Growing Anger In Kabul Over The Never-Ending War

Reuters: Protest in Kabul as Afghan officials press Pakistan over attacks

KABUL (Reuters) - Afghan demonstrators protested outside the Pakistani embassy in Kabul on Thursday as senior Afghan officials said they had handed over evidence connecting insurgents based in Pakistan with a recent spate of attacks that killed more than 100 people.

The protest, in which dozens of people burnt flags and chanted, “Death to Pakistan”, was not large, but it came during a period of heightened tension in the Afghan capital following two major attacks in the past two weeks.

On Thursday, Interior Minister Wais Barmak and Masooom Stanekzai, head of the NDS intelligence service, returned from a visit to Islamabad, where they had pressed Pakistani authorities to move against Taliban leaders based in the country.

“We provided Pakistan with documents about Taliban operating centres inside Pakistan and we expect Pakistan to act against them,” Barmak told a news conference in Kabul.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: For as long as I can remember Afghanistan has been at war. And while there is a lot of justifiable debate in the U.S. and elsewhere on why are we there, the real debate should be among the Afghans themselves, and why have they tolerated this state of perpetual war for as long as they have.

More News On The Growing Frustration In Afghanistan Over The Never-Ending War

Protests erupt in Kabul over recent attacks, amid allegations of Pakistani involvement -- Washington Post
Protest Held In Kabul Amid Tense Afghan-Pakistani Ties -- Radio Free Europe
Afghanistan says it has proof attackers trained in Pakistan -- Stars and Stripes
Violence in Kabul is so extreme, residents are carrying 'in case I die' notes -- USA TODAY
A Fresh Wave of Terrorist Attacks Has Rocked Afghanistan. Here's What to Know -- TIME
Beyond Pakistan, Afghanistan's Most Serious Problem Is Governance -- The Diplomat
Kabul Protests Against Pakistani Hand in Recent Terrorist Attacks (PHOTOS) -- Sputnik International

Russia Disputings Reports That Their Fighter Jet Intercept Of A U.S. Spy Plane Was Dangerous. Tells U.S. Navy Pilots To Stay Out Of The Black Sea If They Can't Handle The Pressure

Screenshot/U.S. Military

USA Today: Russia: If U.S. Navy pilots can't handle buzzing, stay out of the Black Sea

Only days after the U.S. accused a Russian plane of dangerously buzzing a U.S. military plane in the Black Sea, the Russian defense ministry said Thursday that if U.S. pilots are depressed over Russian planes protecting its borders, they should fly other routes.

The incident Monday, as reported by U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa, involved a Russian Su-27 flying within five feet of an EP-3 Aries before crossing through the U.S. aircraft’s flight path and forcing it to fly through the Su-27’s flight wash, according to Military Times.

It was the second such incident in three months. In late November, a P-8A Poseidon was left in another Russian jet’s afterburners, causing the Poseidon to roll 15 degrees and experience "violent turbulence," Military Times reported.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: These type of maneuvers are very dangerous. And the Russians are hinting that they are not going to stop .... Russia Says It Won't Stop Tailing US Aircraft After 'Unsafe' Maneuver (Military.com).

More News On Russia Disputing Reports That Their Fighter Jet Intercept Of A U.S. Spy Plane Was Dangerous

Russia to US Navy: Get new maps -- The Hill
Russia Tells US Military to Deal With Getting Buzzed If Spy Planes Fly Near Crimea -- Newsweek
Russia says interception of US spy plane posed no danger -- Reuters
Russian Military Talks Tough After 'Unsafe' Black Sea Flyby -- Radio Free Europe
Russia To American Pilots: “If We Scare You, Then Stay Away…” -- Tsarizm

CIA Director Pompeo Defends His Meetings With Russian Intel Chiefs Last Week

Reuters: CIA Director Pompeo defends meetings with Russian spy chiefs

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - CIA Director Mike Pompeo on Thursday defended the practice of meeting with Russian spy chiefs, following reports that top U.S. intelligence officials last week met a Kremlin spymaster who is under U.S. sanctions.

