southfront--2020-05-12--Recent Developments In Brazil: Part I – Regional Politics And International Relations

After enjoying a period of relative inattention and neglect as the overlords of the US were occupied elsewhere , the countries of Latin America have been overwhelmed by the renewed onslaught of the neo-colonial US empire , determined to reclaim control over its ‘ backyard ’ following almost two decades of successive gains by populist national and regional independence movements that swept through the region and succeeding in breaking the shackles of the US ’ political , economic , technological and cultural hegemony that prevailed throughout the Cold War and became even more entrenched during the 1990s .
The period @ @ @ @ @ @ @ development of autonomous forms of regional cooperation and integration , beginning with the election of Hugo Chavez in Venezuela in 1998 , is frequently described by analysts as the region ’ s ‘ second independence ’ , widely considered a worthy successor to the Wars of Independence fought against the Spanish during the 1810s-1820 ’ s .
The US has been extremely successful in achieving its objectives over the last decade , picking off the recently liberated countries and autonomous regional institutions one by one and re-establishing dominance over their governments and economies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the old-fashioned sense of governments that valued and protected their country ’ s political and economic sovereignty and the welfare of their people ) have been overthrown by ‘ parliamentary coups ’ tacitly or explicitly supported by the military leadership and US ‘ diplomats ’ ( Paraguay in 2012 , Brazil in 2016 ) ; in others the military has taken a more direct role ( Honduras in 2009 , Bolivia in 2019 ) .
In other cases , governments ( used generally to refer to the Presidency and the controlling factions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) have been elected that have abruptly extirpated all or most of the elements of the ‘ national liberation ’ , social justice and regional integration projects elaborated by their predecessors ( Argentina in 2015 , Ecuador in 2017 ) .
Some countries never deviated from their strict adherence to the US ‘ orbit ’ ( Colombia , Chile , Peru , most of Central America ) , although they participated with varying degrees of enthusiasm in some of the incipient regional initiatives and institutions that explicitly rejected US tutelage and emphasized regional @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of equality , respect and mutual benefit ( such as CELAC and UNASUR ) .
While the most recent national elections in Mexico and Argentina appear to have bucked these trends and the newly installed governments have adopted more independent and socially responsive and inclusive policies , they have also been very careful not to antagonize or confront the traditional economic and land-owning elites , international ‘ investors ’ and creditors , or the US ’ core interests .
While ‘ leftist ’ opposition groups and social movements have gained considerably in terms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , they have not been at all successful in decisively retaking control over State and economic functions and institutions from their staunchly neo-liberal and abjectly pro-US opponents , and have generally struggled to elaborate tangible and effective strategies for ‘ full spectrum resistance ’ to counter the US push to re-establish ‘ full spectrum dominance ’ with the collaboration of compliant political , economic and military elites in each country ( often actively supported by a substantial portion of the middle and even ‘ lower ’ classes ) .
Conceptually , the strategies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ social justice political organizations and social movements generally consist of one or more of several key elements : ( 1 ) Contesting control over the commanding heights of the State and the economy directly ; ( 2 ) Delinking/ withdrawing both active and passive forms of support from regressive State and private sector institutions ( civil disobedience , boycotts , etc . )
; ( 3 ) Developing alternative and autonomous political , economic and social spaces , projects and institutions to build and manage infrastructure , finance , essential services , land @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strategies and functions directly in order to develop political , economic and social power , operational capacity and self-sufficiency at all levels ( from the individual and household to the community , regional , national and international spheres of action ) irrespective of State and elitist private sector policies and actions .
The massive protests in Chile are a clear manifestation of the former ( contesting control of the commanding heights directly ) as well as incorporating actions from the second element ( civil disobedience and organizing boycotts of particularly destructive and exploitative @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , such as the campaigns against Coca Cola and Nestlé in Colombia ) , seeking to oust the perennial political and economic ruling classes and re-establish popular control over State institutions and the economy by rebellion .
These actions are complemented by a diverse range of activities of the third type , such as founding community- and sector- based assemblies and committees to elaborate policies and autonomous projects beyond the control of the State and dominant private sector financial and economic conglomerates , establishing communal soup kitchens and food production systems , community-based @ @ @ @ @ @ @ based on local and regional endowments and needs , and developing alternative media platforms and community radio to challenge the mass media ’ s control over the narrative and sources of information .
Argentina has led the way in terms of workers taking direct control of defunct or threatened industrial production facilities and other enterprises , and rural and Indigenous communities in many countries throughout the region have assumed responsibility for implementing the quarantine controlling movement through their territories by setting up check points and patrols .
The situation has of course become @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Coronavirus : it is far too early to predict how the revised correlation of forces and external factors will play out .
In the specific case of the political and economic climate in Brazil and the international relations and activities of the Brazilian government , the country began to adopt policies that placed considerably greater emphasis on national sovereignty , social justice and reducing political and economic inequality following the election of Luiz Inacio ‘ Lula ’ da Silva in 2003 .
The country was also among the key protagonists pushing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to build regional cooperation and integration .
These policies and activities were generally continued by Lula ’ s successor , Dilma Rousseff , who was elected president in 2011 .
Rousseff was ousted in a ‘ parliamentary coup ’ in 2016 , impeached by the national Congress with the active encouragement of the military leadership .
Her replacement , Michel Temer , immediately instigated an aggressive program of dismantling the political and economic projects and terminating the social justice programs adopted by his predecessors and asset-stripping and privatizing State-owned enterprises , infrastructure , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the current president ( Jair Bolsonaro ) in 2018 the government has continued to implement a fundamental neoliberal political , economic and social overhaul of the State and the economy , and adopted a posture of subordination to the US to a degree that is unprecedented in the country ’ s history ( with the possible exception of the junta in the immediate aftermath of the US-backed military coup of 1964 – the video ‘ Brazil in regional and global history ’ , available on youtube , provides a useful overview of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how it has developed over time ) .
Key figures from amongst the military leadership now form the nucleus of the government , to the extent that many commentators suspect that over the last couple of months Bolsonaro has been sidelined from taking any major policy decisions ( this will be discussed in Part 2 ) .
The Brazilian government ( as well as powerful groups and individuals among the economic and land-owning ‘ elites ’ ) has also participated actively in the offensive against the few remaining nationalist governments in the region @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Venezuela and Bolivia ( aspects of the latter are described by Priscilla Arroyo in “ Bolivia .
La relación de sojeros brasileños con movimiento político que participa del golpe contra Evo Morales ” , 13 November 2019 , , and by Stella Calloni , “ El club de amigos del golpe ” , 17 November 2019 ) .
Given Brazil ’ s growing reputation as a ‘ pariah State ’ , a group of ‘ eminent former Statesman ’ recently issued a public statement calling on the Brazilian government to return to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reason , rationality and compliance with the fundamental requirements of the Brazilian Constitution and international law .
The signatories are Fernando Henrique Cardoso , former President of the Republic and former Minister of Foreign Affairs ; Aloysio Nunes Ferreira , Celso Amorim , Celso Lafer , Francisco Rezek and José Serra , former Ministers of Foreign Affairs ; Rubens Ricupero former minister of finance , the environment , and former Brazilian ambassador to Washington ; and Hussein Kalout , former special secretary for strategic affairs for the Presidency .
The public statement calls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the wake of the devastation being caused by the Coronavirus and the actions and declarations of the Bolsonaro government ( “ Brasil .
Coronavirus : La reconstrucción de la política exterior brasileña ” , republished in , 8 May 2020 ) : “ Despite our different backgrounds and political opinions , we , as former senior diplomats that have exercised high responsibilities in the field of international relations in various governments of the New Republic , express our concern about the systematic violation by the current government ’ s foreign policy of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the conduct of Brazil ’ s international relations defined in Article 4 of the 1988 Constitution .
Innovative in this sense , the Constitution establishes that Brazil ‘ is governed in its international relations by the following principles : I- national independence ; II- prevalence of human rights ; III- self-determination of the peoples ; IV- non- intervention ; V- equality between States ; VI- defence of peace ; VII- peaceful conflict resolution ; VIII- rejection of terrorism and racism ; IX- cooperation between peoples for the progress of humanity ; X- granting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republic of Brazil will seek the economic , political , social and cultural integration of the peoples of Latin America , with the objective of forming a Latin American community of nations.
’ It is sufficient to compare the stipulations of the Constitution with the government ’ s foreign policy to verify that current diplomacy contradicts these principles in letter and spirit .
National independence can not be reconciled with subordination to a foreign government whose admitted political program is to promote its interest above all other considerations .
It subverts the independence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be an ally of that country , assuming as its own an agenda that threatens to drag Brazil into conflicts with nations with which we maintain relations of friendship and mutual interest .
Furthermore , it departs from the universalist vocation of Brazilian foreign policy and its ability to dialogue and build bridges with different countries , developed and developing , for the benefit of our interests .
Other examples of contradiction with the provisions of the Constitution are support for coercive measures in neighboring countries , violating the principles of self-determination @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the application of a unilateral embargo in violation of the norms of international law , the equality of states and the peaceful resolution of conflicts ; the approval of the use of force against sovereign states without authorization from the UN Security Council ; the official approval of political assassinations and the vote against the resolutions of the Human Rights Council in Geneva to condemn the violation of these rights ; defending the policy of denying Indigenous peoples the rights guaranteed in the Constitution , and showing contempt for issues such as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Apart from flagrantly violating the Federal Constitution , the current orientation imposes costs on the country that are difficult to repair , such as the collapse of external credibility , the loss of markets and the flight of investments .
Admired in the environmental area since Rio-92 ( ‘ the Rio Summit ’ ) as an inevitable leader on the subject of sustainable development , Brazil now appears as a threat to itself and others due to the destruction of the Amazon and in the worsening of global warming .
Brazilian diplomacy , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ balance at the service of consensus building , has become a subordinate complement to the most aggressive unilateralism .
In Latin America , from being a leading protagonist of the regional integration process we began to support interventionist adventures , giving precedence to the interests of extra-regional powers .
We have renounced the ability to defend our interests by collaborating with the United States to deport Brazilian workers in inhumane conditions , and by deciding for ideological reasons to withdraw all Brazilian diplomatic and consular personnel from Venezuela , one of our neighboring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ powerless .
In Western Europe , we gratuitously confront important partners , such as France and Germany , in all fields .
The current fight against diplomacy distances the country from its strategic objectives , by antagonizing the very nations that are essential for the implementation of the government ’ s economic agenda .
The extremely serious health crisis provoked by covid-19 revealed the irrelevance of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and its counterproductive role in helping Brazil to gain access to medical products and equipment .
The racism and sectarianism of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the World Health Organization , together with the lack of respect for science and the insensitivity to human lives shown by the President of the Republic , have made the government an object of international contempt and disgust .
At the same time , it has created obstacles to the ( provincial ) governors ’ efforts to import products that are desperately needed to save the lives of thousands of Brazilians .
To salvage Brazil ’ s foreign policy we must return to compliance with constitutional principles , rationality , pragmatism , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and constructive realism .
In this reconstruction , it is imperative that the Judicial Power , guardian of the Constitution , and the National Congress , representative of the will of the people , fulfill their roles in ensuring the constitutionality of diplomatic actions .
To respond to the wishes of our people and the real needs of Brazil , foreign policy must have broad support in public opinion and participation in its elaboration by all sectors of society .
It also requires the commitment of our diplomatic corps : to a State @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are aimed at exacerbating and exploiting the prejudices of a reactionary minority .
We offer our decisive support and solidarity to our diplomats who have been humiliated and constrained by positions that clash with the best traditions of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs .
The reconstruction of Brazilian foreign policy is urgent and indispensable .
Leaving behind this shameful page of servility and irrationality , let us place at the centre of diplomatic action the defence of independence , sovereignty , dignity and national interests , supported by values such as solidarity and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ diplomacy has helped build the heritage and pride of the Brazilian people.
” MORE ON THE TOPIC : • Latin America ’ s ‘ Pearl Harbour Event ’ ?
Forces of Oppression and Resistance Intensify Across the Region as the Multiple Crises Deepen • Argentina Preparing To Decide Its Future : Endemic Impoverishment And Debt Slavery Or Social And Economic Justice ?

