Venezuela's Self-Declared Interim President Juan Guaidó's Family Threatened By Security Forces

BBC: Venezuela crisis: Juan Guaidó says family has been threatened

Venezuela's self-declared interim president Juan Guaidó has said his family has been threatened, amid the country's continuing political crisis.

In a speech at Venezuela's Central University, he said police had visited his family home looking for his wife.

Mr Guaidó declared himself president this month and was immediately recognised by the US and several Latin American countries.

Russia and China back President Nicolás Maduro.

Military support is seen as crucial to Mr Maduro's hold on power. But Mr Guaidó says he has held secret meetings with the military to win support for ousting Mr Maduro.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: If they are going after Juan Guaidó's family, the Maduro regime is becoming desperate.

More News On Juan Guaidó's Family Being Threatened By Security Forces

'They will not intimidate this family': Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido says Nicolas Maduro sent shock troops to his family's apartment to question his wife and intimidated his 20-month-old daughter and her grandmother in the home -- Daily Mail
Venezuela's Guaido accuses security forces of threatening his family -- AFP
Juan Guaidó Claims Police Raided His Home As He Struggles To Consolidate Power -- NPR
Venezuela opposition leader to police: Leave my family alone -- AP

President Trump Says ‘Very Comprehensive Deal’ With China Within Reach. May Meet President Xi

U.S. President Donald Trump lspeaks as he meets with China's Vice Premier Liu He in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, U.S., January 31, 2019. REUTERS/Jim Young

Reuters: Trump to meet with China's Xi to try to seal trade deal, progress reported

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday he will meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping soon to try to seal a comprehensive trade deal as Trump and his top trade negotiator both cited substantial progress in two days of high-level talks.

Trump, speaking at the White House during a meeting with Chinese Vice Premier Liu He, said he was optimistic that the world’s two largest economies could reach “the biggest deal ever made.”

No specific plans for a meeting with Xi were announced, but Trump said there could be more than one meeting. U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin were invited to bring a U.S. negotiating team to Beijing around mid-February, with dates still pending.

Read more ....

More News On President Trump Saying That A ‘Very Comprehensive Deal’ With China Is Within Reach

Trump says ‘very comprehensive deal’ with China within reach -- Politico
Trump says he'll meet with China's Xi after trade talks end with no deal -- FOX News/AP
China's Xi wants to meet US halfway on trade deal, Trump says -- CNBC/Reuters
Trump hails 'tremendous' progress in US-China trade talks -- AFP
Trump Optimistic on Trade Deal With China, but May Keep Tariffs Anyway -- The New York Times
Chinese trade deal 'unacceptable' unless Beijing opens markets: Trump -- Reuters
Trump-Xi meeting next month? Officials on both sides in talks -- FOX Business

U.S. Sends B-52s Over East China Sea On 'Routine Training' Exercise

A B-52 bomber sits on the flight line at Andersen Air Force Base on the U.S. island territory of Guam on Jan. 15., 2019. U.S. AIR FORCE

Japan Times: Amid trade and military tensions, U.S. sends B-52s over East China Sea on 'routine training' exercise

The U.S. Air Force has sent two B-52 bombers over the East China Sea for “routine training” near Okinawa Prefecture, the military has said, the latest mission in the waterway that is home to the Japanese-controlled Senkaku Islands.

The B-52 bomber mission was part of so-called continuous bomber presence operations by the U.S., which the military says “have been ongoing since March 2004” and “are consistent with international law and United States’ long-standing and well-known freedom of navigation policies.”

The exercise also came just ahead of high-level U.S.-China talks scheduled for Wednesday in Washington aimed at finding a solution to a trade war that has cast a growing shadow over the world’s top two economies.

Read more ....

Update: US Air Force Flies 2 B-52H Bombers Over East China Sea (The Diplomat)

WNU Editor: This is the new normal in this part of the world.

Israel's Navy Simulates An Attack On A Natural Gas Platform (Video)

Times of Israel: Army simulates attack on gas rigs in most complex naval drill in decades

Gunships fire missiles at cargo freighter acting as enemy vessel in massive exercise meant to prepare for attacks by Hamas, Hezbollah.

The Israel Navy this week simulated an attack on the country’s natural gas platforms, including a live-fire test of sea-to-sea missiles to destroy an “enemy ship,” the military said Thursday.

Four Sa’ar-4.5 model corvettes participated in the week-long naval exercise, dubbed “Raging Sea,” which ended on Thursday.

The military said it was the most complex naval drill in decades.

The exercise included missiles fired from four ships simultaneously at an old cargo freighter acting as an enemy vessel.

Read more ....

Update #1: Navy holds drill simulating attack against gas rigs (Jerusalem Post)
Update #2: Watch: Israeli Navy trains for combat (Arutz Sheva)

WNU Editor:  Israel is sending a message to everyone to not mess around with their off-shore natural gas facilities.

Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- January 31, 2019

Curt Mills, National Interest: The Congressional Assault On Trump’s War Powers

McConnell's amendment rebuking Trump is approved by the Senate.

“Trump will be remembered for overseeing a dramatic weakening of the presidency—it’ll be back to Andrew Johnson days,” a prominent conservative close to the White House says.

Such is the sentiment among many of the president’s allies who back his proposed withdrawal in Syria and pullback in Afghanistan. The president, albeit inconsistently, has his priorities. But he is routinely stymied by his own knife-fighting subordinates and fellow partisans in Congress.

Read more ....

Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- January 31, 2019

Lebanon’s rival factions form new cabinet to salvage sinking economy -- Alison Tahmizian Meuse, Asia Times

Countering China’s Expanding Global Access -- Mike Gallagher, RCD

The Afghan scenario is far from gloomy -- M.K. Bhadrakumar, Asia Times

Why the Afghanistan Peace Process Requires an American Exodus -- Daniel R. DePetris, National Interest

Modi's India Doubles Down on Hindu Nationalism -- Max Frost, National Interest

Why Joseph Kabila Lost the Election -- Mvemba Phezo Dizolele, CSIS

A Brotherly Takeover: Could Russia Annex Belarus? -- Moscow Times

Europe in pieces: Where voters disagree -- Ryan Heath, Arnau Busquets Guàrdia, Hanne Cokelaere and Hanna Pawelec, Politico

Mexico’s Drug War -- Brianna Lee, Danielle Renwick, and Rocio Cara Labrador, Council on Foreign Relations

Are Colombian security forces out of control? -- Juan Manuel Santos, DW

Europe Has a Role to Play in Venezuela -- Dita Charanzová, RCW

Venezuela's slow coup continues -- George Ciccariello-Maher, Al Jazeera

Guaidó is brave. But Venezuela’s elite will not be easily overthrown -- Omar Lugo, The Guardian

Dissenting Opinions: On an Intervention in Venezuela -- George Friedman and Jacob L. Shapiro, Geopolitical Futures

Globalisation Has Faltered -- The Economist

World News Briefs -- January 31, 2019 (Evening Edition)

Reuters: Senate rebukes Trump, advances measure on Syria troops

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - In a rebuke of President Donald Trump, the Republican-led U.S. Senate advanced largely symbolic legislation on Thursday opposing plans for any abrupt withdrawal of troops from Syria and Afghanistan.

The Senate voted 68-23 in favor of a non-binding amendment, drafted by Republican Majority Leader Mitch McConnell saying it was the sense of the Senate that Islamic militant groups in both countries continue to pose a “serious threat” to the United States.

Read more ....

MIDDLE EAST

Lebanon factions form government, ending nine-month deadlock.

Bipartisan US senators press Trump for strategy to protect Syrian Kurds.

US wants three allies to help protect Kurds from Turkey - Report.

US lawmakers renew fight with Trump over Saudi Arabia, Yemen.

Six Arab foreign ministers meet in Jordan 'to align policy'.

Saudi Arabia: Corruption crackdown 'ends with $106bn recovered'. Saudi Arabia ends major anti-corruption campaign.

Netanyahu challenger leaps in polls after maiden speech.

Iran welcomes new EU trade entity as 'first step'.

Iran to mark 40th anniversary of revolution.

Israel's giant offshore gas field gets platform jacket.

ASIA

Xi’s tough talk on Taiwan backfires, as Tsai support surges.

Trump plans to meet Xi after US-China talks end with no deal.

Pompeo says team heading to Asia for 2nd Trump-Kim summit.

Trump to say when, where he’ll hold 2nd North Korean summit.

Afghan forces lose ground as peace efforts continue: Report. Report: Afghan forces still shrinking, security gaps growing.

Myanmar rebel groups consider alliance against government.

Getting warmer: Mike Pompeo says a Kim summit is on the books for late February - and it will take place somewhere in Asia.

A map showing Taiwan and China as separate countries rattled some nerves from behind China's Great Firewall.

China's factory activity shrinks as slowdown worries rise.

India unemployment rate highest in 45 years: Report.

437 Bangkok schools closed due to smog.

AFRICA

Zimbabwe’s teachers unions to strike next week over pay.

Sudan police fire tear gas as protesters launch new rallies.

Sudan's Omar al-Bashir mocks 'Facebook protesters'.

Sudan's army says it will 'not allow state to fall' amid protests.

'Raped by soldiers': Zimbabwean women live in fear.

UN sets course towards easing CAR arms embargo.

Detained Cameroon opposition head accused of rebellion.

Algeria PM's party backs Bouteflika for fifth term.

Death toll at 52 after migrant boats sink off Djibouti.

EUROPE

U.S. to announce suspension of compliance with nuclear pact: officials.

Russia says 'no progress' on nuclear treaty ahead of deadline.

Italy slides into recession as eurozone struggles. Italy in recession amid sluggish eurozone.

INSTEX: Europe sets up transactions channel with Iran. UK, France and Germany create payments system to trade with Iran.

EU parliament recognises Venezuela's Guaido as interim president.

French MPs condemn 'authoritarian' plans to curtail gilets jaunes protests.

'Trauma packs' being stockpiled in UK over fears of no-deal Brexit.

AMERICAS

Trump, Pelosi stances on wall suggest deal will be difficult.

Pelosi: No wall money in U.S. border deal talks.

Trump: More troops going to border but wall would be 'much easier'.

Trump: China trade talks going well, will meet Xi in near future.

Venezuelans take to streets in walkout to push Maduro out.

Venezuela's Guaidó urging west to keep up pressure, says Hunt.

Venezuela crisis: Juan Guaidó says family has been threatened.

Venezuela detains foreign journalists amid crackdown on protests.

Canada withdraws half of its embassy staff from Cuba after another mystery illness.

Polar vortex claims eight lives as US cold snap continues.

TERRORISM/THE LONG WAR

US military says airstrike kills 24 al-Shabab extremists in central Somalia.

In former IS bastion, displaced Syrians clamour to go home.

The story of a US raid on al-Qaeda in Yemen.