“We periodically meet with our Russian intelligence counterparts for the same reason our predecessors did - to keep Americans safe,” Pompeo said in a letter to Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer. There is nothing “untoward” about such meetings, he said.

“We cover very difficult subjects in which American and Russian interests do not align,” Pompeo said. “We vigorously defend America in these encounters and pull no punches - we never will.”

Read more ....

WNU Editor: Last august CIA Director Pompeo was in Moscow to have talks with these very same Russian intelligence officials .... Mike Pompeo's Moscow Visit: What the CIA Director May Have Discussed In Russia (Newsweek). It is only natural that in the next visit .... which appears to happen every six months .... these Russian Intelligence Directors will go to the U.S..

More News On CIA Director Pompeo Defending His Meetings With Russian Intel Chiefs Last Week

CIA defends meeting with Russian spy officials -- AP
CIA chief Mike Pompeo defends meeting with Russia's top spy -- Washington Times
CIA's Pompeo Defends Meeting With Sanctioned Russian Spy Chief -- Bloomberg

Directors Of Russia's Three Main Intelligence Agencies Were In The U.S. Last Week Meeting U.S. Intelligence Officials

Director of the Foreign Intelligence Service Sergei Naryshkin (SVR) and director of the Federal Security Service Aleksandr Bortnikov (FSB). © Sputnik/ Aleksey Nikolskyi

RFE: Chiefs Of Three Russian Intelligence Agencies Travel To Washington

WASHINGTON -- The directors of Russia's three main intelligence and espionage agencies all traveled to the U.S. capital in recent days, in what observers said was a highly unusual occurrence coming at a time of heightened U.S.-Russian tensions.

Russia's ambassador to the United States had earlier confirmed that Sergei Naryshkin, the head of the Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR), was in Washington in recent days to meet with U.S. officials about terrorism and other matters.

But the presence of the two other chiefs -- Aleksandr Bortnikov, director of the Federal Security Service (FSB), and Colonel General Igor Korobov, chief of Russian General Staff’s Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU) -- was not previously known.

Read more ....

Update: Russian spy chiefs met in Washington with CIA director to discuss counterterrorism (Washington Post)

Previous Post: Russia's Director of Foreign Intelligence Was In The U.S. Last Week (Even Though He Is Under U.S. Sanctions) (January 30, 2018).

WNU Editor: The Russian press is trolling the U.S. press .... Red Scare: Russian Intelligence Chiefs Visit Rattles Washington Post (Sputnik).

White House 'To Release' Secret Memo On FBI This Friday

FOX News: Trump to declassify surveillance memo, sources say – as Pelosi seeks Nunes ouster

President Trump is expected to swiftly declassify a controversial memo on purported surveillance abuses, sources tell Fox News, even as Democrats raise objections that edits were made to the document since it was approved for release by a key committee.

Those objections fueled a new round of partisan recriminations on Thursday, with House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi firing off a letter to Speaker Paul Ryan demanding the chairman of that committee, Republican Devin Nunes, be removed.

“Chairman Nunes’ deliberately dishonest actions make him unfit to serve as Chairman, and he must be immediately removed from this position,” she wrote.

But the objections don’t appear to be halting the publication plans.

The release is likely to come Friday morning, Fox News is told.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: Today's media-political focus is on when will this memo be released. My money is on tomorrow, and it will dominate the media narrative for the weekend. But the report from the Inspector General for the Justice Department on all of these issues will soon be coming out .... and that is the report that all of us should be waiting for.

More News On Reports That The White House Will Declassify The Secret Memo On The FBI Tomorrow

White House 'to release' secret memo on FBI -- BBC
Trump to allow release of controversial memo: reports -- The Hill
White House works to release Republican memo amid warnings -- Reuters
Trump expected to approve release of memo following redactions requested by intelligence officials -- Washington Post
Trump seems close to letting GOP Russia memo out -- AP

The FBI Is In A Public Fight With The White House On The Release Of The Nunes Memo

L.A. Times: FBI and White House in open conflict over classified GOP memo

In an extraordinary public break with the White House, the FBI warned Wednesday that it has "grave concerns" about the accuracy of a disputed Republican memo on secret surveillance during the 2016 campaign that President Trump has promised to release.

