southfront--2020-07-14--Libyan House Of Representatives Grants Egypt Right To Military Intervention

On July 13th , the Libyan House of Representatives ( based in Tobruk ) granted the Egyptian armed forces the right to intervene in the country ’ s ongoing conflict to protect Libyan and Egyptian national security .
The decision allows Egypt to intervene if the Egyptian armed forces see an imminent threat to the security of the two countries .
The parliament announced that it welcomes the statement made by President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi regarding military intervention in Libya , and called for concerted efforts between the two brotherly countries to ensure the defeat of invading occupiers and to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ region .
The Libyan parliament stressed that maintaining a fair distribution of wealth and oil revenues and protecting it from armed militias is a legitimate demand made by all Libyan people .
Finally , the statement said that the decision was made because of “ blatant Turkish military intervention in Libya , in cooperation with armed militias that are controlling the west of the country under a de facto authority.
” The occupation , the statement said , can only be stopped through concerted efforts between Arab countries .
Hours later , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supported the statement by the HoR .
At the end of June , Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said his country was ready to help the Libyan tribes ( most of which support Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar ’ s Libyan National Army ( LNA ) ) in the fight against foreign interference by training and arming them .
On July 11th , al-Sisi also stated that any direct Egyptian intervention in Libya now has legitimacy under international law .
According to him , the “ red line ” for the advancement of troops @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about 900 kilometers from the border with Egypt , and the province of Jufra .
On the ground there are currently no clashes , and it is obvious that heavy diplomatic discussions are on-going before a potential push by the GNA and its Turkish support on Sirte .
MORE ON THE TOPIC : • Syria Seems To Be Supplying Pantsir-S1 Air-Defense Systems To Libyan National Army ( Video , Photos ) • Satellite Images Reveal Impact Of Airstrikes On Turkish-Operated Al-Watiya Air Base In Libya

Support SouthFront
On July 13th, the Libyan House of Representatives (based in Tobruk) granted the Egyptian armed forces the right to intervene in the country’s ongoing conflict to protect Libyan and Egyptian national security.
The decision allows Egypt to intervene if the Egyptian armed forces see an imminent threat to the security of the two countries.
The parliament announced that it welcomes the statement made by President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi regarding military intervention in Libya, and called for concerted efforts between the two brotherly countries to ensure the defeat of invading occupiers and to preserve national security and stability in the region.
The statement added: “Confronting invaders guarantees the independence of the Libyan national decision, and protects the sovereignty and unity of Libya, as well as the wealth and resources of the Libyan people from the ambitions of the colonial invaders.”
The Libyan parliament stressed that maintaining a fair distribution of wealth and oil revenues and protecting it from armed militias is a legitimate demand made by all Libyan people.
Finally, the statement said that the decision was made because of “blatant Turkish military intervention in Libya, in cooperation with armed militias that are controlling the west of the country under a de facto authority.”
The occupation, the statement said, can only be stopped through concerted efforts between Arab countries.
Hours later, the Supreme Council of Sheikhs said that it supported the statement by the HoR.
المجلس الاعلى لمشايخ وأعيان ليبيا لسكاي نيوز عربية: نؤيد بيان مجلس النواب الليبي في دعوة الجيش المصري للتدخل للدفاع عن الشعب الليبي — سكاي نيوز عربية-عاجل (@SkyNewsArabia_B) July 14, 2020
At the end of June, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said his country was ready to help the Libyan tribes (most of which support Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar’s Libyan National Army (LNA)) in the fight against foreign interference by training and arming them.
On July 11th, al-Sisi also stated that any direct Egyptian intervention in Libya now has legitimacy under international law. According to him, the “red line” for the advancement of troops is the city of Sirte, located about 900 kilometers from the border with Egypt, and the province of Jufra.
On the ground there are currently no clashes, and it is obvious that heavy diplomatic discussions are on-going before a potential push by the GNA and its Turkish support on Sirte.
MORE ON THE TOPIC:
Support SouthFront


southfront--2020-07-14--Military Situation In Northwestern Syria On July 14, 2020 (Map Update)

Click to see the full-size image A brief overview of the recent developments in northwestern Syria : • Syrian Arab @ @ @ @ @ shelled the town of Kansafra and the village of al-Fateera in the southern countryside of @ @ @ @ @ attack targeted the Russian military vehicle near the city of Ariha during the Russian-Turkish joint @ @ @ @ @ .
3 Russian soldiers were reportedly wounded ; • An explosion occurred in the city @ @ @ @ @ were reported MORE ON THE TOPIC : • At Least 3 Russian Soldiers Injured In @ @ @ @ @ .
Russia Responds With New Wave Of Airstrikes

Support SouthFront
A brief overview of the recent developments in northwestern Syria:
Syrian Arab Army (SAA) artillery shelled the town of Kansafra and the village of al-Fateera in the southern countryside of Idlib;
An IED attack targeted the Russian military vehicle near the city of Ariha during the Russian-Turkish joint patrol on the M4 highway. 3 Russian soldiers were reportedly wounded;
Hayat Tahrir al-Sham raided an ISIS cell house in Sarmin;
An explosion occurred in the city of Afrin. No casualties were reported
MORE ON THE TOPIC:
Support SouthFront


southfront--2020-07-14--Russian Tactical Innovations And Syrian Experience

The Russian military is actively studying and employing the experience gained during the military operation on the territory of the Syrian Arab Republic .
The Russian Ministry of Defense ’ s newspaper Zvezda Weekly collected information about some methods of warfare that are now being studied by current and future Russian servicemen .
The tex below is based on the article of Zvezda Weekly .
This is a new tactical method of military operations for the Russian troops , the meaning of which is to conduct fire on stationary enemy targets while the Russian troops are protected through a sort @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shelter the offensive units , engineering units create a mound of soil several meters high .
The Syrian Arab Army ( SAA ) began using this strategy while fighting against terrorist groups .
At the beginning of the war , while approaching the strongholds of the militants , the SAA suffered heavy losses .
The “ current ” strategy that has been utilized since the Second World War proved to be impossible to use in the conditions of the appearance of new weapons and a massive saturation of heavy weapons on the battlefield @ @ @ @ @ @ @ casualties .
Thus , the Syrians began to look for new tactics .
It turned out that the sand shaft moving forward towards the enemy ’ s positions not only ensures the safety of its fighters and it conceals the actions of the offensive units , but also allows them to fire through gaps in the embankment .
In addition , the sand of the Syrian deserts proved to be a reliable barrier against modern laser and infrared guidance systems .
Syrian soldiers use conventional industrial bulldozers , protected with iron plates , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which is now being supplied to the engineering troops of Russia , is capable of moving any soil , with the exception , perhaps , of rock , in front of the advancing soldiers .
As the head of the Russian military department noted , the special operation of the Russian Aerospace Forces was a serious test for the majority of the flight and engineering personnel .
The skills and knowledge acquired during the Syrian operation are systematized and are already used today in the preparation of troops and military command and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Syrian experience , a number of decisions were made to improve the military personnel and military infrastructure of the Russian Aerospace Forces .
In particular , the collection and analysis of information on the results of the combat use in Syria of more than 60 serially-produced and prototype weapons and military equipment of the aerospace forces continues .
Based on the data obtained , 11 types of aircraft and helicopters are being modernized .
To evaluate the declared capabilities of the developed military equipment in a combat situation , in February 2018 practical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a fifth-generation Su-57 aircraft were carried out .
In general , according to Sergei Shoigu , the combat capabilities of the aerospace forces increased by 11.7 % .
More than 600 new and modernized units and complexes of armaments and military equipment were delivered to the units and subunits of the aerospace forces .
During test-firing exercises throughout the past year , the tank crews of the motorized rifle division of the 58th combined arms army of the Southern Military District , stationed in Chechnya , were exercising in a new manner – @ @ @ @ @ @ @ carousel.
” The “ tank carousel ” makes it possible to deliver fire at a high rate and keep the conditional adversary under the impact of 125-mm guns non-stop .
This tactic immobilizes enemy maneuvers on the battlefield ; drives the adversary into “ fire pockets ” and suppresses promptly the most dangerous targets , ” the Russian Ministry of Defense describes it .
As a result of the new tactic , the command of the tank units of the Southern Military District increased the maximum range of the 125-mm guns mounted on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up to 2,200 meters .
Due to the reduced time needed to aim at a target , the rate of fire was also increased .
It is also important that a dynamically changing tactical and target situation develops an operational reaction and the ability to act non-standardly when solving a combat mission for all tank crew members .
During fighting in the mountains , there are , obviously , various tactics being utilized and new techniques are constantly being invented .
The snipers of the motorized rifle compound of the Southern Military District @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the “ hunting in the mountains ” tactics aimed at neutralizing the command staff of a potential enemy .
To do this , sniper couples , silently bypassing the outposts , made hidden crossings tens of kilometers through unfamiliar terrain .
One task was performed by several sniper pairs at once .
The competitive element helped all participants to complete the tasks in a short time .
During the training , snipers paid great attention to disguise .
After the “ liquidation ” of the commanders of the “ enemy ” units , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the mountain ’ s environment , in the forest and grass .
In addition , in the highlands , tactics of combating reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicles ( UAVs ) of a conditional enemy were worked out .
In case of a threat of allied shooters being detected by enemy drones , regular unit snipers fired at the UAVs , as such they were shooting down dynamic air targets .
Russian President Vladimir Putin , back on November 19th , 2018 underlined several areas of importance for the Russian Armed Forces , dictated by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ situation .
“ We see that in recent years the situation on the planet has not become calmer , unfortunately .
In some regions , it even worsened … In these conditions , not allowing us to be drawn into the militarist race , due to flexible , not wasteful for the budget , but effective decisions , we are obliged to ensure the progressive and balanced development of the army and navy so that they can neutralize any potential threats .
The results of recent years convincingly show that this is how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in this regard do I consider a priority : Firstly , the combat training of troops should be improved , including taking into account the experience of the operation in Syria .
In the course of maneuvers , command-and-staff exercises , sea voyages , more and more complex , unconventional , non-standard tasks must be worked out , the practice of sudden inspections of units and formations should be developed , and the mobilization readiness of federal and regional executive bodies , as well as defense industry enterprises , should be constantly monitored @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” In addition to future servicemen , military commanders in all Russian military districts are also undergoing training and being educated on the updated tactics and realities following the Syrian conflict .
Russian troops in Syria gained experience in tunneling and counter-tunneling .
Militants actively used underground passages for covert movement in large cities – Damascus , Homs and Aleppo .
Making their way through specially dug tunnels , bandits fled to the rear of the Syrian government troops , laid high-explosive bombs , and simply hid underground from artillery raids and bombardments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russian servicemen used an intelligence kit dubbed the “ Sphere.
” Developed by specialists of one of the innovative Moscow companies , “ Sphere ” weighs 640 grams , and the information is guaranteed to transmit over 50 meters .
Equipped with a stabilization device , when casting into the tunnel , the “ Sphere ” confidently , like a tumbler , occupies a fighting position and carefully inspects the room with four “ eye ” cameras , providing a 360-degree view .
Information is immediately transmitted to the operator on the monitor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the city , the offensive units have to act in an unfamiliar territory , against an enemy who is well oriented in the area , with reinforced firing positions , hidden and camouflaged .
The troops operating in an urban environment with hardware are forced to move along the streets , which dramatically reduces their ability to maneuver .
Buildings are good shelters for personnel , but they reduce the surveillance sector and the range of fire , which is also reduced due to dust from destroyed buildings , smoke and fire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ usually only provide about 100 – 200 square meters of area .
The military commanders were provided with information about the experience gained by Russian military advisers in Syria without taking possession of a large settlement , how to study approaches and capture individual buildings , and about options for equipping a unit ’ s position using new anti-terrorist engineering protection “ systems.
” These , for example , include anti-sabotage wires for various purposes , camouflaged ditches with traps , mine barriers and others .
Since 2018 , grenade launcher units from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Military District have been exercising how to destroy moving targets such as the vehicles used by suicide bombers .
Finally , humanitarian operations are also being improved , to protect both the servicemen assisting the civilians , as well as the civilians themselves .
All of these information is also being shared with Russia ’ s partners to improve the fight against militants and any other potential enemy .
MORE ON THE TOPIC :

