Tunisian Revolution and the Middle East--And Now, The Withdrawal From Afghanistan (M.E.T.)

[China]

Now that everybody's paying attention to Ukraine, we'll just quietly do something while everyone's distracted:

 

Turkey begins large-scale operation in northern Iraq against Kurdish militants

 

Turkey has begun the new week with the launch of a large-scale ground and aerial cross-border offensive against Kurdish militants in northern Iraq.

 

Alongside artillery, T129B helicopters, drones and F-16 fighters, Turkey’s Special Forces and elite commando units were also deployed as part of the campaign that reportedly struck targets of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, in northern Iraq’s Metina, Zap and Avashin-Basyan regions.

 

The cross-border action, named Operation Claw Lock, came a day after Turkey’s Minister of Interior Suleyman Soylu said: “We will save Syria and Iraq from the hands of the US and Europe, and bring peace there.”

 

Click on the link for the full article

[visionary]

 

[visionary]

 

[CousinsCowgirl84]

On 1/19/2011 at 2:09 PM, visionary said:

The whole Iran situation somewhat soured me on having any expectations from Middle Eastern "revolutions".

I spent a lot of time posting videos people uploaded and discussing things with Iranians and ex pats and rooting people on for months and it was extremely draining and disappointing seeing not much come of everything.

Hopefully Tunisia will turn out for the better from this and it will have a positive impact on the Middle East.

I won't be surprised if things actually get worse or the guy they kicked out is back in power in a few months though.

It does seems as if there are some good changes happening in different places in the Middle East right now though.

Called it @visionary

 

Maybe next time.

[China]

Greece warns another European war could be on the horizon as Turkey hints at the possibility of an invasion

 

Greece is calling on its allies to condemn Turkey over recent aggressive rhetoric from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has hinted at the possibility of open conflict as tensions rise between the two countries. 

 

In letters dated Monday and Tuesday to NATO, the EU, and the UN that were reported on by the Associated Press, Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias called for all three institutions to rebuke Ankara over Erdogan's comments. Dendias said that allowing Turkey to continue threatening Greece would run the risk of yet another conflict in Europe, in an apparent reference to the war in Ukraine. 

 

"By not doing so in time or by underestimating the seriousness of the matter, we risk witnessing again a situation similar to that currently unfolding in some other part of our continent," Dendias said. "This is something none of us would really wish to see."

 

In a letter to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, the top Greek diplomat said, "The Turkish attitude is a destabilizing factor for NATO's unity and cohesion, weakening the southern flank of the alliance at a moment of crisis," per the Associated Press. 

 

Click on the link for the full article

[Cooked Crack]

Quote

The young Afghan couple raced to the airport in Kabul, clutching their baby girl close amid the chaotic withdrawal of American troops last year. 

 

The baby had been rescued two years earlier from the rubble of a U.S. Special Forces raid that killed her parents and five siblings. After months in a U.S. military hospital, she had gone to live with her cousin and his wife, this newlywed couple. Now, the family was bound for the United States for further medical treatment, with the aid of U.S. Marine Corps attorney Joshua Mast. 

 

When the exhausted Afghans arrived at the airport in Washington D.C. in late August 2021, Mast pulled them out of the international arrivals line and led them to an inspecting officer, according to a lawsuit they filed last month. They were surprised when Mast presented an Afghan passport for the child, the couple said. But it was the last name printed on the document that stopped them cold: Mast.

 

[China]

Taliban Denounce 'Reprehensible' Outcry Over Afghan Public Executions, Flogging

 

The hardline Taliban government in Afghanistan pushed back Thursday against an international outcry over its first public execution and application of Sharia, or Islamic law, to criminal justice at large, calling it "reprehensible" and "interference" in the country's internal affairs.

 

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said in a statement the criticism had "unfortunately" stemmed from a lack of understanding and research about Islam as well as Afghanistan, where he said more than 99% of the population are Muslim.

 

"They have rendered many sacrifices for the enforcement of Islamic laws and system in the country," Mujahid said.

 

On Wednesday, the radical Taliban carried out their first public execution since seizing power last year, putting to death a man convicted of murder, causing outrage among global human rights defenders. The United States called the execution "despicable."

 

Click on the link for the full article

[Cooked Crack]

 

[Cooked Crack]

 

[China]

Erdoğan cancels public rallies after health scare

 

Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who is facing the toughest election of his 20-year rule, canceled planned campaign events Wednesday after falling ill during a live TV broadcast Tuesday night.

 

“Today, I will be resting at home on the advice of our doctors,” Erdoğan tweeted, adding his condition was a “minor inconvenience due to (his) busy work.”

 

The Turkish president, who was due to hold rallies in three different Turkish cities on Wednesday, will be replaced by his vice-president, Fuat Oktay.

Erdoğan cut short a live interview Tuesday night after suffering from an upset stomach.

 

Erdoğan was being interviewed on Turkish TV when the program was interrupted for about 20 minutes, after he suddenly felt ill off-camera, according to the BBC.

