southfront--2020-07-03--IED Attack Targeted U.S. Convoy In Deir Ezzor: Syrian State News Agency

On July 3 , a convoy of U.S. forces was attacked in the eastern Deir Ezzor countryside , according to the Syrian Arab News Agency ( SANA ) .
The state-run agency claimed that the convoy was targeted with an improvised explosive device near Issa al-Asmanni gas station in the town of Sabhah .
The agency has not yet provided any further information on the incident .
According to Twitter user Status-6 , a spokesman for the U.S.-led coalition claimed that the statement made by the SANA was likely false .
Last April , the SANA reported a similar attack @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ezzor .
Back then , the U.S.-led coalition denied that any attack took place , calling the statements “ fake news.
” The SANA didn ’ t provide any solid evidence to back its claims .
Although no concrete timeline has been publicly announced , the Trump administration has signaled its intention to pull U.S. military forces out of the country .
Around 500 U.S. troops are still deployed in northeast Syria , supposedly to counter ISIS and “ guard ” major oil fields in the region .
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On July 3, a convoy of U.S. forces was attacked in the eastern Deir Ezzor countryside, according to the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA).
The state-run agency claimed that the convoy was targeted with an improvised explosive device near Issa al-Asmanni gas station in the town of Sabhah. The agency has not yet provided any further information on the incident.
According to Twitter user Status-6, a spokesman for the U.S.-led coalition claimed that the statement made by the SANA was likely false.
“Any reports about U.S. convoy being ambushed or struck by an IED in Deir Ezzor countryside today are most likely false,” Status-6 quoted Col. Myles B. Caggins III as saying.
Last April, the SANA reported a similar attack on a U.S. convoy in eastern Deir Ezzor. Back then, the U.S.-led coalition denied that any attack took place, calling the statements “fake news.” The SANA didn’t provide any solid evidence to back its claims.
Although no concrete timeline has been publicly announced, the Trump administration has signaled its intention to pull U.S. military forces out of the country. Around 500 U.S. troops are still deployed in northeast Syria, supposedly to counter ISIS and “guard” major oil fields in the region.
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southfront--2020-07-03--Iranian Forces Recruited 11 000 Fighters In Eastern and Southern Syria: SOHR Claims

Iranian forces and Lebanon ’ s Hezbollah had recruited more than 11,000 fighters in eastern and southern Syria , the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights ( SOHR ) claimed in a report released on July 3 .
According to the London-based monitoring group , 6,600 fighters were recruited in the eastern governorate of Deir Ezzor and 5,100 in the southern governorates of Daraa and al-Quneitra .
Recruits in Deir Ezzor were locals from the Middle Euphrates River Valley .
Most of them are from towns and villages located between the cities of al-Mayadin and al-Bukamal in the southern countryside .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ are recruiting the locals through its proxy groups like the al-Arin Regiments and the 313th Brigade .
Recruitment offices are located in the towns of Saida , Dael and Izraa .
“ The repeated Israeli strikes on Iranian forces in Syria ’ s territory , and the losses inflicted on them [ Iranian forces ] as a result , didn ’ t stop them or limit their influence … Iran is refusing to submit and leave Syria and is only changing its positions from time to time , ” the SOHR ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strong presence in southern Deir Ezzor .
Quds Force commander , Brigadier General Esmail Ghaani , paid a visit to the region on June 27 .
However , Iranian presence in southern Syria is not that significant .
The numbers provided by the SOHR have not been verified by any independent group .
These claims appear to be a part of the ongoing propaganda campaign against Iranian presence in Syria .
MORE ON THIS TOPIC : • Turkish-Backed Factions Take Advantage Of Greater Idlib Ceasefire To Train New Fighters ( Video , Photos @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Of Positions In Southern Damascus Report

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Iranian forces and Lebanon’s Hezbollah had recruited more than 11,000 fighters in eastern and southern Syria, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) claimed in a report released on July 3.
According to the London-based monitoring group, 6,600 fighters were recruited in the eastern governorate of Deir Ezzor and 5,100 in the southern governorates of Daraa and al-Quneitra.
Recruits in Deir Ezzor were locals from the Middle Euphrates River Valley. Most of them are from towns and villages located between the cities of al-Mayadin and al-Bukamal in the southern countryside.
In Daraa and al-Quneitra, Iranian forces are recruiting the locals through its proxy groups like the al-Arin Regiments and the 313th Brigade. Recruitment offices are located in the towns of Saida, Dael and Izraa.
“The repeated Israeli strikes on Iranian forces in Syria’s territory, and the losses inflicted on them [Iranian forces] as a result, didn’t stop them or limit their influence … Iran is refusing to submit and leave Syria and is only changing its positions from time to time,” the SOHR’s report reads.
Iranian forces maintain a strong presence in southern Deir Ezzor. Quds Force commander, Brigadier General Esmail Ghaani, paid a visit to the region on June 27. However, Iranian presence in southern Syria is not that significant.
The numbers provided by the SOHR have not been verified by any independent group. These claims appear to be a part of the ongoing propaganda campaign against Iranian presence in Syria.
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southfront--2020-07-03--Rare Attack Leaves Five Syrian Service Members Dead, Wounded In Northern Homs

Late on July 2 , unidentified gunmen attacked a checkpoint of pro-government forces in the town of Talbiseh in the @ @ @ @ @ gunmen , who were riding motorcycles , targeted the so-called al-Madrasah checkpoint with their assault @ @ @ @ @ only a few minutes .
All the gunmen managed to flee the scene .
According @ @ @ @ @ for Human Rights , a Syrian service member was killed and at least four others @ @ @ @ @ .
These claims have not yet been confirmed by official sources .
The Syrian Arab @ @ @ @ @ Talbiseh and the remaining militants ’ strongholds in northern Homs in 2018 following a reconciliation @ @ @ @ @ The radicals were deported to Greater Idlib and Turkish-occupied areas in northern Aleppo .
The @ @ @ @ @ forces or returned to civilian life .
The attack on al-Madrasah checkpoint may have been @ @ @ @ @ differences , since no terrorist group is known to be active in northern Homs .
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Late on July 2, unidentified gunmen attacked a checkpoint of pro-government forces in the town of Talbiseh in the northern Homs countryside.
The gunmen, who were riding motorcycles, targeted the so-called al-Madrasah checkpoint with their assault rifles. The attack lasted only a few minutes. All the gunmen managed to flee the scene.
According to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Syrian service member was killed and at least four others were injured in the attack. These claims have not yet been confirmed by official sources.
The Syrian Arab Army entered the town of Talbiseh and the remaining militants’ strongholds in northern Homs in 2018 following a reconciliation agreement brokered by Russia. The radicals were deported to Greater Idlib and Turkish-occupied areas in northern Aleppo. The remaining militants enlisted in pro-government forces or returned to civilian life.
The attack on al-Madrasah checkpoint may have been the result of a personal differences, since no terrorist group is known to be active in northern Homs.
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southfront--2020-07-03--The Saker: “Does the Next Presidential Election Even Matter?”

