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Area: WoT Operations    Non-WoT    Opinion        Politix   
Turkey shoots down two Syrian fighter jets over Idlib
Today's Headlines
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Page 2: WoT Background
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Page 4: Opinion
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Page 6: Politix
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Afghanistan
Iran Calls for Inter-Afghan Peace Deal, Rejects US Agreement
[ENGLISH.ALMANAR.LB] Iran
...a theocratic Shiite state divided among the Medes, the Persians, and the (Arab) Elamites. Formerly a fairly civilized nation ruled by a Shah, it became a victim of Islamic revolution in 1979. The nation is today noted for spontaneously taking over other countries' embassies, maintaining whorehouses run by clergymen, involvement in international drug trafficking, and financing sock puppet militias to extend the regime's influence. The word Iran is a cognate form of Aryan, the abbreviation IRGC is a cognate form of Stürmabteilung (or SA), the term Supreme Guide is a cognate form of either Shah or Führer or maybe both, and they hate Jews Zionists Jews. Their economy is based on the production of oil and vitriol...
says a so-called peace deal between the Taliban
...Arabic for students...
and the US is an attempt by Washington to justify its illegal presence in Afghanistan, stressing that only domestic talks can stabilize the war-torn country.

The reaction by Iran’s Foreign Ministry Sunday came a day after US and Taliban representatives signed a pact aimed at gradually withdrawing foreign troops from Afghanistan.

Iran said it "believes a lasting peace agreement in Afghanistan will only be achieved through inter-Afghan dialogue with the participation of the country’s political groups, including the Taliban, and by taking into account the concerns of Afghanistan’s neighbors."

"The Islamic Theocratic Republic of Iran welcomes any development that contributes to peace and stability in Afghanistan and supports efforts being made in this regard under the Afghan leadership and illusory sovereignty," it said in a statement.

The agreement was struck in the Qatar
...an emirate on the east coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It sits on some really productive gas and oil deposits, which produces the highest per capita income in the world. They piss it all away on religion, financing the Moslem Brotherhood and several al-Qaeda affiliates. Home of nutbag holy manYusuf al-Qaradawi...
i capital, but while it creates a path for the US to gradually pull out of its longest war, many say it will pose serious challenges as the Afghan government has so far been sidelined.

Posted by: Fred || 03/02/2020 00:00 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under: Govt of Iran

#1  "We want in!"
Posted by: Mullah Richard || 03/02/2020 9:22 Comments || Top||

#2  Go lick your monuments and FOAD.
Posted by: Alaska Paul || 03/02/2020 16:32 Comments || Top||


Ghani: No Commitment to Release Taliban Prisoners
[ToloNews] A day after the US and the Taliban
...Arabic for students...
signed a peace deal and the Afghan government and Washington announced a joint declaration, President Ashraf Ghani
...former chancellor of Kabul University, now president of Afghanistan. Before returning to Afghanistan in 2002 he was a scholar of political science and anthropology. He worked at the World Bank working on international development assistance. As Finance Minister of Afghanistan between July 2002 and December 2004, he led Afghanistan's attempted economic recovery until the Karzais stole all the money...
appeared at a presser ‐ for the second time in his five-year term ‐ and said "there is no commitment on the release of the 5,000 prisoners" of the Taliban.

According to the US-Taliban deal and the joint Afghan-US declaration, up to 5,000 Taliban prisoners should be released by March 10 in order to facilitate the intra-Afghan negotiations with the Taliban.

But Ghani criticized the deal and said, "an agreement that is signed behind closed doors will have basic problems in its implementation tomorrow."

"The release of prisoners is not the United States authority, but it is the authority of the government of Afghanistan," Ghani said, adding that there is no commitment to the release of 5,000 Taliban prisoners.

Ghani said the release of 5,000 prisoners cannot be considered a precondition-- it can be part of the negotiations.

Ghani also spoke about the negotiating team, which, according to the agreements, should attend intra-Afghan negotiations on March 10.

He said the delegation that will go to Doha will represent Afghanistan’s basic values and that the effectiveness of the team should be considered when it comes to the number of its members.

"The authority of the delegation is limited because the ultimate decision-maker, based on the Constitution, is either the parliament of Afghanistan or the Loya Jirga (Grand Council) of Afghanistan or a referendum," Ghani added.

When asked about whether he will be able to announce a negotiating team in the span of nine days, Ghani said the discussions about a negotiating team have already begun and that he is confident that the team will be formed within the next nine days.

During his speech, Ghani stressed the primary importance of sustaining the republic system, saying there is a clear necessity for all to focus on the republic ‐ not the presidency ‐ when it comes to talks with the Taliban.