 

Click on the link for the full article

 

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Erdogan had a heart attack and was taken to the hospital in a serious condition; Avaztürk

 

Avaztürk reports that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had a heart attack and was taken to the hospital in severe condition. 

 

The information must still be confirmed by leading Turkish media and official circles.

 

The Turkish media reported that the Turkish President's health worsened during the live broadcast.

 

------------------------------------------

 

Turkish presidential administration’s agency refutes reports about Erdogan’s heart attack

 

he agency for combating misinformation, established under Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan’s Directorate of Communications, denied on Wednesday that he had suffered a heart attack and was hospitalized.

 

The agency wrote on its Twitter page that the allegations about President Erdogan’s heart attack and hospitalization were untrue. The post said that the president would attend the first ceremony for nuclear fuel loading at the Akkuyu nuclear power plant, which would take place on Thursday via live video link.

 

 

[Larry]

 

The parts that I get, from the story.  

 

Apparently, the US is still attempting to enforce sanctions against Iran.  I assume, to try to get them back into their previous nuclear deal.  

 

Few days back, the US supposedly caught an Iranian oil tanker, shipping oil to China, and diverted the ship towards the US.  

 

Well, apparently, now Iran is landing troops on a tanker bound from Saudi to Texas.  

 

Yet another place where things can get really messy, really quickly.  

[China]

A massive new US embassy in a tiny Middle East nation is raising eyebrows

 

A massive new US embassy complex in Lebanon is causing controversy for its sheer size and opulence in a country where nearly 80% of the population is under the poverty line.

 

Located some 13 kilometers (about 8 miles) from the center of Beirut, the US’ new embassy compound in Lebanon looks like a city of its own.

 

Sprawling over a 43-acre site, the complex in the Beirut suburb of Awkar is almost two-and-a-half times the size of the land the White House sits on and more than 21 soccer fields.

 

 

Many Lebanese on Twitter questioned why the US needs such a large embassy in their capital. Lebanon is smaller than Connecticut and has a population of just six million. Few American tourists go to the country as the State Department has placed it on the third highest travel advisory level, but it does have a sizeable population of Lebanese American residents.

 

Plans for the embassy complex were announced in 2015 and it is reported to have cost $1 billion.

 

Its construction is overseen by the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations (OBO), which supervised the building of a number of other US embassies around the world.

 

The US embassy in Lebanon did not respond to CNN’s request for comment.

 

Click on the link for the full article

[China]

3 commercial ships hit by missiles in Houthi attack in Red Sea, US warship downs 3 drones

 

Ballistic missiles fired by Yemen’s Houthi rebels struck three commercial ships Sunday in the Red Sea, while a U.S. warship shot down three drones in self-defense during the hourslong assault, the U.S. military said. The Iranian-backed Houthis claimed two of the attacks.

 

The strikes marked an escalation in a series of maritime attacks in the Mideast linked to the Israel-Hamas war, as multiple vessels found themselves in the crosshairs of a single Houthi assault for the first time in the conflict. The U.S. vowed to “consider all appropriate responses” in the wake of the attack, specifically calling out Iran, after tensions have been high for years now over Tehran’s rapidly advancing nuclear program.

 

“These attacks represent a direct threat to international commerce and maritime security,” the U.S. military’s Central Command said in a statement. “They have jeopardized the lives of international crews representing multiple countries around the world.”

 

Click on the link for the full article

[China]

On 12/3/2023 at 10:55 PM, China said:

3 commercial ships hit by missiles in Houthi attack in Red Sea, US warship downs 3 drones

 

Ballistic missiles fired by Yemen’s Houthi rebels struck three commercial ships Sunday in the Red Sea, while a U.S. warship shot down three drones in self-defense during the hourslong assault, the U.S. military said. The Iranian-backed Houthis claimed two of the attacks.

 

The strikes marked an escalation in a series of maritime attacks in the Mideast linked to the Israel-Hamas war, as multiple vessels found themselves in the crosshairs of a single Houthi assault for the first time in the conflict. The U.S. vowed to “consider all appropriate responses” in the wake of the attack, specifically calling out Iran, after tensions have been high for years now over Tehran’s rapidly advancing nuclear program.

 

“These attacks represent a direct threat to international commerce and maritime security,” the U.S. military’s Central Command said in a statement. “They have jeopardized the lives of international crews representing multiple countries around the world.”

 

Click on the link for the full article

 

U.S. unveils new multinational operation to counter Houthi rebels attacking Red Sea ships

 

The United States on Monday unveiled a new multinational military initiative aimed at countering the escalating attacks by Houthi militants targeting commercial shipping vessels in the Red Sea.

 

Few specifics about Operation Prosperity Guardian were offered in the brief press release issued Monday by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announcing the initiative, other than that it has the goal of "ensuring freedom of navigation for all countries and bolstering region security and prosperity" in the southern Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.