Written by The Saker ; Originally appeared at The Unz Review Just by asking the question of whether the next Presidential election matters , I am obviously suggesting that it might not .
To explain my reasons for this opinion , I need to reset the upcoming election in the context of the previous one .
So let ’ s begin here .
The first thing which , I believe , ought to be self-evident to all by now is that there was no secret operation by any deep state , not even a Zionist controlled one , to put @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even argue that the election of Donald Trump was the biggest slap in the face of US deep state and of the covert transnational ruling elites this deep state serves .
Ever .
My evidence ?
Simple , look what these ruling “ elites ” did both before and after Trump ’ s election : before , they ridiculed the very idea of “ President Trump ” as both utterly impossible and utterly evil .
As somebody who has had years of experience reading the Soviet press or , in another style , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say that I have never seen a more ridiculously outlandish hate campaign against anybody that would come even close to the kind of total hate campaign which Trump was subjected to .
Then , as soon as he was elected , the US neo-liberals ( who are not liberals at all ! )
declared that Trump was “ not their President ” , that Trump was put into power by Putin and that he was a “ Russian asset ” ( using pseudo-professional jargon is what journos typically do to conceal their abject @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , finally , that he was a White racist and misogynist who will deeply divide the country ( thereby dividing the country themselves by making such claims ) .
The fact is that for the past four years the US liberals have waged a total informational war against Trump and it would be absolutely unthinkable for them to ever accept a Trump re-election , even if he wins by a landslide .
For the US Dems and neo-liberals , Trump is the personification of evil , literally , and that means that “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ represents must be total .
And if he is re-elected , then there is only one possible explanation : the Russians stole the election , or the Chinese did .
But the notion that Trump has the support of a majority of people is literally unthinkable for these folks .
Truth be told , Trump has proven to be a fantastically incompetent President , no doubt about that .
Was he even worse than Obama ?
Maybe , it really all depends on your scoring system .
In my personal opinion , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ failings , Trump , at least , did not start a major war , which Obama did , and which Hillary would have done ( can ’ t prove this , but that is my personal belief ) .
That by itself , and totally irrespective of anything else , makes me believe that Trump has been a “ lesser evil ” ( even if far more ridiculous ) President than Obama has been or Hillary would have been .
This is what I believed four years ago and this is what I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the entire planet “ President Hillary ” would have been , voting for Trump was not only the only logical thing to do , it was the only moral one too because giving your voice to a warmongering narcissistic hyena like Hillary is a profoundly immoral act ( yes , I know , Trump is also a narcissist – most politicians are !
– but at least his warmongering has been all hot air and empty threats , at least so far ) .
However , I don ’ t think that this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) will be enough to get Trump re-elected .
Because most Americans still like wars .
In fact , they absolutely love them .
Unless , of course , they lose .
What Americans really want is a President who can win wars , not a President who does not initiate them in the first place .
This is also the most likely reason why Trump did not start any major wars : the US has not won a real war in decades and , instead , it got whipped in every conflict @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and that is why Trump did not launch any wars : it would have been political suicide to start a real war against , say , the DPRK or Iran .
So while I am grateful that Trump did not start any wars , I am not naive to the point of believing that he did so for pure and noble motives .
Give Trump an easy victory and he will do exactly what all US Presidents have done in the past : attack , beat up the little guy , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President hero ” by most Americans .
The problem is that there are no more “ little guys ” left out there : only countries who can , and will , defend themselves if attacked .
The ideology of messianic imperialism which permeates the US political culture is still extremely powerful and deep seated and it will take years , probably decades , to truly flush it down to where it belongs : to the proverbial trash-heaps of history .
Besides , in 2020 Americans have much bigger concerns than war vs. peace @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of them believe .
Between the Covid19 pandemic and the catastrophic collapse of the economy ( of course , while the former certainly has contributed to the latter , it did not single-handedly cause it ) and now the BLM insurgency , most Americans now feel personally threatened – something which no wars of the past ever did ( a war against Russia very much would , but most Americans don ’ t realize that , since nobody explains this to them ; they also tend to believe that nonsense about the US @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in history ) .
Following four years of uninterrupted flagwaving and MAGA-chanting there is , of course , a hardcore of true believers who believe that Trump is nothing short of brilliant and that he will “ kick ass ” everything and everybody : from the spying Russians , to the rioting Blacks , from the pandemic , to the lying media , etc .
The fact that in reality Trump pitifully failed to get anything truly important done is completely lost on these folks who live in a reality they created for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ facts contradicting their certitudes are simply explained away by silly stuff like “ Q-anon ” or “ 5d chess ” .
Others , of course , will realize that Trump “ deflated ” before those whom he called “ the swamp ” almost as soon as he got into the White House .
As for the almighty Israel Lobby , it seems to me that it squeezed all it could from Trump who , from the point of view of the Zionists , was always a “ disposable President ” anyway .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wanted him to do , he becomes almost useless .
If anything , Pelosi , Schumer and the rest of them will try to outdo Trump ’ s love for everything Israeli anyway .
So how much support is there behind Trump today ?
I really don ’ t know ( don ’ t trust the polls , which have always been deeply wrong about Trump anyway ) , but I think that there is definitely a constituency of truly frightened Americans who are freaking out ( as they should , considering the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who might vote Trump just because they will feel that for all his faults , he is the only one who can save the country .
Conversely , they will see Biden as a pro-BLM geriatric puppet who will hand the keys of the White House to a toxic coalition of minorities .
So what if Trump does get re-elected ?
In truth , the situation is so complex and there are so many variables ( including many “ unknown unknowns ” ! )
that make predictions impossible .
Still , we can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ especially if based on some kind of logic such as the one which says that “ past behavior is the best predictor of future behavior ” .
In other words , if Trump gets elected , we will get more of the same .
Personally , I would characterize this “ same ” as a further destruction of the US from within by the Democrats and their “ coalition of minorities ” combined with a further destruction of the US Empire abroad by delusional Republicans .
I very much doubt that it makes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that , really .
Better stay at home and do something worthwhile with your time , no ?
Now what about a Biden election ?
Remember that Biden is now the de-facto leader of what I would loosely call the “ anti-US coalition ” , that is the “ coalition of minorities ” which really have nothing in common except their hatred of the established order ( well , and , of course , their hatred of Trump and of those who voted for him ) .
These minorities are very good at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t count on them to ever come up with constructive solutions – it ain ’ t gon na happen .
For one thing , they are probably too stupid to come up with any constructive ideas , but even more important is the fact that these folks all have a hyper-narrow agenda and , simply put , they don ’ t care about “ constructing ” anything .
These folks are all about hatred and the instant gratification of their narrow , one-topic , agenda .
This also begs the question of why @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in spite of the fact that he is clearly an extremely weak candidate .
In spite ?
I am not so sure at all .
I think that they chose him because he is so weak : the real power behind him will be in the hands of the Schumer-Pelosi-Obama gang and of the interests these folks represent .
Unlike Trump who prostituted himself only after making it to the White House , the neo-liberal Dems have *already* prostituted themselves to everybody who wanted to give them something in return , from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , to the powerful US homo-lobby .
Don ’ t expect them to show any spine , or even less so , love for the USA , if they get the White House .
They hate this country and most of its people and they are not shy about it .
What would happen to the US if the likes of Bloomberg or Harris took control ?
First , there would be the comprehensive surrender to the various minorities which put these folks in power followed by a very strong blowback from all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and civil disobedience , to local authorities refusing to take orders from the feds .
Like it or not , but most Americans still love their country and loathe the kind of pseudo-liberal ideology which has been imposed upon them by the joint actions of the US deep state and the corporate world .
There is even a strong probability that if Biden gets elected the USA ’ s disintegration would only accelerate .
On the international front , a Biden Presidency would not solve any of the problems created by Obama and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ too late and the damage done to the international reputation of the United States is irreparable .
If anything , the Dems will only make it worse by engaging in even more threats , sanctions and wars .
Specifically , the Demolicans hate Russia , China and Iran probably even more than the Republicrats .
Besides , these countries have already concluded a long time ago that the US was “ not agreement capable ” anyway ( just look at the long list of international treaties and organization from which the US under @ @ @ @ @ @ @ point of negotiating anything with a power which systematically reneges on its promises and obligations ? )
The truth is that if Biden gets elected , the US will continue to fall apart internally and externally , if anything , probably even faster than under a re-elected Trump .
Which brings me to my main conclusion : Why do we even bother having elections ?
First , I don ’ t think that the main role of a democracy is to protect minorities from majorities .
A true democracy protects the majority against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one-issue agenda and which are typically hostile to the values of the majority .
Oh sure , minority rights should be protected , the question is how exactly ?
For one thing , most states have some kind of constitution/basic law which sets a number of standards which can not be violated as long as this constitution/basic law is in force .
Furthermore , in most states which call themselves democratic all citizens have the same rights and obligations , and a minority status does not give anybody any special rights or privileges @ @ @ @ @ @ @ international standards for human rights and fundamental national standards for civil rights .
Minority rights ( individual or collective ) , however , are not typically considered a separate category which somehow trumps or supplements adopted norms for human and civil rights ( if only because it creates a special “ minority ” category , whereas in true “ people power ” all citizens are considered as one entity ) .
It is quite obvious that neither the Republicrats nor the Demolicans represent the interests of “ we the people ” and that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ under the total control of behind-the-scenes real powers .
What happened four years ago was a colossal miscalculation of these behind-the-scenes real powers who failed to realize how hated they were and how even a guy like Trump would seem preferable to a nightmare like Hillary ( as we know , had the Dems chosen Sanders or even some other halfway lame candidate , Trump would probably not have prevailed ) .
This is why I submit that the next election will make absolutely no difference : • The US system is rigged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and to completely ignore the will of the people • The choice between the Demolicans and the Republicrats is not a choice at all • The systemic crisis of the US is too deep to be affected by who is in power in the White House Simply put , and unlike the case of 2016 , the outcome of the 2020 election will make no difference at all .
Caring about who the next puppet in the White House will be is tantamount to voting for a new captain while the Titanic is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Titanic sank in very deep water whereas the “ ship USA ” will sink in the shallows , meaning that the US will not completely disappear : in some form or another , it will survive either as a unitary state or as a number of successor states .
The Empire , however , has no chance of survival at all .
