggressive ?
Well , we appear to be not so aggressive .
Not exactly fluffy , but , in any case , very fine looking , inclined to engage in dialogue and seek compromise solutions .
I would like to say with the words of the cat Leopold from one of our cartoons : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ together !
” ” The President noted that in response to the US deployment of a global missile defense system , Russia could either build its own or create superior weapons .
The recent tests of the promising Russian sea-based hypersonic missile “ Zircon ” , as noted by Putin , are very important , its adoption by the Russian army will affect the strategic balance of power .
The work on the Sarmat ICBM is also underway .
The speed of the Russian Avangard hypersonic glide vehicle is capable of developing does @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flight path , which makes this weapon invulnerable to US missile defense , Viktor Murakhovsky , a member of the expert council at the Russian military-industrial complex board said .
Earlier , Russian President Vladimir Putin said during his annual press conference that the American missile defense system is not an obstacle to new Russian weapons , including the Avangard , which can reach speeds of more than Mach 20 .
“ It is known that in order to successfully defeat a target , an anti-aircraft missile must be guided to a pre-emptive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the target must be calculated , and then the missile is guided to this point .
The target moves at a speed of several kilometers per second , so any maneuver leads to such lateral loads that no missile can withstand , ” Murakhovsky explained .
The expert also recalled another promising Russian weapon , also capable of penetrating the American missile defense – the low-flying cruise missile of unlimited range “ Burevestnik ” .
At the same time , Murakhovsky noted that Russia will not have to spend too much money @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these systems were originally created not for an offensive , but for guaranteed retaliation .
In the time of a renewed arms race , and pressure mounting from , more or less , every direction , Putin outlined a world in which Russia is forced to fend for itself and forward its interests .
With the US departing the INF Treaty , and now with the New START also in limbo , and likely going towards falling apart , the arms race and a new Cold War are more fact than fiction .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Command Says Russia Just Tested Another Anti-Satellite Missile , Blasts “ Hostile Act ” • In Video : Russia Equips Its Strategic Forces In Orenburg With Avangard Missile Systems

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In his annual press briefing, Russian President Vladimir Putin answered a plethora of questions on various topics such as economics, the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown, Nagorno-Karabakh, and various military-related issues.
Notably, he spoke of hypersonic weapons, Russia’s defenses against hypersonic weapons and the development of the United States’ integrated anti-missile system which is specifically aimed at countering Russia’s strategic potential.
While answering to a question regarding Sergei Skripal’s alleged poisoning and the accusations that he was poisoned under order of the Russian government with Novichok, Putin said that he wasn’t specifically worried what it would come to because it was essentially an empty accusations and wasn’t true.
The question also was longer than that also asking if whether Putin considered that he was to blame for the pitiful relations between Russia, and the West – namely with the UK, the US and NATO, a a whole.
He, however, said that there are more pressing matters that are of concern rather than largely made-up accusations of poisoning, especially when it comes to NATO, the US and various weapon treaties.
“There are some other issues that cause our concern. We are forced to respond to them, to these questions. But with all this, there is now a threat of termination of the New START Treaty. Then there will be no restrictions at all associated with the arms race, nothing at all. A And we initially called and are calling on our partners to extend this agreement for at least a year and to conduct substantive, as diplomats say, negotiations on what to do and how to live next. We understand that Russia has developed types of weapons, modern, hypersonic systems that no one else in the world has. We are aware of this, but we are not opposed to taking this circumstance into account. But to this day, no one talks to us about this in any way. Similar systems are being developed, by the way, in European countries – in Great Britain, in the same United States. But not yet, we understand this, but we are open for negotiations. But with us so far no one leads any. So answer your question: who is “white and fluffy” and who is “prickly and aggressive. We have two or three bases, and in terroristically dangerous directions: in Kyrgyzstan, in Tajikistan, in Syria. The other side, I mean the United States, has a huge network around the world. Do you know how much our military budget is? 46 billion. In Great Britain it is much more. In the USA – 770 billion. Russia in terms of military spending is somewhere in the sixth place in the world. USA, China, Saudi Arabia, Great Britain, France, Japan – everything is ahead of us. So who is white and fluffy and who is aggressive? Well, we appear to be not so aggressive. Not exactly fluffy, but, in any case, very fine looking, inclined to engage in dialogue and seek compromise solutions. I would like to say with the words of the cat Leopold from one of our cartoons: “Guys, let’s live together!””
The President noted that in response to the US deployment of a global missile defense system, Russia could either build its own or create superior weapons.
“Either build this missile defense system ourselves, or create systems that this missile defense system does not interfere with. We did it, it happened with the help of hypersonic weapons, including Avangard. Let me remind you, more than 20 Machs, a global range and not ballistic,” Putin said.
The recent tests of the promising Russian sea-based hypersonic missile “Zircon”, as noted by Putin, are very important, its adoption by the Russian army will affect the strategic balance of power.
The work on the Sarmat ICBM is also underway.
Путин раскрыл планы по оружию, над которым работает Россия pic.twitter.com/y3lTlEQc8v — Кремлевский пул РИА (@Kremlinpool_RIA) December 17, 2020
The speed of the Russian Avangard hypersonic glide vehicle is capable of developing does not allow American interceptors to calculate its flight path, which makes this weapon invulnerable to US missile defense, Viktor Murakhovsky, a member of the expert council at the Russian military-industrial complex board said.
Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin said during his annual press conference that the American missile defense system is not an obstacle to new Russian weapons, including the Avangard, which can reach speeds of more than Mach 20.
“It is known that in order to successfully defeat a target, an anti-aircraft missile must be guided to a pre-emptive point, that is, the trajectory of the target must be calculated, and then the missile is guided to this point. The target moves at a speed of several kilometers per second, so any maneuver leads to such lateral loads that no missile can withstand,” Murakhovsky explained.
The expert also recalled another promising Russian weapon, also capable of penetrating the American missile defense – the low-flying cruise missile of unlimited range “Burevestnik”.
“It is impossible to make a missile defense system that would block all directions, or rather, it is theoretically possible, but even 10 US military budgets will not be enough for this. continuous radar field at low altitudes and air defense systems that block all directions,” he said.
At the same time, Murakhovsky noted that Russia will not have to spend too much money on the latest weapons, since all these systems were originally created not for an offensive, but for guaranteed retaliation.
“As for the Vanguard, Petrel and Poseidon, we are talking about the purchase of fairly symbolic batches of these systems. The task is to have the means of a guaranteed retaliatory strike, regardless of the presence of the most advanced missile defense systems in the enemy, and for this there is a rather small number of such systems,” he said.
In the time of a renewed arms race, and pressure mounting from, more or less, every direction, Putin outlined a world in which Russia is forced to fend for itself and forward its interests.
With the US departing the INF Treaty, and now with the New START also in limbo, and likely going towards falling apart, the arms race and a new Cold War are more fact than fiction.
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southfront--2020-12-17--Armenia Prepares to Withdraw Troops From Syunik Region Amid Protests