 

Britain, Bahrain, Canada, France, Italy, Netherland, Norway, Seychelles and Spain make up Operation Prosperity Guardian along with the United States, it said, and it will operate under the 39-nation Combined Maritime Forces, which was formed to counter illicit non-state actors in international waters, from pirates to the Houthi rebels.

 

Click on the link for the full article

[China]

How US warships are shooting down Houthi drones in the Red Sea, and what might come next

 

US warships in the Red Sea have been battling a growing number of weapons fired by Houthi forces in Yemen over the past several weeks, including an incident on Saturday when a US destroyer shot down more than a dozen drones.

 

And US faceoffs with the Houthis, who say they are targeting commercial ships headed for Israel after its invasion of Gaza, could grow after Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced Monday a new US-led operation focusing on protecting merchant ships operating in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.

 

With the recent US naval actions and the announcement of the new US protection initiative, CNN asked naval experts about how warships are dealing with the threats and what problems they may face in the future.

 

The US Navy has not said what weapon systems its ships are using against the Houthi attacks, but the experts said a US destroyer has a range of weapons systems at its disposal.

 

These include surface-to-air missiles, explosive shells from the destroyer’s 5-inch main gun and close-in weapons systems, the experts said. They also said US ships have electronic warfare capabilities that could sever the links between drones and their on-shore controllers.

 

Whatever systems US destroyer captains use, they face decisions on cost, inventory and effectiveness as the mission grows, the experts said.

 

“The drones are slower and can be hit with the cheaper missiles or even the ship’s gun. Faster missiles must be intercepted with more sophisticated interceptor missiles,” said John Bradford, Council on Foreign Relations International Affairs fellow.

 

Click on the link for the full article

[China]

Joe Biden directs airstrikes against Iranian-backed groups after three US troops wounded in attack

 

President Joe Biden directed airstrikes in Iraq after three United States service members were wounded by a one-way attack drone early Monday morning at the Erbil Air Base.

 

National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said in a statement Iranian-backed militia Kataib Hezbollah and other affiliated groups took credit for the attack on Christmas Day. One of the U.S. troops suffered critical injuries.

 

After Biden was briefed on the situation and injuries, he ordered the Department of Defense to arrange retaliation options. The president ultimately directed strikes against three locations used by Kataib Hezbollah and associated groups “focused specifically on unmanned aerial drone activities,” Watson said. 

 

Click on the link for the full article

[China]

The American Consulting Firms That Live in Fear of Their Murderous Clients

 

For years, America’s most prominent consulting firms have been competing against one another to service the most heinous regimes on the planet, offering their efforts and advice for tyrants and kleptocrats looking to expand their reach and their repression. Even as investigators and officials have targeted other, similarly nefarious elements of America’s foreign lobbying industry, these major consultancy organizations have largely avoided scrutiny.

 

That all changed last week, when congressional officials held a hearing examining these consulting groups specifically, which offered fresh revelations about how dictatorships suddenly have a new tool to keep American officials, and the rest of us, in the dark about what these consulting groups are actually doing.

 

The hearing, hosted by the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, focused on how groups like McKinsey, Boston Consulting Group, and Teneo were working for Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, better known as the Public Investment Fund, or PIF. Worth nearly $800 billion, the PIF has overseen Saudi Arabia’s recent spending splurge on everything from sports to tech to telecoms. Much of it has been predicated not only on the Saudi regime diversifying its oil-rich economy but also on laundering the dictatorship’s image, battered as it is by things like the assassination of journalists and the jailing of women’s rights protesters. And much of that effort has, by all appearances, come with the help of American consulting groups, which have helped to steer Saudi efforts to whitewash the country’s reputation.

 

There’s only one problem. As senators discovered while grilling the witnesses, these consultants claimed they couldn’t reveal what, precisely, they’re actually doing on behalf of the Saudi regime, or even how much money they’re making in the process. Mind you, they all claimed to want to reveal what they were doing and that they wanted to comply with senators’ subpoenas for information—but they couldn’t do so because of a particular occupational hazard: threats from the Saudi regime itself.

 

Led by Democratic senator and PSI chair Senator Richard Blumenthal, the hearing centered on the consulting groups’ lack of compliance with the committee’s previous requests for documents about their work in Saudi Arabia. Over and again, the consultants claimed that, unfortunately, their Saudi work had to be kept secret, even from American legislators, because revealing it would contravene Saudi law.

 

According to Rich Lesser, head of the Boston Consulting Group, his organization is “caught between two sovereigns,” with Saudi officials being “explicit” that complying with subpoena requests is “a violation of Saudi law.” McKinsey partner Bob Sternfels said much the same, claiming that complying with congressional subpoenas “could result in civil or criminal penalties” in Saudi Arabia. Teneo CEO Paul Keary—who claimed that Teneo is a “proud American company”—also pointed to Saudi threats as the reason his organization couldn’t fully reveal its work for the Saudi regime.

 

Click on the link for the full article

[PokerPacker]

I'm sorry, when did Saudi law trump US law on US soil?  Lock 'em up for Contempt of Congress.

Edited February 14 by PokerPacker