Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- November 1, 2021

Statista: The Afghan Military's Catastrophic Equipment Losses  

The current situation in Afghanistan is bringing back uncomfortable memories of when the United States pulled out of Vietnam, leaving a vast bonanza of military equipment behind it. 

That hardware list included everything from F-5 fighter jets and UH-1 Huey helicopters to M48 tanks and armoured personnel carriers with the Vietnamese People's Army sending some items to the USSR for study. 

The New York Times estimated that the largely serviceable equipment was worth around $2 billion at the time, or $9.6 billion in 2020 dollars. 

Captured U.S. military hardware hit the front pages again in the mid-2010s once again when ISIS overran large swathes of Iraq, capturing modern M1 Abrams tanks and a huge quantity of HMMWVs that were supplied to the Iraqi army. 

Read more .... 

Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- November 1, 2021  

Four intelligence agencies produced multiple reports on the future of Afghanistan, but none forecast the lightning march of the Taliban or predicted Kabul's swift collapse, says new review -- Daily Mail  

Pentagon rattled by Chinese military push on multiple fronts -- AP  

US Gen. Says China's Done 'Hundreds' of Hypersonic Weapon Tests While DoD is 'Bureaucratic' - Report -- Sputnik  

Air Force Boots 40 Recruits for Refusing the COVID-19 Vaccine -- Military.com  

Military weighs penalties for those who refuse COVID vaccine -- AP

Intelligence report concludes coronavirus was NOT developed as biological weapon - but origin will never be known because China is obstructing investigation and blaming US -- Daily Mail  

Vice Chairman’s Retirement Leaves Hole on Joint Chiefs as Biden Delays Nominee Pick -- Military.com  

The Army Is Once Again Trying To Sell Off Some Of Its Underappreciated Naval Fleet -- Warzone/The Drive

Special ops task force in Middle East restructured for ‘broad, regional’ ISIS fight -- Military Times 

 'Every officer is up to speed on diversity training. Not so much ship handling': Scathing official report finds woke US Navy is not fit for war because of risk averse, politically correct, control-freak top brass -- Daily Mail

Green Beret NCO dies during physical fitness training at Fort Bragg -- Military Times  

U.S. Navy EA-18G Growler Makes Multiple Enemy Radars Go Bye-Bye at the Same Time -- Auto Evolution 

 Rota-based destroyers conduct operations with NATO allies -- Military Times  

Navy destroyer captain was FIRED for bullying subordinates by repeatedly calling them 'f***ing retarded', 'useless' and 'stupid' -- Daily Mail  

US aircraft carrier tag team shows strengthening Indo-Pacific presence -- SCMP  

US and Indian soldiers met for a mock UN mission, counter-drone and high altitude training -- Military Times  

USAF Appears to ‘Troll’ China with Pics of Artist’s Rendition of Top-Secret B-21 Raider Bomber -- Sputnik  

Putin: Russia Must Build Up Defenses in View of NATO Moves -- Military.com/AP  

Putin sets task to boost advanced weapons in air defense and ABM defense troops to 80% -- TASS  

Putin: US Missile Deployment in Europe Poses Threat -- Sputnik  

Russia ready to respond, if US warship ventures into its Black Sea waters — senator -- TASS  

Russia sends fighter jets capable of firing hypersonic ‘Kinzhal’ missile to Syria for first time as part of Mediterranean training -- RT  

The Multi-Faceted Syrian-Russian Cooperation -- South Front 

Putin's 'City-Killer': Russia Launches World's Largest Nuclear-Armed Submarine -- Zero-Hedge  

Chinese Military on Target to Surpass US, Russia -- VOA  

Beijing has ‘known for decades’ that US has military in Taiwan -- SCMP  

New variants of Chinese stealth fighters break cover -- Defense News  

Largest 5th-generation J-20 Mighty Dragon fleet flies over Tiananmen Square to mark 100th anniversary of China’s Communist Party -- RT  

Turkey's Erdogan: Biden Will Do 'His Best' for F-16 Sale -- AP  

‘I Know It‘: France‘s Macron 100% Sure Australian PM Lied About Submarine Deal -- Sputnik  

Japan becomes first non-American operator of KC-46A tanker -- Military Times

Global Covid Death Toll Tops Five Million

Daily Mail: Global Covid death toll tops five million with US, UK, Brazil, India and Mexico accounting for more than half of all fatalities 

* Grim landmark of 2 million Covid deaths comes less than 2 years into pandemic 

* US, Brazil, India, Mexico and the UK account for 50% of world's reported deaths 

* US recorded more than 740,000 lives lost - higher than any other nation 

The global death toll from Covid-19 has topped five million, according to Johns Hopkins University. 

