southfront--2020-09-22--Assange’s Tenth Day at the Old Bailey: Bolting Horses, Death Penalties and Plots of Eviction

Today was one of reiteration and expansion .
Computer scientist Christian Grothoff of the Bern University of Applied Sciences supplied the relevant chronology on what led to the publication of unredacted US State Department cables , the subject of such concern for the prosecution .
This proved a mild taster of what was to come : the alleged deal brokered by Richard Grenell , when US ambassador to Germany , with the Ecuadorean government for the arrest and eviction of Julian Assange from the London embassy in April 2019 .
With three of the 18 counts against Assange trained on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Grothoff ’ s testimony served to recapitulate the importance of timing .
By the time the organisation had published the archive , others had done so .
The horse , having bolted , would not be returning .
While WikiLeaks had taken steps to encrypt the relevant file with the documents , things went awry with its sharing with David Leigh of in the summer of 2010 .
Uploaded to a temporary website , it had a strong , decrypting passphrase .
Assange had committed only part of that passphrase to paper .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ media partners began releasing redacted cables .
“ The embassy cables will be released in stages over the next year , ” promised WikiLeaks .
“ The subject matter of these cables is of such importance , and the geographical spread so broad , that to do so otherwise would not do this material justice.
” The organisation ’ s website then became the target of Distributed Denial of Server attacks .
Assange put the word out to supporters : replicate site data on various servers ; create mirror sites .
In February @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Harding published their account working with Assange and WikiLeaks .
It was a hurried , and , it transpired , sloppy effort .
The full , decrypting passphrase had found its way into one chapter title .
caught the scent in August , supplying a few breadcrumbs to the enterprising , not least the sense that the password to the file was rather easy to locate .
, one of the media partners , gave confirmation of the account .
Nigel Parry , self-described as “ the first person out of the loop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the unreduced Cablegate cables , ” merely sealed the matter .
Assange and Sarah Harrison , also of WikiLeaks , scrambled .
The US State Department was warned that the unredacted files were ready to course their way through cyberspace .
The US-based leaking outfit Cryptome gave the push along , publishing the archive .
By September 2 , 2011 , the deed for WikiLeaks was done : the archive was released on its site .
As Grothoff told the court , “ [ The password ] was actually available on the internet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ impossible to stop.
” In writing about the train of events , political commentator and former civil rights litigator Glenn Greenwald thought the security measures taken by WikiLeaks poor and insufficient .
But “ one point should be made absolutely clear : there was about WikiLeaks ’ publication of the cables in unredacted form .
They ultimately had no choice.
” Releasing the cables in full was the reasonable , “ safest course ” of action , “ so that not only the world ’ s intelligence agencies but everyone had them , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protect the sources and so that the information in them was equally available.
” Under questioning from the prosecution , Grothoff batted away suggestions that the publishing organisation had shared the entire archive with all 50 media partners involved with Cablegate .
“ On the very specific technical point where you say WikiLeaks published those cables you are wrong , and you didn ’ t properly do your homework to find who first published those cables.
” WikiLeaks could not be considered the “ primary publisher of the unredacted cables ” .
Grothoff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Joel Smith QC .
Had he not appended his name to a 2017 letter to US President Donald Trump urging him not to charge Assange or other members of WikiLeaks ?
“ You are biased , you are partial ?
” The professor could not recall adding his name , but saw Assange as a “ sympathetic character ” in exposing “ war crimes ” .
“ No , I believe that looking at the indictment put forward , you ’ re confusing actions WikiLeaks took to hide and obscure the documents with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ defence team then readied the dynamite : a statement from activist and Trump supporter Cassandra Fairbanks , dated June 7 , 2020 , describing communications with Republican donor Arthur Schwartz .
Schwartz , with close links to Trump , was charged with running Grenell ’ s communications .
Fairbanks shared membership with a direct message group on Twitter comprising “ multiple people who either worked for President Trump or were close to him in other ways.
” Both Grenell and Schwartz were also members .
On October 30 , 2018 , Fairbanks shared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Christine Assange , on the forum “ hoping that someone would see it and be moved to help ” .
The plea did not go down well with Schwartz , who called Fairbanks to berate her for such strident advocacy .
Stop it , he insisted , as “ a pardon isn ’ t going to fucking happen.
” What instead followed were details about what was in store for Assange : charges were imminent over his connection with Chelsea Manning , not other publications ( the Democratic National Committee correspondence ; @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 7 publication ) .
“ He also told me they would be going after Chelsea Manning .
I also recollect being told , I believe , that it would not be before Christmas .
Both of these predictions came true just months later.
” Fairbanks also disclosed the intention to finally deal with the issue of Assange ’ s political asylum .
Schwartz “ also told me that the US government would be going into the Embassy to get Assange.
” This troubled her .
“ I responded that entering the embassy of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ refugee would be an act of war , and he responded : ‘ not if they let us.
’ ” Unbeknownst to Fairbanks at the time , Grenell had , in October 2018 “ worked out a deal for Assange ’ s arrest with the Ecuadorean government.
” The exchange upset Fairbanks .
The waterworks commenced .
Schwartz softened on the phone on hearing Fairbanks sobbing , though was hardly reassuring about what awaited the WikiLeaks publisher : Assange would “ probably ” only serve the rest of life in prison .
From @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to turn .
A visit to Assange on January 7 , 2019 followed .
Fairbanks was keen to impress upon him what she knew .
Assange was concerned about surveillance .
“ I know he was concerned about being overheard or spied upon and he had a little radio to cover up the conversation.
” Both she and Assange took “ steps to communicate with each other to try to not be within the sight or hearing of surveillance cameras or microphones , by turning up a background of white noise and writing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ visit to Manning , speaking of fears “ that they might come after her again.
” Within two months , embassy hospitality had chilled .
Fairbanks recalls being shocked at the treatment afforded her and Assange on that visit .
It was an encounter she wrote about , noting a progressively worsening atmosphere .
She was made to spend an hour in a cold meeting room ; Assange was given harsh preliminary treatment , “ subjected to a full body scan with metal detector before ” being allowed into the room .
Her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the time as ‘ eerily similar to visits I have made to inmates at federal penitentiaries in the US.
’ I considered at the time ‘ it seemed our government was getting what they wanted from Ecuador , as a former State Department official told in January .
‘ As far as we ’ re concerned , he ’ s in jail.
’ I noted ‘ in an interview with in July , President Moreno said his ‘ ideal solution ’ is that Assange may ‘ enjoy ’ being ‘ extradited ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will not kill him.
” The act of bringing a radio into the meeting room to frustrate audio surveillance was a cause of consternation .
“ Only eight minutes of our two hour scheduled visit were in the end available because of the conflict with security staff at the Embassy .
We were told if we wanted to talk it must be done in the conference room and only two minutes were left.
” Fairbanks recalls the row in her March 2019 piece : how Assange had told embassy staff how “ undignified @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the body scan ; why the staff were “ afraid ” of his meeting with Fairbanks .
“ Is this a prison ?
” he inquired .
“ It ’ s not , ” came the reply .
“ You know it ’ s not.
” On March 29 , 2019 , Fairbanks contacted Schwartz , pressing him on what he knew about rumours of an imminent eviction from the embassy .
Schwartz called to say that he knew that Fairbanks had been less than cautious in revealing what he had told her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a reliable recipient .
The explanation was clear .
For Schwartz to have known , the conversations in the embassy had to have been recorded and relayed .
“ It was obvious , ” claimed Fairbanks , “ that the US had been involved , including the State Department , and that Schwartz had been made a party to this information.
” The die was cast .
On April 11 , 2019 , Assange was evicted .
On April 15 , ABC News ran a piece noting how the wheels for this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ when the Ecuadoreans made their first request to the UK : a letter asking for written assurances that the UK would not extradite Assange to a country where he could face the death penalty ” .
Six months followed .
The US was then approached via the offices of Ecuador ’ s ambassador to Germany , Manuel Mejía Dalmau , who sought “ a private ‘ emergency meeting ’ in Berlin with the US Ambassador to Germany , Richard Grenell , viewed as one of President Donald Trump ’ s closest envoys @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of one meeting , Dalmau , according to an unnamed “ senior US official ” , “ asked whether the US would commit to not putting Assange to death ” .
Grenell ran the query to the US Justice Department .
“ According to the senior US official , Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein consented.
” A verbal pledge followed .
Fairbanks duly tweeted the ABC story .
Ambassador Grenell was exercised .
Fairbanks ’ boss was messaged : delete the tweet .
Fairbanks refused , though eventually relenting .
Grenell also had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this miasma of panic , Schwartz rang .
“ This time he was frantic , ” Fairbanks recalled .
“ He was ranting and raving that he could go to jail and that I was tweeting classified information.
” She was informed “ that in coordinating for Assange to be removed from the Embassy , Ambassador Grenell had done so on direct ‘ orders from the president.
’ I believed this connected President Trump to those who have been reported as having secured the deal to arrest Assange.
” She believed the veracity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his known close ties to Trump and Grenell .
Schwartz had also suffered an attack of blood lust .
Several messages to Fairbanks in the aftermath of the ABC news report focused on “ how everyone involved with WikiLeaks deserved the death penalty.
” This was troubling to Fairbanks , as only an oral , not written agreement , had been secured protecting Assange from any death penalty .
“ Schwartz ’ s response to this was to send me a shrug emoji and he continued his tirade about how Assange deserved to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an extensive network of influence , being a regular visitor to the White House , a “ fixer ” for Donald Trump , Jr. , a radiantly significant figure in the Trump cosmos including “ Richard Grenell , Sheldon Adelson and others.
” Mention of Adelson is telling : his Las Vegas Sands company , the world ’ s largest casino operator , is alleged to have provided cover with the security consulting firm UC Global for surveillance operations against Assange during his embassy stay .
These were sanctioned by the Central Intelligence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Morales , was subsequently charged by a Spanish High Court in October 2019 for violating Assange ’ s privacy , breaching lawyer-client privilege , money laundering and bribery .
The UC Global files , as Max Blumenthal has noted in , “ detail an elaborate and apparently illegal US surveillance operation in which the security firm spied on Assange , his legal team , his American friends , US journalists , and an American member of Congress who had been allegedly dispatched to the Ecuadorean embassy by President Donald Trump .
Even the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to protect were targeted in the spy ring.
” Joel Smith QC , representing the prosecution , would not stomach the claims being made by Fairbanks : “ the truth of what Ms Fairbanks was told by Arthur Schwartz was not in her knowledge.
” Tactics deployed previously would be done again : Fairbanks was considered a biased witness for acknowledging her support for WikiLeaks .
For the defence , Edward Fitzgerald QC put it plainly : “ We say what Schwartz told [ Fairbanks ] is a good indication of the government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the defence will have to remain one of patient , constant reminder to the court : that the case against Assange is rancid with politics , trailing its way into the backlines of the Trump administration .
Dr. Binoy Kampmark was a Commonwealth Scholar at Selwyn College , Cambridge .
He lectures at RMIT University , Melbourne .
Email : bkampmark @ gmail.com MORE ON THE TOPIC : • Assange ’ s Ninth Day at the Old Bailey : Torture Testimonies , Offers of Pardon and Truth Telling • Assange ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Software Redactions , the Iraq Logs and the Extradition Act • Assange ’ s Seventh Day at the Old Bailey : Diligent Redactions and Avoiding Harm • Assange ’ s Sixth Day at the Old Bailey : US Prison Conditions and Politicised Prosecutions • Assange ’ s Fourth Day at the Old Bailey : COVID in the Courtroom • Assange ’ s Third Day at the Old Bailey : Bias , Politics and Wars on Journalism • Assange ’ s Second Day at the Old Bailey : Torture , Drone Strikes and Journalism