ECONOMY/FINANCE/BUSINESS

S&P 500 index delivers biggest monthly gain since 2015.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin upbeat after first day of US-China trade war talks in Washington.

US, China lead race for artificial intelligence patents: UN.

Oil prices extend rise as OPEC cuts tighten supply.

This Is How The People's Liberation Army Does Military Strategy

Soldiers of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) of China arrive on their armoured vehicles at Tiananmen Square during the military parade marking the 70th anniversary of the end of World War Two, in Beijing, China, September 3, 2015 Reuters

Ankit Panda, The Diplomat: M. Taylor Fravel on How the People's Liberation Army Does Military Strategy

The Diplomat speaks with M. Taylor Fravel about how China’s People’s Liberation Army thinks about war.

How does China’s People’s Liberation Army think about military strategy? How and when has it made changes to its strategy through the past? To better understand these questions and more, The Diplomat’s Ankit Panda spoke to M. Taylor Fravel, the Arthur and Ruth Sloan Professor of Political Science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Fravel is the author of a forthcoming book on Chinese military strategy.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: A must read for those who are focused on China's military.

U.S. Intelligence Believes There Is Another Mysterious Chinese Stealth Bomber Project

Unofficial concept art for a Chinese stealth bomber. Chinese social media

Business Insider: US intelligence report reveals another mysterious Chinese stealth bomber project

* A new report on China's military power from the Defense Intelligence Agency just revealed yet another Chinese stealth bomber project.
* China is known to be working on a long-range stealth bomber that's most likely a match to the US's B-2 Spirit bomber, but the intelligence report suggested a new fighter/bomber.
* The fighter/bomber concept makes a lot of sense for China in the Pacific, where a war with the US or Japan is a rising possibility to prepare for.
* China has some very long range air-to-air missiles, and a medium-range stealth bomber that can out-reach short range US fighters like the F-35 could give them an edge in combat over the South China Sea.

China made history as the only nation other than the US to ever field a stealth fighter jet, and a new report on China's military power from the Defense Intelligence Agency just revealed yet another batch of stealth combat aircraft projects.

China "is developing new medium- and long-range stealth bombers to strike regional and global targets," the report reads. "Stealth technology continues to play a key role in the development of these new bombers, which probably will reach initial operational capability no sooner than 2025," it continued.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: There are some doubts that this is a real project .... Is China Really Building Two Stealth Bombers? (January 26, 2019).

Report: The Afghan War Continues To Worsen

Afghan National Army soldiers keep watch at a checkpoint in Logar province, Afghanistan, Feb. 16, 2016. Afghan forces and U.S. airstrikes targeted ISIS fighters Tuesday. PHOTO: REUTERS/OMAR SOBHANI

Al Jazeera: Afghan forces lose ground as peace efforts continue: Report

Facing surge in attacks, US dramatically increased air attacks and dropped nearly 7,000 bombs in 2018.

The security forces continue to lose grip over parts of Afghanistan and the Taliban are steadily holding their own, despite an increase in the US air attacks against the armed group, a US watchdog agency has said.

The latest quarterly report by the US Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) shows 53.8 percent of Afghanistan's 407 districts are with the government, covering 63.5 percent of the population by October 2018, with the rest of the country controlled or contested by the Taliban.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: The U.S. Senate is sending the message that there will be no withdrawal .... Senate to vote on bill warning against "precipitous withdrawal" from Syria and Afghanistan (USA Today).

New U.S. Aircraf Carrier Still Has Problems Launching And Landing Aircraft

President Donald Trump delivers remarks aboard the USS Gerald R. Ford. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

Business Insider: The vital US Navy aircraft carrier system Trump is obsessed over keeps failing, running up costs

* President Donald Trump has taken a near obsessive interest in the catapults on the US Navy's $13 billion USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier, and a new report says it's continuing to fail and may never work.
* The Pentagon's weapon tester will issue a report on the Ford saying the supercarrier continues to fail at its fundamental task: launching and landing aircraft.
* Trump frequently goes off on tangents bashing the new system of electromagnetic catapults to launch US Navy jets, and it looks like he's basically right.

President Donald Trump does not micromanage the Pentagon as his predecessor did, but since taking office he's taken a near obsessive interest in a particular system aboard the US Navy's $13 billion USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier.

And according to a new oversight report to be released from the Defense Department's operational test office, Trump was right to worry.

The Navy's Ford-class aircraft carrier, the first carrier design in decades that was meant to revolutionize naval warfare, continues to fail at a fundamental task: Launching and landing aircraft.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: Here is an easy prediction. More money will need to be spent to solve this problem.

Russian Su-27 Aggressively 'Pushes' A U.S. F-15 By Banking Across It (Video)

Daily Mail: Astonishing moment Russian jet 'pushes' US F-15 by banking across it 'during NATO patrol over Baltic Sea'

* Russian fighter aggressively forced US-made plane to divert from its flight path
* The Su-27 cut across the F-15 from the side during the dangerous manoeuvre
* Pentagon said Russian jet had come close to colliding with one of its fighters over Black Sea on Monday - but it's not known if the two incidents are related

A Russian fighter jet has been filmed forcing a US F-15 to turn away and change course by flying dangerously close to the American aircraft.

In footage circulating on Russian social media, the Su-27 fighter comes into frame and makes a sharp left to bank across the F-15 from the side.

The US-made plane has no choice but to move out of the way as the Russian jet came within feet of hitting it.

The Pentagon said that a Russian jet came dangerously close to one of its fighters over the Black Sea on Monday.

