southfront--2020-03-16--Syrian Opposition Supporters Intercept, Assault Their Turkish Allies On M4 Highway (Videos)

The opening of the Saraqeb-Latakia road , known as the M4 , is scheduled for this Sunday the 15th of March as established during the memorandum protocol signed in Moscow between the two presidents Vladimir Putin and Recep Tayyip Erdogan following the battle of Saraqeb .
The Turkish-Russian patrols are supposed to secure the M4 following a three-day meeting in Ankara between Russian and Turkish military to coordinate the joint patrols and to prevent any attacks from Jihadists .
Many jihadists groups reject the Russian-Turkish deal and will likely shell the road or try to kidnap drivers .
Everything depends @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its allies in the Idlib area will be in adhering to the ceasefire , and how convincing Russia ’ s response will be if the ceasefire is violated .
The Aleppo-Damascus road , known as the M5 , was liberated by military force ( Russia , the Syrian army and its allies ) and is now open for civilians .
However , the Syrian army and its allies still use the safer Aleppo-Ithriya-Khanaser road .
The battle of Saraqeb forced the Moscow deal and revived the 2018 Astana agreement that was ignored by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Jihadists groups including Ansar al-Tawheed wal-Jihad , Ansar al-Islam , Ansar al-Deen , Kavkaz brigade and Hurras al-Deen ( al-Qaeda in Bilad al-Sham ) have decided to oppose the Russian-Turkish agreement and attack the joint patrol along the M4 .
These groups , along with Abu Imara , Tansiqiyat a-Jihad and Muhajereen brigade are sworn to oppose Turkey and Russia in rural Idlib .
Northwestern Syria has been divided between two camps : one camp under Turkey ’ s control , acknowledging the Moscow-Astana agreement , and another rejecting it .
This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ankara to discuss with Turkish army leadership procedures to control the M4 .
Armed drones and Russian Air Force will be ready to intervene , along with Special Forces , to hit any attempt to oppose joint Russian-Turkish control of the M4 and to deal with any presence of jihadists along the road .
Al-Qaeda in Syria ( Hurras al-Deen ) issued audio of its Emir Hammam al-Suri ( Samir Hijazi ) , one of the notorious Emirs of al-Qaeda who fought in Chechnya , Afghanistan , Iraq and Syria , asking Syrian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in their position , thereby rejecting withdrawal from the M4 .
Abu Mohamad al-Joulani – the ex-ISIS Emir who led al-Qaeda in Syria and quit it later to lead his jihadist group “ Hayat Tahrir al-Sham ” ( former al-Nusra ) – “ thanked the Turkish government for its support in the last battle ” .
Joulani was ambiguous about his intentions in the coming days , when Russian-Turkish patrols are supposed to take control of the M4 , even if Joulani concluded that “ only the language of weapons will prevail ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Syria Imposes the Astana Deal by Force as Turkish , Russian Tensions Rise The Moscow deal ( and before it Astana ) free the M4 from the control of jihadists who are mainly foreign fighters .
They control the cities of al-Nerab , Ariha , Jisr al-Shughur and Bdama .
These foreign fighters are said to be entrenched in these cities .
They reject any withdrawal .
It will be the Turkish task to convince these jihadists by force or dialogue before Sunday the 15th .
Jihadists managed to survive and restore @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It will be a hard choice for them : to wage war on Turkey and lose everything , or to hope that Ankara will manoeuvre further and prolong their presence for another year .
On the other hand , the Russian military delegation visiting Turkey in the past days said the Turkish party had realised the seriousness of Russia ’ s intention to implement the Moscow agreement by all means .
According to the Russian delegation , the Turks realised that the M5 had been opened by force and that the M4 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ withdraw .
It is all in Ankara ’ s benefit to dislodge the jihadists from the M4 and entrench them in the city of Idlib .
President Erdogan has no intention to deliver Idlib back to the Syrian government .
Sources close to President Bashar al-Assad said that the problem is not with Turkey but with President Erdogan himself .
“ As long as Erdogan is in power , the problems between the two countries will persist .
The Turkish president wants to divide Syria and keep control of the north , Idlib @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first line of defence in front of Afrin .
If Idlib is liberated , the Syrian army will knock the door of the north.
” Neither Russia nor Iran are willing to start a war with Turkey or to repeat the scenario of Saraqeb again .
During the last battle for the control of the M5 and Saraqeb , the presence of the Turkish army along with Jihadists in the battlefield left 59 Turkish soldiers and officers killed , as Erdogan announced .
The Turkish military was about to widen the conflict by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allies .
The Turkish command was angered following the destruction an armoured personnel carrier by a laser-guided missile ( 9M133 Kornet ) fired by Syrian allies killing all Turkish servicemen in it .
Turkey was planning to break the defence line on the city of Talhiyah but failed , notwithstanding the significant number of jihadists involved in the attack .
Twenty-four hours before , Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah ordered the dispatched of a large number of Ridwan Special Forces to reinforce the frontline notwithstanding the contest of his field commanders .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ front from falling , a front that suffered a huge attack by Jihadists and Turkey .
Iran and its allies sent a strong message to Turkey warning they have no plans to be engaged in a war against Ankara troops but that they would if Turkey were to continue bombing their positions .
Turkey concluded that Syria and its allies are determined to hold on to the entire liberated area and that a war between Turkey and Iran and its partners is not beneficial to any side involved .
Syria considers that Erdogan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who obey his instructions .
They represent a buffer and a significant asset he can use to fight in different parts of the world , i.e .
Egypt , Libya , Syria , Iraq or anywhere he wants to be present .
Jihadists help Erdogan to secure a place in the constitutional negotiation to limit the authority of the Syrian president and other reforms .
The presence of US forces in north-east Syria is a problem for Russia and the Syrian government since their goal is to “ make it very difficult ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any assistance [ of reconstruction ] to put the country back together again ” .
Turkey , unlike the Syrian army , is capable of negotiating the US presence in the US-occupied north-east Syria .
This is why Erdogan proposed to Putin joint management of oil fields in eastern Syria under US control .
Putin left the door open without agreeing to Erdogan ’ s proposal .
The Turkish presence in Syria has become more problematic than the US occupation as long as this Turkish president is in power .
Indeed , even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to preserve the unity of Syria , he can always align himself behind more than one excuse to stay in Syria .
The presence of millions of Syrian refugees internally displaced or the request of some elements – loyal to Turkey – of the Syrian population for Ankara to intervene as he has stated in previous occasions are enough reasons for him to keep his forces in Syria .
This is the reason why Russia has enforced the opening of the M5 and M4 to crawl slowly towards Idlib city and limit the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ challenging territory .
In the coming months , Russia and the Syrian government will rely on the rejection of jihadists in the Russian-Turkish agreement .
If jihadists refuse to withdraw and continue violating the ceasefire ( thirty violations registered in four days ) , there will be enough reasons for military intervention when all options are exhausted .
This time Turkey will be able to do very little to protect the jihadists .
Whatever direction this ceasefire will take , the battle of Idlib is far from over .
It has only been @ @

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On March 15, Syrian opposition supporters and activists intercepted a convoy of the Turkish military that attempted to open the M4 highway in Greater Idlib.
The Turkish convoy, which consisted of several battle tanks, armored vehicles and bulldozers, was tasked with opening the M4 to facilitate a joint Russian-Turkish patrol that was supposed to take place on the highway later.
Opposition protesters blocked the highway by deploying obstacles and even climbing Turkish vehicles. This forced the convoy to withdraw. However, the protesters went on to stone the vehicles of their allies.
Turkey’s failure to open the highway led to the cancellation of the pre-planned joint patrol. Russian and Turkish troops conducted a very limited patrol west of Saraqib city in southeast Idlib instead.
The reopening of the M4 highway, which links the coastal city of Lattakia with Aleppo city, is the keystone of the recent Russian Turkish agreement on Greater Idlib.
In the last few days, opposition activists and militants vowed to keep the highway blocked, threatening Russian forces and placing a bounty for killing Russian journalists.
Turkey don’t appear to have any real influence over Greater Idlib militants, which have been receiving support from it for years now. The chances that the M4 will be reopened by peaceful measures are very low. Ankara’s failure to open the M4 will likely push Damascus and its allies towards another military operation in the region.
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southfront--2020-03-16--New Iraqi Group Claims Responsibility For Camp Taji Attack

A new Iraqi military group has claimed responsibility for the March 11 Camp Taji attack , which claimed the lives of three U.S.-led coalition service members .
In an official statement released on March 15 , the group , dubbed Ausbat al-Thaayirin ( AT ) , confirmed its responsibility for the recent rocket attacks on Iraqi bases hosting U.S. troops .
“ In response to the request of our Mujahedeen brothers … we declare that the blessed operations [ the shelling of occupation bases ] are our operations , and we fear no one by announcing this , ” the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Kata ’ ib Hezbollah ( KH ) released a statement calling on the perpetrators of the recent attacks to reveal themselves , promising to support them .
KH was held responsible for these attacks by the U.S. AT appears to be a pro-Iranian Shiite group .
The group vowed to respond to the assassination of Popular Mobilization Unties ( PMU ) Deputy-Commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis and Maj. Gen. Qassam Soleimani , Commander of Iran ’ s Quds Force .
“ The assassination of our martyr leaders is heat in our chests , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not trail off until the withdrawal of the occupying forces in a humiliating and degrading manner , ” the group said .
The U.S. carried out a series of strikes on Iraq on March 13 in response to Camp Taji attack .
The strikes hit positions of the PMU , the Iraqi military and police .
AT ’ s statement is yet to be verified .
More information about the mysterious group will likely appear in the coming months .
MORE ON THIS TOPIC : • ‘ Victorious Over Their Enemies ’ : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Iraq ’ s Kirkuk