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Written by Daniel Edgar exclusively for SouthFront
After enjoying a period of relative inattention and neglect as the overlords of the US were occupied elsewhere, the countries of Latin America have been overwhelmed by the renewed onslaught of the neo-colonial US empire, determined to reclaim control over its ‘backyard’ following almost two decades of successive gains by populist national and regional independence movements that swept through the region and succeeding in breaking the shackles of the US’ political, economic, technological and cultural hegemony that prevailed throughout the Cold War and became even more entrenched during the 1990s.
The period of increasing assertiveness of national independence and development of autonomous forms of regional cooperation and integration, beginning with the election of Hugo Chavez in Venezuela in 1998, is frequently described by analysts as the region’s ‘second independence’, widely considered a worthy successor to the Wars of Independence fought against the Spanish during the 1810s-1820’s. The US has been extremely successful in achieving its objectives over the last decade, picking off the recently liberated countries and autonomous regional institutions one by one and re-establishing dominance over their governments and economies.
In some cases nationalist governments (in the old-fashioned sense of governments that valued and protected their country’s political and economic sovereignty and the welfare of their people) have been overthrown by ‘parliamentary coups’ tacitly or explicitly supported by the military leadership and US ‘diplomats’ (Paraguay in 2012, Brazil in 2016); in others the military has taken a more direct role (Honduras in 2009, Bolivia in 2019). In other cases, governments (used generally to refer to the Presidency and the controlling factions of the national Parliament/ Congress/ Legislative Assembly) have been elected that have abruptly extirpated all or most of the elements of the ‘national liberation’, social justice and regional integration projects elaborated by their predecessors (Argentina in 2015, Ecuador in 2017).
Some countries never deviated from their strict adherence to the US ‘orbit’ (Colombia, Chile, Peru, most of Central America), although they participated with varying degrees of enthusiasm in some of the incipient regional initiatives and institutions that explicitly rejected US tutelage and emphasized regional cooperation and integration based on the principles of equality, respect and mutual benefit (such as CELAC and UNASUR). While the most recent national elections in Mexico and Argentina appear to have bucked these trends and the newly installed governments have adopted more independent and socially responsive and inclusive policies, they have also been very careful not to antagonize or confront the traditional economic and land-owning elites, international ‘investors’ and creditors, or the US’ core interests.
While ‘leftist’ opposition groups and social movements have gained considerably in terms of strategy and strength in many instances, they have not been at all successful in decisively retaking control over State and economic functions and institutions from their staunchly neo-liberal and abjectly pro-US opponents, and have generally struggled to elaborate tangible and effective strategies for ‘full spectrum resistance’ to counter the US push to re-establish ‘full spectrum dominance’ with the collaboration of compliant political, economic and military elites in each country (often actively supported by a substantial portion of the middle and even ‘lower’ classes).
Conceptually, the strategies being elaborated by populist/ leftist/ national liberation/ social justice political organizations and social movements generally consist of one or more of several key elements: (1) Contesting control over the commanding heights of the State and the economy directly; (2) Delinking/ withdrawing both active and passive forms of support from regressive State and private sector institutions (civil disobedience, boycotts, etc.); (3) Developing alternative and autonomous political, economic and social spaces, projects and institutions to build and manage infrastructure, finance, essential services, land, agriculture, environmental, etc. strategies and functions directly in order to develop political, economic and social power, operational capacity and self-sufficiency at all levels (from the individual and household to the community, regional, national and international spheres of action) irrespective of State and elitist private sector policies and actions.
The massive protests in Chile are a clear manifestation of the former (contesting control of the commanding heights directly) as well as incorporating actions from the second element (civil disobedience and organizing boycotts of particularly destructive and exploitative elitist economic and financial structures and organizations, such as the campaigns against Coca Cola and Nestlé in Colombia), seeking to oust the perennial political and economic ruling classes and re-establish popular control over State institutions and the economy by rebellion en masse.
These actions are complemented by a diverse range of activities of the third type, such as founding community- and sector- based assemblies and committees to elaborate policies and autonomous projects beyond the control of the State and dominant private sector financial and economic conglomerates, establishing communal soup kitchens and food production systems, community-based financial services and enterprises of all types based on local and regional endowments and needs, and developing alternative media platforms and community radio to challenge the mass media’s control over the narrative and sources of information.
Argentina has led the way in terms of workers taking direct control of defunct or threatened industrial production facilities and other enterprises, and rural and Indigenous communities in many countries throughout the region have assumed responsibility for implementing the quarantine controlling movement through their territories by setting up check points and patrols. The situation has of course become much more urgent with the relentless spread of the Coronavirus: it is far too early to predict how the revised correlation of forces and external factors will play out.
In the specific case of the political and economic climate in Brazil and the international relations and activities of the Brazilian government, the country began to adopt policies that placed considerably greater emphasis on national sovereignty, social justice and reducing political and economic inequality following the election of Luiz Inacio ‘Lula’ da Silva in 2003. The country was also among the key protagonists pushing for the development of projects and institutions to build regional cooperation and integration.
These policies and activities were generally continued by Lula’s successor, Dilma Rousseff, who was elected president in 2011. Rousseff was ousted in a ‘parliamentary coup’ in 2016, impeached by the national Congress with the active encouragement of the military leadership. Her replacement, Michel Temer, immediately instigated an aggressive program of dismantling the political and economic projects and terminating the social justice programs adopted by his predecessors and asset-stripping and privatizing State-owned enterprises, infrastructure, services and resources.
Since the election of the current president (Jair Bolsonaro) in 2018 the government has continued to implement a fundamental neoliberal political, economic and social overhaul of the State and the economy, and adopted a posture of subordination to the US to a degree that is unprecedented in the country’s history (with the possible exception of the junta in the immediate aftermath of the US-backed military coup of 1964 – the video ‘Brazil in regional and global history’, available on youtube, provides a useful overview of key aspects of Brazilian foreign policy and how it has developed over time). Key figures from amongst the military leadership now form the nucleus of the government, to the extent that many commentators suspect that over the last couple of months Bolsonaro has been sidelined from taking any major policy decisions (this will be discussed in Part 2).
The Brazilian government (as well as powerful groups and individuals among the economic and land-owning ‘elites’) has also participated actively in the offensive against the few remaining nationalist governments in the region, in particular in the neighbouring countries of Venezuela and Bolivia (aspects of the latter are described by Priscilla Arroyo in “Bolivia. La relación de sojeros brasileños con movimiento político que participa del golpe contra Evo Morales”, 13 November 2019, Resumen Latinoamericano, and by Stella Calloni, “El club de amigos del golpe”, 17 November 2019).
Given Brazil’s growing reputation as a ‘pariah State’, a group of ‘eminent former Statesman’ recently issued a public statement calling on the Brazilian government to return to national policies and international relations based on reason, rationality and compliance with the fundamental requirements of the Brazilian Constitution and international law. The signatories are Fernando Henrique Cardoso, former President of the Republic and former Minister of Foreign Affairs; Aloysio Nunes Ferreira, Celso Amorim, Celso Lafer, Francisco Rezek and José Serra, former Ministers of Foreign Affairs; Rubens Ricupero former minister of finance, the environment, and former Brazilian ambassador to Washington; and Hussein Kalout, former special secretary for strategic affairs for the Presidency.
The public statement calls for the reconstruction of Brazilian foreign policy in the wake of the devastation being caused by the Coronavirus and the actions and declarations of the Bolsonaro government (“Brasil. Coronavirus: La reconstrucción de la política exterior brasileña”, republished in Resumen Latinoamericano, 8 May 2020):
“Despite our different backgrounds and political opinions, we, as former senior diplomats that have exercised high responsibilities in the field of international relations in various governments of the New Republic, express our concern about the systematic violation by the current government’s foreign policy of the fundamental guiding principles and laws for the conduct of Brazil’s international relations defined in Article 4 of the 1988 Constitution. Innovative in this sense, the Constitution establishes that Brazil ‘is governed in its international relations by the following principles: I- national independence; II- prevalence of human rights; III- self-determination of the peoples; IV- non- intervention; V- equality between States; VI- defence of peace; VII- peaceful conflict resolution; VIII- rejection of terrorism and racism; IX- cooperation between peoples for the progress of humanity; X- granting of political asylum. … The Federative Republic of Brazil will seek the economic, political, social and cultural integration of the peoples of Latin America, with the objective of forming a Latin American community of nations.’ It is sufficient to compare the stipulations of the Constitution with the government’s foreign policy to verify that current diplomacy contradicts these principles in letter and spirit. National independence cannot be reconciled with subordination to a foreign government whose admitted political program is to promote its interest above all other considerations. It subverts the independence of the government when it declares itself to be an ally of that country, assuming as its own an agenda that threatens to drag Brazil into conflicts with nations with which we maintain relations of friendship and mutual interest. Furthermore, it departs from the universalist vocation of Brazilian foreign policy and its ability to dialogue and build bridges with different countries, developed and developing, for the benefit of our interests. Other examples of contradiction with the provisions of the Constitution are support for coercive measures in neighboring countries, violating the principles of self-determination and non-intervention; voting at the UN for the application of a unilateral embargo in violation of the norms of international law, the equality of states and the peaceful resolution of conflicts; the approval of the use of force against sovereign states without authorization from the UN Security Council; the official approval of political assassinations and the vote against the resolutions of the Human Rights Council in Geneva to condemn the violation of these rights; defending the policy of denying Indigenous peoples the rights guaranteed in the Constitution, and showing contempt for issues such as discrimination based on race and gender. Apart from flagrantly violating the Federal Constitution, the current orientation imposes costs on the country that are difficult to repair, such as the collapse of external credibility, the loss of markets and the flight of investments. Admired in the environmental area since Rio-92 (‘the Rio Summit’) as an inevitable leader on the subject of sustainable development, Brazil now appears as a threat to itself and others due to the destruction of the Amazon and in the worsening of global warming. Brazilian diplomacy, recognized as a force of moderation and balance at the service of consensus building, has become a subordinate complement to the most aggressive unilateralism. In Latin America, from being a leading protagonist of the regional integration process we began to support interventionist adventures, giving precedence to the interests of extra-regional powers. We have renounced the ability to defend our interests by collaborating with the United States to deport Brazilian workers in inhumane conditions, and by deciding for ideological reasons to withdraw all Brazilian diplomatic and consular personnel from Venezuela, one of our neighboring countries, leaving our nationals residing there powerless. In Western Europe, we gratuitously confront important partners, such as France and Germany, in all fields. The current fight against diplomacy distances the country from its strategic objectives, by antagonizing the very nations that are essential for the implementation of the government’s economic agenda. The extremely serious health crisis provoked by covid-19 revealed the irrelevance of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and its counterproductive role in helping Brazil to gain access to medical products and equipment. The racism and sectarianism of the government’s inexplicable attacks against China and the World Health Organization, together with the lack of respect for science and the insensitivity to human lives shown by the President of the Republic, have made the government an object of international contempt and disgust. At the same time, it has created obstacles to the (provincial) governors’ efforts to import products that are desperately needed to save the lives of thousands of Brazilians. To salvage Brazil’s foreign policy we must return to compliance with constitutional principles, rationality, pragmatism, a sense of balance, moderation, and constructive realism. In this reconstruction, it is imperative that the Judicial Power, guardian of the Constitution, and the National Congress, representative of the will of the people, fulfill their roles in ensuring the constitutionality of diplomatic actions. To respond to the wishes of our people and the real needs of Brazil, foreign policy must have broad support in public opinion and participation in its elaboration by all sectors of society. It also requires the commitment of our diplomatic corps: to a State policy and not to factional ploys which are aimed at exacerbating and exploiting the prejudices of a reactionary minority. We offer our decisive support and solidarity to our diplomats who have been humiliated and constrained by positions that clash with the best traditions of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The reconstruction of Brazilian foreign policy is urgent and indispensable. Leaving behind this shameful page of servility and irrationality, let us place at the centre of diplomatic action the defence of independence, sovereignty, dignity and national interests, supported by values such as solidarity and the search for dialogue, through which diplomacy has helped build the heritage and pride of the Brazilian people.”
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southfront--2020-05-13--Syrian Army, Militants Exchange Fire In Greater Idlib