The FBI said it only had a "limited opportunity" to review the classified four-page memo prepared by aides to Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Tulare), a close Trump ally who chairs the House Intelligence Committee.

"As expressed during our initial review, we have grave concerns about material omissions of fact that fundamentally impact the memo's accuracy," the nation's premier law enforcement agency said in a two-paragraph statement.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: The opposition to release this video is truly amazing. One .... to begin there are many who are saying that there are major omissions that fundamentally impact the memo’s accuracy. OK .... when this memo is finally made public please point out those omissions. Anyone willing to bet that no one is going to step up and point out what those omissions are. It gets even better. The FBI Director read the memo over the weekend, and did not raise any national security concerns. So why the uproar from the FBI/Justuce Department now? And as for reports that sources and methods will be revealed, Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.) says that the memo only reveals one source .... any bets that it is Christopher Steele, the former UK intelligence officer who was paid by the Clinton campaign to write up a dossier that started this entire controversy. As I said .... the move to block this memo from the Democrats/FBI/Justice Department/many in the media/and some Republicans is a sight to see. As for what is my position .... I have always been very clear. Considering how all of this has dominated the headlines and politics for the past year, the American public has a right to know. Release the memo, and follow up with more.

More News On The FBI Being In A Public Fight With The White House On The Release Of The Nunes Memo

FBI in public fight with Trump over releasing Russia memo -- AP
Trump squares off with a (new) FBI director -- CNN
FBI has 'grave concerns' about Trump plan to release controversial memo -- The Guardian
FBI condemns Nunes memo for 'omissions,' escalating feud -- The Hill
Donald Trump likely to release memo questioning FBI's handling of Russia probe -- ABC News Online
FBI expresses 'grave concerns about material omissions of fact' in Russia memo -- DW
Trump poised for clash with FBI over classified memo -- Al Jazeera

U.S. Navy Releases More Videos On How Close A Russian Su-27 Jet Came To A U.S. Navy EP-3 Aries Aircraft

Screenshot/YouTube via US Navy

WNU Editor: US Naval Forces Europe-Africa has released more footage of a Russian fighter jet coming within 5 feet of a US Navy plane on Monday.

Here is the video that the Pentagon released yesterday ....

Here are the armaments on the Su-27 ....

The Su-27 is behind the US plane's propeller ....

The Su-27 pokes its nose cone out from behind the US plane's propellers ....

The camera zooms in on the Su-27 ....

Another closer look at the Su-27's armaments ....

Hat tip Business Insider.

World News Briefs -- February 1, 2018

The Hill: North Korean Olympians arrive in South Korea

A group of North Korean athletes arrived in South Korea on Thursday ahead of the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang this month, according to multiple reports.

Ten North Korean skaters and skiers arrived on a South Korean flight amid an increased dialogue between the two countries. Non-Olympic South Korean skiers who had visited a North Korean ski resort last month flew back on the same plane.

Read more ....

MIDDLE EAST

Saudi, UAE envoys bid to end standoff in Yemen's Aden.

Kurds in Syria call on US support to rein in Turkish operations.

Afrin residents say Syrian 'curse' has arrived as war hits Kurdish enclave.

Syrian opposition will work with Sochi proposal under U.N. auspices: chief negotiator.

Israel threatens Lebanon with ‘full strength’ ground invasion in case of conflict.

Iran says Jerusalem 'unchangeable' capital of Palestine.

Freed Saudi billionaire remains chairman of Kingdom Holding.

ASIA

Evidence of Rohingya mass graves uncovered in Myanmar.

The Taliban is gaining strength and territory in Afghanistan.

U.S. hails Olympics security plan; opposes North Korea military parade.

North Korean Olympians to travel to Pyeongchang on Thursday. North Korean athletes arrive in South for Olympics: Seoul.

