Looking for His glorious appearing! Titus 2:13

U.S. Plan for Proxy Army to Fight ISIS in Syria Suffers Attack
Nov 3rd, 2014
Daily NewsThe Guardian
Categories: Today's Headlines;War

The USS Sterett in the Persian Gulf as part of oeprations targeting Isis. Photograph: Eric Coffer/AP/US navy

The US plan to rally proxy ground forces to complement its air strikes against Isis militants in Syria is in tatters after jihadis ousted Washington’s main ally from its stronghold in the north over the weekend.

The attack on the Syrian Revolutionary Front (SRF) by the al-Qaida-aligned Jabhat al-Nusra came after weeks of clashes between the two groups around the city of Idlib, which has remained one of the last bastions of regime control in northern Syria throughout the civil war.

Militants overran the command centre of the SRF’s leader, Jamal Maarouf, in Deir Sonbol in a humiliating rout that came as US and Arab air forces continued to attack Isis in the Kurdish town of Kobani, 300 miles east, in an effort to prevent the town from falling.

In Iraq, Isis has reportedly killed over 230 members of a tribe in western Anbar province in the last ten days, including dozens of women and children. The killings were some of the worst bloodshed in the country since the militants swept through northern Iraq in June.

The defeat of Maarouf is a serious blow to the US strategy of building a proxy coalition against Isis. It comes amid a groundswell of anger at the US strikes across the opposition-held north, which have done nothing to slow the intensity of attacks from Bashar al-Assad’s air force, especially in Aleppo.

“We thought the Americans were going to help us,” said an SRF spokesman. “But not only have they abandoned us, they have been helping the tyrant Bashar instead. We will move past this betrayal and get back to Jebel al-Zawiya [the group’s heartland], but it is going to take some time.”

As strikes led by the US and joined by Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the UAE have continued to target Isis, operations by the Syrian air force have intensified across the country, with a sharp rise reported from the ground of barrel bombs – large, improvised explosives pushed from the back of helicopters that cause indiscriminate destruction.

In the past fortnight alone, at least 401 barrel bombs have been dropped on rebel areas across eight Syrian provinces, claims the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which monitors attacks on regime and opposition-held parts of the country. The attacks have reportedly killed more than 200 civilians and an unknown number of fighters.

At least four barrel bombs hit a refugee camp near Idlib last Wednesday in attacks that the US state department described as barbaric.

A survivor from one of the camps, Haithem Ahmed, who fled with his family to Turkey, said the regime had been emboldened by the US attacks on a common enemy and was acting with increasing impunity.

“It is obvious that the US is supporting Assad,” he said. “Don’t bother trying to argue with me or anyone else about it. They are aiding the war against us. Their leaders are weak and they are liars.”

The US defence secretary, Chuck Hagel, is reported to have warned national security adviser Susan Rice of a blowback among opposition communities in northern Syria because US strategy against Assad has not been clearly defined.

Turkey has been pushing vehemently for the establishment of a no-fly zone over parts of northern Syria, which would protect the civilian population. However, such a plan has yet to gain momentum and, if taken to the UN security council, is likely to be vetoed by Syria’s allies Russia and China.

Maarouf, a former construction worker turned leader of more than 30,000 men, had been one of the few beneficiaries of limited US military supplies to the Syrian opposition. Saudi Arabia also started to send weapons to his fighters in January 2013.

Increasingly desperate calls from Marouf and his forces had gone unanswered since Friday, and by early Saturday large numbers of SRF forces were forced to withdraw. Jabhat al-Nusra said many of Maarouf’s men had defected to its ranks.

Until it lost primacy to Isis in April last year, Jabhat al-Nusra had been the pre-eminent jihadist group among the patchwork of ideologies and agendas that comprise the Syrian opposition. Since then, al-Nusra had acted as an auxiliary group, fighting sometimes alongside the SRF and at other times with the second opposition umbrella group, the Islamic Front, which has been backed by Qatar and Turkey.

Al-Nusra had been reeling over the past six weeks since more than 50 of its members were killed in the opening salvo of US air strikes, which it had thought were intended only for Isis.

Since then, its leaders have been partly reconciled with Isis in northern Syria, sending commanders and men to fight in joint operations. There were unconfirmed reports that Isis members had joined al-Nusra in the battle for Maarouf’s village.

Elsewhere, Isis remains on the back foot in Kobani, after committing far more forces than it expected in an effort to take the town, close to the Turkish border. Kurdish Peshmerga forces from northern Iraq entered Kobani over the weekend and two heavy field guns they brought with them on the overland journey though Turkey are proving decisive in holding back Isis forces, who still occupy about half of the town.