Support SouthFront
September 21. Central Criminal Court, London.
Today was one of reiteration and expansion. Computer scientist Christian Grothoff of the Bern University of Applied Sciences supplied the relevant chronology on what led to the publication of unredacted US State Department cables, the subject of such concern for the prosecution. This proved a mild taster of what was to come: the alleged deal brokered by Richard Grenell, when US ambassador to Germany, with the Ecuadorean government for the arrest and eviction of Julian Assange from the London embassy in April 2019.
Grothoff, publication and chronology
With three of the 18 counts against Assange trained on the issue of publishing unredacted cables, Grothoff’s testimony served to recapitulate the importance of timing. By the time the organisation had published the archive, others had done so. The horse, having bolted, would not be returning. While WikiLeaks had taken steps to encrypt the relevant file with the documents, things went awry with its sharing with David Leigh of The Guardian in the summer of 2010. Uploaded to a temporary website, it had a strong, decrypting passphrase. Assange had committed only part of that passphrase to paper.
November 2010 arrived. WikiLeaks and its media partners began releasing redacted cables. “The embassy cables will be released in stages over the next year,” promised WikiLeaks. “The subject matter of these cables is of such importance, and the geographical spread so broad, that to do so otherwise would not do this material justice.”
The organisation’s website then became the target of Distributed Denial of Server attacks. Assange put the word out to supporters: replicate site data on various servers; create mirror sites. In February 2011, Leigh and fellow Guardian colleague Luke Harding published their account working with Assange and WikiLeaks. It was a hurried, and, it transpired, sloppy effort. The full, decrypting passphrase had found its way into one chapter title. Der Freitag caught the scent in August, supplying a few breadcrumbs to the enterprising, not least the sense that the password to the file was rather easy to locate. Der Spiegel, one of the media partners, gave confirmation of the account. Nigel Parry, self-described as “the first person out of the loop and in the wild to have unzipped the unreduced Cablegate cables,” merely sealed the matter.
Assange and Sarah Harrison, also of WikiLeaks, scrambled. The US State Department was warned that the unredacted files were ready to course their way through cyberspace. The US-based leaking outfit Cryptome gave the push along, publishing the archive. By September 2, 2011, the deed for WikiLeaks was done: the archive was released on its site. As Grothoff told the court, “[The password] was actually available on the internet in a way that would be virtually impossible to stop.”
In writing about the train of events, political commentator and former civil rights litigator Glenn Greenwald thought the security measures taken by WikiLeaks poor and insufficient. But “one point should be made absolutely clear: there was nothing intentional about WikiLeaks’ publication of the cables in unredacted form. They ultimately had no choice.” Releasing the cables in full was the reasonable, “safest course” of action, “so that not only the world’s intelligence agencies but everyone had them, so that steps could be taken to protect the sources and so that the information in them was equally available.”
Under questioning from the prosecution, Grothoff batted away suggestions that the publishing organisation had shared the entire archive with all 50 media partners involved with Cablegate. “On the very specific technical point where you say WikiLeaks published those cables you are wrong, and you didn’t properly do your homework to find who first published those cables.” WikiLeaks could not be considered the “primary publisher of the unredacted cables”.
Grothoff also faced questions about his partiality from Joel Smith QC. Had he not appended his name to a 2017 letter to US President Donald Trump urging him not to charge Assange or other members of WikiLeaks? “You are biased, you are partial?” The professor could not recall adding his name, but saw Assange as a “sympathetic character” in exposing “war crimes”. “No, I believe that looking at the indictment put forward, you’re confusing actions WikiLeaks took to hide and obscure the documents with them publishing it.”
Fairbanks, deals and evictions
Assange’s defence team then readied the dynamite: a statement from activist and Trump supporter Cassandra Fairbanks, dated June 7, 2020, describing communications with Republican donor Arthur Schwartz. Schwartz, with close links to Trump, was charged with running Grenell’s communications. Fairbanks shared membership with a direct message group on Twitter comprising “multiple people who either worked for President Trump or were close to him in other ways.” Both Grenell and Schwartz were also members.
On October 30, 2018, Fairbanks shared an interview with Assange’s mother, Christine Assange, on the forum “hoping that someone would see it and be moved to help”. The plea did not go down well with Schwartz, who called Fairbanks to berate her for such strident advocacy. Stop it, he insisted, as “a pardon isn’t going to fucking happen.” What instead followed were details about what was in store for Assange: charges were imminent over his connection with Chelsea Manning, not other publications (the Democratic National Committee correspondence; the Central Intelligence Agency’s Vault 7 publication). “He also told me they would be going after Chelsea Manning. I also recollect being told, I believe, that it would not be before Christmas. Both of these predictions came true just months later.”
Fairbanks also disclosed the intention to finally deal with the issue of Assange’s political asylum. Schwartz “also told me that the US government would be going into the Embassy to get Assange.” This troubled her. “I responded that entering the embassy of a sovereign nation and kidnapping a political refugee would be an act of war, and he responded: ‘not if they let us.’” Unbeknownst to Fairbanks at the time, Grenell had, in October 2018 “worked out a deal for Assange’s arrest with the Ecuadorean government.”
The exchange upset Fairbanks. The waterworks commenced. Schwartz softened on the phone on hearing Fairbanks sobbing, though was hardly reassuring about what awaited the WikiLeaks publisher: Assange would “probably” only serve the rest of life in prison.
From that point on, the worm began to turn. A visit to Assange on January 7, 2019 followed. Fairbanks was keen to impress upon him what she knew. Assange was concerned about surveillance. “I know he was concerned about being overheard or spied upon and he had a little radio to cover up the conversation.” Both she and Assange took “steps to communicate with each other to try to not be within the sight or hearing of surveillance cameras or microphones, by turning up a background of white noise and writing notes.” Fairbanks had also paid a visit to Manning, speaking of fears “that they might come after her again.”
Within two months, embassy hospitality had chilled. Fairbanks recalls being shocked at the treatment afforded her and Assange on that visit. It was an encounter she wrote about, noting a progressively worsening atmosphere. She was made to spend an hour in a cold meeting room; Assange was given harsh preliminary treatment, “subjected to a full body scan with metal detector before” being allowed into the room. Her statement continues: “I described it at the time as ‘eerily similar to visits I have made to inmates at federal penitentiaries in the US.’ I considered at the time ‘it seemed our government was getting what they wanted from Ecuador, as a former State Department official told Buzzfeed in January. ‘As far as we’re concerned, he’s in jail.’ I noted ‘in an interview with El Pais in July, President Moreno said his ‘ideal solution’ is that Assange may ‘enjoy’ being ‘extradited’ if the UK promises that the US will not kill him.”
The act of bringing a radio into the meeting room to frustrate audio surveillance was a cause of consternation. “Only eight minutes of our two hour scheduled visit were in the end available because of the conflict with security staff at the Embassy. We were told if we wanted to talk it must be done in the conference room and only two minutes were left.”
Fairbanks recalls the row in her March 2019 piece: how Assange had told embassy staff how “undignified” it was to be subjected to the body scan; why the staff were “afraid” of his meeting with Fairbanks. “Is this a prison?” he inquired. “It’s not,” came the reply. “You know it’s not.”
On March 29, 2019, Fairbanks contacted Schwartz, pressing him on what he knew about rumours of an imminent eviction from the embassy. Schwartz called to say that he knew that Fairbanks had been less than cautious in revealing what he had told her. He could no longer treat her as a reliable recipient. The explanation was clear. For Schwartz to have known, the conversations in the embassy had to have been recorded and relayed. “It was obvious,” claimed Fairbanks, “that the US had been involved, including the State Department, and that Schwartz had been made a party to this information.”
The die was cast. On April 11, 2019, Assange was evicted. On April 15, ABC News ran a piece noting how the wheels for this action had begun in March 2018, “when the Ecuadoreans made their first request to the UK: a letter asking for written assurances that the UK would not extradite Assange to a country where he could face the death penalty”. Six months followed. The US was then approached via the offices of Ecuador’s ambassador to Germany, Manuel Mejía Dalmau, who sought “a private ‘emergency meeting’ in Berlin with the US Ambassador to Germany, Richard Grenell, viewed as one of President Donald Trump’s closest envoys in Europe”. During the course of one meeting, Dalmau, according to an unnamed “senior US official”, “asked whether the US would commit to not putting Assange to death”. Grenell ran the query to the US Justice Department. “According to the senior US official, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein consented.” A verbal pledge followed.
Fairbanks duly tweeted the ABC story. Ambassador Grenell was exercised. Fairbanks’ boss was messaged: delete the tweet. Fairbanks refused, though eventually relenting. Grenell also had another suggestion: sack Fairbanks. In this miasma of panic, Schwartz rang. “This time he was frantic,” Fairbanks recalled. “He was ranting and raving that he could go to jail and that I was tweeting classified information.” She was informed “that in coordinating for Assange to be removed from the Embassy, Ambassador Grenell had done so on direct ‘orders from the president.’ I believed this connected President Trump to those who have been reported as having secured the deal to arrest Assange.” She believed the veracity of Schwartz’s comment, given his known close ties to Trump and Grenell.
Schwartz had also suffered an attack of blood lust. Several messages to Fairbanks in the aftermath of the ABC news report focused on “how everyone involved with WikiLeaks deserved the death penalty.” This was troubling to Fairbanks, as only an oral, not written agreement, had been secured protecting Assange from any death penalty. “Schwartz’s response to this was to send me a shrug emoji and he continued his tirade about how Assange deserved to die.”
Fairbanks also imputed to Schwartz an extensive network of influence, being a regular visitor to the White House, a “fixer” for Donald Trump, Jr., a radiantly significant figure in the Trump cosmos including “Richard Grenell, Sheldon Adelson and others.” Mention of Adelson is telling: his Las Vegas Sands company, the world’s largest casino operator, is alleged to have provided cover with the security consulting firm UC Global for surveillance operations against Assange during his embassy stay. These were sanctioned by the Central Intelligence Agency
The UC Global CEO, David Morales, was subsequently charged by a Spanish High Court in October 2019 for violating Assange’s privacy, breaching lawyer-client privilege, money laundering and bribery. The UC Global files, as Max Blumenthal has noted in The Grayzone, “detail an elaborate and apparently illegal US surveillance operation in which the security firm spied on Assange, his legal team, his American friends, US journalists, and an American member of Congress who had been allegedly dispatched to the Ecuadorean embassy by President Donald Trump. Even the Ecuadorean diplomats whom UC Global was hired to protect were targeted in the spy ring.”
Joel Smith QC, representing the prosecution, would not stomach the claims being made by Fairbanks: “the truth of what Ms Fairbanks was told by Arthur Schwartz was not in her knowledge.” Tactics deployed previously would be done again: Fairbanks was considered a biased witness for acknowledging her support for WikiLeaks. For the defence, Edward Fitzgerald QC put it plainly: “We say what Schwartz told [Fairbanks] is a good indication of the government at the highest level.”
The approach of the defence will have to remain one of patient, constant reminder to the court: that the case against Assange is rancid with politics, trailing its way into the backlines of the Trump administration.
Dr. Binoy Kampmark was a Commonwealth Scholar at Selwyn College, Cambridge. He lectures at RMIT University, Melbourne. Email: bkampmark@gmail.com
MORE ON THE TOPIC:
Support SouthFront


