Above Photo: President Joe Biden shakes hands with Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett as they meet in the Oval Office of the White House, Aug. 27, 2021. Evan Vucci / AP. By No Means Has Voting Blue Meant A Change For The Better. In Fact, The Only Real Difference Between Biden And Trump In Terms Of Foreign Policy Is That Instead Of Mean Tweets, More Respectful Language Is Used To Give The New President The Veneer Of Respectability. Despite President Joe Biden having claimed earlier this year that “diplomacy is back” and that he would end the war in Yemen, revive […]
Middle
32 posts
Notwithstanding that China is a relatively “shy participant” in Middle Eastern policy, the US hegemony, which claims exclusivity among the most “obedient” Arab countries (those which fall into its strategic sphere of influence), is threatened by it. The worrying aspect for the US is that Beijing seeks to present a different model that integrates and takes advantage of the US’s failed military experiences in many wars and direct political interference attempts over the past decades. China hopes for a non-aggressive economic-political breakthrough in the Middle East through a less ferocious and less explicit model than the American one. China has robust […]
Above Photo: Palestinian journalists filming a building in the Gaza Strip destroyed by Israeli bombing, May 14. (Osps7, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons) The limitation of Palestinian autonomy was embedded in U.S.-brokered negotiations from the start, writes Inès Abdel Razek. That cycle must be broken. Thirty years ago, representatives of the Israeli government and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) met in Madrid to start bilateral negotiations. Purportedly meant to bring about a just and peaceful future in the territory between the Mediterranean Sea and Jordan River, the so-called Middle East Peace Process (MEPP), conceived at the meeting, has instead consolidated a […]
Above Photo: In this June 13, 2020, file photo, United States Military Academy graduating cadets, wearing face masks, march to their socially-distanced seating during commencement ceremonies in West Point, N.Y. (ASSOCIATED PRESS) We Have To Promote Non-Military Careers For Our Youth Seventy-six years after the U.S. dropped atomic weapons on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, I am reminded of my own mindset during the Cuban missile crisis when American President John F. Kennedy and Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev were threatening a nuclear confrontation. I remember feeling that my life would soon end, clearly embracing a comprehensible existential threat even at the age of […]
The U.S. Central Command has confirmed that a pair of U.S. Air Force nuclear-capable B-52H “Stratofortresses” flew a multinational patrol mission across the Middle East to deter aggression and reassure partners and allies of the U.S. military’s commitment to security in the region. Multiple partner nations and U.S. Air Force fighter aircraft accompanied the U.S. bombers at different points during the flight, including Israel, Saudi Arabia and Qatar. The Israel Air Force said on its Twitter account that the flight was another layer in the strategic cooperation with U.S. forces, which is key to maintaining the security of Israeli airspace and the entire Middle East. – ADVERTISEMENT – CONTINUE READING BELOW – […]
Ukraine’s defense industry is promoting its advanced version of a BTR-4 wheeled fighting vehicle at the 15th edition of the International Defense Exhibition and Conference (IDEX 2021) for the Middle East market. Ukraine’s military export agency will unveil the latest version of the BTR-4 wheeled fighting vehicle, called the BTR-4MV1 at IDEX 2021. The new combat vehicle offers significant improvements over the BTR-4 series. An advanced modular armour protection system provides the vehicle with NATO STANAG-standard from bullets, guns, and weapons. – ADVERTISEMENT – CONTINUE READING BELOW – When creating BTR-4MV1 developers used a modular approach in constructing armor protection, using […]
The U.S. military flew a pair of B-52 Stratofortress long-range bombers to the Middle East Sunday for a deterrence mission against Iran. A KC-10 Extender assigned to the 908th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron and two U.S. Air Force B-52 Stratofortress assigned to the 5th Bomb Wing were spotted on Sunday flying over Israeli airspace heading to the Persian Gulf. U.S. Central Command later confirmed that B-52H crews conduct second Middle East presence patrol of 2021 as key part of CENTCOM’s defensive posture. – ADVERTISEMENT – CONTINUE READING BELOW – The details were given in a 17 January media release, to announce […]
The U.S. Air Force announced that four B-52H Stratofortresses bombers assigned to the 5th Bomb Wing, Minot Air Force Base, N.D., conducted a short-notice, long-range mission into the Middle East on Nov. 21 to deter aggression and reassure U.S. partners and allies. In a release, U.S. Central Command Public Affairs reported the non-stop mission demonstrates the U.S. military’s ability to deploy combat airpower anywhere in the world on short notice and integrate into United States Central Command (CENTCOM) operations to help preserve regional stability and security. “Bomber Task Force missions highlight the robust and varied USAF capabilities that can be made […]
