southfront--2020-11-08--Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham Elite Uzbek Jihadists Eliminated In Loitering Munition Strike On Syria’s Idlib

On November 7 , seven Uzbek jihadists of al-Qaeda-affiliated Hay ’ at Tahrir al-Sham ( HTS ) were killed in a strike on the northwestern Syrian region of Greater Idlib , according to the Syrian Observatory for Human rights .
The jihadists were reportedly gathered near the town of Sarjah in the al-Zawiya Mount in the southern Idlib countryside when they were struck with a loitering munition .
The London-based monitoring group said the slain foreign jihadists were from an elite HTS unit known as “ al-Majmu ’ a al-Istshhadiyah ” [ the Suicidal Squad ] .
Last week , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ positions in Greater Idlib .
A howitzer was destroyed and three Turkish-backed militants were killed as a result of the strikes .
The ceasefire in Greater Idlib , which was brokered by Russia and Turkey earlier this year , appears to be on the brink of collapse .
HTS and other terrorist groups are reportedly stepping up their attacks and deploying reinforcements along the frontlines with the Syrian Arab Army .
Earlier today , Russian warplanes carried out 13 airstrikes on positions in the al-Zawiya Mount .
Government forces may launch a large-scale @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
MORE ON THIS TOPIC : • Turkish Forces Are Dismantling Another Besieged Post In Syria ’ s Idlib

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On November 7, seven Uzbek jihadists of al-Qaeda-affiliated Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) were killed in a strike on the northwestern Syrian region of Greater Idlib, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human rights.
The jihadists were reportedly gathered near the town of Sarjah in the al-Zawiya Mount in the southern Idlib countryside when they were struck with a loitering munition.
The London-based monitoring group said the slain foreign jihadists were from an elite HTS unit known as “al-Majmu’a al-Istshhadiyah” [the Suicidal Squad].
“There is no information on the identity of the drone [loitering munition], whether it was Russian, Iranians or belonged to regime forces,” the SHOR’s report reads.
Last week, unidentified loitering munitions hit several militants’ positions in Greater Idlib. A howitzer was destroyed and three Turkish-backed militants were killed as a result of the strikes.
The ceasefire in Greater Idlib, which was brokered by Russia and Turkey earlier this year, appears to be on the brink of collapse. HTS and other terrorist groups are reportedly stepping up their attacks and deploying reinforcements along the frontlines with the Syrian Arab Army.
Earlier today, Russian warplanes carried out 13 airstrikes on positions in the al-Zawiya Mount. Government forces may launch a large-scale ground operation in the mountainous region soon.
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southfront--2020-11-08--Twitter Launches Full-Scale Censorship Of Trump. Biden And MSM Outlets Make Coordinated Announcement

Twitter Launches Full-Scale Censorship Of Trump. Biden And MSM Outlets Make Coordinated Announcement Declaring Biden President-Elect

The vestiges of the democracy remaining in the United States seem to be destroyed by the most questionable presidential election ever in the country ’ s 21th century history .
A few moments ago , Joe Biden , supported by a coordinated effort of multiple mainstream media outlets , made a statement claiming that he won the presidential election .
While final results have not been announced , the Keystone State , CNN , the AP , NBC News , Fox news and many other media used the situation in Pennsylvania ( reporting practically all of its ballots and showing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ call the election for Biden .
Meanwhile , US President ( or not ? )
Donald Trump said that he won the election “ by a lot ” .
His statement hints at multiple reported vote-fraud incidents and the questionable developments during the election process in key states that allow Trump to declare that the Democrats just stole his victory .
No surrender from the Trump campaign and the ‘ peaceful ’ transition of power seems to be in question .
“ We all know why Joe Biden is rushing to falsely pose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ media allies are trying so hard to help him : they don ’ t want the truth to be exposed .
The simple fact is this election is far from over .
Joe Biden has not been certified as the winner of any states , let alone any of the highly contested states headed for mandatory recounts , or states where our campaign has valid and legitimate legal challenges that could determine the ultimate victor .
In Pennsylvania , for example , our legal observers were not permitted meaningful access to watch the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is president , not the news media .
“ Beginning Monday , our campaign will start prosecuting our case in court to ensure election laws are fully upheld and the rightful winner is seated .
The American People are entitled to an honest election : that means counting all legal ballots , and not counting any illegal ballots .
This is the only way to ensure the public has full confidence in our election .
It remains shocking that the Biden campaign refuses to agree with this basic principle and wants ballots counted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , or cast by ineligible or deceased voters .
Only a party engaged in wrongdoing would unlawfully keep observers out of the count room – and then fight in court to block their access .
“ So what is Biden hiding ?
I will not rest until the American People have the honest vote count they deserve and that Democracy demands.
” A new press conference was also announced ( about the vote fraud ) : This is how the US freedom of speech ( even if you are the president ) looks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recall SouthFront ’ s November 5 comment on the developments in the United States : There is already little doubt that something is very wrong with the US Presidential election .
Nonetheless , more and more evidence of vote fraud in the favor of Joe Biden that appears online not only demonstrates the scale of hysteria and systematic censorship in the modern United States , but also leads to an important conclusion .
The global blatant lie about some mysterious ‘ democracy ’ and ‘ fair election ’ in the United States was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Washington establishment does not know what it is .
For years , the US has exploited the democracy narrative for its own favor on the international scene .
Under the claims of defending this ‘ democracy ’ and ‘ human rights ’ , Washington was destroying countries , toppling legitimate governments and sponsoring terrorism .
All these were done under slogans the real meaning of which the US does not even know .
In the article “ In 30 States , A Computer System Known To Be Defective Is Tallying Votes ” ZerohHedge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Domminion Voting System ’ rabbit-hole , Politico reports that a technology glitch that halted voting in two Georgia counties on Tuesday morning was caused by a vendor uploading an update to their election machines the night before , a county election supervisor said .
Voters were unable to cast machine ballots for a couple of hours in Morgan and Spalding counties after the electronic devices crashed , state officials said .
In response to the delays , Superior Court Judge W. Fletcher Sams extended voting until 11 p.m .
The counties use voting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ electronic poll books — used to sign in voters — made by KnowInk .
Neither Dominion nor KnowInk responded to a request to comment .
A spokesperson for the secretary of state ’ s office also did not respond to follow-up questions about who uploaded the dataset and whether it had been reviewed and tested by anyone beforehand .
when Kyle Becker heard about the “ glitchy ” computer program in Antrim County , Michigan , the one that tried to give 6,000 Trump votes to Biden , he starting doing research into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an amazing amount of highly disturbing information .
The Dominion system has been known for some time to be defective , yet 28 states use it .
This post is a compilation of Becker ’ s information , both in his own tweets and in one other person ’ s tweet , about what ’ s going on with that system : This next tweet is censored because , even though Becker states only facts , Twitter wants you to know the facts don ’ t matter .
Be sure to click through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ evil , but it effectively owns the public square : I generally recommend Becker ’ s Twitter feed .
He has some interesting observations about the weird anomalies in the election .
Here are just two examples : What I find most disturbing is the impunity with which Democrats are gaming the system .
They ’ re not even trying to cover their tracks .
They are 100 % certain that there will be no consequences for their actions .
They know that the media , which should be a watchdog on behalf @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arm of the Democrat party that will do everything necessary to cover for Democrat election crimes .
MORE ON THE TOPIC : • Voters Dead Since 1984 And Other Interesting Joe Biden Supporters .
Georgia Started Recount Over Vote Fraud Concerns • “ I ’ m Not Saying We Won , But We Won ” : Joe Biden And The Most Suspect Election In Modern U.S. History ( UPDATED With More Vote Fraud Examples )