Read more ....

Update: This wild video shows a Russian fighter aggressively banking into a US F-15 during a suspected intercept (Business Insider)

WNU Editor: That Su-27 is definitely very aggressive.

U.S. Republicans Want To Reclaim More Power Over Foreign Policy

The U.S. Capitol Building is pictured in Washington, February 27, 2013. REUTERS/Jason Reed

The Hill: GOP poised to rebuke Trump

Frustrated Republicans say it’s time for the Senate to reclaim more power over foreign policy and are planning to move a measure Thursday that would be a stunning rebuke to a president of their own party.

GOP lawmakers are deeply concerned over President Trump’s reluctance to listen to his senior military and intelligence advisers, fearing it could erode national security. They say the Senate has lost too much of its constitutional power over shaping the nation’s foreign policy and argue that it’s time to begin clawing some of it back.

“Power over foreign policy has shifted to the executive branch over the last 30 years. Many of us in the Senate want to start taking it back,” said a Republican senator closely allied with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.).

Read more ....

WNU Editor: Here is some of the legislation that is being proposed ....

Trump's allies are worried the president's impatience to pull US troops out of Afghanistan could reignite the kind of chaos that forced the US to invade in the first place (AP)
Bipartisan House group introduces bills to stall Syria, South Korea troop withdrawals (The Hill)

U.S. Senate Minority Leader Schumer Wants U.S. Intel Chiefs To Stage An Intervention With President Trump

It’s past time for U.S. Intelligence Community leaders to stage an intervention with @realDonaldTrump.

My letter to Dan Coats, the Director of National Intelligence: pic.twitter.com/RVC2WvVcj7

— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) January 31, 2019

CNN: Schumer asks intel chiefs to educate Trump after 'extraordinarily inappropriate' criticism

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called President Donald Trump's criticism of US intelligence leaders' security assessments a threat to the public's trust in national security in a letter to Trump's intelligence chiefs Wednesday.

Trump, in a rebuke that was reminiscent of his past criticisms of law enforcement officials, said earlier Wednesday on Twitter that the intel chiefs who contradicted him at a congressional hearing on Tuesday were "extremely passive and naive" on the matter.

"The Intelligence people seem to be extremely passive and naive when it comes to the dangers of Iran. They are wrong!" Trump tweeted. "When I became President Iran was making trouble all over the Middle East, and beyond. Since ending the terrible Iran Nuclear Deal, they are MUCH different, but a source of potential danger and conflict. They are testing Rockets (last week) and more, and are coming very close to the edge. There economy is now crashing, which is the only thing holding them back. Be careful of Iran. Perhaps Intelligence should go back to school!"

Read more ....

Update: Schumer: Past time for intel leaders to 'stage an intervention' with Trump (The Hill)

WNU Editor: What Senator Schumer wants is not going to happen. As to what is my take on the differences between President Trump and his intel chiefs. Regular readers of this blog know that I am always skeptical of the intelligence community when they make security assessments on the intentions of other governments. What happened this week is no exception.

Why 5G Is Important To The U.S. And Chinese Military

SCMP: Why 5G, a battleground for US and China, is also a fight for military supremacy

* Next-generation networks will be vital to future military operations, raising the stakes between those developing the technology
* It may be easier to hack 5G, but strategic motivations are also behind concerns of the United States, experts say

Apart from its tremendous commercial benefits, 5G – the fifth generation of mobile communication – is revolutionising military and security technology, which is partly why it has become a focal point in the United States’ efforts to contain China’s rise as a tech power and its allegations against Chinese companies.

The future landscape of warfare and cybersecurity could be fundamentally changed by 5G. But experts say 5G is more susceptible to hacking than previous networks, at a time of rising security concerns and US-China tensions on various interconnected fronts that include trade, influence in the Asia-Pacific region and technological rivalry.

These tensions provide the backdrop to controversy surrounding Huawei, the world’s largest telecoms equipment supplier.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: A brief but useful summary on why 5G is (and will be) important for every military force in the world.

Update: U.S. wants Western tech to be used instead of Huawei kit (Reuters).

World News Briefs -- January 31, 2019

Stumbling block: The Russian Novatar 9M729 ground-based cruise missile system is accused by the U.S. of breaching the INF treaty which Russia denies. The U.S. now says it will pull out of the treaty as soon as this weekend after talks to resolve the standoff failed

Daily Mail: Trump administration says it will quit arms control treaty which bans U.S. nuclear missiles from Europe after accusing Putin of failing to comply with pact

* U.S. arms controls officials held last-ditch talks in Moscow Thursday on the 1987 signed Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces Treaty, or INF
* Treaty was signed by Reagan and Gorbachev and banned both Soviet and U.S. land-based nuclear missiles from being stationed in Europe
* Treaty was seen as key part in ending Cold War tension but the Trump administration says Putin is violating it with his new Novatar 9M729 missile
* Russians say the U.S. is looking for a pretext to leave the treaty; move will let U.S. develop new weapons systems and potentially station them in Europe

The United States will stop complying with a landmark nuclear pact with Russia as soon as this weekend after last-ditch talks with Moscow to save it fell flat, a senior U.S. arms control official said on Thursday.

Washington has long accused Russia of flouting the 1987 Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF), alleging that a new Russian missile, the Novator 9M729, called the SSC-8 by NATO, violates the pact, which bans either side from stationing short- and intermediate-range, land-based missiles in Europe.

Read more ....

MIDDLE EAST

Bipartisan US senators press Trump for strategy to protect Syrian Kurds.

