#3
It was heavily lobbied for by the China Petrochemical Corporation (Sinopec) in both countries. A lot of hotel rooms and chinese starlets and that sort of thing. Wish I could say more. We're going for another JTE with the Russians soon !
Iran is seeking a $2 bn advance on crude supply which China would rather decline to pay and Russia is already investing heavily in Bishkek infrastructure, while they play hard to get with China.
We are busy counting votes and seats over regional fiefdoms and preserving 'culture' in India.
#4
So Iran, provide most of the targets ships while Russia provide a couple row boats and maybe a tender and China supply a couple rusty (freshly painted) ships from the boneyard?
Sounds about right as both Russia and China have said nothing, Iran is doing all the talking.
#5
The Chinese have more ships (500 vs 300) than the US Navy, though less tonnage. Their ships are also a lot newer than the USN. Bought with Walmart dollars.
#6
No tenders and boneyard floater, SCFI. You'd be surprised at the SOTA weaponry in both militaries.
Except, there is no real xp. In that they have had no significant throwdowns for decades now, Chinks least of all. Gawd knows if they can even use all that air and sea power as swiftly and effectively as the original designs were meant to be used.
All the armament in China is overtly complicated knockoffs of simple designs researched and practically grown out of real wars by western militaries. The drills and routines that go with those machines of war have evolved within the military industrial complexes. But China have had to improvise, develop their own routines and exercises based on sketchy input from their spies and what can be bought off merc trainers.
Russia is better suited to war in that regard I think. Tough units, they make do with what they have and can probably run a war with one Russian carrying two Chinese on each shoulder while the Iranian draws everyone's fire.
But it's just a confidence building excercise and for the benefit of Iran only. No such axis is possible practically. Maybe Russia-China, in a bilateral alliance, but Iran will never mesh with either. Not in objective, not on the field.
#7
I'm not disputing what you said Dron66046. Iy's just I doubt that Russian and China will commit serious naval resource to Iran. Most likely as you hinted is that China and Russian will compete to take over Iran. Most likely China.
#9
No not 'commit', they'll just offer to sell stuff. To both of them, Iran is just a customer. Yes, they may just humour them with a slipshod ensemble of stuff.
#12
The real interest lies in Kazakhstan, something Russia and China are both vying for, and benefits Iran only if an islamist could be installed there. It's a rather interesting game. And somewhere the Hand of Soros is also evident behind contractors from construction to mining, and behind several environmental and social interest groups; all trying to alter central Asian realpolitik to some globalist acceptable modality.
#13
But it's just a confidence building excercise and for the benefit of Iran only. No such axis is possible practically. Maybe Russia-China, in a bilateral alliance, but Iran will never mesh with either. Not in objective, not on the field.
Whew! Ok, back to my regularly scheduled concerns. Russia and China in the end are competitors, not allies of more than convenience.
As for selling Iran stuff, China could trade Chinese-made stuff for oil, but what do they have to trade that Russia would want?
#14
Nothing. You are right. In fact Russia is still mulling whether to treat china as a volatile nuisance or an unwilling ally. What they want really, and they're not saying, is that the OBOR thingy is delayed for as long as it can be. A lot of the trade routes that otherwise transit Russia controlled areas shall be replaced by shorter routes owned by China. While they can't really stomp their feet about it, they are both trying to invest and buy influence with central Asian areas like Kazakhstan.
#15
Also, china has made military offers to Iran, but Iran prefers to buy from Russia - small arms and munitions, trucks and tanks and fighters. They don't want fancy knockoffs of kalashnikovs and cost-cut Migs in exchange for their oil you see.
Chinese stuff has only been tested in these countries : Iran, Iraq, Myanmar, North Korea, Pakistan, and Thailand. Understandably so.
#16
Iran is seeking a $2 bn advance on crude supply which China would rather decline to pay and Russia is already investing heavily in Bishkek infrastructure, while they play hard to get with China.
The Kazakhs used to have their capital in Almaty, right next to the Chinese border. After consultations over border disputes with the Chinese, they decided to move it ~800 miles to the northwest west, all the way to Nur-sultan aka Astana aka Akmola. It's also much further from the Chinese border. Prudence reared its ugly head. You gotta think they consulted with Russians re how quickly the Russian rapid reaction force could respond to a Chinese incursion. My guess is not all that quickly, given the way funding levels for the Russian military has plummeted since the end of the Cold War, while the PLA has been swimming in cash.
#17
The real interest lies in Kazakhstan, something Russia and China are both vying for, and benefits Iran only if an islamist could be installed there.