Kobani has become a defining struggle between Isis and the US, as much as it is between the jihadis and the Kurds who, with US help, beat back an advance on Irbil in August. If Isis was able to take Kobani it could boast a significant victory. A victory over the secular Kurds would help advance its hardline interpretation of Islam, which has seen it rule areas it controls along strict medieval precepts that are rooted in an uncompromising understanding of Islamic teachings.

Swedish Police Release Extensive Report: 55 No - Go Zones By Muslim Criminal Gangs
Nov 3rd, 2014
Daily NewsThe Daily Caller
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

An extensive report mapping out 55 no-go zones was released Oct. 24, showing where law enforcement has all but handed control to criminal gangs.

Officers frequently face outright attacks when trying to enter the areas, which is a step up from the previous problem with attacks on mailmen, fire trucks, ambulances and similar services. Fire trucks and ambulances had to wait for police escort to enter the areas, but now the police themselves need protection.

The no-go areas heavily coincide with the map of the 186 “exclusion areas” aka. crowded, predominantly Muslim immigrant ghettos, where education is low, employment is lower and the only local business thriving is drug dealing.

As the real law backs away, organized crime emerges to take its place. The police report notes “a wider clientel [in the areas] are increasingly turning to the criminal authorities for justice” in a Godfather-like fashion. Unofficial courts and punishments are often meted out according to the codes of the home cultures of the dominant gangs. The report also points out that there are vehicle checkpoints at the borders of some of these areas. The bad news is it’s not the police doing them; it’s the gangs securing home turf against law enforcement and rival gangs.

The gangs try to keep a semi-low profile in many areas so as not to interfere with the “business” of dealing drugs, protection rackets and similar illicit activity.

Others seek active confrontation with police to establish absolute dominance.

A pair of policemen in May were in pursuit of a suspect and unwisely entered the no-go zone of the southern city of Landskrona. Their car was rammed and the officers were forced out of the car. They were cornered by a crowd of some 50 hostile thugs and drew their weapons to hold them back and called for immediate backup.

Several nearby patrol cars responded to the call and sped towards the scene, only to be ordered to stop half a mile away — just outside the no-go border. The police commander didn’t send the backup units in, fearing escalation and all-out war. The cornered police officers were left to fend for themselves. As luck would have it, one of the officers knew a few residents who interfered and convinced the thugs to let them leave.

In response to these no-go zones, the Swedish police is expanding its soft approach of dialogue and understanding. After the extensive 2013 Stockholm ghetto riots with hundreds of burned cars and buildings, police responded by mostly staying away and sending forth special “dialogue officers” to grill halal hot dogs with the miscreants and make them see the errors of their ways.

Starting next year, the Stockholm Policy Academy will be moved to Södertörns Högskola, where the new curriculum will be “progressive” with more focus on cultural sensitivity, ethical awareness, gender issues and more. The aspiring police officers will achieve “greater understanding of the intercultural perspective.”

Satellite Photos Reveal North Korea Has Built Its Own Submarine Capable of Carrying Ballistic Missil
Nov 3rd, 2014
Daily NewsHerald Sun
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

NORTH Korea is believed to have completed a homegrown submarine capable of carrying ballistic missiles — a move set to significantly extend the rogue state’s nuclear reach.

South Korean government sources were reported in local media as saying a previously unseen submarine spotted in North Korean waters in recent weeks had now been identified.

The rogue state “is believed to have completed construction of the new submarine after importing a Soviet-era Golf-class diesel submarine and reverse-engineering it,” a government source said on condition of anonymity.

The Yonhap news agency reports the submarine was based an old design which was decommissioned by Russia almost 25 years ago.

The move comes as Asia enters something of a submarine arms race, with India just the latest to announce it will be building six homegrown conventional submarines. The first nuclear powered and nuclear armed submarine to have been built on Indian soil is expected to be launched next year.

The ability for North Korea to secretly deploy nuclear-capable missiles throughout the Pacific is cause for concern in some strategic circles.

Unidentified South Korean government sources told Yonhap news agency the submarine they have observed has been modified to carry an R-21 model submarine ballistic missile (SLBM), which has a maximum range of about 1400km.

Satellite images of North Korean naval have revealed an ongoing program to develop submarine launched weapons since 2010.

Commanding position ... A North Korea capable of deploying nuclear-armed ballistic missiles on a submarine would unsettle Asia’s power balance. Source: DPRK

“A ground test facility for the SLBM launch is up and running at the Sinpo South shipyard,” the US-Korea Institute, a strategic think-tank on North-South Korean relations, states.

But the US-Korea Institute says the submarine threat should not be exaggerated, even though it was potentially real. The diesel-powered submarine will most likely require considerable testing and modification to perfect the technology.