Thus , anything which contributes to make the US a “ normal ” country and which weakens the Empire is in the interests of the people of the USA .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ this fall will only prolong the agony of the current political regime in the USA .
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Written by The Saker; Originally appeared at The Unz Review
Just by asking the question of whether the next Presidential election matters, I am obviously suggesting that it might not. To explain my reasons for this opinion, I need to reset the upcoming election in the context of the previous one. So let’s begin here.
The 2016 election of Donald Trump
The first thing which, I believe, ought to be self-evident to all by now is that there was no secret operation by any deep state, not even a Zionist controlled one, to put Donald Trump in power. I would even argue that the election of Donald Trump was the biggest slap in the face of US deep state and of the covert transnational ruling elites this deep state serves. Ever. My evidence? Simple, look what these ruling “elites” did both before and after Trump’s election: before, they ridiculed the very idea of “President Trump” as both utterly impossible and utterly evil.
As somebody who has had years of experience reading the Soviet press or, in another style, the French press, I can honestly say that I have never seen a more ridiculously outlandish hate campaign against anybody that would come even close to the kind of total hate campaign which Trump was subjected to. Then, as soon as he was elected, the US neo-liberals (who are not liberals at all!) declared that Trump was “not their President”, that Trump was put into power by Putin and that he was a “Russian asset” (using pseudo-professional jargon is what journos typically do to conceal their abject ignorance of a complex topic) and, finally, that he was a White racist and misogynist who will deeply divide the country (thereby dividing the country themselves by making such claims).
The fact is that for the past four years the US liberals have waged a total informational war against Trump and it would be absolutely unthinkable for them to ever accept a Trump re-election, even if he wins by a landslide. For the US Dems and neo-liberals, Trump is the personification of evil, literally, and that means that “resistance” to him and everything he represents must be total. And if he is re-elected, then there is only one possible explanation: the Russians stole the election, or the Chinese did. But the notion that Trump has the support of a majority of people is literally unthinkable for these folks.
Truth be told, Trump has proven to be a fantastically incompetent President, no doubt about that. Was he even worse than Obama? Maybe, it really all depends on your scoring system. In my personal opinion, and for all his very real sins and failings, Trump, at least, did not start a major war, which Obama did, and which Hillary would have done (can’t prove this, but that is my personal belief). That by itself, and totally irrespective of anything else, makes me believe that Trump has been a “lesser evil” (even if far more ridiculous) President than Obama has been or Hillary would have been. This is what I believed four years ago and this is what I still believe: considering how dangerous for the entire planet “President Hillary” would have been, voting for Trump was not only the only logical thing to do, it was the only moral one too because giving your voice to a warmongering narcissistic hyena like Hillary is a profoundly immoral act (yes, I know, Trump is also a narcissist – most politicians are! – but at least his warmongering has been all hot air and empty threats, at least so far). However, I don’t think that this (not having started a major war) will be enough to get Trump re-elected.
Why?
Because most Americans still like wars. In fact, they absolutely love them. Unless, of course, they lose. What Americans really want is a President who can win wars, not a President who does not initiate them in the first place. This is also the most likely reason why Trump did not start any major wars: the US has not won a real war in decades and, instead, it got whipped in every conflict it started. Americans hate losing wars, and that is why Trump did not launch any wars: it would have been political suicide to start a real war against, say, the DPRK or Iran. So while I am grateful that Trump did not start any wars, I am not naive to the point of believing that he did so for pure and noble motives. Give Trump an easy victory and he will do exactly what all US Presidents have done in the past: attack, beat up the little guy, and then be considered like a “wartime President hero” by most Americans. The problem is that there are no more “little guys” left out there: only countries who can, and will, defend themselves if attacked.
The ideology of messianic imperialism which permeates the US political culture is still extremely powerful and deep seated and it will take years, probably decades, to truly flush it down to where it belongs: to the proverbial trash-heaps of history. Besides, in 2020 Americans have much bigger concerns than war vs. peace – at least that is what most of them believe. Between the Covid19 pandemic and the catastrophic collapse of the economy (of course, while the former certainly has contributed to the latter, it did not single-handedly cause it) and now the BLM insurgency, most Americans now feel personally threatened – something which no wars of the past ever did (a war against Russia very much would, but most Americans don’t realize that, since nobody explains this to them; they also tend to believe that nonsense about the US military being the best and most capable in history).
Following four years of uninterrupted flagwaving and MAGA-chanting there is, of course, a hardcore of true believers who believe that Trump is nothing short of brilliant and that he will “kick ass” everything and everybody: from the spying Russians, to the rioting Blacks, from the pandemic, to the lying media, etc. The fact that in reality Trump pitifully failed to get anything truly important done is completely lost on these folks who live in a reality they created for themselves and in which any and all facts contradicting their certitudes are simply explained away by silly stuff like “Q-anon” or “5d chess”. Others, of course, will realize that Trump “deflated” before those whom he called “the swamp” almost as soon as he got into the White House.
As for the almighty Israel Lobby, it seems to me that it squeezed all it could from Trump who, from the point of view of the Zionists, was always a “disposable President” anyway. And now that Trump has done everything Israel wanted him to do, he becomes almost useless. If anything, Pelosi, Schumer and the rest of them will try to outdo Trump’s love for everything Israeli anyway.
So how much support is there behind Trump today? I really don’t know (don’t trust the polls, which have always been deeply wrong about Trump anyway), but I think that there is definitely a constituency of truly frightened Americans who are freaking out (as they should, considering the rapid collapse of the country) and who might vote Trump just because they will feel that for all his faults, he is the only one who can save the country. Conversely, they will see Biden as a pro-BLM geriatric puppet who will hand the keys of the White House to a toxic coalition of minorities.
So what if Trump does get re-elected?
In truth, the situation is so complex and there are so many variables (including many “unknown unknowns”!) that make predictions impossible. Still, we can try to make some educated guesses, especially if based on some kind of logic such as the one which says that “past behavior is the best predictor of future behavior”. In other words, if Trump gets elected, we will get more of the same. Personally, I would characterize this “same” as a further destruction of the US from within by the Democrats and their “coalition of minorities” combined with a further destruction of the US Empire abroad by delusional Republicans.
I very much doubt that it makes any sense at all to vote for that, really. Better stay at home and do something worthwhile with your time, no?
Now what about a Biden election?
Remember that Biden is now the de-facto leader of what I would loosely call the “anti-US coalition”, that is the “coalition of minorities” which really have nothing in common except their hatred of the established order (well, and, of course, their hatred of Trump and of those who voted for him).
These minorities are very good at hating and destroying, but don’t count on them to ever come up with constructive solutions – it ain’t gonna happen. For one thing, they are probably too stupid to come up with any constructive ideas, but even more important is the fact that these folks all have a hyper-narrow agenda and, simply put, they don’t care about “constructing” anything. These folks are all about hatred and the instant gratification of their narrow, one-topic, agenda.
This also begs the question of why the Dems decided to go with Biden in spite of the fact that he is clearly an extremely weak candidate. In spite? I am not so sure at all. I think that they chose him because he is so weak: the real power behind him will be in the hands of the Schumer-Pelosi-Obama gang and of the interests these folks represent.
Unlike Trump who prostituted himself only after making it to the White House, the neo-liberal Dems have *already* prostituted themselves to everybody who wanted to give them something in return, from the Ukie Nazis to the thugs of BLM, to the powerful US homo-lobby. Don’t expect them to show any spine, or even less so, love for the USA, if they get the White House. They hate this country and most of its people and they are not shy about it.
What would happen to the US if the likes of Bloomberg or Harris took control? First, there would be the comprehensive surrender to the various minorities which put these folks in power followed by a very strong blowback from all the “deplorables” ranging from protests and civil disobedience, to local authorities refusing to take orders from the feds. Like it or not, but most Americans still love their country and loathe the kind of pseudo-liberal ideology which has been imposed upon them by the joint actions of the US deep state and the corporate world. There is even a strong probability that if Biden gets elected the USA’s disintegration would only accelerate.
On the international front, a Biden Presidency would not solve any of the problems created by Obama and Trump: by now it is way too late and the damage done to the international reputation of the United States is irreparable. If anything, the Dems will only make it worse by engaging in even more threats, sanctions and wars. Specifically, the Demolicans hate Russia, China and Iran probably even more than the Republicrats. Besides, these countries have already concluded a long time ago that the US was “not agreement capable” anyway (just look at the long list of international treaties and organization from which the US under Trump has withdrawn: what is the point of negotiating anything with a power which systematically reneges on its promises and obligations?)
The truth is that if Biden gets elected, the US will continue to fall apart internally and externally, if anything, probably even faster than under a re-elected Trump.
Which brings me to my main conclusion:
Why do we even bother having elections?
First, I don’t think that the main role of a democracy is to protect minorities from majorities. A true democracy protects the majority against the many minorities which typically have a one-issue agenda and which are typically hostile to the values of the majority. Oh sure, minority rights should be protected, the question is how exactly?
For one thing, most states have some kind of constitution/basic law which sets a number of standards which cannot be violated as long as this constitution/basic law is in force. Furthermore, in most states which call themselves democratic all citizens have the same rights and obligations, and a minority status does not give anybody any special rights or privileges. Typically, there are also fundamental international standards for human rights and fundamental national standards for civil rights. Minority rights (individual or collective), however, are not typically considered a separate category which somehow trumps or supplements adopted norms for human and civil rights (if only because it creates a special “minority” category, whereas in true “people power” all citizens are considered as one entity).
It is quite obvious that neither the Republicrats nor the Demolicans represent the interests of “we the people” and that both factions of the US plutocracy are under the total control of behind-the-scenes real powers. What happened four years ago was a colossal miscalculation of these behind-the-scenes real powers who failed to realize how hated they were and how even a guy like Trump would seem preferable to a nightmare like Hillary (as we know, had the Dems chosen Sanders or even some other halfway lame candidate, Trump would probably not have prevailed).
This is why I submit that the next election will make absolutely no difference:
The US system is rigged to give all the power to minorities and to completely ignore the will of the people The choice between the Demolicans and the Republicrats is not a choice at all The systemic crisis of the US is too deep to be affected by who is in power in the White House
Simply put, and unlike the case of 2016, the outcome of the 2020 election will make no difference at all. Caring about who the next puppet in the White House will be is tantamount to voting for a new captain while the Titanic is sinking. The major difference is that the Titanic sank in very deep water whereas the “ship USA” will sink in the shallows, meaning that the US will not completely disappear: in some form or another, it will survive either as a unitary state or as a number of successor states. The Empire, however, has no chance of survival at all. Thus, anything which contributes to make the US a “normal” country and which weakens the Empire is in the interests of the people of the USA. Voting for either one of the candidates this fall will only prolong the agony of the current political regime in the USA.
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southfront--2020-07-03--Turkish-Backed Factions Take Advantage Of Greater Idlib Ceasefire To Train New Fighters (Video, Phot