How To Stuff The Middle East With Weaponry By William Hartung, Tom Dispatch. October 13, 2020 How To Stuff The Middle East With Weaponry2020-10-132020-10-13https://popularresistance-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2017/12/popres-shorter.pngPopularResistance.Orghttps://popularresistance-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2020/10/trump-saudi-armsdeal-e1602617537245.jpg200px200px Above photo: Evan Vucci/AP. The U.S. of A(rms). The Art of the Weapons Deal in the Age of Trump The United States has the dubious distinction of being the world’s leading arms dealer. It dominates the global trade in a historic fashion and nowhere is that domination more complete than in the endlessly war-torn Middle East. There, believe it or not, the U.S. controls nearly half the arms market. From Yemen to Libya to Egypt, sales by this country and its […]
It’s been less than a month since Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain inked historic US-brokered peace agreements, hailed by President Donald Trump as the “dawn of a new Middle East”, on the White House lawn. Since then, talk about which countries will follow suit has preoccupied many in Israel, especially after hints interjected by Trump himself, who suggested that “five or six” additional countries will join the club of states that recognise Israel. Which are they? What are their interests and what are their challenges? Sputnik has mapped them out. Next in Line? Saudi Arabia: Looking at its neighbour, […]
While medieval literature does feature numerous example of human lips meeting human backsides, Dr. Erik Wade of the University of Bonn has explained that said scenes were intended to be comical rather than sexual. While today, the phrase “Kiss my a**!” might be regarded as sassy rebuttal or perhaps an offer to engage in some intimate activities, depending on the context, it turns out that a few centuries ago, the latter meaning would’ve eluded people as certain actions that are considered sexual today weren’t regarded as such back then, the Daily Beast reports. As the media outlet points out, while the […]
In 1998, President Clinton announced to the world in his State of the Union address that he never had “sexual relations” with intern Monica Lewinsky. When pressed on the matter later that year he admitted that there had been an “improper physical relationship” with Ms. Lewinsky, but defended his position on the matter on the basis that while she had performed fellatio on him he had not reciprocated and thus had not “had sex” with her. Clinton’s hair-splitting argument prompted a national debate about what actually constitutes sex. Had Clinton lived a thousand years earlier his argument would have fallen on […]
Al Bawaba Insights is a weekly newsletter featuring research, geopolitical analysis and a fresh perspective on current affairs from inside the Middle East. We’re based in Jordan, with writers in Oxford, London, Washington DC and Europe. Erdogan is Using Syrian Mercenaries as a Foreign Policy Bludgeon Ty Joplin In a disputed region between Armenia and Azerbaijan, […] Source link
The NASA and Jacobs engineers staffing the Integration Console will be literally and figuratively in the center of the final discussions to clear the Orion/Space Launch System (SLS) vehicle for its inaugural Artemis 1 launch. Sitting in the middle of the main Firing Room at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC), Exploration Ground Systems (EGS) Launch Project Engineers will work with teams sitting around them and others around the country during the final countdown to help decide when the spacecraft and launcher are ready to fly for the first time. While the Ground Launch Sequencer (GLS) team oversees the new computer system […]
Conor McGregor’s plans of facing Manny Pacquiao in a blockbuster boxing match in the Middle East are unlikely to happen because key players in the region are loyal to UFC champion Khabib Nurmagomedov, the Russian’s manager says. McGregor and Pacquiao are in talks to meet in the ring later this year or in early 2021, as revealed by the Irishman in a bombshell tweet on Friday. ‘The Notorious’ named the Middle East as the location for the contest, which would be his second professional boxing outing after he famously faced ring icon Floyd Mayweather Jr in a Las Vegas money-spinner in 2017. […]
If the build-up to their UFC middleweight title clash had seemed unexpectedly serene, then things exploded into life at Friday’s final staredown between Israel Adesanya and Paulo Costa. Middleweight ruler Adesanya and Brazil’s Costa both put their unbeaten records on the line as they headline UFC 253 in Abu Dhabi this weekend, and things got heated ahead of time when they faced off on Friday. Costa appeared first on deck and shook hands with UFC boss Dana White with a smile, before Adesanya arrived and also appeared in relaxed mood. That swiftly changed however when Costa revealed a black judo belt […]