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A new Iraqi military group has claimed responsibility for the March 11 Camp Taji attack, which claimed the lives of three U.S.-led coalition service members.
In an official statement released on March 15, the group, dubbed Usbat al-Tha’ireen (UT), confirmed its responsibility for the recent rocket attacks on Iraqi bases hosting U.S. troops.
“In response to the request of our Mujahedeen brothers … we declare that the blessed operations [the shelling of occupation bases] are our operations, and we fear no one by announcing this,” the statement reads.
A few days ago, Kata’ib Hezbollah (KH) released a statement calling on the perpetrators of the recent attacks to reveal themselves, promising to support them. KH was held responsible for these attacks by the U.S.
UT appears to be a pro-Iranian Shiite group. The group vowed to respond to the assassination of Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) Deputy-Commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis and Maj. Gen. Qassam Soleimani, Commander of Iran’s Quds Force.
“The assassination of our martyr leaders is heat in our chests, a motive for our conscious that will not trail off until the withdrawal of the occupying forces in a humiliating and degrading manner,” the group said.
The U.S. carried out a series of strikes on Iraq on March 13 in response to Camp Taji attack. The strikes hit positions of the PMU, the Iraqi military and police.
UT’s statement is yet to be verified. More information about the mysterious group will likely appear in the coming months.
MORE ON THIS TOPIC:
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southfront--2020-03-16--The Fed’s Latest Welfare Payout to the Crooked Wall Street Banks

Written by Mike Whitney ; Originally appeared at The Unz Review On Thursday , the Federal Reserve announced its biggest market intervention to date , a massive $ 1.5 trillion injection into the short-term funding markets ( “ repo ” ) aimed at preventing grossly-inflated stock valuations from resetting at lower prices .
There should be no misunderstanding about the Fed ’ s real intention or whether its meddling will work .
When financial assets are purchased in bulk , prices rise , that is the immutable law of the market .
Stocks and bonds do not differentiate between day-traders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the amount of money and what securities are purchased .
What we know from 3 iterations of Quantitative Easing ( QE ) is that , when the Fed buys financial assets ( USTs or MBS ) stock prices climb higher .
Friday ’ s trading will undoubtedly produce the same result .
We also know that the Fed ’ s circuitous blabbering never explains their real objectives .
The Fed is not trying to ease “ ominous trading conditions ” or “ counter signs of market dysfunction ” or “ address highly unusual @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus outbreak.
” That ’ s all diversionary mumbo-jumbo .
The Fed ’ s real goal is to prevent the markets from working the way they are supposed to work , to prevent basic price discovery , because price discovery will dramatically reduce valuations leaving banks and other financial institutions deep underwater .
Price discovery is the means through which an asset ’ s price is set by matching buyers and sellers according to a price that both sides find acceptable .
It is largely driven by supply and demand .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an asset is currently overbought or oversold .
Price discovery is the central function of a marketplace and is the process of finding out the price of a given asset or commodity .
( Investopedia ) When an outside actor , like the Fed , intervenes in the market and creates fake demand for financial assets that investors have shunned , it is destroying the “ central function ” of the free market .
It is asserting power over the market to set prices and , by doing so , assumes the role @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Fed is doing by stopping the market from clearing .
It is “ price setting ” .
It is pushing stock prices higher than their true market value by loading up on mainly US Treasuries which dramatically distort rates while inflating the price of government bonds .
We can only guess what the yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury would be if the Fed had not purchased $ 2 trillion of them to save the insolvent banks from bankruptcy in 2008 ?
And , in case there is any doubt about that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by former-Fed chairman Ben Bernanke during the post-Lehman congressional hearings : Think about that .
They were all broke , all the biggest banks on Wall Street were completely busted .
But they were brought back to life by Lazarus Bernanke ’ s emergency rates , giveaway loan programs and lavish liquidity injections .
At the same time , the American people were deliberately misled about the process that was underway , just as they are being misled about today ’ s intervention .
What is actually taking place is another multi-trillion dollar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confidence in US Treasuries as a reliable barometer of financial asset value .
Here ’ s an excerpt from an article by Bernanke ’ s right-hand man during the last crisis , Kevin Warsh , who underscores the risks the Fed is taking by intervening in the markets : Here ’ s more from Warsh on the unintended consequences of the Fed ’ s interventions that create powerful incentives for risky behavior that undermine investment , inflate asset values , and damage the real economy .
The Fed is destroying the system it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s acting as a stooge for the banks instead of an impartial referee whose job is to oversee and regulate the financial system so capital is efficiently deployed to productive investments that benefit the American people .
Does anyone think the Fed is acting within its mandate by pumping the system with liquidity so crooked banks can cream bigger profits off their casino operations ?
No one , and yet it continues .
There ’ s no way to know the true value of the benchmark 10-year Treasury ( which is the “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virtually every asset in the world is calculated ” ) because the Fed ’ s relentless mucking-around has distorted prices beyond recognition .
Imagine for a minute if the central banks had not purchased trillions of dollars in sovereign bonds during the financial crisis ?
Imagine where rates would be today ?
Rates would not only be positive , they ’ d also be “ normalized ” which was the Fed ’ s stated goal when it tried to reduce its $ 4 trillion dollar balance sheet last year but then suddenly slammed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the crybaby banks began howling .
So now the Fed has abandoned normalization altogether while its balance sheet remains permanently submerged in red ink .
But how is capitalism supposed to work if rates are stuck at zero or go negative ?
Interest rates are the jet-fuel that energize capitalism .
The “ marginal efficiency of capital ” refers to the returns that are expected from a capital asset during the time it is held by an investor .
If those expected returns are reduced to zero , then the incentive to invest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its head , and capitalism no longer works .
What is left is not productive investment , innovation or socially-beneficial development .
What ’ s left is rampant speculation , asset prices that are completely divorced from reality , and the endless build-up of paper claims on imaginary wealth .
Isn ’ t this an apt description of today ’ s Fed-generated market ?
And now the Fed is at it again , tilting the system so the bulk of the nation ’ s wealth continues to flow upwards .
Here are some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bank bailout : In one fell swoop , the Fed has become the market , the whole market and nothing but the market .
This new bailout is not $ 1.5 trillion , it is more than $ 1 trillion per week for the remainder of the monthly schedule .
This explains why “ risk-free ” US Treasuries sharply rose during yesterday ’ s selloff , it ’ s because the banks moved into cash so they would have the resources they needed to lend to all the desperate businesses ( Cruise lines @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whacked by the coronavirus .
Some readers may have noticed that , on Wednesday , the CEOs from Wall Street ’ s biggest banks visited Trump in the White House to tell the president how well capitalized they were .
Why would they do that ?
Why did they need to visit Trump to tell him how great they were doing ?
It ’ s because they knew that , in less than 24 hours , the Fed was going to announce that it was dumping trillions of dollars in to the repo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Easy Street .
That ’ s why .
It was all a set-up .
The fleecing of the American people is just one big freaking set up after the other .
It ’ s infuriating .
Are the banks in trouble again ?
Is that why we ’ re being subjected to this latest sheering ?
Of course they ’ re in trouble .
Do you think you can slash $ 10 trillion off stock valuations and shove oil off a cliff and not have the banks in trouble ?
?
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just as they are in derivatives trades , loans to shaky hedge funds , and stocks that are currently in freefall .
Which is why the Fed has wheeled in the heavy artillery..
Check out this excerpt from an article at The Wall Street Journal : “ The deepening Wall Street rout is adding to pressure on U.S. banks , as the retreat of investors from risky assets saddles lenders with securities they are struggling to sell at desired prices .
The crunch has been evident in the share prices of the largest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 30 % or more in many cases over the past month .
Citigroup Inc. dropped 8.6 % on Wednesday , extending its decline to 36 % , nearly doubling the drop in the S & P 500… When markets come under duress as they have over the past couple of weeks , asset prices are pushed to levels where you begin to see margin calls and other internal activity that is not always visible on the surface , ” said Daniel Deming , a managing director at Chicago-based KKM Financial .
The most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sharp decline in the price of U.S. Treasury securities , which until this week had consistently risen significantly on days when U.S. stocks were falling .
The price declines sent yields higher after dropping to record lows and were fueled in part by banks selling U.S. government securities to reduce inventories and raise cash .
Rates are low enough that Wednesday ’ s action itself didn ’ t hurt banks , but the unusual nature of the move raised eyebrows.
” …People familiar with some of the largest securities-dealing banks said many firms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week , but those purchases resulted in some banks having balance sheets that executives deemed too large .
With prices barely having recovered in many markets , some banks chose to sell Treasuries instead , in part reflecting their significant appreciation in recent weeks.
” ( “ Wall Street Plunge Stresses Banks , Treasury Markets ” , Wall Street Journal ) Let ’ s recap : Why are the banks selling Treasuries ?
Because they need the cash .
Why do they need the cash ?
Because–according to the author– the banks are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they are struggling to sell at desired prices.
” But that just means stock prices have dropped , it doesn ’ t explain why the banks need cash ?
True , the only reason they would need cash is if they borrowed the money to buy the stocks in the first place , which is what the author suggests when he refers to “ margin calls and other internal activity that is not always visible on the surface.
” In other words , the banks need cash because their portfolio is underwater and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
According to the article : “ People familiar with some of the largest securities-dealing banks said many firms bought corporate bonds as prices fell last week , but those purchases resulted in some banks having balance sheets that executives deemed too large.
” Corporate bonds ?
!
?
The corporate bond market froze last week , no activity at all , a complete graveyard .
If the banks were dabbling in that garbage , then they must ’ ve gotten burned bigtime which would explain why they want another bailout from Uncle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that none of this has anything to do with the Fed .
The banks were playing the stock market and lost their shirts .
Who cares ?
Break ’ em up , auction off the good assets , ring-fence the bad , install new management , and start over .
That ’ s how the system is supposed to work .
You roll the dice , and if you come up snake-eyes , you go home .
End of story .
That ’ s what we should have done in 2008 instead of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they could take us all over the cliff for a second time in 10 years .
It ’ s ridiculous !
Keep in mind , the Trump administration has only allocated a lousy $ 8 billion to fund its response to coronavirus .
So the American people –all 330 million of them– will get a whopping $ 8 billion while the crooked Wall Street banks get regular multi-trillion dollar infusions that allow them to swap their crappy , dog-eared securities for cold-hard cash .
The banks will then roll over these 3-month loans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ welfare payouts .
Does that sound fair to you ?
This is why people despise the Federal Reserve .
They don ’ t see the Fed as an impartial arbiter fulfilling its mandate of price stability and full employment but an evil puppetmaster that wants to rule the world .
That , of course , is a gross exaggeration .
In truth , the Fed is no different than the FAA , a thoroughly corrupt and unreformable “ rubber stamp ” agency that is entirely controlled by the corporations it ’ s supposed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ travesty just proves what we ’ ve known for a long time , that the Fed always operates in the exclusive interests of its reprobate constituents , the crooked Wall Street banks .