southfront--2020-09-22--The Global Money Laundering Ring And Its Adverse Effects On Human Life: ICIJ Report

On September 20th , the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists ( ICIJ ) published the results of its global investigation into money laundering .
The article begins with a personal story of Emily Spell and her dead brother Joseph Williams , who had overdosed on fentanyl – “ the deadliest narcotic in the world.
” The investigation was specifically into the fentanyl network spread back to China , “ relying on the easy movement of dirty money through brand-name financial institutions , to deliver lab-designed opioids to rural North Carolina and across the U.S. ” The fentanyl drug ring was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than $ 2 trillion which are sloshed around the globe are contained in a cache of secret financial records obtained by BuzzFeed News and shared with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists .
The files , known as suspicious activity reports , or SARs , “ provide a worldwide tour of crime , corruption and inequality , with starring roles played by politicians , oligarchs and honey-tongued swindlers , and crucial roles by the bankers who serve them all.
” Essentially , it is not that alleged or actual totalitarian regime that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ around the world , but rather the massive scale in which money laundering or general financial crime , which appear to be far greater issues .
An example is given with Brandon Hubbard , who was arrested and is serving life in prison for being part of the network .
The leaked documents , known as the FinCEN Files , include more than 2,100 suspicious activity reports written by banks and other financial players and submitted to the U.S. Treasury Department ’ s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network .
BuzzFeed News even reported that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the investigations into alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 Presidential Elections was going on .
Evidence of a massive network was discovered that actually ruins people ’ s lives and the main story in MSM at that time was that Moscow was allegedly trying to get US President Donald Trump elected .
This also relates to the nature of SARS : FinCEN told BuzzFeed News and ICIJ that it does not comment on “ the existence or non-existence of specific SARs.
” It released a statement about unnamed “ media outlets ” that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a crime that can impact the national security of the United States.
” Days before ICIJ and its partners released the FinCEN Files investigation , the agency announced it was seeking public comments on ways to improve the U.S. anti-money laundering system .
These journalists uncovered some interesting stories – a Rhode Island drug dealer being connected to a chemist ’ s lab in Wuhan , China .
They discovered scandals that crippled economies China and Eastern Europe .
Even tracked tomb raiders who looted ancient Buddhist artifacts that were sold to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be moved “ erratically ” to be hidden .
One of the most massive examples of the scheme began in Turkmenistan .
Nearly three dozen suspicious activity reports reviewed by ICIJ describe payments linked to Turkmenistan and totaling $ 1.4 billion between 2001 and 2016 .
In one case , Turkmenistan ’ s trade ministry sent $ 1.6 million to a company in Scotland called Intergold LP , according to leaked records .
The bank ’ s records indicated that the payment was for “ confectionery ” .
Intergold has since been renamed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clear who owns the business or whether it has any legitimate purpose .
James Dickins , who signed official registration documents at the time of Intergold ’ s creation , also signed off on accounts for at least 200 other companies in England , according to an ICIJ analysis of companies in the FinCEN Files .
CIJ was unable to reach Dickins .
Daniel O ’ Donoghue , who also signed Intergold ’ s registration application , told ICIJ that his corporate work is supervised by U.K. anti-money laundering regulators and meets the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Of course , questions to Turkmenistan ’ s trade ministry were left unanswered .
One of the other incidents that were investigated was a cave-in at a state-owned in Ukraine back in 2011 , on July 29th , when 11 were killed .
This relates to Nadezhda Kulinich , one of the killed .
A tower collapsed onto the building where employees sorted coal from rock .
Employees grumbled that the collapsed tower hadn ’ t been replaced in 50 years .
Ukrainian miners say rampant corruption puts them at risk .
Many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including Bazhanov , where Kulinich died , are state-owned .
They have long been the favorite source of plunder for kleptocrats , according to anti-corruption campaigners , employees and officials .
There are other examples of collapsed structures and people dying as a result .
The Bazhanov tower collapse , in the city of Makiivka , was one of three mine accidents in Ukraine that week that together killed at least 39 men and women .
This all takes place in the ore-rich Eastern Ukraine , where the Donetsk and Luhansk People @ @ @ @ @ @ @ why they decided to split from Ukraine ?
Supplying the Bazhanov mine was an obscure Cyprus company called Tornatore Holdings Ltd .
Months after Kulinich ’ s funeral and 5,000 miles away , Peggy McGarvey , Deutsche Bank ’ s top Wall Street compliance officer , tried to figure out who owned Tornatore .
What caught McGarvey ’ s attention wasn ’ t the deadly accident but warning signs the bank noticed after processing two large payments on Tornatore ’ s behalf .
The leasing company ’ s Russian bank , Globex , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to earlier concerns , that “ the client didn ’ t make suspicious operations.
” But McGarvey ’ s colleagues had persisted , asking Globex : “ Please provide the business information for Tornatore.
” It took Ukrainian journalists to connect Tornatore to the Makiivka accident .
In 2011 , Tetiana Chernovol and Yuriy Nikolov reported that Tornatore was linked to Yuriy Ivanyushchenko , a politician close to then-President Viktor Yanukovych .
Nikolov and Chernovol , who was a member of Ukraine ’ s parliament from 2014 to 2019 , wrote that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gazenergolizing before the collapse , but they couldn ’ t determine if gear had been delivered or even if the order was legitimate .
Ukraine ’ s state auditing agency published a report in 2011 that established a very questionable picture of the mine ’ s operations .
It found $ 21 million worth of damaged equipment at the Bazhanov mine ’ s headquarters , miles from the accident , and identified $ 205 million in “ shortcomings in accounting , gross violations of financial and budgetary discipline.
” Ivanyushchenko fled after Ukraine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ investigation by authorities in Ukraine and Switzerland for allegedly embezzling millions of dollars earmarked for energy projects .
Essentially , the network is massive , with tens of thousands of victims , be it from fentanyl , corruption , or other issues .
And it is true that money has no smell , and that is very apparent in Germany , Russia , France , the United States and everywhere else , it appears to be ruining many more lives at a global scale than the presumed dictatorships in Venezuela , Belarus or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : • Navalny ’ s Alleged Poisoning Constitutes Chemical Weapons Usage According to NATO And OPCW

