Russia Begins Operations in Syria: End Game for the US Empire?

Laura said:
sToRmR1dR said:
sToRmR1dR said:
300 commandos to join Turkey’s Operation Euphrates Shield in Syria

http://www.presstv.com/Detail/2016/12/09/497060/Turkey-commandos-dispatch-northern-Syria-Operation-Euphrates-Shield-Daesh-Kurdish-fighters-YPG-PYD


Interesting developments :)

US sending 200 more special ops soldiers to Syria – Pentagon chief

https://www.rt.com/usa/369856-us-syria-200-troops/

<snip>

According to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, the decision to ease restrictions on military aid for foreign forces and other fighters supporting the US in Syria is unlikely to affect the situation in eastern Aleppo.

Moscow is looking for a solution that involves as few casualties as possible, Lavrov stressed, speaking at an OSCE Ministerial Council in Hamburg.

I think everyone understands that the militants in east Aleppo are agonizing. We don’t want to support those who would gladly finish off those militants at any cost without any talks. We are ready to solve these problems in a way that would spare us additional casualties and destruction,” he noted.

Odd. Is the US sending in specialists to eliminate evidence (including humans), or do they actually think this will help their proxy war and make it winnable? Looks like UGLY plans are afoot.

Sounds like Lavrov is saying: "We'll kill your new guys too if you don't get to the table and resolve this like adults."

I get a really creepy feeling from the slimy activities of Obama and gang in these final days of his administration.

Maybe you should trust your feelings as you said earlier

Laura said:
I dunno. It just all seems like something very deeply evil is going on.

And there may be another dimension to it when you wondered:

Ra said something about it being necessary for the masses to
CHOOSE and that the STS have to manipulate acceptance to
come out openly.

I don't think they are going to waste any "time" trying to do as much damage as they can.

The Law of One said:
Questioner: Can you tell us what happened to Adolf (Hitler)?
Ra: I am Ra. The mind/body/spirit complex known as Adolf is at this time
in an healing process in the middle astral planes of your spherical force field.
This entity was greatly confused and, although aware of the circumstance of
change in vibratory level associated with the cessation of the chemical body
complex, nevertheless, needed a great deal of care.
Questioner: Is there anyone in our history who is commonly known who
went to a fourth-density self-service or negative type of planet or any who
will go there?
Ra: I am Ra. The number of entities thus harvested is small. However, a few
have penetrated the eighth level which is only available from the opening up
of the seventh through the sixth. Penetration into the eighth or intelligent
infinity level allows a mind/body/spirit complex to be harvested if it wishes
at any time/space during the cycle.
Questioner: Are any of these people known in the history of our planet by
name?
Ra: I am Ra. We will mention a few. The one known as Taras Bulba, the
one known as Genghis Khan, the one known as Rasputin.
Questioner: How did they accomplish this? What was necessary for them to
accomplish this?
Ra: I am Ra. All of the aforementioned entities were aware, through
memory, of Atlantean understandings having to do with the use of the
various centers of mind/body/spirit complex energy influx in attaining the
gateway to intelligent infinity.
Questioner: Did this enable them to do what we refer to as magic? Could
they do paranormal things while they were incarnate?
Ra: I am Ra. This is correct. The first two entities mentioned made little
use of these abilities consciously. However, they were bent single-mindedly
upon service to self, sparing no efforts in personal discipline to double, redouble
and so empower this gateway. The third was a conscious adept and
also spared no effort in the pursuit of service to self.
Questioner: Where are these three entities now?
Ra: I am Ra. These entities are in the dimension known to you as fourth.
Therefore the space/time continua are not compatible. An approximation of
the space/time locus of each would net no actual understanding. Each chose
a fourth-density planet which was dedicated to the pursuit of the
understanding of the Law of One through service to self, one in what you
know as the Orion group, one in what you know as Cassiopeia, one in what
you know as Southern Cross; however, these loci are not satisfactory. We do
not have vocabulary for the geometric calculations necessary for transfer of
this understanding to you.
Questioner: Who went to the Orion group?
Ra: I am Ra. The one known as Genghis Khan.
Questioner: What does he presently do there? What is his job or
occupation?
Ra: I am Ra. This entity serves the Creator in its own way.
Questioner: Is it impossible for you to tell us precisely how he does this
service?
Ra: I am Ra. It is possible for us to speak to this query. However, we use
any chance we may have to reiterate the basic understanding/learning that
all beings serve the Creator.
The one you speak of as Genghis Khan, at present, is incarnate in a physical
light body which has the work of disseminating material of thought control
to those who are what you may call crusaders. He is, as you would term this
entity, a shipping clerk.
Questioner: What do the crusaders do?
Ra: I am Ra. The crusaders move in their chariots to conquer planetary
mind/body/spirit social complexes before they reach the stage of achieving
social memory.
Questioner: At what stage does a planet achieve social memory?
Ra: I am Ra. A mind/body/spirit social complex becomes a social memory
complex when its entire group of entities are of one orientation or seeking.

The group memory lost to the individuals in the roots of the tree of mind
then becomes known to the social complex, thus creating a social memory
complex. The advantages of this complex are the relative lack of distortion
in understanding the social beingness and the relative lack of distortion in
pursuing the direction of seeking, for all understanding/distortions are
available to the entities of the society.
Questioner: Then we have crusaders from Orion coming to this planet for
mind control purposes. How do they do this?
Ra: I am Ra. As all, they follow the Law of One observing free will. Contact
is made with those who call. Those then upon the planetary sphere act
much as do you to disseminate the attitudes and philosophy of their
particular understanding of the Law of One which is service to self. These
become the elite. Through these, the attempt begins to create a condition
whereby the remainder of the planetary entities are enslaved by their free
will.
Questioner: Can you name any names that may be known on the planet
that are recipients of the crusaders’ efforts?
Ra: I am Ra. I am desirous of being in nonviolation of the free will
distortion. To name those involved in the future of your space/time is to
infringe; thus, we withhold this information. We request your
contemplation of the fruits of the actions of those entities whom you may
observe enjoying the distortion towards power. In this way you may discern
for yourself this information. We shall not interfere with the, shall we say,
planetary game. It is not central to the harvest.
Questioner: How do the crusaders pass on their concepts to the individuals
on Earth?
Ra: I am Ra. There are two main ways, just as there are two main ways of,
shall we say, polarizing towards service to others. There are those
mind/body/spirit complexes upon your plane who do exercises and perform
disciplines in order to seek contact with sources of information and power
leading to the opening of the gate to intelligent infinity. There are others
whose vibratory complex is such that this gateway is opened and contact
with total service to self with its primal distortion of manipulation of others
is then afforded with little or no difficulty, no training, and no control.
Questioner: What type of information is passed on from the crusaders to
these people?
Ra: I am Ra. The Orion group passes on information concerning the Law
of One with the orientation of service to self. The information can become
technical just as some in the Confederation, in attempts to aid this planet in
service to others, have provided what you would call technical information.
The technology provided by this group[Orion?] is in the form of various means of
control or manipulation of others to serve the self.
Questioner: Do you mean to say then that some scientists receive technical
information, shall we say, telepathically that comes out then as useable
gadgetry?
Ra: I am Ra. That is correct. However, very positively, as you would call
this distortion, oriented scientists have received information intended to
unlock peaceful means of progress which redounded unto the last echoes of
potential destruction due to further reception of other scientists of a
negative orientation/distortion.
Questioner: Is this how we learned of nuclear energy?[Dirty Bombs?] Was it mixed with
both positive and negative orientation?
Ra: I am Ra. That is correct. The entities responsible for the gathering of
the scientists were of a mixed orientation. The scientists were
overwhelmingly positive in their orientation. The scientists who followed
their work were of mixed orientation including one extremely negative
entity, as you would term it.

Questioner: Is this extremely negative entity still incarnate on Earth?
Ra: I am Ra. This is correct.
 
ISIS Leader Terminated: Russian Killer Robot Guns Down Head Extremist And 4 Others (Photos)
http://www.inquisitr.com/3780466/isis-leader-terminated-russian-killer-robot-guns-down-head-extremist-and-4-others/

A machine-gun-wielding Russian robot was sent in to “take out” an ISIS emir and four other militants in a raid this week designed to stop terrorist attacks in the Republic of Dagestan, according to Russian security services. A video showing the killer robot indicates that the mechanical shooter was maneuvered into position and received supporting fire from a special forces unit.

The Sun reported this week that Russia has acquired a new soldier in the ongoing war against ISIS terrorists — a robot. The device, equipped with a machine gun, rolled into battle against the extremists in Makhachkala, Dagestan, where ISIS emir Rustam Aselderov was reportedly holed up with members of his terrorist group.

A video of the assault on the compound where Aselderov and four other extremists had secreted themselves, has been uploaded to LiveLeaks, and it shows the Russian robot trundling up to the building, maneuvered by its handlers into a more effective shooting position. Its special forces colleagues fired into the building along with the robot, and according to Russia’s FSB (Federal Security Service), killed all five occupants in the structure, including the emir.

The statement, part of which was posted by the Daily Mail, noted that “among the neutralized bandits was the head of the Caucasus region’s branch of the Islamic State Rustam Aselderov, and four of his close associates.”

Aselderov, who also goes by the name of Sheikh al-Qadari, was named by ISIS as the governor of a new Caucasus province of the caliphate of the Islamic State. Once the leader of the local Caucasus Emirate insurgent group, he swore allegiance to ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in December, 2014. The North Caucasus is a major source for foreign jihadists that have been fighting in Syria and Iraq, and Rustam Aselderov was the first major warlord in the area to ally himself with ISIS.

Since then, Aselderov’s group has claimed responsibility for a number of attacks on police in Dagestan.

Prior to his affiliation with ISIS, the FSB, the Russian Federation’s interior counter-intelligence and counter-terrorist agency, said that Aselderov masterminded the foiled attack that was set to take place in Moscow’s Red Square on New Year’s Eve, 2010, involving two female suicide bombers. He was also involved in bombings in the southern Russian city of Volgograd, where 34 people were killed in 2013. The year before, he was linked to a couple of car bombings in Dagestan that resulted in the death of 14 people, with at least another 120 injured, accord to the security service.

The U.S. Department of State labeled Aselderov a “foreign terrorist fighter” in 2015 shortly after his appointment as an ISIS governor, and Russia itself offered a 5 million ruble ($78,000) reward for information on Aselderov’s whereabouts in October. Atlhough it is unclear if information concerning Aselderov being in Makhachkala led Russian special forces there, but the FSB said a joint operation with the interior ministry had ran Aselderov to ground in the Dagestan city. The ISIS emir and his fellow extremists were surrounded and eventually killed inside a private house, where “automatic weapons and a large amount of ammunition and explosives” were found.

The FSB’s killer robot is just the latest technological innovation to be introduced to its modern paramilitary and military forces. According to Sputnik News, in March, the military revealed that it had added an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to its modernized arsenal which could carry anti-tank rocket launchers and flamethrowers in addition to being able to fly reconnaissance missions, transport cargo, and coordinate artillery fire during an engagement.

As for Russia’s war on terrorism, the country has been fighting ISIS alongside Syria outside its borders in the Middle East since Syrian president Bashar al-Assad requested its presence in late 2015. Coordinated efforts to fight ISIS in partnership with the United States has been a topic broached by both countries, although, to date, as has been reported by the Inquisitr, the two nations have found themselves in situations that have been dangerously confrontational.


Last week, the White House waived restrictions on the provision of military assistance to foreign insurgents operating in Syria. Russian observers commenting on the move suggest that it looks like an act of desperation– a last-ditch effort by the Obama Administration to shore up the rebels as Obama prepares to make way for the incoming Trump team.

Neocons' Last Hurrah: Arms Shipments to Syrian Rebels Come Too Little, Too Late
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201612101048402406-obama-syrian-arms-shipments-proposals/

President Obama's memorandum, issued Thursday to the Departments of State and Defense, officially waived prohibitions on the provision of US military equipment to "foreign forces, irregular forces, groups, or individuals" that are "engaged in supporting or facilitating ongoing US military operations to counter terrorism in Syria." According to the document, the relevant departments will require Congressional authorization to proceed in providing official US support to Syria-based militants.

The move comes as US and Gulf State-supported rebel groups in the city of Aleppo face the prospect of imminent defeat at the hands of the Syrian Army and its allies, which have been conducting an active campaign to liberate the country's second city for several months. Observers say that the Syrian Army is poised to restore complete control over Aleppo 'within weeks', with the Syrian government already establishing control over more than 90% of the city, according to the Russian Ministry of Defense. In less than a month's time, rebels are reported to have lost 70% of the territory under their control.

At the same time, about 50,000 civilians have managed to flee the militant-held portions of the city in the last two days alone. Syrian media has reported that the commanders of some opposition groups are trying to establish contact with Damascus to discuss a deal which would allow insurgents and their families to evacuate Aleppo. Aleppo's liberation would significantly strengthen Syrian President Bashar Assad's negotiating position in peace talks, with the government effectively asserting control over most of the country's largest cities.

Accordingly, with the situation in Aleppo reaching a critical juncture for the rebels, and Obama preparing to make way for the incoming Trump administration, which has repeatedly promised to make fighting Islamist terrorism Washington's main priority in Syria, Obama's memo appears to be the last-ditch effort to prop up US-supported forces, both in Aleppo and elsewhere in the country where militants continue to maintain a foothold.

At the same time, about 50,000 civilians have managed to flee the militant-held portions of the city in the last two days alone. Syrian media has reported that the commanders of some opposition groups are trying to establish contact with Damascus to discuss a deal which would allow insurgents and their families to evacuate Aleppo. Aleppo's liberation would significantly strengthen Syrian President Bashar Assad's negotiating position in peace talks, with the government effectively asserting control over most of the country's largest cities.

Accordingly, with the situation in Aleppo reaching a critical juncture for the rebels, and Obama preparing to make way for the incoming Trump administration, which has repeatedly promised to make fighting Islamist terrorism Washington's main priority in Syria, Obama's memo appears to be the last-ditch effort to prop up US-supported forces, both in Aleppo and elsewhere in the country where militants continue to maintain a foothold.

Vladimir Yevseyev, the deputy director of the CIS Institute, says that Obama's 'new' policy, announced just weeks before the end of his tenure, is aimed at "setting the tone for US involvement in Syria, and to set a certain algorithm of actions for his successor, Donald Trump. He is looking to bind Trump in some way, forcing him to pursue the Obama policy in the Middle East. But this does not mean that Trump will continue to act exactly the way Obama wants."

Anatoly Tsyganok, a retired military officer and head of the Russian Center for Military Forecasting, agrees with his colleague. Speaking to Russia's RIA Novosti news agency, the analyst explained that "most likely, the US is going to act according to the tried and true plan of taking advantage of a negotiating pause [in hostilities] to allow the so-called irreconcilable opposition to regroup, reequip and again turn it against Syrian government troops. Obama is doing everything he can to continue the policy aimed at overthrowing the current Syrian government." At the same time, multiple observers have warned that if the US Congress approves the Obama Administration's proposals, the weapons provided could easily end up in the hands of Daesh (ISIL) and al-Nusra, terrorist groups Washington is ostensibly committed to fighting.

For this reason, Yevseyev suggested that given the "very dangerous undertaking" the provision of such weapons would imply, "it is likely that implementation will meet resistance from Congress and even sabotage by those charged with executing the order. Everyone in Washington understands that Obama will soon leave office, and it's unlikely that anyone will be eager to take responsibility for such hasty decisions."

But dangers remain, Yevseyev added, particularly if Congress approves Obama's proposal, which would make it more difficult for President-elect Trump to undo the decision once he steps into office.