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Written by Mike Whitney; Originally appeared at The Unz Review
On Thursday, the Federal Reserve announced its biggest market intervention to date, a massive $1.5 trillion injection into the short-term funding markets (“repo”) aimed at preventing grossly-inflated stock valuations from resetting at lower prices. There should be no misunderstanding about the Fed’s real intention or whether its meddling will work. When financial assets are purchased in bulk, prices rise, that is the immutable law of the market. Stocks and bonds do not differentiate between day-traders and Central Bankers. What matters is the amount of money and what securities are purchased. What we know from 3 iterations of Quantitative Easing (QE) is that, when the Fed buys financial assets (USTs or MBS) stock prices climb higher. Friday’s trading will undoubtedly produce the same result.
We also know that the Fed’s circuitous blabbering never explains their real objectives. The Fed is not trying to ease “ominous trading conditions” or “counter signs of market dysfunction ” or “address highly unusual disruptions in Treasury financing markets associated with the coronavirus outbreak.” That’s all diversionary mumbo-jumbo. The Fed’s real goal is to prevent the markets from working the way they are supposed to work, to prevent basic price discovery, because price discovery will dramatically reduce valuations leaving banks and other financial institutions deep underwater.
Price discovery is the means through which an asset’s price is set by matching buyers and sellers according to a price that both sides find acceptable. It is largely driven by supply and demand. It is a useful mechanism to gauge whether an asset is currently overbought or oversold. Price discovery is the central function of a marketplace and is the process of finding out the price of a given asset or commodity. (Investopedia)
When an outside actor, like the Fed, intervenes in the market and creates fake demand for financial assets that investors have shunned, it is destroying the “central function” of the free market. It is asserting power over the market to set prices and, by doing so, assumes the role of Central Planner. That is what the Fed is doing by stopping the market from clearing. It is “price setting”. It is pushing stock prices higher than their true market value by loading up on mainly US Treasuries which dramatically distort rates while inflating the price of government bonds. We can only guess what the yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury would be if the Fed had not purchased $2 trillion of them to save the insolvent banks from bankruptcy in 2008? And, in case there is any doubt about that matter, here is a straightforward admission by former-Fed chairman Ben Bernanke during the post-Lehman congressional hearings:
“As a scholar of the Great Depression, I honestly believe that September and October of 2008 was the worst financial crisis in global history, including the Great Depression. If you look at the firms that came under pressure in that period. . . only one . . . was not at serious risk of failure. So out of maybe the 13 of the most important financial institutions in the United States, 12 were at risk of failure within a period of a week or two.”
Think about that. They were all broke, all the biggest banks on Wall Street were completely busted. But they were brought back to life by Lazarus Bernanke’s emergency rates, giveaway loan programs and lavish liquidity injections. At the same time, the American people were deliberately misled about the process that was underway, just as they are being misled about today’s intervention. What is actually taking place is another multi-trillion dollar bailout that is going to seriously undermine confidence in US Treasuries as a reliable barometer of financial asset value. Here’s an excerpt from an article by Bernanke’s right-hand man during the last crisis, Kevin Warsh, who underscores the risks the Fed is taking by intervening in the markets:
“The Fed’s increased presence in the market for long-term Treasury securities also poses nontrivial risks. The Treasury market is special. It plays a unique role in the global financial system. It is a corollary to the dollar’s role as the world’s reserve currency. The prices assigned to Treasury securities–the risk-free rate–are the foundation from which the price of virtually every asset in the world is calculated. As the Fed’s balance sheet expands, it becomes more of a price maker than a price taker in the Treasury market. And if market participants come to doubt these prices–or their reliance on these prices proves fleeting–risk premiums across asset classes and geographies could move unexpectedly. The shock that hit the financial markets in 2008 upon the imminent failures of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac gives some indication of the harm that can be done when assets perceived to be relatively riskless turn out not to be.” (“The New Malaise”, Kevin Warsh, Wall Street Journal.)
Here’s more from Warsh on the unintended consequences of the Fed’s interventions that create powerful incentives for risky behavior that undermine investment, inflate asset values, and damage the real economy.
“Extremely accommodative monetary policy, including the purchase of about $3 trillion in Treasurys and mortgage-backed securities during three rounds of “quantitative easing” (QE), pushed down long-term yields and boosted the value of risk-assets. Higher stock prices were supposed to drive business confidence and higher capital expenditures, which were supposed to result in higher wages and strong consumption. Would it were so. Business investment in the real economy is weak … In 2014, S&P 500 companies spent considerably more of their operating cash flow on financially engineered buybacks than real capital expenditures for the first time since 2007 … We believe that QE has redirected capital from the real domestic economy to financial assets at home and abroad. In this environment, it is hard to criticize companies that choose “shareholder friendly” share buybacks over investment in a new factory. But public policy shouldn’t bias investments to paper assets over investments in the real economy.” (The Fed Has Hurt Business Investment, Michael Spence And Kevin Warsh, Wall Street Journal)
The Fed is destroying the system it is entrusted to safeguard. It’s acting as a stooge for the banks instead of an impartial referee whose job is to oversee and regulate the financial system so capital is efficiently deployed to productive investments that benefit the American people. Does anyone think the Fed is acting within its mandate by pumping the system with liquidity so crooked banks can cream bigger profits off their casino operations?
No one, and yet it continues.
There’s no way to know the true value of the benchmark 10-year Treasury (which is the “the foundation from which the price of virtually every asset in the world is calculated”) because the Fed’s relentless mucking-around has distorted prices beyond recognition. Imagine for a minute if the central banks had not purchased trillions of dollars in sovereign bonds during the financial crisis? Imagine where rates would be today?
Rates would not only be positive, they’d also be “normalized” which was the Fed’s stated goal when it tried to reduce its $4 trillion dollar balance sheet last year but then suddenly slammed on the brakes when stocks fell and the crybaby banks began howling. So now the Fed has abandoned normalization altogether while its balance sheet remains permanently submerged in red ink.
But how is capitalism supposed to work if rates are stuck at zero or go negative? Interest rates are the jet-fuel that energize capitalism. The “marginal efficiency of capital” refers to the returns that are expected from a capital asset during the time it is held by an investor. If those expected returns are reduced to zero, then the incentive to invest vanishes, the system is stood on its head, and capitalism no longer works. What is left is not productive investment, innovation or socially-beneficial development. What’s left is rampant speculation, asset prices that are completely divorced from reality, and the endless build-up of paper claims on imaginary wealth. Isn’t this an apt description of today’s Fed-generated market?
And now the Fed is at it again, tilting the system so the bulk of the nation’s wealth continues to flow upwards. Here are some of the shocking details about this latest bank bailout:
“The New York Fed said it will offer its primary dealers another $500 billion in a 3-month loan and another $500 billion in a one-month loan….Both 3-month and 1-month loans will be offered weekly “for the remainder of the monthly schedule.” That means $1 trillion a week will be available at below-market interest rates until the middle of April. That will be on top of the $175 billion the Fed is offering daily in one-day loans and the $45 billion it is offering each Tuesday and Thursday in 14-day loans. This is a dramatic expansion of the Fed’s balance sheet to support Wall Street — all without one vote, or debate, or hearing occurring in Congress.” (“Federal Reserve Announces Unprecedented $1.5 Trillion in Loans to Wall Street Today and Tomorrow” Wall Street on Parade)
In one fell swoop, the Fed has become the market, the whole market and nothing but the market. This new bailout is not $1.5 trillion, it is more than $1 trillion per week for the remainder of the monthly schedule. This explains why “risk-free” US Treasuries sharply rose during yesterday’s selloff, it’s because the banks moved into cash so they would have the resources they needed to lend to all the desperate businesses (Cruise lines, airlines etc) that have been whacked by the coronavirus.
Wall Street Bankers Visit Trump on Wednesday
Some readers may have noticed that, on Wednesday, the CEOs from Wall Street’s biggest banks visited Trump in the White House to tell the president how well capitalized they were. Why would they do that? Why did they need to visit Trump to tell him how great they were doing?
It’s because they knew that, in less than 24 hours, the Fed was going to announce that it was dumping trillions of dollars in to the repo market and they’d be back on Easy Street. That’s why.
It was all a set-up. The fleecing of the American people is just one big freaking set up after the other. It’s infuriating.
Are the banks in trouble again? Is that why we’re being subjected to this latest sheering?
Of course they’re in trouble. Do you think you can slash $10 trillion off stock valuations and shove oil off a cliff and not have the banks in trouble?? The banks are heavily invested in oil, just as they are in derivatives trades, loans to shaky hedge funds, and stocks that are currently in freefall. Which is why the Fed has wheeled in the heavy artillery.. Check out this excerpt from an article at The Wall Street Journal:
“The deepening Wall Street rout is adding to pressure on U.S. banks, as the retreat of investors from risky assets saddles lenders with securities they are struggling to sell at desired prices. The crunch has been evident in the share prices of the largest U.S. financial firms, which have fallen 30% or more in many cases over the past month. Citigroup Inc. dropped 8.6% on Wednesday, extending its decline to 36%, nearly doubling the drop in the S&P 500… When markets come under duress as they have over the past couple of weeks, asset prices are pushed to levels where you begin to see margin calls and other internal activity that is not always visible on the surface,” said Daniel Deming, a managing director at Chicago-based KKM Financial. The most surprising development for traders Wednesday: the sharp decline in the price of U.S. Treasury securities, which until this week had consistently risen significantly on days when U.S. stocks were falling. The price declines sent yields higher after dropping to record lows and were fueled in part by banks selling U.S. government securities to reduce inventories and raise cash. Rates are low enough that Wednesday’s action itself didn’t hurt banks, but the unusual nature of the move raised eyebrows.” …People familiar with some of the largest securities-dealing banks said many firms bought corporate bonds as prices fell last week, but those purchases resulted in some banks having balance sheets that executives deemed too large. With prices barely having recovered in many markets, some banks chose to sell Treasuries instead, in part reflecting their significant appreciation in recent weeks.” (“Wall Street Plunge Stresses Banks, Treasury Markets”, Wall Street Journal)
Let’s recap: Why are the banks selling Treasuries?
Because they need the cash.
Why do they need the cash?
Because–according to the author– the banks are stuck with a bunch of stocks “they are struggling to sell at desired prices.”
But that just means stock prices have dropped, it doesn’t explain why the banks need cash?
True, the only reason they would need cash is if they borrowed the money to buy the stocks in the first place, which is what the author suggests when he refers to “margin calls and other internal activity that is not always visible on the surface.” In other words, the banks need cash because their portfolio is underwater and they are leveraged up to their eyeballs.
According to the article: “People familiar with some of the largest securities-dealing banks said many firms bought corporate bonds as prices fell last week, but those purchases resulted in some banks having balance sheets that executives deemed too large.”
Corporate bonds?!? The corporate bond market froze last week, no activity at all, a complete graveyard. If the banks were dabbling in that garbage, then they must’ve gotten burned bigtime which would explain why they want another bailout from Uncle Sugar.
It’s worth noting that none of this has anything to do with the Fed. The banks were playing the stock market and lost their shirts. Who cares? Break ’em up, auction off the good assets, ring-fence the bad, install new management, and start over. That’s how the system is supposed to work. You roll the dice, and if you come up snake-eyes, you go home. End of story. That’s what we should have done in 2008 instead of keeping these parasites on life support so they could take us all over the cliff for a second time in 10 years. It’s ridiculous!
Keep in mind, the Trump administration has only allocated a lousy $8 billion to fund its response to coronavirus. So the American people –all 330 million of them– will get a whopping $8 billion while the crooked Wall Street banks get regular multi-trillion dollar infusions that allow them to swap their crappy, dog-eared securities for cold-hard cash. The banks will then roll over these 3-month loans indefinitely turning their short-term debts into perennial welfare payouts. Does that sound fair to you?
This is why people despise the Federal Reserve. They don’t see the Fed as an impartial arbiter fulfilling its mandate of price stability and full employment but an evil puppetmaster that wants to rule the world. That, of course, is a gross exaggeration. In truth, the Fed is no different than the FAA, a thoroughly corrupt and unreformable “rubber stamp” agency that is entirely controlled by the corporations it’s supposed to regulate. This latest multi-trillion dollar travesty just proves what we’ve known for a long time, that the Fed always operates in the exclusive interests of its reprobate constituents, the crooked Wall Street banks.
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southfront--2020-03-16--Combat Footage: Kurdish Forces Storm Turkish Position In Southern Afrin (18+)