Turkish-Backed Factions Take Advantage Of Greater Idlib Ceasefire To Train New Fighters (Video, Photos)

Turkish-backed factions in Greater Idlib profit of the ceasefire brokered by Russia and Turkey on March 5 to boost their offensive capabilities .
On July 3 , the National Front for Liberation ( NFL ) , a coalition of Turkish-backed factions , announced that a new batch of its militants had completed their military training .
Footage released by the NFL and opposition outlets shows recruits training on light arms and participating in what appears to be live fire drills .
Captain Naji Mustafa , a spokesman for the NFL , told Enab Baladi that the coalition ’ s militants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ days and that they are ready to repel any attack by the Syrian military and its allies .
“ The training was focused and intensive to familiarize the fighters with combat and battle conditions , as well as to train them on special and specific tactics to avoid Russian air strikes , ” the pro-opposition outlet quoted Cpt .
Mustafa as saying .
The NFL is not the only side taking advantage of the ceasefire to boost its capabilities .
Al-Qaeda-affiliated Hay ’ at Tahrir al-Sham is also training more and more militants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ boost their offensive capabilities reflects hostile intentions .
The Syrian military and its allies could soon resume their operations in Greater Idlib in order to respond this growing threat .
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Turkish-backed factions in Greater Idlib profit of the ceasefire brokered by Russia and Turkey on March 5 to boost their offensive capabilities.
On July 3, the National Front for Liberation (NFL), a coalition of Turkish-backed factions, announced that a new batch of its militants had completed their military training. Footage released by the NFL and opposition outlets shows recruits training on light arms and participating in what appears to be live fire drills.
#إدلب #الجبهة_الوطنية_للتحرير
تخريج دفعة مقاتلين جديدة من معسكرات الإعداد والتدريب التابعة للجبهة الوطنية للتحرير pic.twitter.com/gtqvb5Sl36 — Adam Abdullah آدم عبدالله (@Adamabdullh4) July 1, 2020
تخريج دفعة مقاتلين جديدة من معسكرات الإعداد والتدريب في الجبهة الوطنية للتحرير #سوريا #إدلب ? علي حاج سليمان #MMC pic.twitter.com/tizMnGMw1p — المركز الإعلامي العام MMC (@MMCSYR) July 1, 2020
#الجبهة_الوطنية_للتحرير#معسكرات_الإعداد_والتدريب تخريج دورة الشهيد مصطفى أحمد السطوف من معسكرات الإعداد والتدريب في الجبهة الوطنية للتحرير. pic.twitter.com/QnHW7mfBb2 — جيش النخبة (@ALNokhbaArmy) June 30, 2020
Captain Naji Mustafa, a spokesman for the NFL, told Enab Baladi that the coalition’s militants went through many training camps in recent days and that they are ready to repel any attack by the Syrian military and its allies.
“The training was focused and intensive to familiarize the fighters with combat and battle conditions, as well as to train them on special and specific tactics to avoid Russian air strikes,” the pro-opposition outlet quoted Cpt. Mustafa as saying.
The NFL is not the only side taking advantage of the ceasefire to boost its capabilities. Al-Qaeda-affiliated Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham is also training more and more militants.
The militants’ constant work to boost their offensive capabilities reflects hostile intentions. The Syrian military and its allies could soon resume their operations in Greater Idlib in order to respond this growing threat.
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southfront--2020-07-04--In Video: Car Rams Seattle Protest Crowd. Two Women Injured

On July 4 , a car rammed a crowd of protesters in Seattle injuring at least two women .
One @ @ @ @ @ Another one had serious injuries .
“ A vehicle drove through the closure and struck @ @ @ @ @ , ” Washington state patrol spokesperson Rick Johnson tweeted , shortly after 2am .
Earlier @ @ @ @ @ Interstate 5 were closed because of protests .
MORE ON THE TOPIC : • The @ @ @ @ @ Next Presidential Election Even Matter ?
” • U.S .
Attempts To Pressure Russian Hypersonics @ @ @ @ @ Trump Calls Bounties On U.S .
Soldiers “ Hoax ” As Russian Hysteria Spins Out @ @

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On July 4, a car rammed a crowd of protesters in Seattle injuring at least two women. One woman suffered life-threatening injuries. Another one had serious injuries.
“A vehicle drove through the closure and struck multiple pedestrians on the freeway,” Washington state patrol spokesperson Rick Johnson tweeted, shortly after 2am.
Earlier, he said portions of Interstate 5 were closed because of protests.
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southfront--2020-07-04--Tensions Grow In Turkish-Occupied Ras Al-Ain

Clashes between Turkish-backed militants in the occupied town of Ras al-Ain in northeastern Syria have subsided somewhat .
Nevertheless , tension is mounting in the town .
The clashes broke out late on July 3 between militants of the Sultan Murad Division and tribesmen loyal to the Hamza Division .
Heavy weapons were used during the clashes , which lasted all the afternoon .
As a result of the clashes , the Aluk water pumping station that supplies a large part of al-Hasakah was knocked out .
The militants ’ heavy fire caused the blackout of the station .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ al-Sharqiyah Army , which had deployed forces inside Ras al-Ain and on the entrances of the town .
According to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights , four militants from the Sultan Murad Division and the Hamza Division were killed in the clashes .
A young girl was also killed when a projectile had struck her house .
Despite the end of the clashes , tension is mounting between the Sultan Murad Division and the Hamza Division in Ras al-Ain .
The two groups may resume clashes in the upcoming few hours @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t apply measures to stop the bloody clashes .
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Clashes between Turkish-backed militants in the occupied town of Ras al-Ain in northeastern Syria have subsided somewhat. Nevertheless, tension is mounting in the town.
The clashes broke out late on July 3 between militants of the Sultan Murad Division and tribesmen loyal to the Hamza Division. Heavy weapons were used during the clashes, which lasted all the afternoon.
As a result of the clashes, the Aluk water pumping station that supplies a large part of al-Hasakah was knocked out. The militants’ heavy fire caused the blackout of the station.
The clashes ended after the intervention of the al-Sharqiyah Army, which had deployed forces inside Ras al-Ain and on the entrances of the town.
According to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, four militants from the Sultan Murad Division and the Hamza Division were killed in the clashes. A young girl was also killed when a projectile had struck her house.
Despite the end of the clashes, tension is mounting between the Sultan Murad Division and the Hamza Division in Ras al-Ain. The two groups may resume clashes in the upcoming few hours. Turkey, as usual, doesn’t apply measures to stop the bloody clashes.
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southfront--2020-07-04--Philip Giraldi: “Some Conspiracy Theories Are for Real”