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The vestiges of the democracy remaining in the United States seem to be destroyed by the most questionable presidential election ever in the country’s 21th century history.
A few moments ago, Joe Biden, supported by a coordinated effort of multiple mainstream media outlets, made a statement claiming that he won the presidential election. While final results have not been announced, the Keystone State, CNN, the AP, NBC News, Fox news and many other media used the situation in Pennsylvania (reporting practically all of its ballots and showing the potential victory of Biden) to call the election for Biden.
America, I’m honored that you have chosen me to lead our great country. The work ahead of us will be hard, but I promise you this: I will be a President for all Americans — whether you voted for me or not. I will keep the faith that you have placed in me. pic.twitter.com/moA9qhmjn8 — Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) November 7, 2020
Meanwhile, US President (or not?) Donald Trump said that he won the election “by a lot”. His statement hints at multiple reported vote-fraud incidents and the questionable developments during the election process in key states that allow Trump to declare that the Democrats just stole his victory.
I WON THIS ELECTION, BY A LOT! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 7, 2020
No surrender from the Trump campaign and the ‘peaceful’ transition of power seems to be in question.
Statement from President Donald Trump:
“We all know why Joe Biden is rushing to falsely pose as the winner, and why his media allies are trying so hard to help him: they don’t want the truth to be exposed. The simple fact is this election is far from over. Joe Biden has not been certified as the winner of any states, let alone any of the highly contested states headed for mandatory recounts, or states where our campaign has valid and legitimate legal challenges that could determine the ultimate victor. In Pennsylvania, for example, our legal observers were not permitted meaningful access to watch the counting process. Legal votes decide who is president, not the news media. “Beginning Monday, our campaign will start prosecuting our case in court to ensure election laws are fully upheld and the rightful winner is seated. The American People are entitled to an honest election: that means counting all legal ballots, and not counting any illegal ballots. This is the only way to ensure the public has full confidence in our election. It remains shocking that the Biden campaign refuses to agree with this basic principle and wants ballots counted even if they are fraudulent, manufactured, or cast by ineligible or deceased voters. Only a party engaged in wrongdoing would unlawfully keep observers out of the count room – and then fight in court to block their access. “So what is Biden hiding? I will not rest until the American People have the honest vote count they deserve and that Democracy demands.”
A new press conference was also announced (about the vote fraud):
Big press conference today in Philadelphia at Four Seasons Total Landscaping — 11:30am! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 7, 2020
This is how the US freedom of speech (even if you are the president) looks like:
The situation is worth to recall SouthFront’s November 5 comment on the developments in the United States:
There is already little doubt that something is very wrong with the US Presidential election. Nonetheless, more and more evidence of vote fraud in the favor of Joe Biden that appears online not only demonstrates the scale of hysteria and systematic censorship in the modern United States, but also leads to an important conclusion. The global blatant lie about some mysterious ‘democracy’ and ‘fair election’ in the United States was just destroyed. In fact, the Washington establishment does not know what it is. For years, the US has exploited the democracy narrative for its own favor on the international scene. Under the claims of defending this ‘democracy’ and ‘human rights’, Washington was destroying countries, toppling legitimate governments and sponsoring terrorism. All these were done under slogans the real meaning of which the US does not even know.
In the article “ In 30 States, A Computer System Known To Be Defective Is Tallying Votes” ZerohHedge reports:
Update (1100ET) : Further down the ‘Domminion Voting System’ rabbit-hole, Politico reports that a technology glitch that halted voting in two Georgia counties on Tuesday morning was caused by a vendor uploading an update to their election machines the night before, a county election supervisor said.
Voters were unable to cast machine ballots for a couple of hours in Morgan and Spalding counties after the electronic devices crashed, state officials said. In response to the delays, Superior Court Judge W. Fletcher Sams extended voting until 11 p.m.
The counties use voting machines made by Dominion Voting Systems and electronic poll books — used to sign in voters — made by KnowInk.
Neither Dominion nor KnowInk responded to a request to comment. A spokesperson for the secretary of state’s office also did not respond to follow-up questions about who uploaded the dataset and whether it had been reviewed and tested by anyone beforehand.
* * *
Update (1045ET) : Probably nothing…
2014 $2.25M joint project with the Clinton Foundation https://t.co/zhOt93z1ey — Tommy Scott (@tommy997) November 7, 2020
* * *
As American Thinker’s Andrea Widburg detailed earlier, when Kyle Becker heard about the “glitchy” computer program in Antrim County, Michigan, the one that tried to give 6,000 Trump votes to Biden, he starting doing research into the system. He ended up finding an amazing amount of highly disturbing information. The Dominion system has been known for some time to be defective, yet 28 states use it. This post is a compilation of Becker’s information, both in his own tweets and in one other person’s tweet, about what’s going on with that system:
MASSIVE. "Ballots were counted for Democrats that were meant for Republicans… tabulating software 'glitched'… We have now discovered that 47 counties used this same software." MI GOP Chair reveals corrupt software flipped thousands of votes from Trump to Biden. Watch!? pic.twitter.com/ORXa77vkHU — Kyle Becker (@kylenabecker) November 6, 2020
This next tweet is censored because, even though Becker states only facts, Twitter wants you to know the facts don’t matter. Be sure to click through to read his tweet. Twitter is evil, but it effectively owns the public square:
The election software system in Michigan that switched 6,000 votes from Trump to Biden is called "Dominion." It is used in 30 states including: ☑Nevada
☑Arizona
☑Minnesota
☑Michigan
☑Wisconsin
☑Georgia
☑Pennsylvania Every single major swing state. EVERY. SINGLE. ONE. pic.twitter.com/R6s2RnVmEF — Kyle Becker (@kylenabecker) November 7, 2020
Just pause for a moment and consider that a widespread election software system that was used in virtually every swing state in the 2020 election is called "Dominion." "DOMINION." If that doesn't send *chills* up your spine, nothing will. pic.twitter.com/oFmJTr9zMo — Kyle Becker (@kylenabecker) November 7, 2020
Look up who might be connected to this software. Her last name rhymes with Duh-low-see. — The ?FOO (@PolitiBunny) November 7, 2020
How does an election software company literally named "Dominion" get used in: ☑Almost 30 states
☑4 of the Top 10 Counties
☑9 of the Top 20 Counties Dominion is used in MI where votes were switched from Trump to Biden. A free country does not give one company this much power. pic.twitter.com/42r4AuBVtO — Kyle Becker (@kylenabecker) November 7, 2020
NBC raised the alarms on Dominion Voting Systems in early 2000. It is the voting system used in 30 states, every majority swing state, and many of the biggest counties. Dominion was used in Michigan where Trump votes switched to Biden. Unbelievable.https://t.co/YZaZS0b4U5 pic.twitter.com/gyEhZEf218 — Kyle Becker (@kylenabecker) November 7, 2020
In Texas, Dominion Voting Systems was turned down THREE TIMES for certification in state elections. It listed numerous reasons why the system had major security issues. Dominion is now linked to voting irregularities in both MI & GA. TEXAS KNEW ???https://t.co/WiT3i704th pic.twitter.com/fGdw5IwGoS — Kyle Becker (@kylenabecker) November 7, 2020
"Securing our elections should not be a partisan issue." Early in 2020, Dems held a hearing with 3 major private election vendors, including DOMINION VOTING SYSTEMS. The Dem. Chair revealed voting components from China, widespread Internet & hacking vulnerability & WORSE.?? pic.twitter.com/m69dHoxM33 — Kyle Becker (@kylenabecker) November 7, 2020
I generally recommend Becker’s Twitter feed. He has some interesting observations about the weird anomalies in the election. Here are just two examples:
Swing state voting irregularities: ☑Biden outperforms Senators in swing states, underperforms in VA, NH, RI
☑Biden underperforms Hillary/Obama in cities, except in MI, PA, GA, WI
☑Biden mail-in dumps with 100% margins
☑GOP lose ZERO House races Something is definitely off. — Kyle Becker (@kylenabecker) November 6, 2020
The 2020 election errors are all going in one direction. This is the exact opposite of "random." If they were just anomalies in various races nationwide that were going some Trump's way and some Biden's way, there would be FAR fewer questions. — Kyle Becker (@kylenabecker) November 7, 2020
What I find most disturbing is the impunity with which Democrats are gaming the system. They’re not even trying to cover their tracks. They are 100% certain that there will be no consequences for their actions. They know that the media, which should be a watchdog on behalf of American citizens, is actually an arm of the Democrat party that will do everything necessary to cover for Democrat election crimes.
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southfront--2020-11-08--Overview Of Azerbaijani Strikes On November 8, 2020 (Videos)

On November 8 , Azerbaijani combat drones and warplanes carried out a series of airstrikes on Armenian forces in the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh .
The airstrikes , which were likely carried out with Bayraktar TB2 combat drones and Su-25 close air support warplanes , hit four fortified positions of Armenian forces near the town of Martuni , known by its Azerbaijani name Khojavend .
The Azerbaijani military is apparently using Bayraktar TB2 drones to detect and designate ground targets for Su-25 warplanes .
Bayraktar TB2 drones are equipped with the Canadian Wescam CMX-15D optronic system that can illuminate ground @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The illuminated targeted can be , in theory , picked up by Klen-PS , a laser designator and range finder that is installed in the prow of Su-25 warplanes .
Using this tactic , Azerbaijani Su-25 can possibly deploy Soviet-made laser-guided missiles , like the Kh-25ML and the Kh-29L from a safe distance and with higher accuracy .
Precision-guided weapons have granted the Azerbaijani military the upper hand in Nagorno-Karabakh battlefield since the beginning of the war on September 27 .
Armenia claims that the Turkish Air Force is overseeing Azerbaijani aerial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ THIS TOPIC : • Winter May Be Armenian Last Hope To Stop Azerbaijani Attack • Armenian Forces Shot Down Another Turkish-Made Bayraktar TB2 Combat Drone Over Nagorno-Karabakh

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On November 8, Azerbaijani combat drones and warplanes carried out a series of airstrikes on Armenian forces in the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh.
The airstrikes, which were likely carried out with Bayraktar TB2 combat drones and Su-25 close air support warplanes, hit four fortified positions of Armenian forces near the town of Martuni, known by its Azerbaijani name Khojavend.
The Azerbaijani military is apparently using Bayraktar TB2 drones to detect and designate ground targets for Su-25 warplanes.
Bayraktar TB2 drones are equipped with the Canadian Wescam CMX-15D optronic system that can illuminate ground targets with laser from a long distance. The illuminated targeted can be, in theory, picked up by Klen-PS, a laser designator and range finder that is installed in the prow of Su-25 warplanes.
Using this tactic, Azerbaijani Su-25 can possibly deploy Soviet-made laser-guided missiles, like the Kh-25ML and the Kh-29L from a safe distance and with higher accuracy.
Precision-guided weapons have granted the Azerbaijani military the upper hand in Nagorno-Karabakh battlefield since the beginning of the war on September 27. Armenia claims that the Turkish Air Force is overseeing Azerbaijani aerial operations over the region.
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southfront--2020-11-08--Syrian Authorities Uncovered More Than 30 TOW Guided Missiles In Southern Region (Video, Photos)