“While the development of submarines carrying ballistic missiles could provide North Korea with a survivable second-strike nuclear capability, aside from the technological challenge, it also assumes that Pyongyang would entrust an operational nuclear-armed missile to the captain of a submarine who would, in time of war, most likely be out of communication with the leadership,” a statement posted on the institute’s website reads.

At the helm ... North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un during a recent publicity shoot on a refurbished “Romeo” class submarine. Source: DPRK

The statement says that while the facilities revealed by the satellite photographs are of the right type to test the ejection of missiles out of a launch tube, the type of missile it could carry was a matter of conjecture.

“North Korea’s capabilities would be stretched to their limit if it used a large liquid-fuelled system such as a naval version of the Musudan intermediate-range or Nodong medium-range ballistic missile,” the statement reads. “A naval version of the liquid-fuelled Scud … or an entirely new system would likely present less of an engineering challenge.”

North Korea has an arsenal of some 70 outdated submarines, though recent propaganda photographs showing leader Kim Jong Un on the conning tower of one was intended to demonstrate these vessels have been upgraded and remain capable.

Rivlin: We will not Tolerate Terror in Our Capital
Nov 3rd, 2014
Daily NewsArutz Sheva
Categories: Today's Headlines;The Nation Of Israel

President Reuven Rivlin

Noam Revkin Fenton/Flash 90

Israel will not accept terrorism in its capital Jerusalem, President Reuven Rivlin said on Sunday evening.

Rivlin spoke at the Begin Heritage Center, in a memorial ceremony on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the death of Irgun commander, former Member of Knesset and Ambassador of Israel, Eliyahu Lankin.  The Begin Heritage Center is where Temple Mount activist Yehuda Glick was shot last week.

“I want to start my words this evening by extending my continued hope and prayers for the full and speedy recovery of Yehuda Glick, who was shot right here, at the entrance of the Begin Heritage Center,” said Rivlin.

He continued, “The fact, that the would be assassin worked here, is proof of the price that we pay, and will continue to pay for  a untied Jerusalem, an open city in which we live together. The attempted murder which took place here, is a yet another serious escalation in the on-going violence and terror in Jerusalem, and marks an attempt to make us fear walking the streets and neighborhoods of the city.”

“Jerusalem is the Capital of the State of Israel, we will continue to develop and build in every part of the city,” he declared. 

“We cannot tolerate the terror which exists in the city, and we cannot afford to respond lightly. In order to bring an end to these bloody events in Jerusalem, we must act forcefully, without hesitation, against the perpetrators and terrorist groups,” said Rivlin. \

“I have no doubt that the admirable, swift, and proper response, by the Special Police Unit has strengthened the deterrence. Nevertheless, we must continue to work to overcome and fight against the terrorist groups.”

Glick - who founded and heads the LIBA Initiative for Jewish Freedom on the Temple Mount -was shot in the chest on Wednesday night after the shooter pulled up in a motorcycle or scooter, and confirmed Glick's identity before shooting. 

He had been speaking, minutes before being shot, at an event for Jewish rights on the Temple Mount that had hosted leading religious figures and MKs.

PLA's DF - 31B Icbm 'Poses Threat to U.S. National Security'
Nov 3rd, 2014
Daily NewsWant China Times
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

DF-31A launchers together with DF-15B tactical missiles during a military parade held to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the founding of the PRC in 2009. (Internet photo)

After China tested its DF-31B intercontinental ballistic missile on Sept. 2, the Washington-based Strategy Page said that this new missile with a range of 10,000 poses a serious challenge to the national security of the United States.

The report said that China is estimated to have 400 missiles with the capability to carry nuclear warheads. Only a few dozen of them including the DF-5, the DF-31A/B and the DF-41 can reach the United States, however. China is believed to have had about 24 DF-5 missiles in service over the past 20 years. Even though they are capable of reaching the United States, few of them were believed to be operational because of reliability and maintenance problems.

Most of China's ballistic missiles are tactical missiles like the DF-21, which is capable of hitting targets in Russia and India. The United States has the capability to intercept nearly all DF-5s launched from China and Beijing claims that it has not aimed its missiles against any nation. While the DF-26C is being developed to replace the older DF-21, China is designing new missiles such as the DF-31A/B and the DF-41 to replace the role played by the DF-5 in the past.

With a range of 15,000 kilometers, the DF-41 can be used against any targets in the United States. It can be moved, erected, and launched from a special truck. The article said that the missile has very similar capabilities to the 36-ton Minuteman III of the United States, first deployed in the 1970s. However, the DF-41 is unlikely to enter service with the PLA for quite some time.