Support SouthFront
The Russian military is actively studying and employing the experience gained during the military operation on the territory of the Syrian Arab Republic. The Russian Ministry of Defense’s newspaper Zvezda Weekly collected information about some methods of warfare that are now being studied by current and future Russian servicemen. The tex below is based on the article of Zvezda Weekly.
“The Syrian Rampart”
This is a new tactical method of military operations for the Russian troops, the meaning of which is to conduct fire on stationary enemy targets while the Russian troops are protected through a sort of moving embankment.
First, to shelter the offensive units, engineering units create a mound of soil several meters high.
“Then this shaft is gradually moved forward by heavy engineering equipment – armored bulldozers, and fighters of the offensive units move behind the shelter. The moving embankment allows personnel and military equipment to come closer to enemy positions with minimal loss.”
The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) began using this strategy while fighting against terrorist groups.
At the beginning of the war, while approaching the strongholds of the militants, the SAA suffered heavy losses.
The “current” strategy that has been utilized since the Second World War proved to be impossible to use in the conditions of the appearance of new weapons and a massive saturation of heavy weapons on the battlefield. The attacking SAA was suffering heavy casualties.
Thus, the Syrians began to look for new tactics.
It turned out that the sand shaft moving forward towards the enemy’s positions not only ensures the safety of its fighters and it conceals the actions of the offensive units, but also allows them to fire through gaps in the embankment. In addition, the sand of the Syrian deserts proved to be a reliable barrier against modern laser and infrared guidance systems.
“The offensive, of course, does not go as fast as in war movies, where the “soldiers” run at full speed, and at full height, and with assault rifles at the ready. But the combat mission is carried out and is carried out without loss.”
Syrian soldiers use conventional industrial bulldozers, protected with iron plates, to create ramparts. Powerful special equipment, which is now being supplied to the engineering troops of Russia, is capable of moving any soil, with the exception, perhaps, of rock, in front of the advancing soldiers.
Russian Aerospace Forces at a new height
“States that do not have reliable aerospace defense run the risk of ceasing to exist. This is evidenced by the analysis of modern armed conflicts. Sad examples are Yugoslavia and Libya. Syria, naturally, was on the verge of this, if not for military assistance from Russia,” said Russian Minister of Defense Army General Sergei Shoigu at a recent meeting of the Board of the Russian Ministry of Defense.
As the head of the Russian military department noted, the special operation of the Russian Aerospace Forces was a serious test for the majority of the flight and engineering personnel.
The skills and knowledge acquired during the Syrian operation are systematized and are already used today in the preparation of troops and military command and control bodies. Taking into account the Syrian experience, a number of decisions were made to improve the military personnel and military infrastructure of the Russian Aerospace Forces.
In particular, the collection and analysis of information on the results of the combat use in Syria of more than 60 serially-produced and prototype weapons and military equipment of the aerospace forces continues.
Based on the data obtained, 11 types of aircraft and helicopters are being modernized.
To evaluate the declared capabilities of the developed military equipment in a combat situation, in February 2018 practical launches of prototype operational-tactical cruise missiles from a fifth-generation Su-57 aircraft were carried out.
In general, according to Sergei Shoigu, the combat capabilities of the aerospace forces increased by 11.7%.
More than 600 new and modernized units and complexes of armaments and military equipment were delivered to the units and subunits of the aerospace forces.
“The Tank Carousel”
During test-firing exercises throughout the past year, the tank crews of the motorized rifle division of the 58th combined arms army of the Southern Military District, stationed in Chechnya, were exercising in a new manner – at night, drilling the “tank carousel.”
“The principle of this tactical method is as following: the first tank fires from the halt while the second is loading its allowance of ammunition. As the first tank advances to a position for firing from behind the flanks, the second one occupies a position for fire from the halt. The tank crews do not know the sectors of fire, the sequence of raising targets and the distance to them in advance.”
The “tank carousel” makes it possible to deliver fire at a high rate and keep the conditional adversary under the impact of 125-mm guns non-stop. This tactic immobilizes enemy maneuvers on the battlefield; drives the adversary into “fire pockets” and suppresses promptly the most dangerous targets,” the Russian Ministry of Defense describes it.
As a result of the new tactic, the command of the tank units of the Southern Military District increased the maximum range of the 125-mm guns mounted on the T-72B3 battle tanks by 200 meters up to 2,200 meters.
Due to the reduced time needed to aim at a target, the rate of fire was also increased.
It is also important that a dynamically changing tactical and target situation develops an operational reaction and the ability to act non-standardly when solving a combat mission for all tank crew members.
“Hunting in the Mountains”
During fighting in the mountains, there are, obviously, various tactics being utilized and new techniques are constantly being invented. The snipers of the motorized rifle compound of the Southern Military District stationed in Dagestan recently successfully worked out the “hunting in the mountains” tactics aimed at neutralizing the command staff of a potential enemy.
To do this, sniper couples, silently bypassing the outposts, made hidden crossings tens of kilometers through unfamiliar terrain. One task was performed by several sniper pairs at once. The competitive element helped all participants to complete the tasks in a short time.
During the training, snipers paid great attention to disguise. After the “liquidation” of the commanders of the “enemy” units, they trained to “disappear” in the mountain’s environment, in the forest and grass.
In addition, in the highlands, tactics of combating reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) of a conditional enemy were worked out.
In case of a threat of allied shooters being detected by enemy drones, regular unit snipers fired at the UAVs, as such they were shooting down dynamic air targets.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, back on November 19th, 2018 underlined several areas of importance for the Russian Armed Forces, dictated by the necessities presented by the new global situation.
“We see that in recent years the situation on the planet has not become calmer, unfortunately. In some regions, it even worsened … In these conditions, not allowing us to be drawn into the militarist race, due to flexible, not wasteful for the budget, but effective decisions, we are obliged to ensure the progressive and balanced development of the army and navy so that they can neutralize any potential threats. The results of recent years convincingly show that this is how we learned to work. What tasks in this regard do I consider a priority: Firstly, the combat training of troops should be improved, including taking into account the experience of the operation in Syria. In the course of maneuvers, command-and-staff exercises, sea voyages, more and more complex, unconventional, non-standard tasks must be worked out, the practice of sudden inspections of units and formations should be developed, and the mobilization readiness of federal and regional executive bodies, as well as defense industry enterprises, should be constantly monitored complex and other sectors of the economy…”
In addition to future servicemen, military commanders in all Russian military districts are also undergoing training and being educated on the updated tactics and realities following the Syrian conflict.
Russian troops in Syria gained experience in tunneling and counter-tunneling. Militants actively used underground passages for covert movement in large cities – Damascus, Homs and Aleppo. Making their way through specially dug tunnels, bandits fled to the rear of the Syrian government troops, laid high-explosive bombs, and simply hid underground from artillery raids and bombardments.
To inspect the tunnels, the Russian servicemen used an intelligence kit dubbed the “Sphere.”
Developed by specialists of one of the innovative Moscow companies, “Sphere” weighs 640 grams, and the information is guaranteed to transmit over 50 meters.
Equipped with a stabilization device, when casting into the tunnel, the “Sphere” confidently, like a tumbler, occupies a fighting position and carefully inspects the room with four “eye” cameras, providing a 360-degree view.
Information is immediately transmitted to the operator on the monitor of the remote control.
Urban combat: anti-sabotage wires and mine barriers
During actions in the city, the offensive units have to act in an unfamiliar territory, against an enemy who is well oriented in the area, with reinforced firing positions, hidden and camouflaged.
The troops operating in an urban environment with hardware are forced to move along the streets, which dramatically reduces their ability to maneuver. Buildings are good shelters for personnel, but they reduce the surveillance sector and the range of fire, which is also reduced due to dust from destroyed buildings, smoke and fire from burning buildings, ammunition ruptures and usually only provide about 100 – 200 square meters of area.
The military commanders were provided with information about the experience gained by Russian military advisers in Syria without taking possession of a large settlement, how to study approaches and capture individual buildings, and about options for equipping a unit’s position using new anti-terrorist engineering protection “systems.”
These, for example, include anti-sabotage wires for various purposes, camouflaged ditches with traps, mine barriers and others.
Since 2018, grenade launcher units from the Guards Tank Army of the Western Military District have been exercising how to destroy moving targets such as the vehicles used by suicide bombers.
Finally, humanitarian operations are also being improved, to protect both the servicemen assisting the civilians, as well as the civilians themselves.
All of these information is also being shared with Russia’s partners to improve the fight against militants and any other potential enemy.
MORE ON THE TOPIC:
Support SouthFront