On March 15 , the Afrin Liberation Forces ( ALF ) released a video of a recent attack by its cells on a position of Turkish-backed militants in the southern part of occupied Afrin in northern Aleppo The video shows the Kurdish group ’ s fighters storming the position , which is located in the town of Berade in the district of Sherawa .
The fighters can be seen shooting and killing many Turkish-backed militants from a close range after infiltrating the position .
The attack is an example of the ALF ’ s excellent guerilla warfare tactics .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ morale of Turkey ’ s proxies in northern Syria , which appear to be incapable of repelling even a small-scale attack .
The ALF is launching most of its attacks from a region in southern Afrin jointly controlled by the Syrian Arab Army ( SAA ) and the People ’ s Protection Units ( YPG ) .
Both sides appear to be supporting the group .
However , the extent of their support is still unclear .
The last few months witnessed a surge in ALF attacks on Turkish forces in northern Aleppo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its proxies are yet to take any serious measures to confront the growing threat of the Kurdish group .
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4.3 ( 28 votes) Combat Footage: Kurdish Forces Storm Turkish Position In Southern Afrin (18+) 4.2857142857143 out of 5 based on 28 ratings. 28 user reviews.
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On March 15, the Afrin Liberation Forces (ALF) released a video of a recent attack by its cells on a position of Turkish-backed militants in the southern part of occupied Afrin in northern Aleppo
The video shows the Kurdish group’s fighters storming the position, which is located in the town of Berade in the district of Sherawa. The fighters can be seen shooting and killing many Turkish-backed militants from a close range after infiltrating the position.
The attack is an example of the ALF’s excellent guerilla warfare tactics. It also reveals the poor training and low morale of Turkey’s proxies in northern Syria, which appear to be incapable of repelling even a small-scale attack.
The ALF is launching most of its attacks from a region in southern Afrin jointly controlled by the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) and the People’s Protection Units (YPG). Both sides appear to be supporting the group. However, the extent of their support is still unclear.
The last few months witnessed a surge in ALF attacks on Turkish forces in northern Aleppo. However, the Turkish military and its proxies are yet to take any serious measures to confront the growing threat of the Kurdish group.
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southfront--2020-03-16--‘Victorious Over Their Enemies’: ISIS Releases Details On Its Attacks In Iraq’s Kirkuk

On March 13 , ISIS released a video documenting many of its recent attacks against government forces and civilians in the northern Iraqi province of Kirkuk .
The 30-minute video , titled “ Victorious Over Their Enemies , ” starts with footage from attacks by the terrorist group ’ s cells on two positions of the Popular Mobilization Units ( PMU ) and a post of the Iraqi Federal Police near the towns of Daquq , Rashad and Tuz Khurma .
The video also shows six ambushes by ISIS terrorists , who targeted vehicles of the PMU and the Iraqi @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Shiite and Yarsanism sects .
A series of mortar attacks by ISIS cells were also shown in the video .
The attacks were not limited to military sites , but also targeted civilian areas in Kirkuk .
The attacks were apparently a form of ‘ collective punishment ’ , especially for Sunni areas .
“ From the Wilayah of Iraq , from Kirkuk to the apostates of Sunnah , Kurds and Arabs , how dare you , don ’ t you learn , every time getting tricked … Don ’ t you know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our spears are up and that we now have the initiative … Don ’ t be the fuel of a lost battle , lengthening it with your filthy blood before we prevail , regret won ’ t help you then , ” an unknown commander of ISIS said in the video warning Sunnis .
ISIS also boasted about a series of terrorist attacks in its video , sharing footage of its fighters burning farmlands and blowing up houses .
Besides regular attacks , the video contained graphic footage of ISIS terrorists executing fourteen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , five PMU fighters , two pro-government tribal fighters , a Kurdish Peshmerga personal and five Sunni civilians .
ISIS concluded its video with footage from a horrendous attack that targeted a football field in Kirkuk .
Several young men were executed on spot after being captured , simply because they were Shiite .
None of the attacks shown in the video were dated by the terrorist group .
However , observers said all the attacks took place in 2019 .
The video is clearly meant to threaten ISIS foes in Kirkuk , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The group attempted to showcase its presence in the province as “ strong ” .
Likely , the group hopes to involve some locals to join its ranks .
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On March 13, ISIS released a video documenting many of its recent attacks against government forces and civilians in the northern Iraqi province of Kirkuk.
The 30-minute video, titled “Victorious Over Their Enemies,” starts with footage from attacks by the terrorist group’s cells on two positions of the Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) and a post of the Iraqi Federal Police near the towns of Daquq, Rashad and Tuz Khurma.
The video also shows six ambushes by ISIS terrorists, who targeted vehicles of the PMU and the Iraqi military as well as civilians from the Shiite and Yarsanism sects.
A series of mortar attacks by ISIS cells were also shown in the video. The attacks were not limited to military sites, but also targeted civilian areas in Kirkuk. The attacks were apparently a form of ‘collective punishment’, especially for Sunni areas.
“From the Wilayah of Iraq, from Kirkuk to the apostates of Sunnah, Kurds and Arabs, how dare you, don’t you learn, every time getting tricked … Don’t you know that our swords are out, that our spears are up and that we now have the initiative … Don’t be the fuel of a lost battle, lengthening it with your filthy blood before we prevail, regret won’t help you then,” an unknown commander of ISIS said in the video warning Sunnis.
ISIS also boasted about a series of terrorist attacks in its video, sharing footage of its fighters burning farmlands and blowing up houses.
Besides regular attacks, the video contained graphic footage of ISIS terrorists executing fourteen Iraqis. The victims were a policeman, five PMU fighters, two pro-government tribal fighters, a Kurdish Peshmerga personal and five Sunni civilians.
ISIS concluded its video with footage from a horrendous attack that targeted a football field in Kirkuk. Several young men were executed on spot after being captured, simply because they were Shiite.
None of the attacks shown in the video were dated by the terrorist group. However, observers said all the attacks took place in 2019.
The video is clearly meant to threaten ISIS foes in Kirkuk, especially local Sunnis supporting the government. The group attempted to showcase its presence in the province as “strong”. Likely, the group hopes to involve some locals to join its ranks.
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southfront--2020-03-16--New Syrian Army Offensive In Idlib Becoming Inevitable As Militants Sabotage Joint Turkish-Russian P