China's nationalistic tabloid Global Times said that the DF-31B will be able to enter service much faster because it is only an upgrade version of the DF-31A.

Netanyahu to Masa Participants: Tell the Truth About Israel
Nov 3rd, 2014
Daily NewsArutz Sheva
Categories: Today's Headlines;The Nation Of Israel

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu spoke on Sunday at the annual event of the "Masa Journey" Project, which provides pro-Israel community and activities in a one-year program framework.

“No matter how many countries you came from, you came from one country: This is your one country,” he told participants.

“We’re all children of Abraham, and Abraham started here almost 4,000 years ago, and the Jewish people lived here for almost 2,000 years and then were gradually dispersed. And then something amazing happened. It never happened in the history of nations that a people that had lost its land had come back to it. There’s only one example of a people who after thousands of years came back. We came back to our homeland. We came back to the land of Israel and we built the State of Israel,” said Netanyahu.

“This is a momentous time: You come here and you’ve contributed a year of your life to this immense enterprise,” he continued. “You volunteered over a million volunteer days for Israel this year.”

With their volunteer efforts, said Netanyahu, Masa participants “become a part of this great story. Israel is an amazing story. I think it’s an amazing story for mankind, but I think especially it’s an amazing story for young Jews. You’ve gotten to know the real Israel. You’ve gotten to know the truth behind the headlines. You’ve gotten to know that the facts: That we are a democracy. That we are people that want peace. That we are people that create the future....and that future includes you.”

Netanyahu made two requests of the Masa participants as they return to their home countries: To tell the truth about Israel, and to come back to Israel permanently.

“You’ve been part of this voyage. We’d like to see you here. I’d like to see you here.”

Netanyahu Holds Secret Meeting With Abdullah Over Temple Mount
Nov 3rd, 2014
Daily NewsArutz Sheva
Categories: Today's Headlines;The Nation Of Israel

Jordanian King Abdullah II, Binyamin Netanyahu

Kobi Gideon/GPO/Flash 90

Kuwaiti newspaper Al Jarida reported Monday morning that Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu held a secret meeting with Jordan's King Abdullah II on Saturday, in the Jordanian capital of Amman.

The meeting was intended to try and calm inflamed tensions in Jerusalem, following the temporary decision to stop all visits to the Temple Mount last week. That decision was made following the assassination attempt against Temple Mount activist Yehuda Glick on Wednesday, who championed the struggle for Jewish prayer rights at the holiest site in Judaism.

According to the report, as cited by Channel 2's website, Netanyahu told Abdullah at the meeting that he is considering blocking Jews from entering the Temple Mount.

In addition, Netanyahu reportedly said that Israel will take “new steps” regarding the entry of visitors to the Temple Mount, but the newspaper did not say what they would be.

After the meeting, Abdullah reportedly spoke with Palestinian Authority (PA) Chairman Mahmoud Abbas and filled him in on its results.

Abbas commended Netanyahu on Sunday after the Israeli leader called for calm in Jerusalem. “Today, a statement was issued by the government of Israel and the prime minister of Israel, according to which there is a need for calm, and we support calm,” said Abbas.

"In principle, we support calm,” he added. “We do not want to escalate the situation until it cannot be handled.” Just last month, Abbas called for terrorism on the Temple Mount, demanding Muslims block Jews by "all means necessary."

Abbas's bureau further called Netanyahu’s statement “a step in the right direction” and claimed that Netanyahu had recognized the Muslims' “right to Al Aqsa.”

Let the Headlines Speak
Nov 3rd, 2014
Daily NewsFrom the internet
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

Holy Shiite! Syrian rebels trained by US defect to Al-Qaeda after receiving weapons from America to fight ISIS, Assad
The loss of a group that had been held up as an example of Western efforts to court moderate rebel factions is another humiliating blow for Obama. For the past six months the Hazm movement, and the SRF through them, had been receiving heavy weapons from the U.S.-led coalition, including Grad rockets and Tow anti-tank missiles.

‘Women and children dumped in a well’: ISIS massacres 322 Sunni tribesmen in west Iraq
“The number of people killed by Islamic State from Al-Bu Nimr tribe is 322. The bodies of 50 women and children have also been discovered dumped in a well," the country's Human Rights Ministry said on Sunday.

China unveils anti-drone laser weapon able to shoot down 'small aircraft' within 5 seconds
Boasting high speed, great precision and low noise, the system is aimed at destroying unmanned, small-scale drones flying under an altitude of 500 meters and at speeds below 50 meters per second, the official Xinhua news agency reported.

‘Point of no return’: Merkel warns UK could exit EU over immigration policy – report
Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel has signaled she would rather see the UK leave the EU than compromise the free movement of immigrants, German magazine Der Spiegel reported.