southfront--2020-07-14--Half Month Left To Allocate SouthFront’s Minimal Budget

Thanks to your support in previous months , SouthFront continues its work despite the strong technical and propaganda pressure that @ @ @ @ @ .
This month , we are set to release even more videos , analyses and @ @ @ @ @ among agents of the neo-liberal , globalist world order .
All of these will be @ @ @ @ @ .
Since July 1 , SouthFront has collected 967 USD .
This is 19.34 % @ @ @ @ @ to keep SouthFront working and further .
WIHOUT YOUR IMMIDIATE SUPPORT , OUR ILL-WISHERS WILL @ @ @ @ @ , PayPal , Paysafecard , Bitcoin and other options .
This systems accepts all types @ @ @ @ @ Amazon Payments , bitcoin ( FAQ is under the main text , in P.S .
@ @ @ @ @ a monthly donation of $ 15 ( or any another amount ) OR make one @ @ @ @ @ below

Support SouthFront
DEAR FRIENDS,
Thanks to your support in previous months, SouthFront continues its work despite the strong technical and propaganda pressure that our team has been facing.
This month, we are set to release even more videos, analyses and articles that stir up discontent among agents of the neo-liberal, globalist world order.
All of these will be possible with your help only.
Since July 1, SouthFront has collected 967 USD. This is 19.34% of the monthly budget needed to keep SouthFront working and further.
WIHOUT YOUR IMMIDIATE SUPPORT, OUR ILL-WISHERS WILL WIN:
PayPal
Account: southfront@list.ru
DonationAlerts
Donate via VISA, PayPal, Paysafecard, Bitcoin and other options.
Tinypass (Piano)
This systems accepts all types of cards, PayPal, Amazon Payments, bitcoin (FAQ is under the main text, in P.S.)
You can subscribe for a monthly donation of $15 (or any another amount) OR make one time donation by clicking buttons below
Patreon
Donate via SouthFront’s Patreon account (click here)
SouthFront: Analysis & Intelligence Team
Support SouthFront


southfront--2020-07-14--At Least 3 Russian Soldiers Injured In IED Attack In Southern Idlib. Russia Responds With New Wave O

At Least 3 Russian Soldiers Injured In IED Attack In Southern Idlib. Russia Responds With New Wave Of Airstrikes

On July 14 , at least 3 Russian soldiers were injured in a large explosion of an improvised explosive device @ @ @ @ @ Russian-Turkish patrol on the M4 highway in Syria ’ s southern Idlib .
The Russian @ @ @ @ @ personnel were also affected by the attack .
The attack took place near the entrance @ @ @ @ @ Ariha , which lays on the route of the patrol .
According to pro-government sources @ @ @ @ @ attack on the patrol , the Russian Aerospace Forces launched airstrikes on positions of radical @ @ @ @ @ and southwestern Idlib .
A general look at the military situation in northwestern Syria : @ @ @ @ @

Support SouthFront
UPDATE (14.07.2020, 17:00 CEST): According to fresh data, the attack was conducted with a car bomb.
Unknown group, Kataib Hattab ash-Shishani, claimed responsibility for the attack. Nonetheless, there is no such group active in Idlib. Most likely, this is a fake brand used to draw attention from the real attackers.
***
On July 14, at least 3 Russian soldiers were injured in a large explosion of an improvised explosive device on the way of the Russian-Turkish patrol on the M4 highway in Syria’s southern Idlib. The Russian Defense Ministry added that Turkish personnel were also affected by the attack.
The attack took place near the entrance to the militant-held town of Ariha, which lays on the route of the patrol.
According to pro-government sources, in respnose to the attack on the patrol, the Russian Aerospace Forces launched airstrikes on positions of radical militant groups in northeastern Lattakia and southwestern Idlib.
A general look at the military situation in northwestern Syria:
MORE ON THE TOPIC:
Support SouthFront


southfront--2020-07-14--Trump Presidency’s Economic Performance In Facts & Numbers