New Syrian Army Offensive In Idlib Becoming Inevitable As Militants Sabotage Joint Turkish-Russian Patrols

On March 15 , Russian and Turkish forces conducted a first joint patrol in Greater Idlib in the framework of the new de-escalation agreement reached in Moscow .
The planned route of the patrol goes along the M4 highway , where a buffer zone was set to be created .
However , in fact the patrol happened just a few km west of the government-controlled town of Saraqib .
The entire buffer zone and a notable area to the south of it , a total of 750km2 , remains in the hands of terrorists .
There were no signs of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the area .
The Russian military said that the patrol mission was shortened because of provocations by radicals .
According to the released statement , terrorists used civilians , including women and children , as human shields .
The Russian side added that Turkey was given more time to get rid of the extremists and ensure the safety of further joint missions .
Surprisingly , the Turkish Defense Ministry admitted that there were some measures taken to prevent possible provocations .
Nonetheless , it did not bother itself with explaining what kind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because the Turkish military column itself faced a hard time moving through supporters of radical groups deployed on the M4 highway .
Radicals and their supporters have been blocking the part of the highway laying in southern Idlib since March 13 .
Earlier in March , Turkish top officials repeatedly vowed to crush any force that would oppose the implementation of the new de-escalation agreement .
The Turkish leadership easily forgot these declarations , when it appeared that the main obstacle to the implementation of the agreement were organizations directly or indirectly supported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nothing new in this behavior .
Over the month , the Erdogan government has showcased itself as a consistent supporter of the seedlings of terrorism remaining in Idlib .
Meanwhile , Idlib armed groups continued undermining efforts of the Turkish media and diplomacy to paint them as a moderate opposition .
On March 15 , media affiliated with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham offered a bounty of $ 25,000 to any person that would kill Evgeny Poddubny or Oleg Blokhin .
Both of them are Russian war correspondents currently working on the frontline in Idlib @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to their Turkish and Western colleagues , they do not turn a blind eye to terrorist ideology and actions of Idlib armed groups .
Later ‘ Idlib democratic activists ’ upped the bounty offering to $ 50,000 for anybody who would kill Poddubny .
The amount of $ 100,000 is proposed for the aforementioned journalist or any member of the Russian patrol mission captured alive .
At the same time , the National Front for Liberation , Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and other militant organizations intensified their recruiting campaign in northwestern Syria .
Persons @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time ” and in good physical condition now can join even Hayat Tahrir al-Sham ’ s special forces unit , the so-called Red Bands .
This fact is another confirmation of the heavy casualties suffered by terrorist groups during the past years of the war .
On top of this , the security situation is once again deteriorating in northern Syria .
According to pro-militant sources , an IED attack hit a military convoy of Turkish-led forces near the town of Ras al-Ayn .
Three militants and two Turkish soldiers were reportedly killed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ de-escalation agreement allowed to put an end to military hostilities between the Syrian Armed Forces and the Turkish Army .
However , its effect will be temporary and will not last for long if the issue of radicals in Greater Idlib is not solved in the nearest future .

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On March 15, Russian and Turkish forces conducted a first joint patrol in Greater Idlib in the framework of the new de-escalation agreement reached in Moscow. The planned route of the patrol goes along the M4 highway, where a buffer zone was set to be created. However, in fact the patrol happened just a few km west of the government-controlled town of Saraqib. The entire buffer zone and a notable area to the south of it, a total of 750km2, remains in the hands of terrorists. There were no signs of any withdrawal of heavy weapons or militants from the area.
The Russian military said that the patrol mission was shortened because of provocations by radicals. According to the released statement, terrorists used civilians, including women and children, as human shields. The Russian side added that Turkey was given more time to get rid of the extremists and ensure the safety of further joint missions. Surprisingly, the Turkish Defense Ministry admitted that there were some measures taken to prevent possible provocations. Nonetheless, it did not bother itself with explaining what kind of difficulties the sides experienced. Maybe because the Turkish military column itself faced a hard time moving through supporters of radical groups deployed on the M4 highway. Radicals and their supporters have been blocking the part of the highway laying in southern Idlib since March 13.
Earlier in March, Turkish top officials repeatedly vowed to crush any force that would oppose the implementation of the new de-escalation agreement. The Turkish leadership easily forgot these declarations, when it appeared that the main obstacle to the implementation of the agreement were organizations directly or indirectly supported by Ankara. Unfortunately, there is nothing new in this behavior. Over the month, the Erdogan government has showcased itself as a consistent supporter of the seedlings of terrorism remaining in Idlib.
Meanwhile, Idlib armed groups continued undermining efforts of the Turkish media and diplomacy to paint them as a moderate opposition. On March 15, media affiliated with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham offered a bounty of $25,000 to any person that would kill Evgeny Poddubny or Oleg Blokhin. Both of them are Russian war correspondents currently working on the frontline in Idlib and covering military developments there. Contrary to their Turkish and Western colleagues, they do not turn a blind eye to terrorist ideology and actions of Idlib armed groups. Later ‘Idlib democratic activists’ upped the bounty offering to $50,000 for anybody who would kill Poddubny. The amount of $100,000 is proposed for the aforementioned journalist or any member of the Russian patrol mission captured alive.
At the same time, the National Front for Liberation, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and other militant organizations intensified their recruiting campaign in northwestern Syria. Persons with a large amount of “free time” and in good physical condition now can join even Hayat Tahrir
al-Sham’s special forces unit, the so-called Red Bands. This fact is another confirmation of the heavy casualties suffered by terrorist groups during the past years of the war.
On top of this, the security situation is once again deteriorating in northern Syria. According to pro-militant sources, an IED attack hit a military convoy of Turkish-led forces near the town of Ras al-Ayn. Three militants and two Turkish soldiers were reportedly killed in the attack.
The recent Turkish-Russian de-escalation agreement allowed to put an end to military hostilities between the Syrian Armed Forces and the Turkish Army. However, its effect will be temporary and will not last for long if the issue of radicals in Greater Idlib is not solved in the nearest future.
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southfront--2020-03-16--U.S. Forces Close Closing Some Bases In Iraq Following Rocket Attacks On Camp Taji

What did I tell you kiddies a few days ago , the Americunts besides being cowardly child killing arseholes , have now united all the resistance forces in the region and had no choice but to cut and run in the middle of the night and leave behind even heavy weaponry .
The Sepah and allied militias have put posters of Ayatollah Khamenei and Sayyed Nasrallah all over the liberated bases .
The most important news is that IRGC and Hezbollah have total control over the Qaim crossing into Syria and are deploying air defences .
As I said before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more tougher and ruthless than the mild soldier diplomat General Soleimani .
Iraq military bases : US pulling out of three key sites in the middle of the night The decision to leave three of its eight bases in Iraq is a sign the US is looking to dramatically reduce its footprint in the country and avoid rising casuatlies at the hands of emboldened Shia militias who have not hesitated to take on the US and NATO forces in Iraq..
It comes amid heightened US tensions with the Iraqi government and Iran , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ NATO occupation forces from the region .
At the large al-Qaim base .
where the US has hastily handed over equipment to the Iraqi army to help it ensure security in the area .
However , the Iraqi army is made up of Shia PMU units and the US and NATO equipment including armor and artillery will end up in Kataeb Hezbollah hands .
It will end any US presence along the Iraqi side of the border with Syria and in complete of Iranian allied forces who have started putting up posters of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all over the Baghdad to Damascus highway .
Outside the sprawling base , roads were plastered with PMF flags and billboards picturing Iran ’ s supreme leader , a man some PMF groups think of as their religious leader and commander .

