Friday, November 29, 2013
Editor's Note
Will spending time with family on Saturday. Regular blogging will return Sunday morning.
Picture Of The Day
President Barack Obama makes Thanksgiving Day phone calls to selected U.S. troops. Pete Souza, White House
If U.S. Support Is Withdrawn What Will Happen To Afghanistan?
U.S. Marine Corps Capt. William Cornachio, center, explains procedures for using mortars to an Afghan soldier on Forward Operating Base Delaram II in Afghanistan's Helmand province, Afghanistan, Nov. 17, 2013. Cornachio, a member of Security Force Assistance Advisor Team, is assigned to an Afghan army unit. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Paul Peterson
How Would Afghanistan Look Without The United States' Support? -- NBC
FOB FENTY, Nangarhar Province, Afghanistan — You get a sense of what might happen if U.S. troops suddenly left Afghanistan while sitting in a joint U.S.-Afghan military operations room.
On one side are uniformed American advisers. They sit in front of flat-screen monitors displaying American intelligence gathered from around the world. Their desks are covered with satellite maps, and telephones and computers are encrypted for classified communications.
On the other side of the room, a dozen Afghan soldiers it at desks without computers. They take calls on cellphones and write down what they hear on whiteboards. A television in the middle of the room plays an Indian sitcom.
If the Americans suddenly left for good, would the Afghans be left with little more than cellphone bills and marker-stained fingers
Read more ....
My Comment: I am pessimistic when it comes to Afghanistan. Even if the U.S. soldiers leave .... the flow of money from the west will still continue but via through contractors .... and the Afghans know that. The key is to not only withdraw but to also cut the flow of money .... that is when everyone will notice. But the political will to do that is completely absent in the White House and elsewhere.
Disagreements Between Afghanistan And Pakistan Over Their Disputed Border Are Increasing
A Pashtun man passes a road sign while pulling supplies towards the Pakistan-Afghanistan border crossing.Reuters
Afghanistan-Pakistan Border: Back To Politics As Usual? -- Jerry Meyerle, The Diplomat
The risks of conflict and collapse post-2014 are significant, but disaster is not inevitable.
As the U.S. draws down its forces in Afghanistan, disagreements between Afghanistan and Pakistan over their disputed border are again coming to the fore. Over a decade of intense U.S. involvement has shaped the region according to priorities set in Washington. Long-festering regional issues were pushed into the background in favor of combatting al Qaeda and the Taliban.
The insurgency, which spans both countries, is becoming an increasingly bilateral problem – a trend that is likely to continue as the U.S. pulls back from southwest Asia, leaving the region’s leaders to deal with the Taliban threat amongst themselves. Policymakers in Islamabad and Kabul are beginning to forge closer ties as U.S. involvement steadily declines and the shadow of further reductions in Western funding and force levels looms large.
Read more ....
My Comment: These border differences have been around for generations .... and I suspect that a hundred years from now the same differences and disagreements will be present.
U.S. Ties With Afghanistan And Pakistan Are Becoming Strain Over Persistent Drone Strikes
Recent Drone Strikes Strain U.S. Ties With Afghanistan And Pakistan -- New York Times
KABUL, Afghanistan — Two separate but similarly bitter disagreements over drone strikes in Pakistan and Afghanistan have complicated relations between the United States and those two countries at a delicate moment, again highlighting the political complications from America’s persistent reliance on the lethal remote-controlled weapons.
In Afghanistan, the American military commander called President Hamid Karzai late Thursday to apologize for a drone strike that resulted in civilian casualties and that gave Mr. Karzai renewed reason to refuse to sign a long-term security agreement with the United States.
In Pakistan’s tribal belt, meanwhile, what was thought to be C.I.A. drone strike on Friday killed a Pakistani militant days after a major political party, as part of its campaign to end the drone strikes, publicly named a man it said was America’s top spy in the country.
Read more ....
My Comment: It is more than just drone strikes that are straining these ties. Bottom line .... the U.S. has overstayed in the region .... it is time to leave.
Russia Commits Itself To Build A New Strategic Bomber
Russia Speeds Up Development of New Strategic Bomber. © RIA Novosti. Grigoriy Sysoev
Russia Speeds Up Development of New Strategic Bomber -- RIA Novsoti
SOCHI, November 28 (RIA Novosti) – Russia will begin the full-scale R&D work on its future strategic bomber in 2014, a senior aircraft-manufacturing industry official said Thursday.
The project, known as PAK-DA (an acronym meaning “future long-range aircraft”), has been in the works for several years but was given the formal go-ahead by the Russian leadership last year.
“A decision was made this year to expedite the development of the PAK-DA aircraft,” Mikhail Pogosyan, head of Russia’s United Aircraft Corporation, said at a meeting on the future of the Russian air force chaired by President Vladimir Putin.
Read more ....
Update #1: United Aircraft to Start R&D on New Strategic Bomber in 2014 -- Moscow Times
Update #2: Work on PAK DA will be intensified - head of United Aircraft Corporation -- Russia Beyond The Headlines
My Comment: This news is a surprise. The Russian government and air force has been talking about it for years .... and now they are in a rush to develop one.
Disagreements Among OPEC Members Are Increasing
OPEC Rift Emerging Over Iraq Output, Possible Return of Iran -- Wall Street Journal
Some Members of the Cartel May Have to Decide to Cut Output in the First Half of Next Year
Tensions are emerging within the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries over which member countries should trim oil production to make room for a resurgence in Iraqi exports and the possible return of more Iranian crude to world markets if sanctions are eased.