Early on May 13 , the Syrian Arab Army ( SAA ) exchanged fire with militants in different parts of the northwestern Greater Idlib region .
The militants targeted SAA positions near the town of Hizareen in southern Idlib .
Army units responded to the attack in kind .
Later , the army artillery pounded militants ’ positions in the town of Kabani in Mount Kurd in the northern countryside of Lattakia , according to the London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights ( SOHR ) .
The ceasefire in Greater Idlib , which was brokered by Russia and Turkey on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its end .
The militants are launching more and more attacks .
Last week , al-Qaeda-affiliated militants launched a large attack on SAA positions in northwestern Hama .
More than 30 Syrian soldiers were killed in the clashes .
A tank was also captured by the militants .
The SAA stepped up its artillery and rocket strikes on Greater Idlib following the attack .
However , a proper response is yet to be delivered .
The army and its allies will move to launch a new large-scale military operation in Greater Idlib , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ repeated militant ’ s ’ attacks indicate that this could happen soon .
MORE ON THIS TOPC : • U.S. Syria Envoy Speculates That Assad Provided ‘ Chemical Weapons ’ To Hezbollah

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Early on May 13, the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) exchanged fire with militants in different parts of the Greater Idlib region.
Militants targeted SAA positions near the town of Hizareen in southern Idlib. Army units responded to the attack in kind.
Later, the army artillery pounded militants’ positions in the town of Kabani in Mount Kurd in the northern countryside of Lattakia, according to the London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR).
The ceasefire in Greater Idlib, which was brokered by Russia and Turkey on March 5, appears to be nearing its end. The militants are launching more and more attacks.
Last week, al-Qaeda-affiliated militants launched a large attack on SAA positions in northwestern Hama. More than 30 Syrian soldiers were killed in the clashes. A tank was also captured by the militants.
The SAA stepped up its artillery and rocket strikes on Greater Idlib following the attack. However, a proper response is yet to be delivered.
The army and its allies will likely launch a large-scale operation in Greater Idlib, if the March 5 agreement collapse. The repeated militant’s’ attacks indicate that this could happen soon.
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southfront--2020-05-13--Military Situation In Afghanistan On May 13, 2020 (Map Update)

Click to see the full-size image A brief overview of the recent developments in Afghanistan : • At least 4 @ @ @ @ @ killed and 3 others were wounded in a Taliban attack on their outpost 40km west @ @ @ @ @ • A civilian was killed and 10 others were wounded in an IED explosion in @ @ @ @ @ district of Khost province ; • Local sources say that 9 civilians were killed in @ @ @ @ @ in the Balkh district of Balkh province ; • The Taliban released 17 members of @ @ @ @ @ district of Badghis province ; • A government fighter with an armoured vehicle surrendered to @ @ @ @ @ area of Farah province .
MORE ON THE TOPIC : • Military Situation In Afghanistan @ @ @ @ @ ( Map Update )