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The US-led coalition has opted to leave some of its smaller bases in Iraq following the recent series of rocket attacks on its forces. According to the US military, troops will be redeployed to larger facilities, and this will not affect the military mission in the country.
The official explanation claims that the reason is the ‘success’ in the fight against ISIS, but recent casualties from two attacks on Camp Taji seem to be a more realistic version.
“As a result of the success of Iraqi Security Forces in their fight against ISIS, the Coalition is re-positioning troops from a few smaller bases. These bases remain under Iraqi control and we will continue our advising partnership for the permanent defeat of Daesh from other Iraqi military bases,” the US-led coalition said. “The Coalition remains in Iraq at the invitation of the Government of Iraq to defeat ISIS; since 2014, together, we have liberated more than 55,000 square kilometers and freed millions of Iraqi people from ISIS murderous rule. Our troops are re-positioning in coordination with the Government of Iraq. Due to operational security, we will not announce a specific timetable for the troop movements.”
A new Iraqi armed group, Ausbat al-Thaayirin, already claimed responsibility for the March 11 rocket attack that killed three US-led coalition personnel. The group said that the attacks were delivered in response to the US assassination of Deputy-Commander of the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Units Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis and Commander of the Iranian Quds Force Maj. Gen. Qassam Soleimani. It also vowed to continue military actions against US forces.
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southfront--2020-03-16--Orlan-10 Multi-Purpose Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (Infographics)

Click to see the full-size image The Orlan-10 is a medium-range , multi-purpose unmanned aerial vehicle ( UAV ) developed @ @ @ @ @ for the Russian Armed Forces .
It is designed for a variety of missions including @ @ @ @ @ search and rescue , combat training , jamming , detection of radio signals , and @ @ @ @ @ military is actively employing Orlan-10 UAVs in its operation in Syria .
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The Orlan-10 is a medium-range, multi-purpose unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) developed by Special Technology Center LLC for the Russian Armed Forces. It is designed for a variety of missions including aerial reconnaissance, observation, search and rescue, combat training, jamming, detection of radio signals, and target tracking. The Russian military is actively employing Orlan-10 UAVs in its operation in Syria.
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southfront--2020-03-16--Global Economy Heads For Major Recession As Central Banks Increase Emergency Measures To Prevent Col

Global Economy Heads For Major Recession As Central Banks Increase Emergency Measures To Prevent Collapse Of Financial System

Am reposting the below ’ cause it was “ detected as spam and they are working on it ” I am an avid board game player .
I ’ m not much for theclassics like chess or go , preferring the more modern ones .
But , regardless , as a person who appreciates the delicate balance betweenstrategy and tactics , I have to say I am impressed with RussianPresident Vladimir Putin ’ s sense of timing .
Because if there was ever a moment where Putin and Russia could inflict maximum pain on the United States via its Achilles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its unquenchable thirst for debt , it was this month just as the coronavirus was reaching its shores .
Like I said , I ’ m a huge game player and I especially love games where there is a delicate balance between player power that has to bemaintained while it ’ s not one ’ s turn .
Attacks have to be thwarted just enough to stop the person from advancing but not so much that they can ’ t help you defend on the next player ’ s turn .
All of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ game alive until you find the perfect moment to punch through and achieve victory .
Having watched Putin play this game for the past eight years , I firmly believe there is no one in a position of power today who has a firmer grasp of this than him .
And , I do believe this move to break OPEC+ and then watch Mohammed bin Salman break OPEC was Putin ’ s big judo-style reversal move .
And by doing so in less than a week he has completely shut down the U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Russia told OPEC no .
By Wednesday the 11th The Federal Reserve had already doubled its daily interventions into the repo markets to keep bank liquidity high .
By noon on the 12th the Fed announced $ 1.5 trillion in new repo facilities including three-month repo contracts .
At one point during trading that day the entire U.S. Treasury market went bidless .
There was no one out there making an offer for the most liquid , sought-after financial assets in the world .
Why ?
Prices were so high , no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we get a massive expansion of the repo interventions by the Fed , but it was for longer duration .
This is a clear sign that the problem is nearly without an end .
Repos longer than three days are in this context a rarity .
The Fed needing to add $ 1 trillion in three-month repos clearly means they understand that they are looking out to the end of the quarter as the next problem and beyond that .
It means , in short , the world financial markets have completely seized @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It didn ’ t work .
Stocks continued to slide , gold and other safe-haven assets were hit hard by a reversal of capital outflows from the U.S .
In the first part of the aftermath of Putin ’ s decision the dollar got whacked as European and Japanese investors who had piled into U.S. stocks as a safe-haven sold those positions and brought the capital home .
That lasted a few days before Christine Lagarde put on her dog and pony show at the European Central Bank and told everyone she didn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to expand asset purchases and continue doing what has failed in the past .
This touched off the next phase of the crisis , where the dollar begins to strengthen .
And that is where we are now .
And Putin understands that a world awash in debt is one that can not withstand the currency needed to repay that debt rising sharply .
That puts further pressure on his geopolitical rivals and forces them to focus on their domestic concerns rather than the ones overseas .
For years Putin has been begging @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the Middle East and across Asia .
He ’ s argued eloquently at the U.N. and in interviews that the unipolar moment is over and that the U.S. can only maintain its status as the world ’ s only super power for so long .
Eventually the debt would undermine its strength and at theright moment would be revealed to be far weaker than it projected .
This doesn ’ t sit well with President Trump who believes in America ’ s exceptionalism .
And will fight for his version of “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weapon at his disposal .
The problem with this ‘ never back down ’ attitude is that it makes him very predictable .
Trump ’ s use of sanctions on Europe to stop the Nord Stream 2 pipelinewas stupid and short-sighted .
It ensured that Russia would be merciless in its response and only delay the project for a few months .
Trump was easy to counter here .
Sign a deal with Ukraine , desperate for the money , and redirect the pipe-laying vessel back to the Baltic to finish the pipeline @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Europe already in the gutter from oversupply and a mild winter , there isn ’ t much time or money lost in theend .
Better to take the world oil price down well below U.S. production costs which ensure that Trump ’ s prized LNG stays off the European market as the myth of U.S. energy self-sufficiency vanishes in a puff of financial derivative smoke .
Now Trump is facing a market meltdown well beyond his capacity to fathom or respond to .
While Russia is in the unique position to drive costs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while riding out the shock to the global system with its savings .
Because money flows to where the best returns on it come , high oil and gas prices stifle development of other industries .
Lowering the oil price not only deflates all of the U.S. ’ s inflated financial weapons it also deflates some of the power of the petroleum industry domestically .
This gives Putin the opportunity to continue remaking the Russianeconomy along less focused lines .
Cheap oil and gas means lower return on investment in energy projects which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ capital to be deployed in other areas of the economy .
Putin just told the world he ’ s not riding his country ’ s oil and gas resources like a cash cow but rather as an important part of a different economic strategy for Russia ’ s development .
It ’ s like watching someone playing the first half of a game implying one strategy and making a critical shift to a different one halfway through , taking advantage of their opponents ’ carelessness .
It rarely works , but when it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Game , Set , Match , Putin The above analysis is by Tom Luongo and you can locate him at… .