Written by Philip Giraldi ; Originally appeared at The Unz Review What is the best way to debunk a conspiracy theory ?
Call it a conspiracy theory , a label which in and of itself implies disbelief .
The only problem with that is there have been many actual conspiracies both historically and currently and many of them are not in the least theoretical in nature .
Conspiracies of several kinds brought about American participation in both world wars .
And however one feels about President Donald Trump , it must be conceded that he has been the victim of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deny him the GOP nomination , then to insure that he be defeated in the presidential election , and subsequently to completely delegitimize his presidency .
Prior to Trump there have been numerous conspiracy “ theories , ” many of which have been quite plausible .
The “ suicide ” of Defense Secretary James Forrestal comes to mind , followed by the assassination of John F. Kennedy , which has been credibly credited to both Cuba and Israel .
And then there is 9/11 , perhaps the greatest conspiracy theory of all .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ witness the Five Dancing Shlomos cavorting and filming themselves in New Jersey as the twin towers went down .
Also the Saudis might have played a role in funding and even directing the alleged hijackers .
And we have also had the conspiracy by the neocons to fabricate information about Iraq ’ s WMDs and the ongoing conspiracy by the same players to depict Iran as a threat to the United States .
Given the multiple crises currently being experienced in the United States it is perhaps inevitable that speculation about conspiracies is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the average American it is incomprehensible how the country has become so screwed up because the political and economic elite is fundamentally incompetent , so the search for a scapegoat must go on .
There are a number of conspiracy theories about the coronavirus currently making the rounds .
Those libertarians and contrarians who choose to believe that the virus is actually a flu being exploited to strip them of their liberties are convinced that many in the government and media have conspired to sell what is essentially a fraud .
One such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ analogy , that since more Americans are killed in automobile accidents than by the coronavirus it would be more appropriate to ban cars than to require the wearing of face masks .
Another theory making the rounds accuses Microsoft multi-billionaire Bill Gates of trying to take over the world ’ s healthcare system through the introduction of a vaccine to control the coronavirus , which he presumably created in the first place .
The fallacy in many of the virus “ conspiracies ” that relate to a totalitarian regime or a crazy billionaire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so as to gain control of the citizenry is that it gives far too much credit to any government ’ s or individual ’ s ability to pull off a fraud of that magnitude .
It would require people a whole lot smarter than the tag team of Trump-Pompeo or even Gates to convince the world and thousands of doctors and scientists that they should lock down entire countries over something completely phony .
Other coronavirus theories include that the virus was developed in the U.S. , was exported to China by a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and then unleashed on the West as part of a communist plot to destroy capitalism and democracy .
That would mean that we are already at war with China , or at least we should be .
Then there is the largely accepted theory that the virus was created in Wuhan and escaped from the lab .
Since that time Beijing has been engaging in a cover-up , which is the conspiracy .
It is a theme favored by the White House , which has not yet decided what to do about it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ names to the disease so everyone in MAGA hats will have something to chuckle about leading up to the November election .
But all kidding aside , there are some conspiracy theories that are more worth considering than others .
One would be the role of George Soros and the so-called Open Society Foundations that he controls and funds in the unrest that is sweeping across the United States .
The allegations against Soros are admittedly thin on evidence , but conspiracy mongers would point out that that is the mark of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 89 year-old Hungarian Jewish billionaire has been engaging in for a long time .
The current round of claims about Open Society and Soros have generated as many as 500,000 tweets a day as well as nearly 70,000 Facebook posts per month , mostly from political conservatives .
The allegations tend to fall into two broad categories .
First , that Soros hires protester/thugs and transports them to demonstrations where they are supplied with bricks and incendiaries to turn the gatherings into riots .
Second , that Open Society is funding and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ immigrants into the United States .
Soros and his supporters , many of whom are Jewish because they think they see anti-Semitism in the attacks on the Hungarian , claim to support democratization and free trade worldwide .
He is , in effect , one of the world ’ s leading globalists .
Soros claims to be a “ force for good ” as the cliché goes , but is it completely credible that his $ 32 billion foundation does not operate behind the scenes to influence developments in ways that are certainly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his vast fortune through vulture capitalism .
He made over $ 1 billion in 1992 by selling short $ 10 billion in British pounds sterling , leading to the media dubbing him “ the man who broke the bank of England.
” He has been accused of similar currency manipulation in both Europe and Asia .
In 1999 , economist Paul Krugman wrote of him that “ Nobody who has read a business magazine in the last few years can be unaware that these days there really are investors who not only move @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but actually do their best to trigger that crisis for fun and profit.
” Far from a passive bystander giving helpful advice to democracy groups , Soros was heavily involved with the restructuring of former communist regimes in eastern Europe and had a hand in the so-called Rose Revolution in Georgia in 2003 and the Maidan Revolution in Ukraine in 2014 , both of which were supported by the U.S. government and were intended to threaten Russia ’ s regional security .
Soros particularly hates President Vladimir Putin and Russia .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ benevolent figure fighting for justice in his March op-ed ( behind a pay wall ) entitled “ Europe Must Stand With Turkey Over Putin ’ s War Crimes in Syria.
” The op-ed is full of errors of fact and is basically a call for aggression against a Russia that he describes as engaged in bombing schools and hospitals .
It starts with , “ Since the beginning of its intervention in Syria in September 2015 , Russia has not only sought to keep in place its most faithful Arab ally , Syrian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wanted to regain the regional and global influence that it lost since the fall of the Soviet Union.
” First of all , Russia did not “ intervene ” in Syria .
It was invited there by the country ’ s legitimate government to provide assistance against various groups , some of which were linked to al Qaeda and the Islamic State , that were seeking to overthrow President al-Assad .
And apart from Soros , few actual experts on Russia would claim that it is seeking to recreate the “ influence ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not have the resources to do so and has evinced no desire to pursue the sort of global agenda that was characteristic of the Soviet state .
There then follows a complete flight into hyperbole with : “ Vladimir Putin has sought to use the turmoil in the Middle East to erase international norms and advances in international humanitarian law made since the second world war .
In fact , creating the humanitarian disaster that has turned almost 6 million Syrians into refugees has not been a byproduct of the Russian president ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been one of his central goals.
” Note that none of Soros ’ s assertions are supported by fact .
The Soros op-ed also included a bit of reminiscence , describing how , “ In 2014 , I urged Europe to wake up to the threat that Russia was posing to its strategic interests.
” The op-ed reveals Soros as neither conciliatory nor “ diplomatic , ” a clear sign that he picks his enemies based on ideological considerations that also drive his choices on how to frame his ventures .
Given all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that George Soros is engaged in a conspiracy , that he is clandestinely behind at least some of the mayhem of Antifa and Black Lives Matter as well as the flood of illegal immigration that have together perhaps fatally destabilized the United States ?