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A brief overview of the recent developments in Afghanistan:
At least 4 fighters of government forces were killed and 3 others were wounded in a Taliban attack on their outpost 40km west of Feroz Koh city;
A civilian was killed and 10 others were wounded in an IED explosion in a market in the Sabariyo district of Khost province;
Local sources say that 9 civilians were killed in an airstrike by government forces in the Balkh district of Balkh province;
The Taliban released 17 members of government forces in the Marghab district of Badghis province;
A government fighter with an armoured vehicle surrendered to the Taliban in the Todank area of Farah province.
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southfront--2020-05-13--Military Situation In Syria On May 13, 2020 (Map Update)

Click to see the full-size image A brief overview of the recent developments in Syria : • The US speculated @ @ @ @ @ have provided Hezbollah with ‘ chemical weapons ’ ; • Locals blocked a US military @ @ @ @ @ • Bodies of 2 Turkish-backed militants were found near al-Rai ; • The SDF reportedly @ @ @ @ @ invoved in blocking the US patrol near Tell Tamra ; • Syrian soldier was reportedly @ @ @ @ @ near Al-Sabkha .
MORE ON THE TOPIC : • Military Situation In Syria On May @ @ @ @ @ Update )

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A brief overview of the recent developments in Syria:
The US speculated that the Assad government may have provided Hezbollah with ‘chemical weapons’;
Locals blocked a US military convoy near Tell Tamra;
Bodies of 2 Turkish-backed militants were found near al-Rai;
The SDF reportedly arrested a number of civilians invoved in blocking the US patrol near Tell Tamra;
Syrian soldier was reportedly killed in an IED explosion near Al-Sabkha.
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southfront--2020-05-13--Military Situation In Yemen On May 13, 2020 (Map Update)

Click to see the full-size image A brief overview of the recent developments in Yemen : • Clashes between Ansar @ @ @ @ @ were reported in the al-Boqa area ; • Clashes between Ansar Allah and Saudi-led coalition @ @ @ @ @ .
MORE ON THE TOPIC : • Military Situation In Yemen On May 12 , @ @ @ @ @

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A brief overview of the recent developments in Yemen:
Ceasefire violations were reported in al-Hudaydah;
Saudi-led coalition warplanes struck the Hajjah province 2 times;
Saudi-led coalition warplanes struck the Majzar area 6 times;
Saudi-led coalition warplanes struck the Sawadiya area 6 times;
Saudi-led coalition warplanes struck the Qaniya area 5 times;
Clashes between Ansar Allah and Saudi-led coalition forces were reported in the al-Boqa area;
Clashes between Ansar Allah and Saudi-led coalition forces continue in al-Baydha province.
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southfront--2020-05-13--In Nazi-style Move Ukrainian Police Requested List Of Addresses And Phone Numbers Of Jewish Citizens

Ukraine ’ s National Police department demanded Jewish community of Kolomiya to provide police the list of all Jews with addresses and mobile phones and Jewish students in universities with addresses and phones .
The reasoning behind is to fight international organized crime groups .
The letter was signed by Myhaylo Bank , a high-ranking officer in the national police force who handles organized crime .
The letter did not explain his unit ’ s particular interest in Kolomyya ’ s Jews .
Then it turned out that not everything was in order and the main headquarters of the police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police department requested the list .
Israel ’ s ambassador to Kiev , Joel Lion , addressed Ukraine ’ s presidential office , ministry of foreign affairs and interior ministry , tweeting on Monday : “ I received phone calls from the highest officials of Ukraine strongly condemning this act of Antisemitism.
” He also said that he has had no explanation yet from Ukraine ’ s national police .
“ After my tweet and intervention of the Israeli Ambassador in Ukraine , they started an investigation .
I was told that all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ called to Kiev .
We believe that there was a document behind this letter which they received from the centre .
Everyone is already informed and we are waiting for an official explanation , ” Dolinsky said .
The US Senate also issued a swift statement condemning the actions and expressing its surprise at it .
Of course , all of this comes as some sort of a surprise , despite , Lviv being located in Western Ukraine , which at this point is infamous with its various monument to Nazi collaborators ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the Ukrainian government clearly allowing the Nazi-infested volunteer battalions to do as they please and lead the country ’ s general policy in regard to Eastern Ukraine .
Following numerous reports that dub Ukraine as the “ global Nazi hub ” stories such as these are surprising , and not seen since the “ Nazi invasion of Ukraine.
” The narrative , however , is that these are isolated incidents , and the “ Nazi invasion of Ukraine ” didn ’ t fester for 70 years and is still present there and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a somewhat popular ideology .
This time the attempts to carry out these actions didn ’ t pass , but how far off in the distance is some sort of identification to allow for easy separation of people ?
Like some sort of golden circle , or another figure , maybe a star ?
MORE ON THE TOPIC :

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Ukraine’s National Police department demanded Jewish community of Kolomiya to provide police the list of all Jews with addresses and mobile phones and Jewish students in universities with addresses and phones.
The reasoning behind is to fight international organized crime groups.
Ukraine’s National Police department demanded from the Jewish community of Kolomiya to provide police the list of all Jews with addresses and mobile phones and Jewish students in universities with addresses and phones. It is explained as fight against transnational criminal gangs pic.twitter.com/re7foVcgHi — Eduard Dolinsky (@edolinsky) May 10, 2020
“Please provide us the following information regarding the Orthodox Jewish religious community of Kolomyya, namely: The organization’s charter; list of members of the Jewish religious community, with indication of data, mobile phones and their places of residence,” the letter reads.
The letter was signed by Myhaylo Bank, a high-ranking officer in the national police force who handles organized crime. The letter did not explain his unit’s particular interest in Kolomyya’s Jews.
Then it turned out that not everything was in order and the main headquarters of the police began an investigation into why the Ivano-Frankivsk police department requested the list.
National Police of Ukraine have launched an investigation on why Ivano-Frankivsk police department had demanded a list of all Jews in Kolomiya city with mobile phones and addresses. The announcement came after the Israeli Ambassador Mr.Joel Lion's intervention in the matter. — Eduard Dolinsky (@edolinsky) May 12, 2020
Israel’s ambassador to Kiev, Joel Lion, addressed Ukraine’s presidential office, ministry of foreign affairs and interior ministry, tweeting on Monday: “I received phone calls from the highest officials of Ukraine strongly condemning this act of Antisemitism.”
Just after I brought this letter to the attention of @APUkraine, @MFA_Ukraine & @MVS_UA . I received phone calls from the highest officials of #Ukraine strongly condamning this act of #Antisemitism. We will work together to better educate Police about Antisemitism. ????? pic.twitter.com/dnFFbsI6yR — Joel Lion (@ambassadorlion) May 11, 2020
“It’s a total disgrace and open anti-Semitism,” Dolinsky told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. “It’s especially dangerous when it comes from a law enforcement agency that we have to fight the very thing it is perpetrating.”
He also said that he has had no explanation yet from Ukraine’s national police.
“After my tweet and intervention of the Israeli Ambassador in Ukraine, they started an investigation. I was told that all police officials related to the letter were called to Kiev. We believe that there was a document behind this letter which they received from the centre. Everyone is already informed and we are waiting for an official explanation,” Dolinsky said.
The US Senate also issued a swift statement condemning the actions and expressing its surprise at it.
The US Senators statement on events in Kolomiya: “We urge the Government of Ukraine to investigate this incident, hold those responsible accountable, and recommit to joining us in countering anti-Semitism in all its forms.” pic.twitter.com/yMDo3IjPdi — Eduard Dolinsky (@edolinsky) May 13, 2020
Of course, all of this comes as some sort of a surprise, despite, Lviv being located in Western Ukraine, which at this point is infamous with its various monument to Nazi collaborators (deemed “national heroes”), and the Ukrainian government clearly allowing the Nazi-infested volunteer battalions to do as they please and lead the country’s general policy in regard to Eastern Ukraine.
Following numerous reports that dub Ukraine as the “global Nazi hub” stories such as these are surprising, and not seen since the “Nazi invasion of Ukraine.” The narrative, however, is that these are isolated incidents, and the “Nazi invasion of Ukraine” didn’t fester for 70 years and is still present there and not really an invasion, but rather a somewhat popular ideology.
This time the attempts to carry out these actions didn’t pass, but how far off in the distance is some sort of identification to allow for easy separation of people? Like some sort of golden circle, or another figure, maybe a star?
MORE ON THE TOPIC:
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southfront--2020-05-13--FBI Accidentally Leaks Identity Of Saudi Diplomat Suspected Of Assisting In 9/11 Attacks