There is no expectation of a decision to cut back at the OPEC cartel's meeting in Vienna on Wednesday. The group of 12 of the world's largest producers, though long riven by squabbling, has kept its overall production ceiling at 30 million barrels a day since December 2011.
Read more ....
My Comment: I am not going to shed a tear for them.
The Six Wars That Chinese Ultra-Nationalists Will Fight
China’s Six Wars In The Next 50 Years -- Geoff Wade, The Strategist
In a recent post, I introduced a new PRC book entitled ‘China Is Not Afraid — New Threats to National Security and Our Strategic Responses’, (中国不怕——国防安全新威胁与我们的战略应对). I suggested that the volume is part of a larger PLA strategy to invigorate and bolster the morale of domestic constituencies, both military and otherwise, as well as being intended to serve as a warning to any foreign powers which might seek to constrain or restrict China. It’s perhaps worthwhile further extending this analysis to two other PLA-inspired products, one a film and the other a newsagency article, to explore what sort of agenda these works are promoting.
The Chinese film Silent Contest (较量无声) was controversial as soon as it appeared on Chinese and global websites in October. By the end of that month, the film was being deleted from PRC websites without any official pronouncements as to the reasons for its appearance or disappearance. The film is still available in various iterations (video) on YouTube.
Read more ....
My Comment: The six conflicts that China's ultra-nationalists would fight are the following (according to their plan) ....
The war to unify Taiwan (2020–2025)
The war to recover the various islands of the South China Sea (2025–2030)
The war to recover southern Tibet (2035–2040)
The war to recover Diaoyutai and the Ryukyus (2040–2045)
The war to unify Outer Mongolia (2045–2050)
The war to recover the territory seized by Russia (2055–2060)
Such a pursuit will guarantee one thing .... much of the world will go to war against China.
Why The Iran Deal Will Start A Nuclear Arms Race In The Persian Gulf?
Fear and Loathing In The Kingdom -- John Hannah, Foreign Policy
How Washington stabbed the Saudis in the back, and why the Iran deal will start a nuclear arms race in the Persian Gulf.
Pundits and policymakers are missing the big worry about the Obama administration's Iranian nuclear deal: its greatest impact is not ensuring that Iran doesn't get the bomb, but that the Saudis will.
Indeed, the risk of arms race in the Middle East -- on a nuclear hair trigger -- just went up rather dramatically. And it increasingly looks like the coming Sunni-Shiite war will be nuclearized.
Two aspects of the agreement, in particular, will consolidate Saudi fears that an Iranian bomb is now almost certainly coming to a theater near them.
Read more ....
My Comment: A sobering analysis on what the Saudis are thinking. If true .... time to be afraid because unlike Iran the Saudis have the resources, oil, and allies to truly upend U.S. policy in the Middle East starting with the development of their own nuclear program.
Was The Iran Nuclear Deal More About Business Than Limiting Iran's Nuclear Enrichment Program?
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif at the United Nations Palais in Geneva Nov. 24, 2013. (File Photo: Reuters)
Iran, U.S. To Open Joint Chamber Of Commerce: Report -- Al Arabiya
Iran and the United States are to establish a joint chamber of commerce within a month, with direct flights also planned, an Iranian official said Wednesday in a newspaper report.
“Iran-U.S. chamber of commerce will be launched in less than one month,” Abolfazl Hejazi, a member of Iran’s Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture, told the English-language Iran Daily.
In the wake of a historic accord on Sunday between Tehran and major powers on Iran’s controversial nuclear program, Hejazi also said his country was ready to start direct flights to the United States.
Read more ....
My Comment: It is very strange that this was not broadcast or publicized by U.S. officials when the deal was made. Sighhh ..... it is always about the money.
Update #1: IAEA’s Arak visit not part of Geneva deal-- Iran Daily
Update #2: U.S. extends Iran oil sanctions waivers to China, India, South Korea -- Reuters
Commentaries, Opinions, And Editorials -- November 29, 2013
The U.S., Japan and South Korea Flout China’s Air Defense Zone. What’s a Superpower To Do? -- Hannah Beech
Beijing knew that rivals would soon test its controversial East China Sea Air-Defense Identification Zone, but this is all just part of a grander strategy
The Americans struck first. Just days after the Chinese had demarcated an air defense zone that includes skies over islands claimed by both China and Japan, a pair of U.S. B-52s flew through the controversial space, lingering for around two hours. On Nov. 23, Beijing had warned that flights crossing its newly designated East China Sea Air-Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) would be required to inform the Chinese of their flight plans. Planes that contravened the new rules would risk “defensive emergency measures,” said China’s Defense Ministry, even though China’s ADIZ overlaps with existing ones drawn up by three American allies: Japan, South Korea and Taiwan.
Read more ....
Commentaries, Opinions, And Editorials
With new air zone, China tests U.S. dominance in East Asia -- Greg Torode and Linda Sieg, Reuters
China’s new air-defence zone suggests a worrying new approach in the region -- The Economist
Asia territorial tensions set to get worse before they get better -- Jeffrey W. Hornung, Special to CNN
Senkaku islands' peace lies shattered, but the problem should resolve itself soon -- Times of India
Xi Jinping Overreaches in the East China Sea -- William Pesek, Bloomberg
Final Iran deal needs to balance out the concessions -- Washington Post editorial
Syrian refugees need help as winter gathers around them -- Paul Ronalds, Herald Sun
Long war’s end game : What's non-negotiable in the Afghanistan exit agreement -- New York Daily News
Ignore Karzai’s Arrogant Insults -- John Allen and Michael O'Hanlon, New York Times
India Falls Behind: Corruption Plagues Rising Economy -- Wieland Wagner, Spiegel Online
Déjà vu in Thailand -- Khaleej Times
Somalia’s Failure: A Broken System Or Lousy Leaders? -- Maalik Eng, Shabelle
Ukraine's Yanukovych’s bluster may change the EU stride -- Anne Applebaum, Gulf News
Insight: No quick exit from West's economic malaise -- Alan Wheatley, Reuters
World News Briefs -- November 29, 2013 (Evening Edition)
U.S. Said Making Daily Flights Into China’s Air Zone -- Bloomberg
The U.S. military is conducting daily flights through China’s newly declared air-defense zone without notifying Beijing authorities in advance, a U.S. defense official said today.