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Written by Philip Giraldi; Originally appeared at The Unz Review
What is the best way to debunk a conspiracy theory? Call it a conspiracy theory, a label which in and of itself implies disbelief. The only problem with that is there have been many actual conspiracies both historically and currently and many of them are not in the least theoretical in nature. Conspiracies of several kinds brought about American participation in both world wars. And however one feels about President Donald Trump, it must be conceded that he has been the victim of a number of conspiracies, first to deny him the GOP nomination, then to insure that he be defeated in the presidential election, and subsequently to completely delegitimize his presidency.
Prior to Trump there have been numerous conspiracy “theories,” many of which have been quite plausible. The “suicide” of Defense Secretary James Forrestal comes to mind, followed by the assassination of John F. Kennedy, which has been credibly credited to both Cuba and Israel. And then there is 9/11, perhaps the greatest conspiracy theory of all. Israel clearly knew it was coming, witness the Five Dancing Shlomos cavorting and filming themselves in New Jersey as the twin towers went down. Also the Saudis might have played a role in funding and even directing the alleged hijackers. And we have also had the conspiracy by the neocons to fabricate information about Iraq’s WMDs and the ongoing conspiracy by the same players to depict Iran as a threat to the United States.
Given the multiple crises currently being experienced in the United States it is perhaps inevitable that speculation about conspiracies is at its highest level ever. To the average American it is incomprehensible how the country has become so screwed up because the political and economic elite is fundamentally incompetent, so the search for a scapegoat must go on.
There are a number of conspiracy theories about the coronavirus currently making the rounds. Those libertarians and contrarians who choose to believe that the virus is actually a flu being exploited to strip them of their liberties are convinced that many in the government and media have conspired to sell what is essentially a fraud. One such snake oil salesman persists in using an analogy, that since more Americans are killed in automobile accidents than by the coronavirus it would be more appropriate to ban cars than to require the wearing of face masks.
Another theory making the rounds accuses Microsoft multi-billionaire Bill Gates of trying to take over the world’s healthcare system through the introduction of a vaccine to control the coronavirus, which he presumably created in the first place. The fallacy in many of the virus “conspiracies” that relate to a totalitarian regime or a crazy billionaire using a faux disease to generate fear so as to gain control of the citizenry is that it gives far too much credit to any government’s or individual’s ability to pull off a fraud of that magnitude. It would require people a whole lot smarter than the tag team of Trump-Pompeo or even Gates to convince the world and thousands of doctors and scientists that they should lock down entire countries over something completely phony.
Other coronavirus theories include that the virus was developed in the U.S., was exported to China by a traitorous American scientist, weaponized in Wuhan and then unleashed on the West as part of a communist plot to destroy capitalism and democracy. That would mean that we are already at war with China, or at least we should be. Then there is the largely accepted theory that the virus was created in Wuhan and escaped from the lab. Since that time Beijing has been engaging in a cover-up, which is the conspiracy. It is a theme favored by the White House, which has not yet decided what to do about it beyond assigning funny “Yellow Peril” names to the disease so everyone in MAGA hats will have something to chuckle about leading up to the November election.
But all kidding aside, there are some conspiracy theories that are more worth considering than others. One would be the role of George Soros and the so-called Open Society Foundations that he controls and funds in the unrest that is sweeping across the United States. The allegations against Soros are admittedly thin on evidence, but conspiracy mongers would point out that that is the mark of a really well-planned conspiracy, similar to what the 89 year-old Hungarian Jewish billionaire has been engaging in for a long time. The current round of claims about Open Society and Soros have generated as many as 500,000 tweets a day as well as nearly 70,000 Facebook posts per month, mostly from political conservatives.
The allegations tend to fall into two broad categories. First, that Soros hires protester/thugs and transports them to demonstrations where they are supplied with bricks and incendiaries to turn the gatherings into riots. Second, that Open Society is funding and otherwise enabling the destabilizing flow of illegal immigrants into the United States.
Soros and his supporters, many of whom are Jewish because they think they see anti-Semitism in the attacks on the Hungarian, claim to support democratization and free trade worldwide. He is, in effect, one of the world’s leading globalists. Soros claims to be a “force for good” as the cliché goes, but is it completely credible that his $32 billion foundation does not operate behind the scenes to influence developments in ways that are certainly not democratic?
Indeed, Soros accumulated his vast fortune through vulture capitalism. He made over $1 billion in 1992 by selling short $10 billion in British pounds sterling, leading to the media dubbing him “the man who broke the bank of England.” He has been accused of similar currency manipulation in both Europe and Asia. In 1999, New York Timeseconomist Paul Krugman wrote of him that “Nobody who has read a business magazine in the last few years can be unaware that these days there really are investors who not only move money in anticipation of a currency crisis, but actually do their best to trigger that crisis for fun and profit.”
Far from a passive bystander giving helpful advice to democracy groups, Soros was heavily involved with the restructuring of former communist regimes in eastern Europe and had a hand in the so-called Rose Revolution in Georgia in 2003 and the Maidan Revolution in Ukraine in 2014, both of which were supported by the U.S. government and were intended to threaten Russia’s regional security.
Soros particularly hates President Vladimir Putin and Russia. He revealed that he is far from a benevolent figure fighting for justice in his March Financial Times op-ed (behind a pay wall) entitled “Europe Must Stand With Turkey Over Putin’s War Crimes in Syria.”
The op-ed is full of errors of fact and is basically a call for aggression against a Russia that he describes as engaged in bombing schools and hospitals. It starts with, “Since the beginning of its intervention in Syria in September 2015, Russia has not only sought to keep in place its most faithful Arab ally, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. It has also wanted to regain the regional and global influence that it lost since the fall of the Soviet Union.” First of all, Russia did not “intervene” in Syria. It was invited there by the country’s legitimate government to provide assistance against various groups, some of which were linked to al Qaeda and the Islamic State, that were seeking to overthrow President al-Assad.
And apart from Soros, few actual experts on Russia would claim that it is seeking to recreate the “influence” of the Soviet Union. Moscow does not have the resources to do so and has evinced no desire to pursue the sort of global agenda that was characteristic of the Soviet state.
There then follows a complete flight into hyperbole with: “Vladimir Putin has sought to use the turmoil in the Middle East to erase international norms and advances in international humanitarian law made since the second world war. In fact, creating the humanitarian disaster that has turned almost 6 million Syrians into refugees has not been a byproduct of the Russian president’s strategy in Syria. It has been one of his central goals.” Note that none of Soros’s assertions are supported by fact.
The Soros op-ed also included a bit of reminiscence, describing how, “In 2014, I urged Europe to wake up to the threat that Russia was posing to its strategic interests.” The op-ed reveals Soros as neither conciliatory nor “diplomatic,” a clear sign that he picks his enemies based on ideological considerations that also drive his choices on how to frame his ventures. Given all of that, why is it unimaginable that George Soros is engaged in a conspiracy, that he is clandestinely behind at least some of the mayhem of Antifa and Black Lives Matter as well as the flood of illegal immigration that have together perhaps fatally destabilized the United States?
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southfront--2020-07-04--Greece Pushes Back Against Turkey’s Moves In Libya, Reaches Own Maritime Agreement With East Libya’s

Greece Pushes Back Against Turkey’s Moves In Libya, Reaches Own Maritime Agreement With East Libya’s Parliament

Greece has responded to Turkey ’ s purported maritime agreement with Libya ’ s Government of National Accord ( GNA ) based in Tripoli by meeting with senior representatives of the House of Representatives in Tobruk , which has established a rival government and armed forces ( the Libyan National Army , or LNA , under the command of Khalifa Haftar ) contesting the authority of the GNA .
Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias visited Libya on Wednesday the 1st of July , where he met with speaker of the Tobruk-based Libyan parliament Aguila Saleh .
During the meeting he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the government it has created , as well as underscoring the Libyan National Army ’ s ( LNA ) role in combating terrorism and the Turkish incursion into the country , Parliamentary spokesman Fathi al-Marimi later stated of the meeting : According to the parliamentary spokesman , Dendias and Aguila Saleh discussed the maritime agreement between Ankara and the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord ( GNA ) and focused on ways to solve the Libyan conflict .
Greece was one of several Mediterranean nations to express vehement opposition to the agreement between @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj which seeks to establish an exclusive economic zone across the Mediterranean Sea .
LINK Greece ’ s Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias later commented on his meeting with the President of the Libyan House of Representatives via his Twitter account .
“ We discussed the delimitation of maritime zones between Greece and Libya , in the context not of the arbitrariness that constitutes the so-called “ memorandum ” Sarraj-Turkey , but of international law , in continuation of the talks between Greece and Libya in 2010 .
We have agreed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what is happening in Libya today , as President Macron rightly said yesterday .
The transfer of mercenaries from Syria and the violation of the arms embargo are elements that burden the Turkish stance .
They create , as I said before , historical responsibilities.
” The two parties also agreed that Libya requires the removal of all foreign forces in order to deal with the Libyan crisis , and that the Berlin Process and also the initiative by the Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi should be pursued .
LINK 218 News website @ @ @ @ @ @ @ draft maritime agreement , which will be considered by the parliaments of the two countries : Media of the House of Representatives announced that the visit discussed bilateral relations between the two countries and ways of enhancing them in a way that serves the interests of the “ two friendly peoples ” as the meeting dealt with the possibility of opening a Greek consulate in Benghazi to enhance trade exchange between the two countries .
As for the unannounced news , it indicated that the two parties discussed the possibility of demarcating the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the road on Turkey ’ s eastern Mediterranean interventions , which provoked many countries headed by Greece , then Italy , and even France .
The news that came after the meeting of Aqia in Dindias indicated that there is a maritime agreement to demarcate the borders and will be approved by the Libyan parliament and the Greek parliament as legislative bodies in the two countries .
Greece had opened a path with Cairo to reach a similar result , and today it is seeking to conclude an agreement with Libya .
LINK @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its efforts to forge relations , and possibly a maritime agreement , with Libya ’ s House of Representatives in response to Turkey ’ s deals with the GNA suggest that Turkey will face increasing resistance to its expansionist ambitions .
It is probable that Greece and Egypt will also work to enhance their bilateral ties to defend their respective interests in the Eastern Mediterranean .
MORE ON THE TOPIC : • Military intervention in Libya and Turkeys grand game in eastern Mediterranean