Support SouthFront
On September 20th, the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) published the results of its global investigation into money laundering.
“From Ukraine to the United States, from Tunisia to Turkmenistan, a global ICIJ investigation details the punishing human cost of laundered trillions,” begins the piece titled “Unchecked by global banks, dirty cash destroys dreams and lives.”
The article begins with a personal story of Emily Spell and her dead brother Joseph Williams, who had overdosed on fentanyl – “the deadliest narcotic in the world.”
“And even after they saw the autopsy report, it wasn’t until much later that they learned of the global forces responsible for Joe’s death.”
The investigation was specifically into the fentanyl network spread back to China, “relying on the easy movement of dirty money through brand-name financial institutions, to deliver lab-designed opioids to rural North Carolina and across the U.S.”
The fentanyl drug ring was (and still is) powered by more than $2 trillion which are sloshed around the globe are contained in a cache of secret financial records obtained by BuzzFeed News and shared with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists.
The files, known as suspicious activity reports, or SARs, “provide a worldwide tour of crime, corruption and inequality, with starring roles played by politicians, oligarchs and honey-tongued swindlers, and crucial roles by the bankers who serve them all.”
Essentially, it is not that alleged or actual totalitarian regime that hurt the average person’s life around the world, but rather the massive scale in which money laundering or general financial crime, which appear to be far greater issues.
“People may not be aware of issues like money laundering and offshore companies, but they feel the effects every day because these are what make large-scale crime pay — from opioids to arms trafficking to stealing COVID-19- related unemployment benefits,” said Jodi Vittori, a corruption expert at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. And where the money comes and goes behind the fentanyl network is, in fact, the most interesting piece of evidence that needs to be unearthed, since it is obvious where the drug comes from – after all it’s called “China White.”
An example is given with Brandon Hubbard, who was arrested and is serving life in prison for being part of the network.
“That’s the first thing they asked me when they came in the door,” Hubbard said in an interview from prison. “‘Where’s the money?’”
The leaked documents, known as the FinCEN Files, include more than 2,100 suspicious activity reports written by banks and other financial players and submitted to the U.S. Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network.
BuzzFeed News even reported that many of the files were gathered while the investigations into alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 Presidential Elections was going on.
Evidence of a massive network was discovered that actually ruins people’s lives and the main story in MSM at that time was that Moscow was allegedly trying to get US President Donald Trump elected.
This also relates to the nature of SARS:
“SARs are not evidence of wrongdoing. They reflect views by watchdogs within banks, known as compliance officers, reporting past transactions that bore hallmarks of financial crime, or that involved clients with high-risk profiles or past run-ins with the law.”
FinCEN told BuzzFeed News and ICIJ that it does not comment on “the existence or non-existence of specific SARs.”
It released a statement about unnamed “media outlets” that said “the unauthorized disclosure of SARs is a crime that can impact the national security of the United States.”
Days before ICIJ and its partners released the FinCEN Files investigation, the agency announced it was seeking public comments on ways to improve the U.S. anti-money laundering system.
“Four hundred journalists from almost 90 countries burrowed into the leaked records, often emerging with a thin thread of just one name or one address. They spent 16 months prying additional documents from sources, reading through voluminous court and archival records, interviewing crime fighters and crime victims and reviewing data on millions of transactions that took place between 1999 and 2017.”
These journalists uncovered some interesting stories – a Rhode Island drug dealer being connected to a chemist’s lab in Wuhan, China. They discovered scandals that crippled economies China and Eastern Europe. Even tracked tomb raiders who looted ancient Buddhist artifacts that were sold to New York galleries.
The money would be moved “erratically” to be hidden.
“Often, the person tied to a suspect transaction was one step removed from the boldfaced name: a child, an associate, or, in the case of Atiku Abubakar — a former Nigerian vice president accused of diverting $125 million from an oil development fund — a wife.”
One of the most massive examples of the scheme began in Turkmenistan.
Nearly three dozen suspicious activity reports reviewed by ICIJ describe payments linked to Turkmenistan and totaling $1.4 billion between 2001 and 2016.
“Suspicious” does not necessarily mean illicit, but bank compliance officers watching the transfers determined that they deserved more scrutiny. “The wires appear suspicious because they were often sent in a repetitive nature and typically involved suspected shell-like entities,” an employee in Bank of New York Mellon’s legal department wrote off nearly $100 million in transfers during the last three months of 2016.
In one case, Turkmenistan’s trade ministry sent $1.6 million to a company in Scotland called Intergold LP, according to leaked records.
The bank’s records indicated that the payment was for “confectionery”.
“Intergold LP was created 10 months before its transactions with the Turkmenistan government, records show. Its listed address is a store called Mail Boxes Etc. in Glasgow, Scotland. “MAKE THIS YOUR BUSINESS ADDRESS,” the storefront suggests.”
Intergold has since been renamed SL024852 LP. It’s not clear who owns the business or whether it has any legitimate purpose.
James Dickins, who signed official registration documents at the time of Intergold’s creation, also signed off on accounts for at least 200 other companies in England, according to an ICIJ analysis of companies in the FinCEN Files.
CIJ was unable to reach Dickins. Daniel O’Donoghue, who also signed Intergold’s registration application, told ICIJ that his corporate work is supervised by U.K. anti-money laundering regulators and meets the required high standards of due diligence.
“Re: Intergold LP if you have evidence of a crime you should pass it to law enforcement,” O’Donoghue said. “This definitely sounds like a case where a shell company has been used to stash funds from state coffers,” said Annette Bohr, a research analyst at London’s Chatham House think tank who specializes in Central Asian kleptocracies. “They were likely thinking that putting down ‘confectionery’ will not ring any bells.”
Of course, questions to Turkmenistan’s trade ministry were left unanswered.
One of the other incidents that were investigated was a cave-in at a state-owned in Ukraine back in 2011, on July 29th, when 11 were killed.
This relates to Nadezhda Kulinich, one of the killed.
A tower collapsed onto the building where employees sorted coal from rock.
“Mom kept complaining that everything was falling apart,” Prykhodko told ICIJ partner Kyiv Post. Kulinich even told a visiting safety commission before the accident that “bricks kept falling on their heads,” her daughter Olha Prykhodko said.
Employees grumbled that the collapsed tower hadn’t been replaced in 50 years.
Ukrainian miners say rampant corruption puts them at risk.
Many of the country’s coal mines, including Bazhanov, where Kulinich died, are state-owned. They have long been the favorite source of plunder for kleptocrats, according to anti-corruption campaigners, employees and officials.
There are other examples of collapsed structures and people dying as a result.
The Bazhanov tower collapse, in the city of Makiivka, was one of three mine accidents in Ukraine that week that together killed at least 39 men and women.
This all takes place in the ore-rich Eastern Ukraine, where the Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics now exist. Wonder why they decided to split from Ukraine?
Supplying the Bazhanov mine was an obscure Cyprus company called Tornatore Holdings Ltd. Months after Kulinich’s funeral and 5,000 miles away, Peggy McGarvey, Deutsche Bank’s top Wall Street compliance officer, tried to figure out who owned Tornatore.
What caught McGarvey’s attention wasn’t the deadly accident but warning signs the bank noticed after processing two large payments on Tornatore’s behalf.
“In December 2011, Tornatore received $5.5 million from a Ukrainian mine equipment subsidiary called LLC Gazenergolizing. The next day, Tornatore sent $999,994 to a large Russian leasing company, partially owned by the Kremlin. The high-value payments, some rounded almost to the nearest thousand or million in what experts consider a “fingerprint” of fraud, capped off a year of Deutsche Bank concerns about Tornatore. The company had made suspicious payments and had no obvious home or “line of business,” bankers wrote in reports beginning in March 2011, a few months before the accident at the Bazhanov mine that summer.”
The leasing company’s Russian bank, Globex, had assured Deutsche Bank, in response to earlier concerns, that “the client didn’t make suspicious operations.”
But McGarvey’s colleagues had persisted, asking Globex: “Please provide the business information for Tornatore.”
“No information,” the Russian bank replied.
It took Ukrainian journalists to connect Tornatore to the Makiivka accident.
In 2011, Tetiana Chernovol and Yuriy Nikolov reported that Tornatore was linked to Yuriy Ivanyushchenko, a politician close to then-President Viktor Yanukovych.
Nikolov and Chernovol, who was a member of Ukraine’s parliament from 2014 to 2019, wrote that the state-owned mine had bought replacement gear from Gazenergolizing before the collapse, but they couldn’t determine if gear had been delivered or even if the order was legitimate.
Ukraine’s state auditing agency published a report in 2011 that established a very questionable picture of the mine’s operations.
It found $21 million worth of damaged equipment at the Bazhanov mine’s headquarters, miles from the accident, and identified $205 million in “shortcomings in accounting, gross violations of financial and budgetary discipline.”
Ivanyushchenko fled after Ukraine’s 2014 revolution and is under investigation by authorities in Ukraine and Switzerland for allegedly embezzling millions of dollars earmarked for energy projects.
Essentially, the network is massive, with tens of thousands of victims, be it from fentanyl, corruption, or other issues.
And it is true that money has no smell, and that is very apparent in Germany, Russia, France, the United States and everywhere else, it appears to be ruining many more lives at a global scale than the presumed dictatorships in Venezuela, Belarus or other countries.
MORE ON THE TOPIC:
Support SouthFront


southfront--2020-09-22--Turkish-Backed Terrorists Claim They Killed Russian Special Forces Operator In Idlib

UPDATE : Pro-government sources did not report any notable clashes in the area last night or active operations involving Russian units there .
According to them , the incident involving the Russian special forces operator may have happened several weeks ( or even months ) ago .
However , the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham propaganda and their Turkish sponsors opted to use the obtained photos in September to create a media victory to compensate the losses and destructions caused by the Russian bombing campaign against the terrorist infrastructure in Idlib .
Meanwhile , details of the incident and the fate of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in it remain unclear .
In general , the Russian Defense Ministry reports all casualties among Russian service members deployed .
Furthermore , militants did not show the body of the supposedly killed fighter .
Therefore , if the incident really took place , the Russian soldier most likely received injures and then was evacuated .
Sources loyal to the Turkish-backed terrorist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham ( formerly the Syrian branch of al-Qaeda ) claim that its members had killed a Russian special forces operator on the contact line near Kafranbel in southern @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an attack of pro-government forces there inflicting multiple casualties to the Syrian Army and its allies .
Photos showing the equipment of the alleged Russian special forces operator were released by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham media wing .
MORE ON THE TOPIC :