US wants three allies to help protect Kurds from Turkey - Report.

US lawmakers renew fight with Trump over Saudi Arabia, Yemen.

Six Arab foreign ministers meet in Jordan 'to align policy'.

Saudi Arabia: Corruption crackdown 'ends with $106bn recovered'. Saudi Arabia ends major anti-corruption campaign.

Netanyahu challenger leaps in polls after maiden speech.

Iran welcomes new EU trade entity as 'first step'.

Iran to mark 40th anniversary of revolution.

ASIA

Afghan forces lose ground as peace efforts continue: Report.

Myanmar rebel groups consider alliance against government.

Getting warmer: Mike Pompeo says a Kim summit is on the books for late February - and it will take place somewhere in Asia.

A map showing Taiwan and China as separate countries rattled some nerves from behind China's Great Firewall.

China's factory activity shrinks as slowdown worries rise.

India unemployment rate highest in 45 years: Report.

437 Bangkok schools closed due to smog.

AFRICA

Sudan police fire tear gas as protesters launch new rallies.

Sudan's Omar al-Bashir mocks 'Facebook protesters'.

Sudan's army says it will 'not allow state to fall' amid protests.

'Raped by soldiers': Zimbabwean women live in fear.

UN sets course towards easing CAR arms embargo.

Detained Cameroon opposition head accused of rebellion.

Algeria PM's party backs Bouteflika for fifth term.

Death toll at 52 after migrant boats sink off Djibouti.

EUROPE

Russia says 'no progress' on nuclear treaty ahead of deadline.

Italy slides into recession as eurozone struggles. Italy in recession amid sluggish eurozone.

INSTEX: Europe sets up transactions channel with Iran. UK, France and Germany create payments system to trade with Iran.

EU parliament recognises Venezuela's Guaido as interim president.

French MPs condemn 'authoritarian' plans to curtail gilets jaunes protests.

'Trauma packs' being stockpiled in UK over fears of no-deal Brexit.

AMERICAS

Pelosi: No wall money in U.S. border deal talks.

Trump: More troops going to border but wall would be 'much easier'.

Trump: China trade talks going well, will meet Xi in near future.

Venezuela's Guaidó urging west to keep up pressure, says Hunt.

Venezuela crisis: Juan Guaidó says family has been threatened.

Venezuela detains foreign journalists amid crackdown on protests.

Canada withdraws half of its embassy staff from Cuba after another mystery illness.

Polar vortex claims eight lives as US cold snap continues.

TERRORISM/THE LONG WAR

US military says airstrike kills 24 al-Shabab extremists in central Somalia.

In former IS bastion, displaced Syrians clamour to go home.

The story of a US raid on al-Qaeda in Yemen.

ECONOMY/FINANCE/BUSINESS

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin upbeat after first day of US-China trade war talks in Washington.

US, China lead race for artificial intelligence patents: UN.

Oil prices extend rise as OPEC cuts tighten supply.

Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- January 31, 2019

Soldiers with the 101st Resolute Support Sustainment Brigade load onto a Chinook helicopter for a mission with Combined Joint Operations Area- Afghanistan on Jan. 15, 2019. (1st Lt. Verniccia Ford/Army)

Leo Shane III, Military Times: Iraq, Afghanistan vets are split on whether wars were ‘worth it’

WASHINGTON — Veterans who fought in recent wars hold conflicting views over the value of that fight, according to the latest membership survey from Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America.

About 47 percent said U.S. involvement in the Iraq War was “worth it,” against 43 percent who said it was not. Opinions of the Afghanistan War were slightly higher, with 62 percent in favor and 28 percent opposed.

The survey, which drew responses from roughly 4,600 group members on a host of public policy and military transition issues, doesn’t serve as a full public poll of the opinions of the youngest generation of veterans in America today.

Read more ....

Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- January 31, 2019

US Air Force’s light-attack experiment could mix in drones and helos -- Defense News

WATCH: Sikorsky-Boeing Defiant completes ground run -- Defense News

Lockheed awarded $559.6M for Trident II D5 missiles, system support -- UPI

US may launch new class of nuclear weapons this weekend after falling out with Russia on key treaty -- Reuters

F-model of Javelin missile hits full-rate production with 2,100-missile order -- UPI

General Dynamics To Invest $1 Billion In Production Facilities Upgrades With Focus on Subs -- USNI News

Carrier Lincoln Readies for Historic Deployment Amid Homeport Change -- Military.com

The vital US Navy aircraft carrier system Trump is obsessed over keeps failing, running up costs -- Business Insider

Four Reasons Why Hybrid Electric Drive Would Be Good for the Navy’s Future Frigate -- RCD

Navy to commission submarine USS South Dakota on Saturday -- UPI

As Russia, China Threaten, Navy SEALs Get a New Focus -- Military.com

Trump to abandon arms pact with Russia as soon as Saturday, US official says -- The Hill

Dems introduce bill barring US from using nuclear weapons first -- The Hill

Trump's allies are worried the president's impatience to pull US troops out of Afghanistan could reignite the kind of chaos that forced the US to invade in the first place -- AP

Bipartisan House group introduces bills to stall Syria, South Korea troop withdrawals -- The Hill

House Armed Services Dems demand Pentagon offer more complete climate change report -- The Hill

Pentagon to Audit Air Refueling Ops by ‘Grossly Over-Extended’ Military Machine -- Sputnik