On December 17th , the corpses of 41 Armenian servicemen were found during search and rescue operations in the Fizuli and Jabrayil regions .
In total , the bodies of 933 Armenian soldiers were found during the entire search period .
Additionally , Yerevan and Moscow agreed on the deployment of Russian peacekeepers on the new Armenian-Azerbaijani border in the Syunik region .
This was reported by the Armenian Ministry of Defense .
Inhabitants of Syunik have blocked the road , neighboring to the Kapan Airport .
They note , that in the trilateral statement it is noted that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their positions , but the recent developments don ’ t prove it .
The action participants demand the respective authorities to provide clarifications .
At the moment there are police officers on the spot , who are trying to negotiate with the inhabitants in order to open the road .
Deputy Prime Minister of Armenia Tigran Avinyan said inter-positional communication exists in Artsakh ’ s Hin Shen village , however , he said , the problem is not completely solved yet .
The deputy PM said Russian peacekeeping troops are deployed in this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sense and logic , US Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs R. Clarke Cooper said that the presence of Russian peacekeepers in Nagorno-Karabakh risks “ destabilizing ” the situation in the region .
Separately , the BBC reported that between 60 and 160 Armenian soldiers had been captured by Azerbaijan ’ s troops .
On December 15th , Artsakh ’ s defense ministry said contact had been lost with a number of military posts .
The defense ministry in Azerbaijan has refused to discuss the matter with media .
On the next @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Beglaryan stated that about 60 soldiers of the NKR Defense Army had disappeared the day before near the village of Khtsaberd , Hadrut region .
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said on December 16th about the available information that Armenian soldiers were captured by Azerbaijan in the area of the villages of Khin Tager and Khtsaberd of the Hadrut region .
“ According to our information , including the Russian peacekeepers are surrounded .
There are problems with communication , because because of the terrain there are certain problems with communication .
Moreover @ @ @ @ @ @ @ problems , and we have a certain crisis situation there.
” , Pashinyan said in an interview with the Armenian service of Radio Liberty .
In turn , the Russian Ministry of Defense denied Pashinyan ’ s statement about the encirclement of Russian peacekeepers .
“ The information about the alleged encirclement of the units of the Russian peacekeeping forces by one of the parties in Nagorno-Karabakh does not correspond to reality , ” the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement .
Meanwhile , more Turkish forces arrived in Azerbaijan .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mines consisting of 136 servicemen of the Turkish Armed Forces arrived in Azerbaijan .
Turkish military specialists will carry out work on demining the liberated from the occupation territories of Azerbaijan .
As such , despite the agreement , Turkey will also now have troops in Nagorno-Karabakh .
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On December 17th, the corpses of 41 Armenian servicemen were found during search and rescue operations in the Fizuli and Jabrayil regions.
In total, the bodies of 933 Armenian soldiers were found during the entire search period.
Additionally, Yerevan and Moscow agreed on the deployment of Russian peacekeepers on the new Armenian-Azerbaijani border in the Syunik region. This was reported by the Armenian Ministry of Defense.
Inhabitants of Syunik have blocked the road, neighboring to the Kapan Airport. They note, that in the trilateral statement it is noted that the sides of the conflict are standing at their positions, but the recent developments don’t prove it. The action participants demand the respective authorities to provide clarifications. At the moment there are police officers on the spot, who are trying to negotiate with the inhabitants in order to open the road.
Deputy Prime Minister of Armenia Tigran Avinyan said inter-positional communication exists in Artsakh’s Hin Shen village, however, he said, the problem is not completely solved yet. The deputy PM said Russian peacekeeping troops are deployed in this section.
“We expect that we will have a final solution. Defense Minister [of Armenia] Vagharshak Harutyunyan is in Syunik province. Our border troops are conducting deployment works along our borders”, the deputy PM said.
In contrast with any common sense and logic, US Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs R. Clarke Cooper said that the presence of Russian peacekeepers in Nagorno-Karabakh risks “destabilizing” the situation in the region.
“In such cases Russia’s presence threatens with destabilization,” Cooper said when asked by an Azeri reporter whether or not the US “could counter the Russian influence.” “This, of course, is a challenge for all parties and states involved,” Cooper added.
Separately, the BBC reported that between 60 and 160 Armenian soldiers had been captured by Azerbaijan’s troops.
“The exact number of captured soldiers is unclear but reports range from 60 to as many as 160, seized as part of an Azerbaijani “anti-terror” operation.”
On December 15th, Artsakh’s defense ministry said contact had been lost with a number of military posts. The defense ministry in Azerbaijan has refused to discuss the matter with media.
On the next day, the ombudsman of Artsakh Artak Beglaryan stated that about 60 soldiers of the NKR Defense Army had disappeared the day before near the village of Khtsaberd, Hadrut region.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said on December 16th about the available information that Armenian soldiers were captured by Azerbaijan in the area of the villages of Khin Tager and Khtsaberd of the Hadrut region.
“According to our information, including the Russian peacekeepers are surrounded. There are problems with communication, because because of the terrain there are certain problems with communication. Moreover, the Russian peacekeepers have the same problems, and we have a certain crisis situation there.”, Pashinyan said in an interview with the Armenian service of Radio Liberty.
In turn, the Russian Ministry of Defense denied Pashinyan’s statement about the encirclement of Russian peacekeepers.
“The information about the alleged encirclement of the units of the Russian peacekeeping forces by one of the parties in Nagorno-Karabakh does not correspond to reality,” the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement.
The Russian Defense Ministry said:
“All units of the Russian peacekeeping forces in Nagorno-Karabakh carry out tasks in a regular mode, both at observation posts and in the course of monitoring the observance of the ceasefire. The ceasefire is observed along the entire line of contact.”
Meanwhile, more Turkish forces arrived in Azerbaijan.
A group on the detection and clearance of mines consisting of 136 servicemen of the Turkish Armed Forces arrived in Azerbaijan. Turkish military specialists will carry out work on demining the liberated from the occupation territories of Azerbaijan.
As such, despite the agreement, Turkey will also now have troops in Nagorno-Karabakh.
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southfront--2020-12-17--Saudi-led Coalition Claims Houthi Missile Fell Short In Yemen’s Saada

