Editor's Note

Blogging will be light for a few more days. Visiting family members are currently taking all of my time, but everyone will be leaving Sunday night. Regular blogging will return Monday morning.

Pentagon Preparing To Withdraw Thousands Of Troops From Afghanistan As Part Of A Proposed Peace Deal With The Taliban

White House officials have undertaken eight rounds of negotiations with the Taliban over a series of months, led by Afghan-born diplomatic representative Zalmay Khalilzad

Daily Mail: President Donald Trump set to withdraw thousands of troops from Afghanistan after 18 years as part of a peace deal with the Taliban

* The White House will be seeking a number of concessions from the Taliban in return, including a cease-fire and the renunciation of al-Qaeda
* The deal would see the number of American troops in the region cut from about 14,000 to 8000-9000 - the same figure as when Trump took office
* White House officials have undertaken eight rounds of negotiations with the Taliban over a series of months, led by Afghan-born diplomat Zalmay Khalilzad
* According to Khalilzad's projections, a peace agreement could be struck within the next round of talks, scheduled to take place in Qatar later this week
* However, doubts continue to persist about the trustworthiness of Taliban leaders and how to ensure they're following through with their side of the agreement

The Trump administration is gearing up to bring home several thousand troops from Afghanistan in a bid to strike a peace agreement with the Taliban after 18-years-of-conflict.

In return, the White House will be seeking a number of concessions from the Islamic fundamentalists including a cease-fire and the renunciation of al-Qaeda, US officials revealed.

The deal, which would also necessitate the Taliban negotiation a more rigorous peace agreement with the Afghan government, would see the number of American troops in the region cut from about 14,000 to somewhere between eight and nine thousand – the same amount as when Trump first took office.

White House officials have undertaken eight rounds of negotiations with the Taliban over a series of months, led by Afghan-born diplomatic representative Zalmay Khalilzad.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: I am sensing the same thing .... Afghanistan Heads Toward a Turning Point (Stratfor).

More News On The Pentagon Preparing To Withdraw Thousands Of Troops From Afghanistan

U.S. preparing to withdraw thousands of troops from Afghanistan in initial deal with Taliban -- Washington Post
US preparing to withdraw thousands of troops from Afghanistan as part of proposed Taliban deal -- FOX News
Trump admin preparing to withdraw thousands of troops from Afghanistan under deal with Taliban: report -- The Hill
Report: The US has a plan to draw down troops in Afghanistan -- Military Times
Trump 'to withdraw thousands of troops' from Afghanistan in deal with Taliban -- The Independent
Initial peace deal with Taliban reportedly includes yanking about 5,000 US troops from Afghanistan -- Task & Purpose
Taliban Expects Peace Deal with US in Next Meeting -- VOA

President Trump Announces New 10 Percent Tariff On $300 Billion In Chinese Goods

...buy agricultural product from the U.S. in large quantities, but did not do so. Additionally, my friend President Xi said that he would stop the sale of Fentanyl to the United States – this never happened, and many Americans continue to die! Trade talks are continuing, and...

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 1, 2019

...We look forward to continuing our positive dialogue with China on a comprehensive Trade Deal, and feel that the future between our two countries will be a very bright one!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 1, 2019

Reuters: Trump threatens new tariffs as U.S.-China trade tensions spike again

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday moved to impose a 10% tariff on a remaining $300 billion list of Chinese imports starting Sept. 1, after U.S. and Chinese negotiators failed to kickstart trade talks between the world’s two largest economies.

The levies - which would hit a wide swath of consumer goods from cell phones and laptop computers to toys and footwear - ratchet up tensions in a war of tit-for-tat tariffs that have disrupted global supply chains and roiled financial markets for more than a year.

U.S. stocks fell after the news and oil prices plummeted, and further fallout was expected. The IMF has warned that tariffs already in place will shave 0.2% off global economic output in 2020.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: I am hearing a collective sigh of resignation from Beijing right now.

More News On President Trump Announcing A New 10 Percent Tariff On $300 Billion In Chinese Goods

Trump says he’ll put 10% tariffs on remaining China imports -- AP
Trump says he could raise tariffs on $300 billion of Chinese goods above 25% -- CNBC
Trump says the US will slap tariffs on virtually all Chinese imports next month -- Business Insider
Trump says he will go ahead with new China tariffs that would hit iPhones and toys -- CNN
Stocks turn negative on Trump's new China tariffs -- The Hill
Trump Ignored Mnuchin Advice To Give China Early Notice On New Tariffs -- Zero Hedge

Top U.S. Counterterrorism Official: Al Qaeda ‘As Strong As It Has Ever Been’ And ISIS Spreading

ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi's (pictured) has seen his terror group become a greater threat to Afghanistan than the Taliban despite this year losing its caliphate in Syria and Iraq

Washington Examiner: Al Qaeda ‘as strong as it has ever been’ and ISIS spreading, top US counterterrorism official warns

Al Qaeda and the Islamic State gained strength globally as world powers prioritized the destruction of ISIS in Iraq and Syria, a top U.S. counterterrorism official warns.