As the US struggles to salvage the economy , solve the most urgent needs of its citizens and regain a semblance of coherence and stability in the political , social and economic spheres , South Front takes a step back to evaluate the economic fundamentals of the Trump presidency .
How has the US economy fared over the last four years , do the economic data indicate that the president has been successful in achieving his proclaimed objectives of ‘ putting America first ’ and ‘ making America great again ’ , rebuilding the national economy and prioritizing the economic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , or at least was doing so before the COVID-19 pandemic wrought havoc on the country ’ s economy ?
It is universally recognized that the US is going through a severe crisis , probably the most severe in its entire history , in almost all possible dimensions – political , social , economic , cultural , health .
Nonetheless , the dimensions of the respective developing crises remained largely concealed until the gravity of the situation was fully revealed by the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic earlier this year .
As of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ economic data was for the most part solid if not outstanding : economic growth and employment data improved considerably in 2018 , particularly in the manufacturing sector , before levelling off in 2019 , and were generally as good as if not better than those of the Obama presidency in most respects .
The stock market was maintaining its record high levels , and according to official estimates unemployment was at a record low of around 3.7 % .
Median household income was slowly if steadily increasing , and median house prices were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a substantial fall in the number of people receiving food stamps : Trump advocated a parochial business-magnate form of populist economic nationalism during the presidential campaign , promising to reduce the trade deficit and reinvigorate US industry , economic growth and employment .
This gained him a lot of support given the extent to which companies have ‘ offshored ’ industrial production since the 1980s .
The economic development strategy consisted of several complementary elements , including renegotiating existing trade agreements , imposing tariffs on imports of certain products and adopting other protectionist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ program of deregulation , and a massive infrastructure development spending program .
By far the most controversial element has been the imposition of tariffs on certain imports , as they have often been framed as a form of economic blackmail to demand concessions from other countries , provoking a major trade war with China and antagonizing other major trade partners .
During Trump ’ s presidential campaign in 2016 and since , Trump insisted that the US is being taken advantage of by its trading partners , especially though not exclusively the European @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lost 34 % of its manufacturing jobs between 1998 and 2010 .
Many were outsourced by US companies to other countries to increase profits .
Others were eliminated by new technology .
In 2018 , manufacturers in the United States account for about 11.4 % of the total output in the economy and employed approximately 8.5 % of the workforce .
Total output from manufacturing was $ 2,334 billion in 2018 , and there were an average of 12.8 million manufacturing employees .
LINK The biggest segments within the sector are : Chemicals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ; food , drink and tobacco ( 11 % ) ; machinery ( 6 % ) ; fabricated metal products ( 6 % ) ; computer and electronic products ( 6 % ) ; and motor vehicles and parts ( 6 % ) .
According to the United States Census Bureau , in 2017 total US exports of goods amounted to a bit over $ 1.54 trillion ; foreign goods imported into the United States totalled $ 2.34 trillion , resulting in a trade deficit of about $ 796 billion .
With China @ @ @ @ @ @ @ totalled slightly less than $ 130 billion , while imports of goods from China came to around $ 505 billion , for a trade deficit of over $ 375 billion with China .
In 2017 , the U.S. had a balance of trade deficit with Japan .
US exports of goods to Japan were almost $ 68 billion ; but the US imported and purchased over $ 136 billion of Japanese goods , resulting in a trade deficit of nearly $ 69 billion .
LINK An underlying assumption of the Trump administration ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ countries need the US market so much more than the US needs them that they will give in to US demands to renegotiate existing trade agreements to favour US interests rather than risk the consequences of being denied access to the US market or ending up in a ‘ trade war ’ .
However , as discussed below , it appears that Trump ’ s brash approach to negotiations and constant attempts to cower and intimidate other countries into submission is instead bringing them together in multilateral trade agreements that will ultimately exclude @ @ @ @ @ @ @ negotiating power away from the US .
LINK Trump argued that one element of his trade strategy and industrial policy would be to punish companies that have outsourced production to offshore locations and bring back jobs that have gone to Asia and Mexico .
While a significant number of companies have relocated production to the US as a result of the measures , many remain reluctant to do so .
Moreover , US industry has not always been able to take advantage of the protective measures to increase production in the US , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ key inputs or the shifting of production from China to other countries not subject to tariffs .
LINK What started in 2018 with US levies on imported washing machines and solar panels to protect and stimulate domestic production escalated into a cycle of tariffs , talks , threats and temporary agreements .
Beyond the disputes between the US and China over tariff levels and targeted product lists are broader and more formidable issues such as market access , intellectual property , national security , the proper role of government in the economy and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ market sectors .
Trump says China and other trading partners have long taken advantage of the US , an argument that enjoys broad support in the US .
He points to the trade deficit ( the difference between imports and exports ) as evidence of a hollowing out of US manufacturing and the loss of US industrial power and prestige .
Over more than year , he ratcheted up tariffs on specific products , which are a tax on imports , while encouraging US companies to move production back to the US .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ has proceeded in five stages since early 2018 .
The first six months of 2018 featured only a moderate increase in tariffs .
The months of July through September 2018 resulted in a sharp tariff increase on both sides : US average tariffs increased from 3.8 % to 12.0 % , and China ’ s average tariffs increased from 7.2 % to 18.3 % .
In stage three , there was an 8-month period ( September 25 , 2018 , through June 2019 ) of little change in tariffs .
From June to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ increases kicked in .
In the current stage five , and despite the phase one agreement , tariffs between the two countries remain elevated and may remain so for a long time .
LINK While China , which accounts for the bulk of the deficit , has been the main target , Trump also pulled the US out of a proposed trade deal with Japan and 10 other Asia-Pacific countries , calling it unfair for US workers , and started talking directly with Japan instead .
He has threatened 25 % tariffs on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Europe and Japan , and also threatened to impose tariffs as retaliation against France for its new digital tax on technology companies .
The Trump administration first targeted steel and aluminium imports from several countries on national security grounds , arguing that a weakened US industry would be less able to build weapons in an emergency .
In January 2018 , the US imposed tariffs and quotas on imported solar panels and washing machines .
On March 1 , 2018 , he announced a 25 % tariff on steel imports and a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ April 3 , 2018 , Trump announced 25 % tariffs would be imposed on $ 50 billion in Chinese imported electronics , aerospace , and machinery .
The administration also demanded that China to stop requiring US companies to transfer proprietary technology to Chinese firms in order to invest in China and gain access to their market , and that China stop subsidizing the 10 industries prioritized in its “ Made in China 2025 ” plan .
China retaliated immediately , announcing 25 % tariffs on $ 50 billion worth of US exports @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ended a truce was called and a deal seemed to be in the offing .
But in May 2019 , Trump started raising tariffs on a scale not seen in decades , provoking further retaliation .
Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed to restart talks .
Then Trump , claiming China had failed to keep a promise to buy more from US farmers , threatened a 10 % tariff on all remaining imports from China , including clothes , shoes and electronics .
Some took effect on September 2019 .
Others were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they were headed off by a partial deal that was also to roll back some other US tariffs .
Trump has said he wants to keep tariffs in place until he ’ s sure China is complying with any deal — which means they could remain in place for years .
At first the results suggested the strategy had been successful .
In 2018 manufacturing employment as a percentage of the total workforce rose for the first time since 1984 ( albeit remaining at around 8.5 % , the lowest it has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ industrial revolution , rising to a peak of around 38 % of the workforce in the 1940s ) .
In 2018 there were 264,000 new manufacturing jobs created , representing the highest number of new industrial workers since 1988 .
However , although imports fell dramatically in 2019 and the trade deficit also fell considerably , the US also suffered many negative effects as US farmers in particular lost markets and income as China and other trading partners raised tariffs in retaliation .
Moreover , employment in the manufacturing sector levelled off in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the opinion that the beneficial impact of the abrupt shift in economic policy had probably been exhausted ( including the economic boost from the tax cuts and deregulation ) and that many companies were becoming much more concerned about the possible detrimental impact of a trade war with China and possibly other major trade partners .
The gains made were effectively wiped out when manufacturing production and employment fell sharply in April of this year ( by more than 10 % ) as the full impact of the lockdown measures hit , before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A UN report found that exports of Chinese goods hit by the tariffs dropped 25 % in the first half of 2019 , for a loss to China of $ 35 billion .
That ’ s consistent with an earlier analysis by Bloomberg Economics that showed US imports of Chinese goods hit by tariffs in 2018 were down 26 % year-on-year in the first quarter of 2019 .
However , in the same period , Taiwan and South Korea saw sales of electronics components accelerate , and Vietnam saw the same with furniture @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the shift of low-end manufacturing out of China to other low-wage countries rather than to the US .
Giant Manufacturing Co. , the world ’ s biggest bicycle maker , started moving production of US-bound orders out of its China facilities to its home base in Taiwan as soon as it heard Trump threaten tariff action in September .
LINK In January of 2017 Trump signed an order to withdraw from further negotiations on the Trans-Pacific Partnership , Trump pulled out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership , arguing it would force US workers to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was to replace it with a series of bilateral agreements .
However , as a result , Japan and the European Union announced a separate trade deal in July of the same year , agreeing to increase Japanese auto exports to the EU and European food exports to Japan .
In August 2017 the Trump administration began renegotiating the North American Free Trade Agreement with Mexico and Canada .
Trump had threatened to withdraw from NAFTA and hit Mexican imports with a 35 % tariff .
The new treaty , called the US-Mexico-Canada @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by all three parties in early 2020 .
It appears however that the Trump administration ’ s aggressive and abrasive approach to international trade and investment negotiations may have backfired in Asia and Europe .
Although generally compliant with many of the US ’ foreign policy demands , however reluctantly , both the EU and Japan and South Korea have attempted to avoid becoming embroiled in the US trade war with China and are attempting to maintain economic relations with the Asian giant .
Most recently , Japan and South Korea have announced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agreement with the ASEAN countries ( Association of South East Asian Nations ) to replace the Trans-Pacific Partnership , which will probably thwart the US ’ intention to use its size to its advantage in bilateral negotiations and may exclude the US entirely if the US does not adopt a more conciliatory approach .
Though refreshingly direct and honest ( exposing the US ’ raw geostrategic and economic interests that remained concealed by Trump ’ s more diplomatically-minded predecessors ) , the deterioration in the US ’ geostrategic relations with key allies in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s nonchalant abrogation of fundamental treaties and international obligations and extortionist negotiating style may yet have major ramifications that go well beyond the economic realm .
In Europe numerous relatively insignificant countries , apart from the importance of their geographic location ( i.e.
, talking purely in terms of their economic and geopolitical weight ) – such as Poland and the Ukraine – are eager to follow the US ’ lead in confronting Russia economically and militarily , as the politicians in power in those countries score many points from Russia bashing .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the continent , particularly France and Germany and to a lesser extent Italy , appear increasingly reluctant to continue sanctioning Russia and cutting all economic and development ties , whilst simultaneously confronting and provoking Russia militarily , as they have borne the brunt of the abrupt disruption to economic relations , and they might also be among the first casualties if the incessant NATO war games and shadow play along the Russian border result in a catastrophic live-fire clash .
A similar development may be taking shape in Asia , where South @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continue supporting the US ’ reckless military and economic provocations against China given that they too will suffer the heaviest economic and military consequences of any resultant clash while the US remains far removed from the immediate impacts of its actions .
This was demonstrated by two apparently unrelated events , Japan ’ s decision to cancel the purchase of two ‘ Aegis Ashore ’ anti-missile systems , and the announcement of a multilateral trade agreement being formed in the Asian region .
The Japanese purchase of the anti-missile systems would have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lockheed Martin , and moreover it would have been operated by US military personnel thereby enabling them to put US interests first in an emergency situation in the event they diverged from those of the host nation .
Of these developments Salman Rafi Sheikh argues : Whereas the deployment of the Aegis Ashore missile system as a part of its strategic deployment in the Asia-Pacific region would have boosted the US capability to monitor China and Russia , Japan ’ s abrupt cancellation of the deal , particularly at a time when the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about it , does strongly show that the US influence even on its traditional allies is decreasing fast .
Nothing better illustrates the decreasing US economic influence than the recent announcement by the member countries of The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership ( RCEP ) , confirming that the agreement will be signed in 2020 .
RCEP … brings together the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations ( ASEAN ) , China , Japan , South Korea , Australia and New Zealand .
LINK An increasing number of articles have appeared in Japanese media @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the end of World War II of unquestioning allegiance to the US military alliance ( LINK ) , and the wisdom of pursuing confrontation with China .
( LINK1 , LINK2 ) Trump promised to reduce the national debt by reducing federal spending and eliminating some federal agencies .
But federal government spending has increased and the national debt has increased substantially under his administration , going from just under $ 20 trillion in January 2017 to more than $ 24 trillion by April 2020 .
Trump promised to eliminate the Department of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but instead cut funding for the Education Department by $ 10.4 billion and cut the Energy Department budget by $ 2.2 billion , insignificant sums relative to the deficit .
Trump promised to keep existing Medicare and Social Security benefits in place .
Social Security is self-funded , Medicare is only 53 % self-funded .
These two programs cost $ 1.587 trillion , or 39 % of total federal spending .
Trump stated his objective of achieving economic growth of 4 % annually to increase tax revenues and create jobs .
Cutting taxes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ growth plan , on the basis that the resulting stimulus to the economy would be sufficient to offset the loss of revenue .
In January 2018 , the administration released its infrastructure plan .
It provided details lacking in the June 8 , 2017 , “ Rebuild America ” plan .
That plan outlined $ 200 billion in spending over 10 years to leverage $ 800 billion in business spending , in order to construct or repair roads , bridges , and airports throughout the country .
However .
disagreements between Trump and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have prevented progress from being made .
LINK Trump promised to increase the Department of Defense budget .
The FY 2020 budget authorized $ 738 billion in national security spending , far above the $ 606 billion in the FY 2017 budget .
In 2018 , U.S. aerospace sales ( NAICS 3364 ) were up 8.5 % to a bit over $ 320 billion ( from $ 295 billion in 2017 ) , while net income set a new all-time annual high of $ 36.3 billion , up and impressive 64.9 % from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In 2018 , stockholders ’ equity increased to $ 90.9 billion , up 13.3 % from 2017 resulting in a higher equity ratio ( equity/assets ) of 19.1 % .
The US aerospace industry has overall been performing well for most of the Trump presidency , however it has been hit hard by the economic slump this year .
Companies with a large proportion of military sales however are well placed to weather the storm as military spending continues to climb pushed ever higher by bipartisan competition to provide most support to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first 100 days , he asked federal departments for a list of unnecessary or counterproductive regulations to be eliminated .
The US Chamber of Commerce subsequently reported the Trump administration had issued 29 deregulatory executive actions , and federal agencies issued many more , including a Consumer Finance Protection Bureau regulation that allowed consumers to sue credit card companies .
The administration also made significant efforts to revoke Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act regulations .
In 2018 , President Trump signed the Economic Growth , Regulatory Relief , and Consumer Protection @ @ @ @ @ @ @ banks with assets from $ 100 billion to $ 250 billion and weakened the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protect Act of 2010 .
On June 1 , 2017 , Trump announced the US withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement .
The 195 signatories had pledged to cut their greenhouse-gas emissions to a level that ’ s 26 % to 28 % below 2005 levels by 2025 .
On October 9 , 2017 , the Trump Administration announced it would repeal the Clean Power Plan .
The repeal would withdraw Obama-era limits @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
That was part of Trump ’ s campaign promise to revive the coal industry while remaining committed to clean coal technology .
Trump claimed this would raise wages by $ 30 billion over seven years .
On September 10 , 2018 , the administration planned to allow oil drillers to emit more methane into the atmosphere .
It also began opening up more federal land to oil drillers .
LINK One of the sectors most favoured by the Trump administration ’ s policies of extensive deregulation and fiscal incentives was shale oil @ @ @ @ @ @ @ high compared to oil and gas production in many countries and the sector has been hit hard by the fall in oil prices .
Any attempt to rescue the sector from widespread default and bankruptcy would be extremely costly and , unless there is a severe disruption to global supply chains in the future , it is likely that much of the investment in this sector will have to be written off .
One of the pioneers and largest players in the sector ( Chesapeake Energy ) recently filed for bankruptcy , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thus it appears that the decision to back the shale oil sector in particular , but also other fossil fuel sectors , at the expense of supporting ‘ clean ’ and renewable energy sectors , was a major and extremely costly strategic blunder .
Almost all other countries remain committed to the climate change commitments , and it is most likely that the economic , technological and strategic importance of clean and renewable energy sectors will only increase over time as the importance of fossil fuel sectors declines .
Failing to recognize this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fossil fuel sectors – and above all the shale oil sector – when there are so many low cost oil and gas producers with abundant supplies would just perpetuate and exacerbate the error .
The economic damage caused by the pandemic outbreak in the US has been staggering , as it continues to reap a huge number of victims and disrupt economic activities .
Experts and pundits will no doubt be arguing for many years whether or not this is the fault of the Trump administration , an act of God , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Congressional Budget Office said in April that it expects the federal budget deficit to hit $ 3.7 trillion by the end of fiscal year 2020 The CBO is predicting that the national debt will eclipse the annual economic output of the United States in 2020 , with the ratio of federal debt to GDP rising to 101 % .
That would be the deficit ’ s largest size as a portion of the economy since World War II .
The CBO projected that the economy will shrink by 5.6 % over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the unemployment rate will rise to 16 % in the third quarter and remain at a high 11.7 % by the end of 2020 , averaging 11.4 % for the year .
LINK Mortgage defaults hit record levels in June , and the situation is not likely to improve soon .
LINK On 9 July Reuter reported that as the number of new coronavirus cases in the United States rose to a single-day record , fresh government data showed another 1.3 million Americans filed for jobless benefits , highlighting the pandemic ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Moreover , the virus is surging again as over 60,000 new COVID-19 infections were reported on Wednesday of last week ( the 8th of July ) and deaths in the US rose by more than 900 for the second straight day , the highest since early June .
Unemployment claims hit a historic peak of nearly 6.9 million in late March .
Although they have gradually fallen , claims remain roughly double their highest point during the 2007-2009 economic slump .
With coronavirus cases rising in 41 of the 50 US states over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have had to suspend plans to reopen businesses and lift restrictions .
LINK As is usually the case , experts and commentators remain divided over the economic performance of the Trump administration , and supporters and critics can each cite relevant data and economic and financial sectors and indicators to justify their opinions .
As of late 2019 and into early 2020 the economic data was for the most part positive if not as outstanding as Trump predicted during the presidential campaign : economic growth and employment data improved considerably in 2018 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ levelling off in 2019 , and were generally as good as if not better than those of the Obama presidency in most respects .
The stock market was maintained its record high levels even if the rate of growth stalled , and according to official estimates unemployment was at a record low of around 3.7 % by late 2019 ( critics noting that the official statistics in the latter respect in particular were dubious ) .
Median household income was slowly if steadily increasing , and median house prices were also increasing .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ s trade policies , sweeping deregulation and tax cuts were followed by improved trade balance and manufacturing production results in 2018 , the improvements levelled off in 2019 suggesting that the gains were limited .
The utter devastation wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic in the US , by far the country most affected in the world , threw all the previous results and calculations into turmoil .
Even a preliminary assessment of the Trump administration ’ s performance in this respect is beyond the scope of this essay , other than to note @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a whole , were clearly extremely unprepared for the catastrophe .
Two of the most concerning developments in this regard were the inability to provide adequate protective equipment for medical personnel on the front line in the fight against the virus , and the failure to implement measures to guarantee continued essential production resulting in huge waste of food production in particular even as millions were passing through serious food shortages .
LINK1 , LINK2 , LINK3 At the same time , it should be noted that most of the difficulties faced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in general amid the coronavirus crisis were a result of the internal political struggle and even sabotage by political opponents of President Trump .
In these complicated conditions , the US is yet to even begin the long and arduous process of damage control , stabilization and regaining lost ground .
Whether and how efficiently and effectively this can be done will be the ultimate litmus test for the Trump administration and US society as a whole .
MORE ON THE TOPIC : • Apocalypse soon ?
US still scrambling and surging to @ @ @ @ @ @