The disclosure indicates that U.S. flight activity in the area, where China has unilaterally sought to exert control, is more extensive than was previously known. The Pentagon had acknowledged a flight by two unarmed B-52 bombers through the air zone earlier this week.
The defense official, who asked not to be named discussing military operations, wouldn’t specify the type of aircraft used in subsequent flights nor say whether any of them are armed.
Read more ....
MIDDLE EAST
Obama to Netanyahu: Tone down Iran trash talk, please.
No dismantling of Iran nuclear facilities: Rouhani to FT.
Iran nuclear freeze to start by January, UN envoy says.
Tents, refugees crowd Lebanese valley - just don't call it a camp.
Assad’s army kills scores near Damascus.
Syrian refugee children face 'catastrophic' life in exile, UN says.
18 bodies killed execution-style found in Iraq.
Iraq warns Turkey over Kurdistan oil ties.
Human tragedy unfolds as Gaza runs on empty.
Saudi Arabia's foreign labour crackdown drives out 2m migrants.
ASIA
Improvised weapons fired near US base in Japan.
China warplanes tail U.S. and Japan fighter jets.
China air defense zone hangs over VP Biden’s visit.
China sends warplanes to newly declared air zone.
Hamid Karzai defiant on deal as NATO says sorry for civilian kills.
The Afghan villages where the Taliban rule at night.
Protesters in Thailand seek military support. Thai protesters capture army HQ in countrywide anti-government protests.
Victorious Nepali Congress Party tries to woo Maoists.
India's economy grows faster than expected.
Vietnam intensifies online crackdown.
AFRICA
Mali separatist group declares end to ceasefire.
50 police hurt in Tunisia strike violence: Ministry.
Central African Republic to see renewal of French military drive.
Eastern Sudan could become next Darfur, report warns.
Nigeria: Soldiers kill 51 terrorists in another raid of camps.
Nigeria's Boko Haram 'uses child soldiers'.
DR Congo President Joseph Kabila tours ex-rebel areas.
In Egypt, university campuses emerge as the latest battleground.
Jacob Zuma accused of corruption 'on a grand scale' in South Africa.
EUROPE
Prosecutor outlines chilling murder of UK soldier.
Ukrainian opposition accuses Yanukovich of stealing EU dream.
Thousands protest Ukrainian leader spiking EU deal.
Despite Ukraine triumph, Russia's relations with its neighbors are under strain.
Georgia, Moldova ink EU agreements as Ukraine backs off.
Eurozone unemployment falls for first time since 2011.
S&P upgrades Spain's economic outlook.
S&P removes Dutch from triple-A club, lifts outlook for Spain.
Protests as France debates prostitution bill.
Berlusconi fiancee ´appeals to Pope for pardon´.
AMERICAS
Haitians take to streets in new anti-government protests.
Venezuela's Maduro vows stricter business inspections.
Violence breaks out across U.S. in holiday shopping rush.
Ire in Canada over report N.S.A. spied from Ottawa.
Argentine threat over Falkland Islands oil operations.
Cayman Islands and Costa Rica agree to share bank account details with US.
Mexican drug cartels now make money exporting ore.
Obama to look to Sasha to choose where they live after White House.
TERRORISM/THE LONG WAR
Gitmo detainees reportedly fighting transfer to home countries.
Suspected U.S. drone kills 1 in Pakistan; no intention of throttling back attacks.
One killed in US drone strike in Pakistan.
A detailed look at Syria’s Islamist, jihadist groups.
ECONOMY/FINANCE/BUSINESS
U.S. extends Iran oil sanctions waivers to China, India, South Korea.
Wall Street ends mostly flat, but higher for month.
European firms size up post-deal Iran opportunities.
Credit Suisse names investment banker to lead Swiss ultra-rich clients.
A Return To Civil War In Mali?
Mali Separatist Group Declares End To Ceasefire -- Reuters
(Reuters) - Mali's MNLA Tuareg separatist group said on Friday it was ending a ceasefire agreed with the government in June and taking up arms following violence in the northern city of Kidal.
The declaration follows a series of incidents including clashes on Thursday between Malian troops and stone-throwing protesters who blocked a visit by the prime minister to the northern rebel stronghold of Kidal on Thursday. Several demonstrators were wounded but there were conflicting accounts of how they came about their injuries.
"The political and military wings of the Azawad (MNLA, MAA and HCUA) declare the lifting of the ceasefire with the central government in Bamako," said a statement by Attaye Ag Mohamed, one of the MNLA's founders.
Read more ....
Update: Tuaregs declare return to war against Mali army -- Global Post/AFP
My Comment: A return to war is the last thing that this region needs.
