Hi there, !
Today Thu 05/28/2020 Wed 05/27/2020 Tue 05/26/2020 Mon 05/25/2020 Sun 05/24/2020 Sat 05/23/2020 Fri 05/22/2020 Archives
Rantburg
532920 articles and 1859661 comments are archived on Rantburg.

Today: 71 articles and 325 comments as of 4:28.
Post a news link    Post your own article   
Area: WoT Operations    Non-WoT    Opinion        Politix   
Kurdish policeman found beheaded in Kirkuk
Today's Headlines
Headline Comments [Views]
Page 2: WoT Background
4 13:09 Clem [9] 
16 17:27 Clem [2] 
1 17:15 Skidmark [7] 
4 18:47 Frank G [3] 
4 17:14 Skidmark [8] 
4 16:34 Raj [4] 
1 09:12 Frank G [8] 
1 07:54 Mercutio [10] 
4 07:53 Mercutio [5] 
2 14:36 Clem [] 
0 [3] 
Page 1: WoT Operations
6 19:23 Phugum Spump3764 [11]
0 [4]
8 17:10 Skidmark [4]
1 07:15 AlanC [4]
2 07:49 trailing wife [6]
0 [6]
0 [10]
0 [6]
0 [11]
0 [5]
1 02:47 SteveS [5]
0 [18]
0 [9]
4 12:43 Chris [7]
2 07:55 Mercutio [8]
0 [5]
3 10:46 Clem [12]
Page 3: Non-WoT
2 19:44 trailing wife [1]
1 21:45 Woodrow [4]
5 15:23 Barbara [2]
6 23:37 Clem [3]
13 21:22 M. Murcek [13]
6 14:02 Regular joe [8]
6 15:10 Skidmark [3]
8 22:05 Fred [5]
20 15:44 Lex [4]
8 14:50 Skidmark [3]
5 15:36 charger [3]
0 [3]
2 10:13 swksvolFF [3]
4 08:13 Lex [3]
7 09:35 g(r)omgoru [6]
4 14:07 Regular joe [2]
2 10:20 g(r)omgoru [6]
0 [6]
9 21:35 Woodrow [3]
11 20:12 Frank G [2]
6 13:20 g(r)omgoru [3]
0 [2]
1 00:27 Skidmark [3]
0 []
2 23:06 3dc [1]
11 23:41 Clem []
5 21:33 Woodrow [4]
10 21:48 Flusorong Darling of the Faith3280 [2]
Page 4: Opinion
4 16:29 JHH [5]
14 22:00 Lex [2]
7 15:01 M. Murcek [3]
6 12:32 Abu Uluque [4]
3 11:48 Abu Uluque [3]
4 21:44 Woodrow [3]
5 21:31 M. Murcek [6]
0 [6]
18 21:35 M. Murcek [8]
Page 6: Politix
11 23:38 Clem [11]
8 19:31 Lex [8]
5 20:37 KBK [4]
15 23:39 Clem [3]
0 [4]
3 07:07 M. Murcek [3]
Africa Horn
New UN mechanism for Sudan should not include blue helmets, says minister
Can’t really blame them, given frequent Blue Helmet military incompetence, not to mention a penchant for demanding s3xual favours from the local populace.
[Sudan Tribune] Sudan reviewed a UN draft resolution on the new hybrid operation to ensure that peace and transition support mission does not include a military component, said Omer Gamar Eldin State Minister for Foreign Affairs on Saturday.

The foreign ministry in Khartoum said it had received the draft resolution on the post-UNAMID mechanism through the Sudanese ambassador at the United Nations
...an organization conceived in the belief that we're just one big happy world, with the sort of results you'd expect from such nonsense...
on 17 May.

Following what, Foreign Minister Asma Abdallah convened a meeting to discuss the draft resolution and make sure that the mandate of the new special political mission is aligned with the strategic objectives outlined in a letter sent by Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok on 27 February.

"The necessary amendments were made to the draft UN Resolution to comply with the Government of Sudan’s letter requesting technical assistance sent to the United Nations on February 27, 2020," said Gamer Eldin.

The government’s request to the UN "takes into account the illusory sovereignty and independence of Sudan and that the new support mechanism does not include any military or police component," he further stressed.

Hamdok in his letter of 27 February, stressed that the political mechanism is needed to Support peace implementation, help to mobilize support for the economic conference, support the voluntary return of refugees and internally displaced people, assist to carrying out population and housing censuses and the holding of general elections at the end of the transitional period.