In April , the FBI accidentally revealed the identity of a Saudi diplomat who agents have suspected helped deliver crucial support to the Al-Qaeda terrorists who carried out the Sept. 11 , 2001 attacks , Yahoo News reported .
The Saudi official , Mussaed Ahmed al-Jarrah , had his name blocked out in all but one appearance in the document , with the FBI admitting to Yahoo it was a mistake .
After being contacted by Yahoo News on Monday , Justice Department officials notified the court and withdrew the FBI ’ s declaration from the public docket .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Saudi government spokesperson all refused to provide a comment .
The interesting part is that , the leak was from a document that was intended to support recent filings by Attorney General William Barr and acting Director of National Intelligence Richard Grenell barring the public release of the Saudi official ’ s name and all related documents , concluding they are “ state secrets ” that , if disclosed , could cause “ significant harm to the national security.
” The declaration was filed by Jill Sanborn , the assistant director of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ declaration fleshes out some of the assertions Barr and Grenell have used in their filings , arguing that publicly disclosing internal FBI files — including “ interview reports , telephone and bank records , source reporting documents and foreign government information ” — would reveal intelligence sources and methods of collection and would hamper the willingness of foreign governments to assist the FBI on sensitive cases .
The federal government ’ s official stance is based on the 2004 report on findings from the 9/11 Commission , which stated it “ found no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ institution or senior Saudi officials individually funded the organization.
” Eagleson acknowledged he was flabbergasted by the bureau ’ s slip-up in identifying the Saudi Embassy official in a public filing .
Although Justice Department lawyers had last September notified lawyers for the 9/11 families of the official ’ s identity , they had done so under a protective order that forbade the family members from publicly disclosing it .
MORE ON THE TOPIC : • U.S. To Remove Patriot Batteries From Saudi Arabia : WSJ Report • “ ISIS Has Nothing Over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Beheadings Under Salman

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In April, the FBI accidentally revealed the identity of a Saudi diplomat who agents have suspected helped deliver crucial support to the Al-Qaeda terrorists who carried out the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, Yahoo News reported.
The Saudi official, Mussaed Ahmed al-Jarrah, had his name blocked out in all but one appearance in the document, with the FBI admitting to Yahoo it was a mistake.
After being contacted by Yahoo News on Monday, Justice Department officials notified the court and withdrew the FBI’s declaration from the public docket.
“The document was incorrectly filed in this case,” it said.
The FBI, US Justice Department and a Saudi government spokesperson all refused to provide a comment.
2020 5-8 ECF 6197 Declarati… by Kelli R. Grant on Scribd
The interesting part is that, the leak was from a document that was intended to support recent filings by Attorney General William Barr and acting Director of National Intelligence Richard Grenell barring the public release of the Saudi official’s name and all related documents, concluding they are “state secrets” that, if disclosed, could cause “significant harm to the national security.”
The declaration was filed by Jill Sanborn, the assistant director of the FBI’s counterterrorism division. Her declaration fleshes out some of the assertions Barr and Grenell have used in their filings, arguing that publicly disclosing internal FBI files — including “interview reports, telephone and bank records, source reporting documents and foreign government information” — would reveal intelligence sources and methods of collection and would hamper the willingness of foreign governments to assist the FBI on sensitive cases.
The federal government’s official stance is based on the 2004 report on findings from the 9/11 Commission, which stated it “found no evidence that the Saudi government as an institution or senior Saudi officials individually funded the organization.”
“This shows there is a complete government cover-up of the Saudi involvement,” said Brett Eagleson, a spokesman for the 9/11 families whose father was killed in the attacks. “It demonstrates there was a hierarchy of command that’s coming from the Saudi Embassy to the Ministry of Islamic Affairs [in Los Angeles] to the hijackers.”
Eagleson acknowledged he was flabbergasted by the bureau’s slip-up in identifying the Saudi Embassy official in a public filing. Although Justice Department lawyers had last September notified lawyers for the 9/11 families of the official’s identity, they had done so under a protective order that forbade the family members from publicly disclosing it.
The FBI itself has named the Saudi official. “This is a giant screwup,” Eagleson said.
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southfront--2020-05-13--Pentagon Has An Obsession With This Robot Minesweeping Stealth Boat

The Pentagon has agreed to allocate an additional $ 20.7 million in funding to AAI Corp. , a unit of Textron Systems , for engineering and technical services to develop more robot stealth boats that probe for underwater mines and can attack enemy forces with its machine gun .
AAI ’ s stealth boat is badass , and made right here in the USA , at several production facilities on the East Coast .
The deal is valued at $ 20,720,170 and is a modification to a previously awarded contract from 2014 for the Navy ’ s Unmanned Influence Sweep @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Vehicle program .
About 70 % of the vessel will be constructed at AAI ’ s Hunt Valley , Maryland facility , with the remaining 30 % at the company ’ s Slidell , Louisiana plant .
UISS is the Navy ’ s program for “ a rapid wide-area coverage mine clearance capability which are required to neutralize magnetic/acoustic influence mines , ” reported Navy Recognition .
The vessel also packs firepower where it can remotely engage enemy forces .
The robot vessel is designed to perform mine countermeasures and capabilities by employing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Littoral Combat Ships ( LCS ) and other vessels .
It is small enough to launch from an LCS or another vessel .
It has high endurance and can conduct up to 20 hours of operation with countermine mine technology payload .
For defensive and offensive operations , the vessel houses a machine gun that remotely fires on enemy targets .
The Pentagon awarded the contract to AAI in 2014 for the vessels with a completion date of September 2020 , with a total value amount of $ 122.1 million .
The work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2021 , with contract value increased to $ 142.8 to $ 165.2 million .
It appears to the Navy wants more and more of these robot stealth boats .
It ’ s like Skynet on water…

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Originally appeared at ZeroHedge
The Pentagon has agreed to allocate an additional $20.7 million in funding to AAI Corp., a unit of Textron Systems, for engineering and technical services to develop more robot stealth boats that probe for underwater mines and can attack enemy forces with its machine gun.
AAI’s stealth boat is badass, and made right here in the USA, at several production facilities on the East Coast. The deal is valued at $20,720,170 and is a modification to a previously awarded contract from 2014 for the Navy’s Unmanned Influence Sweep System (UISS) and Unmanned Surface Vehicle program.
About 70% of the vessel will be constructed at AAI’s Hunt Valley, Maryland facility, with the remaining 30% at the company’s Slidell, Louisiana plant.
UISS is the Navy’s program for “a rapid wide-area coverage mine clearance capability which are required to neutralize magnetic/acoustic influence mines,” reported Navy Recognition. The vessel also packs firepower where it can remotely engage enemy forces.
The robot vessel is designed to perform mine countermeasures and capabilities by employing mine-hunting and mine-sweeping systems and work alongside Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) and other vessels. It is small enough to launch from an LCS or another vessel.
It has high endurance and can conduct up to 20 hours of operation with countermine mine technology payload. For defensive and offensive operations, the vessel houses a machine gun that remotely fires on enemy targets.
The Pentagon awarded the contract to AAI in 2014 for the vessels with a completion date of September 2020, with a total value amount of $122.1 million. The work was pushed out one year to September 2021, with contract value increased to $142.8 to $165.2 million.
It appears to the Navy wants more and more of these robot stealth boats. It’s like Skynet on water…
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southfront--2020-05-13--IMF’s Grim Global Growth Forecast To Be Updated To Even Worse

On May 12th , the International Monetary Fund adjusted its very grim global growth forecast to make it even more pessimistic .
International Monetary Fund Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said it was “ very likely ” the Fund would cut global growth forecasts further as the coronavirus pandemic was hitting many economies harder than previously projected .
“ Incoming data from many countries is worse than our already pessimistic projections , ” Georgieva said during a webcast conference sponsored by the Financial Times .
“ Very likely we are going to come up with the update to our projections some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ point … our expectation is that there would be a bit more bad news in terms of how we see 2020.
” At the start of April , the forecast was that business closures and lockdowns to slow the spread of the virus would throw the world into the deepest recession since the 1930s Great Depression , with gross domestic product output shrinking 3 % in 2020 .
The IMF typically revises its World Economic Outlook forecasts in early July .
Georgieva said the worsening data was also likely to mean that emerging @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than $ 2.5 trillion in additional financing to grapple with the pandemic .
A month after the IMF and World Bank Spring Meetings , Georgieva said IMF members still lacked agreement over an issue of new IMF Special Drawing Rights , a step last taken in 2009 that would provide hundreds of billions of dollars in new liquidity for all IMF members , rich and poor .
Meanwhile , the US shale oil industry is in dire straits .
Chesapeake Energy Corp said it can not access financing and is considering restructuring its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ oil prices do not recover after a sharp drop .
Applications from the company showed that the company ’ s total debt is more than $ 1 billion in debt repayment and interest expenses , of which $ 250 million in “ senior notes ” were due to be paid off this year .
The company said that a review of the value of its unused oil and gas reserves this quarter is likely to show a decline due to its troubled finances , which will reduce the ability to borrow for these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ loss available to shareholders increased to $ 8.3 billion , or $ 852.97 per share , from $ 44 million , or $ 6.37 , due to an impairment of assets of $ 8.5 billion .
But at the same time the company said it would pay $ 25 million in weekly rewards to top managers .
Chesapeake , which had about 2,300 employees at the end of 2019 , laid off about 13 % of its workforce in April .
In the last quarter , it terminated the contracts of most of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ result of the acquisition in 2018 of the Texas oil producer WildHorse for $ 4 billion .
The company said it shut down wells and delayed the production of commercial volumes for sale in some areas , which will reduce its projected oil production by about 50 % and 37 % , respectively , in May and June .
Shares of the company fell about 8 % during day trading .
Similarly to Saudi ’ s Aramco – spending is being cut , but the shareholders and managers are still being paid “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ off .
There ’ s no way for that to backfire , of course , in the US alone , 20.5 million jobs were lost in the United States , and the unemployment rate reached 14.7 % and US officials expect May to be even worse .
MORE ON THE TOPIC : • Saudi Arabia And Co Vow Further Production Cuts To Salvage What Remains Of Crude Oil Market • Crude Oil Price Recovers Slightly , But There ’ s Little Hope Of Avoiding Recession • U.S .
Threatens To Default On Debt @ @ @ @ @ @ @