Support SouthFront
DEAR FRIENDS. IF YOU LIKE THIS TYPE OF CONTENT, SUPPORT SOUTHFRONT WORK: PayPal: southfront@internet.ru Donation alerts: https://donationalerts.com/r/southfront Gumroad: https://gumroad.com/southfront Or via: http://southfront.org/donate/ or via: https://www.patreon.com/southfront, BTC: 3Gbs4rjcVUtQd8p3CiFUCxPLZwRqurezRZ, BCH ABC: qpf2cphc5dkuclkqur7lhj2yuqq9pk3hmukle77vhq, ETH: 0x9f4cda013e354b8fc285bf4b9a60460cee7f7ea9
As the US struggles to salvage the economy, solve the most urgent needs of its citizens and regain a semblance of coherence and stability in the political, social and economic spheres, South Front takes a step back to evaluate the economic fundamentals of the Trump presidency. How has the US economy fared over the last four years, do the economic data indicate that the president has been successful in achieving his proclaimed objectives of ‘putting America first’ and ‘making America great again’, rebuilding the national economy and prioritizing the economic needs of those left behind by globalization, or at least was doing so before the COVID-19 pandemic wrought havoc on the country’s economy?
It is universally recognized that the US is going through a severe crisis, probably the most severe in its entire history, in almost all possible dimensions – political, social, economic, cultural, health. Nonetheless, the dimensions of the respective developing crises remained largely concealed until the gravity of the situation was fully revealed by the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic earlier this year.
As of late 2019 and into early 2020 the economic data was for the most part solid if not outstanding: economic growth and employment data improved considerably in 2018, particularly in the manufacturing sector, before levelling off in 2019, and were generally as good as if not better than those of the Obama presidency in most respects. The stock market was maintaining its record high levels, and according to official estimates unemployment was at a record low of around 3.7%.
Median household income was slowly if steadily increasing, and median house prices were also increasing. Another positive indicator was a substantial fall in the number of people receiving food stamps:
About 1 out of 7 Americans received food stamps (the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) in 2013 in the aftermath of the Great Recession, as people struggled to find good-paying jobs again. The numbers came down slightly under Obama, and the decline has accelerated under Trump as more Americans have obtained jobs and the requirements to remain on food stamps have tightened. LINK
The Trump Administration’s Economic Plan and Objectives
Trump advocated a parochial business-magnate form of populist economic nationalism during the presidential campaign, promising to reduce the trade deficit and reinvigorate US industry, economic growth and employment. This gained him a lot of support given the extent to which companies have ‘offshored’ industrial production since the 1980s. The economic development strategy consisted of several complementary elements, including renegotiating existing trade agreements, imposing tariffs on imports of certain products and adopting other protectionist measures, reducing taxes, an extensive program of deregulation, and a massive infrastructure development spending program.
By far the most controversial element has been the imposition of tariffs on certain imports, as they have often been framed as a form of economic blackmail to demand concessions from other countries, provoking a major trade war with China and antagonizing other major trade partners.
During Trump’s presidential campaign in 2016 and since, Trump insisted that the US is being taken advantage of by its trading partners, especially though not exclusively the European Union and China.
The United States lost 34% of its manufacturing jobs between 1998 and 2010. Many were outsourced by US companies to other countries to increase profits. Others were eliminated by new technology. In 2018, manufacturers in the United States account for about 11.4% of the total output in the economy and employed approximately 8.5% of the workforce. Total output from manufacturing was $2,334 billion in 2018, and there were an average of 12.8 million manufacturing employees. LINK
The biggest segments within the sector are: Chemicals (12% of total production); food, drink and tobacco (11%); machinery (6%); fabricated metal products (6%); computer and electronic products (6%); and motor vehicles and parts (6%).
According to the United States Census Bureau, in 2017 total US exports of goods amounted to a bit over $1.54 trillion; foreign goods imported into the United States totalled $2.34 trillion, resulting in a trade deficit of about $796 billion. With China, in particular, US exported goods totalled slightly less than $130 billion, while imports of goods from China came to around $505 billion, for a trade deficit of over $375 billion with China.
In 2017, the U.S. had a balance of trade deficit with Japan. US exports of goods to Japan were almost $68 billion; but the US imported and purchased over $136 billion of Japanese goods, resulting in a trade deficit of nearly $69 billion. LINK
An underlying assumption of the Trump administration’s trade policy has been that other countries need the US market so much more than the US needs them that they will give in to US demands to renegotiate existing trade agreements to favour US interests rather than risk the consequences of being denied access to the US market or ending up in a ‘trade war’. However, as discussed below, it appears that Trump’s brash approach to negotiations and constant attempts to cower and intimidate other countries into submission is instead bringing them together in multilateral trade agreements that will ultimately exclude the US and shift the balance of negotiating power away from the US. LINK
Trump argued that one element of his trade strategy and industrial policy would be to punish companies that have outsourced production to offshore locations and bring back jobs that have gone to Asia and Mexico. While a significant number of companies have relocated production to the US as a result of the measures, many remain reluctant to do so. Moreover, US industry has not always been able to take advantage of the protective measures to increase production in the US, resulting in shortages in the supply of key inputs or the shifting of production from China to other countries not subject to tariffs. LINK
The trade war with China
What started in 2018 with US levies on imported washing machines and solar panels to protect and stimulate domestic production escalated into a cycle of tariffs, talks, threats and temporary agreements. Beyond the disputes between the US and China over tariff levels and targeted product lists are broader and more formidable issues such as market access, intellectual property, national security, the proper role of government in the economy and competition for dominance in emerging technologies and market sectors.
Trump says China and other trading partners have long taken advantage of the US, an argument that enjoys broad support in the US. He points to the trade deficit (the difference between imports and exports) as evidence of a hollowing out of US manufacturing and the loss of US industrial power and prestige. Over more than year, he ratcheted up tariffs on specific products, which are a tax on imports, while encouraging US companies to move production back to the US.
Overall, the trade war with China has proceeded in five stages since early 2018. The first six months of 2018 featured only a moderate increase in tariffs. The months of July through September 2018 resulted in a sharp tariff increase on both sides: US average tariffs increased from 3.8% to 12.0%, and China’s average tariffs increased from 7.2% to 18.3%. In stage three, there was an 8-month period (September 25, 2018, through June 2019) of little change in tariffs. From June to September 2019, another set of tariff increases kicked in. In the current stage five, and despite the phase one agreement, tariffs between the two countries remain elevated and may remain so for a long time. LINK
While China, which accounts for the bulk of the deficit, has been the main target, Trump also pulled the US out of a proposed trade deal with Japan and 10 other Asia-Pacific countries, calling it unfair for US workers, and started talking directly with Japan instead. He has threatened 25% tariffs on millions of imported cars and car parts from Europe and Japan, and also threatened to impose tariffs as retaliation against France for its new digital tax on technology companies.
The Trump administration first targeted steel and aluminium imports from several countries on national security grounds, arguing that a weakened US industry would be less able to build weapons in an emergency. In January 2018, the US imposed tariffs and quotas on imported solar panels and washing machines. On March 1, 2018, he announced a 25% tariff on steel imports and a 10% tariff on aluminium.
On April 3, 2018, Trump announced 25% tariffs would be imposed on $50 billion in Chinese imported electronics, aerospace, and machinery. The administration also demanded that China to stop requiring US companies to transfer proprietary technology to Chinese firms in order to invest in China and gain access to their market, and that China stop subsidizing the 10 industries prioritized in its “Made in China 2025” plan. China retaliated immediately, announcing 25% tariffs on $50 billion worth of US exports to China. LINK
Before that year ended a truce was called and a deal seemed to be in the offing. But in May 2019, Trump started raising tariffs on a scale not seen in decades, provoking further retaliation. Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed to restart talks.
Then Trump, claiming China had failed to keep a promise to buy more from US farmers, threatened a 10% tariff on all remaining imports from China, including clothes, shoes and electronics. Some took effect on September 2019. Others were to be introduced in December, but they were headed off by a partial deal that was also to roll back some other US tariffs. Trump has said he wants to keep tariffs in place until he’s sure China is complying with any deal — which means they could remain in place for years.
At first the results suggested the strategy had been successful. In 2018 manufacturing employment as a percentage of the total workforce rose for the first time since 1984 (albeit remaining at around 8.5%, the lowest it has been basically since the early years of the industrial revolution, rising to a peak of around 38% of the workforce in the 1940s). In 2018 there were 264,000 new manufacturing jobs created, representing the highest number of new industrial workers since 1988. However, although imports fell dramatically in 2019 and the trade deficit also fell considerably, the US also suffered many negative effects as US farmers in particular lost markets and income as China and other trading partners raised tariffs in retaliation.
Moreover, employment in the manufacturing sector levelled off in 2019, with many economic experts venturing the opinion that the beneficial impact of the abrupt shift in economic policy had probably been exhausted (including the economic boost from the tax cuts and deregulation) and that many companies were becoming much more concerned about the possible detrimental impact of a trade war with China and possibly other major trade partners. The gains made were effectively wiped out when manufacturing production and employment fell sharply in April of this year (by more than 10%) as the full impact of the lockdown measures hit, before recovering slightly in May and June.
A UN report found that exports of Chinese goods hit by the tariffs dropped 25% in the first half of 2019, for a loss to China of $35 billion. That’s consistent with an earlier analysis by Bloomberg Economics that showed US imports of Chinese goods hit by tariffs in 2018 were down 26% year-on-year in the first quarter of 2019. However, in the same period, Taiwan and South Korea saw sales of electronics components accelerate, and Vietnam saw the same with furniture – a sign that tariffs have accelerated the shift of low-end manufacturing out of China to other low-wage countries rather than to the US. Giant Manufacturing Co., the world’s biggest bicycle maker, started moving production of US-bound orders out of its China facilities to its home base in Taiwan as soon as it heard Trump threaten tariff action in September. LINK
Trade relations with other countries
In January of 2017 Trump signed an order to withdraw from further negotiations on the Trans-Pacific Partnership, Trump pulled out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, arguing it would force US workers to compete with lower-paid workers. The objective was to replace it with a series of bilateral agreements. However, as a result, Japan and the European Union announced a separate trade deal in July of the same year, agreeing to increase Japanese auto exports to the EU and European food exports to Japan.
In August 2017 the Trump administration began renegotiating the North American Free Trade Agreement with Mexico and Canada. Trump had threatened to withdraw from NAFTA and hit Mexican imports with a 35% tariff. The new treaty, called the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), was ratified by all three parties in early 2020.
It appears however that the Trump administration’s aggressive and abrasive approach to international trade and investment negotiations may have backfired in Asia and Europe. Although generally compliant with many of the US’ foreign policy demands, however reluctantly, both the EU and Japan and South Korea have attempted to avoid becoming embroiled in the US trade war with China and are attempting to maintain economic relations with the Asian giant.