Syrian authorities have uncovered a large weapons cache during the recent search operation in the country ’ s southern region @ @ @ @ @ Agency reported on November 8 .
The seized weapons included more than 30 U.S.-made TOW @ @ @ @ @ missiles of this type have a range of over 4 km and can penetrate up @ @ @ @ @ homogeneous armor behind explosive reactive armor .
The weapons also included assault rifles , heavy @ @ @ @ @ and loads of ammunition of different calibers and types .
Hundreds of TOW missiles were @ @ @ @ @ weapons , by the U.S. as a part of a covert operation to train and @ @ @ @ @ .
The operation , condemned “ Timber Sycamore , ” was authorized by the President @ @ @ @ @ Three years later , it was halted by President Donald Trump .
MORE ON THIS @ @ @ @ @ Service Members Were Killed In Northeastern Syria Attack – Report • In Video : Syrian @ @ @ @ @ Fighters From U.S.-Occupied Al-Tanf

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Syrian authorities have uncovered a large weapons cache during the recent search operation in the country’s southern region, the Syrian Arab News Agency reported on November 8.
“Through security follow-up and in cooperation with the honorable people of the southern region, large quantities of various weapons, some are Western-made, were seized,” a Syrian security source told the news agency.
The seized weapons included more than 30 U.S.-made TOW anti-tank guided missiles. The missiles of this type have a range of over 4 km and can penetrate up to 900 mm of rolled homogeneous armor behind explosive reactive armor.
The weapons also included assault rifles, heavy machine guns, rocket launchers and loads of ammunition of different calibers and types.
Hundreds of TOW missiles were supplied, along with other weapons, by the U.S. as a part of a covert operation to train and equip anti-government groups in Syria. The operation, condemned “Timber Sycamore,” was authorized by the President Barack Obama in 2013. Three years later, it was halted by President Donald Trump.
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southfront--2020-11-08--Four U.S. Service Members Were Killed In Northeastern Syria Attack – Report

On November 8 , four U.S. service members were killed in northwestern Syria , according to the Syrian Arab News Agency ( SANA ) .
The state-run agency said the service members were killed when their vehicle was hit with an improvised explosive device ( IED ) near the town of Markadah .
“ Four soldiers of the American occupation were killed with an IED that targeted their vehicle in the countryside of the town of Markadah on the al-Hasakah-Deir Ezzor highway , ” the SANA ’ s reporter said , citing local sources .
The U.S.-led coalition and its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democratic Forces , have not commented on the SANA ’ s claims , thus far .
On April 24 and July 3 , the SANA released similar reports , claiming that U.S. service members were killed in attacks in northeastern Syria .
Both reports were denied by the U.S.-led coalition , which said they were “ false ” and “ fake news.
” The U.S. maintains around 500 personnel in northeastern Syria , supposedly to counter ISIS and to “ guard ” oil fields in the region .
The U.S. military presence in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ official government in Damascus , nor by the United Nations .
MORE ON THIS TOPIC : • In Video : Syrian Intelligence Secured Defection Of Several Fighters From U.S.-Occupied Al-Tanf

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On November 8, four U.S. service members were killed in northwestern Syria, according to the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA).
The state-run agency said the service members were killed when their vehicle was hit with an improvised explosive device (IED) near the town of Markadah.
“Four soldiers of the American occupation were killed with an IED that targeted their vehicle in the countryside of the town of Markadah on the al-Hasakah-Deir Ezzor highway,” the SANA’s reporter said, citing local sources.
The U.S.-led coalition and its proxy in northeastern Syria, the Syrian Democratic Forces, have not commented on the SANA’s claims, thus far.
On April 24 and July 3, the SANA released similar reports, claiming that U.S. service members were killed in attacks in northeastern Syria. Both reports were denied by the U.S.-led coalition, which said they were “false” and “fake news.”
The U.S. maintains around 500 personnel in northeastern Syria, supposedly to counter ISIS and to “guard” oil fields in the region. The U.S. military presence in the country was not approved by the official government in Damascus, nor by the United Nations.
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southfront--2020-11-08--Winter May Be Armenian Last Hope To Stop Azerbaijani Attack

The battle for Shusha will end in 24 hours , Artsrun Hovhannisyan , a representative of the Ministry of Defense of Armenia , said on November 8 , vowing that the town will remain Armenian .
Earlier today , Azerbaijani President , Ilham Aliyev , announced that his troops had captured Shusha , the second largest town in the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh .
Armenian officials , however , insist that Shusha is still in the hands of local defense forces .
Hovhannisyan said that combat-ready reservists were deployed in the town .
The reservists underwent a short training course @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clashes continue in the town of Martuni .
Armenian forces repelled several Azerbaijani attacks on the town in the last few days .
Azerbaijani troops sustained heavy material and human losses around Martuni , but so did Armenian forces .
According to the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan , the Armenian 2nd and 3rd Motorized Rifle Regiments sustained heavy losses in artillery strikes on November 8 .
Armenian forces also inflicted heavy losses on Azerbaijani troops in the district of Berdzor , where heavy clashes have been ongoing for a while now .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Armenian losses in Nagorno-Karabakh decreased after the first fifteen days of the battle , which started on September 27 .
“ We became technically better and stronger ; we were able to neutralize the technological advantage of the adversary .
And after all , we fight at home , we know the area much better , ” Hovhannisyan said , “ We are fighting at home , our losses are not critical in comparison with the losses of the opponent who does not know the terrain.
” The Armenian MoD representative concluded his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” noting that Azerbaijan has a bitter logistics experience from the 1993-94 war .
Despite the assurances of Armenian officials , civilians in Nagorno-Karabakh are losing hope , while Azerbaijani forces are advancing deeper in the region .
After more than a month of fierce fighting , Azerbaijan will probably need to reinforce its troops in Nagorno-Karabakh to fight in winter conditions .
This may be the only chance for Armenian forces to launch a counter-attack .
MORE ON THIS TOPIC : • Armenian Forces Shot Down Another Turkish-Made Bayraktar TB2 Combat @ @ @

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The battle for Shusha will end in 24 hours, Artsrun Hovhannisyan, a representative of the Ministry of Defense of Armenia, said on November 8, vowing that the town will remain Armenian.
Earlier today, Azerbaijani President, Ilham Aliyev, announced that his troops had captured Shusha, the second largest town in the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh.
Armenian officials, however, insist that Shusha is still in the hands of local defense forces. Hovhannisyan said that combat-ready reservists were deployed in the town. The reservists underwent a short training course before deployment.
Hovhannisyan highlighted that the clashes continue in the town of Martuni. Armenian forces repelled several Azerbaijani attacks on the town in the last few days.
Azerbaijani troops sustained heavy material and human losses around Martuni, but so did Armenian forces. According to the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan, the Armenian 2nd and 3rd Motorized Rifle Regiments sustained heavy losses in artillery strikes on November 8.
Armenian forces also inflicted heavy losses on Azerbaijani troops in the district of Berdzor, where heavy clashes have been ongoing for a while now.
Escape from the mountains. #Azerbaijan’i Armed Forces’ Unit fled from the mountains of Berdzor, #Artsakh. pic.twitter.com/F9rLRdgQSq — Artsakh Defense Army (@Karabakh_MoD) November 8, 2020
Knocked-out Azerbaijani BMP-2 infantry fighting vehicles (IFV) in the direction of Berdzor. pic.twitter.com/GbxIzZz80k — 301?? (@301_AD) November 8, 2020
In his statement, Hovhannisyan, said Armenian losses in Nagorno-Karabakh decreased after the first fifteen days of the battle, which started on September 27.
“We became technically better and stronger; we were able to neutralize the technological advantage of the adversary. And after all, we fight at home, we know the area much better,” Hovhannisyan said, “We are fighting at home, our losses are not critical in comparison with the losses of the opponent who does not know the terrain.”
The Armenian MoD representative concluded his statement by saying “Winter is coming,” noting that Azerbaijan has a bitter logistics experience from the 1993-94 war.
Despite the assurances of Armenian officials, civilians in Nagorno-Karabakh are losing hope, while Azerbaijani forces are advancing deeper in the region.
After more than a month of fierce fighting, Azerbaijan will probably need to reinforce its troops in Nagorno-Karabakh to fight in winter conditions. This may be the only chance for Armenian forces to launch a counter-attack.
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southfront--2020-11-08--In Video: Syrian Intelligence Secured Defection Of Several Fighters From U.S.-Occupied Al-Tanf

The Syrian intelligence have secured the defection of eight fighters from the U.S.-led coalition garrison in the area of al-Tanf , the Syria News TV revealed in a report on November 6 .
The state-run news channel ’ s report included footage of the actuall extraction operation , which took place at night-time .
The defectors handed over two pick-up trucks armed with U.S.-made M240B machine guns and three U.S.-made M16 assault rifles to Syrian authorities .
The weapons were supplied by the U.S.-led coalition .
The leader of the defectors told the news channel that they were ambushed by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ However , they managed to escape without sustaining any losses .
The defectors are likely from the Revolutionary Commando Army ( MaT ) a small U.S.-backed group that ’ s tasked with guarding al-Tanf garrison as well as the nearby al-Rukban camp , where thousands of civilians are being held in poor conditions .
In April , 27 fighters defected from the MaT .
The fighters run away to government areas taking with them loads of U.S.-supplied weapons .
The repeated defections of U.S.-backed fighters is a sign of low morale at al-Tnaf @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the fighters based there are providing ISIS cells in central Syria with supplies and weapons in exchange for money .
MORE ON THIS TOPIC : • Two Druze Sheikhs Killed In New Round Of Clashes With Daraa Gunmen