Netanyahu Holds Secret Meeting with Abdullah over Temple Mount
The meeting was intended to try and calm inflamed tensions in Jerusalem, following the temporary decision to stop all visits to the Temple Mount last week. That decision was made following the assassination attempt against Temple Mount activist Yehuda Glick on Wednesday, who championed the struggle for Jewish prayer rights at the holiest site in Judaism.

Trump: 'Never a greater enemy to Israel than Obama'
“Look, they don’t like him and they don’t like Israel … [Obama's] the worst thing that has ever happened to Israel. Now what’s going to happen is, the way it’s going, Iran will have a nuclear weapon. And it’s very close. As soon as that happens it’s a whole new ball game.” “Where’s the United States in that ball game?” asked Pirro. “I don’t think we have any idea what’s going on,” answered Trump, saying the country was poorly run.

Ebola threat to Americans is 'hyped' by desperate media, says David Axelrod
'The media and craven politicians are hyping the threat to keep interest' in Ebola, says David Axelrod, who was hired to advise Ed Miliband in April. According to UtahPolicy.com, Mr Axelrod said that the reporting of the threat from Ebola showed how the traditional media was trying to keep the public inflamed about issues.

HYDER FLARE MISSES EARTH
The C3-category flare was caused by a filament of magnetism, which rose up and erupted between 0400 and 0600 UT. Some of the material in the filament fell back to the sun, causing a flash of X-rays where it hit the stellar surface. That was the flare. The rest of the filament flew out into space, forming the core of a massive CME

Satellite photos reveal North Korea has built its own submarine capable of carrying ballistic missiles
The rogue state “is believed to have completed construction of the new submarine after importing a Soviet-era Golf-class diesel submarine and reverse-engineering it,” a government source said on condition of anonymity. The Yonhap news agency reports the submarine was based an old design which was decommissioned by Russia almost 25 years ago.

Earthquake: 3.4 quake strikes near Loma Linda, Calif.
A shallow magnitude 3.4 earthquake was reported Monday morning two miles from Loma Linda, Calif., according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The temblor occurred at 12:53 a.m. Pacific time at a depth of 10.6 miles.

China develops anti-drone laser
China has successfully tested a homemade laser defense system specially targeting small-scale drones flying at low attitude. The machine is able to shoot down various small aircraft within a two-kilometer radius and can do so in five seconds after locating its target, said a statement released Sunday by the China Academy of Engineering Physics, one of the system's co-developers.

Fossil fuels should be phased out by 2100 says IPCC
The unrestricted use of fossil fuels should be phased out by 2100 if the world is to avoid dangerous climate change, a UN-backed expert panel says. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change says in a stark report that most of the world's electricity can - and must - be produced from low-carbon sources by 2050. If not, the world faces "severe, pervasive and irreversible" damage.

Islamic State 'kills 322' from single Sunni tribe
Mass killings by Islamic State militants have seen 322 members of an Iraqi Sunni tribe killed in western Anbar province, Iraq's government says. The country's ministry of human rights said more than 50 bodies were found in a water well, whilst 65 members of the Al-Bu Nimr tribe have been kidnapped. The group's latest attack came on Sunday morning when militants shot and killed at least 50 of the tribe.

EU lodges new WTO protest against Russia
The EU lodged its fourth formal complaint against Russia to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) on Friday in the latest round of the trade battle between the two blocs. Brussels' ire is focused this time on import duties slapped on paper products, refrigerators and palm oil, a market which it says is worth approximately €600 million a year.

Merkel: UK exit better than restricting free movement
German chancellor Angela Merkel would reportedly prefer the UK to leave the EU than have Downing Street limit the free movement of people. Unnamed sources in the German government told the German weekly Der Spiegel that UK plans to place a cap on unskilled EU migrants would be a step too far for the German Chancellor.

Jordan’s king says he’ll resist ‘unilateral’ Israeli policies in Jerusalem
ordan’s King Abdullah II denounced Israel’s “unilateral policies” in Jerusalem and called for a resumption of Israeli-Palestinian peace talks in a speech delivered Sunday to Jordan’s parliament.

Abbas to present US peace framework to PLO
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas will present to the Palestine Liberation Organization leadership on Sunday night an American framework for the resumption of peace talks with Israel, Israel Radio reported.

Landmark Jerusalem passport case gets day in US Supreme Court
The official birth country of Jerusalem-born Menachem Zivotofsky to be decided Monday. This Monday brings a second chapter in the United States Supreme Court’s ongoing arguments over the status of Jerusalem.It’s the second time the highest court in the US is considering the constitutionality of a 2002 law that directs the State Department to allow Israel as the country of birth in passports of American citizens born in Jerusalem.