Most recently, Japan and South Korea have announced their intention to establish a multilateral trade agreement with the ASEAN countries (Association of South East Asian Nations) to replace the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which will probably thwart the US’ intention to use its size to its advantage in bilateral negotiations and may exclude the US entirely if the US does not adopt a more conciliatory approach.
Though refreshingly direct and honest (exposing the US’ raw geostrategic and economic interests that remained concealed by Trump’s more diplomatically-minded predecessors), the deterioration in the US’ geostrategic relations with key allies in Europe and Asia due to Trump’s nonchalant abrogation of fundamental treaties and international obligations and extortionist negotiating style may yet have major ramifications that go well beyond the economic realm.
In Europe numerous relatively insignificant countries, apart from the importance of their geographic location (i.e., talking purely in terms of their economic and geopolitical weight) – such as Poland and the Ukraine – are eager to follow the US’ lead in confronting Russia economically and militarily, as the politicians in power in those countries score many points from Russia bashing. However, the economic and political heavyweights on the continent, particularly France and Germany and to a lesser extent Italy, appear increasingly reluctant to continue sanctioning Russia and cutting all economic and development ties, whilst simultaneously confronting and provoking Russia militarily, as they have borne the brunt of the abrupt disruption to economic relations, and they might also be among the first casualties if the incessant NATO war games and shadow play along the Russian border result in a catastrophic live-fire clash.
A similar development may be taking shape in Asia, where South Korea and Japan also appear reluctant to continue supporting the US’ reckless military and economic provocations against China given that they too will suffer the heaviest economic and military consequences of any resultant clash while the US remains far removed from the immediate impacts of its actions. This was demonstrated by two apparently unrelated events, Japan’s decision to cancel the purchase of two ‘Aegis Ashore’ anti-missile systems, and the announcement of a multilateral trade agreement being formed in the Asian region.
The Japanese purchase of the anti-missile systems would have been a huge financial windfall for its manufacturer Lockheed Martin, and moreover it would have been operated by US military personnel thereby enabling them to put US interests first in an emergency situation in the event they diverged from those of the host nation. Of these developments Salman Rafi Sheikh argues:
Whereas the deployment of the Aegis Ashore missile system as a part of its strategic deployment in the Asia-Pacific region would have boosted the US capability to monitor China and Russia, Japan’s abrupt cancellation of the deal, particularly at a time when the Chinese were already showing their grave concerns about it, does strongly show that the US influence even on its traditional allies is decreasing fast.
Nothing better illustrates the decreasing US economic influence than the recent announcement by the member countries of The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), confirming that the agreement will be signed in 2020.
RCEP … brings together the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. LINK
An increasing number of articles have appeared in Japanese media outlets reconsidering the overriding strategic priority since the end of World War II of unquestioning allegiance to the US military alliance (LINK), and the wisdom of pursuing confrontation with China. (LINK1, LINK2)
National Debt and Budget Deficits
Trump promised to reduce the national debt by reducing federal spending and eliminating some federal agencies. But federal government spending has increased and the national debt has increased substantially under his administration, going from just under $20 trillion in January 2017 to more than $24 trillion by April 2020.
Trump promised to eliminate the Department of Education and the Environmental Protection Administration, but instead cut funding for the Education Department by $10.4 billion and cut the Energy Department budget by $2.2 billion, insignificant sums relative to the deficit.
Trump promised to keep existing Medicare and Social Security benefits in place. Social Security is self-funded, Medicare is only 53% self-funded. These two programs cost $1.587 trillion, or 39% of total federal spending.
Trump stated his objective of achieving economic growth of 4% annually to increase tax revenues and create jobs. Cutting taxes was a key part of the economic growth plan, on the basis that the resulting stimulus to the economy would be sufficient to offset the loss of revenue.
In January 2018, the administration released its infrastructure plan. It provided details lacking in the June 8, 2017, “Rebuild America” plan. That plan outlined $200 billion in spending over 10 years to leverage $800 billion in business spending, in order to construct or repair roads, bridges, and airports throughout the country. However. disagreements between Trump and Congress about long-term infrastructure plans and priorities have prevented progress from being made. LINK
The ‘Defense’ Sector
Trump promised to increase the Department of Defense budget. The FY 2020 budget authorized $738 billion in national security spending, far above the $606 billion in the FY 2017 budget.
In 2018, U.S. aerospace sales (NAICS 3364) were up 8.5% to a bit over $320 billion (from $295 billion in 2017), while net income set a new all-time annual high of $36.3 billion, up and impressive 64.9% from 2017 ($22 billion). In 2018, stockholders’ equity increased to $90.9 billion, up 13.3% from 2017 resulting in a higher equity ratio (equity/assets) of 19.1%. The US aerospace industry has overall been performing well for most of the Trump presidency, however it has been hit hard by the economic slump this year. Companies with a large proportion of military sales however are well placed to weather the storm as military spending continues to climb pushed ever higher by bipartisan competition to provide most support to the sector. LINK
Deregulation
During Trump’s first 100 days, he asked federal departments for a list of unnecessary or counterproductive regulations to be eliminated. The US Chamber of Commerce subsequently reported the Trump administration had issued 29 deregulatory executive actions, and federal agencies issued many more, including a Consumer Finance Protection Bureau regulation that allowed consumers to sue credit card companies. The administration also made significant efforts to revoke Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act regulations.
In 2018, President Trump signed the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act. The act eased regulations on banks with assets from $100 billion to $250 billion and weakened the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protect Act of 2010.
On June 1, 2017, Trump announced the US withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement. The 195 signatories had pledged to cut their greenhouse-gas emissions to a level that’s 26% to 28% below 2005 levels by 2025.
On October 9, 2017, the Trump Administration announced it would repeal the Clean Power Plan. The repeal would withdraw Obama-era limits on carbon emissions at U.S. power plants. That was part of Trump’s campaign promise to revive the coal industry while remaining committed to clean coal technology. Trump claimed this would raise wages by $30 billion over seven years.
On September 10, 2018, the administration planned to allow oil drillers to emit more methane into the atmosphere. It also began opening up more federal land to oil drillers. LINK
Shale Sector
One of the sectors most favoured by the Trump administration’s policies of extensive deregulation and fiscal incentives was shale oil production. However, production costs are high compared to oil and gas production in many countries and the sector has been hit hard by the fall in oil prices. Any attempt to rescue the sector from widespread default and bankruptcy would be extremely costly and, unless there is a severe disruption to global supply chains in the future, it is likely that much of the investment in this sector will have to be written off. One of the pioneers and largest players in the sector (Chesapeake Energy) recently filed for bankruptcy, and many more will surely follow. LINK
Thus it appears that the decision to back the shale oil sector in particular, but also other fossil fuel sectors, at the expense of supporting ‘clean’ and renewable energy sectors, was a major and extremely costly strategic blunder. Almost all other countries remain committed to the climate change commitments, and it is most likely that the economic, technological and strategic importance of clean and renewable energy sectors will only increase over time as the importance of fossil fuel sectors declines. Failing to recognize this and pouring more money into subsidizing the fossil fuel sectors – and above all the shale oil sector – when there are so many low cost oil and gas producers with abundant supplies would just perpetuate and exacerbate the error.
Post-virus outbreak damage control
The economic damage caused by the pandemic outbreak in the US has been staggering, as it continues to reap a huge number of victims and disrupt economic activities. Experts and pundits will no doubt be arguing for many years whether or not this is the fault of the Trump administration, an act of God, a freak of nature, or something else.
The Congressional Budget Office said in April that it expects the federal budget deficit to hit $3.7 trillion by the end of fiscal year 2020
The CBO is predicting that the national debt will eclipse the annual economic output of the United States in 2020, with the ratio of federal debt to GDP rising to 101%.
That would be the deficit’s largest size as a portion of the economy since World War II.
The CBO projected that the economy will shrink by 5.6% over the course of the year, and that the unemployment rate will rise to 16% in the third quarter and remain at a high 11.7% by the end of 2020, averaging 11.4% for the year. LINK
Mortgage defaults hit record levels in June, and the situation is not likely to improve soon. LINK
On 9 July Reuter reported that as the number of new coronavirus cases in the United States rose to a single-day record, fresh government data showed another 1.3 million Americans filed for jobless benefits, highlighting the pandemic’s devastating impact on the economy.
Moreover, the virus is surging again as over 60,000 new COVID-19 infections were reported on Wednesday of last week (the 8th of July) and deaths in the US rose by more than 900 for the second straight day, the highest since early June.
Unemployment claims hit a historic peak of nearly 6.9 million in late March. Although they have gradually fallen, claims remain roughly double their highest point during the 2007-2009 economic slump. With coronavirus cases rising in 41 of the 50 US states over the past two weeks, many states have had to suspend plans to reopen businesses and lift restrictions. LINK
Conclusion
As is usually the case, experts and commentators remain divided over the economic performance of the Trump administration, and supporters and critics can each cite relevant data and economic and financial sectors and indicators to justify their opinions.
As of late 2019 and into early 2020 the economic data was for the most part positive if not as outstanding as Trump predicted during the presidential campaign: economic growth and employment data improved considerably in 2018, particularly in the manufacturing sector, before levelling off in 2019, and were generally as good as if not better than those of the Obama presidency in most respects. The stock market was maintained its record high levels even if the rate of growth stalled, and according to official estimates unemployment was at a record low of around 3.7% by late 2019 (critics noting that the official statistics in the latter respect in particular were dubious). Median household income was slowly if steadily increasing, and median house prices were also increasing.
However, although the Trump administration’s trade policies, sweeping deregulation and tax cuts were followed by improved trade balance and manufacturing production results in 2018, the improvements levelled off in 2019 suggesting that the gains were limited.
The utter devastation wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic in the US, by far the country most affected in the world, threw all the previous results and calculations into turmoil. Even a preliminary assessment of the Trump administration’s performance in this respect is beyond the scope of this essay, other than to note that the administration, and the US as a whole, were clearly extremely unprepared for the catastrophe. Two of the most concerning developments in this regard were the inability to provide adequate protective equipment for medical personnel on the front line in the fight against the virus, and the failure to implement measures to guarantee continued essential production resulting in huge waste of food production in particular even as millions were passing through serious food shortages. LINK1, LINK2, LINK3
At the same time, it should be noted that most of the difficulties faced by the Trump administration and the US in general amid the coronavirus crisis were a result of the internal political struggle and even sabotage by political opponents of President Trump. In these complicated conditions, the US is yet to even begin the long and arduous process of damage control, stabilization and regaining lost ground. Whether and how efficiently and effectively this can be done will be the ultimate litmus test for the Trump administration and US society as a whole.
MORE ON THE TOPIC:
Support SouthFront