In a joint report to the Security Council, the African Union
...a union consisting of 53 African states, most run by dictators of one flavor or another. The only all-African state not in the AU is Morocco. Established in 2002, the AU is the successor to the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), which was even less successful...
and the United Nations last March said the protection of civilians is the responsibility of the Sudanese government adding that the new mission can provide capacity building support to the Sudanese security forces.

However,
alcohol has never solved anybody's problems. But then, neither has milk...
the report stressed that the mandate of the new mission should be flexible The mandate should be flexible enough to allow the deployment of individual police and/or military advisers to provide advisory support on the security aspects of peacebuilding and assist in monitoring the peace agreement if requested.

"There may also be a need for a uniformed component for the purpose of providing security for the mission and its staff, or other tasks in the interest of the mandate of a new mission, as agreed with the Sudanese authorities," reads the report.

In a meeting in April to discuss this report; the United States expressed concern about the recurrent attacks on civilians and the increasing inter-communal festivities.

While British ambassador said that the new mission can and should be a partner to the Government of Sudan in responding to the ongoing protection of civilians’ challenges in Darfur, particularly in the IDP camps," he said.

Posted by: Fred || 05/25/2020 00:00 || Comments || Link || [8 views] Top|| File under: Govt of Sudan

#1  Highly advance African societies should be permitted to sort it all out on their own. After all, they've had at least 40,000 years head start on nation building. Who are we to judge their methods ?
Posted by: Besoeker || 05/25/2020 6:41 Comments || Top||

#2  Why does UN assistance not inspire confidence?
Posted by: Clem || 05/25/2020 7:19 Comments || Top||

#3  Cholera epidemic in 5...4...3..
Posted by: Frank G || 05/25/2020 7:55 Comments || Top||

#4  Just not stylish enough?
Posted by: Skidmark || 05/25/2020 17:14 Comments || Top||


Arabia
Wife of detained Qatari Sheikh Talal Al-Thani has asked her husband be released as fears of coronavirus spreading through the prison intensify
[PUBLISH.TWITTER]
Sheikh Talal, Rayan’s husband, is the grandson of Sheikh Ahmed Bin Ali Al-Thani, who was the Emir of Qatar from 1960 until 1972.

The late Sheikh Ahmad was deposed by his cousin Sheikh Khalifa Bin Hamad, who is the grandfather of Qatar’s current Emir Tamim Bin Hamad.
Posted by: Fred || 05/25/2020 00:00 || Comments || Link || [3 views] Top|| File under: Govt of Qatar (MB)


Britain
One-in-five English people believe COVID is a Jewish conspiracy - survey
Posted by: g(r)omgoru || 05/25/2020 02:14 || Comments || Link || [2 views] Top|| File under:

#1  This makes sense if you believe the Han are one of the Lost Tribes of Israel.
Or if 20% of your population are morons.
Posted by: SteveS || 05/25/2020 2:55 Comments || Top||

#2  /\ One-in-five English people...

...are not actually English.
Posted by: Besoeker || 05/25/2020 5:52 Comments || Top||

#3  ^ you nailed it
Posted by: Dacama || 05/25/2020 6:59 Comments || Top||

#4  Mayor of London probably at the top of the list.
Posted by: Clem || 05/25/2020 7:11 Comments || Top||

#5  From the article:

It found that 5.3% said that they “agree a little,” 6.8% said that they “agree moderately,” 4.6% said that they “agree a lot,” and 2.4% said that they “agree completely” with the statement "Jews have created the virus to collapse the economy for financial gain."

Some 80.8% did not agree with it at all.

Similar figures were recorded for conspiracy theories involving other groups: while 80.1% of respondents did not agree with the statement "Muslims are spreading the virus as an attack on Western values," 19.9% did to some extent, including 2.4% who agreed completely.

Nearly half of respondents (45.4%) believed to some extent that "coronavirus is a bio-weapon developed by China to destroy the West."


A lot of Brits getting their information from sources other than the mainstream media.
Posted by: trailing wife || 05/25/2020 7:48 Comments || Top||

#6  I like how they make a monrity seem like the majority in all of the reporting these days. You're always going to have a few morons.
Posted by: Chris || 05/25/2020 10:24 Comments || Top||

#7  Well, "Brits."