The Saudi-led coalition claimed on December 17 that a “ ballistic missile ” that was launched by Ansar Allah ( more widely known as the Houthis ) failed midcourse .
Col. Turki Al-Malki , a spokesman for the coalition , said the missile , that was launched at Saudi Arabia , fell short in the northern Yemen province of Saada .
The province is known to be the stronghold of the Houthis .
“ The Houthi militia continues its flagrant violations of the International Humanitarian Law by launching ballistic missiles that fall indiscriminately on civilians and population centers , threatening @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Col. al-Malki said in a statement .
“ The Joint Forces Command of the Coalition will continue to undertake all deterrent , rigorous measures to protect civilians in Yemen , and safeguard regional and international security.
” Local activists in Saada didn ’ t report any explosion in the province ’ s urban centers .
The Houthis , from their side , are yet to comment on the Saudi-led coalition ’ s claims .
In the last few months , the Houthis stepped up their missile and drone attacks on Saudi-backed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also targeted high-value military and civilian targets within Saudi Arabia .
A day earlier , the Saudi-led coalition intercepted a suicide drone that was launched by the Houthis at unspecified target in the Kingdom ’ s southern region .
This was the second drone to be intercepted this week .
Despite the effective defense measures of the coalition , the Houthis are still carrying out successful operations .
Earlier this week , a tanker burst into flames in Jeddah ’ s port as a result of a successful attack by the Yemeni group @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Curse Of Saudis : Tanker Explosions And Other Unfortunate Events