Support SouthFront
UPDATE: Pro-government sources did not report any notable clashes in the area last night or active operations involving Russian units there. According to them, the incident involving the Russian special forces operator may have happened several weeks (or even months) ago. However, the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham propaganda and their Turkish sponsors opted to use the obtained photos in September to create a media victory to compensate the losses and destructions caused by the Russian bombing campaign against the terrorist infrastructure in Idlib.
Meanwhile, details of the incident and the fate of the alleged Russian special forces operator involved in it remain unclear. In general, the Russian Defense Ministry reports all casualties among Russian service members deployed. Furthermore, militants did not show the body of the supposedly killed fighter. Therefore, if the incident really took place, the Russian soldier most likely received injures and then was evacuated.
***
Sources loyal to the Turkish-backed terrorist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (formerly the Syrian branch of al-Qaeda) claim that its members had killed a Russian special forces operator on the contact line near Kafranbel in southern Idlib.
Militants claim that they repelled an attack of pro-government forces there inflicting multiple casualties to the Syrian Army and its allies. Photos showing the equipment of the alleged Russian special forces operator were released by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham media wing.
MORE ON THE TOPIC:
Support SouthFront


southfront--2020-09-22--Amidst Post-Coup Turmoil, Mali Is Increasingly Embroiled In Multiple International Geopolitical Stor

Amidst Post-Coup Turmoil, Mali Is Increasingly Embroiled In Multiple International Geopolitical Storms

Mali ’ s recent history has been a succession of disputed presidential elections marked by low voter turnout , military coups , insurgencies and civil war .
Greatly complicating the situation , the country ’ s strategic location has seen it increasingly affected by international terrorism as well as geopolitical rivalries and conflicts .
In the aftermath of the latest military coup , France and the US have reaffirmed their commitment to work together to maximize their influence over developments in the region .
Meanwhile , Turkey is also seeking to gain a foothold in the region .
The military @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the second since 2012 , and was prompted by many of the same fundamental factors and causes .
The threat posed by the rapid growth of ‘ jihadist ’ armed groups throughout the region following NATO ’ s overthrow of the Libyan government in 2011 , which has also resulted in a massive influx of weapons to disgruntled ethnic minorities in the central and northern parts of Mali , has resulted in a severe deterioration in economic and security conditions .
It has also brought the US and France to the region in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ condemned the coup and announced that Mali ’ s membership of the organization was suspended .
The Economic Community of West African States ( ECOWAS ) announced that it has closed the borders with Mali to everything except the most essential goods ( such as food and medicines ) .
Mali is a landlocked country , making this a particularly onerous move .
Facing enormous international diplomatic and economic pressure , the ‘ National Committee for the Salvation of the People ’ ( CNSP ) announced earlier today that Mali ’ s former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , has been named as president of the country ’ s new transition government .
Colonel Assimi Goita , the leader of the National Committee for the Salvation of the People ( CNSP ) which overthrew Mali ’ s President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita , was appointed vice president , Mali ’ s state television has announced .
N ’ Daou and Goita were appointed by a group of 17 electors chosen by the military leadership , and the transitional government will be inaugurated on September 25 .
According to the new plan , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during an 18-month transition period when elections will be held to return Mali to civilian rule .
LINK Late last week , the US and France emphasized that they intend to continue their counter-terrorism operations in the Sahel region .
The security situation , and in particular the persistent presence of al Qaeda-affiliated terrorists in the Sahel region , is of mutual concern to both France and the United States , with Mali currently the centre of attention as both countries attempt to consolidate their efforts and deal with the fallout of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 5,200 troops in the Sahel region as part of its Operation Barkhane , and according to official statements the US has approximately 1,000 troops deployed throughout Western Africa .
US Africa Command ’ s Army General Stephen Townsend flew to Paris last Thursday to meet with French Chief of Defence Staff General Francois Lecointre and discuss US-France cooperation in Africa .
The reports of the latest developments : “ The U.S.-France relationship is very important to addressing areas of mutual national interest , ” U.S. Air Force Col. Chris Karns told the after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ security situation in the Sahel is a mutual concern , considering how the area could become sanctuary for terrorist groups and create migration challenges for Europe ” … Karns said the meetings with French defense officials were meant to reassure them of their vital role in Africa and address other areas of mutual concern .
“ The meeting provided reassurance of the value U.S. Africa Command places on its partnership with the French , ” he said .
“ Africa presents a dynamic situation when you consider China ’ s future plans , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and the fact [ that ] terrorists seek a foothold and sanctuary in the Sahel.
” French Army Col. Frederic Barbry told the in July that continued intelligence , in-flight resupply , and tactical lift support to French and European partners in the Sahel is vital to the fight… Barbry described U.S. capabilities in Africa as ‘ essential and critical ’ .
Following the military coup which took place on August 18 , the US suspended military aid to Mali .
At the time , US Special Envoy for the Sahel J.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ no further training or support of the Mali armed forces .
However , the suspension of military aid will not affect intelligence-sharing in the counterterrorism realm .
At the same time , however , there are concerns that the presence of foreign troops in Mali may be generating new recruits for the ‘ jihadist ’ forces and/ or other insurgent or extremist groups even as they attempt to confront and eliminate them .
Keenan argues that there could be a rational explanation for this apparent contradiction : In 2003 , former US defense @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a series of maps of Africa which depicted the western Sahel ( Mauritania , Mali , Niger , Southern Algeria , southern Libya , northern Nigeria and Chad ) as a “ Terrorist Corridor ” .
While designed to demonstrate why Washington needed to take its global “ war on terror ” to North Africa , the maps were also part of the propaganda prepared by the Pentagon to support Rumsfeld ’ s Proactive , Preemptive Operations Group ( P2OG ) .
This was a covert program to provoke terrorist groups into undertaking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ groups and local peoples to dupe them into conducting terrorist activities , often in the form of “ false-flag ” operations , in order to expose them or others to counterattack by US forces… It ’ s purpose was to justify the launch of the ‘ Saharan-Sahelian front ’ in the ‘ war on terror ’ .
The front was launched in January 2004 through what former president George W Bush called the Pan-Sahel Initiative ( PSI ) , with 1,000 US forces rolled into action across Mauritania , Mali , Niger and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ American invasion ” … One decade later , on 8 May , France ’ s Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian announced that France was deploying 3,000 troops , in addition to 1,000 retained in Mali , to fight militant Islamists across the Sahara-Sahel , which he described as “ the danger zone , the zone of all types of smuggling ” … Equally disconcerting was Le Drian ’ s statement : “ We will stay as long as necessary .
There is no fixed date.
” LINK While it is arguable the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ proliferation of extremist groups in the region may be the result of a deliberate plan by powerful groups in Western countries to destabilize and dominate the region or whether it is purely the result of endogenous factors and failure to identify and effectively pre-empt ongoing developments , the military campaign by NATO to overthrow the Libyan government at any cost has undeniably contributed enormously to the region ’ s difficulties and in particular the severe deterioration in the security situation .
A third possibility is that the greatly expanded US and French military @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to secure a form of neo-colonial control over the region and its resources .
A detailed study by Gary Busch in 2017 examined the long term role and objectives of the French military in Africa .
The study notes that during the de-colonization process France ’ s former colonies were obliged to sign a pact with their colonial master : The Colonial Pact Agreement enshrined a number of special preferences for France in the political , commercial and defence processes in the African countries .
On defence , it agreed to two types @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the agreement on military co-operation or Technical Military Aid ( AMT ) agreements .
These covered education , training of soldiers and officers of African security forces .
The second type , secret and binding , were defence agreements supervised and implemented by the French Ministry of Defence , which served as a legal basis for French interventions within the African states by French military forces .
These agreements allowed France to have pre-deployed troops and police in bases across Africa… The Colonial Pact was much more than an agreement to station soldiers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Africa to the control of France .
It made the CFA franc the national currency in both former colonial regions of Africa and created a continuing , and enforceable , dependency on France .
In summary , the colonial pact maintained French control over the economies of the African states… France not only set limits on the imports of a range of items from outside the franc zone but also set minimum quantities of imports from France .
[ Many of the provisions of these ] treaties are still in force and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the US will end up paying for France ’ s neo-colonial control over large parts of its former empire .
However , it appears that a quid pro quo may have been reached , as much of Mali ’ s gold production is now under the control of Anglo-US corporations .
So while the US taxpayers may well be forced to pay a significant portion of the cost of what appears to be an evolving joint project of neo-colonial domination in the region , some US and UK companies are making hefty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been affected by the turmoil that is ravaging the country , and the companies have reassured investors that they are confident their interests won ’ t be adversely affected .
Beyond the US ’ and later Europe ’ s ‘ War on Terror ’ , in more recent times to the existing regional conflicts and disputes has been added a new ‘ Cold War ’ , as Western countries and experts express great concern over the increasing presence of Russia and China in many countries in the region .
In what could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the escalating enmity between France and Turkey , Turkey ’ s Foreign Minister , Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu , also recently travelled to Mali and met with the leadership of the military council that carried out the coup .
Çavuşoğlu travelled to Mali , Guinea Bissau and Senegal on September 9-11 .
While he was in Mali , he met with Colonel Goita and other council members in Bamako , Mali ’ s capital , on September 9 .
Turkey recently signed a ‘ military cooperation agreement ’ with neighbouring Niger , though there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ location , size and activities of the anticipated Turkish military contingent beyond the ubiquitous ‘ training and assistance ’ objectives .
MORE ON THE TOPIC : • Overview of the post-coup political and military situation in Mali