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Greece has responded to Turkey’s purported maritime agreement with Libya’s Government of National Accord (GNA) based in Tripoli by meeting with senior representatives of the House of Representatives in Tobruk, which has established a rival government and armed forces (the Libyan National Army, or LNA, under the command of Khalifa Haftar) contesting the authority of the GNA.
Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias visited Libya on Wednesday the 1st of July, where he met with speaker of the Tobruk-based Libyan parliament Aguila Saleh. During the meeting he expressed support for the House of Representatives and the government it has created, as well as underscoring the Libyan National Army’s (LNA) role in combating terrorism and the Turkish incursion into the country,
Parliamentary spokesman Fathi al-Marimi later stated of the meeting:
“The Greek Foreign Minister recognized the legitimacy of the House of Representatives and the role of the national army in combating terrorism and countering the Turkish incursion.”
According to the parliamentary spokesman, Dendias and Aguila Saleh discussed the maritime agreement between Ankara and the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA) and focused on ways to solve the Libyan conflict.
Greece was one of several Mediterranean nations to express vehement opposition to the agreement between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and GNA Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj which seeks to establish an exclusive economic zone across the Mediterranean Sea. LINK
Greece’s Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias later commented on his meeting with the President of the Libyan House of Representatives via his Twitter account.
“We discussed the delimitation of maritime zones between Greece and Libya, in the context not of the arbitrariness that constitutes the so-called “memorandum” Sarraj-Turkey, but of international law, in continuation of the talks between Greece and Libya in 2010. We have agreed that Turkey has a historic responsibility for what is happening in Libya today, as President Macron rightly said yesterday. The transfer of mercenaries from Syria and the violation of the arms embargo are elements that burden the Turkish stance. They create, as I said before, historical responsibilities.” The two parties also agreed that Libya requires the removal of all foreign forces in order to deal with the Libyan crisis, and that the Berlin Process and also the initiative by the Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi should be pursued. LINK
218 News website reports that the meeting also produced a draft maritime agreement, which will be considered by the parliaments of the two countries:
Media of the House of Representatives announced that the visit discussed bilateral relations between the two countries and ways of enhancing them in a way that serves the interests of the “two friendly peoples” as the meeting dealt with the possibility of opening a Greek consulate in Benghazi to enhance trade exchange between the two countries. As for the unannounced news, it indicated that the two parties discussed the possibility of demarcating the maritime borders, in order to cut the road on Turkey’s eastern Mediterranean interventions, which provoked many countries headed by Greece, then Italy, and even France. The news that came after the meeting of Aqia in Dindias indicated that there is a maritime agreement to demarcate the borders and will be approved by the Libyan parliament and the Greek parliament as legislative bodies in the two countries. Greece had opened a path with Cairo to reach a similar result, and today it is seeking to conclude an agreement with Libya. LINK
The more forthright attitude of Greece and its efforts to forge relations, and possibly a maritime agreement, with Libya’s House of Representatives in response to Turkey’s deals with the GNA suggest that Turkey will face increasing resistance to its expansionist ambitions. It is probable that Greece and Egypt will also work to enhance their bilateral ties to defend their respective interests in the Eastern Mediterranean.
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southfront--2020-07-04--US Special Operations Command To Get Planes With Radio Frequency Countermeasure Systems

The US Department of Defense announced on Wednesday that Sierra Nevada Corp has been awarded $ 700 million for the development and procurement of Radio Frequency Countermeasure ( RFCM ) systems to be integrated onto AC/MC-130J aircraft operated by the US Special Operations Command ( USSOCOM ) .
The RFCM systems will be integrated onto AC-130J Ghostrider and MC-130J Commando II aircraft operated by the Air Force Special Operations Command to protect aircrews from air- and land-based enemy radar and missile systems .
The contract includes provisions covering RFCM system engineering services , logistics support and spare parts .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ operates with fully integrated situational awareness , precision geo-location , and radio frequency countermeasure capabilities .
LINK The AC-130J Ghostrider is the heavily armed , long-endurance gunship variant of Lockheed C-130J Super Hercules tactical airlifter .
The aircraft is the fourth generation of the aircraft replacing the aging fleet of AC-130U/W gunships .
It is armed with the Precision Strike Package ( PSP ) which includes 30mm and 105mm cannons and Standoff Precision Guided Munitions ( the GBU-39 Small Diameter Bomb ( SDB ) and AGM-176 Griffin missile ) .
The MC-130J Commando @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been developed to replace the aging special operations forces ( SOF ) fleet of 37 MC-130E Combat Talon I and MC-130P Combat Shadow tankers .
It flies clandestine , or low visibility , low-level air refuelling missions for special operations helicopters and tilt-rotor aircraft , and missions in support of infiltration , exfiltration , and resupply operations for special operations forces ( SOF ) by airdrop or landing after intruding into politically sensitive or hostile territories .
LINK According to SNC , the contractor will incorporate Northrop Grumman ’ s RFCM system on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , geo-location and active countermeasure capabilities to improve aircraft survivability , and draw on its expertise in electromagnetic and aerodynamic modelling to maximize the system ’ s performance .
“ We are excited to expand our solutions for SOF warfighters , ” said Bob Horky , senior vice president for Sierra Nevada Corp ’ s ISR , Aviation and Security business area .
“ The aircraft they operate need the protection RFCM provides.
” LINK Sierra Nevada Corporation ( SNC ) is a privately held company based in Nevada in the United States @ @ @ @ @ @ @ integration related to microsatellites , telemedicine , and commercial orbital transportation services .
The company has contracts with the United States Armed Forces , NASA and private spaceflight companies , which are managed though installations at 34 locations in the US , England , Germany and Turkey .
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The US Department of Defense announced on Wednesday that Sierra Nevada Corp has been awarded $700 million for the development and procurement of Radio Frequency Countermeasure (RFCM) systems to be integrated onto AC/MC-130J aircraft operated by the US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM).
The RFCM systems will be integrated onto AC-130J Ghostrider and MC-130J Commando II aircraft operated by the Air Force Special Operations Command to protect aircrews from air- and land-based enemy radar and missile systems. The contract includes provisions covering RFCM system engineering services, logistics support and spare parts.
The RFCM system is a platform-level system which operates with fully integrated situational awareness, precision geo-location, and radio frequency countermeasure capabilities. LINK
The AC-130J Ghostrider is the heavily armed, long-endurance gunship variant of Lockheed C-130J Super Hercules tactical airlifter. The aircraft is the fourth generation of the aircraft replacing the aging fleet of AC-130U/W gunships. It is armed with the Precision Strike Package (PSP) which includes 30mm and 105mm cannons and Standoff Precision Guided Munitions (the GBU-39 Small Diameter Bomb (SDB) and AGM-176 Griffin missile).
The MC-130J Commando II multi-mission combat transport/special operations tanker has been developed to replace the aging special operations forces (SOF) fleet of 37 MC-130E Combat Talon I and MC-130P Combat Shadow tankers. It flies clandestine, or low visibility, low-level air refuelling missions for special operations helicopters and tilt-rotor aircraft, and missions in support of infiltration, exfiltration, and resupply operations for special operations forces (SOF) by airdrop or landing after intruding into politically sensitive or hostile territories. LINK
According to SNC, the contractor will incorporate Northrop Grumman’s RFCM system on aircraft to provide threat detection, precision, geo-location and active countermeasure capabilities to improve aircraft survivability, and draw on its expertise in electromagnetic and aerodynamic modelling to maximize the system’s performance.
“We are excited to expand our solutions for SOF warfighters,” said Bob Horky, senior vice president for Sierra Nevada Corp’s ISR, Aviation and Security business area. “The aircraft they operate need the protection RFCM provides.” LINK
Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) is a privately held company based in Nevada in the United States which specializes in electronic systems and systems integration related to microsatellites, telemedicine, and commercial orbital transportation services. The company has contracts with the United States Armed Forces, NASA and private spaceflight companies, which are managed though installations at 34 locations in the US, England, Germany and Turkey.
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southfront--2020-07-04--Following Border Clash With China India Announces Acquisition Of 33 Fighter Jets From Russia