The grim figure comes less than two years into a crisis that has not only devastated poor countries but also humbled wealthy ones with first-rate healthcare systems. 

The US, Brazil, India, Mexico and the UK account for more than half of the world's reported deaths. 

Read more .... 

More News On Global Covid Death Toll Topping Five Million 

COVID-19′s global death toll tops 5 million in under 2 years -- AP 

Global Covid deaths hit 5 million as pandemic takes staggering toll -- CNBC 

COVID-19: Five million people have now died from coronavirus across the globe -- SKY News 

Global Covid-19 deaths surpass five million -- CNN 

The world has recorded 5 million COVID-19 deaths, but the real toll is likely more than double that -- ABC News Australia  

Global Covid-19 death toll passes 5m -- The Guardian 

Johns Hopkins: World COVID-19 Death Toll Nears 5 Million -- VOA  

The COVID-19 pandemic has now killed 5 million people around the world -- NPR

Australia's Queensland Provincial Government Moves To Seize Homes, Bank Accounts, And Other Assets For Unpaid Covid Fines And Other Penalties

The State Penalties Enforcement Register is chasing $5.2m in unpaid Covid-19 fines from individuals and businesses who are accused of flouting rule during the pandemic  

Daily Mail: Thousands of Australians with unpaid fines for breaking Covid rules have their homes seized, bank accounts raided and licences cancelled as government chases $5.2million 

* State Penalties Enforcement Register chasing $5.2m in unpaid Covid-19 fines 

* Queensland Health is using SPER to crackdown on 3,046 unpaid penalty notices 

* 2,755 fines were from individuals & businesses accused of flouting Covid rules 

* SPER also to collect $5.7 million in repayments on overdue hotel quarantine bills 

Queenslanders who received fines for breaking Covid-19 rules risk having their homes seized and bank accounts frozen in a government crackdown to collect $5.2 million in repayments. 

The State Penalties Enforcement Register is expected to collect 3,046 unpaid fines from the pandemic on behalf of Queensland Health. 

More than 2,755 fines were from individuals and businesses accused of breaking Covid-19 restrictions and the rest either still under investigation or pending payment. 

Read more ....  

Update #1: Banks raided, property seized, licences cancelled in COVID cost recovery (Brisbane Times)  

Update #2: COVID Madness Down Under Continues – State Now Confiscating Bank Accounts, Property, Licenses and Businesses if COVID Fines Not Paid While Unemployed Workers Locked Down (The Last Refuge) 

WNU Editor: We are talking about a lot of money, and not necessarily from Covid fines .... Queenslanders owe more than a billion dollars in unpaid fines (9News)

China Locks 30,000 Visitors Inside Shanghai Disneyland After One Guest Tested Positive For Covid-19

 

Daily Mail: Shanghai Disneyland is forced to shut down after one visitor tested positive for coronavirus as China steps up bid to eradicate virus ahead of Winter Olympics 

* Contact tracing blighted fireworks at Disneyland Shanghai on Sunday night 

* Woman tested positive after returning home from the theme park on Saturday 

* Beijing's strict 'zero Covid' strategy does not tolerate transmission of disease 

* More than 33,000 guests at Disneyland require tests before they can leave 

Shanghai Disneyland has gone into lockdown because of a single Covid case, shutting its gates as authorities carry out tests on tens of thousands of guests. 

Frantic contact tracing blighted the theme park's Halloween fireworks last night as health officials in protective suits swabbed families under the watchful eye of the police manning the entrances and exits. 

The Chinese Communist Party is operating a strict 'zero Covid' strategy and hopes to eradicate the virus before it hosts the Winter Olympics in February.  

Read more ....  

WNU Editor: It takes a few days for the Covid coronavirus to incubate. So even if they test 30,000, they would not know who this person infected until next week (or more) later. I suspect quarantines and contact tracing will be the rule for these all of these visitors in the next two weeks. 