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The Syrian intelligence have secured the defection of eight fighters from the U.S.-led coalition garrison in the area of al-Tanf, the Syria News TV revealed in a report on November 6.
The state-run news channel’s report included footage of the actuall extraction operation, which took place at night-time.
The defectors handed over two pick-up trucks armed with U.S.-made M240B machine guns and three U.S.-made M16 assault rifles to Syrian authorities. The weapons were supplied by the U.S.-led coalition.
The leader of the defectors told the news channel that they were ambushed by U.S. forces on their way out. However, they managed to escape without sustaining any losses.
The defectors are likely from the Revolutionary Commando Army (MaT) a small U.S.-backed group that’s tasked with guarding al-Tanf garrison as well as the nearby al-Rukban camp, where thousands of civilians are being held in poor conditions.
In April, 27 fighters defected from the MaT. The fighters run away to government areas taking with them loads of U.S.-supplied weapons.
The repeated defections of U.S.-backed fighters is a sign of low morale at al-Tnaf garrison. Recent reports revealed that some of the fighters based there are providing ISIS cells in central Syria with supplies and weapons in exchange for money.
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southfront--2020-11-08--Afghan Army Recaptured Arghandab District In Kandahar, Killed Hundreds Of Taliban Fighters

Afghan Army Chief General Mohammad Yasin Zia announced on November 6 that the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces ( ANDSF ) had recaptured the district of Arghandab in the southern province of Kandahar from the Taliban .
Arghandab , which is located near the city of Kandahar , was captured by Taliban fighters around two weeks ago .
The fighters launched a large-scale attack on the district center .
Gen. Zia told TOLOnews that the ANDSF killed at least 200 Taliban fighters while recapturing the district of Arghandab .
The district ’ s residents , who were displaced as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are now returning to their homes .
However , mines and improvised explosive devices , which had been planted by Taliban fighters , are still posing a threat to civilians .
Meanwhile in the southern province of Helmand , At least four Taliban insurgents were killed and six others were captured in an operation by Afghan special forces in the district of Nad Ali .
Despite the ongoing peace talks , Taliban fighters continue to launch attacks against government forces in different parts of Afghanistan .
On November 7 and 8 , four @ @ @ @ @ @ @ others were wounded in two separate attacks by the Taliban in the northern province of Baghlan .
Security sources told TOLOnews that Taliban fighters attacked military positions in the districts of Baghlan-e-Markazi and Nahrin as well as on the outskirts of Pul-e-Khumri city , the center of Baghlan province .
During the attack in Nahrin , Taliban fighters blocked a highway leading to the center of Baghlan province .
Taliban sustained losses in the attacks .
At least ten fighters of the group were killed or injured by government forces , according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ report by the U.S. Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction revealed that Taliban ’ s violence increased by 50 % in Afghanistan during August , September and November .
The group ’ s activities pose a serious threat to the fragile peace process in the war-torn country .
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Afghan Army Chief General Mohammad Yasin Zia announced on November 6 that the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) had recaptured the district of Arghandab in the southern province of Kandahar from the Taliban.
Arghandab, which is located near the city of Kandahar, was captured by Taliban fighters around two weeks ago. The fighters launched a large-scale attack on the district center.
Gen. Zia told TOLOnews that the ANDSF killed at least 200 Taliban fighters while recapturing the district of Arghandab.
The district’s residents, who were displaced as a result of the Taliban attack, are now returning to their homes. However, mines and improvised explosive devices, which had been planted by Taliban fighters, are still posing a threat to civilians.
Meanwhile in the southern province of Helmand, At least four Taliban insurgents were killed and six others were captured in an operation by Afghan special forces in the district of Nad Ali.
Despite the ongoing peace talks, Taliban fighters continue to launch attacks against government forces in different parts of Afghanistan.
On November 7 and 8, four security forces members were killed and six others were wounded in two separate attacks by the Taliban in the northern province of Baghlan.
Security sources told TOLOnews that Taliban fighters attacked military positions in the districts of Baghlan-e-Markazi and Nahrin as well as on the outskirts of Pul-e-Khumri city, the center of Baghlan province. During the attack in Nahrin, Taliban fighters blocked a highway leading to the center of Baghlan province.
Taliban sustained losses in the attacks. At least ten fighters of the group were killed or injured by government forces, according to a local army commander.
A recent report by the U.S. Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction revealed that Taliban’s violence increased by 50% in Afghanistan during August, September and November. The group’s activities pose a serious threat to the fragile peace process in the war-torn country.
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southfront--2020-11-08--Military Situation In Afghanistan On November 8, 2020 (Map Update)

Click to see the full-size image A brief overview of the recent developments in Afghanistan : • At least four @ @ @ @ @ and six more were wounded in Taliban attacks in different areas in the northern province @ @ @ @ @ 24 hours , according to Afghan security sources ; • The Special Inspector General for @ @ @ @ @ said that the Taliban violence increased by 50 % in the past three months compared @ @ @ @ @ • On November 7 , an IED blast killed at least three civilians in Kabul @ @ @ @ @ responsibility for the attack ; • On November 8 , clashes between Taliban and Afghan @ @ @ @ @ Maywand area ; • On November 8 , 2 civilians were killed by an IED @ @ @ @ @ .
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A brief overview of the recent developments in Afghanistan:
At least four security forces members were killed and six more were wounded in Taliban attacks in different areas in the northern province of Baghlan in the last 24 hours, according to Afghan security sources;
The Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) said that the Taliban violence increased by 50% in the past three months compared to the previous period;
On November 7, an IED blast killed at least three civilians in Kabul. Taliban has not claimed responsibility for the attack;
On November 8, clashes between Taliban and Afghan forces were reported in the Maywand area;
On November 8, 2 civilians were killed by an IED explosion in the Ghor area.
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southfront--2020-11-09--In Video: Azerbaijani Troops Raise Flag Over Amrenian Stronghold Of Shusha

The Armenian defense in the central part of the Nagorno-Karabakh region officially collapsed .
The Azerbaijani Defense Ministry released a @ @ @ @ @ over the town of Shusha , just south of the capital of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic @ @ @ @ @ still claim that an intense fighting has been ongoing in the Shusha area .
However @ @ @ @ @ town shows that the town is empty .
Therefore , this fighting likely already moved @ @ @ @ @ the town .
MORE ON THE TOPIC : • Shusha Remains Out Of Reach But @ @ @ @ @ Sides

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UPDATE: A press secretary of the President of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (Republic of Artsakh), Vahram Poghosyan, confirmed that Armenian forces have lost control of Shusha. Meanwhile, Armenian military blogs and patriotic media still deny this citing ‘own sources’.
***
The Armenian defense in the central part of the Nagorno-Karabakh region officially collapsed. The Azerbaijani Defense Ministry released a first video confirming its control over the town of Shusha, just south of the capital of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, Stepanakert.
Armenian sources still claim that an intense fighting has been ongoing in the Shusha area. However, the video from the town shows that the town is empty. Therefore, this fighting likely already moved towards the northern countryside of the town.
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southfront--2020-11-09--Military Situation In Syria On November 9, 2020 (Map Update)

Click to see the full-size image A brief overview of the recent developments in Syria : • On November 9 @ @ @ @ @ were hit by an IED attack in the Markadah area allegedly killing 4 US troops @ @ @ @ @ denied reports about the US casualties ; • On November 8 , the Turkish Army @ @ @ @ @ in the Qabtan mountain ; • On November 8 , the Syrian Democratic Forces ( @ @ @ @ @ security operation in the Busayrah area arresting 3 ISIS members ; • On November 8 @ @ @ @ @ SAA ) artillery shelled Turkish-backed forces positions in the Nayrab and Afis areas .
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A brief overview of the recent developments in Syria:
On November 9, a US military convoy were hit by an IED attack in the Markadah area allegedly killing 4 US troops. The US-led coaliton spokesperson denied reports about the US casualties;
On November 8, the Turkish Army started evacuating its observation post in the Qabtan mountain;
On November 8, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) carried out a security operation in the Busayrah area arresting 3 ISIS members;
On November 8, Syrian Arab Army (SAA) artillery shelled Turkish-backed forces positions in the Nayrab and Afis areas.
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southfront--2020-11-09--Putin And Assad Hold Video Conference: Refugees, Reconstruction And Terrorism