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Written by Dr. Leon Tressell exclusively for SouthFront
“Those whom the gods wish to destroy they first make mad”
You can taste the fear as global central banks panic and introduce emergency measures to prevent a systemic collapse of the global financial system. On Sunday the U.S. Federal Reserve launched another financial bazooka at stock and bond markets when it announced the start of QE 4. This will involve the purchase of $700 billion of government bonds/mortgage backed securities and a 1% interest rate cut taking them to zero.
Today the ECB has announced another $112 billion to be made available to banks while the Bank of Japan has declared that it will spend trillions more on purchasing bonds and exchange-traded funds.
This gigantic package of stimulus measures comes on top of the panic measures introduced last week as the meltdown in stock and bond markets began to get out of control. Last Thursday, as the bond market melted down and lines of credit were under threat the Fed announced an intervention in the short term debt markets (repo) that will run into April and amounts to over $4.5 trillion.
Last Thursday’s panic measure backfired as the Dow Jones plunged over 2000 points.
Financial analyst Wolf Richter, who has recently shorted the markets with some success, commented:
“This is the Fed’s latest effort to bail out Wall Street, the cherished asset holders that are so essential to the Fed’s “wealth effect,” all repo market participants, the banks, and the Treasury market that suddenly has gone haywire. Lots of things have gone haywire as the Everything Bubble unwinds messily.”
Flash forward to today and markets are reacting badly to the latest panic measure. At the opening of trading today stocks immediately crashed triggering circuit breakers that halted trading. The S&P 500 -9.8% 220 points or 8.1% down while the Dow Jones -10.5% plummeted 2, 250 points or 9.7% down. Meanwhile, the Nasdaq -9.83 dropped 482 points or 6.1% down.
The epic collapse of U.S. stock markets in shown in the chart below from Marketwatch:
This meltdown has been repeated on stock markets around the world. As if this wasn’t bad enough oil prices have fallen below $30 dollars a barrel while the scramble for cash has led haven assets such as gold to tumble in price today. Sven Heinrich of Northman Trader has called this market to perfection and explained how global central banks are responsible for the current financial crisis through their reckless money printing measures since the 2008 economic crisis.. On twitter today he warned: “If they can’t control markets today they should just shut it down until things can get sorted. They’re risking major fund blow ups and irreparable damage with consequences felt for a long time even if coronavirus gets sorted.” The Federal Reserves announcement of QE4 on Sunday illustrates how frightened the central banks are of the major economic recession ahead. Highly respected economist Mohammed El-Arian, Allianz Chief Economic Advisor, has explained the Fed’s decision to launch massive monetary stimulus in simple terms: “The fundamentals went from flashing red to constant red over the weekend.” Market trader Mike O’Rourke , chief market strategist at financial brokerage Jones Trading, rather aptly describes the current market mayhem as “Bearmaggedon”. This refers to a situation when the economy collapses at a time of easy monetary policy with historically low interest rates and paper assets like stocks and bonds are still expensive and over valued. In a note to clients he said ominously, “That combination of events becomes toxic because investors begin to express concern that the [Federal Reserves] monetary policy has become impotent.” O’Rourke puts the failure of central bank intervention into its historical context: “We thought the panic peaked on Thursday, when most of the country started to shut down, but that was eclipsed tonight by the Federal Reserve. All of us have just witnessed a central bank expend all of its conventional and unconventional tools to support an equity market that is less than a month from all time highs.” Howard Gold of Marketwatch sums up why markets across the world continue to collapse: “Bottom line: Investors don’t think the Fed’s moves are enough.” The political and economic elites of the American empire have boxed themselves into a corner and created an economic hurricane that threatens an economic depression similar to the 1930s. Since 2008 the Federal Reserve has presided over a gigantic wealth transfer as its massive money printing led to massive price inflation in paper assets across the board from stocks to bonds. The 1% have raked in massive profits while income levels for the majority have stood still or declined. It has kept interest rates at historically low levels enabling banks, hedge funds and corporations to gorge themselves on cheap debt and engage in a frenzy of stock buybacks to the tune of several trillion dollars. These stock buybacks have artificially inflated the price of stock market shares while insiders sell at high prices. Despite the current turmoil in financial markets the largesse of the Fed knows no bounds as it bails out its corporate masters. The U.S. government which acts on behalf of corporate America, just like the Fed, is bankrupt and has a $23 trillion deficit that is growing exponentially. Trump’s $1 trillion tax giveaway in 2017 that largely benefited the super rich and corporate America has left the U.S. government with annual trillion dollar deficits. Many economists argue that Washington has little room for the massive stimulus needed to combat the impacts of the current pandemic. Howard Gold of Marketwatch sums up the predicament of the American empire in rather sombre terms: “As investors clamor for some kind of certainty — or at least leadership —the Fed is out of ammo, the federal government is fiscally tapped out, and the factionalism Washington and Madison warned about is tearing the country apart. Yes, indeed, the chickens are coming home to roost, but this time they’re infected by a deadly virus.” Buckle up, for we have entered an unprecedented period of turmoil and volatility which will shake the global economy to its foundations. The current panic rates cuts and massive money printing by global central banks and the stimulus measures of governments everywhere are just the beginning of this crisis. Expect bail outs galore as industry after industry screams for government/central bank assistance. It would appear that the solution to $250 trillion of unpayable global debt is to hit the printing presses hard and create a whole load more cash out of thin air. As businesses of all size go bankrupt while job losses and pay cuts rise over the next period I wonder if central banks generosity will extend to ordinary citizens? As the global economy shuts down we will rapidly slide towards a major recession that will shake up geo-politics and lead us into even more uncertain times. The 2020s threaten to be a repeat of the 1930s when international relations broke down and the economic crisis was of such severity it left the major powers with no other recourse but war to try and solve their intractable problems.
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southfront--2020-03-16--Pandemics and War Games, Solidarity as an Antidote

The coronavirus , a new strain of the already existing one , whose mutation is being investigated has put the world between the solidarity and the misery of a dying system , capable of using the effects of a pandemic to impose a state of terror at a global level and to justify a stock market crisis in the United States , Japan , Europe , and others .
Meanwhile , they are contradictorily concentrating 37 thousand soldiers to conduct a maneuver in European territory , violating quarantines and any measure of control of the pandemic recognized by the World @ @ @ @ @ @ @ addition to the serious accusations about the possibility that this virus has been produced in laboratories and disseminated precisely in the center of China – to irradiate the whole country- by this time in Iran or Italy 20 thousand American soldiers are arriving in several European countries .
They will join the ten thousand stationed in the US military bases in Europe and another seven thousand provided by that region for a great maneuver destined to “ show muscle ” to Russia and China .
This arrival of troops for the ‘ Defend @ @ @ @ @ @ @ effectiveness of the worldwide quarantine and it is surprising that these exercises involving the transfer of soldiers to the European front have not been canceled considering the magnitude of the circumstances .
From the point of view of the use of biological warfare , to which the United States has resorted to several times -not forgetting hemorrhagic dengue , swine fever and others used against Cuba- and which is supported by its Israeli partner , this could be the perfect test of how the Chinese giant obsessed with imperial power would react and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ face of this situation , which is characterized by an “ uncontrollable ” virus but less lethal than the common epidemics of flu and pneumonia .
For now , the powerful are blaming the pandemic for their economic woes , but , “ the economy was already sick .
The coronavirus is further proof that it is only sustained by continuous doping , ” says Eric Toussaint , a political scientist , and professor at the universities of Liège and Paris who heads the Committee for the Abolition of Illegitimate Debt ( CADTM @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has happened in the stock market falls of these big countries , especially since the last week of February 2020 , the worst week since the crisis of October 2008 .
“ All the factors for a new financial crisis were and are present and together for several years , at least since 2017-2018 .
When the atmosphere is saturated with flammable materials , at any moment , a spark can cause a financial explosion .
It is difficult to predict where the spark may occur .
The spark is like a detonator @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the crisis .
We do not yet know whether the sharp stock market crash of late February 2020 will “ degenerate ” into a huge financial crisis .
But it is a real possibility , ” Toussaint says .
He also warns “ that it is important to see where the crisis really comes from and not be fooled by explanations that constitute a smokescreen for the real causes ” .
While what is being seen in Europe is nothing more and nothing less than the unmasking of the destruction of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ casualties and its upsurges , had managed to settle in those countries .
There was a certainty – which never existed in our region – that this had been acquired forever .
No one comments on the enormous embezzlement that the expenses of the colonial wars in this 21st century meant for each of the European countries .
From the beginning , the United States was clear with its partners in the North Atlantic Organization ( NATO ) ; “ we have the necessary weapons , but you must pay for them.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on a war with invasions and occupation of countries with which it could negotiate and obtain products such as oil paid for in euros , convenient for both sides and in peace ?
The wars of colonial occupation against Afghanistan , Iraq , Libya , Syria , Yemen ( both still ongoing ) and others in preparation , have not only destroyed countries with the loss of millions of lives , humanitarian disasters but also destroyed historical sites , cities that were heritage of humanity , cradles of civilization , violating all the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , protected by scandalous impunity .
These unilateral colonial wars have been a tragedy for the people of Europe , who have been victims in addition to neo-liberal impositions .
In order to pay for the sophisticated weapons and equipment of the latest technology , European governments may have used up the almost 290 billion euros that they stole from the Libyan state as jackals , since they were placed in European banks in the face of the US blockade .
The biggest “ beneficiaries ” in these high crime colonial wars are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. and Israel .
Even American economists had warned that these wars , whose strategies were mapped out in the halls of the Pentagon , were also destined to wipe out the competitive capitalist bloc that could be the European Union .
In addition to meaning war against the euro that has been defended by the top of her lungs by Germany ’ s Angela Merkel , Europe ’ s most political capitalist ruler .
In the end , the humanitarian disaster that the invasions and occupations has meant that these wars left @ @ @ @ @ @ @ immigrants , desperate , hungry , and homeless , without a country , without a homeland .
One only has to look at the figures of international organizations before these brutal invasions to understand that , as in Libya or Syria , these populations had a standard of living that was sometimes higher than that of an ordinary European citizen .
Fleeing from war , helpless international bodies , thousands of desperate people were swallowed up by the sea or destined to live as abused beggars on the borders of horror .
What @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Who is leading the occupation of these countries ?
Who appropriated the oil and other territorial wealth ?
The Virus that paralyzed the world Since the beginning of March , the Chinese Foreign Ministry has maintained that the U.S. Army could have taken the coronavirus to the city of Wuhan , the one most affected by the outbreak , where in October 2019 these soldiers carried out military maneuvers .
“ When did patient zero start in the United States ?
How many people are infected ?
What are the names of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Army that brought the epidemic to Wuhan , ” says a message written on Twitter on March 9 by Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian .
For his part , Philip Giraldi , a former agent of the Central Intelligence Agency ( CIA ) interviewed by Hispan TV , stated that his country could have created this virus as a weapon of war to harm China and Iran .
In the case of Italy , several analysts pointed out that this is the first European country to sign so many important agreements with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Iranian military also denounced that several studies show , “ that it is possible that the COVID-19 virus is a new strategy and form of a war of the United States and allies against their enemies , to generate deaths , destabilization , and instability ” .
The international analyst Jose Jofré Leal also warned that it is not a question of “ new strategies and new forms of war ” since according to the research and studies in this area , “ elements of conventional warfare , irregular warfare , biological warfare @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He also referred to statements made by the leader of Iran ’ s Islamic revolution , Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei , who ordered a mobilization to face biological warfare on the hypothesis that the COVID-19 outbreak is such an attack , arguing that the United States would be using the new coronavirus as a biological weapon .
“ Above all , the Chinese themselves have admitted the possibility that U.S. troops have incorporated the coronavirus into China , ” he said , referring to the maneuvers they conducted in Wuhan .
Robert Redfield @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) , publicly admitted on March 11 that some Americans , who apparently died of influenza , tested positive for the new coronavirus in the final diagnosis .
Similarly , Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zarajova considered the U.S. accusations against Russia for the virus to be “ deliberately false , ” recalling that U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross told the Chinese newspaper Global Times in February that he saw the virus as “ an opportunity ” that could help the recovery of U.S. jobs in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Beijing .
In this same context , the World Health Organization warned that the time to eradicate the coronavirus , which has become a pandemic , is getting shorter – not so much because of the lower mortality figures than the seasonal flu and pneumonia – but because of the number of countries affected , expressing special concern for the cases that occurred in Italy , which do not have a “ clear epidemiological link ” with what happened in China .
In this context of multiple situations , the system ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with a humanitarian tragedy , they do not hesitate to manipulate information and use it as a weapon of blind warfare .
In the midst of so many shadows from a small island in the Caribbean , blocked by the world ’ s greatest power , Cuba , the medicines that have made it possible to control this disease in China , associated with the Cuban government to produce medicines in a large Chinese laboratory , have gained prominence .
While the ultra-right-wing and coup governments in Latin America have deprived their populations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ received throughout their lives from the hands of the sacrificed Cuban doctors , as has happened in Brazil , Bolivia , and other places , condemning their own people to abandonment in health , Italy asked the Cuban government for its medical help .
These are the lights and shadows of a moment of extreme fragility that the world is experiencing and of which it is clear that solidarity is the greatest antidote , but also the certainty that we can not allow war to continue to be played out , which we @ @ @ @ @ @ @