Active-Duty Military Suicides At Record Highs in 2018 -- Military.com

'What We're Seeing Now Can Never Happen Again' — Lawmakers Demand Answers Over Godawful Military Housing -- Task & Purpose

Royal Netherlands Air Force Rolls Out First Operational F-35A -- Air Force Magazine

German's military has less than half its best fighter jets, none of its submarines, and 21,500 unfilled jobs -- Business Insider

Denmark, France, Netherlands receive first land munitions through NATO pact -- UPI

‘Eurodrone’ makers considering US tech for crucial collision-avoidance feature -- Defense News

Venezuela’s opposition seeks to revise arms contracts with Russia -- TASS

Russian military to get first upgraded Tupolev-160M bomber in 2021 -- TASS

China eyes a strategic port in the Philippines -- Asia Times

China's military-run space station in Argentina is a 'black box' -- Reuters

China claims its advanced J-16 strike fighter just went stealth with nothing more than a new paint job -- Business Insider

Beijing opens maritime rescue base in South China Sea -- ABC News Online

China's new 'carrier killer' video is a treasure trove of military intel that should worry the US Navy -- Business Insider

How will Japan defend itself, if it can’t get its youth to serve? -- Tara Copp, Military Times

Australian planes involved in Iraqi airstrike which killed up to 18 civilians -- ABC News Online

Iran Unveils New 'Cruise Missile' In Military Exhibit -- Radio Farda

Will Russia And China Join Forces On Nuclear Weapons Strategy?

China's President Xi Jinping (right) and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, attend a welcome ceremony at the Xijiao State Guest Hotel, before the fourth Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia summit in Shanghai, on May 20, 2014. Reuters/Carlos Barria

Newsweek: Russia and China Will Join Forces on Nuclear Weapons Strategy as U.S. Threatens to Leave Arms Deal

Russia and China are boosting bilateral cooperation on nuclear weapons strategies as they accused the United States of disrupting nonproliferation measures during a high-level meeting of the top five nuclear powers.

Representatives of the so-called "Nuclear Five" met Wednesday in Beijing, at a time of heightened tensions between the Eastern and Western permanent members of the United Nations Security Council. The grouping included China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the U.S., signatories of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), a landmark document that sought to curb the spread of weapons of mass destruction during a decades-long arms race between Washington and Moscow.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: Russia and China are denying these reports .... Russian-Chinese Cooperation Not Aimed Against Third States - Beijing (Sputnik). As to what is my take. Russia is not going to work with China on nuclear weapons strategy. Russia's nuclear arsenal dwarfs China's nuclear stockpile by a factor of 30 (if not more). There is no upside for Russia to work with China. And as for the China. If history is any indication, they prefer to keep their nuclear weapon programs and strategies to themselves.

U.S. - Russian Nuclear Talks To Save The INF Treaty Have Collapsed

Reuters: U.S. to stop complying with nuclear pact with Russia after talks flop

BEIJING/MOSCOW (Reuters) - The United States will stop complying with a landmark nuclear pact with Russia as soon as this weekend after last-ditch talks with Moscow to save it fell flat, a senior U.S. arms control official said on Thursday.

Washington has long accused Russia of flouting the 1987 Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF), alleging that a new Russian missile, the Novator 9M729, called the SSC-8 by NATO, violates the pact, which bans either side from stationing short- and intermediate-range, land-based missiles in Europe.

Russia denies that, saying the missile’s range puts it outside the treaty, and has accused the United States of inventing a false pretext to exit a treaty Washington wants to leave anyway so as to develop new missiles. It has also rejected a U.S. demand to destroy the new missile.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: The U.S. will withdraw from the INF treaty this Saturday. I am just surprised that aside from nuclear arms control advocates, there has been very little political opposition in Washington against President Trump on this decision. It appears that the Democrats are more focused on this .... Top Democrats introduce bill to prevent US from striking first with nuclear weapons (Stars and Stripes/Washington Post).

More News On The Collapse Of The INF Treaty

INF Treaty talks between Russia and the U.S. fail at summit -- NBC
Trump to abandon arms pact with Russia as soon as Saturday, US official says -- The Hill
Fears of a renewed nuclear arms race with Russia spike as weapons pact teeters on deadline -- Washington Times
The U.S. will quit this nuclear treaty with Russia “this weekend,” official says -- Vice News
Russia says 'no progress' in settling INF Treaty disputes with U.S. -- CGTN

World Nuclear Powers Meet In Beijing

RFE: Five Nuclear Powers Meeting In Beijing As U.S. Calls For Transparency

The United States has called for more transparency from Russia and China regarding their nuclear programs, as diplomats from five major nuclear powers meet in Beijing.

The two-day conference that opened on January 30 is aimed at preventing the further proliferation of nuclear weapons. Aside from Beijing, Moscow, and Washington, diplomats from London and Paris are also participating.

Britain, China, France, Russia, and the United States are the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, and all of them are nuclear-armed powers.

Read more ....

Update #1: Five nuke powers vow to safeguard non-proliferation treaty (CGTN)
Update #2: The major nuclear powers are meeting in Beijing. Why? Euronews answers (Euronews/AP/Reuters).

WNU Editor: This meeting is already causing friction .... US accuses Russia, China of lack of transparency on nuclear programmes (SCMP/AFP). More here .... US calls for compliance with nuclear treaties (ABC News/AP)

China Has A Combined Naval Force Of 650 Ships

David Axe, National Interest: U.S. Navy Nightmare: The Chinese Fleet Doesn't Have 300 Ships, It Has 650

You have to count the Chinese coast guard and maritime militia.