Philippine guerrilla chief held after peace talks scrapped.

Duterte bent on rewriting Philippine constitution.

China offers new five-year visas to foreigners of Chinese ancestry.

India unveils 'world's largest' public healthcare scheme.

Reuters journalists accused of violating Official Secrets Act denied bail by Myanmar court.

AFRICA

South Sudan rebels vow ‘guerrilla war’ if peace talks fail.

Zimbabwe tries to retrieve cash smuggled overseas in Mugabe era.

Zimbabwe to issue 99-year leases to remaining white farmers.

Tribute to opposition leader sheds light on DR Congo tensions.

Togo public workers join strike as protests mount.

Kenyan High Court orders government to reopen TV stations.

Namibia bans foreign travel for government officials.

EUROPE

Jailed Catalan leaders take case to UN panel: lawyers. Puigdemont privately says Catalan independence push is 'over'.

May praises China as she meets Xi Jinping in Beijing.

Brexit: UK and EU on collision course over residency rights. UK’s May: EU citizens won’t get same rights after Brexit.

Court overturns Olympic doping ban for 28 Russian athletes.

Poland's Senate approves Holocaust bill that sparked a row with Israel. Poland Senate passes controversial Holocaust bill.

UN envoy: Macedonia spat could be resolved in coming months.

CAS nullifies lifetime Olympic bans on Russians.

EU says asylum numbers dropped by almost half in 2017.

AMERICAS

FBI in public fight with Trump over releasing Russia memo.

Top Democrat questions US meeting with Russian spy chiefs.

Trump grants 6,900 Syrians permission to stay in US.

Russia election probe circles back to Trump Tower meeting: NYT.

Castro freezes Cuban private sector, throws future in doubt.

Brazilian police serve 100 warrants in pension investigations.

TERRORISM/THE LONG WAR

Hamas leader Ismail Haniya added to US 'terror list'. Hamas: US decision on Ismail Haniya 'will not deter us'.

Trump signs order to keep Guantanamo Bay prison open.

O Canada: Senate backs gender-neutral changes to national anthem.

ECONOMY/FINANCE/BUSINESS

Apple, Amazon, Alphabet: The race to a trillion dollars.

Facebook usage down, profits up anyhow.

Bordeaux wine harvest plummets 40% after French region's frost-bitten 2017.

Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- February 1, 2018

A Lockheed EP-3 plane © Wikipedia

RT: Halt spy plane flights near our borders or agree on rules – Russia to US

The US should either stop flying military planes near Russian borders or agree on the rules for such flights, the Russian Defense Ministry recommended after the latest complaint about an intercept by a Russian fighter jet.

The rebuke came on Thursday after the US Navy released additional footage, which it said showed an interception of an EP-3 spy plane by a Russian Su-27 fighter jet over the Black Sea. The two sides disagree on whether the Russian pilot acted recklessly during the Monday encounter.

Read more ....

Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- February 1, 2018

Defense Ministry urges US to keep recon planes away from Russia or agree on flight rules -- TASS

Russian MoD Advises US Either Rule Out Flights Near Borders or Abide by Law -- Sputnik

Russia: If U.S. Navy pilots can't handle buzzing, stay out of the Black Sea -- USA Today

Russia says interception of U.S. spy plane posed no danger -- Reuters

Nato military jets scrambled to Baltic Sea as Russia tensions escalate -- Express

US Report Confirms Russia Is Developing the World’s Most Powerful Nuclear Weapon -- Futurism

Advanced Kalashnikov assault rifles go into serial production -- TASS

China Declares It Wants to Increase ‘Nuclear Deterrence’ to Counter US, Russia -- Epoch Times

China Wants New Nuclear Weapons to Keep Up With U.S. and Russia Military Power -- Newsweek

No timeline set for further Turkish forces in Qatar -- Al Jazeera

Amid Continued Criticism, Myanmar Still Spending Big on Military -- VOA

Auditors say Britain can’t afford its 10-year defense equipment plan -- Defense News