During the meeting , the two leaders spoke about several things : • Russia continues to make efforts to normalize the situation in Syria , Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a videoconference meeting with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad .
This is a typical statement , and it is obviously true , since Russian patrols and specialists continue operating .
• Putin assured Assad that said that the task of post-conflict reconstruction of the SAR is of great importance .
There ’ s no change here , Russia still plans on assisting in the reconstruction .
• He praised the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Astana format on Syria , noting that much has been achieved , the hotbed of terrorism has been eliminated .
“ In this regard , one can not fail to note the effective work carried out within the framework of the Astana format with the participation of our partners from Iran and Turkey .
By joint efforts , we have managed to achieve a lot : the hotbed of international terrorism in Syria has actually been eliminated , the level of violence has been significantly reduced , and a peaceful life is being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ underway under the auspices of the United Nations , ” Putin said .
This is quite a dubious statement , since it is quite obvious that the hotbed of terrorism isn ’ t eliminated , since Idlib is still quite infested with extremists .
• Russia fully supports the holding of an international conference on refugees , the delegation from the Russian Federation will be one of the largest , Russian leader Vladimir Putin said during a meeting with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad .
It is questionable that the conference will lead to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of terrorists being solved .
Putin assured that Russia fully supports the holding of an international conference on refugees , the delegation from the Russian Federation will be one of the largest , Russian leader Vladimir Putin said during a meeting with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad .
Putin said that now there is a good opportunity to ensure the massive return of refugees to Syria , but it is important that this process proceeds naturally , without coercion .
He specified that over 850 thousand Syrian citizens returned from abroad , and more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ places of permanent residence inside the country .
• Outside Syria , there are more than 6.5 million refugees , most of them able-bodied citizens , and that is an issue .
“ Today , unfortunately , there are more than 6.5 million refugees outside Syria .
The vast majority of them are able-bodied citizens who could and should participate in the reconstruction of their country , ” Putin said .
“ In addition , their return meets the internal interests of the host states , primarily the neighbors of Syria .
Since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , they have to bear significant costs for the temporary accommodation and provision of the Syrians , ” the Russian president added .
In response , Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said the following : “ I am delighted to host this videoconference with you today , especially in the run-up to the International Conference on Refugees , which will be convened in Damascus in the coming days .
Thank you for your attention to this problem – the problem of refugees .
This is a humanitarian problem , but many countries around the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But this is a national problem , and all the authorities in Syria are interested in solving it .
This is one of the main priorities of our government in the next period , especially after a significant part of the territory of the Syrian Arab Republic was liberated and we were able to eradicate terrorism in these territories .
Naturally , this issue is a priority , but apart from this issue , we would naturally like to discuss other issues .
As you know , Mr. President , many refugees , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ terrorism ; others fled because infrastructure was destroyed and they lost their jobs .
We continue to maintain direct contacts with a large part of the states in which these refugees live .
We know that they are trying to return to the country .
They are very eager to return , especially after Syria has provided certain perks that stimulate the return process .
However , the problem is that terrorism remains in some regions of our country , along with the fact that there is an economic blockade against Syria and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ does not help us to provide for the primary needs of Syrian refugees .
Schools are closed and destroyed , and in principle it is difficult to provide priority services .
In addition , refugees who return must have certain horizons in front of them for a normal life , and the problem is that the embargo imposed by the West presents a huge difficulty in the implementation of these tasks .
We pin great hopes on this conference , we hope that the results will be practical .
The Syrians are not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enthusiasm want to implement practical agreements in the coming months immediately after the conference .
And we know that most of the refugees support the Syrian government , but , unfortunately , now the conditions do not allow them to return .
We appreciate the interest of other states to participate in this conference .
We hope that there will be an opportunity to ease the current economic embargo or break it through joint efforts in order to create suitable conditions for the return of refugees .
Once again , Mr. President , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contact you , thank you for the attention that you and the Russian Federation , the leadership of the Russian Federation devote to this issue and , despite all the international pressure on international sanctions against this conference , you are helping us organize it .
We are confident that this will be successful , and are focused on further cooperation with the Russian Federation and other interested states on this issue .
And we are sure that , by analogy with the results of World War II , the truth is ours @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it .
Thank you once again for supporting Damascus , supporting the Government of the Syrian Arab Republic in overcoming this crisis , in post-conflict reconstruction and the return of refugees.
” The refugees were the main topic of discussion , with Assad saying that great parts of Syria were liberated from terrorist presence , but that the job was not yet completed .
“ However , the problem is that terrorism remains in some regions of our country , along with the fact that there is an economic blockade against Syria and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ does not help us to provide for the primary needs of Syrian refugees .
Schools are closed and destroyed , and in principle it is difficult to provide priority services.
” As such , the fight against terrorism will continue , and true return of refugees , as well as reconstruction can begin then , according to Assad .
Both leaders had a positive discussion that appeared focused mostly on humanitarian issues , judging by the press releases .
MORE ON THE TOPIC : • Syrian Authorities Uncovered More Than 30 TOW Guided @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Photos ) • Greater Idlib Militants Killed Dozens Of Syrian Soldiers Since Last Month : Russian Reconciliation Center

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On November 9th, Russian President Vladimir Putin held a video conference meeting with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
During the meeting, the two leaders spoke about several things:
Russia continues to make efforts to normalize the situation in Syria, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a videoconference meeting with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
“Russia continues to make active efforts to promote a long-term settlement in the Syrian Republic, to restore its sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity,” Putin said.
This is a typical statement, and it is obviously true, since Russian patrols and specialists continue operating.
Putin assured Assad that said that the task of post-conflict reconstruction of the SAR is of great importance.
“The task of post-conflict reconstruction of Syria is of fundamental importance at this stage, and first of all, the return home of Syrian refugees and internally displaced persons. As you know, this is one of the key conditions of the fundamental UN Security Council Resolutions 2254,” Putin said.
There’s no change here, Russia still plans on assisting in the reconstruction.
He praised the effective work in the framework of the Astana format on Syria, noting that much has been achieved, the hotbed of terrorism has been eliminated.
“In this regard, one cannot fail to note the effective work carried out within the framework of the Astana format with the participation of our partners from Iran and Turkey. By joint efforts, we have managed to achieve a lot: the hotbed of international terrorism in Syria has actually been eliminated, the level of violence has been significantly reduced, and a peaceful life is being established. an inclusive political process is underway under the auspices of the United Nations,” Putin said.
This is quite a dubious statement, since it is quite obvious that the hotbed of terrorism isn’t eliminated, since Idlib is still quite infested with extremists.
Russia fully supports the holding of an international conference on refugees, the delegation from the Russian Federation will be one of the largest, Russian leader Vladimir Putin said during a meeting with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
“Russia fully supports this event, actively assists in its preparation and holding. Representatives of many states, as well as the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross, have confirmed their participation,” Putin said, referring to the International Conference on Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons, which will take place on November 11 and 12 in Damascus.
It is questionable that the conference will lead to anything conclusive, without the actual issue of terrorists being solved.
Putin assured that Russia fully supports the holding of an international conference on refugees, the delegation from the Russian Federation will be one of the largest, Russian leader Vladimir Putin said during a meeting with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
Putin said that now there is a good opportunity to ensure the massive return of refugees to Syria, but it is important that this process proceeds naturally, without coercion.
He specified that over 850 thousand Syrian citizens returned from abroad, and more than 1.3 million people returned to their places of permanent residence inside the country.
Outside Syria, there are more than 6.5 million refugees, most of them able-bodied citizens, and that is an issue.
“Today, unfortunately, there are more than 6.5 million refugees outside Syria. The vast majority of them are able-bodied citizens who could and should participate in the reconstruction of their country,” Putin said. “In addition, their return meets the internal interests of the host states, primarily the neighbors of Syria. Since the burden on them is quite serious, they have to bear significant costs for the temporary accommodation and provision of the Syrians,” the Russian president added.
In response, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said the following:
“I am delighted to host this videoconference with you today, especially in the run-up to the International Conference on Refugees, which will be convened in Damascus in the coming days. Thank you for your attention to this problem – the problem of refugees. This is a humanitarian problem, but many countries around the world are trying to politicize it. But this is a national problem, and all the authorities in Syria are interested in solving it. This is one of the main priorities of our government in the next period, especially after a significant part of the territory of the Syrian Arab Republic was liberated and we were able to eradicate terrorism in these territories. Naturally, this issue is a priority, but apart from this issue, we would naturally like to discuss other issues. As you know, Mr. President, many refugees, many IDPs have fled for fear of terrorism; others fled because infrastructure was destroyed and they lost their jobs. We continue to maintain direct contacts with a large part of the states in which these refugees live. We know that they are trying to return to the country. They are very eager to return, especially after Syria has provided certain perks that stimulate the return process. However, the problem is that terrorism remains in some regions of our country, along with the fact that there is an economic blockade against Syria and a blockade against its people – this does not help us to provide for the primary needs of Syrian refugees. Schools are closed and destroyed, and in principle it is difficult to provide priority services. In addition, refugees who return must have certain horizons in front of them for a normal life, and the problem is that the embargo imposed by the West presents a huge difficulty in the implementation of these tasks. We pin great hopes on this conference, we hope that the results will be practical. The Syrians are not only ready, but also with great enthusiasm want to implement practical agreements in the coming months immediately after the conference. And we know that most of the refugees support the Syrian government, but, unfortunately, now the conditions do not allow them to return. We appreciate the interest of other states to participate in this conference. We hope that there will be an opportunity to ease the current economic embargo or break it through joint efforts in order to create suitable conditions for the return of refugees. Once again, Mr. President, I thank you for this opportunity to contact you, thank you for the attention that you and the Russian Federation, the leadership of the Russian Federation devote to this issue and, despite all the international pressure on international sanctions against this conference, you are helping us organize it. We are confident that this will be successful, and are focused on further cooperation with the Russian Federation and other interested states on this issue. And we are sure that, by analogy with the results of World War II, the truth is ours and we will be able to defend it. Thank you once again for supporting Damascus, supporting the Government of the Syrian Arab Republic in overcoming this crisis, in post-conflict reconstruction and the return of refugees.”
The refugees were the main topic of discussion, with Assad saying that great parts of Syria were liberated from terrorist presence, but that the job was not yet completed.
“However, the problem is that terrorism remains in some regions of our country, along with the fact that there is an economic blockade against Syria and a blockade against its people – this does not help us to provide for the primary needs of Syrian refugees. Schools are closed and destroyed, and in principle it is difficult to provide priority services.”
As such, the fight against terrorism will continue, and true return of refugees, as well as reconstruction can begin then, according to Assad.
Both leaders had a positive discussion that appeared focused mostly on humanitarian issues, judging by the press releases.
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southfront--2020-11-09--Armenian-Azerbaijani War: Military Situation In Nagorno-Karabakh On November 9, 2020