President Obama Asks Israeli PM Netanyahu For A 'Breather' On His Iran Nuclear Deal Criticism
US President Barack Obama speaks with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in January 2012. (photo credit: Peter Souza/White House/File)
Report: Obama Asks Netanyahu For 'Breather' -- The Hill
President Obama requested Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu take a “breather” from his harsh criticism of the U.S. strategy regarding Iran during a call between the two leaders, The Washington Post reported on Thursday.
The request came as the administration girds up for a push in the next six months to reach a final settlement on Iran's nuclear program. The president reportedly urged Netanyahu to tone down his rhetoric for the sake of diplomacy and urged him to dispatch officials to Washington who could help negotiate a resolution agreeable to both countries.
The president called Netanyahu Sunday, promising to keep the Israeli leader up-to-date regarding the progress of negotiations for a final settlement. He also reaffirmed that the two countries share the same goal of a nuclear-free Iran.
Read more ....
More News On President Obama Asking Israeli PM Netanyahu For A 'Breather' On His Iran Nuclear Deal Criticism
Obama to Netanyahu: Tone down Iran trash talk, please -- Washington Times
Obama Told Netanyahu: Don't be So Vocal About Iran Deal -- Arutz Sheva
Report: Obama asked Netanyahu for a 'breather' over Iran deal criticism -- American Thinker
Obama Asks Netanyahu for 'A Breather' From Iran Criticism -- Newsmax
My Comment: Here is an easy prediction .... Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu is not going to listen to him.
Some Guantanamo Detainees Do Not Want To Leave Prison
Prisoners Fight U.S. Over Repatriation From Guantanamo Bay -- Wall Street Journal
Effort to Close Prison Hits Snag as Some Detainees Resist Transfer to Home Countries.
The Obama administration's effort to close the Guantanamo Bay prison has hit a snag: detainees who don't want to be repatriated.
Two Algerian citizens held at the naval base in Cuba are fighting a transfer to their homeland, people familiar with the situation say. The two men say they fear that Islamist extremists will try to recruit them and may attack or kill them when they discover the detainees don't share their commitment to violence, these people say.
Robert Kirsch, a lawyer for one of the two, Belkacem Bensayah, said the U.S. government has ignored the protests of his client and another detainee, Djamel Ameziane. The planned repatriation is "the most callous, political abuse of these men," Mr. Kirsch said.
Mr. Ameziane's lawyer didn't return messages.
Read more ....
Update: Gitmo detainees reportedly fighting transfer to home countries -- FOX News
My Comment: Most detainees still want to leave .... but the problem is that some Algerian detainees do not want to go back to Algeria.
Human Rights Watch: Nigeria's Boko Haram 'Abdutc Women And Girls And Uses Child Soldiers'
Nigeria: Boko Haram Abducts Women, Recruits Children -- Huma Rights Watch
Hundreds ‘Disappeared’ by Security Forces; Vigilante Movement on the Rise
(Abuja, November 29, 2013) – Boko Haram has abducted scores of women and girls, used children as young as 12 in hostilities, and killed hundreds of people in recent attacks, Human Rights Watch said today. The Nigerian government, meanwhile, has failed to account for hundreds of men and boys whom security forces have rounded up and forcibly disappeared during Boko Haram’s four-year insurgency.
The rise of an anti-Boko Haram group allied with Nigerian security forces, the so-called Civilian Joint Task Force, has added a worrisome new dimension to the violence. Civilian Joint Task Force members inform security forces about presumed local Boko Haram activity; the Islamist group then retaliates against both the neighborhood vigilante group and the broader community.
Read more ....
More News On Boko Haram Targeting The Civilian Population
Nigeria's Boko Haram 'uses child soldiers' -- Al Jazeera
Nigeria Islamist Militants Use Child Soldiers, HRW Says -- Bloomberg
Rights group: Extremists abduct females in Nigeria -- Washington Post/AP
Rights group urges Boko Haram to stop attacking civilians -- Global Post/AFP
For The First Time China Scrambles Jets To It's New Air Defense Zone To Monitor U.S. And Japanese Flights
China Scrambles Jets To New Defense Zone, Eyes U.S., Japan Flights -- Reuters
(Reuters) - China scrambled jets on Friday in response to two U.S. spy planes and 10 Japanese aircraft, including F-15 fighters, entering its new air defense zone over the East China Sea, state news agency Xinhua said, raising the stakes in a standoff with the United States, Japan and South Korea.
The jets were scrambled for effective monitoring, Xinhua cited air force spokesman Shen Jinke as saying. The report gave no further details.
Japan and South Korea flew military aircraft through the zone, which includes the skies over islands at the heart of a territorial dispute between Japan and China, the two countries said on Thursday, while Washington sent two unarmed B-52 bombers into the airspace earlier this week in a sign of support for its ally Japan. None of those aircraft informed China.
Read more ....
More News On China Scrambling Jets To It's New Air Defense Zone To Monitor U.S. And Japanese Flights
China Scrambles Jets for First Time in New Air Zone -- New York Times
China sends warplanes to patrol new air defense zone -- Washington Post
China scrambles jets in air zone to monitor US and Japanese planes -- BBC
China says it scrambled fighters to eye US, Japanese flights in its new defense zone -- Christian Science Monitor/AP
China Scrambles Jets in Air Zone to Monitor U.S., Japanese Planes -- Wall Street Journal
China Sends Fighter Jets to Identify US, Japanese Aircraft -- Voice of America
China scrambles jets after Japanese fighters and U.S. spy planes enter disputed air defence zone over East China Sea -- Daily Mail
China sends warplanes into East China Sea airzone -- Christian Science Monitor
China scrambles jets after U.S., Japanese planes fly through disputed zone -- CNN
Starving Syrians Butcher A Zoo's Lion To Eat
A picture circulating on social media appearing to show Syrian rebels butchering a zoo lion is the latest evidence that residents of the war torn country are starving, according to activists
Starving Syrians Butcher A Zoo's LION To Eat In Worst Sign Yet Of How Desperate Civilians Are For Food -- Daily Mail
The graphic photograph has been circulating on social media websites
It is believed that the emaciated animal is from the Al-Qarya al-Shama Zoo
A UN report reveals that growing number of children in refugee camps becoming main provider for their families
A picture circulating on social media appearing to show Syrian rebels butchering a zoo lion is the latest evidence that residents of the war torn country are starving, according to activists.