The Chinese fleet is much bigger than most people think. And that should compel the United States to reconsider its Pacific maritime strategy, one expert argued.

The People's Liberation Army Navy by 2020 will possess between 313 and 342 warships, the U.S. Office of Naval Intelligence estimated.

By comparison, in mid-2018 the U.S. Navy possessed 285 warships.

But the PLAN accounts for only a fraction of China's maritime power, according to Andrew Erickson, a professor at the U.S. Naval War College.

"China’s armed forces comprise three major organizations, each with a maritime subcomponent that is already the world’s largest such sea force by number of ships," Erickson wrote in Indo-Pacific Defense Forum .

Read more ....

WNU Editor: What should concern everyone is not the fact that the Chinese have a naval force of about 650 ships, but that China is determined and committed to building better and more ships in the future.

European Parliament Recognizes Guaidó As Venezuela’s Interim President

Politico.eu: European Parliament recognizes Guaidó as Venezuela’s interim president

The move follows the United States, Argentina, Brazil, Canada and others to recognize the opposition leader as head of the Latin American country.

The European Parliament adopted a resolution Thursday recognizing Venezuela's opposition leader Juan Guaidó as the country's interim president, and called on EU countries to support him until new "free, transparent and credible" presidential elections could be held.

The resolution — initiated by the European People's Party — was backed by 439 votes to 104, with 88 abstentions.

MEPs urged EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini and member states to also recognize Guaidó "as the only legitimate interim president," until new elections can be called "in order to restore democracy," the Parliament said in a statement.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: Meanwhile the protests continue in Venezuela .... Venezuela: Widespread protests demand Nicolas Maduro step down (DW).

Venezuela's Opposition Leader Says He Has Already Held Secret Meetings With The Military

BBC: Venezuela opposition 'has met military', says Juan Guaidó

Venezuela's opposition leader Juan Guaidó says he has held secret meetings with the military to win support for ousting President Nicolás Maduro.

Mr Guaidó declared himself interim president earlier this month and was immediately recognised by the US and several Latin American countries.

Major powers Russia and China back Mr Maduro and military support is seen as crucial to his hold on power.

The crisis comes as Mr Maduro began a second term after controversial polls.

Many opposition candidates were barred from running or jailed.

Read more ....

Update: Venezuela's opposition had clandestine meetings with military: Guaido (Reuters).

WNU Editor: I am sure the lower ranks support Venezuela's opposition leader Juan Guaidó. The big question is .... where are the loyalties of the majors, colonels, and generals. So far, from what I am reading and seeing, they are still loyal to President Maduro.

Europe Sets Up Financial Transactions Channel With Iran To Bypass U.S. Sanctions

DW: INSTEX: Europe sets up transactions channel with Iran

Germany, France and the UK have set up a payment channel with Iran called INSTEX, to help continue trade and circumvent US sanctions. The question is, how will Washington react?

Several European countries have registered a transaction channel with Iran in order to facilitate trade despite US sanctions, German diplomats confirmed to DW on Thursday.

The channel, set up by Germany, France and the UK (E3), is called INSTEX — short for "Instrument in Support of Trade Exchanges."

The payment channel allows for European countries to continue trade with Iran but could put them on a collision course with Washington.

Read more ....

Update #1: EU launches mechanism to bypass US sanctions on Iran (Al Jazeera)
Update #2: Europe Is About to Infuriate Trump with a New Trading Channel to Bypass Iran Sanctions (Fortune)
Update #3: What is the EU-Iran payment vehicle INSTEX? (DW)

WNU Editor: Iran is expecting more .... SPV launch first step for EU to fulfill its commitments under nuclear deal (MEHR News Agency). The big question is .... what will the U.S. do? As to what is my take. A month after imposing sanctions on Iran for plotting and conducting terrorist attacks on European soil .... In shift, EU sanctions Iran over planned Europe attacks (Reuters), the Europeans are now doing this. This is why it has always been hard to take the EU as a serious partner. They say and do one thing .... and then a month later do something else.

Is China's Military-Run Space Station In Argentina A Listening Post?

Via New York Times

Reuters: China's military-run space station in Argentina is a 'black box'

When China built a military-run space station in Argentina's Patagonian region it promised to include a visitors' center to explain the purpose of its powerful 16-story antenna.

The center is now built - behind the 8-foot barbed wire fence that surrounds the entire space station compound. Visits are by appointment only.

Shrouded in secrecy, the compound has stirred unease among local residents, fueled conspiracy theories and sparked concerns in the Trump administration about its true purpose, according to interviews with dozens of residents, current and former Argentine government officials, U.S. officials, satellite and astronomy specialists and legal experts.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: Concerns about this Chinese installation in Argentina have been around for a long time .... What Will China's Military Space Station In Argentina Be Doing (March 19, 2016). There is more information on this installation here .... Meet China's "Secret" Space Control Listening Base In Argentina Now Alarming US Officials (Zero Hedge).

Tweets For Today

Venezuela opposition 'has met military', says Juan Guaidó https://t.co/5584G5IKiu

— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) January 31, 2019

Drug war is over, says Mexican president.