US President Barack Obama has relaxed restrictions on sending arms to groups supported by the United States in Syria in the hope of helping them recapture the city of Raqqa from Daesh before he leaves office, analysts told Sputnik.

Obama Relaxed Syria Arms Restrictions to Recapture Raqqa Before Leaving Office
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201612101048390053-obama-arms-restrictions/

On Thursday, Obama signed a determination waiving legal restrictions on US provision of defense articles to forces fighting against Daesh in Syria.

“Obama is trying to make… progress in taking out Daesh before his tenure in office soon ends,” Independent Institute Center for Peace and Freedom Director Ivan Eland said on Friday. “Raqqa is the Daesh capital in Syria and he would like to take it — or at least achieve major progress — before he leaves office.” Eland said Obama hoped US —backed forces operating in Iraq would be able to recapture Mosul, too before he stepped down on January 20. “Of course, even if Raqqa and Mosul are taken, during Obama's remaining tenure or Trump's, Daesh will still live on as a guerrilla movement and may still attempt to attack Western targets,” Eland said.


President Obama has issued a memo waiving restrictions on the provision of military equipment to rebel groups in Syria. Speaking to Radio Sputnik, Ron Paul Institute for Peace and Prosperity director Daniel McAdams slammed Obama for trying to reignite the war, just as things are starting to look up for the establishment of a lasting peace.

'Just as Life in Syria Shows Promise of Getting Back to Normal, US Ramps Up War'
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201612101048406117-us-weapons-waiver-daniel-mcadams-commentary/

Obama's memo, issued Thursday to the Departments of State and Defense, waived earlier legal restrictions on the provision of military aid to the rebels, and instructed officials to seek Congressional approval to proceed with providing official US support to Syria-based militants, ostensibly for the purpose of 'facilitating US anti-terrorist operations' in the country.

The US president's decision has met with a wave of shock and disdain from political commentators, academics and peace activists worldwide. Daniel McAdams, former foreign affairs advisor to ex-US Congressman Ron Paul, is among the critics.

Speaking to Radio Sputnik, McAdams suggested that while Obama's decision did give him a shock, he wasn't entirely surprised, since "Washington doesn't ever seem to be able to turn away even from a very bad foreign policy."

More than anything, McAdams lamented that the US president made his decision just as the war in Syria seemed like it was reaching its end. "When the war looks like it's going to finally be over, here you have Washington ramping up a regime change policy, probably attempting to wrong-foot the incoming president, who has indicated on several occasions that he would like a different policy in Syria," McAdams noted.
 
Laura said:
sToRmR1dR said:
sToRmR1dR said:
300 commandos to join Turkey’s Operation Euphrates Shield in Syria

http://www.presstv.com/Detail/2016/12/09/497060/Turkey-commandos-dispatch-northern-Syria-Operation-Euphrates-Shield-Daesh-Kurdish-fighters-YPG-PYD


Interesting developments :)

US sending 200 more special ops soldiers to Syria – Pentagon chief

https://www.rt.com/usa/369856-us-syria-200-troops/

<snip>

According to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, the decision to ease restrictions on military aid for foreign forces and other fighters supporting the US in Syria is unlikely to affect the situation in eastern Aleppo.

Moscow is looking for a solution that involves as few casualties as possible, Lavrov stressed, speaking at an OSCE Ministerial Council in Hamburg.

I think everyone understands that the militants in east Aleppo are agonizing. We don’t want to support those who would gladly finish off those militants at any cost without any talks. We are ready to solve these problems in a way that would spare us additional casualties and destruction,” he noted.

Odd. Is the US sending in specialists to eliminate evidence (including humans), or do they actually think this will help their proxy war and make it winnable? Looks like UGLY plans are afoot.

Sounds like Lavrov is saying: "We'll kill your new guys too if you don't get to the table and resolve this like adults."

I get a really creepy feeling from the slimy activities of Obama and gang in these final days of his administration.

It seems that the elites are getting increasingly desperate as the date that Trump takes office approaches. So I guess we can expect more chaos and along with that probably more and more mistakes and wishful thinking.
 
ISIS claims to have shot down Syrian jet near Palmyra

https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/isis-claims-shot-syrian-jet-near-palmyra/

The so-called "Islamic State of Iraq and Al-Sham" (ISIS) reportedly shot down a Syrian Air Force jet north of Palmyra today after it carried out an airstrike over the Jazal Mountains.

According to the Islamic State's official media wing, their forces shot down the warplane as it was flying over the village of Jazal, which was captured by the terrorist group earlier this week.

The entire Jazal Mountain region located north of Palmyra has been under the control of the Islamic State for 72 hours after they launched a massive offensive to capture the remaining oil fields in eastern Homs and the city of Palmyra.

Some opposition activists claimed that the Islamic State entered the ancient city of Palmyra; however, this was denied by Syrian Arab Army sources last night.

ISIS is currently at the gates of Palmyra after capturing the Hiyal Mountains located south of the city; they are also pressing the Syrian Arab Army from the eastern flank as well.


Syrian MiG-23 Fighter Crashes Near Homs, Pilot Reported Alive

https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201612101048408896-syria-mig-23-crash/

Syrian air forces fighter crashed in the province of Homs, pilot is reported alive, according to a source in milita.

DETAILS TO FOLLOW


Syrian Army Engages in Fierce Fight With Daesh Near Liberated Palmyra

https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201612101048408868-syria-army-palmyra-daesh/

Syrian armed forces fights with the Daesh terrorists nearly Palmyra, acording to Syrian military source.

DETAILS TO FOLLOW


Islamic State militants enter Palmyra city after surprise assault - monitor

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-palmyra-idUSKBN13Z0NY?il=0

Islamic State militants entered the ancient city of Palmyra on Saturday in eastern Syria after advancing to its outskirts for the first time since losing the city earlier this year, a war monitor said.

The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human rights said the militants had entered Palmyra after they had taken strategic heights near the city and captured the northern part of the city and major silos and mountains around it.
 
sToRmR1dR said:
[..]

Interesting developments :)

US sending 200 more special ops soldiers to Syria – Pentagon chief

https://www.rt.com/usa/369856-us-syria-200-troops/

The US is sending 200 additional military personnel to Syria to help drive Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) from Raqqa, US Defense Secretary Ash Carter said on Saturday.
Speaking in Bahrain at the Manama Dialogue conference on Middle East security, Carter said the 200, including special forces trainers, advisers, and explosive ordnance disposal teams, would join 300 US special forces already in Syria.

These uniquely skilled operators will join the 300 US special operations forces already in Syria, to continue organizing, training, equipping, and otherwise enabling capable, motivated, local forces to take the fight to ISIL,” Carter said, as quoted by AP.

It feels like there is a possible tragic future outcome - resulting from a botched operation ordered by Pentagon war crazies -, where a large enough number of this US Special Ops will be massacred and immediately the US Mass Media will try to amplify the [by them] created hysteria, but President Trump - who will be already in office by then when this happens - will say two important things [as far as foreseeable]:
- (1) This is the failure of the Obama administration , their misperceived international identity: Instead of such mistakes **(2) we must concentrate and take steps to end ISIL in Syria and come to a new understanding with our partners, which is profitable to both sides.

**This second part of Trump's statement possibly might get phrased in a way to not condemn the Pentagon directly, but suggest that his new administration aims an entirely different strategy in the Middle-East more along the lines of Russia's plans. Because the Russian plan of conducting business with the World is largely acceptable to Trump's thinking profit-wise, i think.

So Obama's handlers' plan to bind the foot of Trump in the Middle-East with this SpecialOps Forces boost and unrestricted arms sale to moderate rebel terrorists will misfire, it feels.
 
sToRmR1dR said:
Interesting developments :)

US sending 200 more special ops soldiers to Syria – Pentagon chief
https://www.rt.com/usa/369856-us-syria-200-troops/

The US is sending 200 additional military personnel to Syria to help drive Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) from Raqqa, US Defense Secretary Ash Carter said on Saturday.

Speaking in Bahrain at the Manama Dialogue conference on Middle East security, Carter said the 200, including special forces trainers, advisers, and explosive ordnance disposal teams, would join 300 US special forces already in Syria.

Cross-posting these links from "the Iraq thread" - due to reports of unannounced visits by Secretary of Defense Carter and recent developments in Iraq and Syria.

Ashton Carter’s sudden visit to Afghanistan
http://katehon.com/news/ashton-carters-sudden-visit-afghanistan

Friday, 9 December, 2016 - United States Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter has arrived to Afghanistan, where he is going to meet with President Ashraf Ghani and visit US military bases located there.


US Defense Secretary Arrives in Iraq on Unannounced Visit – Pentagon
https://sputniknews.com/world/201612111048423060-us-iraq-carter-visit/

Sunday, 11 December, 2016 - US Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter made surprise visit to Iraq in order to thank US-led coalition troops for their service as part of the fight against the Daesh terrorist group, according to Pentagon’s press service.

US Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter on Sunday arrived in Iraq on a surprise visit to thank US-led coalition troops for their service as part of the fight against the Islamic State (ISIL or Daesh) terrorist group, as he is about to leave his office, Pentagon’s press service said.

“#SecDef Carter makes surprise visit to Iraq and is greeted by @CJTFOIR [Commander, Combined Joint Task Force — Operation Inherent Resolve] LTG [Stephen] Townsend. Will thank US, coalition, and Iraqi troops during stay,” the press service said on Twitter.


Intelligence data showed that up to 5,000 Daesh terrorists have been moved to Syria’s Raqqa and Deir ez-Zor from Iraq’s Mosul, Russian Reconciliation Center said in a statement on Sunday.

Daesh Moves 5,000 Terrorists to Syrian Raqqa, Deir ez-Zor From Iraqi Mosul
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201612111048427287-daesh-fighters-raqqa-mosul/

Sunday, 11 December, 2016 - The Russian Defense Ministry’s reconciliation center cited intelligence data that showed that Daesh terrorist group had moved up to 5,000 fighters to the cities of Raqqa and Deir ez-Zor from the Iraqi stronghold of Mosul.

Daesh managed to move considerable forces from Raqqa to Palmyra after the US-backed offensive of Arab and Kurdish rebels was stalled, Russia's center for Syrian reconciliation said on Sunday.

Daesh Moves Reserves to Palmyra Thanks to Pause in US-Controlled Raqqa Offensive
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201612111048427531-daesh-palmyra-raqqa-us-russia/

More forces and equipment were relocated from the vicinity of Deir ez-Zor.

The Syrian Army backed by Russian aircraft is currently maintaining defense in the city.Terrorists launched their previous attack on the city on Saturday. Their offensive was thwarted by the actions of the government forces supported by Russian warplanes.

Despite the defeat, the terrorists are again trying to attack the city from the northern, eastern and southern sides. Their perceived goal is to capture al-Amiriyah town northeast of Palmyra and a nearby industrial area, Syria's SANA news agency said.

The Syrian Arab Army, backed by the Russian Aerospace Forces, liberated Palmyra in March, 2016, nearly a year after it was captured by Daesh, which is outlawed in Russia, in May 2015.


The residents of Palmyra have been evacuated, and the Syrian Army is fighting Daesh in the suburbs of the ancient city, a source familiar with the situation told RIA Novosti on Sunday.

Palmyra Residents Evacuated, Syrian Army Fighting Daesh in Suburbs - Source
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201612111048428715-palmyra-daesh-residents-evacuated-fight/

"After the evacuation of all residents last night, the Syrian Army has completely left the city of Palmyra. Fierce fighting against Daesh jihadists is going on in the city suburbs."

The source said aircraft are attacking the militants. Earlier in the day, Russia's center for Syrian reconciliation said the terrorists were trying to capture the city after regrouping. The center underscored Russian warplanes did not attack targets in Palmyra's residential areas.


The Russian Aerospace Forces delivered 64 airstrikes on militants and thwarted their attempt to break into Palmyra during the night.

Russian Jets Deliver 64 Strikes on Militants Near Palmyra, Shielding the City
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201612111048417760-russia-palmyra-airstrikes/

The Syrian Army, supported by the Russian Aerospace Forces, repelled all attempts by militants to break into Palmyra during the night, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Sunday morning.

"During the night, Syrian government forces, actively supported by the Russian Aerospace Forces, repelled all attacks by terrorists on Palmyra. The attacking side actively used car bombs, armor and rocket artillery systems," the ministry's statement reads. The Russian warplanes conducted 64 airstrikes on the militants' positions and reserves. "Eleven battle tanks and infantry fighting vehicles, 31 cars with heavy machineguns, and over 300 militants were destroyed."

Earlier, a source in local militia said the Syrian Army had managed to repel a terrorist offensive and regain full control of the city.

The Syrian armed forces and local militias were engaged in fierce fights against Daesh on the outskirts of the ancient city.


The Syrian Army has moved to the suburbs of Palmyra and is fighting Daesh, the governor of the Homs Province said on Sunday.

Syrian Army Trying to Regain Control of Daesh-Attacked Palmyra
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201612111048431162-daesh-palmyra-syrian-army/

"The Syrian Army is maintaining stiff resistance and is inflicting losses on Daesh gangs," Governor Talal Barazi said on al-Ikhbariyah TV.

The decision was made in light of the enemy's "superior forces".
 
Russian forces sent out a warning to the Israeli Air Force after Israeli jets were detected near Russian controlled airspace near the Syrian–Lebanese border, Lebanese media outlet As Safir reported Friday.

Russia sent out a warning to the Israeli Air Force: We will shut down Israeli fighter jets if they intervene in Syria war
http://www.awdnews.com/political/russi-sent-out-a-warning-to-the-israeli-air-force-we-will-shot-down-israeli-fighter-jets-if-they-intervene-in-syria-war

08 December 2016 - Russian forces sent out a warning to the Israeli Air Force after Israeli jets were detected near Russian controlled airspace near the Syrian–Lebanese border, Lebanese media outlet As Safir reported Friday.

The warning was issued after a Russian radar system spotted Israeli jets approaching Russian-controlled airspace two weeks ago, a Lebanese diplomatic official said, according to the report.

Russia's defense ministry said Thursday that its forces in Syria had set up a "hotline" with Israel's military to avoid clashes in the sky over the war-torn country.

An "information-sharing" mechanism "has been established through a hotline between the Russian aviation command center at the Hmeimim air base (in Syria) and a command post of the Israeli air force,we will not tolerate Israel intervention on Syria and we will shot down Israeli fighter jets if they intervene in Syria war" the ministry said in a statement, adding that the two sides were undergoing training on how to cooperate.

According to As Safir, the Lebanese source said that Russian aircraft immediately blocked the Israeli jets' path while they flew above the Akkar region in northern Lebanon. "The Russians immediately sent a clear warning to the Israelis that entering Syrian airspace would be a pretext for opening fire," the source added.

According to the paper, which is considered loyal to Hezbollah, the Israeli aircraft quickly heeded the warnings and changed their course.

Russia and Israel have been working to find a way to avoid unintended collisions between their aircraft over Syria since President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreed to set up a "mechanism" at talks in Moscow last month.

Russia launched a bombing campaign in Syria on September 30 at the request of its long-standing ally Bashar Assad that Moscow says is targeting Islamic State jihadists and other "terrorist" groups.

Israel has reportedly launched air strikes in Syria against Iranian arms transfers to Hezbollah and Israeli officials are believed to fear that Russia's intervention could limit their room for maneuvre.

The United States and its allies involved in a coalition bombing IS have sharply criticised Russia's air campaign and say that the majority of its strikes have hit more moderate rebel groups fighting Assad.

Moscow has blasted the accusations and says Washington has rebuffed calls to cooperate more closely.


TENSIONS in war-torn Syria have escalated even further after President Bashar al-Assad warned Israel that his troops would respond to air strikes and implied that he was now in possession of Russian anti-aircraft missiles.