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The Saudi-led coalition claimed on December 17 that a “ballistic missile” that was launched by Ansar Allah (more widely known as the Houthis) failed midcourse.
Col. Turki Al-Malki, a spokesman for the coalition, said the missile, that was launched at Saudi Arabia, fell short in the northern Yemen province of Saada. The province is known to be the stronghold of the Houthis.
“The Houthi militia continues its flagrant violations of the International Humanitarian Law by launching ballistic missiles that fall indiscriminately on civilians and population centers, threatening the lives of hundreds of innocent civilians,” Col. al-Malki said in a statement. “The Joint Forces Command of the Coalition will continue to undertake all deterrent, rigorous measures to protect civilians in Yemen, and safeguard regional and international security.”
Local activists in Saada didn’t report any explosion in the province’s urban centers. The Houthis, from their side, are yet to comment on the Saudi-led coalition’s claims.
In the last few months, the Houthis stepped up their missile and drone attacks on Saudi-backed forces in Yemen. The Yemen group also targeted high-value military and civilian targets within Saudi Arabia.
A day earlier, the Saudi-led coalition intercepted a suicide drone that was launched by the Houthis at unspecified target in the Kingdom’s southern region. This was the second drone to be intercepted this week.
Despite the effective defense measures of the coalition, the Houthis are still carrying out successful operations. Earlier this week, a tanker burst into flames in Jeddah’s port as a result of a successful attack by the Yemeni group.
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southfront--2020-12-17--CNN Reported The World Almost Ended In Nuclear War, But It Really Didn’t

Russia and the United States “ accidentally started a nuclear war ” in the week ending on December 13th , according to CNN ’ s Barbara Starr , citing unnamed US defense officials .
A Russian military exercise allegedly triggered an “ unusual warning ” at the US ’ Ramstein Air Base in Germany .
This resulted in several minutes of uncertainty and alarm until an all-clear was sounded , according to the anonymous sources .
A statement was released regarding the matter .
U.S. Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa said that “ the control center followed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accurate notifications to all required personnel , ” both when the initial alert was received and “ within minutes ” after the missile launch was determined to be part of a training exercise .
The US military “ received an alert via a warning notification system of a real-world missile launch .
The control center followed proper procedures and acted in a timely manner to provide rapid and accurate notifications to all required personnel , ” according to the statement .
It should also be reminded that Russia and the US give each @ @ @ @ @ @ @ missile test , and they do so at least 24 hours in advance .
The procedure for doing so is specifically set out in an international treaty named the memorandum of understanding .
During the exercises over the weekend , Russia reportedly followed this process and warned the US well in advance of the missile launches from submarines in the Sea of Okhotsk , off Russia ’ s Pacific Coast .
And the situation itself , is as follows : The Vladimir Monomakh Project 955 submarine test-fired ballistic missiles in the Sea of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by US satellites and at least two radars on the ground ( one at Clear Air Force Station in Alaska and the other on Shemiya Island ) .
The US early warning system does not simply detect the launch – based on initial data , it also calculates the missile ’ s trajectory , its flight time and approximate target location .
As such the automated system also likely figured out that no US targets were anywhere near , or targeted at all .
This is an automated system , no human operator @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the end of days had begun .
The protocols are rigid , the data is immediately transferred to the HQ in the continental United States for processing .
If there is a nuclear strike , the US early warning system ( same as Russia ’ s ) is designed to notify top military and political officials .
It is dubious to even consider that any such warning was sounded off .
Furthermore , only the US president , secretary of defense and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is notified about such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Defense reported that on December 11th , the Vladimir Monomakh Project 955 submarine had successfully test-fired a salvo of four Bulava ballistic missiles from an underwater position in the Sea of Okhotsk to the Chizha test range in the Arkhangelsk Region .
According to the ministry , all re-entry vehicles reached the target traveling more than 5,500 kilometers from the firing location .
K-551 Vladimir Monomakh is a Russian ballistic missile submarine of the fourth generation , which carries 16 P-30 Bulava missiles .
So , despite CNN ’ s reports based @ @ @ @ @ @ @ days is postponed for a while .
Those interested to see what , according to the CNN , almost ended the world can watch the video : MORE ON THE TOPIC : • The 2020 Worldwide Corona Crisis : Destroying Civil Society , Engineered Economic Depression , Global Coup d ’ État and the “ Great Reset ” • NATO Secretary General Outlines Plan To Increase Presence In Black Sea Through Ukraine And Georgia