The photograph, which has not been independently verified, shows three men standing around the body of a lion.
One of them is holding the lion's head while another appears to be cutting meat from the animal's hind legs.
Read more ....
My Comment: Winter is just about to start .... expect even more horrifying pictures to be released. It is also only going to be a matter of time before we start hearing stories of cannibalism.
Syria's Refugees Are Fleeing To Europe
Traveling to Europe by land is very difficult, so most Syrians begin their journey in northern Africa, where smuggling networks send them north by sea.Joe Burgess/The New York Times
Out Of Syria, Into A European Maze -- New York Times
As war rages on, more refugees are risking a journey to what they hope will be prosperous new lives.
SYRACUSE, Sicily — Fifty miles off the southeastern coast of Sicily, the refugee boat first appeared as a gray spot on the horizon, rising up or dipping away with the churn of the Mediterranean. Then, as an Italian Coast Guard rescue ship drew closer, the small boat came fully into view, as did the dim figure of a man, standing on the bow, waving a white blanket.
Adrift at sea, the boat heaved with about 150 Syrians fleeing war. Mothers in head scarves clutched infants. A child wore a SpongeBob life jacket. Smugglers had left them alone with a satellite phone and an emergency number in Italy: Save us, they pleaded to the Italians before the phone went dead. We are lost.
Capt. Roberto Mangione shouted for everyone to stay calm as he positioned his Coast Guard ship alongside the listing trawler. The Syrians, pale and beleaguered, started clapping. They had been at sea for six days, drinking fetid water, enduring a terrifying storm. One man combed his hair, as if preparing to greet his new life. A woman named Abeer, dazed and exhausted, thought: salvation, at last.
Read more ....
My Comment: These numbers are only going to climb as the Syrian civil war grinds on.
In Pictures: Syria's Endangered Heritage Sites
Government troops have a military base near the Citadel of Aleppo, a large medieval fortified palace in the northern city. Activists say that the entrance of the citadel has been damaged by a mortar. Credit: Asmaa Waguih/Reuters
WNU Editor: The historical sites that are in danger of destruction from Syria's civil war can be viewed here.
Mortar Rounds Falls Near Historic Umayyad Mosque In The Old Quarter Of Damascus Killing 4
View of the Umayyad Mosque, Damascus, Syria. Wikipedia
Mortar Lands Near Ancient Syrian Mosque -- Al Jazeera
At least four killed and 26 injured in the attack near Umayyad Mosque in Damascus, state media reported.
Mortar fire in front of the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus, one of the oldest mosques in the world, has left four people dead and 26 wounded, Syrian state media has reported.
The shells fell on Friday, the Muslim day of prayer when people traditionally go to mosque at noon for the weekly sermon.
"Mortars fired by terrorists in front of the Umayyad mosque have killed four people and injured 26," state television said in a breaking news alert.
The shelling near the mosque in the old quarter of the capital came 10 days after a mortar shell hit its wall, causing casualties.
Read more ....
More News On Mortar Rounds Falling Near The Historic Umayyad Mosque In The Old Quarter Of Damascus Killing 4
Mortar round at historic Syrian mosque kills 4 -- Washington Post/AP
Mortar fire kills 4 by famed Damascus mosque -- AFP
Syria conflict: Mortar near Umayyad Mosque kills three -- BBC
Four killed, 26 injured in Damascus mortar attack -- Press TV
UN Report Highlights The Trauma Of 1.1 Million Syrian Children
Syria War Creates Generation of 1.1 Million Lost Children -- Bloomberg
The Syrian civil war is creating a generation of traumatized, isolated and under-educated children who are vulnerable to exploitation and recruitment by armed groups, the United Nations said in a report.
About 1.1 million of 2.2 million refugees registered with the UN’s refugee agency are children, and among those who are school-aged fewer than half are in school, according to the report released today the UN High Commissioner for Refugees based on its July-October 2013 survey of refugee children and their families in Lebanon and Jordan.
Several of the 57 boys interviewed for the report expressed a desire to return to Syria to fight and the UN has heard of boys being trained to fight in preparation for return to Syria, the report said.
Read more ....
More News On The Plight Of Syria's Children
New UN report details widespread psychological distress of Syria’s refugee children -- UN News Centre
UN highlights trauma of Syrian refugee children -- AFP
UN: Syrian refugee children increasingly working, not in school -- Haaretz/AP
Syrian war scarring generation of children - UN refugee chief -- Reuters
Syrian refugee children face 'catastrophic' life in exile, UN says -- The Guardian
Syria war 'damaging a generation of children', UN warns -- BBC
UN urges support for Syrian refugee children -- Al Jazeera
Syria's children: Another year of horror -- CNN
U.N. report: Refugee children suffering as Syrian civil war continues -- UPI
Syrian refugee children forced to work in 'dangerous' conditions -- CBC
United Nations Draws Attention to Plight of Syrian Refugee Children -- New York Times
Syrian refugee children work, provide for families -- Washington Post/AP
Thousands of Syrian children left to survive alone, says UN -- The Telegraph
Tragedy by Numbers: The Lasting Impact of War on Syria’s Children -- Time
World News Briefs -- November 29, 2013
Chinese Jets Shadowed US And Japanese Planes In New Air Defense Zone -- RT
Chinese fighter jets were scrambled and followed US and Japanese planes that had entered the newly-proclaimed Chinese air defense zone in the disputed area of the East China Sea, Xinhua reports.