“Al Qaeda has been strategic and patient over the past several years. It’s let ISIS absorb the brunt of the world’s counterterrorism efforts while patiently reconstituting itself,” Ambassador Nathan Sales, the State Department’s counterterrorism coordinator, told reporters Thursday.

“And so what we see today is an al Qaeda that is as strong as it has ever been.”

Read more ....

WNU Editor: Bottom line. The war against Al Qaeda and ISIS continues.

More News On ISIS

US officials say Islamic State still poses global threat -- AP
US signals shift to Africa in counter-ISIS Coalition campaign -- Defence Post
ISIS shares shocking video of beheading as children cheer -- Washington Times
ISIS shares disturbing footage of fighters beheading a Taliban member in front of cheering children -- Daily Mail
American captured in Syria charged with joining ISIS -- ABC News
ISIS fighters have reverted to 'shadow warriors' fighting an endless war -- Brian Glyn Williams, The Hill

Report: Al Qaeda Leader Ayman al-Zawahiri Has A 'Heart Complaint'

CNN: Intel indicates al Qaeda leader has potentially serious 'heart complaint', official says

Recent intelligence indicates that al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri has a "heart complaint," according to a senior official involved in international counterterrorism efforts.

The official said the information suggests Zawahiri had a potentially serious condition but cautioned it was difficult to ascertain the severity of his health problems and what effect they might have on his longevity.

The possibility that Zawahiri, who just turned 68, is seriously ill increases uncertainty over al Qaeda's long-term leadership succession plans. Osama bin Laden's son Hamza bin Laden had been widely tipped to one day take over command of al Qaeda but a US official told CNN on Wednesday that the US now believes that he is dead.

Read more ....

Update: Leader of al Qaeda has potentially serious 'heart complaint': report (The Hill).

WNU Editor: Al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri is 68 years old, and has lived a very stressful life. The fact that he may have a 'heart complaint" should not be a surprise. The question that needs to be answered is .... how and/or who told U.S. intel that Ayman al-Zawahiri has a health condition.

North Korea Fires Third Round of Short-Range Missiles In Two Weeks

FILE PHOTO © KCNA / Reuters

FOX News: North Korea launches two short-range ballistic missiles, US defense officials say

North Korea launched two short-range ballistic missiles on Thursday, the day before former Army Lt. Col. Mark Esper is to head to Asia on his first overseas trip as defense secretary, according to U.S. officials.

A defense official told Fox News the missiles were similar to the projectiles launched twice before in the past week.

The U.S. military is assessing how far and how high the missiles went.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: This continues to be the White House position on these tests .... Trump approves of North Korea missile tests: ‘I have no problem’ because they’re just ‘short-range missiles’ (RAW Story)

More News On Another North Korean Short-Range Missile Test

New North Korean projectile launch detected: U.S. officials -- Reuters
North Korea launches another projectile, US official says -- ABC News
U.S. Officials: North Korea Fires Third Round of Short-Range Missiles in Two Weeks -- National Review
‘Inescapable distress’: Kim oversees launch of ‘new guided rocket system’ – state media -- RT
North Korea says it tested crucial new rocket launch system -- AP
How North Korea is ‘posturing’ with missile testing amid stalled nuclear talks -- PBS

Hong Kong Protesters Use Lasers To Disrupt Government Facial-Recognition Cameras

Images de «Science fiction» à Hong Kong: les manifestants pointent des lasers sur la police pour empêcher la reconnaissance faciale du gouvernement chinois https://t.co/qkLdGbxl7n @aletweetsnews pic.twitter.com/zovVac5Y95

— L'important (@Limportant_fr) July 30, 2019

Business Insider: Video shows Hong Kong protesters using lasers to disrupt government facial-recognition cameras

* A video shows Hong Kong protesters shining lasers into facial-recognition cameras in an apparent attempt to blind them.
* The video, broadcast by Hong Kong's Now TV, shows people shining laser pens at cameras, Hong Kong police officers, and government buildings.
* Protesters have sought to remain anonymous by spray-painting and shining lasers at cameras inside the Chinese government office in Hong Kong, The New York Times reported.
* The concentrated light emitted by lasers can heat up and damage sensitive surfaces like camera sensors, the International Laser Display Association says.
* The protests, which started in early June over the territory's relationship with mainland China, have raged for weeks and show no sign of easing.

A video from the ongoing Hong Kong protests shows demonstrators shining lasers at police facial-recognition cameras in an apparent attempt to blind them.