Click to see the full-size image A brief summary of the recent developments in the Azerbaijani-Armenian war .
The town of Shusha seems to be remaining contested despite the recent claims of the Azerbaijani leadership that it is under full control of Azerbaijan .
• On September 27-November 9 , 93 civilians were killed , 407 others were injured , 3326 residential buildings , 504 civilian objects , 120 apartment buildings were damaged as a result of Armenian actions , according to Azerbaijan ; • On November 8 , Turkish foreign and defense Ministers met with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , clashes between Azerbaijan and Armenian forces were ongoing south of Martuni ; • On November 9 , clashes between Azerbaijan and Armenian forces continued near Shusha ; • On November 9 , Azerbaijan artillery shelled the city of Stepanakert ; • On November 9 , Azerbaijan army reportedly captured : – Gobu Dilagarda , Yal Pirehmedli , Yuxari Yaglivend , Dilagarda , Seyid Mahmudlu and Elesgerli in the Fuzuli district ; – Demirchiler , Chanagchi , Medetkend and Signaq in the Khojaly district ; – Susanlig , Doni , Tug , Akaku @ @ @ @ @ @ @ – Huseynalilar , Soyudlu and Ashagi Sirik in the Jabrayil district ; – Yukhari Mollu , Ashagi Mollu and Khojik in the Qubadli district ; – Kechikli and Ordekli in the Zangilan district .
Click to see the full-size image MORE ON THE TOPIC : • In Numbers : Azerbaijani Claims About Armenian Losses In Nagorno-Karabakh War

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A brief summary of the recent developments in the Azerbaijani-Armenian war. The town of Shusha seems to be remaining contested despite the recent claims of the Azerbaijani leadership that it is under full control of Azerbaijan.
On September 27-November 9, 93 civilians were killed, 407 others were injured, 3326 residential buildings, 504 civilian objects, 120 apartment buildings were damaged as a result of Armenian actions, according to Azerbaijan;
On November 8, Turkish foreign and defense Ministers met with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in Baku;
On November 9, clashes between Azerbaijan and Armenian forces were ongoing south of Martuni;
On November 9, clashes between Azerbaijan and Armenian forces continued near Shusha;
On November 8, Armenian air defense systems shot down a Turkish Bayraktar TB2 drone;
On November 9, Azerbaijan artillery shelled the city of Stepanakert;
On November 9, Azerbaijan army reportedly captured:
– Gobu Dilagarda, Yal Pirehmedli, Yuxari Yaglivend, Dilagarda, Seyid Mahmudlu and Elesgerli in the Fuzuli district;
– Demirchiler, Chanagchi, Medetkend and Signaq in the Khojaly district;
– Susanlig, Doni, Tug, Akaku and Azikh in the Khojavend district;
– Huseynalilar, Soyudlu and Ashagi Sirik in the Jabrayil district;
– Yukhari Mollu, Ashagi Mollu and Khojik in the Qubadli district;
– Kechikli and Ordekli in the Zangilan district.
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southfront--2020-11-09--Official Footage Of IRGC’s Underground Ballistic Missile Bases Released

Iran ’ s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps ( IRG ) C Aerospace Forces of Iran showed footage from one of its underground missile bases , this was published by the semi-official Military Achievements Media in two videos providing a peak .
The system reloads and feeds Emad medium-range ballistic missiles from underground storage facilities to special rooms for launching missiles from underground .
Likely , it is assumed that while missiles are being launched from underground launch halls , at this time in other underground halls , launchers are being recharged with new missiles from underground storage facilities , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to launch halls for new launches .
The vertically-stowed missile “ magazine ” appears to bring groups of missiles into position for rapid , consecutive launching from the underground bunker , essentially .
The location of the facility seen in the latest imagery is unconfirmed , but Iran is known to have built underground caves to protect ballistic missiles operated by its Revolutionary Guards Corps in the past .
The Drive provided a short summary on what the system presumably is : “ The thinking behind the system seems to be to allow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Since the missiles on their individual platforms are ready to fire , there is no need to reload individual launchers using a crane or trans-loader .
The magazine method would potentially allow many more missiles to be fired from a single bunker while increasing the chances of the outbound missile strike overwhelming anti-ballistic missile defenses.
” As mentioned above , analysts identified the missiles as Emad liquid-fuel , medium-range ballistic missiles ( MRBM ) , a derivative of the Shahab-3 .
The Emad is reported to have a range of around 1,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of carrying a nuclear warhead if such a capability existed .
The Emad missile was apparently developed around a new re-entry vehicle ( RV ) fitted with fins to give it increased maneuverability , accuracy , and additional stability .
The missiles on the magazine assembly also appear to be separated by dividers , which could include all the umbilicals and pre-launch test equipment required for them to be fired in an autonomous , or near-autonomous manner .
This is not the first time the underground system is shown , as they could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in July 2020 .
MORE ON THE TOPIC : • Photographs Surface Of Iran ’ s Mysterious “ Missile 358 ” Was It Already Used ?

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Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Aerospace Forces of Iran showed footage from one of its underground missile bases, this was published by the semi-official Military Achievements Media in two videos providing a peak.
The system reloads and feeds Emad medium-range ballistic missiles from underground storage facilities to special rooms for launching missiles from underground.
Likely, it is assumed that while missiles are being launched from underground launch halls, at this time in other underground halls, launchers are being recharged with new missiles from underground storage facilities, which are then fed using a rail system to launch halls for new launches.
The vertically-stowed missile “magazine” appears to bring groups of missiles into position for rapid, consecutive launching from the underground bunker, essentially.
The location of the facility seen in the latest imagery is unconfirmed, but Iran is known to have built underground caves to protect ballistic missiles operated by its Revolutionary Guards Corps in the past.
The Drive provided a short summary on what the system presumably is:
“The thinking behind the system seems to be to allow launches of ballistic missiles in quick succession. Since the missiles on their individual platforms are ready to fire, there is no need to reload individual launchers using a crane or trans-loader. The magazine method would potentially allow many more missiles to be fired from a single bunker while increasing the chances of the outbound missile strike overwhelming anti-ballistic missile defenses.”
Close up on Iranian multi-missile movable underground launch platform. The dividers probably houses umbilicals and pre-launch test equipment. pic.twitter.com/yBYSPAqNzw — Tal Inbar (@inbarspace) November 4, 2020
As mentioned above, analysts identified the missiles as Emad liquid-fuel, medium-range ballistic missiles (MRBM), a derivative of the Shahab-3.
The Emad is reported to have a range of around 1,000 miles and is considered to be capable of carrying a nuclear warhead if such a capability existed.
The Emad missile was apparently developed around a new re-entry vehicle (RV) fitted with fins to give it increased maneuverability, accuracy, and additional stability.
The missiles on the magazine assembly also appear to be separated by dividers, which could include all the umbilicals and pre-launch test equipment required for them to be fired in an autonomous, or near-autonomous manner.
Loading of Emad ballistic missile on the 5-missile launcher. pic.twitter.com/pml5uQiNsP — Tal Inbar (@inbarspace) November 4, 2020
This is not the first time the underground system is shown, as they could also be seen during a drill back in July 2020.
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southfront--2020-11-09--In Numbers: Azerbaijani Claims About Armenian Losses In Nagorno-Karabakh War

Click to see the full-size image Azerbaijan does not provide regular summaries of its claims on the alleged Armenian casualties @ @ @ @ @ in the Nagorno-Karabakh region , which started on September 27 .
Nonetheless , daily reports @ @ @ @ @ make a summary of the Azerbaijani claims on the situation .
As of November 8 @ @ @ @ @ forces lost 535 vehicles , 111 battle tanks , 170 artillery pieces , 63 rocket @ @ @ @ @ air defense systems , 34 short/medium-range air defense systems , 4 Su-25 warplanes and 28 @ @ @ @ @ , Azerbaijan has not provided updates on the alleged personnel losses of Armenian forces .
@ @ @ @ @ number claimed in September was 2,300 .
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Azerbaijan does not provide regular summaries of its claims on the alleged Armenian casualties and losses in the war in the Nagorno-Karabakh region, which started on September 27. Nonetheless, daily reports released by Azerbaijan allow to make a summary of the Azerbaijani claims on the situation. As of November 8, Azerbaijan claimed that Armenian forces lost 535 vehicles, 111 battle tanks, 170 artillery pieces, 63 rocket launchers, 6 S-300 long-range air defense systems, 34 short/medium-range air defense systems, 4 Su-25 warplanes and 28 UAVs. Since September 30, Azerbaijan has not provided updates on the alleged personnel losses of Armenian forces. However, the most recent number claimed in September was 2,300.
Some recent videos showing Azerbaijani strikes on Armenian forces:
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southfront--2020-11-09--Shusha Remains Out Of Reach But Azerbaijan Keeps Pushing From All Sides