Support SouthFront
Mali’s recent history has been a succession of disputed presidential elections marked by low voter turnout, military coups, insurgencies and civil war. Greatly complicating the situation, the country’s strategic location has seen it increasingly affected by international terrorism as well as geopolitical rivalries and conflicts. In the aftermath of the latest military coup, France and the US have reaffirmed their commitment to work together to maximize their influence over developments in the region. Meanwhile, Turkey is also seeking to gain a foothold in the region.
The military coup staged in Mali last month is the second since 2012, and was prompted by many of the same fundamental factors and causes. The threat posed by the rapid growth of ‘jihadist’ armed groups throughout the region following NATO’s overthrow of the Libyan government in 2011, which has also resulted in a massive influx of weapons to disgruntled ethnic minorities in the central and northern parts of Mali, has resulted in a severe deterioration in economic and security conditions. It has also brought the US and France to the region in force.
The Organization of African Unity condemned the coup and announced that Mali’s membership of the organization was suspended. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) announced that it has closed the borders with Mali to everything except the most essential goods (such as food and medicines). Mali is a landlocked country, making this a particularly onerous move.
Facing enormous international diplomatic and economic pressure, the ‘National Committee for the Salvation of the People’ (CNSP) announced earlier today that Mali’s former defence minister, Ba N’Daou, has been named as president of the country’s new transition government.
Colonel Assimi Goita, the leader of the National Committee for the Salvation of the People (CNSP) which overthrew Mali’s President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, was appointed vice president, Mali’s state television has announced.
N’Daou and Goita were appointed by a group of 17 electors chosen by the military leadership, and the transitional government will be inaugurated on September 25.
According to the new plan, the transitional president will lead the country during an 18-month transition period when elections will be held to return Mali to civilian rule. LINK
Late last week, the US and France emphasized that they intend to continue their counter-terrorism operations in the Sahel region.
The security situation, and in particular the persistent presence of al Qaeda-affiliated terrorists in the Sahel region, is of mutual concern to both France and the United States, with Mali currently the centre of attention as both countries attempt to consolidate their efforts and deal with the fallout of the August coup.
France has deployed around 5,200 troops in the Sahel region as part of its Operation Barkhane, and according to official statements the US has approximately 1,000 troops deployed throughout Western Africa.
US Africa Command’s Army General Stephen Townsend flew to Paris last Thursday to meet with French Chief of Defence Staff General Francois Lecointre and discuss US-France cooperation in Africa. The Washington Examiner reports of the latest developments:
“The U.S.-France relationship is very important to addressing areas of mutual national interest,” U.S. Air Force Col. Chris Karns told the Washington Examiner after the Paris meetings concluded. “The security situation in the Sahel is a mutual concern, considering how the area could become sanctuary for terrorist groups and create migration challenges for Europe”… Karns said the meetings with French defense officials were meant to reassure them of their vital role in Africa and address other areas of mutual concern. “The meeting provided reassurance of the value U.S. Africa Command places on its partnership with the French,” he said. “Africa presents a dynamic situation when you consider China’s future plans, Russian activity, the situation in Mali, and the fact [that] terrorists seek a foothold and sanctuary in the Sahel.” French Army Col. Frederic Barbry told the Washington Examiner in July that continued intelligence, in-flight resupply, and tactical lift support to French and European partners in the Sahel is vital to the fight… Barbry described U.S. capabilities in Africa as ‘essential and critical’.
Following the military coup which took place on August 18, the US suspended military aid to Mali. At the time, US Special Envoy for the Sahel J. Peter Pham said that there would be no further training or support of the Mali armed forces.
However, the suspension of military aid will not affect intelligence-sharing in the counterterrorism realm.
“Clearly, we follow all the State Department guidance and, in terms of that relationship, [are] looking to continue our work and focus on counterterrorism operations in the country,” AFRICOM Deputy Director of Intelligence Rear Adm. Heidi Berg told the Washington Examiner on a media call on Friday.
At the same time, however, there are concerns that the presence of foreign troops in Mali may be generating new recruits for the ‘jihadist’ forces and/ or other insurgent or extremist groups even as they attempt to confront and eliminate them. Keenan argues that there could be a rational explanation for this apparent contradiction:
In 2003, former US defense secretary Donald Rumsfeld’s Pentagon published a series of maps of Africa which depicted the western Sahel (Mauritania, Mali, Niger, Southern Algeria, southern Libya, northern Nigeria and Chad) as a “Terrorist Corridor”. While designed to demonstrate why Washington needed to take its global “war on terror” to North Africa, the maps were also part of the propaganda prepared by the Pentagon to support Rumsfeld’s Proactive, Preemptive Operations Group (P2OG). This was a covert program to provoke terrorist groups into undertaking violent acts, or to penetrate terrorist groups and local peoples to dupe them into conducting terrorist activities, often in the form of “false-flag” operations, in order to expose them or others to counterattack by US forces… It’s purpose was to justify the launch of the ‘Saharan-Sahelian front’ in the ‘war on terror’. The front was launched in January 2004 through what former president George W Bush called the Pan-Sahel Initiative (PSI), with 1,000 US forces rolled into action across Mauritania, Mali, Niger and Chad. Local people called it the “American invasion”… One decade later, on 8 May, France’s Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian announced that France was deploying 3,000 troops, in addition to 1,000 retained in Mali, to fight militant Islamists across the Sahara-Sahel, which he described as “the danger zone, the zone of all types of smuggling”… Equally disconcerting was Le Drian’s statement: “We will stay as long as necessary. There is no fixed date.” LINK
While it is arguable the extent to which the exponential growth and proliferation of extremist groups in the region may be the result of a deliberate plan by powerful groups in Western countries to destabilize and dominate the region or whether it is purely the result of endogenous factors and failure to identify and effectively pre-empt ongoing developments, the military campaign by NATO to overthrow the Libyan government at any cost has undeniably contributed enormously to the region’s difficulties and in particular the severe deterioration in the security situation.
A third possibility is that the greatly expanded US and French military presence is part of a separate scheme to secure a form of neo-colonial control over the region and its resources.
A detailed study by Gary Busch in 2017 examined the long term role and objectives of the French military in Africa. The study notes that during the de-colonization process France’s former colonies were obliged to sign a pact with their colonial master:
The Colonial Pact Agreement enshrined a number of special preferences for France in the political, commercial and defence processes in the African countries. On defence, it agreed to two types of continuing contact. The first was the agreement on military co-operation or Technical Military Aid (AMT) agreements. These covered education, training of soldiers and officers of African security forces. The second type, secret and binding, were defence agreements supervised and implemented by the French Ministry of Defence, which served as a legal basis for French interventions within the African states by French military forces. These agreements allowed France to have pre-deployed troops and police in bases across Africa… The Colonial Pact was much more than an agreement to station soldiers across Africa. It bound the economies of Africa to the control of France. It made the CFA franc the national currency in both former colonial regions of Africa and created a continuing, and enforceable, dependency on France. In summary, the colonial pact maintained French control over the economies of the African states… France not only set limits on the imports of a range of items from outside the franc zone but also set minimum quantities of imports from France. [Many of the provisions of these] treaties are still in force and operational. LINK
The article expressed concern that the US will end up paying for France’s neo-colonial control over large parts of its former empire. However, it appears that a quid pro quo may have been reached, as much of Mali’s gold production is now under the control of Anglo-US corporations. So while the US taxpayers may well be forced to pay a significant portion of the cost of what appears to be an evolving joint project of neo-colonial domination in the region, some US and UK companies are making hefty profits.
None of the gold mines have been affected by the turmoil that is ravaging the country, and the companies have reassured investors that they are confident their interests won’t be adversely affected.
Beyond the US’ and later Europe’s ‘War on Terror’, in more recent times to the existing regional conflicts and disputes has been added a new ‘Cold War’, as Western countries and experts express great concern over the increasing presence of Russia and China in many countries in the region.
In what could be in part at least an extension of the escalating enmity between France and Turkey, Turkey’s Foreign Minister, Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, also recently travelled to Mali and met with the leadership of the military council that carried out the coup.
Çavuşoğlu travelled to Mali, Guinea Bissau and Senegal on September 9-11. While he was in Mali, he met with Colonel Goita and other council members in Bamako, Mali’s capital, on September 9.
Speaking after the meeting, Çavuşoğlu stated that he had “discussed the transition process” with the Council. “We discussed what steps can be taken in the next process. Our desire is for Mali to complete the transition process smoothly. And it is important for the future of Mali to take the necessary steps for democratic elections by establishing a constitutional order as soon as possible. We sincerely shared our views on this matter like a brother. Under the current conditions of Mali, we find it positive that comprehensive negotiations with civil society and political parties have begun.” LINK
Turkey recently signed a ‘military cooperation agreement’ with neighbouring Niger, though there are very few details as to the location, size and activities of the anticipated Turkish military contingent beyond the ubiquitous ‘training and assistance’ objectives.
MORE ON THE TOPIC:
Support SouthFront


southfront--2020-09-22--Cassard-class Anti-Air Warfare Destroyer (Infographics)

Click to see the full-size image The Cassard is a class of anti-air warfare destroyers of the French Navy .
@ @ @ @ @

Support SouthFront
The Cassard is a class of anti-air warfare destroyers of the French Navy.
MORE ON THE TOPIC:
Support SouthFront


southfront--2020-09-22--US Sends M2A2 Bradley IFVs To Challenge Russian Forces In Northern Syria

The US military has reinforced its troops , supposedly mostly withdrawn from Syria , with a new batch of military equipment , this time M2A2 Bradley infantry fighting vehicles .
In an official comment released on September 18 , the US-led coalition said that mechanized infantry assets , including Bradley IFVs , were positioned to Syria in order to “ ensure the enduring defeat of ISIS ” , “ ensure the protection of Coalition forces ” and “ provide the rapid flexibility needed to protect critical petroleum resources ” .
The M2A2 Bradley is armed with a 25 mm chain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gun and a dual TOW anti-tank guided missile launcher .
This makes the IFV the heaviest weapon deployed by the US on the ground in Syria .
As of September 21 , the newly deployed armoured vehicles were already spotted during a coalition patrol in al-Hasakah province , where the US has a network of fortified positions and military bases .
US forces regularly conduct patrols in the area .
Another area of US interest in Syria ’ s northeast are the Omar oil fields on the eastern bank of the Euphrates .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ M2A2 Bradley IFVs in October 2019 .
The main difference is that , according to local sources , the vehicles deployed in al-Hasakah province will most likely be involved in patrols in the area and thus regular confrontations with the Russian Military Police and the Syrian Army .
Just a few days ago , Russian attack helicopters chased US Apaches after they had tried to harass a Russian Military Police patrol .
Earlier , the US military claimed that US troops sustained “ mild injures ” , when a Russian vehicle rammed a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The US-led coalition regularly tries to limit the freedom of movement of Russian and Syrian forces in the northeast of the country and faces an asymmetric response .
Now , US forces will have an additional argument in securing what they see as their sphere of influence .
Syrian government forces have suffered even more casualties from ISIS attacks in the provinces of Homs and Deir Ezzor .
On September 19 , at least five members of Liwa al-Quds , a pro-government Palestinian militia , died in an explosion of an improvised explosive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ On September 20 , an explosion hit a vehicle of the Syrian Army near al-Mayadin reportedly injuring several soldiers .
Also , a field commander of the National Defense Forces was killed in clashes with ISIS terrorists west of Deir Ezzor .
As of September 21 , the Syrian Army , Liwa al-Quds and their allies continue a combing operation to clear the Homs-Deir Ezzor desert from ISIS cells .
However , the strong ISIS presence is still a notable threat for the security situation in the central Syrian desert .
In Greater @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their air campaign targeting training camps , weapon depots , HQs and fortified positions of Turkish-backed terrorist groups .
The interesting fact is that with the resumption of active Russian strikes on targets across Idlib , terrorists have decreased the number of attacks on the Syrian Army and civilian targets along the contact line .
It would appear that the airstrike diplomacy has all chances to become an integral part of the Idlib ceasefire .