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On May 12th, the International Monetary Fund adjusted its very grim global growth forecast to make it even more pessimistic.
International Monetary Fund Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said it was “very likely” the Fund would cut global growth forecasts further as the coronavirus pandemic was hitting many economies harder than previously projected.
“Incoming data from many countries is worse than our already pessimistic projections,” Georgieva said during a webcast conference sponsored by the Financial Times. “Very likely we are going to come up with the update to our projections some time in June, and at that point … our expectation is that there would be a bit more bad news in terms of how we see 2020.”
At the start of April, the forecast was that business closures and lockdowns to slow the spread of the virus would throw the world into the deepest recession since the 1930s Great Depression, with gross domestic product output shrinking 3% in 2020.
The IMF typically revises its World Economic Outlook forecasts in early July.
Georgieva said the worsening data was also likely to mean that emerging markets and developing economies would need more than $2.5 trillion in additional financing to grapple with the pandemic.
A month after the IMF and World Bank Spring Meetings, Georgieva said IMF members still lacked agreement over an issue of new IMF Special Drawing Rights, a step last taken in 2009 that would provide hundreds of billions of dollars in new liquidity for all IMF members, rich and poor.
“During our spring meetings, it was very clear the membership said, ‘Everything is on the table. Let’s see how this crisis evolves in the future.’”
Meanwhile, the US shale oil industry is in dire straits.
Chesapeake Energy Corp said it cannot access financing and is considering restructuring its debt of more than $ 9billion if oil prices do not recover after a sharp drop.
Applications from the company showed that the company’s total debt is more than $1 billion in debt repayment and interest expenses, of which $250 million in “senior notes” were due to be paid off this year.
The company said that a review of the value of its unused oil and gas reserves this quarter is likely to show a decline due to its troubled finances, which will reduce the ability to borrow for these assets.
Chesapeake reported that its net loss available to shareholders increased to $8.3 billion, or $852.97 per share, from $44 million, or $6.37, due to an impairment of assets of $8.5 billion. But at the same time the company said it would pay $25 million in weekly rewards to top managers.
Chesapeake, which had about 2,300 employees at the end of 2019, laid off about 13% of its workforce in April. In the last quarter, it terminated the contracts of most of the employees who joined it as a result of the acquisition in 2018 of the Texas oil producer WildHorse for $4 billion.
The company said it shut down wells and delayed the production of commercial volumes for sale in some areas, which will reduce its projected oil production by about 50% and 37%, respectively, in May and June. Shares of the company fell about 8% during day trading.
Similarly to Saudi’s Aramco – spending is being cut, but the shareholders and managers are still being paid “fairly” while workers are being laid off. There’s no way for that to backfire, of course, in the US alone, 20.5 million jobs were lost in the United States, and the unemployment rate reached 14.7% and US officials expect May to be even worse.
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southfront--2020-05-13--The Saker: What Does The Empire’s Agony Mean For The “Jewish State Of Israel”?

Written by The Saker ; Originally appeared at The Unz Review First , let ’ s begin with a few ( apparently unrelated ) recent news items : • The latest US PR disaster in Venezuela shows that the AngloZionist Empire truly is agonizing .
While this is hardly the first that that a US “ special operation ” goes down in an embarrassing failure , but even by US standards this latest disaster in Venezuela is painfully humiliating .
Even more humiliating are the reports that Russian Special Operators helped the Venezuelans capture the US Americans .
• Then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ techno-marvel coming out of the US MIC could not even fly at sustained supersonic speeds ( just as a reminder , normally the concept of “ 5th ” generation not only implies the ability to fly faster than the speed of sound , it also implies the ability to do so ( for a lengthy period of time ) without even the use of afterburners , in the so-called “ supercruise ” mode ! )
.
• In repeated simulations of a war between the US on one hand , and either China @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Corporation found that “ the US repeatedly “ gets its ass handed to it “ .
These apparently unrelated news items all have one thing in common : the illustrate how weak and ineffective the US armed forces have become over the past couple of decades .
And while , for the sake of brevity , I chose just three examples , the truth is that there are hundreds of similar stories all over the Internet , all pointing to the same reality : most of the US military is in a terminal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ look at the various services one by one : • The USN ‘ s entire surface fleet is now compromised due to its carrier-centric structure .
The USN also lacks modern cruise missiles .
Entire classes of surface ships are now either outdated ( frigates ) or have major design failures ( LCS ) .
• The USAF flies mostly Cold War jets , often modernized , but all in all , it is an outdated fleet , especially when compared to Russian or Chinese 4th++ and 5th generation aircraft .
In fact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ program means that for the first time in its history the US aircraft will be qualitatively outgunned by its likely adversaries .
Even US AWACS and other reconnaissance aircraft are now threatened by Russian and Chinese very long range anti-air missiles ( both ground and air launched ) .
• As for the US Army and Marine Corps , the embarrassing disasters in Iraq , Afghanistan and elsewhere prove that the US ground forces are basically only able to protect themselves , and even that not very well .
• Then there are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only on paper and the US Coast Guard which is basically irrelevant in a major war .
Finally , there is the US Special Operations Command , which is not one of the service branches but only a “ functional ” and “ unified combatant ” command , but which is often thought of as a separate branch of the armed forces .
These forces always look great on propaganda rolls , but the truth is that these putatively “ best in the word ” ( what else ?
! )
forces have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , meaningful , operational success anywhere ( at least to balance out their long history of abject failures , from Desert One , to Grenada , to Afghanistan , to Libya , etc. )
.
And a minor firefights against a much inferior adversary do not qualify .
Now let me ask the crucial question : what does that mean for Israel ?
Well , first , it means that the “ poor ” Israelis now have to fly with the F-35 as their flagship fighter .
In most cases , I would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s to get rid of at least the worst “ features ” , but in the case of the F-35 this is not even theoretically possible due to profound flaws ( for those in need of an “ official ” refresher on the catastrophic reality of the F-35 program , please read this official US government report which includes 276 “ critical ” deficiencies ) .
Sooner rather than later , the Israeli F-35s will meet the export version of the Su-35 , the much cheaper but high-performing Mig-29M/MiG-35 or even a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hopelessly outgunned ( even if the outcome of any air-to-air combat can not be reduced to comparing aircraft , you need a full and much more complex picture to model possible outcomes ) .
Currently , the Su-35 has only been exported to China , but future potential operators could include Egypt , Algeria and Turkey .
As for the MiG-29M/MiG-35 , countries such as Egypt and Syria have expressed interest .
Speaking of Syria , so far we have seen several cases of Israeli aircraft intercepted and forced to withdraw by Russian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the opposite .
There appears to be at least one case , though not confirmed officially ( yet ? )
of a Russian Su-35S chasing away an USAF F-22 ( once the Su-35 and the F-22 are in close enough proximity , the latter has very few hopes of survival ) .
Can you guess what else the Israelis are going to eventually meet in the skies over the Middle-East ?
Possibly an export variant of the MiG-31 or even Russian MiG-31BMs ( with their 400km R-37 air-to-air missiles ) .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ radar and weapons of this aircraft would make it possible for Russia to maintain combat air patrols over , say , Syria while operating from southern Russia .
I dwell on these aircraft because in the past , and just like the US , the Israelis have always relied on the following combination of factors to prevail : • A surprise attack ( more or less justified by a false flag or by preemption ) • The destruction of enemy aircraft when they are still on the ground • Air superiority to protect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the Israelis still have a large force of modified F-16/15/18 ( 14 squadrons , over 300 aircraft ) , but just like their US counterparts , they are rapidly becoming dated .
In sharp contrast to the dated Israeli Air Force , Israeli neighbors are all acquiring more and more advanced air defense systems along with EW and battle management systems .
In other words , this is a very bad time for Israel to reply on F-35s for the foreseeable future .
Right now , the Israelis are regularly bombing Syria @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than the mantric , and no doubt therapeutic , proclamations of Jewish superiority over the Arabs .
And , predictably , the Ziomedia watching folks in Israel and the West are very impressed .
The Syrians , the Iranians and Hezbollah , not so much… Just like the US MIC put all its eggs into the F-35 basket , so did the Israelis put all their national security eggs into the eternal willingness and capability of Uncle Shmuel to come and rescue them with money , weapons or even soldiers .
The willingness @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is quickly disappearing !
Furthermore , there are two more countries which are entering a period of severe instability which will also affect the security of Israel : Turkey and Saudi Arabia .
In the case of Turkey , the relationship between the US and Turkey is about as low as it ever has been , and there is a very real possibility that , with US sanctions and threats , the Turks might decide to give up on the F-35 and turn to a Russian aircraft , most likely an export version @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be ( politically ) bad news for the US MIC , it would be absolutely terrible news for the Israelis whose relationship with Turkey is generally rather bad .
So far , Turkey is still an obedient member of NATO , with all that entails , but the weaker the AngloZionist Empire becomes , the bigger the chances of some kind of political clash between the US and NATO on one hand , and Turkey on the other .
As for the Saudis , they have already been actively courting Moscow because they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the USA as the number one regional power .
The total failure of the US to provide meaningful assistance to the Saudis in Yemen and the inability of the US air defenses to protect the Saudi oilfield from Houthi missile strikes has convinced the Saudis that from now on , they need to talk to the Russians directly and often .
True , the US still does have the of real power in the Middle East .
Just take a look at this page from the latest IISS Military Balance .
There are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ personnel in the region .
But try to look beyond these fancy graphics and ask yourself : what are these forces doing ?
what are they actually achieving ?
I would submit that most of what they do is to try to impress the locals , make money ( by all sorts of military contracts ) and , last but not least , they try to protect themselves .
And yes , the US ’ s “ footprint ” in the Middle-East is still big , but that is also what makes US @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Iranians , for example , have made it clear that they see all these facilities and forces as “ targets ” which , following the high-precision Iranian missile attacks following the murder of General Suleimani , means that Iran now has the means to inflict major damage on any regional force crazy enough to mess with Iran .
Of course , every time somebody writes that the USA or Israel are not invincible , there is always at least one person saying something like “ yeah , maybe , but they got nukes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are threatened ” .
To this my reply is different for the case of USA and for the case of Israel .
In the case of the USA , while any first use of nukes will result in a political suicide for the Empire , no US adversary in the Middle-East has the capability to retaliate in kind against the USA .
In the case of Israel , however , things are even much more serious .
First , we need to remember that for obvious geographical reasons , the Israelis can not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ least not forces anywhere near the Israeli border .
Still , if seriously threatened , the Israelis could claim that another “ Holocaust ” is about to happen and that the “ defense of Jewish blood ” leaves them no option but to use nukes on , say , Iranian or Syrian targets .
I submit that the worse the damage inflicted by any such Israeli nuclear strikes , the stronger the resolve of the Arabs and/or Iranians will be .
That is the problem with deterrence : once it has failed , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ usually no “ plan B ” .
Does that mean that a major attack on Israel is inevitable ?
No , not at all .
For one thing , both the USA and Israel can still inflict immense damage against any country , or coalition of countries , which would threaten them ( and they don ’ t need to resort to nukes to achieve this ) .
The fact that neither the USA nor Israel can achieve anything resembling a “ victory ” in no way implies that attacking the US or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ countries have plenty of conventional military power left to extract a huge price from any attacker .
Secondly , it is precisely because the US and Israel have a lot of military power left that their adversaries will favor a gradual and slow weakening of the AngloZionists over an open confrontation .
For example , while it is true that the US did not have the stomach to attack Iran following the Iranian retaliatory missile strike , it is also true that the Iranians carefully “ tuned ” their response so as not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The truth is that right now neither country wants an open war .
The same can be said of Syria and Hezbollah who have been very careful not to do anything which would force the Israelis ( or the US ) to escalate from the current symbolic/pin-prick attacks to real , meaningful , air and missile strikes .
Right now the USA can still print enough dollars to maintain Israel afloat , but we already know that while throwing cheap money at a problem is often very tempting , this does not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the actual military capabilities of both the USA and Israelis are rapidly degrading .
Right now , nobody knows how much longer the last openly racist regime on the planet will last , but it is exceedingly unlikely that the Zionist entity will be able to survive without the Empire to prop it up .
In other words , sooner rather than later , the “ Jewish state of Israel ” will have no better chances of survival than , say , the “ Independent State of Kosovo ” or , for that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : they are all the ugly metastases of the Empire which by themselves are simply not viable .