Two US surveillance aircraft and 10 Japanese F-15 jets were ‘tailed’ by Chinese pilots on Friday.
China ordered an urgent dispatch of its Su-30 and J-10 fighter jets to an area in the East China Sea after the foreign aircraft “invaded” the air defense zone, they said.
The reported intrusions came in defiance of the East China Sea Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ), established by Beijing last week.
Read more ....
MIDDLE EAST
Obama to Netanyahu: Tone down Iran trash talk, please.
Iran nuclear freeze to start by January, UN envoy says.
Assad’s army kills scores near Damascus.
Syrian refugee children face 'catastrophic' life in exile, UN says.
18 bodies killed execution-style found in Iraq.
Iraq warns Turkey over Kurdistan oil ties.
Saudi Arabia's foreign labour crackdown drives out 2m migrants.
ASIA
China air defense zone hangs over VP Biden’s visit.
China sends warplanes to newly declared air zone.
Hamid Karzai defiant on deal as NATO says sorry for civilian kills.
The Afghan villages where the Taliban rule at night.
Protesters in Thailand seek military support. Thai protesters capture army HQ in countrywide anti-government protests.
Victorious Nepali Congress Party tries to woo Maoists.
India's economy grows faster than expected.
Vietnam intensifies online crackdown.
AFRICA
Central African Republic to see renewal of French military drive.
Eastern Sudan could become next Darfur, report warns.
Nigeria's Boko Haram 'uses child soldiers'.
DR Congo President Joseph Kabila tours ex-rebel areas.
In Egypt, university campuses emerge as the latest battleground.
Jacob Zuma accused of corruption 'on a grand scale' in South Africa.
EUROPE
Thousands protest Ukrainian leader spiking EU deal.
Despite Ukraine triumph, Russia's relations with its neighbors are under strain.
Georgia, Moldova ink EU agreements as Ukraine backs off.
Eurozone unemployment falls for first time since 2011.
S&P upgrades Spain's economic outlook.
S&P removes Dutch from triple-A club, lifts outlook for Spain.
Protests as France debates prostitution bill.
Berlusconi fiancee ´appeals to Pope for pardon´.
AMERICAS
Violence breaks out across U.S. in holiday shopping rush.
Ire in Canada over report N.S.A. spied from Ottawa.
Argentine threat over Falkland Islands oil operations.
Cayman Islands and Costa Rica agree to share bank account details with US.
Mexican drug cartels now make money exporting ore.
Obama to look to Sasha to choose where they live after White House.
TERRORISM/THE LONG WAR
Suspected U.S. drone kills 1 in Pakistan; no intention of throttling back attacks.
One killed in US drone strike in Pakistan.
A detailed look at Syria’s Islamist, jihadist groups.
ECONOMY/FINANCE/BUSINESS
Wall Street ends mostly flat, but higher for month.
European firms size up post-deal Iran opportunities.
Credit Suisse names investment banker to lead Swiss ultra-rich clients.
Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- November 29, 2013
China Military Sends Air Patrols Through New Defense Zone: Xinhua -- Reuters
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - China's military sent several fighter jets and an early warning aircraft on patrol into disputed air space over the East China Sea on Thursday, the Chinese state news agency Xinhua reported, quoting a spokesman for the People's Liberation Army Air Force.
The move raises the stakes in a standoff with the United States, Japan and South Korea over the zone. Japan and South Korea sent their own military aircraft through the air space on Thursday.
The Chinese patrol mission was "a defensive measure and in line with international common practices," said Shen Jinke, a spokesman for China's air force, in the Xinhua article.