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Russia and the United States “accidentally started a nuclear war” in the week ending on December 13th, according to CNN’s Barbara Starr, citing unnamed US defense officials.
A Russian military exercise allegedly triggered an “unusual warning” at the US’ Ramstein Air Base in Germany.
This resulted in several minutes of uncertainty and alarm until an all-clear was sounded, according to the anonymous sources.
“The initial assessment is that the missile warning may have been triggered when US intelligence satellites detected a launch. Highly classified US military satellites that track the infrared trail of ballistic missiles determined that a submerged Russian submarine had test fired four intercontinental missiles from its underwater location in the Sea of Okhotsk off eastern Russia,” on December 11th.
A statement was released regarding the matter. U.S. Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa said that “the control center followed proper procedures … to provide rapid and accurate notifications to all required personnel,” both when the initial alert was received and “within minutes” after the missile launch was determined to be part of a training exercise.
The US military “received an alert via a warning notification system of a real-world missile launch. The control center followed proper procedures and acted in a timely manner to provide rapid and accurate notifications to all required personnel,” according to the statement.
“No US aircraft or pilots were scrambled. The missile launch was determined to be part of a regional training exercise and within minutes the control center again followed proper procedures and provided updated notifications. We consistently and routinely monitor for any threats to our forces and our allies,” the statement from US Air Force Europe-Army Africa read.
It should also be reminded that Russia and the US give each other an advance notice of any ballistic missile test, and they do so at least 24 hours in advance.
The procedure for doing so is specifically set out in an international treaty named the memorandum of understanding.
During the exercises over the weekend, Russia reportedly followed this process and warned the US well in advance of the missile launches from submarines in the Sea of Okhotsk, off Russia’s Pacific Coast.
And the situation itself, is as follows:
The Vladimir Monomakh Project 955 submarine test-fired ballistic missiles in the Sea of Okhotsk.
The launch was detected both by US satellites and at least two radars on the ground (one at Clear Air Force Station in Alaska and the other on Shemiya Island).
The US early warning system does not simply detect the launch – based on initial data, it also calculates the missile’s trajectory, its flight time and approximate target location. As such the automated system also likely figured out that no US targets were anywhere near, or targeted at all.
This is an automated system, no human operator to make a mistake and consider that the end of days had begun.
The protocols are rigid, the data is immediately transferred to the HQ in the continental United States for processing. If there is a nuclear strike, the US early warning system (same as Russia’s) is designed to notify top military and political officials.
It is dubious to even consider that any such warning was sounded off.
Furthermore, only the US president, secretary of defense and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is notified about such missile launches.
Russia’s Ministry of Defense reported that on December 11th, the Vladimir Monomakh Project 955 submarine had successfully test-fired a salvo of four Bulava ballistic missiles from an underwater position in the Sea of Okhotsk to the Chizha test range in the Arkhangelsk Region.
According to the ministry, all re-entry vehicles reached the target traveling more than 5,500 kilometers from the firing location. K-551 Vladimir Monomakh is a Russian ballistic missile submarine of the fourth generation, which carries 16 P-30 Bulava missiles.
So, despite CNN’s reports based on anonymous sources, the end of days is postponed for a while.
Those interested to see what, according to the CNN, almost ended the world can watch the video:
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southfront--2020-12-17--The U.S. And Ukraine Refuse To Condemn Nazism In The United Nations

On December 16th , a Russia-proposed resolution was passed at the UN , condemning the “ glorification of Nazism ” .
This same action was undertaken back in 2019 .
And the vote passed , with 51 countries that abstained , including all EU member states .
Other than that , the two countries that voted “ No ” were the same as in 2019 – the United States and Ukraine .
There are various reasons to consider here .
For example , Ukraine more than likely rejected the vote because pro-Nazi and neo-Nazi groups are quite spread throughout the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which are filled to the brim with Nazis .
These groups are represented in the Ukrainian parliament , and it is not uncommon for these groups to be accused of war crimes and torture during the hot-phase of the conflict in Eastern Ukraine .
At the same time , these same Nazi-infested factions and groups also frequently attack or threaten opposition figures , so they government has no reason to deal with those who guarantee them staying in power .
The United States , very obviously rejected the proposal in support of Ukraine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it can ’ t admit that it offers any sort of support to Nazi-infested groups who are refusing to allow a peaceful resolution in Eastern Ukraine .
As such , the reason for the rejection is given as that forbidding the “ glorification of Nazism ” clashes with its First Amendment protection of free speech .
The United States gives the same reason every time it rejects the resolution .
On November 18th , almost exactly a month before the vote , the United States mission to the UN issued a statement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still said that Nazism is “ widely scorned by the American people , ” but even “ avowed Nazis ” are protected by the First Amendment .
It also accused Russia of using the resolution to lend weight to its “ disinformation narratives ” about neo-Nazism in its neighboring nations .
Notably , that it wasn ’ t true Ukraine ’ s volunteer battalions and other groups were filled with Nazis , and that photographs of them wearing Nazi uniforms , and being covered in tattoos of swastikas and other symbolism are not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ joins the world community in commemorating the 75th anniversary of the end of the Second World War .
We honor the valiant contributions and the heroism and sacrifice of allied nations and their service members in the defeat of Nazi Germany in 1945 .
We also join the international community in condemning the glorification of Nazism and all forms of racism , xenophobia , discrimination , and intolerance .
In fighting against the murderous tyranny of Nazism , the United States also fought for the freedom , dignity and human rights of all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of expression .
oday , however , the United States must express opposition to this resolution , a document most notable for its thinly veiled attempts to legitimize longstanding Russian disinformation narratives denigrating neighboring nations under the cynical guise of halting Nazi glorification .
The United States Supreme Court has consistently affirmed the constitutional right to freedom of speech and the rights of peaceful assembly and association , including by avowed Nazis , whose hatred and xenophobia are widely scorned by the American people .
At the same time , we steadfastly defend @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their rights to combat intolerance and express strong opposition to the odious Nazi creed and others espousing similar hatreds.
” Basically , Nazism and the Nazis are condemned , but they ’ re “ okay ” to gather and express their ideology .
MORE ON THE TOPIC : • The Saker : “ NATO and the EU are sending a “ message ” to Russia .
Again ”