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Written by The Saker; Originally appeared at The Unz Review
First, let’s begin with a few (apparently unrelated) recent news items:
These apparently unrelated news items all have one thing in common: the illustrate how weak and ineffective the US armed forces have become over the past couple of decades. And while, for the sake of brevity, I chose just three examples, the truth is that there are hundreds of similar stories all over the Internet, all pointing to the same reality: most of the US military is in a terminal state of disrepair.
Let’s look at the various services one by one:
The USN ‘s entire surface fleet is now compromised due to its carrier-centric structure. The USN also lacks modern cruise missiles. Entire classes of surface ships are now either outdated (frigates) or have major design failures (LCS).
‘s entire surface fleet is now compromised due to its carrier-centric structure. The USN also lacks modern cruise missiles. Entire classes of surface ships are now either outdated (frigates) or have major design failures (LCS). The USAF flies mostly Cold War jets, often modernized, but all in all, it is an outdated fleet, especially when compared to Russian or Chinese 4th++ and 5th generation aircraft. In fact, the absolute disaster of the F-35 program means that for the first time in its history the US aircraft will be qualitatively outgunned by its likely adversaries. Even US AWACS and other reconnaissance aircraft are now threatened by Russian and Chinese very long range anti-air missiles (both ground and air launched).
flies mostly Cold War jets, often modernized, but all in all, it is an outdated fleet, especially when compared to Russian or Chinese 4th++ and 5th generation aircraft. In fact, the absolute disaster of the F-35 program means that for the first time in its history the US aircraft will be qualitatively outgunned by its likely adversaries. Even US AWACS and other reconnaissance aircraft are now threatened by Russian and Chinese very long range anti-air missiles (both ground and air launched). As for the US Army and Marine Corps , the embarrassing disasters in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere prove that the US ground forces are basically only able to protect themselves, and even that not very well.
and , the embarrassing disasters in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere prove that the US ground forces are basically only able to protect themselves, and even that not very well. Then there are the recently created Space Forces which exist only on paper and the US Coast Guard which is basically irrelevant in a major war.
Finally, there is the US Special Operations Command, which is not one of the service branches but only a “functional” and “unified combatant” command, but which is often thought of as a separate branch of the armed forces. These forces always look great on propaganda rolls, but the truth is that these putatively “best in the word” (what else?!) forces have yet to achieve even their first real, meaningful, operational success anywhere (at least to balance out their long history of abject failures, from Desert One, to Grenada, to Afghanistan, to Libya, etc.). And a minor firefights against a much inferior adversary do not qualify.
Now let me ask the crucial question: what does that mean for Israel?
Well, first, it means that the “poor” Israelis now have to fly with the F-35 as their flagship fighter. In most cases, I would trust the Israelis to modify/upgrade their F-35’s to get rid of at least the worst “features”, but in the case of the F-35 this is not even theoretically possible due to profound design flaws (for those in need of an “official” refresher on the catastrophic reality of the F-35 program, please read this official US government report which includes 276 “critical” deficiencies). Sooner rather than later, the Israeli F-35s will meet the export version of the Su-35, the much cheaper but high-performing Mig-29M/MiG-35 or even a Russian Su-57 and then they will be hopelessly outgunned (even if the outcome of any air-to-air combat cannot be reduced to comparing aircraft, you need a full and much more complex picture to model possible outcomes). Currently, the Su-35 has only been exported to China, but future potential operators could include Egypt, Algeria and Turkey. As for the MiG-29M/MiG-35, countries such as Egypt and Syria have expressed interest.
Speaking of Syria, so far we have seen several cases of Israeli aircraft intercepted and forced to withdraw by Russian Su-35Ss, and not a single case of the opposite. There appears to be at least one case, though not confirmed officially (yet?) of a Russian Su-35S chasing away an USAF F-22 (once the Su-35 and the F-22 are in close enough proximity, the latter has very few hopes of survival).
Can you guess what else the Israelis are going to eventually meet in the skies over the Middle-East? Possibly an export variant of the MiG-31 or even Russian MiG-31BMs (with their 400km R-37 air-to-air missiles). In fact, the range, speed, radar and weapons of this aircraft would make it possible for Russia to maintain combat air patrols over, say, Syria while operating from southern Russia.
I dwell on these aircraft because in the past, and just like the US, the Israelis have always relied on the following combination of factors to prevail:
A surprise attack (more or less justified by a false flag or by preemption)
The destruction of enemy aircraft when they are still on the ground
Air superiority to protect for rotary-wing aircraft and advancing armor
True, the Israelis still have a large force of modified F-16/15/18 (14 squadrons, over 300 aircraft), but just like their US counterparts, they are rapidly becoming dated. In sharp contrast to the dated Israeli Air Force, Israeli neighbors are all acquiring more and more advanced air defense systems along with EW and battle management systems. In other words, this is a very bad time for Israel to reply on F-35s for the foreseeable future.
Right now, the Israelis are regularly bombing Syria, but with very little result other than the mantric, and no doubt therapeutic, proclamations of Jewish superiority over the Arabs. And, predictably, the Ziomedia watching folks in Israel and the West are very impressed. The Syrians, the Iranians and Hezbollah, not so much…
Just like the US MIC put all its eggs into the F-35 basket, so did the Israelis put all their national security eggs into the eternal willingness and capability of Uncle Shmuel to come and rescue them with money, weapons or even soldiers.
The willingness is still here. But the capability is quickly disappearing!
Furthermore, there are two more countries which are entering a period of severe instability which will also affect the security of Israel: Turkey and Saudi Arabia.
In the case of Turkey, the relationship between the US and Turkey is about as low as it ever has been, and there is a very real possibility that, with US sanctions and threats, the Turks might decide to give up on the F-35 and turn to a Russian aircraft, most likely an export version of the Su-35. While that would be (politically) bad news for the US MIC, it would be absolutely terrible news for the Israelis whose relationship with Turkey is generally rather bad. So far, Turkey is still an obedient member of NATO, with all that entails, but the weaker the AngloZionist Empire becomes, the bigger the chances of some kind of political clash between the US and NATO on one hand, and Turkey on the other.
As for the Saudis, they have already been actively courting Moscow because they have realized that Russia has basically replaced the USA as the number one regional power. The total failure of the US to provide meaningful assistance to the Saudis in Yemen and the inability of the US air defenses to protect the Saudi oilfield from Houthi missile strikes has convinced the Saudis that from now on, they need to talk to the Russians directly and often.
True, the US still does have the appearance of real power in the Middle East. Just take a look at this page from the latest IISS Military Balance. There are still a lot of CENTCOM equipment and personnel in the region. But try to look beyond these fancy graphics and ask yourself: what are these forces doing? what are they actually achieving?
I would submit that most of what they do is to try to impress the locals, make money (by all sorts of military contracts) and, last but not least, they try to protect themselves. And yes, the US’s “footprint” in the Middle-East is still big, but that is also what makes US forces so vulnerable to attacks. The Iranians, for example, have made it clear that they see all these facilities and forces as “targets” which, following the high-precision Iranian missile attacks following the murder of General Suleimani, means that Iran now has the means to inflict major damage on any regional force crazy enough to mess with Iran.
Of course, every time somebody writes that the USA or Israel are not invincible, there is always at least one person saying something like “yeah, maybe, but they got nukes and they will use them if they are threatened”. To this my reply is different for the case of USA and for the case of Israel.
In the case of the USA, while any first use of nukes will result in a political suicide for the Empire, no US adversary in the Middle-East has the capability to retaliate in kind against the USA.
In the case of Israel, however, things are even much more serious.
First, we need to remember that for obvious geographical reasons, the Israelis cannot use nukes on attacking forces, at least not forces anywhere near the Israeli border. Still, if seriously threatened, the Israelis could claim that another “Holocaust” is about to happen and that the “defense of Jewish blood” leaves them no option but to use nukes on, say, Iranian or Syrian targets. I submit that the worse the damage inflicted by any such Israeli nuclear strikes, the stronger the resolve of the Arabs and/or Iranians will be. That is the problem with deterrence: once it has failed, it has totally failed and there is usually no “plan B”.
Does that mean that a major attack on Israel is inevitable?
No, not at all. For one thing, both the USA and Israel can still inflict immense damage against any country, or coalition of countries, which would threaten them (and they don’t need to resort to nukes to achieve this). The fact that neither the USA nor Israel can achieve anything resembling a “victory” in no way implies that attacking the US or Israel is easy or safe. Both countries have plenty of conventional military power left to extract a huge price from any attacker.
Secondly, it is precisely because the US and Israel have a lot of military power left that their adversaries will favor a gradual and slow weakening of the AngloZionists over an open confrontation. For example, while it is true that the US did not have the stomach to attack Iran following the Iranian retaliatory missile strike, it is also true that the Iranians carefully “tuned” their response so as not to force the US to strike back. The truth is that right now neither country wants an open war.
The same can be said of Syria and Hezbollah who have been very careful not to do anything which would force the Israelis (or the US) to escalate from the current symbolic/pin-prick attacks to real, meaningful, air and missile strikes.
Right now the USA can still print enough dollars to maintain Israel afloat, but we already know that while throwing cheap money at a problem is often very tempting, this does not constitute a sustainable strategy, especially when the actual military capabilities of both the USA and Israelis are rapidly degrading. Right now, nobody knows how much longer the last openly racist regime on the planet will last, but it is exceedingly unlikely that the Zionist entity will be able to survive without the Empire to prop it up. In other words, sooner rather than later, the “Jewish state of Israel” will have no better chances of survival than, say, the “Independent State of Kosovo” or, for that matter, the “Independent Ukraine”: they are all the ugly metastases of the Empire which by themselves are simply not viable.
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southfront--2020-05-13--Israeli Soldier Killed By Stone Thrower Leads To IDF Raids And Arrests In West Bank