I'd like to think that if the Jews made this, it would be a lot more lethal. They wouldn't have let it be released half finished.
Posted by: Thing From Snowy Mountain || 05/25/2020 10:25 Comments || Top||

#8  Why yes, we do all our polling in Detroit, MI. Why would you ask?
Posted by: Silentbrick || 05/25/2020 10:38 Comments || Top||

#9  They wouldn't have let it be released half finished.

Nor without having a vaccine or cure in hand in quantities sufficient for their population.
Posted by: trailing wife || 05/25/2020 11:49 Comments || Top||

#10  cure in hand in quantities sufficient for their population

Check common diet.

You want conspiracy?

Coronavirus update: Has Israel developed COVID-19 vaccine?
Posted by: Skidmark || 05/25/2020 14:29 Comments || Top||

#11  The "Israel vaccine" article is from March. They need to get on the stick!
Posted by: Clem || 05/25/2020 14:35 Comments || Top||

#12  Coronavirus update: Has Israel developed COVID-19 vaccine

It's passive vaccination, Skid.
Posted by: g(r)omgoru || 05/25/2020 14:43 Comments || Top||

#13  Just curious, what percentage of the population is Muslim or Arab or "SW Asian" (AKA Pakistani) descent?

Want to bet its at least 20%
Posted by: Marilyn Tojo7566 || 05/25/2020 15:21 Comments || Top||

#14  The "Israel vaccine" article is from March.

Had you read the article, you might have seen the explanation of their protocol would take a couple of months.
Posted by: Skidmark || 05/25/2020 17:13 Comments || Top||

#15  Well, wise ass, I DID read the article. I guess I did miss that part. Like we read on article on a possible vaccine that might me ready the next day. Get lost, man.
Posted by: Clem || 05/25/2020 17:25 Comments || Top||

#16  They need to get on the stick!

I'll add the /sarc tag...JUST FOR YOU.
Posted by: Clem || 05/25/2020 17:27 Comments || Top||


Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia
Russia faces Libya setback, Syria challenge amid COVID-19 crisis
[Jpost] Russia is in a tight spot. Gone from its state media TASS are stories of its great military and diplomatic victories, replaced with the difficulties of the COVID-19 crisis.

Russia had a run of success in the Middle East between 2015 and 2020. It had intervened in Syria, browbeaten the Americans and was selling its air-defense systems all over the world, including to NATO
...the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. It's headquartered in Belgium. That sez it all....
member The Sick Man of Europe Turkey
Continued on Page 49
Posted by: trailing wife || 05/25/2020 00:00 || Comments || Link || [7 views] Top|| File under: Arab Spring

#1  Ergo, the Libya extraction?
Posted by: Skidmark || 05/25/2020 17:15 Comments || Top||


Europe
Over 100 'Islamic State' fighters return to Germany
[DW] Authorities say a third of Islamic State
...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that they were al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're really very devout, committing every atrocity they can find in the Koran and inventing a few more. They fling Allah around with every other sentence, but to hear western pols talk they're not really Moslems....
fighters who left Germany for Syria have since returned. Germany is taking a "holistic approach" in dealing with ex-jihadi fighters, including deradicalization and reintegration..


Germany's Interior Ministry said Sunday that over 100 members of the so-called "Islamic State" (IS) terrorist group have returned to the country following the jihadi networks failed incursions in Iraq and Syria.

"Security authorities obtained knowledge that they actively engaged in combat in Syria and Iraq or have completed apprenticeships to this end," the ministry told the DPA news agency. "These people remain under police and judicial investigation."

The ministry added that the number of open investigations is in the "two-figure range."

Authorities believe that 1,060 IS fighters left Germany for Syria or Iraq, of which a third have since returned, the Interior Ministry said.

German authorities are taking a "holistic approach" to the handling of the returnees, which besides criminal prosecution includes deradicalization and reintegration, according to the ministry.

OTHERS IN JUG ABROAD
Several suspected German IS members are believed to be in jug in Iraq, Syria or The Sick Man of Europe Turkey
...the decaying remnant of the Ottoman Empire...
Ottoman Turkish authorities have called on Germany and other European countries to take back IS suspects, with Ottoman Turkish Interior Minister Soleyman Solyu saying in November that Turkey is not "a hotel for IS members."

On Thursday, German authorities arrested two women, one of which was a suspected IS member, upon their arrival at Frankfurt Airport from Ankara after they were deported by Turkey.

According to the Genocide Network, a genocide investigation body backed by the European Union
...the successor to the Holy Roman Empire, only without the Hapsburgs and the nifty uniforms and the dancing...
, many returning suspected IS fighters only face domestic terrorism charges in their home countries, which come with a statute of limitations that sets a time limit to prosecution.