On November 9th , the Armenian forces reportedly struck and “ destroyed ” an Azerbaijani group near the village of Karin-Tak .
The Azeri side suffered heavy losses , according to Representative of the MoD of Armenia , Artsrun Hovhannisyan .
A video would presumably be available at some point .
A video was released showing the attitude of Azerbaijan ’ s forces towards the local population in Nagorno-Karabakh and the attitude towards the Orthodox Christians .
On the video below , Azerbaijani soldiers break the bell from the cross and say : On November 8th , Azerbaijan pushed Shusha @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make any progress on the city .
Backed by heavy artillery and attack drones , the Azerbaijani Armed Forces stormed the positions of the Artsakh Defense Army at the southwestern part of Shusha , in an attempt to crack the defense line .
Regardless , Azerbaijan released videos of Armenian equipment being destroyed in the area around Shusha .
On the night of November 8-9 , a mortar crew of the 10th mountain rifle division of the Armenian armed forces deployed to the firing point in Ulu Garabey ( formerly Metshen ) settlement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ positions of the Azerbaijan Army .
Our units destroyed the mortar and its crew at that firing point with a precise strike .
Shusha may be uncaptured , but some other positions were withdrawn from by Armenia .
These include positions and villages near Khojavend .
A high-ranking Armenian official was also presumably killed in an Azerbaijani strike in the Khojavend area .
To likely coordinate future actions , Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev the received Turkish Foreign Minister and Minister of National Defense .
“ As you know , it is a very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it is a historic day .
Today is the day of the liberation of Shusha .
It is particularly important that you are with us on such a day .
This is yet another example of brotherhood , yet another manifestation of brotherhood .
As always , we are together in both good days and difficult times .
This event once again shows how close our peoples are to each other , how close Turkey and Azerbaijan are to each other , ” he greeted them entirely falsely , since Shusha hasn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu was also quite vocal in supporting Azerbaijan ’ s efforts , not that it was any secret , to begin with .
“ Thank you very much for receiving us , Mr. President .
We are always very pleased to be in Baku and to meet with you .
But we are particularly pleased today because the heroic Azerbaijani Army under the leadership of its Commander-in-Chief , Your Excellency , has recaptured the ancient city of Shusha from Armenian occupiers .
Thus , we heartily congratulate the heroic Azerbaijani Army @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fraternal people of Azerbaijan , who stand behind the Commander-in-Chief and his heroic army on these difficult days , especially in the face of the missiles fired by Armenia.
” On November 9th , more announcements were made .
The operation to destroy the surrounded enemy forces in the Shusha direction continued .
On November 9 , our attack UAVs destroyed one tank and one IFV ( infantry fighting vehicle ) of the Armenian armed forces , which attempted to attack our units in order to break out of the encirclement near the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
We present video footage reflecting these moments .
President Aliyev also published a list of new villages that were reportedly captured .
There is also a version in English : MORE ON THE TOPIC : • Winter May Be Armenian Last Hope To Stop Azerbaijani Attack

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On November 9th, the Armenian forces reportedly struck and “destroyed” an Azerbaijani group near the village of Karin-Tak.
The Azeri side suffered heavy losses, according to Representative of the MoD of Armenia, Artsrun Hovhannisyan. A video would presumably be available at some point.
“In addition to Shushi, battles are held in other areas. Artsakh Defense Army threw back the opponent during their attempt to attack in the directions of Martuni, Martakert and Tagavard. Heavy battles are happening in all directions,” Hovhannisyan said.
A video was released showing the attitude of Azerbaijan’s forces towards the local population in Nagorno-Karabakh and the attitude towards the Orthodox Christians.
On the video below, Azerbaijani soldiers break the bell from the cross and say:
“I will hang it on the chest of your (Armenian) mother. If mom is dead, then I will hang it on your wife, on your daughter. “
On November 8th, Azerbaijan pushed Shusha heavily, but were reportedly unable to make any progress on the city.
Backed by heavy artillery and attack drones, the Azerbaijani Armed Forces stormed the positions of the Artsakh Defense Army at the southwestern part of Shusha, in an attempt to crack the defense line.
Regardless, Azerbaijan released videos of Armenian equipment being destroyed in the area around Shusha.
On the night of November 8-9, a mortar crew of the 10th mountain rifle division of the Armenian armed forces deployed to the firing point in Ulu Garabey (formerly Metshen) settlement of the Terter region fired at the positions of the Azerbaijan Army. Our units destroyed the mortar and its crew at that firing point with a precise strike.
Shusha may be uncaptured, but some other positions were withdrawn from by Armenia.
These include positions and villages near Khojavend.
A high-ranking Armenian official was also presumably killed in an Azerbaijani strike in the Khojavend area.
To likely coordinate future actions, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev the received Turkish Foreign Minister and Minister of National Defense.
“As you know, it is a very important day for our people today, it is a historic day. Today is the day of the liberation of Shusha. It is particularly important that you are with us on such a day. This is yet another example of brotherhood, yet another manifestation of brotherhood. As always, we are together in both good days and difficult times. This event once again shows how close our peoples are to each other, how close Turkey and Azerbaijan are to each other,” he greeted them entirely falsely, since Shusha hasn’t been captured.
The Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu was also quite vocal in supporting Azerbaijan’s efforts, not that it was any secret, to begin with.
“Thank you very much for receiving us, Mr. President. We are always very pleased to be in Baku and to meet with you. But we are particularly pleased today because the heroic Azerbaijani Army under the leadership of its Commander-in-Chief, Your Excellency, has recaptured the ancient city of Shusha from Armenian occupiers. Thus, we heartily congratulate the heroic Azerbaijani Army, you as the Commander-in-Chief and the fraternal people of Azerbaijan, who stand behind the Commander-in-Chief and his heroic army on these difficult days, especially in the face of the missiles fired by Armenia.”
On November 9th, more announcements were made.
The operation to destroy the surrounded enemy forces in the Shusha direction continued. On November 9, our attack UAVs destroyed one tank and one IFV (infantry fighting vehicle) of the Armenian armed forces, which attempted to attack our units in order to break out of the encirclement near the village of Zarisli on the Lachin-Shusha road. We present video footage reflecting these moments.
President Aliyev also published a list of new villages that were reportedly captured.
There is also a version in English:
Azikh villages of Khojavend, Huseynalilar, Soyudlu and Ashagi Sirik villages of Jabrayil, Yukhari Mollu, Ashagi Mollu and Khojik villages of Gubadli, Kechikli and Ordekli villages of Zengilan. Long live Azerbaijan’s Armed Forces! Karabakh is Azerbaijan! — Ilham Aliyev (@presidentaz) November 9, 2020
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southfront--2020-11-09--Biden’s Victory: A Eunuch Presidency Beckons