The president said the "Islamic Emirate" is a term that has been used by the Taliban for themselves, and it has been repeated by the US, but it is not recognized by the United States.

He said that the reduction in violence will continue and he hopes it will become a ceasefire.

Government figures show that in the weeklong reduction in violence ‐ from Feb. 22 to Feb. 28 ‐ at least 21 security force members and nine non-combatants were killed in twelve provinces--and 49 others were maimed.
Posted by: trailing wife || 03/02/2020 00:00 || Comments || Link || [2 views] Top|| File under: Taliban


Britain
Alarm grows over surge in suicides among British ex-servicemen 10 years after they took part in bloodiest battles of Afghanistan war as 14 'take their own lives' in last two months
[Daily Mail, where America gets its news]
  • Some 14 army personnel are thought to have killed themselves in two months

  • Minister for veterans said he was particularly concerned about a specific unit

  • Johnny Mercer said veterans served at 'bloodiest time' during Operation Herrick

  • Government is now bringing forward plans for new mental health treatments for veterans

  • More than 70 former and current servicemen took their lives in 2018 and at least 50 suicides occurred last year
Posted by: Skidmark || 03/02/2020 09:28 || Comments || Link || [1 views] Top|| File under:


Israel-Palestine-Jordan
Benjamin Netanyahu defeats Benny Gantz with striking 60-seat bloc
[Jpost] Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu succeeded in winning 60 seats for his bloc of right-wing and religious parties in Monday’s election, one less than he needed for a majority in the Knesset, according to exit polls on the three television networks.

The polls indicated that Netanyahu’s Likud won 36-37 seats. Its allies in Shas, UTJ and Yamina won 9, 7-8 and 6-7 respectively. The polls showed Blue and White with 33 seats, its ally Labor-Gesher-Meretz 6-7, the Joint List 14-15 and Yisrael Beytenu 6-8.
Posted by: g(r)omgoru || 03/02/2020 17:05 || Comments || Link || [3 views] Top|| File under:

#1  So I can stop worrying about this for a while?
Posted by: Matt || 03/02/2020 17:29 Comments || Top||

#2 
Posted by: g(r)omgoru || 03/02/2020 17:42 Comments || Top||

#3  Exit polls ? Meh... anything is possible then.

Church will continue to pray.
Posted by: Dron66046 || 03/02/2020 17:49 Comments || Top||


Israel to close West Bank, Gaza crossings to Palestinians on election day
Hopefully the third time is the charm.
[IsraelTimes] Terminals to reopen at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday, pending ‘situational assessment,’ military says; exceptions to be made for humanitarian cases.
Posted by: trailing wife || 03/02/2020 00:00 || Comments || Link || [1 views] Top|| File under:


Syria-Lebanon-Iran
Russia Can’t Guarantee Safety of Turkish Aviation in Syria after Damascus Shuts Idlib Airspace: MoD
[ENGLISH.ALMANAR.LB] As tensions run high in Syria’s Idlib amid Thursday’s spike in hostilities, the Syrian state news agency SANA reported on Sunday that the "Ottoman Turkish regime’s terrorist forces" downed two aircraft ‐ thought to be fighter jets ‐ belonging to the Damascus forces.

The Russian Defense Ministry announced on Sunday that it could no longer guarantee the safety of Ottoman Turkish aircraft flying over northern Syria, after Damascus moved to close the airspace over the embattled province of Idlib.
"Did ya hear that Yippy? Gonna let them bully you? Stand up to them. Be A MAN. Escalate!"
Damascus announced earlier on Sunday that it would treat any aircraft that crosses into the airspace of Syria’s northwest as a hostile target.

This comes amid media reports that two Syrian aircraft were shot down in Idlib. Both pilots survived after ejecting, according to reports.

SANA reported that the "Ottoman Turkish regime’s terrorist forces" struck the planes, without specifying whether they were Ottoman Turkish troops or Ankara-backed bully boys.

A source in the Syrian Defense Ministry revealed that Ottoman Turkish F-16s had twice in during the day crossed into Syrian airspace, shooting down government forces’ planes.

Syrian air defenses have destroyed six Ottoman Turkish UAVs attacking government forces on Sunday, the source added.

Posted by: Fred || 03/02/2020 00:00 || Comments || Link || [6 views] Top|| File under: Sublime Porte


Government
Trump nominates John Ratcliffe for top intelligence post
[FoxNews] President Trump on Friday said he is nominating Texas Rep. John Ratcliffe to serve as Director of National Intelligence (DNI), months after the Republican congressman abruptly withdrew his name for the post.