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On December 16th, a Russia-proposed resolution was passed at the UN, condemning the “glorification of Nazism”.
This same action was undertaken back in 2019.
And the vote passed, with 51 countries that abstained, including all EU member states.
Other than that, the two countries that voted “No” were the same as in 2019 – the United States and Ukraine.
Just two countries voted against the Russian resolution on “Combating the glorification of Nazism & neo-nazism” at today’s #UNGA75.: Ukraine and the US. Whatever about Ukraine. But America? It now hates Russia so much that it refuses to condemn Nazism just to spite Moscow? pic.twitter.com/HxNHOueYWV — Bryan MacDonald (@27khv) December 16, 2020
There are various reasons to consider here.
For example, Ukraine more than likely rejected the vote because pro-Nazi and neo-Nazi groups are quite spread throughout the country, notably in the volunteer battalions which are filled to the brim with Nazis.
These groups are represented in the Ukrainian parliament, and it is not uncommon for these groups to be accused of war crimes and torture during the hot-phase of the conflict in Eastern Ukraine.
At the same time, these same Nazi-infested factions and groups also frequently attack or threaten opposition figures, so they government has no reason to deal with those who guarantee them staying in power.
The United States, very obviously rejected the proposal in support of Ukraine and to oppose Russia. Of course, it can’t admit that it offers any sort of support to Nazi-infested groups who are refusing to allow a peaceful resolution in Eastern Ukraine.
As such, the reason for the rejection is given as that forbidding the “glorification of Nazism” clashes with its First Amendment protection of free speech.
The United States gives the same reason every time it rejects the resolution.
On November 18th, almost exactly a month before the vote, the United States mission to the UN issued a statement on why it would reject, but still said that Nazism is “widely scorned by the American people,” but even “avowed Nazis” are protected by the First Amendment.
It also accused Russia of using the resolution to lend weight to its “disinformation narratives” about neo-Nazism in its neighboring nations. Notably, that it wasn’t true Ukraine’s volunteer battalions and other groups were filled with Nazis, and that photographs of them wearing Nazi uniforms, and being covered in tattoos of swastikas and other symbolism are not evidence enough.
“The United States joins the world community in commemorating the 75th anniversary of the end of the Second World War. We honor the valiant contributions and the heroism and sacrifice of allied nations and their service members in the defeat of Nazi Germany in 1945. We also join the international community in condemning the glorification of Nazism and all forms of racism, xenophobia, discrimination, and intolerance. In fighting against the murderous tyranny of Nazism, the United States also fought for the freedom, dignity and human rights of all – including our steadfast commitment to freedom of expression. oday, however, the United States must express opposition to this resolution, a document most notable for its thinly veiled attempts to legitimize longstanding Russian disinformation narratives denigrating neighboring nations under the cynical guise of halting Nazi glorification. The United States Supreme Court has consistently affirmed the constitutional right to freedom of speech and the rights of peaceful assembly and association, including by avowed Nazis, whose hatred and xenophobia are widely scorned by the American people. At the same time, we steadfastly defend the constitutional rights of those who exercise their rights to combat intolerance and express strong opposition to the odious Nazi creed and others espousing similar hatreds.”
Basically, Nazism and the Nazis are condemned, but they’re “okay” to gather and express their ideology.
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southfront--2020-12-17--Growing Threat: Prospects Of Israeli Invasion Of Syria’s ‘Unstable’ Southern Region