Arab League warns of Jerusalem ‘red line’
CAIRO — The Arab League warned Sunday that Israel has reached a “red line” after fresh clashes in Jerusalem, urging international pressure to stop what it branded “violations” in the holy city.

Abbas says Glick shooter will go to heaven as martyr
In condolence letter to Hijazi family, PA head decries ‘vicious assassination’ by IDF ‘terrorists'; Netanyahu calls for international condemnation.

Far-right Israeli MP visits al-Aqsa compound, defying Netanyahu
JERUSALEM - A far-right politician who wants Jews to be allowed to pray at Jerusalem's al-Aqsa compound visited the site on Sunday, defying Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's calls for restraint after clashes this week between Israeli police and Palestinians.

Jerusalem on edge in row over contested shrine
JERUSALEM — This combustible city at the center of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has been edging toward a new conflagration, with politicians on both sides stoking religious fervor over an ancient Jerusalem shrine sacred to Muslims and Jews.

Faith Schools Could Face Closure if They Don't Promote Gay Rights
British faith schools are to be forced to teach equality and respect for gay rights or face closure, in a move backed by Education Secretary Nicky Morgan. The orders come following 40 snap inspections of faith schools, including Christian and Jewish schools, in the wake of the Trojan Horse plot in Birmingham in which radical Islamists were found to have infiltrated between four and eight schools to promote hard-line Salafist Islam.

The Lies Phony Climate Experts Tell
For decades now both the U.S. and Europe have suffered the arrogance and the lies of so-called “climate experts.” Mind you, there are some real ones and, when it comes to global warming and climate change, the interchangeable names for the lies, they are the ones labeled “deniers” and worse for telling the truth.

Why Obama Hates Netanyahu
While Obama's people anonymously taunt Netanyahu as a coward, it's their boss who acts like a coward, stabbing Israel in the back, slandering its leader anonymously through the media.Obama’s foreign policy was supposed to reboot America’s relationship with the rest of the world. Old allies would become people we occasionally talked to. Old enemies would become new allies. Goodbye Queen, hello Vladimir

ISIS Eyes Usng Ebola As Bio Weapon
Nov 3rd, 2014
Daily NewsRT
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

The Spanish government said it is concerned that terrorists could use the Ebola virus as a biological weapon against the West. A close eye is being kept on online chat rooms, where such attacks are reportedly discussed among jihadist groups.

Extremists connected to the Islamic State (IS, previously ISIS) have been considering using Ebola as a weapon against the West, Spain’s State Secretary for Security, Francisco Martinez, said in an address to the parliament.

Martinez stated that this type of activity serves as further proof that the internet is an “an extension of the battlefield” for the Islamic State, which uses cyberspace for “threatening enemies through propaganda, preparing operations, exchanging information, ideological training, recruiting new members and acquiring finance.”

There are “many examples” of online terrorist chat logs discussing the use of biological warfare against the West, Spain’s RTVE public broadcasting corporation reported.

The most recent talks took place in a “jihadist chat room,” related to the Islamic State, in mid-September. “The use of Ebola as a poisonous weapon against the United States” was the topic of conversation, Martinez said.

There were also a number of tweets that talked about the use of “deadly chemical products from laboratories,” he added, stating that terrorist organization Ansar al-Islam was involved.

Despite increasing evidence of biological attacks on the West, US Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson denied allegations of the Islamic State’s plans to use biological weapons. “We've seen no specific credible intelligence that [the Islamic State] is attempting to use any sort of disease or virus to attack our homeland,” Johnson said earlier in October.

Canada imposes visa ban

The latest cases of Ebola in Spain and the US have sparked fears of an even bigger outbreak, prompting Canada to step up its border security so as to limit the risk of infection spreading into the country.

The federal government announced on Friday it is suspending the processing of visa applications for residents and nationals who have been in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone in the last three months. The same goes for permanent residence applications.

"New precautionary measures [are] to protect the health and safety of Canadians,” the government said in a statement, adding that the move does not affect Canadians in West Africa helping to contain Ebola, adding that health workers will be permitted back in the country.

Canada has become the second country after Australia to deny visas to foreign nationals from the three affected West African countries.

So far, about 5,000 people have died this year in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, in the worst Ebola outbreak ever recorded.

Combat Simulations Mobilized 20,000 Over Two Months in China
Nov 3rd, 2014
Daily NewsWant China Times
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

A Joint Action-2014C exercise launched in the Kunlun Mountains region between Oct. 15-20. (Photo/CNS)

To prepare the ground, naval and air forces of the People's Liberation Army for real combat, China launched a series of exercise between early September and late October, according to the official China News Service.