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Source: Solidaria, Translation Rusumen Latinoamericano, North America bureau
The coronavirus, a new strain of the already existing one, whose mutation is being investigated has put the world between the solidarity and the misery of a dying system, capable of using the effects of a pandemic to impose a state of terror at a global level and to justify a stock market crisis in the United States, Japan, Europe, and others. Meanwhile, they are contradictorily concentrating 37 thousand soldiers to conduct a maneuver in European territory, violating quarantines and any measure of control of the pandemic recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO).
In addition to the serious accusations about the possibility that this virus has been produced in laboratories and disseminated precisely in the center of China – to irradiate the whole country- by this time in Iran or Italy 20 thousand American soldiers are arriving in several European countries. They will join the ten thousand stationed in the US military bases in Europe and another seven thousand provided by that region for a great maneuver destined to “show muscle” to Russia and China.
This arrival of troops for the ‘Defend Europe 20′ maneuvers casts doubt on the effectiveness of the worldwide quarantine and it is surprising that these exercises involving the transfer of soldiers to the European front have not been canceled considering the magnitude of the circumstances.
From the point of view of the use of biological warfare, to which the United States has resorted to several times -not forgetting hemorrhagic dengue, swine fever and others used against Cuba- and which is supported by its Israeli partner, this could be the perfect test of how the Chinese giant obsessed with imperial power would react and how the world would act in the face of this situation, which is characterized by an “uncontrollable” virus but less lethal than the common epidemics of flu and pneumonia.
For now, the powerful are blaming the pandemic for their economic woes, but, “the economy was already sick. The coronavirus is further proof that it is only sustained by continuous doping,” says Eric Toussaint, a political scientist, and professor at the universities of Liège and Paris who heads the Committee for the Abolition of Illegitimate Debt (CADTM).
Toussaint punctiliously analyzed everything that has happened in the stock market falls of these big countries, especially since the last week of February 2020, the worst week since the crisis of October 2008.
“All the factors for a new financial crisis were and are present and together for several years, at least since 2017-2018. When the atmosphere is saturated with flammable materials, at any moment, a spark can cause a financial explosion. It is difficult to predict where the spark may occur. The spark is like a detonator but it is not the root cause of the crisis. We do not yet know whether the sharp stock market crash of late February 2020 will “degenerate” into a huge financial crisis. But it is a real possibility,” Toussaint says.
He also warns “that it is important to see where the crisis really comes from and not be fooled by explanations that constitute a smokescreen for the real causes”.
While what is being seen in Europe is nothing more and nothing less than the unmasking of the destruction of the welfare system, which, with its casualties and its upsurges, had managed to settle in those countries. There was a certainty – which never existed in our region – that this had been acquired forever.
No one comments on the enormous embezzlement that the expenses of the colonial wars in this 21st century meant for each of the European countries. From the beginning, the United States was clear with its partners in the North Atlantic Organization (NATO); “we have the necessary weapons, but you must pay for them.”
How much did Europe sacrifice to take on a war with invasions and occupation of countries with which it could negotiate and obtain products such as oil paid for in euros, convenient for both sides and in peace?
The wars of colonial occupation against Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Syria, Yemen (both still ongoing) and others in preparation, have not only destroyed countries with the loss of millions of lives, humanitarian disasters but also destroyed historical sites, cities that were heritage of humanity, cradles of civilization, violating all the rights of victimized nations and international laws, protected by scandalous impunity.
These unilateral colonial wars have been a tragedy for the people of Europe, who have been victims in addition to neo-liberal impositions. In order to pay for the sophisticated weapons and equipment of the latest technology, European governments may have used up the almost 290 billion euros that they stole from the Libyan state as jackals, since they were placed in European banks in the face of the US blockade.
The biggest “beneficiaries” in these high crime colonial wars are the arms and equipment manufacturers in the U.S. and Israel.
Even American economists had warned that these wars, whose strategies were mapped out in the halls of the Pentagon, were also destined to wipe out the competitive capitalist bloc that could be the European Union. In addition to meaning war against the euro that has been defended by the top of her lungs by Germany’s Angela Merkel, Europe’s most political capitalist ruler.
In the end, the humanitarian disaster that the invasions and occupations has meant that these wars left at the gates of Europe millions of immigrants, desperate, hungry, and homeless, without a country, without a homeland. One only has to look at the figures of international organizations before these brutal invasions to understand that, as in Libya or Syria, these populations had a standard of living that was sometimes higher than that of an ordinary European citizen.
Fleeing from war, helpless international bodies, thousands of desperate people were swallowed up by the sea or destined to live as abused beggars on the borders of horror. What did Europe gain from all this? Who is leading the occupation of these countries? Who appropriated the oil and other territorial wealth?
The Virus that paralyzed the world
Since the beginning of March, the Chinese Foreign Ministry has maintained that the U.S. Army could have taken the coronavirus to the city of Wuhan, the one most affected by the outbreak, where in October 2019 these soldiers carried out military maneuvers.
“When did patient zero start in the United States? How many people are infected? What are the names of the hospitals? It could be the U.S. Army that brought the epidemic to Wuhan,” says a message written on Twitter on March 9 by Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian.
For his part, Philip Giraldi, a former agent of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) interviewed by Hispan TV, stated that his country could have created this virus as a weapon of war to harm China and Iran. In the case of Italy, several analysts pointed out that this is the first European country to sign so many important agreements with China, which angered Washington.
The Iranian military also denounced that several studies show, “that it is possible that the COVID-19 virus is a new strategy and form of a war of the United States and allies against their enemies, to generate deaths, destabilization, and instability”.
The international analyst Jose Jofré Leal also warned that it is not a question of “new strategies and new forms of war” since according to the research and studies in this area, “elements of conventional warfare, irregular warfare, biological warfare and cyber warfare” are combined.
He also referred to statements made by the leader of Iran’s Islamic revolution, Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei, who ordered a mobilization to face biological warfare on the hypothesis that the COVID-19 outbreak is such an attack, arguing that the United States would be using the new coronavirus as a biological weapon. “Above all, the Chinese themselves have admitted the possibility that U.S. troops have incorporated the coronavirus into China,” he said, referring to the maneuvers they conducted in Wuhan.
Robert Redfield, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), publicly admitted on March 11 that some Americans, who apparently died of influenza, tested positive for the new coronavirus in the final diagnosis.
Similarly, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zarajova considered the U.S. accusations against Russia for the virus to be “deliberately false,” recalling that U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross told the Chinese newspaper Global Times in February that he saw the virus as “an opportunity” that could help the recovery of U.S. jobs in the midst of the trade war between Washington and Beijing.
In this same context, the World Health Organization warned that the time to eradicate the coronavirus, which has become a pandemic, is getting shorter – not so much because of the lower mortality figures than the seasonal flu and pneumonia – but because of the number of countries affected, expressing special concern for the cases that occurred in Italy, which do not have a “clear epidemiological link” with what happened in China.
In this context of multiple situations, the system’s resources hide truths and, faced with a humanitarian tragedy, they do not hesitate to manipulate information and use it as a weapon of blind warfare.
In the midst of so many shadows from a small island in the Caribbean, blocked by the world’s greatest power, Cuba, the medicines that have made it possible to control this disease in China, associated with the Cuban government to produce medicines in a large Chinese laboratory, have gained prominence.
While the ultra-right-wing and coup governments in Latin America have deprived their populations of the only medical treatment they have received throughout their lives from the hands of the sacrificed Cuban doctors, as has happened in Brazil, Bolivia, and other places, condemning their own people to abandonment in health, Italy asked the Cuban government for its medical help. These are the lights and shadows of a moment of extreme fragility that the world is experiencing and of which it is clear that solidarity is the greatest antidote, but also the certainty that we cannot allow war to continue to be played out, which we know means the end for humanity.
Support SouthFront