Shanghai Disneyland Tests 33,000 For COVID And Closes For 2 Days After 1 Positive Test 

Testing results at Shanghai Disney Resort come back negative; at least two hospitals closed to screen out potential COVID-19 infections -- Global Times  

Over 33,000 people tested negative for COVID-19 at Shanghai Disney -- CGTN 

China Locks 30,000 Visitors Inside Shanghai Disneyland After One Guest Got Covid-19 -- WSJ  

Halloween Covid scare forces Shanghai Disney into lockdown as China steps up efforts to eradicate virus -- CNN  

Shanghai Disneyland tests 33K people for COVID, closes for 2 days after 1 contact -- FOX News/AP

Does President Biden Knows What Is Happening At The U.S. Border?

 

FOX News: Biden scratches head when asked about possible payments to illegal migrants 

President Biden ignored a question from Fox News White House correspondent Peter Doocy on Sunday regarding his administration's reported plan to pay $450,000 per person to illegal immigrants who had been separated from their families during the Trump administration. 

"Mr. President, is it true we're going to give $450,000 to border crossers who are separated?" Doocy shouted as Biden rode an escalator following his press conference in Rome at the conclusion of a two-day meeting with G-20 leaders. 

Biden, who had been looking toward the camera while Doocy asked the question, responded by looking away and scratching his forehead.  

Read more ....  

WNU Editor: He has to know.  

Previous Post: Biden Administration Considering To Pay $450,000 In Reparations To Illegal Aliens Per Person Up To $3.4 Million Per Family (October 28, 2021).

Inspector General Says State Dept. And Pentagon Sought 'Wholesale' Redactions Of Afghanistan Reports

 

Daily Mail: Special inspector general for Afghanistan warns the Pentagon is classifying documents to cover up failures and demands secret reports on how country collapsed are published now 

* John Sopko, special inspector general for Afghanistan reconstruction (SIGAR), is in charge of monitoring how the U.S. spends its money in the country 

* Sopko on Friday published his report, requested by Congress, into what led to the collapse of the Afghan government in August 

* He said that there needed to be more transparency about what had happened in the years since 2015 

* Sopko accused the State Department and Pentagon of not being open with what they knew 

* Much of the secrecy was designed to protect President Ashraf Ghani, but since he fled the presidency in August Sopko said that was no longer relevant 

* Asked by NPR whether the $89 billion spent on training Afghan troops had been a waste, Sopko replied: ''I think the obvious answer is yes' 

A U.S. government watchdog on Friday accused the State Department and Pentagon of suppressing information that lawmakers and the public need to understand the collapse of Afghanistan's former government and military and the chaotic U.S. troop pullout. 

John Sopko, the special inspector general for Afghanistan reconstruction (SIGAR), spoke out on Friday after it emerged that many of the routine documents had now been marked as classified.  

Read more ....  

WNU Editor: The Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR), John Sopko, has posted his remarks here .... Prepared Remarks of John F. Sopko, Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction “Unanswered Questions and Why We Need To Know The Answers”. 

More News On The Inspector General's Report On Afghanistan  

State Dept, Pentagon Are Concealing Afghanistan Data, Says U.S. Watchdog -- Reuters  

Inspector general for Afghanistan war pressured by State, DOD to redact reports -- The Hill  

Watchdog: State Dept. and Pentagon withholding critical information about Afghanistan -- Axios  

State Dept. sought 'wholesale' redactions of Afghanistan reports, watchdog says -- Washington Times  

SIGAR Pressured by the State Department to Redact Afghanistan Reports -- Antiwar.com  

State Dept, Pentagon concealing Afghanistan data, says US watchdog -- The Tribune 

Inspector general report is issued on the collapse of the Afghan government -- NPR  

Watchdog: U.S. Wasted $89 Billion on Currently Nonexistent Afghan Military -- Breitbart

The Afghan Taliban Want to Save The Environment

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for the better and on the other hand, will provide job opportunities for people. The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan is committed to providing security and safe environment for work of NGOs and charity organizations.

— Suhail Shaheen. محمد سهیل شاهین (@suhailshaheen1) October 31, 2021

Daily Mail: Now even the Taliban joins calls to save the environment as regime calls for international aid to boost eco projects in Afghanistan 

* The Taliban called for international aid for environmental projects in Afghanistan 

* Spokesman Suhail Shaheen cited a need to protect the country's 'fragile climate' 

* He added 'tremendous work’ was needed to help Afghanistan become greener 

The Taliban has shown its support for anti-climate change efforts, calling for international aid to help complete environmental projects in Afghanistan. 