Syria's Assad threatens Israel with Russian S300 missiles:We will destroy Israeli cities of Tel Aviv and Haifa
http://www.awdnews.com/political/syria-s-assad-threatens-israel-with-russian-s300-missiles-we-will-destroy-israeli-cities-of-tel-aviv-and-Haifa

11 December 2016 - The threat came in a TV interview with Lebanon's Hezbollah-linked al-Manar station, which was also broadcast on Syrian state media. In it Assad warned that his government, which is already waging a bloody civil war, would "respond to any strike [in Syria] with a similar strike".

It remains unclear whether the batch of S300 missiles, which were ordered from Moscow in 2007, had finally been delivered. But Assad cut a confident figure and claimed to have scored significant victories over rebel forces in the country's civil war. He said the Syrian army now held "the balance of power" in that conflict.

Assad also appeared to aim another threat at his neighbour Israel, which has launched airstrikes against Syria to stop them arming Hezbollah in Lebanon. He claimed there had been calls in Syria to open a military front against Israel on the border they share. "There is clear popular pressure to open a new front of resistance in the Golan," he said.

According to The Guardian, Assad's threats are "likely to dramatically increase tensions in the region... which could provoke the Israelis to launch a future strike against the weapons". It even warns that the arms deal could trigger a new war between Syria and Israel.

The S300 deal is certainly significant. If and when the missiles do arrive it could "change the balance of power in the region," according to The Times.

"Assad's boast comes days after the European Union lifted an arms embargo on Syria — paving the way for individual countries of the bloc to send weapons to rebel fighters, and raising fears of an arms race in the region that could draw in outside powers," the paper adds.

The Daily Telegraph agrees. "The S300, seen as a game-changer in any potential conflict with Mr Assad's potential enemies, would be a major obstacle to a no-fly zone and shows Russia's determination to defend Mr Assad at all costs," it says.

The BBC notes that Assad has also said he would "in principle" attend a peace conference backed by the US and Russia in Geneva. However, rebel groups within Syria say they will not attend until government massacres come to an end.


Screenshot of an IDF Spokesperson tweet from December 6, 2016, of a fake map of Hezbollah military positions in Lebanon.
The picture in question is a visual illustration,' IDF says in response.

Israeli Army Tweets Fake Map of Hezbollah Positions in Lebanon
http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/1.757921

Dec 08, 2016 - On December 6, the IDF Spokesperson tweeted in English a photo of a map described as “declassified,” showing Hezbollah military positions scattered among Lebanese villages.

Eighty-five villages appear on the pictured map along with thousands of sites tagged as military sites of combat equipment, launch sites, anti-aircraft and infantry positions.

“This is a war crime,” the tweet said. It was retweeted hundreds of times.

But an investigation by Twitter account holder @JudgeDan48 found that the map is not “declassified” that in effect this is not a map of Hezbollah military positions in Lebanon, but a map prepared by the IDF Spokesman.

The fabricated map contains points of interest for sites that were glued onto a map of southeastern Lebanon. Even a check of the points listed on the map found conflicts with the map that was tweeted.

The IDF confirmed that the map is inaccurate and is in effect only an illustration of what is going on in Lebanon.

The tweet came during a period when aerial attacks that were blamed on the Israeli Air Force were reported in Syria. Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman hinted at the attacks and said “we will not permit any harm to Israeli sovereignty and we will not permit the smuggling of qualitative sophisticated weaponry or chemical weapons from Syria to Lebanon for Hezbollah’s benefit.”

The IDF has been trying to fight against Hezbollah in recent years via Twitter as well as quizzes on Playbuzz. A half a year ago the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit published a quick in English and Spanish on Playbuzz headlined, “How well do you know Hezbollah?”

The military propaganda doesn’t end here. In 2013 the IDF Spokesperson published a fabricated Facebook page of Hezbollah under the heading of “If Hezbollah had a Facebook account this is what it would look like.”

The army has also opened a web site called “The Terrorist Army of Hezbollah” updated from time to time

The IDF said the site was launched “in light of the knowledge gap in the international community about the Hezbollah terrorist organization.”

The army said that “the information appearing on the site was gathered from internet sites and various sources, and were verified before publication by the Intelligence Corps.”

The IDF Spokesperson said in response: “The picture in question is a visual illustration of threats posed by Hezbollah, which has intentionally deployed inside a civilian sector of Lebanon, and is exploiting the population as a human shield.”


If reports on the recent bombings in Syria are true, it would appear that Israel considered the target urgent enough and believed Moscow wouldn't object.

Strike in Syria: Is Israel Playing Russian Roulette?
http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/1.757573

Dec 08, 2016 - The air strike early Wednesday morning near the Damascus airport is the second attack in Syria attributed to Israel within a week.
In addition to the reports to this effect in the Arab media, there have been official claims by the Syrian regime and Hezbollah, although these didn’t have a particularly emotional tone.

Most of the attention on Wednesday was generated by Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman’s address to EU diplomats only hours after the attack. He explained that Israel always seeks to protect its citizens, and also to prevent the smuggling of sophisticated weapons and weapons of mass destruction from Syria to Hezbollah.

This is the same policy and the same red lines that Israel marked with regard to the Syrian civil war five years ago. But Lieberman’s forceful wording led to headlines that practically had Israel taking official responsibility (something Israel prefers not to do with regard to attacks of this kind). In addition, it looked like a direct reference to the smuggling of chemical weapons, although nothing of this nature has been reported since the dismantling of most of Syria’s arsenal of such weapons in 2013.

Another question relates to the degree to which Russia knew of or was involved in the attacks. Hezbollah and of course the Syrian army are part of the Russian-led military alliance defending the regime in Damascus. At the same time, the Russians have a mechanism for preventing confrontations with the Israeli air force in the Syrian arena. If the claims by Syria and Hezbollah that it was Israel which hit the weapons warehouses are correct, did Russia know about the strikes in advance and turn a blind eye, or was it as surprised by the bombings as the others?

Reports on the two attacks came after a long break from similar reports from Syria. The apparent lull in the bombings probably stems from a combination of two things: the deployment and intensified activity of the Russian air force in northern Syria (recently accompanied by the positioning of air defense systems that cover a wide range), together with the increased tension between Moscow and Washington before the U.S. presidential election. It could be that given these circumstances, Israel decided to restrain itself for a time.

The victory of Donald Trump, who has often expressed his admiration for Russia and shows no interest in American military activity in Syria, could signal a cooling off of the bilateral hostility.

According to the official data about the Russian air defense systems, their radar is capable of identifying the movement of Israeli planes deep in Israeli territory, all the way to the northern Negev. Therefore it’s unlikely that Israeli air activity could go unnoticed by the Russians. But the last attacks in Syria have a lot in common. According to the reports, they took place in the Damascus area in southern Syria, at night (when the Russian air force is barely active) and the planes that fired the missiles did not penetrate Syrian airspace, but worked from afar.

It could be that Moscow is less concerned about attacks that take place outside its immediate area of interest and which are not close to its airbase at Tartous. Arabic media have reported that at least some of the weapons destroyed during Wednesday’s bombings were Russian-made weapons systems. Loss of these weapons is liable to lead to additional procurement from Russia, i.e., more revenues.

All this doesn’t mean that Israel is telling Russia about its activities in Syria in advance. Lieberman denied this explicitly at the beginning of last week, after the bombing of an Islamic State base in the southern part of the Syrian Golan Heights. The most reasonable assumption is that Israel has analyzed Russia’s regions of interest and decides to act if the target is urgent enough – one that threatens to cross a red line, as the defense minister put it – and if it believes that attacking will not lead to a direct confrontation with the Russians.

Still, after two strikes and official aggressive Israeli remarks, it seems there's a thin line Israel's decision-makers must toe very carefully. The last thing Israel needs is a showdown with Russia, certainly when America’s withdrawal from dealing with Syria leaves Russia as the main player calling the shots.


Fake News Versus No News
How Russia is pilloried while real news about Israel goes unreported
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article45985.htm

December 07, 2016 - The drama surrounding allegations that the internet is awash with “fake news” is being promoted by the so-called mainstream media which certainly has a lot to answer for when it comes to producing material that does not pass the smell test. Does the name Judith Miller ring any bells? And the squeaks of rage coming from the U.S. Congress over being lied to is also something to behold as the federal government has been acting in collusion with the media to dish up falsehoods designed to start wars since the time of the Spanish-American conflict in 1898, if not before.

The fake news saga is intended to discredit Donald Trump, whom the media hates mostly because they failed to understand either him or the Americans who voted for him in the recent election. You have to blame somebody when you are wrong so you invent “fake news” as the game changer that explains your failure to comprehend simple truths. To accomplish that, the clearly observable evidence that the media was piling on Donald Trump at every opportunity has somehow been deliberately morphed into a narrative that it is Trump who was attacking the media, suggesting that it was all self-defense on the part of the Rachel Maddows of this world, but anyone who viewed even a small portion of the farrago surely will have noted that it was the Republican candidate who was continuously coming under attack from both the right and left of the political-media spectrum.

There are also some secondary narratives being promoted, including a pervasive argument that Hillary Clinton was somehow the victim of the news reporting due specifically to fake stories emanating largely from Moscow in an attempt to not only influence the election but also to subvert America’s democratic institutions. I have observed that if such a truly ridiculous objective were President Vladimir Putin’s desired goal he might as well relax. Our own Democratic and Republican duopoly has already been doing a fine job at subverting democracy by assiduously separating the American people from the elite Establishment that theoretically represents and serves them.

Another side of the mainstream media lament that has been relatively unexplored is what the media chooses not to report. At the present moment, it is practically obligatory to slam Russia and Putin at every opportunity even though Moscow is too militarily weak and poor to fancy itself a global adversary of the U.S. Instead of seeking a new Cold War, Washington should instead focus on working with Russia to make sure that disagreements over policies in relatively unimportant parts of the world do not escalate into nuclear exchanges. Russian actions on its own doorstep in Eastern Europe do not in fact threaten the United States or any actual vital interest. Nor does Moscow threaten the U.S. through its intervention on behalf of the Syrian government in the Middle East. That Russia is described incessantly as a threat in those areas is largely a contrivance arranged by the media, the Democratic and Republican National Committees and by the White House. Candidate Donald Trump appeared to recognize that fact before he began listening to Michael Flynn, who has a rather different view. Hopefully the old Trump will prevail.

Blaming Russia, which has good reasons to be suspicious of Washington’s intentions, is particularly convenient for those many diverse inside the Beltway interests that require a significant enemy to keep the cash flowing out of the pockets of taxpayers and into the bank accounts of the useless grifters who inhabit K-Street and Capitol Hill. Neoconservatives are frequently described as ideologues, but the truth is that they are more interested in gaining increased access to money and power than they are in promulgating their own brand of global regime change.

There is, however, another country that has interfered in U.S. elections, has endangered Americans living or working overseas and has corrupted America’s legislative and executive branches. It has exploited that corruption to initiate legislation favorable to itself, has promoted unnecessary and unwinnable wars and has stolen American technology and military secrets. Its ready access to the mainstream media to spread its own propaganda provides it with cover for its actions and it accomplishes all that and more through the agency of a powerful and well-funded domestic lobby that oddly is not subject to the accountability afforded by the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) of 1938 even though it manifestly works on behalf of a foreign government. That country is, of course, Israel.

And that assessment of Israel and what damage it does regarding what most Americans would regard as genuine national interests is most definitely not reported, revealing once again that what is not written is every bit as important as what is. I would note how what has recently happened right in front of us relating to Israel is apparently not considered fit to print and will never appear on any disapproving editorial page. Just this week the Senate unanimously passed an Anti-Semitism Awareness bill and also by a 99 to zero vote renewed and strengthened sanctions against Iran, which could wreck the one year old anti-nuclear weapon proliferation agreement with that country.

The Anti-Semitism Awareness Act is intended to give the Department of Education investigatory authority over “anti-Jewish incidents” on America’s college campuses. Such “incidents” are not limited to religious bigotry, with the examples cited in the bill’s text including criticism of Israel and claiming that the holocaust was “exaggerated.” It is a thinly disguised assault on the Boycott Divest and Sanction (BDS) movement, which is non-violent, does not criticize Jews as a religion or ethnicity, and is actually supported by many Jewish American who are concerned about Israel’s apartheid regime.

The Anti-Semitism bill makes Jews and Jewish interests a legally protected class, immune from any criticism. “Free speech” means in practice that you can burn an American flag, sell pornography, attack Christianity in the vilest terms or castigate the government in Washington all you want but criticizing Israel is off limits if you want to avoid falling into the clutches of the legal system. The Act is a major step forward in effectively making any expressed opposition to Israeli actions a hate crime and is similar to punitive legislation that has been enacted in twenty-two states as well as in Canada. It is strongly supported by the Israel Lobby, which quite likely drafted it, and is seeking to use legal challenges to delegitimize and eliminate any opposition to the policies of the state of Israel.

As the Act is clearly intended to restrict First Amendment rights if they are perceived as impacting on broadly defined Jewish sensitivities, it should be opposed on that basis alone, but it is very popular in Congress, which is de facto owned by the Israel Lobby. That the legislation is not being condemned or even discussed in the generally liberal media tells you everything you need to know about the amazing power of one particular unelected and unaccountable lobby in the U.S.

And there is always Iran to worry about. If the United States can successfully avoid a war with Russia, a conflict with the Mullahs could have major consequences even if the all-powerful U.S. military successfully rolls over its Iranian counterpart in less than a week. Iran is physically and in terms of population much larger than Iraq and it has a strong national identity. An attack by Washington would produce a powerful reaction, unleashing terrorist resources and destabilizing an economically and politically important region of the world for years to come. Currently, the nuclear agreement with Iran provides some measure of stability and also pushes backwards any possible program by Tehran to build a weapon. Iran does not threaten the United States, so why walk away from the agreement as some of Trump’s advisors urge? Or violate the agreement’s terms as the U.S. Congress seems to be doing by extending and tightening the sanctions regime with its just passed Iran Sanctions Extension Act? Look no further than the Israel Lobby. Hobbling Iran, a regional competitor, is a possible Israeli interest that should have nothing to do with the United States but yet again the United States government carries the water for the extreme right wing Netanyahu regime.

Israel for its part has welcomed the Trump election by building 500 new and completely illegal settler homes in what was once Arab East Jerusalem. Trump has surrounded himself with advocates for Israel and Prime Minister Netanyahu’s expectation that he will have a free hand in dealing with those pesky Palestinians is probably correct. I would like to think that Donald Trump will unpleasantly surprise him based on actual American rather than Israeli interests but am not optimistic.

Indeed, deference to perceived Israeli interests enforced by the Israel Lobby and media permeates the entire American foreign policy and national security structure. Congressman Keith Ellison who is seeking to become Democratic National Committee Chairman is being called an anti-Semite for “implying U.S. policy in the region [the Middle East] favored Israel at the expense of Muslim-majority countries, remarks ADL’s CEO Jonathan Greenblatt described as ‘deeply disturbing and disqualifying.’” Donald Trump and his senior counselor Steve Bannon have also both been called anti-Semites and several other potential GOP appointees have been subjected to the media’s fidelity-to-Israel litmus test.

The recently nominated Secretary of Defense James Mattis, who can hardly be called a moderate when it comes to Iran, has also been labeled an anti-Semite by the usual players. Why? Because in 2013 he told Wolf Blitzer “So we’ve got to work on [peace talks] with a sense of urgency. I paid a military security price every day as a commander of CENTCOM because the Americans were seen as biased in support of Israel, and [because of this] moderate Arabs couldn’t be with us because they couldn’t publicly support those who don’t show respect for Arab Palestinians.”