More than 1 million people have demonstrated in Hong Kong's streets since early June against a proposed bill that would allow Hong Kong to extradite citizens to mainland China.

The bill's progress has stalled, but the protest movement has ballooned into a wider fight to preserve the autonomy of the region.

Read more ....

Update #1: Hong Kong protesters use lasers to avoid facial recognition cameras and blind police (The Independent)
Update #2: Hong Kong protesters are using lasers to distract and confuse. Police are shining lights right back. (The Washington Post)

WNU Editor: These protesters are not naive. They know that the security services are trying to identify protest leaders, and these lasers will make that job just a tad more difficult.

Chinese Military Releases Dramatic Video On How They Will Quell Hong Kong's Protesters

Time: Chinese Military Video Seen as a Thinly Veiled Warning to Hong Kong

China’s military has released a video showing troops carrying out drills and cracking down on protestors in what appears to be a warning aimed at Hong Kong as the city approaches its ninth straight week of demonstrations.

The video was posted Wednesday by the People’s Liberation Army Hong Kong Garrison on Chinese microblogging platform Weibo. In the captions, the military declares support for the city’s Beijing-backed government, and emphasizes the army’s role in protecting Hong Kong’s stability.

The three-minute clip features troops unleashing rounds of gunfire, blowing up cars, unrolling barbed-wire barricades and launching missiles.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: Beijing is sending a very clear and blunt message to Hong Kong's protesters. They will use deadly force to stop them.

More News On China's Military Releasing A Dramatic Video On How They Will Quell Hong Kong's Protesters

China's army garrison in Hong Kong releases video with 'anti-riot' scenes -- Reuters
China's army chief in Hong Kong warns that troops are ready to protect national sovereignty as military releases anti-riot propaganda video featuring tanks and missiles to show soldiers 'preparing for war' -- Daily Mail
Hong Kong protests: China releases dramatic army propaganda video -- The Guardian
Video of China's military practicing riot drills with tanks in Hong Kong bears similarities to army response to the infamous Tiananmen Square protests -- Business Insider
China’s army just released a video showing soldiers practicing shooting protesters -- The Washington Post
China's Hong Kong army release threatening video amid mass protests -- The Telegraph
Chinese Commander Says Army Ready to Ensure Stability in Hong Kong Amid Protests -- Sputnik
PLA video warning for Hong Kong -- Asia Times
China Just Released A Video Threatening Pro-Democracy Protesters In Hong Kong. It’s Chilling. -- VICE News
Chinese army video shows riot control in dramatic message to Hong Kong protesters -- The AGE

Should The U.S. Share Its Nuclear Weapons With Japan And South Korea?

A view of North Korea's missile launch on Thursday, in this undated picture released by North Korea's Central News Agency (KCNA) on July 26, 2019. KCNA/via REUTERS

VOA: US Military Experts Propose Sharing Nuclear Arms with Japan, South Korea

A group of military experts is proposing that the United States share its nuclear weapons with Japan and South Korea to answer the nuclear threat from North Korea.

The experts’ comments appear in Joint Forces Quarterly, a publication of the National Defense University. It notes that the opinions expressed in the article are not the official policy or position of the U.S. government.

In talks with U.S. officials, North Korea agreed not to test nuclear arms and long-range missiles. Yet the country apparently launched short-range missiles on Wednesday.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has met three times with U.S. President Donald Trump. Their most recent meeting took place in June in Panmunjom, along the border between North and South Korea.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: This is a debate that is just starting. As to what is my take. Sharing nuclear weapons is not a path that I want to go.

U.S. Imposes Sanctions On Iran’s Foreign Minister

CNN: US sanctions Iranian Foreign Minister Zarif

The United States sanctioned Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif Wednesday, following through on a weeks-old threat that is likely to elevate already heightened tensions with Iran.

Senior administration officials said that the designation was due to Zarif's actions on behalf of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, whom the administration sanctioned in late June.

"Today President (Donald) Trump decided enough is enough," a senior administration official said on a call with reporters.

In a statement, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said the outspoken Iranian foreign minister "implements the reckless agenda of Iran's Supreme Leader, and is the regime's primary spokesperson around the world."

"The United States is sending a clear message to the Iranian regime that its recent behavior is completely unacceptable," he said.

Read more ....

More News On The U.S. Imposing Sanctions On Iran’s Foreign Minister

U.S. puts punishing sanctions on Iran's foreign minister as Trump's Treasury Department seizes assets and tries to limit his international travel -- Daily Mail
US sanctions Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif -- BBC
US imposes sanctions on Iran's foreign minister -- DW
Trump escalates tensions with Iran by imposing sanctions on foreign minister -- The Independent
Iran’s Foreign Minister Sanctioned by US -- VOA
Trump administration sanctions Iranian diplomat; Feinstein derides 'mistake' -- FOX News