Following the recent fatal clash between Indian and Chinese troops at a contested part of the border between the two countries ( the ‘ Line of Actual Control ’ ) in the mountainous Ladakh region , India ’ s Defence Ministry has approved the purchase of 33 Russian fighter aircraft , including 21 MiG 29s and 12 Su-30MKIs .
The Defence Ministry announced on Thursday that it has approved a proposal to acquire 33 new fighter aircraft including 12 Su-30MKIs and 21 MiG-29s , along with a program to upgrade 59 MiG-29s of the Indian Air Force .
The DAC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and equipment required by the Indian Armed Forces , including 248 Astra Beyond Visual Range air-to-air missiles for the Indian Air Force and the Navy .
The design and development of a new 1,000 kilometre strike range Land Attack Cruise Missile has also been cleared .
“ Acquisition of new/additional missile systems will add to the fire power of three Services .
While acquisition of Pinaka missile systems will enable raising additional regiments over and above the ones already inducted , addition of Long Range Land Attack Missile Systems having a firing range @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will bolster the attack capabilities of the Navy and the Air Force .
Similarly induction of Astra Missiles having Beyond Visual Range capability will serve as a force multiplier and immensely add to the strike capability of Navy and Air Force , ” the statement said .
The Indian Air Force ( IAF ) continues to make additional preparations to deal with any possible military confrontation with the Chinese armed forces and its forward bases have been ordered to be on their highest state of alert .
Apart from Sukhoi-30s and upgraded MiG-29 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Apache AH-64E attack helicopters and CH-47F ( I ) Chinook multi-mission helicopters .
Just as the IAF and the Indian Army have deployed their air defence systems in eastern Ladakh , China ’ s People ’ s Liberation Army and Air Force have activated several of their bases in both Xinjiang and the Tibet Autonomous Region .
LINK During the Cold War , India and the Soviet Union ( USSR ) had a strong strategic , military , economic and diplomatic relationship .
After the dissolution of the Soviet Union , Russia continued @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the Indo-Russian strategic partnership has been built on five major components : politics , defence , civil nuclear energy , anti-terrorism co-operation and space .
More recently a sixth element , the economic component , has grown in importance .
The latest purchase is part of an ambitious program of modernization of India ’ s armed forces which has seen it obtain advanced weapons and technology from many countries .
As the stand off with China in disputed border areas continues , Indian Prime Minister Nahendrah Modi visited the Ladakh region on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ media as intended to send a strategic message to China that India is determined to defend its borders as well as to boost the morale of India ’ s troops in the area and demonstrate the government ’ s appreciation of their efforts .
Hindustan Times reported : On a surprise visit to Ladakh in the midst of heightened tension between India and China , Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday told soldiers that modernisation of the armed forces is a priority and that the spending on border infrastructure has almost tripled .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ said India is manufacturing critical weapons and bringing modern technology from around the world for the armed forces as the government is paying lot of attention for their requirement .
“ If India is enhancing its powers on land , air and water , then it is for the welfare of mankind , ” he said .
LINK Chinese media outlet Global Times reported of the Indian Prime Minister ’ s visit to the border area : In response [ to Modi ’ s statements ] , Zhao Lijian , the spokesperson of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at Friday ’ s media briefing that China and India are engaging in dialogue on easing the situation through military and diplomatic channels , and neither side should take any action that may complicate the border situation .
Qian Feng , the director of the research department of the National Strategy Institute at Tsinghua University in Beijing , told the Global Times on Friday that Modi attempted to show that he was a “ strongman ” on national security issues to soften criticism against him and shift public attention from his government ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and economic slowdown .
Modi could learn about the preparations and deployment of the frontline and make preparations for the next step , Qian said .
The move also served to show China and the international community that India is firm in its commitment to safeguard national sovereignty , although India is willing to ease the situation through a bilateral mechanism and dialogue , Qian said .
LINK Although the situation remains extremely tense , it appears that the senior leadership on both sides is attempting to calm the situation even as they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infrastructure in border areas .
MORE ON THE TOPIC : • India confirms 20 soldiers killed in border clash with Chinese forces reports of 43 PLA casualties

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Following the recent fatal clash between Indian and Chinese troops at a contested part of the border between the two countries (the ‘Line of Actual Control’) in the mountainous Ladakh region, India’s Defence Ministry has approved the purchase of 33 Russian fighter aircraft, including 21 MiG 29s and 12 Su-30MKIs.
The Defence Ministry announced on Thursday that it has approved a proposal to acquire 33 new fighter aircraft including 12 Su-30MKIs and 21 MiG-29s, along with a program to upgrade 59 MiG-29s of the Indian Air Force.
“Addressing the long felt need of the Indian Air Force to increase its fighter squadrons, the DAC also approved the proposal for procurement of 21 MiG-29 along with upgradation of existing 59 MiG-29 aircraft and procurement of 12 Su-30 MKI aircraft,” the defence ministry said in a statement on Thursday after a meeting of the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) under the chairmanship of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.
The DAC also approved the acquisitions of various platforms and equipment required by the Indian Armed Forces, including 248 Astra Beyond Visual Range air-to-air missiles for the Indian Air Force and the Navy. The design and development of a new 1,000 kilometre strike range Land Attack Cruise Missile has also been cleared.
“Acquisition of new/additional missile systems will add to the fire power of three Services. While acquisition of Pinaka missile systems will enable raising additional regiments over and above the ones already inducted, addition of Long Range Land Attack Missile Systems having a firing range of 1000 Km to the existing arsenal will bolster the attack capabilities of the Navy and the Air Force. Similarly induction of Astra Missiles having Beyond Visual Range capability will serve as a force multiplier and immensely add to the strike capability of Navy and Air Force,” the statement said.
The Indian Air Force (IAF) continues to make additional preparations to deal with any possible military confrontation with the Chinese armed forces and its forward bases have been ordered to be on their highest state of alert. Apart from Sukhoi-30s and upgraded MiG-29 fighter jets, the IAF is operating Apache AH-64E attack helicopters and CH-47F (I) Chinook multi-mission helicopters.
Just as the IAF and the Indian Army have deployed their air defence systems in eastern Ladakh, China’s People’s Liberation Army and Air Force have activated several of their bases in both Xinjiang and the Tibet Autonomous Region. LINK
During the Cold War, India and the Soviet Union (USSR) had a strong strategic, military, economic and diplomatic relationship. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Russia continued its close relationship with India. Traditionally, the Indo-Russian strategic partnership has been built on five major components: politics, defence, civil nuclear energy, anti-terrorism co-operation and space. More recently a sixth element, the economic component, has grown in importance.
The latest purchase is part of an ambitious program of modernization of India’s armed forces which has seen it obtain advanced weapons and technology from many countries.
As the stand off with China in disputed border areas continues, Indian Prime Minister Nahendrah Modi visited the Ladakh region on Friday in a move interpreted by Indian media as intended to send a strategic message to China that India is determined to defend its borders as well as to boost the morale of India’s troops in the area and demonstrate the government’s appreciation of their efforts. Hindustan Times reported:
On a surprise visit to Ladakh in the midst of heightened tension between India and China, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday told soldiers that modernisation of the armed forces is a priority and that the spending on border infrastructure has almost tripled. In an address to troops, Modi said India is manufacturing critical weapons and bringing modern technology from around the world for the armed forces as the government is paying lot of attention for their requirement. “If India is enhancing its powers on land, air and water, then it is for the welfare of mankind,” he said. LINK
Chinese media outlet Global Times reported of the Indian Prime Minister’s visit to the border area:
In response [to Modi’s statements], Zhao Lijian, the spokesperson of China’s foreign ministry, said at Friday’s media briefing that China and India are engaging in dialogue on easing the situation through military and diplomatic channels, and neither side should take any action that may complicate the border situation. Qian Feng, the director of the research department of the National Strategy Institute at Tsinghua University in Beijing, told the Global Times on Friday that Modi attempted to show that he was a “strongman” on national security issues to soften criticism against him and shift public attention from his government’s incompetence in the coronavirus response, and economic slowdown. Modi could learn about the preparations and deployment of the frontline and make preparations for the next step, Qian said. The move also served to show China and the international community that India is firm in its commitment to safeguard national sovereignty, although India is willing to ease the situation through a bilateral mechanism and dialogue, Qian said. LINK
Although the situation remains extremely tense, it appears that the senior leadership on both sides is attempting to calm the situation even as they continue to reinforce their military forces and infrastructure in border areas.
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southfront--2020-07-04--Transall C-160 Military Transport Aircraft (Infographics)

Click to see the full-size image The Transall C-160 is a military transport aircraft , produced as a joint venture @ @ @ @ @ The brand of Transall is an abbreviation of the manufacturing consortium Transporter Allianz ( MBB @ @ @ @ @ ) .
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The Transall C-160 is a military transport aircraft, produced as a joint venture between France and Germany. The brand of Transall is an abbreviation of the manufacturing consortium Transporter Allianz (MBB, Aerospatiale, and VFW-Fokker).
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