Mattis continued, referring directly to Israeli apartheid: “I’ll tell you, the current situation is unsustainable … We’ve got to find a way to make work the two-state solution that both Democrat and Republican administrations have supported, and the chances are starting to ebb because of the settlements. For example, if I’m Jerusalem and I put 500 Jewish settlers to the east and there’s ten-thousand Arabs already there, and if we draw the border to include them, either [Israel] ceases to be a Jewish state or you say the Arabs don’t get to vote — apartheid. That didn’t work too well the last time I saw that practiced in a country.”

Mattis will no doubt be reminded of his remarks when he is up for Senate confirmation. A predecessor Chuck Hagel was mercilessly grilled by Senators over his reported comment that the “Jewish lobby” intimidates congressmen. But ironically nearly everyone who is not an Israel-firster who is involved in U.S. foreign and security policy knows that aggressive Israeli colonization of the Palestinian West Bank and its siege of Gaza contribute greatly to terrorism against the United States, since Washington is regularly blamed for enabling Netanyahu. When General David Petraeus said pretty much the same thing as Mattis back in 2010 he was forced to “explain” his comments, retract them and then grovel before he was eventually given a pass by the Lobby.

And there is considerable self-censorship related to the alleged sensitivity of “Jewish issues,” not only in the media. I recently attended a conference on the Iraq invasion of 2003 at which the role of Israel manifested through its controlled gaggle of American legislators and bureaucrats as a factor in going to war was not even mentioned. It was as if it would be impolite or, dare I say, anti-Semitic, to do so even though the Israeli role was hardly hidden. Former Bush administration senior official Philip Zelikow has admitted that protecting Israel was the principal reason why the U.S. invaded Iraq and others have speculated that without the persistent neocons’ and Israel’s prodding Washington might not have gone to war at all. That is apparently what then Secretary of State Colin Powell also eventually came around to believe.

So let’s stop talking about what Russia is doing to the United States, which is relatively speaking very little, and start admitting that the lopsided and completely deferential relationship with Israel is the actual central problem in America’s foreign policy. Will the media do that? Not a chance. They would rather obsess about fake news and blame Putin.
 
The agreement between the United States and Russia to open up evacuation routes for civilians and lightly-armed militants in eastern Aleppo will be implemented within 48 hours, according to US media.

US-Russian Aleppo Evacuation Proposal Says Nusra Terrorists Can Only Go to Idlib
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201612111048434354-us-russia-aleppo-evacuation/

The United States and Russia agreed on Sunday to open up evacuation routes for civilians and lightly-armed militants in eastern Aleppo, according to a text of the proposal seen by US media.

The agreement will be implemented within 48 hours, the Reuters news agency said. It cited an opposition official who said rebels still had to respond to the proposal. The Syrian government is to guarantee a safe exit. If implemented, the deal will have militants from the Nusra Front terror group (outlawed in Russia) brought to the Idlib province. Other rebels will be free to go elsewhere as long as they leave heavy weapons behind.


This could explain why NATO governments have been so anxious in recent weeks to halt the Syrian-Russian offensive on Aleppo. Could it be that they need to extricate their special forces embedded with terrorist-dominated militants?

NATO Ops Caught in Aleppo is West's Worry
https://sputniknews.com/columnists/201610191046508616-nato-aleppo-west-worry/

Back-dated Oct. 19, 2016 - Imagine the world headlines that not even compliant Western news media could suppress if the Syrian army with Russian air support liberated the last redoubt of al-Nusra Front only to find among the defeated jihadists professional troops belonging to the US, Britain, France or some other NATO member.

Washington and its Western allies who proclaim to be fighting terrorists and “only” supporting “moderate rebels” would be caught with their hands deep inside the cookie jar, so to speak. Embarrassing, to say the least, to have such a honeyed-lie exposed in glaring reality.

There’s something decidedly eerie about the current situation in the northern battleground city of Aleppo. On Tuesday night, a NATO air strike was reported on the village of Hassajek, near the city, in which at least six people – believed to be civilians – were killed. The Russian government says the strike was carried out by two Belgian F-16s fighter jets. What was that about? And why the silence from Washington and NATO over such a flagrant violation? Is somebody getting nervous?

Then the day before the humanitarian pause declared by Syrian and Russian forces came into effect on Thursday, sources in Aleppo told how busloads of militants had already begun leaving the city. Significantly, some of the vehicles had blacked-out windows. Syrian sources say that the passengers on those buses were not foreign jihadists, but rather were special forces from NATO countries. That claim has not been verified.

There are long-held suspicions that anti-government militants holding east Aleppo under siege for the past four years have been receiving covert, direct support from NATO special forces. It has been well-documented that NATO governments have been arming and training militants in waging a war for regime change in Syria. Therefore, it would be plausible that NATO commandos would actually be on the ground in militant-held ghettos of Aleppo.

Some further reasons for suspecting this direct form of Western involvement are the following: the so-called Aleppo Media Center (AMC), which is funded by the US, British and French governments, has suddenly become a crucial source of stylized propaganda for Western officials and media accusing Russia and its Syrian ally of war crimes.

Western media routinely use video footage supplied by the AMC purporting to show the aftermath of Russian and Syrian airstrikes. The AMC is described as an “amateur”, “activist” source. But its information appears to be anything but amateurish. The footage is often obtained from aerial drones flying high above bombed-out buildings. What kind of “amateur” has access to such sophisticated technology, and, furthermore, able to operate it? That suggests that the AMC is receiving professional technical support to run an information war. Since NATO countries are known to heavily fund the unit, then it’s reasonable to think that those countries also supply supporting personnel. A second pointer to NATO troops being on the ground in Aleppo stems from the recent assessment by Lt General Sergei Rudskoy of the Russian General Staff, which found that militants in east Aleppo are receiving hi-tech modern weaponry, in particular US-made TOW anti-tank missiles. As with the above drone technology, it seems reasonable to assume that NATO personnel would more than likely have to be present in order to train militants in deploying these sophisticated weapons.

US President Barack Obama announced months ago that hundreds of his special forces were sent to Syria. There are also credible reports of British and French elite troops already present. It is doubtful that their mission is according to the official claim of “training rebels to fight terrorists”.

Residents of Aleppo recount that when their city first came under siege in 2012, the militants were noticeably foreign and acted like an externally-directed mercenary army. They believe that Aleppo has been used ever since as a center of operations to orchestrate the entire Syrian war. Such a major undertaking suggests that the primary foreign drivers of the regime-change war, that is NATO members, must have also had their personnel present in the Aleppo de facto center of operations. A third factor in suspecting NATO personnel being embedded in Aleppo is the near-apoplectic response from US, British and French officials over the past three weeks. Since the breakdown of the ceasefire late last month and the resumption of a determined offensive by Syria and Russia to fully capture Aleppo, Western governments and media have launched an unprecedented campaign to stall the anti-terror advance. This campaign has been couched in “humanitarian concern” and alleged “war crimes”.

But such Western concern seems contrived given the apparent lack of similar concern with regard to humanitarian suffering that has prevailed in Yemen, where a US-backed Saudi aerial bombardment has killed thousands of civilians over the past 19 months.

No, there seems to be another, more desperate motive for the West to mount such a vigorous effort to derail what is otherwise a very effective Syrian and Russian military operation to liberate east Aleppo from a reign of terror. And that motive would be more than just the unspoken need for the West to salvage its terrorist proxy army of Nusra and other jihadi brigades. Admittedly, this is conjecture, but the paramount motive for the NATO members is to prevent the discovery of special forces among the terrorist hold-outs. Or at the very least, the discovery of highly incriminating evidence of NATO weapons, equipment, command and control logistics.

Russia and Syria this week agreed to implement a temporary ceasefire as a sign of goodwill in order for civilians to gain humanitarian access and leave the besieged part of Aleppo. Russia has also repeated its earlier demand that the truce must be used as an opportunity for alleged Western-backed rebels to separate from al Qaeda-linked extremists. Surrendering militants are to be given safe passage out of Aleppo, as part of the arrangement.

Moscow has further warned that those insurgents who choose to remain in east Aleppo will be dealt with harshly when military operations resume, presumably later this week.

But the big question is: who exactly are the militants boarding those buses out of Aleppo? It is believed that they are being given corridor to decamp in neighboring Idlib province. Idlib is known to be a stronghold for the Nusra terror network. Of course, the implementation of a truce this week is good politics by Syria and Russia to demonstrate humanitarian care for those civilians trapped in Aleppo as human shields. The initiative certainly nullifies Western hysteria over alleged Russian “barbarism”. However, it is incumbent on the Syrian and Russian authorities to carefully screen those militants who emerge from Aleppo this week. Otherwise, the battle for Aleppo could prove to be a shortfall victory – if the militants simply exploit the cover of “moderate” to set up another base of operations in Idlib, along with their NATO handlers.


The number of settlements that have joined the cessation of hostilities in war-torn Syria has increased to 1,045, the Russian Defense Ministry said.

Number of Settlements Joining Syrian Ceasefire Reaches 1,045
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201612121048437961-syrian-ceasefire-1045-settlements/

Two truce deals with representatives of the settlements Latakia province were inked in the last 24 hours, according to the ministry.

“Within last 24 hours, 2 truce agreements have been signed with representatives of inhabited areas of the Latakia province. The total number of inhabited areas, the leaders of which had signed reconciliation agreements, has reached 1045,” the ministry said in a daily bulletin posted on its website on Saturday. The ceasefire negotiations have continued with commanders of illegal armed groups in the Damascus province, and with detachments of armed opposition in the Quneitra, Aleppo, Hama and Homs provinces, it added.


The Syrian Army destroyed three unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) of the ISIL terrorist group carrying improvised explosives in the Eastern province of Deir Ezzur.

ISIL's Bomb-Laden Drones Shot Down by Syrian Army in Deir Ezzur
http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950921001362

The army soldiers managed to shoot down 3 bomb-laden drones of ISIL that were flying over Tal Sannouf hill.

The improvised bombs attached to the drones were made of grenades for an anti-tank grenade launcher (most likely RPG-7).

According to the reports coming from Deir Ezzur city, ISIL uses such armed drones more and more often desperately looking for any possibility to penetrate the army's defense lines.

Syrian Air Force targeted a long convoy of ISIL in the Eastern province of Deir Ezzur on Friday, inflicting major damage on the military column on al-Mayadeen-Thayem highway and killing a number of militants, including their commander.

The fighter jets bombed ISIL's convoy of nine military vehicles that came from Iraq and was carrying a large number of ISIL's Inghimasi (Suicide) fighters along with their commander, 'Abou Aisha Marsillia' - a French national.

Several cars with militants inside them were destroyed while the rest managed to escape the bombing raid making their way to a canyon East of a local power station complex.

Yet, the warplanes targeted the ISIL militants at the station and destroyed all the remaining cars, killing their passengers in process.

According to a Syrian military intelligence source, Abou Aisha Marsillia was killed in the air raid as well.


Jeish al-Fatah had piled up all food stuff in its own warehouses in Eastern Aleppo to force hungry civilians to fight for the terrorist group in return for more quotas, media sources disclosed Sunday.

Aleppo: Terrorists Hoard Food Stuff to Force People to Join Fight against Syrian Army
http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950921001169

The Arabic language al-Ahd news website reported that the terrorist groups deployed in the Eastern districts of Aleppo city, who faced shortage of fighters in their battle with the Syrian government forces, managed to collect the entire food stuff, including the Syrian Red Crescent Society's humanitarian aid in their warehouses to use it as a leverage force hungry men to join their groups.

"The terrorist groups in Eastern Aleppo had made people starve to choose between getting shot or dying of hunger," the website added.

Al-Ahd reported that the families that fled Bab al-Hadid (Iron Gate) neighborhood said that the terrorist groups were distributing only three loaves of bread for three days of a family, while the Syrian Red Crescent Society's flour bags sent to the people in East Aleppo were going to the al-Shamiyeh Front terrorists' warehouses in Bab al-Hadid.

Based on information, Fatah al-Sham Front (previously known as the al-Nusra Front) had special warehouses in the neighborhoods of Aquoul, Bab al-Nasr and al-Bayadeh to gather the aid cargos sent for civilians by the humanitarian organizations and the Syrian government.

More than five large warehouses have been discovered in Bab al-Nasr neighborhood.

Fatah al-Sham terrorists forced people to join them and fight against the Syrian soldiers in return for a small amount of food.

The Russian Peace Coordination Center in Syria announced on Sunday that evacuation of civilians from militant-held districts of Eastern Aleppo city has been underway, while hundreds of militants have given up fight against the Syrian Army.

The Russian Defense Ministry quoted the Peace Coordination Center as announcing that over 2,100 civilians have been evacuated from the militant-held regions in Eastern Aleppo during the last night, while almost 300 militants have laid down arms and have surrendered themselves to government officials.

"The Russian center for Syrian reconciliation continues providing humanitarian assistance to local residents leaving militants-controlled Eastern Aleppo neighborhoods, Overnight… 2,124 city residents left Aleppo districts controlled by militants including 1,007 children. A total of 291 militants laid down their arms and left for the Western part of the city," the Russian Defense Ministry's spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov told reporters on Sunday.

"The Russian center for reconciliation has organized evacuation of another 8,000 civilians from Eastern Aleppo districts through humanitarian corridors," Konashenkov said, adding that all of them are being admitted at special humanitarian centers and provided with food and medical aid.
 
ISIL militants used a break in the US-led coalition’s advance against them in Raqqa to launch its own offensive Syrian forces in Palmyra, while counting on the fact that Russia will not conduct airstrikes on residential areas, the Russian Defense Ministry said.

Russian Military: US-Led Operation on Raqqa Gives Space to New ISIL Offensive on Palmyra
http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950922001615

The ministry added that the setback shows that terrorists should not be given the opportunity to regroup, RT reported.

“Seizing on the suspension of active military action near Al-Raqqa till spring by the US and international coalition, ISIL devoted considerable forces to storm Palmyra,” the ministry spokesman Major-General Igor Konashenkov said on Monday.

Konashenkov said that the terrorists knew that the Russian Air Force would not conduct airstrikes in Palmyra’s residential areas, and “used that to reinforce their attacks.”

After arriving “unhampered” in Deir Ezzur and Raqqa in Syria, from Iraqi city of Mosul, some 4,000 terrorists armed with heavy weapons moved quickly on Palmyra in tanks and armored vehicles, the defense ministry said.


The Syrian army is regrouping around Palmyra, after Daesh retook the city following an opportunistic attack that looks to have had American involvement, Dr. Taleb Ibrahim, Deputy Director of the Damascus Center for International and Strategic Studies, alleged in conversation with Radio Sputnik.

Syrian Army Regroups Around Palmyra After 'Coordinated Attack From Daesh & CIA'
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201612121048465592-syria-army-palmyra-intelligence/

The attack on Palmyra by Daesh terrorists on Sunday caught Syrian government forces on the hop, and the army is regrouping for an offensive to retake the city, Dr. Taleb Ibrahim, Deputy Director of the Damascus Center for International and Strategic Studies, told Radio Sputnik.

"The Syrian army wasn't in a very good position to fight because they were very busy with events taking place in Aleppo, and the defense units got too relaxed so they didn't set up a good defense for the city," Ibrahim said.

Ibrahim said that one of the most important things to note about the assault on Palmyra was the strategy of "hornets" used by Daesh.

"They are fighting using what they call the strategy of 'hornets.' In the beginning of their attacks, they send a small number of militants to attack army sites or cities, etc. After that, they come in waves, wave after wave until they capture the city or get what they want."