More than six military exercises were held in September alone, according to the report. The largest aerial combat exercise since the creation of the PLA Air Force was first launched in the desert of northwestern China and involved 100 fourth-generation fighters. An artillery exercise called Fire 2014 followed across north China. Later, 4,000 military personnel and 1,000 vehicles were mobilized for a live-fire and logistics exercise in Zhurihe, Inner Mongolia.

Following a live-fire exercise in the disputed East China Sea, the PLA Navy launched another drill in the South China Sea with the coordination of the air force and Second Artillery Corps, the country's strategic missile force.

October saw no letup. On Oct. 27, a joint exercise was carried out to test the ability of aircraft and warships of the PLA's North, East and South Sea Fleets in joint operation. The 39th Group Army of the Shenyang Military Region was ordered to launch an exercise called Joint Action-2014 on Oct. 28. During the drill, infantry, armored corps, flying corps, artillery, air-defense artillery and electronic warfare units fought together in simulated warfare with the air force, People's Armed Police, local militia and police on the battlefield. About 20,000 officers and soldiers were mobilized over the two months of constant military movement.

Canadian Planes Launch First Airstrikes on Isis Canadian Warplanes Launch Airstrikes Against ISIS
Nov 3rd, 2014
Daily NewsArutz Sheva
Categories: Today's Headlines;War

Canadian warplanes involved in the American-led bombing campaign against the Islamic State (ISIS) in Iraq on Sunday launched the first airstrike since deploying to the region, the Canadian Press reported.

Two CF-18 fighter jets attacked targets in the vicinity of Fallujah, a statement from Canadian Defense Minister Rob Nicholson’s office said.

“Coordinated with our coalition partners, two CF-18s attacked [ISIS] targets with GBU12 500 lb laser guided bombs,” the statement said, according to the Canadian Press.

“The approximately four hour mission included air-to-air refueling from Canada’s Polaris aircraft.”

The three aircraft all safely returned to their base in Kuwait, the statement added.

Few other details of the strike were immediately released, but the statement said assessment of the damage was being done. Fallujah is roughly 70 kilometers west of Baghdad.

Canada has deployed a total of six CF-18s along with the C-150 Polaris and two CP-140 Aurora surveillance aircraft as its contribution to the American-led bombing campaign against the Islamic State, which has occupied parts of Iraq and Syria.

The CF-18s, also called Hornets, left Canada on October 21. Some 600 personnel are involved in the air combat mission. Canada has also shipped about one million kilograms of military supplies to Iraqi security forces, who it is also helping train.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper, who is known for his hawkish views with regards to terrorism, said several weeks ago that ISIS is a direct threat to Canada and the world, and therefore Canada will take part in the coalition against the group.

The Prime Minister’s move was met by sharp criticism from Liberal Party leader Justin Trudeau.

Trudeau acknowledged that ISIS is a "threat to regional and global security" in a recent speech, but added, "Mr. Harper has made no effort to build a non-partisan case for war," claiming a parallel to the 2003 Iraq war he termed the "Iraq fiasco."

Are Russian Bombers Flying Nuclear Drills Near Europe or Just Testing NATOs Defenses?
Nov 3rd, 2014
Daily NewsThe Daily Beast
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

Russian bombers may be flying nuclear strike drills over the Atlantic Ocean and North Sea, current and former U.S. Air Force officers believe. At the very least, these officers tell The Daily Beast, the Russian Air Force is aggressively probing what NATO calls European airspace in an effort to gauge the reaction times of the western alliance’s defenses.

Since Oct. 28, NATO air defenses have detected and monitored four groups of Russian combat aircraft over the Baltic Sea, North Sea, Atlantic Ocean, and Black Sea. Norwegian F-16 fighters intercepted one particular group of Russian aircraft on Oct. 29 that included four, nuclear-capable Tupolev Tu-95 Bear H strategic bombers and four Ilyushin Il-78 aerial refueling tankers. Once intercepted, six of the Russian aircraft headed for home while the two remaining Tu-95 bombers continued southwest, parallel to the Norwegian coast, before eventually turning back towards Russia.

The giant, propeller-driven Tu-95 is a launch platform for the 1,600 nautical mile range Raduga Kh-55 nuclear-tipped cruise missile. The weapon carries a 200-kiloton nuclear warhead; by comparison, the bomb that destroyed Nagasaki was a mere 21 kilotons. Some active-duty and retired U.S. Air Force officials told The Daily Beast that the Tu-95s might have been flying to certain predetermined launch points for their nuclear missiles.