Kazakhs are majority Sunni, so if Islamists take over there, they will also likely be Sunni, unless some Shiite Kazakh version of the Assads manage, by some combo of skill and luck, to win power. And Sunni Islamists generally don't get along with Shiites, unless they're Sunni Islamist fugitives trying to escape Uncle Sam (i.e. elements of al Qaeda currently being sheltered in Iran).
#18
so if Islamists take over there, they will also likely be Sunni
Something India and Russia are both trying to prevent. India have a significant carrot dangling before the Samruk-Kazyna, development funds and the like. Russia had a couple of mullahs 'fall out of public work' from 2016 to now.
But it's an uphill task, protecting the muslim from destroying himself.
[KhaamaPress] A group of 15 Afghan pilots, trainer pilots and door gunners completed their training for UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters in southern Kandahar province.
The provincial government said in a statement that the Afghan Air Force personnel completed a 3-month course in Kandahar Air Brigade.
The statement further added that 2 trainer pilots, 8 pilots and 5 door gunners received their graduation certificates during a ceremony in Kandahar Airfield on Wednesday.
Major General Abdul Raziq Sherzai, the commander of Kandahar Air Brigade, Resolute Support officials and some other officials also attended the graduation ceremony, the statement added.
#1
The USA has a lot of recently retired models. I don’t know how easy it is to operate. I think for the Afghan Air Force it’s best to keep things as simple as possible.
Posted by: Lord garth ||
11/29/2019 6:04 Comments ||
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#2
I'd rather see notices of graduates of the maintenance personnel.
The attack on Amanuel Iyassu, the owner of Assenna TV by the #Eritrea regime supporters in London is an attack on all democracy activists and it is meant to silence any criticism of the regime and has to be strongly condemned
[ENGLISH.ALARABIYA.NET] The Sick Man of Europe Turkey ...the only place on the face of the earth that misses the Ottoman Empire... will repatriate 11 French ISIS detainees early in December, state media quoted Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu as saying on Thursday, as Ankara pressed on with a repatriation program that had strained ties with some of its allies.
Turkey begun the process of repatriating the ISIS detainees earlier this month, sending several suspects to their home countries despite calls from some Europe ...the land mass occupying the space between the English Channel and the Urals, also known as Moslem Lebensraum... an nations that the suspected jihadists should be tried where they committed crimes.
Ankara has repeatedly threatened to send ISIS prisoners back to Europe. In early November, Soylu said Turkey will send captured ISIS members back to their countries even if their citizenships have been revoked, criticizing the approach of European countries on the issue.
"We will send back those in our hands, but the world has come up with a new method now: revoking their citizenships," Soylu said. "They are saying they should be tried where they have been caught. This is a new form of international law, I guess."
Posted by: Fred ||
11/29/2019 00:00 ||
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#1
"We will send back those in our hands, but the world has come up with a new method now: revoking their citizenships," Soylu said. "They are saying they should be tried where they have been caught. This is a new form of international law, I guess."
Clearly there's intent, but intent isn't a crime - you have to have some evidence of a crime.
[Jpost] According to the defense minister, a window of opportunity exists to strike at Iran in Syria.
Defense Minister Naftali Bennett said in closed talks that a strategic window of opportunity exists that could increase military pressure against Iranian targets in Syria. In Bennett's view, the IDF needs to act more intensively in Syria.
Bennett called his conception of the tactics needed on the northern front, "braking to the exit." He said Iran's military force is still weak, so the danger posed to Israel is lower than it otherwise would be.
According to Bennett, the current policy under which Israel has been operating in recent years, known in the IDF as the "Campaign between Wars", should be changed, in order to harm Iran's establishment in Syria and other regions.
According to Bennett, there is now an opportunity to curb Iran and even cause it to leave Syria. This is in tandem with the US sanctions that are already seriously hurting the Iranian economy.
"If we do not act today and take advantage of the window of opportunity," Bennett argues, "in the more distant future, the risk will be greater, and they will paralyze us because of the military capability that is going to develop. More offensive military action alongside increased US economic sanctions and political pressure, these are the things that could get Iran out of Syria."
Posted by: g(r)omgoru ||
11/29/2019 12:13 ||
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[Jpost] The Jordanian army conducted a military exercise simulating battle with Israel, according to the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI).
The exercise's name is "Swords of Karama," which is reportedly named after Israel's 1968 operation against Fatah, which took place near the village Karama. At the time, Jordan fought alongside Fatah. Jordanian news sources claimed that the exercise simulated a defensive maneuver in which the country is "invaded." Always said that one of Israel's bigger mistakes was helping Hashemites against Peleosimians - instead of vice versa - in 1970
#4
Alternate headline: Unimportant little country plays games with itself. I suspect Darth Vader nailed it.