"ISIS (Daesh) strategy is very effective and I think that unfortunately the Syrian army wasn't aware of it. Unfortunately, ISIS could regain all of Palmyra but the Syrian army has closed in on the surrounding area very well and I think they will regroup and make a counter-attack in the next few hours," Ibrahim said.


Analysts in Damascus believe that Saudi Arabia and Turkey have armed the ISIL terrorists and dispatched them to Homs province to launch new offensives against Palmyra (Tadmur).

Analysts: ISIL Sent to Palmyra by Riyadh, Ankara to Compensate for Defeats in Aleppo
http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950922001407

Al-Watan newspaper quoted Syrian analysts as saying that Palmyra will not bear any strategic fruit for the terrorists and is only a response to the Saudis and Turks' defeats in Aleppo.

In Tadmur events, they believe, it is fully clear who has persuaded the ISIL to launch attacks and who is supporting them. This offensive is merely a reaction to the Syrian army and its allies' victories in Aleppo since Aleppo was the only winning card that the terrorists and their backers had.

The analysts underlined that "certainly Saudi Arabia and Turkey will not earn anything by sending the ISIL to Tadmur and will on be further dishonored by their obvious support for the ISIL".

Aleppo is to be announced a completely liberated city by Damascus any moment now as Syrian army troops and popular forces inched closer to recapturing the entire districts of the war-torn city.

According to the Russian Peace Coordination Center in Syria, pro-government forces are now in control of over 95 percent of Eastern Aleppo, while thousands of militants have turned themselves in to Damascus authority.

ISIL kicked off a large-scale operation on Thursday with thousands of forces to take control of Palmyra that was liberated by the army men in March 2016, and managed to take control over some energy fields and strategic heights and approached Palmyra.

The terrorist group finally entered the city of Palmyra on Saturday night, but the Russian and Syrian forces could repel their attacks, killing hundreds of them. Yet, the terrorists could take the city on late on Sunday.

The Russian Defense Ministry announced on Sunday that Syrian Army soldiers with aerial support of Russian fighter jets killed over 300 terrorists.

"During the (Saturday) night, Syrian government forces, actively supported by the Russian Aerospace Forces, repelled all attacks by (ISIL) terrorists on (government positions in) Palmyra. The invading side actively used car bombs, armor and rocket artillery systems," the ministry's statement read.

According to Moscow, the Russian warplanes conducted 64 airstrikes on the militants' positions and reserves, while eleven battle tanks and infantry fighting vehicles, 31 cars with heavy machineguns were destroyed, and over 300 militants were killed.

4,000 fighters of the ISIL carried out again a large-scale offensive against government positions in Palmyra from several flanks and finally managed to capture the city, while only 800 army soldiers were defending the city and there was no possibility for aerial coverage by the Russian and Syrian warplanes due to bad weather.

The Russia's center for Syrian reconciliation noted ISIL had moved considerable forces from their stronghold of Raqqa, while more forces and equipment were relocated from Deir Ezzur.

The center cited intelligence data that ISIL had moved up to 5,000 fighters to the cities of Raqqa and Deir Ezzur from the Iraqi stronghold of Mosul.

Meanwhile, Homs Governor Talal Barazi announced that Syrian government forces managed to evacuate some 80 percent of Palmyra population, the fate of the rest is a cause for concern.

“Some 80 percent of Palmyra residents have been evacuated, we are concerned with the fate of those who are remaining there,” Barazi said in a statement on Sunday, adding that the Syrian army with allies is regrouping promptly, suggesting that control over Palmyra could be reestablished in the near future.

Meanwhile, several hundred more of Syrian Army soldiers arrived on Sunday night in areas near the ancient city of Palmyra in Eastern Homs to join government forces' imminent operation to take back the historic city form the ISIL terrorists.

According to the reports, the fresh forces and their comrades in the region are about to recapture the heights near Palmyra, and then target ISIL's gatherings and movements inside Palmyra with the back up of the Russian warplanes and the army's artillery units.

The Syrian Army, backed by the Syrian and Russian Aerospace Forces, liberated Palmyra in March, 2016, nearly a year after it was captured by ISIL in May 2015.

During the invasion, terrorists had cruelly destroyed a major portion of the historic sites in the city. UNESCO Chief Irina Bokova had warned that ISIL militants in both Iraq and Syria were responsible for "the most brutal and systematic" destruction of the ancient heritage since World War II.


The Russian Peace Coordination Center in Syria announced on Monday that over 100,000 civilians have so far been evacuated from the Eastern districts of Aleppo city, while more than 2,200 militant have thus far turned themselves in to government forces in the city.

100,000 Civilians Leave Aleppo City, Over 2,200 Terrorists Surrender
http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950922001316

"Since the beginning of the Syrian army’s operation to liberate Aleppo city, the Russian reconciliation center has evacuated more than 100,000 civilians, including 40,484 children," the Russian center reported in a statement.

According to the center, some 2,215 militants have laid down their arms since the operation began in Aleppo city, while as many as 2,137 were granted amnesty by relevant officials.

The Russian Center announced earlier today that over 700 militants laid down arms and surrendered to the Syrian Army troops in the Eastern districts of Aleppo city in last 24 hours,

"728 militants used the amnesty decree of the Syrian president and turned themselves in to the Syrian army in the Eastern neighborhoods of Aleppo city in the last 24 hours. They were transferred to the government-controlled districts in the Western part of the city," the center announced.

The center added that tightening of the army's siege on terrorists-held neighborhoods has forced more militants to join the peace agreement with Damascus.

The Russian center went on to say that over 13,347 civilians, including 5,831 children have also been evacuated from the Eastern districts of Aleppo in the last 24 hours.

The Russian servicemen have also demined 7 hectares of the territory of Eastern Aleppo, including a mosque, a school, a primary school and roads.


The Syrian government has regained control of 96 percent of Aleppo, the Russian military said.

Syrian Army Takes Control Over 96% of Aleppo
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201612121048465853-syria-aleppo-control/

The Syrian government forces liberated another five residential areas of eastern Aleppo, taking control over 96 percent of the embattled city, the Russian Defense Ministry said Monday.

"The Syrian authorities have now full control over 96 percent of Aleppo, while the militants still control up to 8.5 square kilometers in the eastern part of the city," ministry's spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said in a statement.


The US-led air forces destroyed the Daesh chemical weapons facility and an armored vehicle near the Syrian city of Raqqa, according to the Operation Inherent Resolve Joint Task Force.
(Note - Destroying "evidence"?)

US Coalition Strikes Destroy Daesh Chemical Weapons Facility in Syria’s Raqqa
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201612121048466363-us-iraq-syria-airstrikes/

The US-led coalition against the Islamic State, also known as the Daesh, carried out 19 airstrikes in Syria and Iraq on Sunday, including one that destroyed a chemical weapons facility near the Syrian city of Raqqa, the Operation Inherent Resolve Joint Task Force said in a press release.

"Near Ar Raqqah, three strikes engaged an ISIL [Islamic State] tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL chemical weapons facility and an armored vehicle," the release stated on Monday. Six additional airstrikes near three other Syrian cities engaged three Daesh tactical units and destroyed their oil assets, the task force said.


According to media reports, representatives of the Syrian opposition visited Washington last week in order to persuade US President-elect Donald Trump to cooperate with them.

Syrian Opposition Visited Washington to Offer Trump Cooperation
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201612121048444321-syrian-opposition-trump/

Representatives of the Syrian opposition visited Washington last week in order to persuade US President-elect Donald Trump to cooperate with them, local media reported.

"Our message to him [Trump] is this: The opposition that he describes, that he does not know, is the Syrian nation, is the Syrian civilization … He should make an effort to know us more," Jawad Abu Hatab, the prime minister of the Syrian opposition interim government told The Washington Post following the visit, the newspaper reported on Sunday.

Another politician pointed out that the Syrian opposition supported Trump’s intention to cooperate with Russia but called for distinguishing between working with Russia and strengthening Iran’s positions.

"It is good that Trump works with Russia. There must be some sort of US-Russian understanding to solve the issues in the Middle East but without [Syrian President] Bashar Assad as a partner. If Trump does partner up with Assad, that would directly empower Iran in a major way," Abdul Ilah Fahad, the secretary general of the National Coalition of Syrian Revolution and Opposition Forces, told the newspaper.

He added that the Syrian opposition had already been communicating with the Russian authorities. Representatives of the Syrian opposition also expressed their dissatisfaction with the policy of outgoing US President Barack Obama noting that his administration gave too many promises that were not kept. During his pre-election campaign, Trump expressed doubt in the aims of the Syrian opposition and questioned Obama's support for the armed groups. He also vowed to seek a better relationship with Russia, which backs Assad.


Donald Trump's pick for Secretary of State also has the trust of Russian leader Vladimir Putin and has the ability to repair relations between the two countries.

Trump's State Dept Pick Uniquely Placed to Get US-Russia Relations Back on Track
https://sputniknews.com/world/201612121048445831-tillerson-trump-russia-state-department/

According to US media reports, ExxonMobil chief executive Rex Tillerson is the President-elect's pick for Secretary of State.

In an interview with Fox News on Sunday Trump didn't disclose his choice, but he called Tillerson "a world class player," who is "much more than a business executive." "To me, a great advantage is that he knows many of the players, and he knows them well. He does massive deals in Russia — for the company, not for himself," Trump said.

Tillerson was born in Texas in 1952 and joined Exxon as a production engineer in 1975. The company became ExxonMobil in 1999 after a merger.

Tillerson soon rose to management positions and in 1995 became head of Exxon's operations in Thailand and Yemen. In 1998 he became vice-president of Exxon Ventures in the Commonwealth of Independent Countries, and president of Exxon Neftegas Limited, taking responsibility for the company's holdings in Russia and the Caspian Sea. Tillerson has worked closely with Russian companies such as Rosneft, which in 2011 agreed with Exxon on a joint oil exploration and development project in the Arctic and Siberia.

Thanks to successful business co-operation, the businessman was awarded Russia's "Order of Friendship" by Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2013, who has himself met Tillerson several times.

In German newspaper Suddeutsche Zeitung, journalist Matthias Kolb wrote that Tillerson is "a man trusted by Trump and Putin."

Noting that Tillerson sits on the board of the Washington-based foreign policy think-tank Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), Kolb says that he is well aware that smoothing relations is a key task of his time in office. "He has had more interactive time with Vladimir Putin than probably any other American with the exception of Henry Kissinger," CSIS President John Hamre told the Wall Street Journal last week, as Tillotson was one of several candidates interviewed by Trump. "The closest thing we have to a secretary of state outside government is the CEO of Exxon," Robert McNally, head of the Washington-based energy and geopolitical consulting firm Rapidan Group, said. Tillerson's appointment will have a bearing on anti-Russian sanctions, first imposed in March 2014 after Crimea's decision to join with Russia following the Maidan coup d'etat.

The sanctions caused Exxon Mobil's project with Rosneft to be put on hold, and Tillerson has argued for them to be lifted. Last year the company estimated that it lost up to $1 billion during the 2014 fiscal year as result of sanctions against Rosneft.Read more: https://sputniknews.com/world/201612121048445831-tillerson-trump-russia-state-department/

Tillerson told Exxon's annual shareholder meeting in 2014 that sanctions are an ineffective way to make a political point.

"We don't find them to be effective unless they are very well implemented comprehensively, and that's a very hard thing to do."

"We always encourage the people who are making those decisions to consider the very broad collateral damage of who are they really harming with sanctions," Tillerson said. In June 2016 Tillerson traveled to the St Petersburg International Economic Forum against the wishes of the US State Department, which had advised US companies not to travel to the forum.

He was asked about the impact of sanctions on his business, and fired the question in the direction of the US authorities.

"It's a question for the government — if there's any U.S. government official who would like to respond…" Tillerson said, to the laughter of the audience.


The latest target of President-elect Donald Trump’s criticism is the Joint Strike Fighter program. He tweeted that, under his administration, the US military will end the overspending and save billions of dollars.

Trump Says F-35 Program Cost ‘Out of Control’, Wants to Save ‘Billions of Dollars’
http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950922001625

"The F-35 program and cost is out of control. Billions of dollars can and will be saved on military and other purchases after January 20th," he wrote on his Tweeter account, Zero Censorship reported.

Trump’s tweet followed similar criticism he voiced in an interview on Fox News Sunday.

"It's out of control. And the people that are making these deals for the government, they should never be allowed to go to work for these companies. You know, they make a deal like that and two or three years later, you see them working for these companies that made the deal," the president-elect said.

After the Monday tweet, shares of Lockheed Martin Corp. dropped 2.7% in premarket trade.

The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II was chosen as a unified aircraft platform for the US Army, Navy, and Air Force under the Joint Strike Fighter program, but the vision for a multipurpose jet is still under development.

The program is notorious for delays and running far over its initial cost estimate. Moreover, engineers have yet to deal with software glitches and compatibility issues, while the actual performance of the pricey plane is subject to debate.

Trump already sent the stock price of one aviation giant into a tailspin by tweeting out criticism of Boeing for running over cost in developing the new Air Force One, which will be the plane of future presidents.
 
Lavrov: Washington Might Be Protecting al-Nusra Front as Tool to Oust Assad

https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201612121048471590-lavrov-us-nusra-front-assad/

There are reasons to believe that Washington might be protecting al-Nusra Front terrorists in order to use them as a tool to oust Syrian President Bashar Assad, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Monday.

"There is a slew of examples showing that al-Nusra Front somehow evaded the US-led coalition's actions. There were reasons to believe it was being protected as the most efficient and combat-capable anti-government force on the ground so that it could be used in future to topple the legitimate leadership of Syria," Lavrov said.

Syria has been in a state of civil war since 2011, with government forces fighting the Syrian opposition groups striving to overthrow Bashar Assad. Damascus is also fighting numerous extremist and terrorist groups such as the Jabhat Fatah al Sham (previously known as al-Nusra Front) and Daesh, both outlawed in the United States and Russia. According to the United Nations, 300,000 Syrians have died since the beginning of the conflict.

DETAILS TO FOLLOW


Russia's Lavrov says talks with U.S. on Syria at dead-end

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-russia-usa-idUSKBN14123C?il=0

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Monday that talks with the United States on Syria were at a dead-end, according to Interfax news agency.
 
The Syrian Army has officially liberated Aleppo after ousting rebels from the eastern part of the city.

Syrian Army Declares Victory in Aleppo
https://sputniknews.com/world/201612121048476601-syria-army-calls-victory-aleppo/

Dec. 12, 2016 - Local ground forces made significant advances on Monday leaving only three residential blocks in the hands of anti-government forces.

The rebels had little choice but to "surrender or die," Lieutenant Gen. Zaid al-Saleh, director of Syria’s security committee, told reporters in the Sheik Saeed district.

​The Battle of Aleppo lasted more than four years after fighting broke out on July 19, 2012. In 24 hours leading up to the victory, approximately 10,000 to 13,000 civilians fled the city, bringing the total number of refugees up to around 130,000, according to reports.

Throughout the battle of Aleppo, government forces repeatedly urged civilians to leave the area, organizing humanitarian corridors to arrange the safe passage of those who wanted to escape furious street battles. However, terrorist groups fighting in Aleppo forcibly prevented civilians from leaving the area whilst using them as human shields. "Civilians are being used as pawns and prevented from leaving," UN spokesman Rupert Colville said recently.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said that Russia is currently working toward the safe evacuation of people from Aleppo. After local TV outlets reported the victory, residents flooded the streets, firing their guns in the air in celebration.

Meanwhile, on Monday morning some 4,000 Daesh militants launched an offensive on Palmyra, Syria armed with heavy weaponry, armored vehicles, and tanks. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov noted the offensive may have been "orchestrated," while former UK ambassador to Syria said the US and its allies "didn't lift a finger to try to stop [the Daesh offensive] happening," despite having sophisticated and well-developed surveillance capabilities that likely could have detected the regrouping of Daesh militants and their vehicles en route to Palmyra.