Whatever was set to happen on November 3 , President Donald J. Trump would not lose .
Falling in that establishment firebreak against democracy known as the Electoral College would not erase , let alone repudiate him .
His now victorious opponent , far from convincing , strengthened by only one fact – not being Trump – remains a projection of all the unresolved problems of the republic .
A Joe Biden presidency promises to be a return , not a progression .
But a glance at the US electoral map suggests no easy pathway to political amnesia .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump will be a hard statistic to ignore ; even harder for the new administration will be the Republicans in the House of Representatives and Senate .
The high priests and priestesses of news at CNN attempted to strangle any suggestion that they had gotten the election so horribly wrong .
Embarrassment would not be countenanced ; Biden , despite struggling in various key states in the initial count , would come through on the mail-in ballots so vigorously slandered by Trump .
CNN anchor Jake Tapper could not be accused of any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ administration as a “ time of extreme divisions… it ’ s a time of several significant and utterly avoidable failures , most tragically , of course , the unwillingness to accept the facts and science and do everything that can be done to save lives during a pandemic.
” A “ long national nightmare ” for Americans had concluded .
What various networks were loath to admit was how Trump , despite the pandemic calamity , the worst economic performance since the Great Depression , the misinformation , the conspiracies , the misogyny @ @ @ @ @ @ @ corruption , could still outperform his own showing in 2016 by millions of votes .
Trump ’ s performance till January , before the pandemic struck , was such as to make the Democratic challenge indefeasibly weak .
As Luke Savage suggests in , “ Had the virus never hit and the situation that prevailed in January remained – which saw Trump ’ s economic approval rating rise to levels not seen by any president for two decades – there can be little doubt that the former host of TV ’ s would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ road to a second term.
” Biden , straightjacketed by the DNC establishment , barely disturbed the policy manual .
As good parts of the West Coast burned , he uttered pieties on climate change while refusing to saddle himself to the Green New Deal , preferring his own “ Biden Green Deal ” .
He also rejected Medicare for All and held out on the issue of abolishing the legislative filibuster .
On the issue of whether he would expand the Supreme Court beyond nine justices , he suggested the creation of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this , a nod of approval was made to Trumpist rhetoric in an effort to lure back rust belt voters : the “ Buy America ” plan making US manufacturing “ the Arsenal of American Prosperity ” .
The elections for Congress did nothing to indicate that Trumpism had been washed blue .
Quite the opposite .
The cash expended on attempting to dislodge various GOP Senate incumbents went begging .
Lindsey Graham held firm in South Carolina ; likewise Joni Ernst of Iowa .
Susan Collins survived in Maine , despite the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the tune of $ 130 million .
( Collins received $ 76 million . )
The Democrats actually lost five seats in the House of Representatives .
Such outcomes prompted Eric Levitz to remark that , “ The 2020 election was likely a nigh-catastrophic setback for progressive politics in the United States.
” The results reveal a reorientation in US politics that Biden ’ s team will struggle to cope with .
So will some Republicans , who find themselves , according to Steve Bannon , architect of Trump ’ s 2016 victory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri certainly thinks so , making the claim on Election Day that , “ We are a working class party now .
That ’ s the future.
” Trump did increase his share of the vote , but the composition was not identical to that of 2016 .
An increased base among Latino voters in Texas and Florida was secured , suggesting the failure of the Democrats to convince them of Trump ’ s racist credentials .
There was a rise in Black American votes for Trump , notably @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Matter protests .
Biden can also claim to have snared some former Republicans , notably of the middle-class , who found Trump a meal too rich to digest .
Democrats seemed to better the Republicans in numerous suburban counties .
The remarks by the Biden-Harris team on the occasion of declaring victory did little to suggest a patching up of differences , a desire to understand the voters who cast their ballots for Trump .
The illusion of “ people power ” was promoted by Kamala Harris .
She also positioned the Democrats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the sneer against Trump ’ s voters .
A vote for the Democrats was one for “ truth ” and “ science ” .
By implication , those who voted against the Democrats were ignoramuses .
Identity politics was reiterated : race , colour , sex .
The lines in the sand , affirmed again .
Then came Biden , wishing to look more alive than not by running to the podium .
Had he received a jab or two , a handy stimulant ?
Certainly , the commander-in-chief to be would have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In animated , forced fashion , he claimed that a “ clear victory ” had been achieved .
He spoke of an “ outpouring ” of joy across the globe .
He promised to unify the country , again claiming that he was colour blind to “ Blue States ” and “ Red States ” .
The electoral jigsaw suggests something glaringly different .
He thanked the African-American vote that always had his back as he had theirs .
Identity markers were carefully inserted into the speech : African-American , White , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ straight , transgender , gay .
This would have had Mark Lilla rolling his eyes , having warned in 2016 that celebrating diversity is “ a splendid principle of moral pedagogy but disastrous as a foundation for democratic politics in our ideological age.
” There was the briefest mention to Trump supporters : “ time to lower the temperature again.
” He called for a “ fair shot ” .
Enemies were not to be found , only Americans .
Forces of fairness , science and hope were to be mastered .
Scientists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the transition team to “ turn around this pandemic ” .
He wished to “ restore the soul of America ” .
Then , predictably , the words of his grandfather to him to “ keep the faith ” ; and of his grandmother , to spread it .
More than faith , kept or spread , will be required .
What this election victory for Biden promises is a eunuch presidency , one weak and emasculated before it begins .
Anticipate deadlock and the agitations of continued tribalism .
Trumpism , maddeningly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ever threatening to bromide politics .
Dr. Binoy Kampmark was a Commonwealth Scholar at Selwyn College , Cambridge .
He lectures at RMIT University , Melbourne .
Email : bkampmark @ gmail.com MORE ON THE TOPIC : • Kerry For Climate Chief , Buttigieg For Veterans , Yates For DOJ : An Early Look At The Biden Cabinet • Victory Of Elites And Loss Of People : ‘ Global Leaders ’ And MSM Celebrate Alleged Biden Victory .
Trump Declares Resistance

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Submitted by Dr. Binoy Kampmark
Whatever was set to happen on November 3, President Donald J. Trump would not lose. Falling in that establishment firebreak against democracy known as the Electoral College would not erase, let alone repudiate him. His now victorious opponent, far from convincing, strengthened by only one fact – not being Trump – remains a projection of all the unresolved problems of the republic.
A Joe Biden presidency promises to be a return, not a progression. But a glance at the US electoral map suggests no easy pathway to political amnesia. A vote count shy of 71 million for Trump will be a hard statistic to ignore; even harder for the new administration will be the Republicans in the House of Representatives and Senate. The high priests and priestesses of news at CNN attempted to strangle any suggestion that they had gotten the election so horribly wrong. Embarrassment would not be countenanced; Biden, despite struggling in various key states in the initial count, would come through on the mail-in ballots so vigorously slandered by Trump.
CNN anchor Jake Tapper could not be accused of any complexity, preferring to summarise the Trump administration as a “time of extreme divisions… it’s a time of several significant and utterly avoidable failures, most tragically, of course, the unwillingness to accept the facts and science and do everything that can be done to save lives during a pandemic.” A “long national nightmare” for Americans had concluded.
What various networks were loath to admit was how Trump, despite the pandemic calamity, the worst economic performance since the Great Depression, the misinformation, the conspiracies, the misogyny, the racist claims, scandals and corruption, could still outperform his own showing in 2016 by millions of votes.
Trump’s performance till January, before the pandemic struck, was such as to make the Democratic challenge indefeasibly weak. As Luke Savage suggests in Jacobin, “Had the virus never hit and the situation that prevailed in January remained – which saw Trump’s economic approval rating rise to levels not seen by any president for two decades – there can be little doubt that the former host of TV’s The Apprentice would have flattened the hapless Biden on his road to a second term.”
Biden, straightjacketed by the DNC establishment, barely disturbed the policy manual. As good parts of the West Coast burned, he uttered pieties on climate change while refusing to saddle himself to the Green New Deal, preferring his own “Biden Green Deal”. He also rejected Medicare for All and held out on the issue of abolishing the legislative filibuster. On the issue of whether he would expand the Supreme Court beyond nine justices, he suggested the creation of a national commission. But in all this, a nod of approval was made to Trumpist rhetoric in an effort to lure back rust belt voters: the “Buy America” plan making US manufacturing “the Arsenal of American Prosperity”.
The elections for Congress did nothing to indicate that Trumpism had been washed blue. Quite the opposite. The cash expended on attempting to dislodge various GOP Senate incumbents went begging. Lindsey Graham held firm in South Carolina; likewise Joni Ernst of Iowa. Susan Collins survived in Maine, despite the challenge from Sara Gideon, funded to the tune of $130 million. (Collins received $76 million.) The Democrats actually lost five seats in the House of Representatives. Such outcomes prompted Eric Levitz to remark that, “The 2020 election was likely a nigh-catastrophic setback for progressive politics in the United States.”
The results reveal a reorientation in US politics that Biden’s team will struggle to cope with. So will some Republicans, who find themselves, according to Steve Bannon, architect of Trump’s 2016 victory, a “working class party.” Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri certainly thinks so, making the claim on Election Day that, “We are a working class party now. That’s the future.”
Trump did increase his share of the vote, but the composition was not identical to that of 2016. An increased base among Latino voters in Texas and Florida was secured, suggesting the failure of the Democrats to convince them of Trump’s racist credentials. There was a rise in Black American votes for Trump, notably amongst males, despite the Black Lives Matter protests. Biden can also claim to have snared some former Republicans, notably of the middle-class, who found Trump a meal too rich to digest. Democrats seemed to better the Republicans in numerous suburban counties.
The remarks by the Biden-Harris team on the occasion of declaring victory did little to suggest a patching up of differences, a desire to understand the voters who cast their ballots for Trump. The illusion of “people power” was promoted by Kamala Harris. She also positioned the Democrats in such a manner as to continue the sneer against Trump’s voters. A vote for the Democrats was one for “truth” and “science”. By implication, those who voted against the Democrats were ignoramuses. Identity politics was reiterated: race, colour, sex. The lines in the sand, affirmed again.
Then came Biden, wishing to look more alive than not by running to the podium. Had he received a jab or two, a handy stimulant? Certainly, the commander-in-chief to be would have to dispel notions of lethargy and sleepiness. In animated, forced fashion, he claimed that a “clear victory” had been achieved. He spoke of an “outpouring” of joy across the globe. He promised to unify the country, again claiming that he was colour blind to “Blue States” and “Red States”. The electoral jigsaw suggests something glaringly different.
He thanked the African-American vote that always had his back as he had theirs. Identity markers were carefully inserted into the speech: African-American, White, Latino, Asian, Native American, straight, transgender, gay. This would have had Mark Lilla rolling his eyes, having warned in 2016 that celebrating diversity is “a splendid principle of moral pedagogy but disastrous as a foundation for democratic politics in our ideological age.”
There was the briefest mention to Trump supporters: “time to lower the temperature again.” He called for a “fair shot”. Enemies were not to be found, only Americans. Forces of fairness, science and hope were to be mastered. Scientists were to be appointed as advisors to the transition team to “turn around this pandemic”. He wished to “restore the soul of America”. Then, predictably, the words of his grandfather to him to “keep the faith”; and of his grandmother, to spread it.
More than faith, kept or spread, will be required. What this election victory for Biden promises is a eunuch presidency, one weak and emasculated before it begins. Anticipate deadlock and the agitations of continued tribalism. Trumpism, maddeningly, will linger behind the curtain, ever threatening to bromide politics.
Dr. Binoy Kampmark was a Commonwealth Scholar at Selwyn College, Cambridge. He lectures at RMIT University, Melbourne. Email: bkampmark@gmail.com
MORE ON THE TOPIC:
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