Capture of cartel kingpins is 'no longer a priority', says Obrador, instead "the main purpose of the government is to guarantee public safety..."
https://t.co/0jYJ900WxZ pic.twitter.com/wKkOPKYMXT

— AFP news agency (@AFP) January 31, 2019

I simply can't process these numbers. "-43" is not a temperature that should exist on Planet Earth, let alone within these United States. #polarvortex pic.twitter.com/UiKItOKVpi

— Rob Neppell (@8bitmeme) January 31, 2019

Millions of Chinese have begun the annual exodus for the #LunarNewYear, the world's largest annual human migration, leaving major cities to return to their hometowns for the holiday https://t.co/Tf2bCMkZSJ

— AFP news agency (@AFP) January 31, 2019

We have liftoff! 🚀 Check out this video of the successful launch of a #DeltaIVHeavy rocket supported by @30thSpaceWing at #VandenbergAFB, Calif. #KnowYourMil pic.twitter.com/6Qasy5TXZd

— U.S. Dept of Defense (@DeptofDefense) January 31, 2019

Sucks to be the coach on the wrong team. https://t.co/vRcTV9uBbj

— The Acerbic (@Source_Persil) January 30, 2019

Picture Of The Day

Venezuelan opposition leader and self-proclaimed interim president Juan Guaido takes part in a protest against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's government in Caracas, Venezuela. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins

WNU Editor: The above picture came from this photo-gallery .... Editors Choice Pictures (Reuters).

NATO To Increase Defense Spending By $100 Billion

Army Technology: NATO to increase defence spending by $100bn amid US criticism

Non-US members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) will invest a further $100bn in defence spending, according to secretary general Jens Stoltenberg.

A NATO official told Army Technology: “At the Wales Summit in 2014, all NATO allies agreed to stop cutting defence budgets, increase defence expenditures as GDP grows, and aim to move towards spending 2% of their GDP on defence within a decade.

“In the last years, allies have made steady progress and from 2016, European allies and Canada have spent an extra 41 billion dollars on defence in real terms. Last week in Davos, the NATO Secretary General announced that European allies and Canada ’will add $100 billion by the end of next year‘. This figure is based on allies’ annual national plans on defence.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: We shall see if these NATO member states keep their promises.

U.S. Navy to Honor First Female Fighter Pilot With Female-Piloted Flyover at Funeral

Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia Beach, Virginia – ENS Rosemary Conatser (later Mariner) at the controls of a fleet composite Squadron Two, VC-2, S-2 Tracker Antisubmarine Aircraft. January 9, 1975. Via U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command.

USNI News: Navy to Honor First Female Fighter Pilot with Female-Piloted Flyover at Funeral

The Navy will say goodbye to its first female fighter pilot with its first all-female flyover, the service told USNI News on Wednesday.

Retired Capt. Rosemary Mariner, who served in the Navy from 1973 to 1997, had a career full of firsts: she was among the first women to earn her pilot wings in 1974, was the first woman to fly a tactical fighter jet in 1975, and was the first woman to command a naval aviation squadron in 1990, among others achievements.

To honor not only her achievements but also her work as an educator and mentor – to female pilots in particular – during and after her naval career, the Navy will perform its first all-female flyover during Mariner’s funeral on Saturday.

Read more ....

WNU Editor:  R.I.P.

Hat tip to Fred for this link.

U.S. Senator: China Is 'Preparing For World War III'

Xi Jinping reviews a military display in the South China Sea on April 12, 2018. Photo: Reuters/Li Gang/Xinhua

Navy Times: Senator: Chinese buildup in South China Sea like ‘preparing for World War III’

China’s ongoing military buildup on islands in the South China Sea is akin to “preparing for World War III,” the chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee declared on Tuesday.

The comment by Republican Sen. James Inhofe of Oklahoma came during a hearing to discuss the challenges posed by rising military powers China and Russia, a discussion that included ideas on how the people can better understand the threats to the world order that America built and has benefited from for decades.

While the U.S. military has a presence in and around the South China Sea and the larger western Pacific Ocean, Inhofe said America largely watched China lay claim to its rocks and islets before turning other reefs into fortifications, brimming with arms and stockpiled with materiel.

Read more ....

WNU editor: You do not have to listen to U.S. Republican Sen. James Inhofe and his warnings that China's military buildup is like ‘preparing for World War III’. The Chinese President himself has been blunt about this since last year .... Chinese President Xi Tells Military Region That Monitors South China Sea And Taiwan To 'Prepare For War' (October 26, 2019).

Has President Trump Taken The Democrat's Top Foreign Policy Issues?

U.S. President Donald Trump delivers remarks regarding the Administration's National Security Strategy at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington D.C., U.S. December 18, 2017. REUTERS/Joshua RobertsReuters

Michael Hirsh, Foreign Policy: How Trump Stole the Democrats’ Best 2020 Foreign-Policy Stances

From trade to troop drawdowns, some Dem presidential contenders may have a hard time contrasting their views with the president’s.

Like U.S. President Donald Trump, Joe Biden once wanted to get the United States out of Afghanistan as fast as possible—or at least to dramatically scale down the U.S. presence there. Indeed, back in 2009 it was one of the few arguments that Biden, then a freshly minted vice president, lost with his boss, President Barack Obama. In internal discussions Biden argued forcefully against Obama’s troop surge and in favor of a pared-down approach to Afghanistan that no doubt would have gratified Trump’s isolationist instincts 10 years later. Biden wanted to discard Washington’s costly, troop-intensive counterinsurgency policy and its pretensions of democratic transformation, admit that the Afghan government was all but useless, and focus mainly on killing terrorists with special operations and drones. His approach even had a name: the “Biden Plan.”

Read more ....

WNU Editor: I do not think President Trump "stole the Democrats best 2020 foreign-policy issues", but there are many positions where both sides are in agreement.