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MILITARY AND INTELLIGENCE NEWS BRIEFS
China Patrols Air Zone Over Disputed Islands -- New York Times
China’s Air Force on High Alert, Sends Warplanes into Air-Defense Zone -- AP
Chinese aircraft carrier Liaoning anchors for first time at new base in Sanya -- South China Morning Post
Japan 'prime target' in China air zone: media -- Space Daily/AFP
Hawkish Japan eyes military boost amid island dispute with China -- RT
Air Defense: Japan Builds More Aegis Ships -- Strategy Page
Scottish Independence Plan Punts on Timeline for Nuclear-Arms Removal -- Global Security Newswire
Scottish Nationalists reveal vision for independent air force -- Flight Global
Scottish independence: MoD sinks white paper plan -- Scotsman
'Lawrence of Helmand' marine awarded Afghan gallantry medal -- The Telegraph
France lays groundwork, preparing for new military forces to reach Central African Republic -- FOX News/AP
Russia Speeds Up Development of New Strategic Bomber -- RIA Novosti
Russia to Deploy 3 New S-400 Air Defense Regiments in 2014 -- RIA Novosti
Putin says drones aren't toys, Russia won't use them like other nations -- RT
Russian, US Defense Officials to Meet to ‘Settle Differences’ -- RIA Novosti
Furious Pakistanis out CIA spy, accuse John Brennan of murder -- Washington Times
Osprey hangars to be built at SDF bases outside Okinawa -- Japan news
NSA files – live coverage of all developments and reaction -- The Guardian
Submarine USS Dallas completes last deployment -- Navy Times
Drone on display at the National Naval Aviation Museum: Replica of new X-47B drone's shows unmanned aviation frontier -- PNJ
Air Force Grinch strikes -- PNJ.com
Special pays would be first casualty of delayed defense bill -- Stars and Stripes
Ben Cohen: from ice cream man to Pentagon budget warrior -- Boston Globe
An Army in transition awaits West Point cadets as wars end, military budgets shrink -- Washington Post
A woman’s word on sexual assault meets military code -- stars and Stripes/Kansas City Star
Last survivor of Navy crew that rescued Kennedy dies -- AP
What the Force Really Costs -- W. Jonathan Rue, War On The Rocks
Obama Calls 10 Military Members to Thank Them -- ABC News
PHOTOS: From Kuwait to Okinawa, servicemembers get a taste of home on Thanksgiving -- Stars and Stripes
U.S. marks 12th Thanksgiving in Afghanistan -- CNN
Makeshift Mortar-Style Launchers Fired At US Yokota Air Base In Japan
Makeshift Mortar-Style Launcher Found Outside U.S. Base In Japan After 'Attempted Left-Wing Guerilla Attack' -- Daily Mail
* Weapon consisted of two metal tubes connected to a simple timer
* Incident came hours after the arrest of senior member of ultra-left faction
* U.S. military's presence in Japan is highly controversial and resented
A makeshift mortar was found outside a U.S. airbase in Japan last night after two small explosions were heard nearby.
There were no injuries and no damage to the Yokota Air Force base in Tokyo, but investigations discovered what U.S. authorities described as an 'improvised launch device'.
The weapon consisted of two metal tubes dug into the ground, with their upper ends pointing towards the base, connected to a simple timing device.
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More News On Today's Attempted Attack On US Yokota Air Base In Japan
Devices fired near US military base in Japan -- BBC
U.S. military: 'improvised launch device' found near Air Force base in Japan -- Reuters
U.S. military: 'Improvised launch device' found outside base in Japan -- CNN
Explosions hit outside U.S. air base in Tokyo -- Washington Times
Home-made launchers likely fired at Yokota Air Base, officials say -- Stars and Stripes
Two small explosions outside U.S. military base in Japan -- UPI
Improvised weapons fired near US base in Japan -- The Australian
Radicals eyed after weapons fired near US base in Japan -- Global Post/AFP
Left-wing activists suspected after 'projectile' is fired at US base in Japan -- NBC
Kremlin Want To Know More About US GPS Stations In Russia
Dmitry Rogozin. © RIA Novosti. Sergei Mamontov
Russian Officials Puzzled About US GPS Stations in Russia -- RIA Novosti
MOSCOW, November 28 (RIA Novosti) – The Russian government does not have information about ground infrastructure for the United States’ GPS navigation system in Russia, a deputy prime minister said.
Dmitry Rogozin said Russian federal officials only “threw up their hands” when asked about “GPS signal calibration stations” in the country.
Rogozin ordered a report Monday into the origins and ownership of GPS ground-based equipment, to be presented by February.
His words were a reaction to the US’s reluctance to allow monitor stations for Glonass, Russia’s GPS rival, to be placed on American soil. Russia has asked the US for permission to place eight Glonass stations there. The request has elicited alarm among the CIA and some lawmakers, and the US has delayed making a decision on the issue.
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Update: Russian scientists worried over anti-GPS proposals -- Voice of Russia
My Comment: This comes on the heels on US objections of having Russian GPS calibration systems on American soil.
Iran Expands It's Submarine Fleet
A model of the Iranian Fateh-class submarine.
Iran Launches New Submarine Class -- USNI
Iran has launched a new class of indigenous submarine, according to a Tuesday report in Jane’s Defence Weekly.
One of the suspected Fateh-class of indigenously built submarines was spotted in the water near the Bostanu Shipyard near the Strait of Hormuz on Oct. 27, according to the report.
A second submarine appears to be under construction at the Bandar Anzali Naval Base on the Caspian Sea as of Sept. 27.
Jane’s supposition is based on satellite photographs taken over Bostanu and Bandar Anzail.
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More News On Iran's Submarine Fleet
Iran launches new submarine class -- Janes 360
Report: Satellite Imagery Shows Iran Launching Biggest Submarine Yet in Persian Gulf -- Algemeiner
DM: Iran to Launch New Submarine to Boost Naval Capabilities in High Seas -- FARS News Agency (Iran)
Report: Iran launches largest submarine in its fleet -- Israel Hayom
Iranian Navy Dispatches Heavy-Class Submarine to High Seas in East Asia -- FARS News Agency (Iran)
Iran sends Submarine to Sri Lanka -- Daily Mirror
Iran Deploys Submarine to India & Sri Lanka -- The Diplomat
Gulf Navies Seek Solutions to Iran Midget Sub Threat -- Defense News
Russian Navy Floats Out A New 'Stealth' Submarine
Novorossiisk submarine. © RIA Novosti. Igor Russak
Russia Floats Out ‘Stealth’ Submarine for Black Sea Fleet -- RIA Novosti
ST. PETERSBURG, November 28 (RIA Novosti) – A St. Petersburg-based shipyard on Thursday floated out the first of six Varshavyanka-class diesel-electric submarines to be delivered to the Black Sea Fleet in the next two years.