Support SouthFront
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
DEAR FRIENDS. IF YOU LIKE THIS TYPE OF CONTENT, SUPPORT SOUTHFRONT WORK: PayPal: southfront@list.ru, http://southfront.org/donate/ or via: https://www.patreon.com/southfront, BTC: 3Gbs4rjcVUtQd8p3CiFUCxPLZwRqurezRZ, BCH ABC: qpf2cphc5dkuclkqur7lhj2yuqq9pk3hmukle77vhq, ETH: 0x9f4cda013e354b8fc285bf4b9a60460cee7f7ea9
The US military has reinforced its troops, supposedly mostly withdrawn from Syria, with a new batch of military equipment, this time M2A2 Bradley infantry fighting vehicles.
In an official comment released on September 18, the US-led coalition said that mechanized infantry assets, including Bradley IFVs, were positioned to Syria in order to “ensure the enduring defeat of ISIS”, “ensure the protection of Coalition forces” and “provide the rapid flexibility needed to protect critical petroleum resources”.
The M2A2 Bradley is armed with a 25 mm chain gun, a 7.62 mm coaxial machine gun and a dual TOW anti-tank guided missile launcher. This makes the IFV the heaviest weapon deployed by the US on the ground in Syria.
As of September 21, the newly deployed armoured vehicles were already spotted during a coalition patrol in al-Hasakah province, where the US has a network of fortified positions and military bases. US forces regularly conduct patrols in the area. Another area of US interest in Syria’s northeast are the Omar oil fields on the eastern bank of the Euphrates. Washington reinforced its troops deployed there with M2A2 Bradley IFVs in October 2019.
The main difference is that, according to local sources, the vehicles deployed in al-Hasakah province will most likely be involved in patrols in the area and thus regular confrontations with the Russian Military Police and the Syrian Army.
Just a few days ago, Russian attack helicopters chased US Apaches after they had tried to harass a Russian Military Police patrol. Earlier, the US military claimed that US troops sustained “mild injures”, when a Russian vehicle rammed a US MRAP in the al-Hasakah countryside.
The US-led coalition regularly tries to limit the freedom of movement of Russian and Syrian forces in the northeast of the country and faces an asymmetric response. Now, US forces will have an additional argument in securing what they see as their sphere of influence.
Syrian government forces have suffered even more casualties from ISIS attacks in the provinces of Homs and Deir Ezzor. On September 19, at least five members of Liwa al-Quds, a pro-government Palestinian militia, died in an explosion of an improvised explosive device near the town of al-Shumaytiyah. On September 20, an explosion hit a vehicle of the Syrian Army near al-Mayadin reportedly injuring several soldiers. Also, a field commander of the National Defense Forces was killed in clashes with ISIS terrorists west of Deir Ezzor.
As of September 21, the Syrian Army, Liwa al-Quds and their allies continue a combing operation to clear the Homs-Deir Ezzor desert from ISIS cells. However, the strong ISIS presence is still a notable threat for the security situation in the central Syrian desert.
In Greater Idlib, the Russian Aerospace Forces continue their air campaign targeting training camps, weapon depots, HQs and fortified positions of Turkish-backed terrorist groups. The interesting fact is that with the resumption of active Russian strikes on targets across Idlib, terrorists have decreased the number of attacks on the Syrian Army and civilian targets along the contact line. It would appear that the airstrike diplomacy has all chances to become an integral part of the Idlib ceasefire.
Support SouthFront


southfront--2020-09-22--U.S.-Led International Coalition Military Bases In Iraq (Map Update)

In January 2020 , the Iraqi Council of Representatives adopted a non-binding measure to expel all foreign troops from Iraqi territory , including American and Iraqi forces .
The decision was made amid massive protests and escalation of tensions between the U.S. and Iran .
The U.S. President Donald Trump began troops withdrawing in March , following his campaign to end America ’ s “ endless wars ” .
The similar measures were taken by the U.S. President in Afghanistan .
According to the U.S.-led international coalition , the transfer of it ’ s military bases to Iraqi security forces @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against ISIS and not the increasing number of attacks that had targeted American positions .
From the beginning of 2020 , the US-led coalition announced the withdrawal of its forces from the following military bases , which were transferred to the Iraqi security forces : • The US-led coalition said it had handed over the Camp Taji to Iraqi forces on September 23 , 2020 ; • The US-led coalition said it had handed over the Qayyara air base to Iraqi forces on March 26 , 2020 ; • The US-led coalition said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ base to Iraqi forces on March 29 , 2020 ; • The U.S.-led coalition said it had handed over the Taqaddum Airbase to Iraqi forces on April 4 , 2020 .
At the same time , the number of U.S. forces in Iraq remains high – 5200 military troops .
It doesn ’ t include the tens of thousands of US contractors and other privatized personnel that remain there .
The transfer of the military bases permitted the U.S. to consolidate its forces in a few large military bases that are still under @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Airbase or Camp Victory .
On September 9 , the top U.S. commander in the Middle East Frank McKenzie said that troop numbers in the country will be cut down to 3,000 this month .
The next few days will show whether the US is able to fulfill its plan .
Trump ’ s active actions to withdraw U.S. forces provoke more and more interference from other actors , who have their own interests in the region .
France is an illustrative example .
E. Macron proclaimed that France was not going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the region .
About 600 French soldiers are deployed in Iraq and Syria within the Operation Chammal .
Since French military presence in Iraq remains law , Paris chose to support Baghdad with economic levers of influence .
The following measures were discussed during Macron ’ s recent visit to Baghdad on September 2 .
MORE ON THE TOPIC : • Iran Allegedly Plotting To Assassinate U.S .
Ambassador To South Africa , Because Why Not ?

Support SouthFront
DEAR FRIENDS. IF YOU LIKE THIS TYPE OF CONTENT, SUPPORT SOUTHFRONT WORK: PayPal: southfront@internet.ru Donation alerts: https://donationalerts.com/r/southfront Gumroad: https://gumroad.com/southfront Or via: http://southfront.org/donate/ or via: https://www.patreon.com/southfront, BTC: 3Gbs4rjcVUtQd8p3CiFUCxPLZwRqurezRZ, BCH ABC: qpf2cphc5dkuclkqur7lhj2yuqq9pk3hmukle77vhq, ETH: 0x9f4cda013e354b8fc285bf4b9a60460cee7f7ea9
In January 2020, the Iraqi Council of Representatives adopted a non-binding measure to expel all foreign troops from Iraqi territory, including American and Iraqi forces. The decision was made amid massive protests and escalation of tensions between the U.S. and Iran. The U.S. President Donald Trump began troops withdrawing in March, following his campaign to end America’s “endless wars”. The similar measures were taken by the U.S. President in Afghanistan.
According to the U.S.-led international coalition, the transfer of it’s military bases to Iraqi security forces was due to the developments in mission against ISIS and not the increasing number of attacks that had targeted American positions.
From the beginning of 2020, the US-led coalition announced the withdrawal of its forces from the following military bases, which were transferred to the Iraqi security forces:
The US-led coalition said it had handed over the Camp Taji to Iraqi forces on September 23, 2020;
The US-led coalition said it had handed over the Qayyara air base to Iraqi forces on March 26, 2020;
The US-led coalition said it had handed over the K1 military base to Iraqi forces on March 29, 2020;
The U.S.-led coalition said it had handed over the Taqaddum Airbase to Iraqi forces on April 4, 2020.
At the same time, the number of U.S. forces in Iraq remains high – 5200 military troops. It doesn’t include the tens of thousands of US contractors and other privatized personnel that remain there. The transfer of the military bases permitted the U.S. to consolidate its forces in a few large military bases that are still under its control, such as Ain Al-Assad Airbase or Camp Victory.
On September 9, the top U.S. commander in the Middle East Frank McKenzie said that troop numbers in the country will be cut down to 3,000 this month. The next few days will show whether the US is able to fulfill its plan.
Trump’s active actions to withdraw U.S. forces provoke more and more interference from other actors, who have their own interests in the region. France is an illustrative example.
E. Macron proclaimed that France was not going to reduce it’s military forces in the region. About 600 French soldiers are deployed in Iraq and Syria within the Operation Chammal. Since French military presence in Iraq remains law, Paris chose to support Baghdad with economic levers of influence. The following measures were discussed during Macron’s recent visit to Baghdad on September 2.
MORE ON THE TOPIC:
Support SouthFront


southfront--2020-09-22--China Military Releases War Simulation Video Of Attack On US Guam Base

Following weeks of multiple Chinese fighter jet incursions over Taiwan , the Chinese air force released a shocking video on Saturday showing bombers conducting a simulated attack “ on what appears to be Andersen Air Force Base on the U.S. Pacific island of Guam , ” according to Reuters .
Taiwanese Foreign Minister Joseph Wu warned Saturday that China was increasing drills and other forms of military pressure with the threat of intervention .
Wu said China ’ s crackdown in Hong Kong is a reminder that “ Taiwan might be next ” .
The short video , titled “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the attack !
, ” was posted on the People ’ s Liberation Army Air Force ( PLAAF ) Weibo account , comes as the Chinese military carried out the second day of drills near Chinese-claimed Taiwan .
The South China Morning Post ( SCMP ) said the island in the simulation video “ has more than a passing resemblance to the US facility on the island of Guam.
” Reuters noted the runway in the video mirrors that of Anderson ’ s .
PLAAF wrote in the description of the video : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Singapore ’ s Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies , told Reuters the propaganda video has aims to project PLAAF ’ s increasing long-range power .
PLAAF ’ s H-6K bombers have a combat range of 3,700 miles and can carry nuclear weapons , long-range cruise missiles , and will one day be armed with hypersonic missiles .
Drew Thompson , a former US defense department official who was responsible for managing US relations with mainland China and Taiwan , told SCMP the video is a warning to surrounding countries : To sum @ @ @ @ @ @ @ powerful message to Washington : Don ’ t mess with Taiwan .