On May 12th , an Israel Defense Forces ( IDF ) soldier was killed by a Palestinian rock thrower in the West Bank , while the IDF was carrying out a raid .
The Israeli military said 21-year-old Amit Ben-Yigal died after being struck in the head by a rock thrown from a rooftop in Yabad village , near Jenin , as his special forces unit withdrew after detaining four wanted Palestinians .
The Israeli military said troops were back in the village later in the day , searching for the rock-thrower , and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ score with him ” .
This led to the beginning of IDF raids all around the West Bank against Palestinians , with numerous videos being released to show what transpired .
During the nighttime clashes west of Jenin , several Palestinians received gunshot wounds .
The operation to search for those involved in the killing of an Israeli soldier continued all night in the area .
IDF arrested several individuals , but have reportedly not found the one responsible for the death of the soldier .
Separately , a Palestinian tried to stab @ @ @ @ @ @ @ around to the south on the West Bank boundary and was shot , an Israeli police spokesman said , adding that no Israelis were wounded .
The Palestinian was taken by ambulance to hospital and he was in critical condition .
The incidents came one day before US and Israel plan to discuss Tel ’ Aviv annexing more parts of the occupied West Bank .
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is to visit Israel on May 13th .
He is to meet both Netanyahu , and his coalition partner Benny Gantz .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Benjamin Netanyahu plans to swear in a new coalition government whose agenda includes a possible declaration of sovereignty over Jewish settlements and the Jordan Valley in the West Bank – a de facto annexation .
President Donald Trump unveiled a new plan for Israel-Palestine in January , but his administration has been boycotted by the Palestinians , who justifiably see bias in moves such as his 2017 recognition of Jerusalem as Israel ’ s capital .
The plan , essentially , also provides greenlight for many Israeli aspirations to annex further into the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ THE TOPIC : • Golan Heights Escalation And New Drama In Idlib

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On May 12th, an Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldier was killed by a Palestinian rock thrower in the West Bank, while the IDF was carrying out a raid.
The Israeli military said 21-year-old Amit Ben-Yigal died after being struck in the head by a rock thrown from a rooftop in Yabad village, near Jenin, as his special forces unit withdrew after detaining four wanted Palestinians.
Early this morning, Staff Sgt. Amit Ben Ygal was killed during operational activity by a terrorist in the Palestinian village of Ya'bad. Throughout the day, our forces have been searching for the terrorist responsible for the attack. 10 arrests have been made so far. pic.twitter.com/sgdbNCAlfy — Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) May 12, 2020
The Israeli military said troops were back in the village later in the day, searching for the rock-thrower, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Twitter that Israel would “settle the score with him”.
This led to the beginning of IDF raids all around the West Bank against Palestinians, with numerous videos being released to show what transpired.
During the nighttime clashes west of Jenin, several Palestinians received gunshot wounds. The operation to search for those involved in the killing of an Israeli soldier continued all night in the area.
IDF arrested several individuals, but have reportedly not found the one responsible for the death of the soldier.
Separately, a Palestinian tried to stab Israeli security staff at Qalandiya checkpoint, around to the south on the West Bank boundary and was shot, an Israeli police spokesman said, adding that no Israelis were wounded. The Palestinian was taken by ambulance to hospital and he was in critical condition.
The incidents came one day before US and Israel plan to discuss Tel’Aviv annexing more parts of the occupied West Bank.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is to visit Israel on May 13th. He is to meet both Netanyahu, and his coalition partner Benny Gantz.
“We [also] hope that we can convince the Palestinian leadership that they should engage with the Israelis on the basis of the [Trump] Vision for Peace,” Pompeo said.
On May 14th, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu plans to swear in a new coalition government whose agenda includes a possible declaration of sovereignty over Jewish settlements and the Jordan Valley in the West Bank – a de facto annexation.
President Donald Trump unveiled a new plan for Israel-Palestine in January, but his administration has been boycotted by the Palestinians, who justifiably see bias in moves such as his 2017 recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. The plan, essentially, also provides greenlight for many Israeli aspirations to annex further into the Jordan Valley and West Bank
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