Patriot price tag reduced, new Polish defense minister tweets -- Defense News

US troops arrive for drill simulating massive missile attack on Israel -- The Times of Israel

Japanese Inspectors to Check Safety of US Marine Aircraft in Okinawa -- Sputnik

U.S. says military option not believed to be close for solving North Korea crisis -- Reuters

US Defense Officials: North Korean Nuclear Threat Isn’t Dire (Yet) -- Sputnik

Former SecDef Hagel: North Korea bloody nose strike a ‘gamble’ he wouldn’t make -- Defense News

The Taliban is gaining strength and territory in Afghanistan. -- NBC

Watchdog Report Shows Gaps In Information About Afghanistan War -- NPR

U.S., U.K. to upgrade ballistic missile guidance system -- UPI

Another US Navy ballistic missile intercept reportedly fails in Hawaii -- Defense News

Officials: US missile defense test failed in Hawaii -- CNN

Pentagon Fears Rapid Advancement of Chinese, Russian Anti-Satellite Weapons -- Sputnik

Boeing gets $6.6 billion from Pentagon to expand missile defense -- Bloomberg

Lockheed Martin flight tests new short-range missile -- UPI

Raytheon awarded $2.3B to support Patriot missile system -- UPI

The Army is working to fix problems with its new handgun after critical DoD report -- Army Times

How Everyone & Their Mother Can Now Uncover Pentagon's Deepest, Darkest Secrets -- Sputnik

Climate change, extreme weather already threaten 50% of U.S. military sites -- USA Today

The Pentagon’s acquisition office is gone. Here’s what the next 120 days bring. -- Defense News

John Kelly: Teacher ‘ought to go to hell’ for anti-military rant -- New York Post

Are Military Members "The Lowest of Our Low"? -- Psychology Today

Rebuilding nukes, ending sequester, filling Gitmo: Trump’s vision for the US military -- Jamie McIntyre and Travis Tritten, Washington Examiner

Will Robots Fight the Next War? U.S. and Russia Bring Artificial Intelligence to the Battlefield -- Tom O'Connor, Newsweek

Is The Trump Administration Divided On Its North Korea Policy?

CNN: Trump advisers clash over 'bloody nose' strike on North Korea

The tabled nomination of a widely-respected diplomat is bringing renewed focus to divisions inside the Trump administration over how tough the US should be in positioning against North Korea with nuclear tests expected to resume after the upcoming Olympics.

The nomination of the long-rumored candidate to be US ambassador to South Korea, Victor Cha, was pulled last weekend after he warned the White House that a so-called "bloody nose" strike against Pyongyang would risk pulling the US into a disastrous war that would endanger hundreds of thousands of lives.

That's largely in line with the caution that's being urged by Defense Secretary James Mattis and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.

Read more ....

Update #1: 'Bloody nose' strikes and diplomatic drama: The Trump administration flipped on a respected foreign-policy expert it nominated for an ambassadorship to South Korea (Business Insider)
Update #2: Disagreement on North Korea policy derails White House choice for ambassador to South Korea (Washington Post)

WNU Editor: The above CNN and Washington Post's reports focus on the withdrawal of the long-rumored candidate to be US ambassador to South Korea, Victor Cha, as evidence of divisions. But Victor Cha's position has always been well known, and it mirrors the positions of US Defense Secretary Mattis and US Secretary of State Tillerson. I think there is something else at play. As for current U.S. strategy when it comes to North Korea ... what I see is unity in pursuing a policy of pressuring countries to enforce sanctions, while slowly deploying military assets to dissuade North Korea from retaliating. That policy has been consistent since April of last year when President Trump met Chinese President Xi at Mar-a-Lago to pressure him on North Korea. A good summary on what I believe is the White House's North Korean approach can be read here .... A ‘bloody nose’ attack on North Korea is not happening anytime soon (Josh Rogin, Washington Post).

Update #3: U.S. says military option not believed to be close for solving North Korea crisis (Reuters)