Support SouthFront
Originally appeared at ZeroHedge
Following weeks of multiple Chinese fighter jet incursions over Taiwan, the Chinese air force released a shocking video on Saturday showing bombers conducting a simulated attack “on what appears to be Andersen Air Force Base on the U.S. Pacific island of Guam,” according to Reuters.
Taiwanese Foreign Minister Joseph Wu warned Saturday that China was increasing drills and other forms of military pressure with the threat of intervention. Wu said China’s crackdown in Hong Kong is a reminder that “Taiwan might be next”.
The short video, titled “The god of war H-6K goes on the attack!,” was posted on the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) Weibo account, comes as the Chinese military carried out the second day of drills near Chinese-claimed Taiwan.
The South China Morning Post (SCMP) said the island in the simulation video “has more than a passing resemblance to the US facility on the island of Guam.” Reuters noted the runway in the video mirrors that of Anderson’s.
PLAAF wrote in the description of the video:
“We are the defenders of the motherland’s aerial security; we have the confidence and ability to always defend the security of the motherland’s skies.”
Collin Koh, a research fellow at Singapore’s Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies, told Reuters the propaganda video has aims to project PLAAF’s increasing long-range power.
“The video is meant to warn the Americans that even supposedly safe, rearward positions such as Guam may come under threat when conflicts over regional flashpoints, be it Taiwan or the South China Sea, erupt,” Koh said.
PLAAF’s H-6K bombers have a combat range of 3,700 miles and can carry nuclear weapons, long-range cruise missiles, and will one day be armed with hypersonic missiles.
Drew Thompson, a former US defense department official who was responsible for managing US relations with mainland China and Taiwan, told SCMP the video is a warning to surrounding countries:
“The messages put out by the People’s Republic of China propaganda machine threaten anyone who opposes [mainland] China or the Communist Party,” Thompson said. “[The footage] warns that the PLA is prepared to use force to settle differences.”
Stillframe from moment of strike on what closely resembles Anderson AFB, Guam.
To sum up, the video is likely a powerful message to Washington: Don’t mess with Taiwan.
Support SouthFront


southfront--2020-09-22--Artillery Fire Exchange Continues in Syria’s Greater Idlib (Map Update)

Click to see the full-size image A brief overview of the recent developments in Syria ’ s Greater Idlib : @ @ @ @ @ militants ’ positions in the Kabani are ; • SAA artillery shelled Turkish-backed militants ’ @ @ @ @ @ Lattakia province ; • Turkish-backed militants ’ artillery shelled SAA positions in the towns of @ @ @ @ @ ; • Turkish-backed militants ’ artillery shelled SAA positions in the city of Saraqib ; @ @ @ @ @ militants ’ positions in the villages of al-Barah and Baylun ; • Russian warplanes targeted @ @ @ @ @ the western countryside of Idlib .
MORE ON THE TOPIC : • Russian Warplains Rain @ @ @ @ @ 30 Airsteikes Hit Militant Positions In Few Hours ( Videos , Photos )

Support SouthFront
A brief overview of the recent developments in Syria’s Greater Idlib:
SAA artillery shelled Turkish-backed militants’ positions in the Kabani are;
SAA artillery shelled Turkish-backed militants’ positions in the north of Lattakia province;
Turkish-backed militants’ artillery shelled SAA positions in the towns of Maarat al-Numan and Kafr Nubl;
Turkish-backed militants’ artillery shelled SAA positions in the city of Saraqib;
SAA artillery shelled Turkish-backed militants’ positions in the villages of al-Barah and Baylun;
Russian warplanes targeted Turkish-backed militants’ positions in the western countryside of Idlib.
MORE ON THE TOPIC:
Support SouthFront


southfront--2020-09-22--Trump Denounces China’s COVID-19 ‘Lies’ In Fiery UN Address After Xi Swiped At US “Bully Of The Worl

Trump Denounces China’s COVID-19 ‘Lies’ In Fiery UN Address After Xi Swiped At US “Bully Of The World”

Amid Trump ’ s latest Huawei sanctions and his controversially taking aim at WeChat and TikTok for “ security threats ” posed by the Chinese apps , also as Washington becomes isolated in the UN over its push to impose snapback sanctions on Iran , Chinese President Xi Jinping has gone on the offensive in new comments Tuesday , saying America acts as if it ’ s “ the boss of the world ” .
In his UN address Xi urged we should oppose protectionism and insist on openness and benefit-for-all .
President Xi said during his remarks following Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ oneself in a dark room .
While wind and rain may be kept outside , that dark room will also block light and air.
” Trump came out swinging more directly at Beijing in his speech which wrapped up , calling on the international body to “ hold China accountable for their actions ” over the still globally raging coronavirus pandemic .
Trump said China ’ s COVID-19 deceptions included “ allowing flights to leave China and infect the world He added that “ China condemned my travel ban on their country even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ citizens in their homes.
” “ Later , they falsely said people without symptoms would not spread the disease… ” he said , going through a list of China ’ s egregious behavior and its impact on the world .
Though Xi in his prior pre-speech comments didn ’ t specifically name the United States or any particular country , it was clear to his listeners at a meeting in China celebrating the United Nation ’ s 75th anniversary just who the thinly veiled words were directed at .
The pre-UN Assembly address @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say to the world in his main address following Trump .
As originally reported in he said that no nation should “ be allowed to do whatever it likes and be the hegemon , bully or boss of the world.
” Emphasizing hope for a revival of multilateralism , he called for “ more balanced ” international relations and decision-making where countries must not be “ lorded over by those who wave a strong fist at others.
” “ There must be no practice of exceptionalism or double standards , ” Xi said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ distorted and used as a pretext to undermine other countries ’ legitimate rights and interests or world peace and stability.
” Xi echoed these prior statements and gave similar emphasis in his remote speech to the UN General Assembly soon after Trump ’ s speech Tuesday .
Also with the Iran unilateral US sanctions issue still front and center , the showdown is expected to be intense , given Pompeo has lately said the US is all too willing to go it completely alone in enforcing sanctions on those will to trade or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arms embargo expires Oct.18 ) .
The US-China back and forth accusations will perhaps take away from the 75th anniversary commemorative nature of the assembly as well , but given the pandemic has forced the whole thing go online , this may blunt what would have made for greater in-person fireworks .

Support SouthFront
Originally appeared at ZeroHedge
Amid Trump’s latest Huawei sanctions and his controversially taking aim at WeChat and TikTok for “security threats” posed by the Chinese apps, also as Washington becomes isolated in the UN over its push to impose snapback sanctions on Iran, Chinese President Xi Jinping has gone on the offensive in new comments Tuesday, saying America acts as if it’s “the boss of the world”. In his UN address Xi urged we should oppose protectionism and insist on openness and benefit-for-all. President Xi said during his remarks following Trump: “Pursuing protectionism is like locking oneself in a dark room. While wind and rain may be kept outside, that dark room will also block light and air.”
Trump came out swinging more directly at Beijing in his speech which wrapped up, calling on the international body to “hold China accountable for their actions” over the still globally raging coronavirus pandemic.
Trump said China’s COVID-19 deceptions included “allowing flights to leave China and infect the world…”. He added that “China condemned my travel ban on their country even as they canceled domestic flights and locked citizens in their homes.”
Trump is using his UN speech to rail against China pic.twitter.com/3CcJpyMKSa — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) September 22, 2020
“The Chinese government, and the World Health Organization – which is virtually controlled by China – falsely declared that there was no evidence of human-to-human transmission,” Trump said further.
“Later, they falsely said people without symptoms would not spread the disease…” he said, going through a list of China’s egregious behavior and its impact on the world.
Trump used his UN speech to attack China and claim that the U.S. is leading on environmental causes pic.twitter.com/mrleU2iOsp — NowThis (@nowthisnews) September 22, 2020
Though Xi in his prior pre-speech comments didn’t specifically name the United States or any particular country, it was clear to his listeners at a meeting in China celebrating the United Nation’s 75th anniversary just who the thinly veiled words were directed at. The pre-UN Assembly address gave a glimpse of what Xi will say to the world in his main address following Trump.
As originally reported in Xinhua News Agency he said that no nation should “be allowed to do whatever it likes and be the hegemon, bully or boss of the world.”
Emphasizing hope for a revival of multilateralism, he called for “more balanced” international relations and decision-making where countries must not be “lorded over by those who wave a strong fist at others.”
“There must be no practice of exceptionalism or double standards,” Xi said. “Nor should international law be distorted and used as a pretext to undermine other countries’ legitimate rights and interests or world peace and stability.”
Xi echoed these prior statements and gave similar emphasis in his remote speech to the UN General Assembly soon after Trump’s speech Tuesday.
He said “the global virus fight shouldn’t be politicized.”
Also with the Iran unilateral US sanctions issue still front and center, the showdown is expected to be intense, given Pompeo has lately said the US is all too willing to go it completely alone in enforcing sanctions on those will to trade or send weapons to Iran (when the arms embargo expires Oct.18).
The world needs to unite around the central idea that the Islamic Republic of Iran is the greatest threat, and when that regime changes its behavior, we have the chance to create true global stability in the region. It’s what President @realDonaldTrump asked us to do. pic.twitter.com/KflMbJICpR — Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) September 21, 2020
The US-China back and forth accusations will perhaps take away from the 75th anniversary commemorative nature of the assembly as well, but given the pandemic has forced the whole thing go online, this may blunt what would have made for greater in-person fireworks.
Support SouthFront