“That could certainly be the case,” said retired Air Force Lt. Gen. David Deptula, the service’s influential former intelligence chief. “It is not farfetched that at some point within the next two years [Russian President Vladimir] Putin makes a more aggressive move in Eastern Europe and uses a nuclear threat to deter a NATO response.”

Of course, every nuclear capable air force runs exercises to practice its so-called “strategic deterrence.” It’s the pace and scale of these current flights that have military observers concerned.

“Our bomber crews regularly fly training sorties for their full range of potential missions, including strategic deterrence practice missions,” Mark Gunzinger, a former B-52 pilot and current air power analyst the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments, said. “[The Russian Air Force] has never stopped flying training sorties, but it’s apparent that the scope of this one is catching people’s attention.”

Asked if at least some of these flights were nuclear drills, Gunzinger responded, “that is probably the case.”

The giant, propeller-driven Tu-95 is a launch platform for the Raduga Kh-55 nuclear-tipped cruise missile, which carries a 200-kiloton nuclear warhead. By comparison, the bomb that destroyed Nagasaki was a mere 21 kilotons.

Another former Air Force officer—one with extensive experience with Russian tactics—cautioned not to interpret either the European or Alaskan flights too darkly. “A probe to test western responses, yes,” the former officer wrote in an email. “More activity than in the recent past, yes. Nuclear strike rehearsal, unlikely. Capabilities are easy to measure. Intent is not.”

Analyst Rebecca Grant, president of IRIS Independent Research, said that the recent display of Russian air power was just another provocation in a long line of similar antagonistic moves by Russia. The Russian strategic bomber foray into the Atlantic is also reminiscent of a September incident where two nuclear-capable Tu-95s bombers, two Il-78 tankers and two MiG-31 Foxhound fighters were intercepted near Alaska.

“This reminds me of the exercises Russia has been flying in the Pacific for a few years now, just transferred to the European theater,” Grant said. “I don’t read this as a specific nuclear or conventional scenario practice, rather an exercise in long-range navigation and provocation. It’s clearly designed to annoy NATO but from a purely tactical perspective, this was still a pretty small display of airpower.”

Another former Air Force F-4G and F-15E electronic warfare officer said that there simply is not enough information to be certain of what the Russians’ intentions are. “It could be anything,” said Michael Pietrucha. “There’s nothing wrong with long range training sorties because they allow you to work out the kinks for a variety of missions.”

Nonetheless, the foray into European airspace by the Tu-95 Bear bombers is cause for concern. That’s not just because of the Bear bomber’s long-range nuclear weapons capability, but also because of the Russian’s general disregard for international air traffic norms. Not only did the Russians not file a proper flight plan, they also did not have active transponders—which would allow civilian air traffic controllers to see them. The situation could lead to a serious accident where an airliner might collide with a Russian bomber.

“It’s alarming, especially, that they would fly without their transponder on particularly when they’re certain to fly on or cross an a multitude of international air routes,” one Air Force bomber pilot told the Daily Beast. “The interrogative capability of most modern airline and transport carrier transponders rely on the transmission of other transponders to ensure positive deconfliction.”

The airspace over the Atlantic is especially busy with a lot of airliner traffic. The U.S. bomber pilot acknowledged that the U.S. Air Force also conducts long-range bomber patrols, but American aircraft always follow proper flight procedures and other regulations.

“I’ve flown on the west of Portugal, it was a busy place to fly because a lot of air routes funnel into the Med [Mediterranean] there,” the bomber pilot said. “The U.S. does what are called ‘global power’ missions on occasion, but never without squawking, or talking, or filing flight plans, and we rarely seek to draw an escort.”

In addition to the strategic bomber patrols in the Atlantic, the Russian Air Force also flew another bomber mission over the Black Sea on Oct. 29 with two Tu-95 Bears, which were escorted by two Sukhoi Su-27 air superiority fighters.

The Russian Air Force also flew additional sorties over the Baltic Sea with tactical strike fighters on Oct. 29. Portuguese F-16 fighters assigned to protect the Baltic states—which belong to NATO—intercepted a group of two MiG-31 interceptors, one Su-27 fighter and two pairs of Su-34 and Su-24 fighter bombers. The same group of Russian jets was intercepted on the previous day.

No matter what the intent of the specific flight, the larger goal—a re-introduction of Russian military might into Europe—is clearly working, a senior U.S. military officer told The Daily Beast.

“It certainly demonstrates their effort to re-assert themselves in the region and regain their past form,” this official added. “It appears to be successful, certainly from the standpoint that Russian airpower has re-entered the conversation and our NATO allies have had to respond to their incursions. It strikes me as destabilizing.”

The U.S. Air Force would not officially comment on the matter and deferred all queries to the Office of the Secretary of Defense. The Pentagon did not return calls for comment.