I do hope they spend more time wargaming an invasion by an ISIS-like entity — which was a real risk not too long ago.
In the meantime, Israel will continue quietly extending the wall, replacing sections of fencing as it goes. And conducting war games simulating a multi-front war, with attacks from Hamas, Hizb’allah, and Iran using missiles and attack tunnels.
[ENGLISH.ALARABIYA.NET] 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 JewsZionists Jews. Their economy is based on the production of oil and vitriol... rejected on Thursday La Belle France’s consideration of invoking a dispute resolution mechanism within the Iran nuclear deal that could lead to UN sanctions, calling it "irresponsible."
The deal "does not allow the Europe ...the land mass occupying the space between the English Channel and the Urals, also known as Moslem Lebensraum... an parties to invoke the mechanism as Iran is exercising its legal right in response to the United States’ illegal and unilateral actions," Iranian Foreign Ministry front man Abbas Mousavi said, according to state television ... and if you can't believe state television who can you believe?
"Under these circumstances, the deal does not allow triggering of the mechanism by the European parties to the deal ... such remarks by the French official are irresponsible and not constructive," Mousavi said.
La Belle France’s foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian suggested on Wednesday that Gay Paree was seriously considering triggering a mechanism within the 2015 Iran nuclear deal that could possibly lead to UN sanctions, given Tehran’s repeated breaches of the deal.
"Every two months, there is another dent [in the deal by Iran] to the point where today we ask ourselves, and I’m saying this very clearly, about the implementation of the dispute resolution mechanism that exists in the deal," Drian told a parliamentary hearing.
Britannia, La Belle France and Germany have sought to salvage the pact, under which Iran undertook to curtail its uranium enrichment program in return for relief from sanctions crippling its economy, since the United States withdrew last year.
But the three European powers have failed to make good on the trade and investment dividends promised to Iran under the deal as they have been unable to shield Tehran from renewed US sanctions that have strangled its vital oil trade.
That has prompted Iran to renege step by step from its non-proliferation commitments under the deal. Until now the European powers have opted to hold back on triggering the mechanism, fearing it could further impede diplomatic efforts, notably by La Belle France, to defuse tensions.
The remaining parties to the deal meet in Vienna on December 6 to discuss how to move forward.
The mechanism involves a party referring a dispute to a Joint Commission comprising Iran, Russia, China, the three European powers, and the European Union ...the successor to the Holy Roman Empire, only without the Hapsburgs and the nifty uniforms and the dancing... and then on to the UN Security Council if that commission cannot resolve it.
If the Security Council does not vote within 30 days to continue sanctions relief, sanctions in place under previous UN resolutions would be reimposed - known as a "snapback."
"We have tried several initiatives that are going backwards [because] we have French [citizens] imprisoned [in Iran], we’ve established that regional attacks, notably on Soddy Arabia ...a kingdom taking up the bulk of the Arabian peninsula. Its primary economic activity involves exporting oil and soaking Islamic rubes on the annual hajj pilgrimage. The country supports a large number of princes in whatcha might call princely splendor. When the oil runs out the rest of the world is going to kick sand in the Soddy national face... , from the Iranian authorities have been carried out," he said.
Posted by: Fred ||
11/29/2019 00:00 ||
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[ENGLISH.ALARABIYA.NET] Leb paid back a Eurobond worth $1.5 billion that was scheduled to mature Thursday, a Finance Ministry official said, pacifying concerns of a first-ever default on its debt amid the worst financial crisis in three decades.
The tiny Mediterranean country’s economic emergency has ignited nationwide protests against widespread corruption and mismanagement, bringing the country to a standstill for over a month. The protests were initially sparked by new taxes but have snowballed into calls for the entire political elite to step aside.
Prime Minister Saad Hariri ...Second son of Rafik Hariri, the Leb PM who was assassinated in 2005. He has was prime minister in his own right from 2009 through early 2011. He was born in Riyadh to an Iraqi mother and graduated from Georgetown University. He managed his father's business interests in Riyadh until his father's assassination. When his father died he inherited a fortune of some $4.1 billion, which won't do him much good if Hizbullah has him bumped off, too.... resigned in late October, meeting a key demand of the protesters. But that has plunged the country into further uncertainty, with no clear path to resolving its economic and political problems.