by Salman Rafi Sheikh, with New Eastern Outlook, Moscow, …and the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, a research institution for the study of the countries and cultures of Asia and North Africa. [ Editor’s Note: The shifting sands in the Mideast have once again brought up discussion of a new alignment, despite it being a region where alignments can be a short to mid term arrangement, but rarely a long term solution to anything. Mr. Sheikh poses that Iran and Turkey will combine with little Qatar to blunt the new Israeli UAE, Qatar axis. The latter has lots of […]
26 September is commemorated as international day for the total elimination of nuclear weapons, reminding the global community that 75 years after Hiroshima and Nagasaki, atomic bombs still pose a threat to global stability. Over the years, the realisation of how risky nuclear energy can be has prompted some governments to shut down their reactors. Such was the case in Germany, which decided to phase out all its reactors following the Fukushima disaster of 2011; and such was the case in Italy, which has rejected any plans to resume the construction of nuclear plants on its soil. But there were also […]
by Vladimir Odintsov, …with New Eastern Outlook, Moscow,…and the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, a research institution for the study of the countries and cultures of Asia and North Africa. [ Editor’s Note: Oh my, Crown Prince Al Nahyan may have learned the hard way, about making deals with unsavory characters like Trump and Bibi. The latter has already bailed out on a the key part of ‘the peace deal’, suspending the annexation of the West Bank. “There is no change to my plan to extend sovereignty, our sovereignty in Judea and Samaria, in full coordination with the United States,” […]
…from SouthFront On the evening of August 4th, a massive explosion rocked the port of the Lebanese capital of Beirut, causing devastating damage and leaving thousands of casualties. The explosion sent a shockwave across the city and blew out windows up to 10 kilometers away. It was felt as far away as Cyprus in the Mediterranean Sea. As of the morning of August 5th, the number of reported fatalities exceeded 100, with at least 4,000 people reported injured. At least 48 staff members of the United Nations and 27 members of their families were among the injured. 10 rescuers involved in […]
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s eldest son Yair has once again been forced to apologize for an untoward tweet, after he shared a meme of the Hindu goddess Durga making a rude gesture. In the meme, the face of Liat Ben Ari, the prosecutor in one of his father’s ongoing corruption cases, has been superimposed on the body of the multi-armed Hindu goddess of war. The goddess’ many arms were photoshopped to flip the bird, while Attorney General Avichai Mandelbit’s face was placed on a tiger at her feet, alongside a caption that read “Know your place you despicable people.” “I’ve tweeted […]
Syrian developer Ghass Mo has been living off freelance bitcoin gigs from Kurdistan, Iraq, for nearly two years. “I get paid in bitcoin for doing work on open-source projects related to the cryptocurrency industry,” Mo said. “The first programmer I met was Amir Taaki. … I learned a lot from him and he was supporting me.” It’s impossible to say how many people are like Mo, inspired by a chance meeting with a bitcoiner to embark on an educational journey toward financial sovereignty. These cases are often isolated, at least in the developing world. Yet, they are increasingly familiar to people […]
CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand—If this country’s spectacular nature reserves are the peaceful Shire of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Hobbits in Middle Earth, its notorious ganglands are our Mordor. “Police documents showed that there were over 7,000 gang members in New Zealand as of December 2019, up 50 percent in three years. ” The Bay of Plenty’s official tourism website gushes about the region’s “breathtaking views, beachside relaxation and year-round sun.” And New Zealand often is seen as an oasis of heavenly peace in a troubled world, its gorgeous sweeping mountain vistas made famous by Peter Jackson‘s Lord of the Rings movies. But an influx […]
If you want a hot take about the Middle East, Raphael Badani is your man. As a Newsmax “Insider” columnist, he has thoughts about how Iraq needs to rid itself of Iranian influence to attract investment and why Dubai is an oasis of stability in a turbulent region. His career as a “geopolitical risk consultant and interactive simulation designer” and an “international relations senior analyst” for the Department of Labor have given him plenty of insights about the Middle East. He’s printed those insights at a range of conservative outlets like the Washington Examiner, RealClear Markets, American Thinker, and The National […]
Airlines tired of largely empty flights because of coronavirus fears want to fill planes — and the federal government isn’t stopping them — now that more travelers are venturing out. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Justin Sullivan/Getty Images Airlines tired of largely empty flights because of coronavirus fears want to fill planes — and the federal government isn’t stopping them — now that more travelers are venturing out. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images The Trump administration is urging airlines to leave some airplane seats empty to help protect travelers and crew members from the coronavirus but it is stopping short of […]