Aleppo is to be declared a completely liberated city by Damascus any moment now as Jeish Al-Fatah terrorists are now left with only four city districts in the South-East after the Syrian army troops and popular forces captured two more neighborhoods.

Full Liberation of Aleppo Imminent, Syrians Pour into Streets in Joy
http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950922001899

Militants retreated from more districts in Aleppo city as the Syrian army and its allies are in the final stages of recapturing the city after months of battle with thousands of terrorists.

The Syrian soldiers and Hezollah forces managed to drive members of the Jeish Al-Fatah coalition of terrorist groups out of Bustan al-Qasr (Bustan al-Kaser) and al-Kelaseh districts in Aleppo city, squeezing the militants in a very small area with two choices: surrunder or die.

Jeish Al-Fatah, a conglomerate of terrorist groups under the command of the Al-Nusra Front sustained numerous casualties in Aleppo on Monday. The backbone of the umbrella group is made of Al-Nusra units, while militants from 12 other terrorist groups, including Ahrar Al-Sham, are all members of Jeish al-Fatah.

According to a Syrian military source, pro-government forces are in "the final moments before declaring ultimate victory" in Aleppo, as the neighborhoods of al-Ansari, al-Mashhad, al-Zabdiyeh and al-Sukri are the only regions still under militants' control.

Local sources in the city also reported that Syrian people have poured to the streets in the Southern neighborhoods, celebrating the imminent victory of the country's soldiers and popular forces in Aleppo battle.

The Syrian army units started special operations in Aleppo after several humanitarian pauses declared by Damascus and Moscow to give a chance to the civilian population as well as the militants to leave the Eastern parts of the city through 8 corridors.

District after district have fallen into the hands of the Syrian army soldiers and their allies in the city of Aleppo, as the pro-government troops have recaptured most of the blocks and districts in the Northern and Southern parts of Eastern Aleppo.

Also, tens of thousands of civilians, including hundreds of children and newborn babies, have also left the Eastern part of the besieged Syrian city of Aleppo in recent days, while thousands of militants laid down their arms and left Eastern Aleppo through the special corridor.

Over the recent months, Aleppo has been a battlefield between government forces and numerous terrorist groups.
 
It appears, some members connected to the U.N. have engaged in a full blown "smear campaign" against Syrian and Russian forces liberating Aleppo?
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Raad Al Hussein, a Jordanian Prince is leading the accusations. Part of the back lash may be due to the Syrian Army Troops discovering an interconnected network of underground tunnels under the Old Aleppo City district?

Video clips of alleged 'Russian airstrikes, firing squads, other staged violence scenes' in Aleppo were fabricated by militants, the Russian Defense Ministry said Tuesday.

Videos of Alleged 'Russian Strikes, Firing Squads' in Aleppo Staged by Militants
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201612131048502649-aleppo-russian-strikes-fabricated-by-militants/

The UN claimed earlier it had evidence that Syrian government troops had been going door to door in the besieged city, killing 82 people, as rebel resistance crumbles.

"All Western statements with reference to 'posts of activists' and movies about alleged 'Russian airstrikes', 'firing squads' and other staged scenes were filmed by special TV groups comprised of militants. It remains a big question why some media used it without checking the source. Some advice - do not believe the propaganda of the terrorists," Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said.

Meanwhile, all Russia's calls to the West and international organizations to send promised humanitarian aid to the Syrian civilians who left Aleppo remained unanswered, Konashenkov added.

"All our appeals to our Western counterparts and international organizations to send humanitarian aid, they promised to deliver to the civilians who were able to escape Aleppo remained unanswered," the Russian Defense Ministry spokesman told journalists.

According to Konashenkov, the international community prefers to keep silent and use security threat excuses instead of helping the Syrians.

"However, earlier, no-one in London, Paris, Berlin and Washington was scared by delivering aid to the areas controlled by terrorists in eastern Aleppo," Konashenkov said. Earlier in the day, the Russian reconciliation center said that the Syrian authorities are controlling over 98 percent of the territory of Aleppo, militants are present in less than 3 square kilometers (1.1 square mile). "In the past 24 hours, 11 more districts of eastern Aleppo were freed from terrorists. Therefore, the Syrian authorities are controlling more than 98 percent of the territory of the city of Aleppo, while the total area of the eastern part of the city where militants remain does not exceed 3 square kilometers," the center said in a statement. According to the center, some 110,000 civilians, including 44,00 children have been evacuated since the beginning of the Syrian offensive to liberate the city. More than 7,000 people have returned to their homes.


There were no "opposition", "humanitarian organizations" or "human rights watchdogs" in Eastern Aleppo, instead there was a total terror at the side of militants, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said on Tuesday.

Eastern Aleppo Was Engulfed by Total Terror, No "Opposition or Watchdogs" in It
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201612131048502554-eastern-aleppo-russia/

"In Eastern Aleppo, there were no 'opposition', 'local councils', or so-cherished by London and other capitals, 'humanitarian' NGOs with 'western values' such as the 'White Helmets', 'medical' associations or 'human rights defenders'," he said.

Konashenkov noted that, according to locals, there were only hunger and total terror exerted by militants as punishment for any attempts to express discontent or leave the enclave.

Russian combat engineers "have not found a single operational hospital or school that had been used in militant-held areas for their designated purposes," he added.

Instead, those facilities were used as staffs, Sharia courts, ammo depots, production facilities for making improvised rockets, he said.


The Russian Defense Ministry's spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov has refuted allegations of "250,000 trapped" Aleppo civilians.

Tales of '250,000 Trapped' Aleppo Civilians Just 'Russophobic Chatter'
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201612131048504132-russia-eastern-aleppo-civilians/

"The Syrian troops' operation to liberate the eastern parts of Aleppo, successful and humane in every sense in regard to civilians… showed a number of important things… All of the dramatized outcries, allegedly in defense of the '250,000 trapped' Aleppo civilians, especially those which are loudly voiced by representatives of Britain and France, are nothing more than russophobic chatter," he said.

Konashenkov underscored that terrorists had held more than 100,000 civilians as human shields in Eastern Aleppo. The civilinas have already left the embattled city. "All of them left the enclave at the first opportunity and entered government-controlled areas for the sake of security, real aid and food," he added.


UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Raad Al Hussein stated the Syrian government should protect the right to life of all civilians and militants who have laid down their arms in Aleppo.

Syrian Gov’t Must Protect Lives of Aleppo Civilians, Surrendering Rebels – UN
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201612131048504430-un-syria-civilians-protection-zeid/

The Syrian government must protect the right to life of all civilians and militants who have laid down their arms in Aleppo, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Raad Al Hussein said Tuesday.

The United Nations claimed earlier it had evidence that Syrian government troops had been going door to door in the areas they captured, killing 82 people, among them 11 women and 13 children.

The Jordanian prince said Syrian authorities were obliged to provide medical help to those sick and wounded – civilians and fighters alike – and grant access to the besieged city to independent monitors from the United Nations or other external actors.

Syrian government troops are in control of most of the city, with only a small pocket of militants offering resistance to the overwhelming force backed by Russian aircraft.


UN special envoy for Syria’s adviser Jan Egeland has not mentioned the atrocities carried out by terrorist groups in Syria’s Aleppo, evidencing that he is not aware of the situation on the ground, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Tuesday.

UN Syria Envoy's Adviser Does Not Know What is Happening in Aleppo - Kremlin
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201612131048489469-egeland-syria-aleppo-russia/

On Monday, Egeland accused Russia and Syria of being responsible for atrocities perpetrated by "victorious" militiamen who were taking part in the operation to liberate Aleppo.

"It seems that Mr Egeland does not have information on what is happening in Aleppo, otherwise he would pay attention to atrocities perpetrated by terrorist groups. The fact that he does not mention it unfortunately evidences that he does not have information on what the reality is like in Syria and Aleppo," Peskov told reporters.


Senior member of the Egyptian parliament Mahmoud Ismail predicted that UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura will launch a new fight at the UN and the UNSC to stop the Syrian army's advance in Aleppo and will possibly present his initiative to empower an autonomous government in Aleppo which is on the verge of liberation.

Egyptian MP Blasts UN's De Mistura for Siding with Terrorists in Aleppo
http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950923001455

Ismail underlined that at present that the Syrian army has announced victory in several districts of Aleppo and has approached full liberation of the city, the Arab world should be happy.

Now that the Syrian army is on the verge of victory, the terrorists and their supporters are predicted to launch propaganda against the government in Damascus and accuse Damascus of destruction of Aleppo and killing the children, he added.

Ismail stressed that the events in Palmyra and Aleppo as well as the events in the Sinai and Mosul are interconnected and all the terrorists who have fled Mosul are now in Tadmur (Palmyra) and are making attempts to set up a new stronghold and platform, but the Syrian leaders will not allow it to happen.

Aleppo is to be declared a completely liberated city by Damascus government any moment now as the Syrian Army troops and popular forces have squeezed Jeish al-Fatah terrorists in an area no larger than 3sq/km, after taking control of more than 98 percent of entire Eastern Aleppo.


Members of the terror group Daesh disguised themselves as Bedouins and Syrian army soldiers in order to reach Palmyra, military expert Alexander Perendzhiev told RIA Novosti.

Daesh in Disguise: Terrorists Moved to Palmyra 'Dressed as Bedouins & Soldiers'
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201612131048502353-syria-palmyra-daesh-attack/

On Sunday, Daesh attacked and recaptured Palmyra, which had been liberated from the terrorist group by the Syrian army with the help of Russian warplanes in March. The ancient, UNESCO-recognized city had suffered for eight months under Daesh control, during which countless examples of priceless antiquities were deliberately destroyed, in line with the group's aberrant interpretation of Islamic law.

Up to 5,000 militants, including hundreds of suicide bombers and dozens of vehicles, took part in the offensive. They had reportedly relocated from Mosul in Iraq and the Syrian provinces Deir ez-Zor and Raqqa, where the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) had stalled their planned attack on the group.

Terrorists in Syria use sophisticated tactics to move in small groups, so-called 'flash mob tactics.' Under the guise of Bedouins, local people or even Syrian army soldiers, they come from different directions and meet in an inconspicuous place. As a result, suddenly there is an unexpectedly large force in one place."

The terrorists have taken more than one city using this tactic, but we still haven't learned to actively counteract it," he added.

There are several important gas fields in the region of Palmyra, including al-Shaer, located some 150km northwest of the city, which reportedly produces three million cubic meters of gas a year. In addition, two important military airports, T4 and Shairat, are located near the field, and near the Palmyra-Homs road.

While the Syrian army had directed many of its resources towards Aleppo, Perendzhiev said that Daesh's return to Palmyra was relatively predictable given its importance.

The next step after capturing Aleppo should have been the capture of these oil deposits, the oil from which goes to Arab countries – Saudi Arabia and the UAE. The terrorists' sponsors aren't going to give them up, that's why they provided the resources for the attack on Palmyra. At the same time, in addition to arms, munitions and personnel support, the fighters were provided with strategic assistance," Perendzhiev said.


The Syrian army troops gained access to an advanced and interconnected network of underground tunnels that had been dug by terrorists in the Old Aleppo City district and below a holy religious site.

Syrian Army Discovers Terrorists' Underground Town in Aleppo
http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950923001601

"The vast tunnel was like an underground town with all the needed facilities, including electricity, water, bath, military operations room and well-equipped waiting halls," the Syrian army troops said.

The tunnel is around 500 meters long, around 2.5 to 3 meters high, and two meters wide.

Reports said the terrorists had dug the tunnel by utilizing state-of-the-art machinery.

Earlier on Tuesday, the Russian Peace Coordination Center in Syria announced that the Syrian Army troops and popular forces have squeezed Jeish al-Fatah terrorists in an area no larger than 3 sq/km, after taking control of more than 98 percent of entire Eastern Aleppo.

"Over the past 24 hours, Syrian government forces have liberated 11 districts of Eastern Aleppo. Thus, the Syrian authorities have regained control of over 98 percent of Aleppo city," the Russian Center said in a statement, adding that "the area controlled by the militants in Eastern Aleppo does not exceed 3 square kilometers".

According to the recent reports, the government forces have doubled their attacks on the militant groups' positions since minutes ago.

The reports further added that the army men and popular forces have started large-scale offensives against Jeish al-Fatah positions to liberate the remaining militant-held neighborhoods and have managed to advance in the battlefields.

Reports said earlier today that the army troops and the Lebanese Hezbollah fighters continue to attack the last defense lines of Jeish al-Fatah terrorists near the newly-liberated districts of Bostan al-Qasr and al-Kelaseh, cornering militants in a very small area.

The pro-government forces started a large-scale offensive against the positions of the terrorists South of the districts of Bostan al-Qasr (Bustan al-Kaser) and al-Kelaseh and managed to advance against terrorists in the neighborhoods of al-Mashhad and al-Sukri, pushing terrorists back from their positions.

According to the latest reports, Jeish al-Fatah militants were defending their positions in the neighborhoods of al-Sukri, Zabdiyeh, al-Ansari and al-Mashhad whose fall would amount to the full liberation of Aleppo city.

In the meantime, fierce clashes were underway between the army soldiers and militants in the Southern parts of Seif al-Dowleh neighborhood and small parts of Salahuddin neighborhood.

A field source disclosed that the defense lines of the terrorists have completely collapsed and they are now able to resist against the government forces' strikes, saying the army men and Hezbollah will soon liberate theses remaining neighborhoods.


Arms produced in Bulgaria were discovered at a Fatah Al-Sham (formerly known as al-Nusra Front) Depot in Eastern Aleppo, North of Syria, media reports said.

Bulgarian Arms Found at Fatah Al-Sham Front Depot in Eastern Aleppo, Syria
http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950923001425

Journalists in the city of Aleppo discovered arms with the labels of Bulgarian weapon manufacturer VMZ (Vazovski Mashinostroitelni Zavodi), and the labels were clearly shown on photos and videos which were broadcast from the city, Nova TV reported.

Even though arms trade to Syria is banned, the weapons were somehow obtained by the terrorists of the Fatah Al-Sham Front.

Among the arms, 122 mm "Grad" rockets were found alongside various caliber munitions for anti-tank weapons, Sputnik reported.

"Arkus" company from Bulgarian city of Lyaskovets is listed as the supplier of arms. The Bulgarian surnames are written on the labels.

The weapons are reported to be prepared for the export from Bulgaria in 2015, leaving the country in October of 2015.

Military experts say that the militants would have been able to use the arms for two more years, according to the TV channel.


The Syrian Air Force carried out several bombing raids over the bases and gatherings of Jeish al-Fatah terrorists in the provinces of Idlib and Lattakia, inflicting major losses on the militants.

Terrorists' Strongholds in Idlib, Lattakia Hit Hard in Syrian Air Raids
http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950923000816

The warplanes bombed a base of the terrorists near the town of Kandeh in the Western direction of the town of Jisr al-Shughour in Southern Idlib, destroying the base completely and killing at least 7 militants and wounding several more.

In the meantime, the fighter jets targeted the gatherings and movements of the terrorists in Jabal (mount) Kafr Sandou and Height 1154 and the villages of Ein al-Baydeh and al-Tafahiyeh in Northern Lattakia, leaving tens of militants dead or wounded and destroying their vehicles.

In relevant developments in Lattakia on Monday, the warplanes carried out continued strikes on the gatherings and movements of the terrorists affiliated to Fatah al-Sham (previously known as the al-Nusra Front) in the village of Tardin and the town of Kabani in Northern Idlib, killing a number of militants and destroying the roads used by them.