Citing a need to protect the country’s ‘fragile climate’, Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen said ‘tremendous work’ was needed to help Afghanistan become greener. 

The Taliban regime, which came into force in August, will not be represented at Cop26 as it is yet to be recognised internationally.  

Read more ....  

Update: Ahead of COP26, Taliban urges world to help fight climate change (WION)  

WNU Editor: The Taliban's focus is not on the environment. Their focus is on being recognized by other governments and having aid monies and other funds flowing to them.

Taliban Says The World Must Recognize Their Government If They Don’t Want To Be Threatened From Afghanistan

Taliban spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid  

Khaama Press: World must recognize Taliban if they don’t want to be threatened from Afghanistan 

Deputy Minister of information and culture and spokesperson of the Taliban Zabiullah Mujahid said that the international community must recognize the Taliban if they do not want to receive any threat from Afghanistan. 

Zabiullah Mujahid during a press conference in Kabul on Saturday, October 30 said that the Taliban must be recognized as a responsible side.

It has been more than two and half months since the complete takeover of the Taliban but no country has recognized them yet. 

The spokesperson of the Taliban added that they will not take any responsibility to avert threats to other countries until and unless they are recognized by the international community. 

Read more ....  

Update #1: Taliban says failure to recognise their government could have global effects (Reuters)  

Update #2: Taliban say failure to recognize government could be a problem for 'the world' (The Hill)  

WNU Editor: The video below is a recent CBC report on what life is like inside Afghanistan. 

Iran Blames The U.S. And Israel For Recent Cyber Attack

 

Reuters: Iran says Israel, U.S. likely behind cyberattack on gas stations 

DUBAI (Reuters) - Iran's civil defence chief on Saturday accused Israel and the United States of being the likely culprits behind a cyberattack which disrupted gasoline sales across the Islamic Republic, but said a technical investigation was yet to be completed. 

"We are still unable to say forensically, but analytically I believe it was carried out by the Zionist Regime, the Americans and their agents," Gholamreza Jalali, head of civil defence which is in charge of cyber security, told state TV in an interview. 

Iran has said in the past few years that it is on high alert for online assaults, which it has blamed on its arch-foes the United States and Israel. The United States and other Western powers meanwhile have accused Iran of trying to disrupt and break into their networks.  

Read more ....  

WNU Editor: Iran wants help from Russia to deter these attacks .... Iran looks to Russia to confront cyber threats (Jerusalem Post). 

More News On Iran Blaming The U.S. And Israel For Gas Station Distribution Cyber Attack  

U.S., Israel surely behind cyberattack on petrol stations: Iranian civil defense chief -- Tehran Times  

US, Israel behind Cyberattack on Iran’s Fuel Distribution System: Official -- Tasnim News Agency  

US, Israel likely behind cyberattack, Iran says -- The Hill  

Iran suspects Israel and US behind fuel cyberattack -- Arab News/AFP 

Iran official blames Israel, US for cyberattack that crippled gas stations -- Times Of Israel

US B-1B Bomber Flies Over Key Maritime Checkpoints In The Middle East

Royal Saudi Air Force F-15 Strike Eagles break away from a U.S. Air Force B-1B Lancer over the Red Sea on Saturday. | Senior Airman Jerreht Harris/U.S. Air Force via AP  

Politico/AP: U.S. B-1B bomber flies over Mideast amid Iran tensions 

Fighter jets from Bahrain, Egypt, Israel and Saudi Arabia flew alongside the bomber. 

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — The U.S. Air Force said Sunday it flew a B-1B strategic bomber over key maritime chokepoints in the Mideast with allies including Israel amid ongoing tensions with Iran as its nuclear deal with world powers remains in tatters. 

The B-1B Lancer bomber flew Saturday over the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf through which 20% of all oil traded passes. 

It also flew over the Red Sea, its narrow Bab el-Mandeb Strait and Egypt’s Suez Canal. 

The Strait of Hormuz has been the scene of attacks on shipping blamed on Iran in recent years, while the Red Sea has seen similar assaults amid an ongoing shadow war between Tehran and Israel. 

The Islamic Republic has denied being involved in the attacks, though it has promised to take revenge on Israel for a series of attacks targeting its nuclear program. 

Read more .... 

WNU Editor: It looks like the US wants to remind everyone in the region that the US is still there.