The much-anticipated delivery of these submarines, dubbed by the US Navy as “black holes in the ocean” because they are nearly undetectable when submerged, is a key part of Russia’s naval strategy in the Mediterranean, where Moscow has recently deployed a permanent task force consisting of some 10 surface ships.
Construction of the Novorossiisk submarine started at Admiralty Shipyards in August 2010, followed by the Rostov-on-Don sub in November 2011 and the Stary Oskol in August 2012.
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Update: Maritime ‘black hole’: Russia launches new ‘stealth’ submarine -- RT
My Comment: One more worry for America's navy.
Sri Lanka Finally Starts To Count It's Civil War Dead
Sri Lanka To Start Tally of Civil War Dead -- Time
Count is an attempt to meet international demands for greater transparency over wartime losses and civilian disappearances
The government of Sri Lanka announced plans this week to conduct a nationwide census to tally “human and property damages” inflicted during the nation’s three decades of civil war.
“The death toll of civilians during the 30-year conflict has not been accurately assessed,” a Nov. 26 government statement read. “A UN panel probed the last phase of the war [and] has estimated that around 40,000 died while other independent reports estimated the number of civilians dead to exceed 100,000.”
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More News On Sri Lanka Finally Tallying It's Civil War Dead
Sri Lanka counts war dead after pressure from abroad -- Reuters
Sri Lanka starts counting the civil war dead -- AP
Sri Lanka to compile toll of war dead -- Global Post/AFP
Sri Lanka set to begin survey of civil war dead -- BBC
Sri Lanka begins census of civil war dead, property losses -- UPI
Sri Lanka says 'nothing to hide' as it begins counting war dead -- Australia Network News
My Comment: The above video is a 2011 documentary from Channel 4 on Sri Lanka's "killing fields" during the civil war.
A Growing Crisis In Thailand
Thailand’s Premier Survives Vote as Protests Continue -- New York Times
BANGKOK — Ignoring Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra’s victory in a parliamentary no-confidence vote, protesters in Thailand continued their campaign to shut down government offices, cutting power on Thursday to Bangkok’s police headquarters.
But the number of demonstrators appeared to have declined, with the police estimating there to be around 15,000, compared with the tens of thousands who took over the Finance Ministry and surrounded other ministries earlier in the week.
“Their numbers are declining gradually each day,” Maj. Gen. Piya Uthayo, a police spokesman, said. Yet there were still large crowds on the streets on Thursday evening, and the police tally did not take into account protests in the provinces, which began Wednesday and continued on Thursday.
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More News On The Political Crisis In Thailand
Thai prime minister pleads for end to protests -- Washington Post/AP
Protesters target Thai PM's party, government seeks to avoid violent confrontation -- Reuters
Thai Opposition Party Supports Protests Seeking PM Ouster -- Bloomberg Businessweek
Thai Protesters Press on With Rallies Amid Fears of Violence -- Voice of America
Thai Prime Minister Calls for Talks to End Street Protest -- Bloomberg
In Thailand, It's Crippling Déjà vu All Over Again -- Joshua Kurlantzick, Bloomberg Businessweek
Argentina Vows To Imprison Those Who Drill For Oil In The Falklands
The Falkland Islands and South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands are British Overseas Territories. BBC
Argentina Declares War On Falkland Islands Oil Reserves, Warning Of 'Criminality' -- Express
ARGENTINA has declared war on the Falkland Islands’ oil reserves after the country’s Congress today passed a law imposing criminal sanctions on any “illegal exploration around Las Malvinas”.
The Argentine Embassy in London tonight issued a statement warning British companies and individuals they face prison sentences of up to 15 years.
Fines equivalent to the value of 1.5 million barrels of oil–about £100million at current prices–would also be levied.
The move by Buenos Aeries is a major ratcheting of the tension in the region and has triggered a furious response by the Foreign Office reminding Argentina that the Falklands are British sovereign territory.
The new law means companies would also be banned from operating in Argentina and any oil found or exploration equipment would be confiscated.
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More News On Argentina Threatening Falkland Island Oil Firms
Argentine threat over Falkland Islands oil operations -- BBC
Britain, Argentina in fresh row over drilling in Falklands-media -- Reuters
Drilling for oil in the Falklands now punishable with 15 years in jail -- The Guardian
Falklands oil firms threatened -- Belfast Telegraph
Argentina vows to jail Falklands oil explorers -- The Telegraph
Picture Of The Day
U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Jorge A. Pineda, left, and U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Andrew P. Savoie provide security from the back of a CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter in Helmand province, Afghanistan, Nov. 2, 2013. Pineda, an aerial observer, and Savoie, a crew chief, are assigned to Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 462. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Gabriela Garcia
The Rise Of ‘Saudi America’
Rise Of ‘Saudi America’ Will Alter Globe, Prolong U.S. Superpower Role -- Tim Johnson, McClatchy Foreign Staff
MEXICO CITY — For the past 40 years, U.S. presidents have launched distant wars, allied with autocratic sheikhs and dispatched naval fleets to protect sea lanes, all for the imperative of keeping foreign oil spigots flowing.
That imperative has now subsided. Rather suddenly, the center of gravity of global energy production has swung toward the Americas as shale oil and gas fields in North Dakota and Texas hum with activity. America is moving to the fore as the world’s largest producer of petroleum and natural gas.
That change will reorder the globe in ways large and small.
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My Comment: The center of gravity of global energy production has definitely swung toward the Americas as shale oil and gas fields in North Dakota and Texas expand. And while I do believe that this is only temporary .... oil reserves will eventually be depleted .... for the foreseeable future this is a welcome development.