Secretary of Iran's Expediency Council (EC) Mohsen Rezayee disclosed that several Turkish, Saudi and US Generals have been dispatched recently to Syria to help the terrorists resist the devastating attacks of the army and its allies.

Iranian Official: Turkish, Saudi, US Generals Helping Terrorists in Syria
http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950923000686

"Recently, media sources confirmed that a number of Turkish, Saudi and US Generals expert in special wars have joined the Takfiris and actually, they have led the operations in Khan Touman," Rezayee wrote on his Instagram page on Tuesday.

He added that the terrorists in Syria are receiving weapons, ammunition, money and food supplies carried by ships from Saudi Arabia and Qatar via the Southern borders and Turkey's Iskenderun port.

Rezayee also underlined the Iranian military advisors' significant role in the Syrian army's victories against the terrorists.

Analysts in Damascus believe that Saudi Arabia and Turkey have armed the ISIL terrorists and dispatched them to Homs province to launch new offensives against Palmyra (Tadmur).

Al-Watan newspaper quoted Syrian analysts as saying that Palmyra will not bear any strategic fruit for the terrorists and is only a response to the Saudis and Turks' defeats in Aleppo.
 
Turkey to boost contacts with Russia on developments in Aleppo

http://tass.com/world/918975

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavushoglu stresses the need to ensure the ceasefire regime in Aleppo for the evacuation of civilians

Turkey is planning more intensive contacts with Russia and other countries in the near future on the situation in Aleppo, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavushoglu said on Tuesday.

"We are making huge efforts to stop violence in Aleppo and Syria. We are discussing the issues of ceasefire and humanitarian aid supplies with all countries, mainly with key participants, Russia and Iran, and the Persian Gulf states," the foreign minister said.

"In the coming days, today or tomorrow, we will intensify our contacts with Russia and other sides on these issues," he added. These talks focus on ceasefire, opening humanitarian corridors for Aleppo and in general the ways to stop the humanitarian crisis in the Syrian city.

"We are constantly holding talks with Russia and other countries on various issues. These are routine contacts. Information on tomorrow’s (Turkish-Russian) talks emerged in the news but there is nothing special about this," he said.

Cavushoglu noted that Turkey "put forward particular proposals but it seems that not all countries are on the square." He stressed the need to "immediately ensure the ceasefire regime in Aleppo for the evacuation of civilians from the city."

"Even if everyone stops speaking about the events in Aleppo, we won’t do this. We will discuss all these issues with our partners," he said.

Earlier on Tuesday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov declined to comment on the reports that the Russian and Turkish representatives allegedly plan to hold contacts within days to discuss the possibility of creating a corridor to let militants leave Aleppo. "I cannot say anything on that score for now. I’ll leave this unanswered and without a comment," Peskov told reporters.


Defense Ministry: Staged videos showing 'Russian bombardments' in Syria made by militants

http://tass.com/defense/919076

Western countries have provided no humanitarian assistance to the civilians who managed to get out of Aleppo, according to the Russian Defense Ministry

Staged videos showing "Russia’s bombardments" in Syria as well as other videos of this kind were made by the militants’ shooting teams, Russian Defense Ministry Spokesman Major General Igor Konashenkov said on Tuesday.

"All the ‘movies’ showing alleged ‘Russian bombardments’ and other staged videos were made by special shooting teams formed by militants," he said.

"The question remains why some media were so eager to use them without checking. We have advice for them: don’t ever fall for terrorists’ propaganda," Konashenkov added.

No "opposition" found in Aleppo

No human rights activists, representatives of the "opposition" or non-governmental humanitarian organizations have been found in eastern Aleppo, Konashenkov said.

"No representatives of the ‘opposition,’ the ‘local councils’ or non-governmental humanitarian organizations professing ‘Western values’ London and other capitals like so much, such as the White Helmets, the association of physicians or rights activists have been found in eastern Aleppo," he said.

"According to civilians, there was only hunger and indiscriminate terror by militants for any attempts to express dissatisfaction or leave the enclave," he added.

Konashenkov also said that Western countries and international humanitarian organizations have not provided the promised humanitarian assistance to those civilians who managed to get out of Aleppo.

"All of our requests addressed to the Western counterparts and international organizations for dispatching promised humanitarian aid to those civilians who managed to flee the terrorist enclave in Aleppo have remained unanswered," he said.

According to Konashenkov, instead of providing aid, the Western countries either keep silent or point to security threats facing humanitarian aid convoys. "Although no one in London, Paris, Berlin and Washington was concerned about any threats when sending aid to the terrorists-held districts of eastern Aleppo," he added.

100,000 civilians flee Aleppo

Terrorists in Aleppo held more than 100,000 civilians hostage as a human shield and all those people left for the Syrian government-controlled areas as soon as the opportunity offered itself, according to Konashenkov.

"The Syrian army’s operation to retake Aleppo’s eastern districts, successful and in every sense humane towards the civilians, has demonstrated a number of important things," Konashenkov said.

"In the eastern districts the terrorists held hostage more than 100,000 civilians as a human shield. At the very first opportunity they left that enclave and moved to the Syrian government-controlled districts for safety, real aid and food," Konashenkov said.

Terrorists turned all of Aleppo’s schools and hospitals into ammunition depots or missile-making workshops, according to Konashenkov.

"The inspections carried out by Russian mine clearance specialists from the International Anti-Mine Center in the eastern outskirts of Aleppo did not reveal a single school or hospital, which had been functioning for the true purposes they were built under the terrorists. All of them were used as headquarters, Sharia courts, terrorist rallying points, ammunition depots and underground production centers for manufacturing homemade rockets," he said.

Over the past 24 hours, the Syrian troops have recaptured another 11 Aleppo’s neighborhoods from militants. The Syrian government now controls more than 98% of the city. About 110,000 civilians, including 44,367 children, have been able to leave the eastern part of Aleppo since the beginning of the operation to liberate the city. More than 7,000 residents returned to their homes from the city’s western districts.


Russian top diplomat says Moscow tired of Washington’s wailing over fighting in Aleppo

http://tass.com/politics/919040

Sergey Lavrov believes that instead of regular lamentations at Department of State news briefings it would be far better to take advantage of the contacts between Russian and US experts in Geneva

Moscow is tired of Washington’s wailing over combat operations in Aleppo, which, it claims must be brought to an end at once, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Tuesday.

"As far as Aleppo is concerned, we are tired of constant wailing by our counterparts in the current Administration all combat operations must be ended instantly while the Russians wish to do that only when the corridors have been agreed," Lavrov said.

"They say three days it is no good, that it is too long, that combat operations must be ended at once," Lavrov said. "Let’s recall recent history. Since the beginning of September it was possible to spend two, three or four days, or even seven to agree such corridors and to let the militants leave Aleppo and legitimate authorities take over."

"Instead of working along these lines they are calling on us every day to end combat operations tomorrow. They are urging the Syrian army to do the same, while themselves they don’t ever lift a finger in order to separate their ‘moderates’ from terrorists," Lavrov said.

He believes that instead of regular lamentations at Department of State news briefings it would be far better to take advantage of the contacts between Russian and US experts in Geneva "to do one simple thing - to us the time otherwise wasted in vain in order to address all issues related with the militants’ pullout and achieve the release of civilians whom the militants in fact hold hostage."

"All that could have been done a long time ago," he said.


Kremlin: Russia is prepared to get out of 'absurd state' in relations with US

http://tass.com/politics/919052

The Kremlin aide says Moscow has no idea of how a new Administration in Washington will prefer to act

Russia is prepared to end the absurd state of affairs in Russian-US relations, but for the time being it has no idea of how a new Administration in Washington will prefer to act, Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov told the media on Tuesday, when asked about the outlook for the normalization of bilateral relations when US President-elect Donald Trump and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson take over.

"We would like to get out of this critical state, which is no good either for Russia or for the United States. This state of affairs in relations between two great powers is absurd," Ushakov said. "We are prepared to do our part of the job. It remains to be seen how a new Administration will prefer to act."

He added that a new White House team was still "not only to take seats but also to get through the Senate’s sieve, which is not easy at all."

ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson, who has been nominated by President-elect Donald Trump as the new US Secretary of State, is a solid individual and a big professional, Ushakov went on.

"Russia’s representatives, and not only the president, have good business relations with this person. Everyone considers him to be a rather solid individual, with his own opinion, his viewpoint, and certainly as a very big professional in his sphere," Ushakov said.


BREAKING:

Russian UN envoy confirms agreement reached to let militants leave Aleppo ‘within hours’

https://www.rt.com/news/370185-churkin-syria-aleppo-agreement/

An arrangement has been reached for militants to leave the besieged areas of eastern “within hours,” Russia’s UN envoy Vitaly Churkin said, confirming earlier media reports.

"My latest information is that they indeed have an arrangement achieved on the ground that the fighters are going to leave the city," Churkin said.
According to Churkin, the militants, who have been holed up in eastern Aleppo for years, are scheduled to leave the city "within hours."

The envoy added that the withdrawal of militant fighters will put the city under the control of the Syrian government and there will be no need for eastern Aleppo residents to leave their homes.

Aleppo has been divided between the government forces and the militants since the start of the Syrian conflict in 2011.

However, in recent weeks, the Syrian Army has made significant gains in eastern Aleppo and is close to liberating it from the militants.

The successful offensive allowed thousands of people to flee the area and receive humanitarian assistance from the Russian and Syrian military.
 
The Syrian authorities and terrorist groups stationed in the Eastern parts of Aleppo reached an agreement to evacuate militants from the region in return for relocating thousands of besieged civilians from Fua'a and Kafraya in Idlib to government-ruled territories.

Aleppo Evacuation Starts after Militants Agree Fua'a, Kafraya Civilians Evacuation
http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950925000196

Local sources close to the dissidents said that all preparations have been made for the evacuation of militants and their families from Aleppo.

The latest reports from Eastern Aleppo said tens of ambulances and Green Buses have arrived at militant-held territories, and terrorists are readying to start evacuation any moment.

Evacuation of wounded militants started at 9am (Syria Times). Reports said the ambulances are heading for medical centers in Western Aleppo.

Earlier reports also said that 15,000 residents of Fua'a and Kafraya in Idlib who are under the terrorists' siege would be evacuated.

Russia’s UN envoy Vitaly Churkin had told the UN Security Council meeting in New York on Tuesday that the fighting in Eastern Aleppo stopped and the Syrian government regained control over the territory after the withdrawal of militants from the city was agreed.

But, terrorists resumed fire Wednesday morning and pushing the deal into complete failure.


Syrian and Russian forces are ready to start evacuation of militants from Aleppo to relocate them to Idlib province, the latest reports said on Thursday after ambulances started evacuating the wounded from Eastern to Western Aleppo in the morning.

Wounded Terrorists Leaving Aleppo for Idlib in 20 Buses, 10 Ambulances
http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950925000319

According to the Russian reconciliation center, about 20 buses and 10 ambulances will carry out evacuation of the wounded militants.

The wounded are to be sent to Ramouseh South-West of Aleppo first to be dispatched to Idlib via Khan Touman and the roads in Northern Hama.

“ICRC personnel will escort ambulances transporting wounded militants all the way from Aleppo under guidance of officers from the Russian Reconciliation Center,” the Center said, adding that the operation had been ordered by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The Russian reconciliation center said in a statement that it is "preparing to evacuate the remaining militants and their family members from the Eastern districts of the city of Aleppo in collaboration with the Syrian authorities".

The evacuation operation will be monitored by web cameras that the Russian Defense Ministry has installed along the corridors, as well as surveillance drones. Livestream footage will be available at the ministry’s website.

The Syrian authorities have also guaranteed that all members of armed groups who decide to leave Eastern Aleppo will be safe, the Russian reconciliation center said.


4,000 militants who were preparing to evacuate Aleppo under an internationally-negotiated ceasefire deal opened fire on residential areas in Eastern Aleppo again as tens of buses arrived in their region to start their relocation to Idlib, after Turkey demanded to take them out to Northern Aleppo province to take part in the Euphrates Shield Operation.

Militants Violate Aleppo Ceasefire Again after Cued by Turkey
http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950925000902

Syria's state TV reported on Thursday that terrorists restarted artillery attacks on residential areas in the Eastern districts of Aleppo city, breaching the truce once again.

The terrorists had also in a similar case earlier jeopardized the agreement on Tuesday night after they received some messages from Ankara about Turkey's increasing pressures on Damascus through military intervention in Northern Aleppo province combined with the western states' mounting pressures on Syria and its allies that accused the latter of war crimes in Eastern Aleppo. The ceasefire agreement that was reached on Tuesday went off after the terrorists violated its terms, making the warring sides to initiate a new round of talks that resulted in an agreement on Wednesday.

On Thursday and as tens of buses and ambulances were taking wounded militants to areas South-West of Aleppo, the militants once again violated the ceasefire after Turkey, in a unilateral move against the internationally-endorsed ceasefire agreement - negotiated by Syria, Iran, Russia and the militants and their sponsors - announced that it intends to take the militants to Northern Aleppo province to give them a role in Ankara's Euphrates Shield Operation.

Meantime, Sky News reported on Thursday that tens of Turkish ambulances have arrived in the Western parts of Aleppo province to transfer the wounded terrorists to Turkey as Ankara intruded again in violation of the agreement between the two warring sides that included relocation of all militants and their wounded members and families to Idlib in Northwestern Syria.


The terrorist groups in Kafr Oweid in Southern Idlib announced formation of a military organization to ceded from the al-Nusra Front and Ahrar al-Sham in the town after the first convoy of their comrades left Eastern Aleppo for Idlib.

Intensified Infighting Reported among Terrorists in Idlib amid Aleppo Comrades' Arrival
http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950925001000

The announcement was made after a an-hour-long meeting among the terrorist commanders in Kafr Oweid town, in which the difficult situation that the militants are facing was discussed, according to sources.

Reliable sources in Idlib said Tuesday that the Syrian army troops and popular forces' devastating advances against Jeish al-Fatah terrorists in Aleppo city have pushed militants in Idlib into deep fear, disunity and collapse. Sources added that pro-government forces' advances against Jeish al-Fatah in the Eastern district of Aleppo have caused terrorists, who have been targeting residential areas in the besieged towns of Foua'a and Kafraya in Northern Idlib in recent days, to live in fear because analysts believe that the Syrian army will move toward Idlib province after setting Aleppo free.

The sources disclosed that the joint front of Ahrar al-Sham and Fatah al-Sham Front (previously known as the al-Nusra Front) is on the verge of imminent collapse. A large number of Ahrar al-Sham militants have announced separation from the group after their comrades were defeated in Aleppo city and have formed a new group named Jeish al-Ahrar. In the meantime, clashes have erupted between the defected members and loyalists to Ahrar al-Sham in the town of Homameh near Jisr al-Shughour.

Abdullah Muhammad al-Muhaysini, the religious leader of the Jeish al-Fatah coalition of terrorist groups, had also underlined the widening rifts among commanders of the militant groups, and added, "Commanders are just justifying the root cause of the existing rifts, while these rifts among the militants pushed the (militant groups') 'Great Epic Operation' in Aleppo into total failure and a major, crushing defeat."

The Saudi Mufti (religious leader) termed as fruitless the start of any fresh offensive by the militants given the absence of unity and widening gaps among the militants, and regretted that unity is no more of any use after the almost complete fall of Aleppo to the army and the recent evacuation of all militants from Damascus.


Reports said on Thursday wide rifts have emerged within the ranks of Nouriddeen al-Zinki terrorist group on evacuation from Aleppo.

Rifts Emerging within Nouriddeen Zinki Ranks on Aleppo Evacuation
http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950925001155

Local sources said while some members of the militant group have opted to surrender themselves to the Syrian Army, others insist on relocating to the outfit's base West of Aleppo province.