southfront--2020-07-14--China’s Stealth Jet With Thrust Vectors Enters Mass Production

A heavily modified Chengdu J-20 stealth fighter jet formally entered mass production this month , according to a new report via South China Morning Post ( SCMP ) , who spoke with military sources about the development surrounding the fifth-generation fighter jet with upgraded Russian engines .
China held a ceremony last week , unveiling the modified J-20B stealth fighter jet .
The source said , “ production of the J-20B started on Wednesday .
It has finally become a complete stealth fighter jet , with its agility meeting the original criteria.
” Thrust vector control ( TVC ) is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the US and Russia , gives these nation ’ s stealth jets better combat capability .
“ TVC involves a movable thrust nozzle that enables a fixed-wing plane to change the direction of its engine exhaust .
This allows the pilot to raise the aircraft ’ s nose cone vertically while maintaining forward momentum so the plane effectively “ sits ” on its own tail in an aerodynamic stall caused by low speed and a high angle of attack .
“ The use of such technology extensively boosts the maneuverability of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ combat , especially during close-range dogfights , ” said Defense Aerospace .
Thrust vectoring capabilities will allow J-20Bs to take on US ’ Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II that Washington has spent several years deploying to allied countries around China , effectively building an “ F-35 friends circle.
” SCMP notes Chinese engineers were working on a TVC system of their own but failed to materialize into promising results .
“ The Chinese engine designed for the J-20s still failed to meet requirements , but its development is going quite smoothly , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one or two years , ” the source said .
Chinese engineers then decided to go with Russian Saturn AL-31 engines as the “ ultimate goal is to equip the J-20B fighter jets with domestic engines , ” the source said .
In 2019 , the People ’ s Liberation Army Air Force ( PLAF ) said an upgraded J-20 ( likely referring to the J-20B ) will achieve “ overwhelming superiority ” over the F-35 .