__________GagruleThe ADL’s “Task Force on Middle East Minorities”: A Con Job? Hardly anyone — Jewish or otherwise — believes that the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) genuinely cares about the welfare of Christian, Muslim, and other non-Jewish minorities in the Middle East. After all, contrary to its claim to be a civil/human rights champion and “secure … fair treatment for all,” the ADL is essentially a political organization. So when it launched its so-called “Task Force on Middle East Minorities” (TFOMEM) in late 2018, I suspected a political con job. TFOMEM says it will spotlight “human rights offenses committed against minority communities in […]
By David Boyajian for VT Armenia Hardly anyone — Jewish or otherwise — believes that the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) genuinely cares about the welfare of Christian, Muslim, and other non-Jewish minorities in the Middle East. After all, contrary to its claim to be a civil/human rights champion and “secure … fair treatment for all,” the ADL is essentially a political organization. So when it launched its so-called “Task Force on Middle East Minorities” (TFOMEM) in late 2018, I suspected a political con job. TFOMEM says it will spotlight “human rights offenses committed against minority communities in the Middle East.” That […]
https://cdn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/105387/08/1053870811_0:167:2888:1792_1200x675_80_0_0_30c5ca1431527bc4455a3f2f47df7d43.jpg Sputnik International https://cdn2.img.sputniknews.com/i/logo.png Tim Korso. Sputnik International https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/202006181079656037-netanyahu-doubted-kushners-ability-to-draft-workable-middle-east-peace-plan—bolton-memoir/ The leaked excerpts from the memoir of the former national security adviser have drawn a lot of attention over claims that Trump is not fit for the office of the president, as he is, reportedly, incompetent. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was “dubious” about US President Donald Trump’s decision to appoint the latter’s his son-in-law, Jared Kushner to be the architect of the so-called Deal of the Century peace plan that was supposed to put an end to the longterm conflict between the Palestinian Authority and Tel Aviv, according to a claim […]
Staff at Bitmain now have a decision to make: whether to return to the office and which executive they choose to take orders from. Micree Zhan Ketuan, the Bitmain co-founder who was ousted in a coup by his rival Wu Jihan last October, sent out a letter addressed to Bitmain employees via his WeChat feed on Thursday, saying he had returned to the company’s Beijing office starting from June 3. He further called for staffers at Bitmain to return to the office to join him and said he will “lead the company to complete an initial public offering as soon as […]
Grant, a History Channel miniseries airing over three nights beginning on Memorial Day (May 25), is an overt—and timely—reclamation project. His reputation having faded over the past century because, as many here assert, the South’s “Lost Cause” rewriting of Civil War history invariably downplayed his accomplishments, Ulysses S. Grant is restored by this informative and entertaining TV documentary to the prototypical modern American hero. Based on Ron Chernow’s critically acclaimed 2017 biography of the same name, it’s a stirring tribute to an individual who embodied America’s finest ideals: hard work, determination, courage, resolve, and belief in democracy and equality for all, […]
Europe 22:55 GMT 08.05.2020Get short URL https://cdn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/104932/53/1049325333_0:308:6016:3692_1200x675_80_0_0_57c82ada05eecef5b15383e64b38344d.jpg Sputnik International https://cdn2.img.sputniknews.com/i/logo.png Sputnik https://cdn2.img.sputniknews.com/i/logo.png https://sputniknews.com/europe/202005081079249832-german-military-counter-intelligence-apologizes-for-deleting-israel-from-middle-east-map/ Berlin’s Military Counterintelligence Service earlier failed to mark Israel on a map illustrating the German armed forces’ Middle East operational area. The head of Germany’s Military Counterintelligence Service (MAD), Dr. Christof Gramm, apologized to Tel Aviv for omitting Israel from its map, stressing that the mistake should not have happened for an institution “that fights antisemitism and extremism”. “I intensively exchanged views on this mistake in a personal conversation with the responsible employees. I deeply regret this incident and expressly apologize. That should not have happened to the […]
Even a global pandemic and economic crisis isn’t enough to break President Trump’s perception of the Democratic House as a den of haters and losers who care more about hurting him than about helping the American public. Asked on Tuesday why he wasn’t permitting members of his coronavirus task force to testify in front of the House, Trump responded that the chamber is a “set-up” that’s full of “Trump haters.” “They,” said Trump, “frankly, want our situation to be unsuccessful, which means death.” It was a remarkable bit of open political retaliation that not only undercut the White House’s official line—that […]