The unstable situation in southern Syria requires an intervention by Israel , a recent report by the Israeli National Security Institute ( INSS ) concluded .
The report , which was published on December 16 , was written by researcher Carmit Valensi and INSS Director Udi Dekel .
The report urges Israel to intervene in southern Syria , claiming that the region is far from stable and that the Iranian-Russian struggle for influence is taking place there .
“ The prevailing dynamic in southern Syria in recent months and the frequent clashes between groups under Iranian influence and those affiliated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ between Russia and Iran and reflect those actors ’ conflicting interests in the region , despite their partnership in the pro-Assad coalition , ” the report reads .
The Tel Aviv-based think tanks said Iran is anchoring its presence in the southern Syrian provinces close to the Israeli border in order to create an additional front of friction and conflict with Israel through its proxies .
Valensi and Dekel said Israel should take advantage of the weakness of the Iranian-Shiite axis , including Damascus , in order to stop Iranian influence in southern @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can use its mechanism for coordination and deconfliction with Russia to adopt a proactive policy in southern Syria and attack the Iranian proxies there , including Hezbollah forces , ” the report reads .
“ At the same time , Israel should strengthen local forces , both Sunni and Druze , and forge connections by means of humanitarian aid – food , fuel , and health services – with elements in the local population that oppose the regime.
” The report argued that an Israel intervention will create an “ island of Israeli @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in southern Syria .
While the INSS report suggests a limited Israeli intervention in southern Syria , sources in the Syrian opposition told the North Press Agency that Tel Aviv is actually planning a full-on invasion of the region .
Israel followed a similar logic when it invaded Lebanon in 1976 and in 1982 to end the Palestinian resistance .
However , the move backfired .
A far more capable and determined local Lebanese resistance movement replaced the Palestinians .
The situation in southern Syria is indeed unstable .
However , an Israeli @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Such an intervention may also backfire at Tel Aviv .
MORE ON THIS TOPIC : • New Wave Of Russian Airstrikes Hits ISIS Terrorists Following Deadly Attack On Syrian Troops In Raqqa

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The unstable situation in southern Syria requires an intervention by Israel, a recent report by the Israeli National Security Institute (INSS) concluded.
The report, which was published on December 16, was written by researcher Carmit Valensi and INSS Director Udi Dekel.
The report urges Israel to intervene in southern Syria, claiming that the region is far from stable and that the Iranian-Russian struggle for influence is taking place there.
“The prevailing dynamic in southern Syria in recent months and the frequent clashes between groups under Iranian influence and those affiliated with Russia indicate growing competition for influence between Russia and Iran and reflect those actors’ conflicting interests in the region, despite their partnership in the pro-Assad coalition,” the report reads.
The Tel Aviv-based think tanks said Iran is anchoring its presence in the southern Syrian provinces close to the Israeli border in order to create an additional front of friction and conflict with Israel through its proxies.
Valensi and Dekel said Israel should take advantage of the weakness of the Iranian-Shiite axis, including Damascus, in order to stop Iranian influence in southern Syria.
“It [Israel] can use its mechanism for coordination and deconfliction with Russia to adopt a proactive policy in southern Syria and attack the Iranian proxies there, including Hezbollah forces,” the report reads. “At the same time, Israel should strengthen local forces, both Sunni and Druze, and forge connections by means of humanitarian aid – food, fuel, and health services – with elements in the local population that oppose the regime.”
The report argued that an Israel intervention will create an “island of Israeli influence,” thereby disrupting Iranian influence in southern Syria.
While the INSS report suggests a limited Israeli intervention in southern Syria, sources in the Syrian opposition told the North Press Agency that Tel Aviv is actually planning a full-on invasion of the region.
“Israel, along with an Arab NATO, is approaching to storm southern Syria,” an unnamed activist told the outlet. “The incursion will be under the pretext of protecting the people of al-Suwayda and Daraa from Iran and Hezbollah, who are seeking systematic demographic change in the southern region.”
Israel followed a similar logic when it invaded Lebanon in 1976 and in 1982 to end the Palestinian resistance. However, the move backfired. A far more capable and determined local Lebanese resistance movement replaced the Palestinians.
The situation in southern Syria is indeed unstable. However, an Israeli intervention could only further destabilize the region. Such an intervention may also backfire at Tel Aviv.
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southfront--2020-12-17--Israel Will Take Care Of Gulf Monarchies

Finally , democracy is coming to the Persian Gulf .
Israel announced plans to deploy a joint missile defense system in the Persian Gulf as a part of a joint effort with US- and Israeli-allied monarchies to deter Iran .
The idea was announced at the official level by the head of the Israeli Missile Defense Organization , which is part of the Defense Ministry .
Moshe Patel said that “ in the future ” , Israel is ready to deploy its own systems and to synchronize them with comparable systems employed by the Gulf Monarchies .
“ From an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there is a lot of advantage .
That information can be shared , like sensors that can be deployed in both countries because we have the same enemies , ” Patel stated .
The announced plan is a logical continuation of the recent diplomatic achievements of the Trump administration , which had finally forced several US regional partners to accept a formal normalization with Israel .
For years , the UAE , Saudi Arabia and others were silently cooperating with Israel in the security , intelligence and military fields .
Now , when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Resistance and the US-Israeli-led bloc are on the rise , Washington has finally forced its allies to accept existing reality and even to expand the existing cooperation under the pretext of fighting the so-called Iranian threat .
The coming months will likely lead to even more revelations of the reality of modern diplomatic and security policy in the Middle East with the Israeli leadership taking the leading place in the policy of the Gulf monarchies .
The inability , and in some cases unwillingness , of the current format of the US-led anti-Iranian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to destroy the current political regime in Iran – under the Trump leadership does not mean that these plans would cease when Mr. Trump leaves office .
Instead , Tel Aviv is once again taking a leading role in their implementation .
It is likely that the proactive position of Israel in the current conditions will be aimed at preventing the softening of US policy on the Iranian question under the incoming Democratic administration in the White House .
Israel is interested in creating such conditions in the region that would leave no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to continue the existing course towards further confrontation with Iran .