"I am pleased to announce the nomination of @RepRatcliffe (Congressman John Ratcliffe) to be Director of National Intelligence (DNI)," the president tweeted. "Would have completed process earlier, but John wanted to wait until after IG Report was finished. John is an outstanding man of great talent!"

Ratcliffe, a former federal prosecutor who had been a fierce defender of Trump and his agenda, was one of the most vocal critics of former Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election.

Ratcliffe will likely face a fierce confirmation battle as Democrats have argued he was selected due to his loyalty rather than experience.

In August, Trump announced that Ratcliffe would be withdrawing as his nominee for director of national intelligence just days after announcing him as his pick, citing his tough treatment at the hands of "the LameStream Media."

In a tweet at the time, Trump said that Ratcliffe, whom he tapped to replace Dan Coats, will stay in Congress. But on Friday, he announced plans -- again -- to nominate Ratcliffe.

Richard Grenell, the U.S. ambassador to Germany, was appointed last week by Trump to serve as acting DNI while Trump considered who he would nominate to take over the job more permanently. Grenell is an outspoken Trump loyalist with a large conservative following on Twitter and also the first openly gay person to serve in a cabinet-level position.
Posted by: trailing wife || 03/02/2020 00:00 || Comments || Link || [7 views] Top|| File under:

#1  he was selected due to his loyalty rather than experience

Captains of industry, and leaders of men, succeed because of organizational and motivational skills, not SME.
Posted by: Skidmark || 03/02/2020 10:46 Comments || Top||

#2  Yes. I continue to be amazed at people who openly defy the President and do all sorts of counterproductive things with no consequences at all. If I had done this in the private sector, I would have been standing in the unemployment line faster than you could say, "Just how stupid are you?"
Posted by: Tom || 03/02/2020 14:29 Comments || Top||

#3  From Jim Collins -

"You are a bus driver. The bus, your company, is at a standstill, and it’s your job to get it going. You have to decide where you’re going, how you’re going to get there, and who’s going with you.

Most people assume that great bus drivers (read: business leaders) immediately start the journey by announcing to the people on the bus where they’re going—by setting a new direction or by articulating a fresh corporate vision.

In fact, leaders of companies that go from good to great start not with “where” but with “who.” They start by getting the right people on the bus, the wrong people off the bus, and the right people in the right seats. And they stick with that discipline—first the people, then the direction—no matter how dire the circumstances."

“First Who, Then What?”
Posted by: Mullah Richard || 03/02/2020 16:16 Comments || Top||

#4  Remind me why JFK picked RFK for his AG?

Maybe media drones can remember that far back. Congresscritters either.
Posted by: Bobby || 03/02/2020 19:20 Comments || Top||

#5  "...he was selected due to his loyalty rather than experience."

That's a keeper.
Posted by: DooDahMan || 03/02/2020 22:03 Comments || Top||



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2Commies
2Govt of Iran Proxies
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2Arab Spring
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1Hezbollah
1Houthis
1Govt of Iran
1al-Qaeda

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Two weeks of WOT
Mon 2020-03-02
  Turkey shoots down two Syrian fighter jets over Idlib
Sun 2020-03-01
  Iraq's PM-designate Allawi withdraws, prolonging deadlock
Sat 2020-02-29
  U.S. and Taliban sign troop withdrawal deal
Fri 2020-02-28
  Rouhani and his VP both reported to have coronavirus
Thu 2020-02-27
  Hezbollah operative killed in drone strike in southern Syria
Wed 2020-02-26
  Gulf Cartel Border City Turf War Kills at Least 20 Gunmen, Innocents in Week
Tue 2020-02-25
  Hosni Mubarak sleeps with the pharaohs
Mon 2020-02-24
  Car drives into German carnival parade, around 30 injured
Sun 2020-02-23
  Last year Hezbollah received ~$700 million in funding
Sat 2020-02-22
   Erdogan confirms the presence of pro-Turkish Syrian fighters in Libya
Fri 2020-02-21
  Missile intercept by #Saudi forces in #Yanbu
Thu 2020-02-20
  Turkey asks NATO to provide air support for the operation in Idlib
Wed 2020-02-19
  Ashraf Ghani declared winner of Afghan presidential poll, Abdullah rejects results
Tue 2020-02-18
  LNA claims to destroy Turkish arms ship in Tripoli harbor.
Mon 2020-02-17
  24 Killed In Brutal Terror Attack On Burkina Faso Church; Local Pastor Targeted


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