The Eurobond announcement came as a top Arab League ...an organization of Arabic-speaking states with 22 member countries and four observers. The League tries to achieve Arab consensus on issues, which usually leaves them doing nothing but a bit of grimacing and mustache cursing... official arrived in Leb, expressing readiness to help the country solve its political stalemate.
The repayment was being widely watched in Leb, which has one of the highest debt ratios in the world, standing at $86 billion or 150 percent of the GDP. There were concerns that Leb, which always paid back its debt on time, might default. Leb has in recent weeks imposed unprecedented capital controls.
Posted by: Fred ||
11/29/2019 00:00 ||
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[ENGLISH.ALARABIYA.NET] Russia urged member states of the global chemical weapons watchdog to vote on Thursday against funding a new team that will identify the culprits behind toxic attacks in Syria.
Moscow and its allies are trying to block next year’s budget for the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons -- potentially leaving the entire agency unable to operate -- if it includes money for the new Identification and Investigations Team (IIT).
The United States hit back by accusing Russia of a "cover-up" of the use of chemical weapons by its ally Damascus, at a tense annual meeting of the OPCW’s 193 member countries in The Hague.
"If the financing for the IIT comes out of voluntary contributions (the annual budget paid for by member states) then this will mean one thing only," Russian ambassador Alexander Shulgin told the meeting.
"It will mean that the backers (of the IIT) are going to hire so-called Sherlocks looking at chemical crimes, they will be hired to draw up conclusions which suit the ends of the sponsors," Shulgin said.
"This is disquieting. Confirmation can be found in what’s happening surrounding Douma."
Russia and the West have already clashed repeatedly over allegations by two whistleblowers that the OPCW altered the conclusions of a probe that found chlorine was used in an attack in the Syrian town of Douma in April 2018.
Posted by: Fred ||
11/29/2019 00:00 ||
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#1
Every decision Russia has made recently cements the belief that it is not now, nor ever has been, an integral part of Western Civilization. It is now, as it ever has been, an oriental despotism.
#4
Post-Communist Russia is indeed a troubled society with a shabby government. However, at its core Russia preserves a commitment the West's cultural heritage and to the achievements of our civilization.
There is no such thing as identity politics in Russia.
No BS about how white men are evil, or that all men are rapists-in-disguise.
No teaching children that they can call themselves girls if they're boys or v-v.
None of the self-hating idiocy that leads so many western elites to bow and scrape before the non-European nations and ask continually to be kicked for their unique and irredeemable awfulness.
Yes, Russia has a shitty government. But no Russian, of any political or other persuasion, engaged in the orgy of cultural self-hatred that you see everywhere in the West. Ironically, it's the east Europeans who are standing up for and preserving the best of the Western heritage.
#5
Yes. The Russians do not suffer the anti-christian woke motherfuckers and islamist sharia mongers.
The image of 'the shabby government of Russia' appears to me an overplay too, of mostly liberal media and globalists trying their hand to change and devolve everything to their chosen standards.
The preservation of conventions that keep us free within reason often requires what liberal humanist classes see as villainy. The truncheon, the polonium, alliances with selfish oligarchs. All required in that part of the world, that cultural set to really use power for good or bad, because only possessing mandate there means nothing. You have to be ruthless. Of course they are hostile, selfish and hard headed folks, even monumental idiots. But they too are doing what they must.
We have to understand that the only way to keep our freedoms is to destroy any possibility of the global order encroaching through it's corrosive doctrines. That requires really strong sovereign States. And to keep those you will have to descend to some level of bad.
Most people go on about world peace. I think a start could be if we acknowledge that there cannot be a single doctrine or standard for society and government for all places on earth, all peoples. And nation States would simply meet each other halfway without expecting every leader to obey some norm of propriety, which also hasn't been proved correct yet. I really wish we could all get along on the things that really matter.
#7
For all that, there is still a dearth of trust in the future. According to the CIA World Factbook, while birth rates appear to have crept up slightly in recent years (the under-15s are 17% of the population, vs. 9% for the 15-24 year olds), the median age is nearly forty, the population is still slightly shrinking, and the total fertility rate remains below replacement at 1.61 children/woman.
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
...the only place on the face of the earth that misses the Ottoman Empire...
...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 
...Second son of Rafik Hariri, the Leb PM who was assassinated in 2005. He has was prime minister in his own right from 2009 through early 2011. He was born in Riyadh to an Iraqi mother and graduated from Georgetown University. He managed his father's business interests in Riyadh until his father's assassination. When his father died he inherited a fortune of some $4.1 billion, which won't do him much good if Hizbullah has him bumped off, too....