Terrorists who have made up their minds to surrender and lay down their arms have said they would remain in Eastern Aleppo along with their families after receiving amnesty from the Damascus government.

The reports came as the Russian Defense Ministry announced on Thursday afternoon that the first group of militants, including 1,500 armed men and their families, left Eastern Aleppo on buses and ambulances under the ceasefire agreement.


The second convoy of buses and ambulances carrying militants and their family members left on Thursday eastern Aleppo, the Russian center for Syrian reconciliation said.

Second Convoy With Evacuees Leaves East Aleppo - Russian Defense Ministry
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201612151048616170-convoy-east-aleppo/

According to the statement, the ambulances and passenger buses are accompanied by officers of the Russian reconciliation center and representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

"The convoy will travel along a special route from the neighborhood of Salah al-Din to the ​​Al-Rashidin-4 area, where the evacuees will change their transport for further travel to Idlib," the center said in a statement. The Russian center previously reported that the first convoy with evacuees, which departed from eastern Aleppo earlier in the day, had successfully reached the Al-Rashidin-4 sector.


A number of reservists will join the Syrian army to protect the safe areas without participating in fights, a source familiar with the matter told Sputnik on Thursday.

Reservists to Join Army for Protection of Safe Areas in Syria
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201612151048615931-syria-reservists-protection/

Earlier in the day, the Russian General Staff said that the Syrian army and popular militia were finalizing the operation on the liberation of Syria's eastern Aleppo from terrorists, pushing the militants from a total of 105 neighborhoods.

"A batch of names will be notified to join the army as reservists in order to protect the safe areas, but they will not take part in combats on the frontline," the source said.


Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday that the United States is not taking part in the settlement of the situation around Aleppo.

Kremlin Says US Not Taking Part in Settlement of Situation around Aleppo
http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950925000976

"No, there is no any participation of the US in this process," Peskov said as he replied to the question whether this issue was discussed with Turkey or Russia was also conducting negotiations with the US, TASS reported.

Kremlin spokesman said the truce and the launch of the evacuation from the city of Aleppo are related to Wednesday’s phone talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

On Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin had a telephone conversation with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

They confirmed their readiness to further cooperation in elimination of the terrorist threat in the Middle East region and stressed the necessity to intensify efforts to improve the humanitarian situation in Aleppo and to contribute to the launch of the political settlement in Syria, Sputnik reported.


A reporter in US State Department's daily briefing grilled the department's spokesman on consecutive defeats of US-backed militants in Syria after three years of backing and arming them, however Washington's only scapegoat was to accuse Moscow of “failure” to achieve peace.

State Department Grilled on US-Backed Militants Failures in Syria
http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950925000646

When called out by AP on the lack of progress, the State Department spokesperson, John Kirby,, tried to shift blame onto Russia, saying that Moscow is not putting the proper pressure on the Assad government, RT reported.

The daily briefing started off with a verbal sparring match between AP reporter Brad Klapper and department spokesman John Kirby.

Klapper first asked Kirby why the US was “laying all the blame” for developments in Aleppo on Russia, while also questioning what Washington was doing different than Moscow. The US, Klapper said, “failed repeatedly, doing the same thing over and over again” but continued to accuse Russia of war crimes “when things go badly.”

“The US haven’t succeeded once,” Klapper said.

Kirby did not answer the latter of Klapper’s questions, instead offering his explanation of why Russia bears responsibility.

“The failure is on Russia for not putting the proper pressure on the Assad... That’s the real failure here,” Kirby said, claiming that the US, unlike Russia, has been pursuing only political solutions.

“You don’t think the US has failed?” the reporter continued to press on.

Refusing to take any blame for America’s actions, Kirby continued to dodge the question.

“You talked about the United States failure. What I would say is the international community has remained focused on trying to bring about a better outcome in Syria,” he said, stressing that the US “is a leader in that effort.”

Several minutes into the exchange, Kirby would not admit the possibility of the US approach as it is failing to achieve a peaceful solution despite years of attempts.

“Secretary of State John Kerry would be the first to tell you that he’s enormously frustrated that we are still where we are with respect to what’s going on the ground in Syria. Nobody’s happy about that,” he said, praising Washington’s efforts on the diplomatic front.

After his response did not seem to satisfy Klapper, Kirby commented: “Look, you can shake your head in disgust about the answer all you want.”

Given that the Obama administration and Secretary John Kerry’s tenures are coming to an end in just over a month, Klapper then argued that it was “too late” for any changes to be made.

“You’re not describing any different kind of approach or anything you’re going to do to somehow change the equation,” he said. “It’s too late for that. You have no time left and you’re saying you’re not going to telegraph something that we know is not going to happen.”

However, according to Kirby, despite what Klapper or the AP might “feel,” Secretary Kerry remains eager to try to find a political solution to the conflict.

The US first began delivering weapons to rebels in Syria in September 2013. With the State Department coordinating nonlethal aid and the CIA overseeing the delivery of weaponry and other lethal equipment to the rebels, aid started streaming to the rebels after months of Obama’s initial promises made in the spring of 2013.

Within a year, Washington’s interest in Syria included defeating ISIL. The new goal came with a new mission, starting September 2014, of arms supplies and training militants. Since then, the US has faced criticism over its training program and suspicion that its weapons could end up in the hands of terrorists.

In October 2015, a Pentagon-trained group of militants known as Division 30 reportedly handed over their US-supplied weapons to then Fatah al-Sham Front (also known as al-Nusra Front) terrorists.

In August 2016, a stash of US-made heavy weapons, including anti-tank missiles system (TOW 2A), American UN0181 missiles, as well as US-made 81mm mortars and ammunition, were found in a terrorist-held Aleppo district.

Despite that, US President Barack Obama just recently lifted restrictions on military aid for both foreign forces and Syrian groups, if they are supporting America’s alleged effort “to combat terrorism in Syria.”

Last week, the US State Department also said that it can’t guarantee that the arms it provides to Syrian militants will not “change hands” and fall into the possession of ISIL.
 
angelburst29 said:
FORT CARSON, Colo. — Operations are underway at Fort Carson to prepare for the mountain post’s biggest deployment to Europe since the Cold War.

Fort Carson prepares for biggest deployment to Europe since Cold War
http://kdvr.com/2016/11/30/fort-carson-prepares-for-biggest-deployment-to-europe-since-cold-war/

November 30, 2016 - Approximately 4,400 soldiers are headed to eastern Europe for a nine-month deployment, the Colorado Springs Gazette reports.

They’ll bring along more than 2,800 vehicles, including 72-ton tanks and Bradley fighting vehicles, containers, trailers and a few thousand firearms.

The 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, began loading the first trains that will send a heavy brigade’s worth of equipment overseas in support of Atlantic Resolve, Army officials said on Facebook last week.

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — The United States is deploying troops to Poland, the Baltic states and Romania next month as part of raising the security of the region, Polish and U.S. defense officials said Wednesday.

US troops to arrive in Europe in January to reassure allies
https://www.yahoo.com/news/poland-us-accelerate-troop-deployment-baltics-111343499.html

December 14, 2016 - Polish Defense Minister Antoni Macierewicz made the announcement following talks with the commander of U.S. land troops in Europe, Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges, in Zagan, western Poland. An Armored Brigade Combat Team from Fort Carson, Colorado will be deployed there early next month, while another U.S. force, a battalion, will be deployed April 1 to Orzysz, in the northeast.

Macierewicz said he was "very happy that a decision has been taken by the U.S. side for an earlier deployment."

But the U.S. Army told The Associated Press that the deployment was not accelerated and is taking place as had always been scheduled.

Hodges said the troops will arrive in the German port of Bremerhaven on Jan. 6 and will be immediately deployed to Poland, the Baltic states and Romania. Their transfer will be timed and treated as a test of "how fast the force can move from port to field," he said.

"I'm confident in the very powerful signal, the message it will send (that) the United States, along with the rest of NATO, is committed to deterrence," Hodges said.

He said the armored brigade has already moved out of its Colorado base and is loading on ships.

"I'm excited about what my country is doing and I'm excited about continuing to work with our ally, Poland," Hodges said.

In a separate decision, the members of NATO at a July summit in Warsaw approved the deployment of four multinational battalions to Poland and the Baltic states to deter Russia. Germany will lead a multinational battalion in Lithuania, with similar battalions to be led by the United States in Poland, Britain in Estonia and Canada in Latvia.

Poland and the Baltic nations have been uneasy about increased Russian military operations in the region, especially after Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea from Ukraine, and have requested U.S. and NATO troops on their soil as a deterrent. The alliance and the U.S. insist the troop presence is not aimed against anyone, but Russia has threatened measures in response.


US, Estonian military and diplomatic leaders have participated in a ceremony to launch NATO’s European Reassurance Initiative infrastructure projects at Tapa military base in the Baltic country, US Army Europe announced in a statement on Thursday.

US, Estonian Leaders Launch NATO Infrastructure Projects at Tapa Base
https://sputniknews.com/europe/201612151048612279-nato-tapa-base/

Representatives of the US Army Corps of Engineers Europe District and Embassy of Estonia in Washington, DC also participated in the event.

"We're with … Estonian Defense Forces for the ERI [European Reassurance Initiative] projects' ribbon cutting today," the Twitter message said.

The 27 projects, totaling $11.2 million, will be fully operational in February 2017, according to US Army Europe.

They include machine gun ranges, rifle qualification and sniper courses, and will boost the US Army’s ability to conduct training with NATO, according to US officials.


The NATO specialized body has signed a deal with the US to acquire precision guided munitions for eight European nations.

NATO Signs Agreement to Buy US Precision Guided Munitions
https://sputniknews.com/europe/201612151048605962-us-nato-guided-nunitions/

The NATO Support and Procurement Agency has signed a deal with the United States to acquire precision guided munitions for eight European nations,
NATO announced in a press release on Thursday.

"Under the agreement, the participating Allies will obtain an initial batch of PGMs [Precision Guided Munitions] intended for delivery between 2017 and 2019," the release stated.

The PGMs will be provided to Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Greece, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, and Spain, according to NATO.


TOKYO (AP) — U.S. military Osprey aircraft has crash-landed off Japan's southern island of Okinawa, but its five crewmembers were safely rescued.

US military Osprey crash-lands off Okinawa, no fatalities
https://www.yahoo.com/news/us-military-osprey-crash-lands-off-okinawa-no-021622317.html

Tuesday December 13, 2016 - The U.S. Marine Corps. said Wednesday that an MV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft landed in shallow water off Okinawa's east coast late Tuesday. They said in a statement that the crewmembers were airlifted to a Navy hospital at the Kadena Air Base for treatment. Japanese defense officials said two of them sustained injuries that were not life-threatening.

It also comes one week after a Marine Corps pilot died after his F/A-18 fighter jet crashed off western Japan.

The crash just off Nago City triggered protests on Okinawa, where anti-U.S. military sentiment is already strong. Many Okinawans were opposed to deploying the Osprey on the island due to safety concerns following a string of crashes outside Japan, including one in Hawaii last year.

"This is what we have feared might happen someday," Nago Mayor Susumu Inamine, told Japan's NHK public TV from near the crash scene. "We can never live safely here."

TV footage on TV showed pieces of a mangled aircraft on the coast.

The Ospreys was based at the Marine Corps Air Station Futenma. The base in a crowded residential area in central Okinawa is to be relocated to another site on the east coast of the island called Henoko, in Nago, where residents oppose the plan, and Wednesday's crash added to their anger.

Japan's Defense Minister Tomomi Inada has asked the U.S. military to suspend Osprey flights until the cause of the accident is known.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told reporters the crash was extremely regrettable, and said that safety must be guaranteed.

More than half of the 50,000 American troops in Japan are stationed on Okinawa — less than 1 percent of Japanese land mass — under the Japan-U.S. security treaty. Many on the island complain about noise, pollution and crime linked to the U.S. military and has demanded their burden reduced.


The US Marine Corps is making headway in its effort to add new weapons to the MV-22 Osprey. Officials say the tiltrotor aircraft will now feature missiles, heavy guns, and 2.75 in. laser-guided rockets, expanding its capabilities beyond the transport of people, forces and weapons to defensive and offensive combat operations.

US Marines to Integrate Armed Weapons Into Osprey, Build New Tiltrotor Craft
https://sputniknews.com/military/201612151048618677-osprey-to-get-new-weapons/

In a written statement, Marine Corps spokeswoman Capt. Sarah Burns described the variety of new weapons for the Osprey, telling Scout Warrior, "Currently, NSWC (Naval Surface Warfare Center) Dahlgren explored the use of forward firing rockets, missiles, fixed guns, a chin mounted gun, and also looked at the use of a 30MM gun along with gravity drop rockets and guided bombs deployed from the back of the V-22. The study that is being conducted will help define the requirements and ultimately inform a Marine Corps decision with regards to armament of the MV-22B Osprey."

The US military grounded its fleet of Ospreys in Japan on Tuesday after one of the tiltrotor aircraft crashed off the coast of Nago, near Okinawa. The incident occurred after the aircraft sustained damage during aerial nighttime refueling procedures. The crew landed the Osprey in shallow waters to avoid a civilian residential area.

During a press conference Lt. Gen. Lawrence Nicholson described the incident saying, "After the aircraft was unhooking, it was shaking violently…The pilot made a decision to not fly over Okinawan homes and families. He made a conscious decision to try to reach Camp Schwab and land in the shallow water to protect his crew and the people of Okinawa." according toUSNI News.

Nicholson added that flight operations for the MV-22 will continue until he is "satisfied that we have reviewed our checklists and safety of flight procedures."


The US guided-missile destroyer Cole has sailed from Naval Station Norfolk in the state of Virginia for a scheduled deployment for maritime work in European and Middle Eastern waters, the Navy said in a release Thursday.

Missile Destroyer Cole Sails for Maritime Patrols With US Navy’s 5th, 6th Fleets
https://sputniknews.com/world/201612151048616869-destroyer-cole-patrol-us/

The Bahrain-based 5th Fleet operates in the Middle East including the Red and Arabian seas. The 6th Fleet is headquartered in Italy and patrols about half of the Atlantic Ocean, from the North Pole to Antarctica, as well as the Adriatic, Baltic, Barents, Black, Caspian, Mediterranean and North seas.

"Guided-missile destroyer USS Cole (DDG 67) departed Naval Station Norfolk this morning for a regularly-scheduled deployment to conduct maritime operations in the Navy's 5th and 6th Fleet areas of operations," the release stated.

The Cole has deployed as part of an ongoing rotation of forward-deployed forces that support maritime security operations and operate in international waters, along with other maritime forces, the release added.

In October 2000, the Cole was attacked by al-Qaeda as the ship was refueling in Yemen's port of Aden. Seventeen US sailors were killed and 39 injured in the attack.


Those who wished to read the full text of the notorious Senate report on documenting the CIA torture of detainees after 9/11 will have to wait for 12 years. The White House ordered it kept under seal after Barack Obama leaves office.

Obama orders full Senate Torture Report kept secret for 12 years
https://www.rt.com/usa/370195-obama-senate-report-remains-classified/

Seven US senators urged the Obama administration to declassify the 6,770-page Senate Select Committee on Intelligence report on the CIA’s detention and interrogation program so the public could have a full account of past torture practices.

White House counsel Neil Eggleston, in responding to the request, said the president had told the National Archives and Records Administration that access to the classified material should be shielded from public access requests for 12 years.

“At this time, we are not pursing declassification of the full study,” Eggleston wrote in a letter to Senator Dianne Feinstein (D, California).
After 12 years, a record request to Obama’s archives would prompt a process to consider declassification.
 
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