Support SouthFront
Originally appeared at ZeroHedge
A heavily modified Chengdu J-20 stealth fighter jet formally entered mass production this month, according to a new report via South China Morning Post (SCMP), who spoke with military sources about the development surrounding the fifth-generation fighter jet with upgraded Russian engines.
China held a ceremony last week, unveiling the modified J-20B stealth fighter jet. The source said, “production of the J-20B started on Wednesday. It has finally become a complete stealth fighter jet, with its agility meeting the original criteria.”
“The most significant change to the fighter jet is that it is now equipped with thrust vector control,” the source said.
Chengdu J-20 stealth fighter jet
Thrust vector control (TVC) is cutting-edge aviation technology that is currently dominated by the US and Russia, gives these nation’s stealth jets better combat capability.
“TVC involves a movable thrust nozzle that enables a fixed-wing plane to change the direction of its engine exhaust. This allows the pilot to raise the aircraft’s nose cone vertically while maintaining forward momentum so the plane effectively “sits” on its own tail in an aerodynamic stall caused by low speed and a high angle of attack. fighter jet engine “The use of such technology extensively boosts the maneuverability of a fighter jet, providing advantages in aerial combat, especially during close-range dogfights,” said Defense Aerospace.
Thrust vectoring capabilities will allow J-20Bs to take on US’ Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II that Washington has spent several years deploying to allied countries around China, effectively building an “F-35 friends circle.”
SCMP notes Chinese engineers were working on a TVC system of their own but failed to materialize into promising results.
“The Chinese engine designed for the J-20s still failed to meet requirements, but its development is going quite smoothly, and it may be ready in the next one or two years,” the source said.
Chinese engineers then decided to go with Russian Saturn AL-31 engines as the “ultimate goal is to equip the J-20B fighter jets with domestic engines,” the source said.
“The launch of the J-20B means this aircraft now is a formal fifth-generation fighter jet,” the military source said, adding that Chengdu Aerospace Corporation (CAC), which manufactures the J-20s, had received “heavy orders” from the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). – SCMP
In 2019, the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAF) said an upgraded J-20 (likely referring to the J-20B) will achieve “overwhelming superiority” over the F-35.
Support SouthFront


southfront--2020-07-14--Khabarovsk Is Being Turned Into Point Of Instability In Russia’s Far East

On July 13 , protests against the government and in support of the detained the government of the Khabarosvk region , Sergei Furgal , continued in Russia ’ s Far East for the third day .
Hundreds gathered in Khabarovsk city for another rally chanting “ Furgal is our choice ” and demanding to release the detained person .
Last week , Furgal was detained and was removed from his post .
He ’ s suspected of organizing of killings of several businessmen by an organized criminal group in 2004-2005 .
Immediately after his detention , the part of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ launched a protest and media campaign in an attempt to pressure the Investigative Committee to release the suspect by labeling the case as ‘ political ’ and ‘ unlawful ’ .
One of the features of the protests in Khabarovks is a wide coverage of the situation in Western mainstream and Russian neo-liberal media .
All of them expectedly cover the situation as a ‘ political case ’ ignoring the investigation regarding the organization of murders by the suspect .
The radical neo-liberal and pro-Western part of the Russian ‘ opposition ’ also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The media campaign employs hashtag “ ЯМыФургал ” ( IWeFurgal ) , which refers to previous anti-government protests held by the neo-liberal opposition in Moscow and Saint Petersburg .
Posts and videos in social media promote Furgal as a ‘ professional governor ’ that made a lot to the region , demonstrate the supposed ‘ standoff ’ between Furgal and Putin ( in order to politize the case ) , and create a picture like the entire region is now protesting ( in fact , several thousands of people participated in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the weekend ) .
These trends are mixed with various fake news and propaganda videos designed to strengthen the perception of the situation as a persecution of a local patriot by the ‘ corrupt regime ’ .
The interesting fact is that the image of Furgal as a ‘ patriot ’ does not correspond with the public facts .
The Furgal family controls the ‘ Amurstal ’ metallurgical plant , the biggest metallurgical plant in Russia ’ s Far East .
25 % of ‘ Amurstal ’ directly belongs to the wife of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ family and its circle have been actively withdrawing their capital aboard – to China and South Korea – through a number of business entities registered there ( Neomaks Business Limited Records , Kyung Won Trading Co. , Kyungwon Networks Co.Ltd Records , Zibo Intco Framing Products Co.Ltd Records , Zelfera Development S.A. Records ) .
Meanwhile , the strange situation continues to be observed in the Chinese-controlled social media network Tik Tok .
Previously , it was already noted that Tik Tok does not delete political videos shared by the pro-Furgal bot network @ @ @ @ @ @ @ general behaviour of the social network .
Contrary , Tik Tok even indirectly promotes such content .
This situation allows to suggest that China is exploiting the current instability in the Khabarovsk region in order to get a better negotiation position in its strategic partnership with Russia .
At the same time , the current instability in Khabarovsk showcases weak spots in the Russian governance system , when regional elites appear to be able instigate instability in order to achieve own tactical political and financial goals that often go contrary to the interests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ TOPIC : • Ukrainization Of Russian Politics ?
Khabarovsk Protests Demand Release Of Governor Detained For Organizing Murders

Support SouthFront
On July 13, protests against the government and in support of the detained the government of the Khabarosvk region, Sergei Furgal, continued in Russia’s Far East for the third day. Hundreds gathered in Khabarovsk city for another rally chanting “Furgal is our choice” and demanding to release the detained person.
Last week, Furgal was detained and was removed from his post. He’s suspected of organizing of killings of several businessmen by an organized criminal group in 2004-2005. Immediately after his detention, the part of the regional and federal elits linked with Furgal launched a protest and media campaign in an attempt to pressure the Investigative Committee to release the suspect by labeling the case as ‘political’ and ‘unlawful’.
One of the features of the protests in Khabarovks is a wide coverage of the situation in Western mainstream and Russian neo-liberal media. All of them expectedly cover the situation as a ‘political case’ ignoring the investigation regarding the organization of murders by the suspect. The radical neo-liberal and pro-Western part of the Russian ‘opposition’ also jained the cause by supporting the criminal.
The media campaign employs hashtag “ЯМыФургал” (IWeFurgal), which refers to previous anti-government protests held by the neo-liberal opposition in Moscow and Saint Petersburg. Posts and videos in social media promote Furgal as a ‘professional governor’ that made a lot to the region, demonstrate the supposed ‘standoff’ between Furgal and Putin (in order to politize the case), and create a picture like the entire region is now protesting (in fact, several thousands of people participated in the protests in the peak days – during the weekend). These trends are mixed with various fake news and propaganda videos designed to strengthen the perception of the situation as a persecution of a local patriot by the ‘corrupt regime’.
The interesting fact is that the image of Furgal as a ‘patriot’ does not correspond with the public facts. The Furgal family controls the ‘Amurstal’ metallurgical plant, the biggest metallurgical plant in Russia’s Far East. 25% of ‘Amurstal’ directly belongs to the wife of Furgal – Larisa Starodubova. The Furgal family and its circle have been actively withdrawing their capital aboard – to China and South Korea – through a number of business entities registered there (Neomaks Business Limited Records, Kyung Won Trading Co., Kyungwon Networks Co.Ltd Records, Zibo Intco Framing Products Co.Ltd Records, Zelfera Development S.A. Records).
Meanwhile, the strange situation continues to be observed in the Chinese-controlled social media network Tik Tok. Previously, it was already noted that Tik Tok does not delete political videos shared by the pro-Furgal bot network. This posture goes contrary to the general behaviour of the social network. Contrary, Tik Tok even indirectly promotes such content. This situation allows to suggest that China is exploiting the current instability in the Khabarovsk region in order to get a better negotiation position in its strategic partnership with Russia.
At the same time, the current instability in Khabarovsk showcases weak spots in the Russian governance system, when regional elites appear to be able instigate instability in order to achieve own tactical political and financial goals that often go contrary to the interests of the state.
MORE ON THE TOPIC:
Support SouthFront


southfront--2020-07-14--Military Situation In Libya On July 13, 2020 (Map Update)

So no deal on oil exports , not a big surprise .
Egypt might just step up to the plate @ @ @ @ @ western neighbour , which would certainly be good for Egypt .

Support SouthFront
A brief overivew of the recent developments in Libya:
Egyptian armed forces conduct a large-scale military exercise called “Decisive 2020”, which include naval and air activities on the eastern border of Libya;
Libya’s National Oil Company accused the UAE of instructing the eastern forces to re-impose a blockade on oil exports;
The satellite imagery shows that a new howitzer, probably a Turkish T-155 Firtina, was installed in Watiya airbase.
MORE ON THE TOPIC:
Support SouthFront


southfront--2020-07-14--Russian Warships Launch Anti-Ship Missiles During Drills In Barents Sea (Video)

Antey ’ s are switching to Kalibr ’ s ( Zircon ’ s ) aren ’ t they ?
Peter @ @ @ @ @ They are phasing out P-700 to simplify weapons arsenal and maintenance costs and make room @ @ @ @ @ and even faster missiles ( through new launchers ) .

Support SouthFront
The Russian Northern Fleet’s nuclear-powered Kirov-class battlecruiser Pyotr Veliky and Slava-class cruiser Marshal Ustinov supported by Tu-22M3 strategic bombers of the Russian Aerospace Forces delivered a missile strike supposed enemy naval targets during drills in the Barents Sea. The warships employed Granit and Vulcan anti-ship missiles.
MORE ON THE TOPIC:
Support SouthFront