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You can read this article in German. LINK
Finally, democracy is coming to the Persian Gulf.
Israel announced plans to deploy a joint missile defense system in the Persian Gulf as a part of a joint effort with US- and Israeli-allied monarchies to deter Iran.
The idea was announced at the official level by the head of the Israeli Missile Defense Organization, which is part of the Defense Ministry. Moshe Patel said that “in the future”, Israel is ready to deploy its own systems and to synchronize them with comparable systems employed by the Gulf Monarchies.
“From an engineering point of view, of course there is a lot of advantage. That information can be shared, like sensors that can be deployed in both countries because we have the same enemies,” Patel stated.
The announced plan is a logical continuation of the recent diplomatic achievements of the Trump administration, which had finally forced several US regional partners to accept a formal normalization with Israel. For years, the UAE, Saudi Arabia and others were silently cooperating with Israel in the security, intelligence and military fields. Now, when the tensions between the Iranian Axis of Resistance and the US-Israeli-led bloc are on the rise, Washington has finally forced its allies to accept existing reality and even to expand the existing cooperation under the pretext of fighting the so-called Iranian threat.
The coming months will likely lead to even more revelations of the reality of modern diplomatic and security policy in the Middle East with the Israeli leadership taking the leading place in the policy of the Gulf monarchies.
The inability, and in some cases unwillingness, of the current format of the US-led anti-Iranian alliance to achieve its main goal – to destroy the current political regime in Iran – under the Trump leadership does not mean that these plans would cease when Mr. Trump leaves office. Instead, Tel Aviv is once again taking a leading role in their implementation. It is likely that the proactive position of Israel in the current conditions will be aimed at preventing the softening of US policy on the Iranian question under the incoming Democratic administration in the White House.
Israel is interested in creating such conditions in the region that would leave no other option for the US, but to continue the existing course towards further confrontation with Iran.
Support SouthFront


southfront--2020-12-17--New Wave Of Russian Airstrikes Hits ISIS Terrorists Following Deadly Attack On Syrian Troops In Raqq

New Wave Of Russian Airstrikes Hits ISIS Terrorists Following Deadly Attack On Syrian Troops In Raqqa

Late on December 16 , another attack by ISIS terrorists targeted troops of the Syrian National Defense Forces ( NDF ) in the southern Raqqa countryside .
The terrorists ambushed a bus carrying NDF fighters on the Ithriyah road , which links Raqqa with Hama and Aleppo .
According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights , three pro-government fighters were killed and at least seven others were injured in the attack .
ISIS terrorists launch attacks against government forces from their stronghold in central Syria , the Homs desert , on a daily basis .
Russian warplanes have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for several days now .
On December 17 , a series of airstrikes hit terrorists ’ hideouts in Beir Twinan in the eastern Homs countryside .
ISIS terrorists have been working to expand their influence in central Syria .
Earlier this week , the terrorists repelled an attack by government forces on their newly-established hideouts in the eastern countryside of Hama .
Many Syrian soldiers were killed or injured .
The terrorist group ’ s activities in the central region grew this year .
According to recent reports , the terrorists are buying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fighters based in the southeastern area of al-Tanaf .
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Late on December 16, another attack by ISIS terrorists targeted troops of the Syrian National Defense Forces (NDF) in the southern Raqqa countryside.
The terrorists ambushed a bus carrying NDF fighters on the Ithriyah road, which links Raqqa with Hama and Aleppo. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, three pro-government fighters were killed and at least seven others were injured in the attack.
ISIS terrorists launch attacks against government forces from their stronghold in central Syria, the Homs desert, on a daily basis.
Russian warplanes have been bombing ISIS terrorists in the central region for several days now. On December 17, a series of airstrikes hit terrorists’ hideouts in Beir Twinan in the eastern Homs countryside.
ISIS terrorists have been working to expand their influence in central Syria. Earlier this week, the terrorists repelled an attack by government forces on their newly-established hideouts in the eastern countryside of Hama. Many Syrian soldiers were killed or injured.
The terrorist group’s activities in the central region grew this year. According to recent reports, the terrorists are buying supplies, including weapons, from U.S.-backed fighters based in the southeastern area of al-Tanaf.
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