The body has called for European authorities to add war crimes and genocide charges, the most serious crimes under international law which could lead to longer sentences.
Posted by: trailing wife || 05/25/2020 07:22 || Comments || Link || [9 views] Top|| File under: Islamic State

#1  What Could Possibly Go Wrong!
Posted by: Sonny Black || 05/25/2020 10:03 Comments || Top||

#2  well, they'll probably integrate very well.
Posted by: Chris || 05/25/2020 10:21 Comments || Top||

#3  Subscription to the Turks run out, and The Merkel Express was a signing bonus?
Posted by: swksvolFF || 05/25/2020 13:03 Comments || Top||

#4  Well, at least they padded their CVs.
Posted by: Clem || 05/25/2020 13:09 Comments || Top||


The Grand Turk
Turkey's ailing economy faces more headwind amid COVID-19 pandemic
[DW] The Sick Man of Europe Turkey
...the decaying remnant of the Ottoman Empire...
's economy was in trouble before the coronavirus (aka COVID19 or Chinese Plague)
...the twenty first century equivalent of bubonic plague, only instead of killing off a third of the population of Europe it kills 3.4 percent of those who notice they have it. It seems to be fond of the elderly, especially Iranian politicians and holy men...
outbreak and its economic fallout hit the country. The Ottoman Turkish lira has tumbled against the dollar and central bank interventions aren't helping much.
Two-minute video at the link, but the highlights are: Turkey’s external debt expected to be US$170 billion by year end; Turkish lira down 15% against the dollar so far; and, a tourism season that had just begun in March when everything was closed, such that revenues are only 10% of expected. Not a good situation in which to sequester the most productive citizens in prison on various trumped up charges while waging an increasing number of expensive wars abroad. Confiscated Gulenist bank accounts and Libyan gold don’t stretch nearly as far as they used to, donchaknow.
Posted by: trailing wife || 05/25/2020 00:00 || Comments || Link || [3 views] Top|| File under: Sublime Porte

#1  Should I post Latma's Dumbell?
Posted by: g(r)omgoru || 05/25/2020 9:52 Comments || Top||

#2  one Turkish Lira was worth about 25c in 2017

today, its worth about 15c

I got a one lb roll of Turkish figs for $1.98 a few weeks ago.
Posted by: lord garth || 05/25/2020 9:55 Comments || Top||

#3  ...a tourism season that had just begun in March when everything was closed, such that revenues are only 10% of expected.
The beaches in Libya and the ski resorts in Syria were all closed to Turkish 'tourists' ?
Posted by: magpie || 05/25/2020 18:46 Comments || Top||

#4  Too many Gulenists
Posted by: Frank G || 05/25/2020 18:47 Comments || Top||


Greece dismisses reports that Turkish soldiers have occupied a strip of Greek territory in the Evros border region
[PUBLISH.TWITTER]
Posted by: Fred || 05/25/2020 00:00 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under: Sublime Porte


#2  Oh, why can't NATO allies members just get along?
Posted by: Clem || 05/25/2020 14:36 Comments || Top||


Syria-Lebanon-Iran
Lebanese Journalist Nadim Koteich: Israel Is a Scientific, Economic, Cultural, and Military Power, Whereas Lebanon Is No Longer a Respected Country
[PUBLISH.TWITTER]
Posted by: Fred || 05/25/2020 00:00 || Comments || Link || [4 views] Top|| File under: Hezbollah

#1  Whereas Lebanon Is No Longer a Respected or respectable Country;
Posted by: AlanC || 05/25/2020 7:20 Comments || Top||

#2  No longer...?Last time it was nice in Beirut was in the mid 60’s
Posted by: NoMoreBS || 05/25/2020 12:22 Comments || Top||

#3  Paris of the Middle East. A shame.
Posted by: Clem || 05/25/2020 12:25 Comments || Top||

#4  Stunning grasp of the obvious there, Nadim.
Posted by: Raj || 05/25/2020 16:34 Comments || Top||


Rami Makhlouf slights Syrian ministry by paying money to his own charity
[PUBLISH.TWITTER]
Posted by: Fred || 05/25/2020 00:00 || Comments || Link || [8 views] Top|| File under: Govt of Syria

#1  Like a Clinton
Posted by: Frank G || 05/25/2020 9:12 Comments || Top||


Claim: Lebanon President Michel Aoun is not dead
[ALMASDARNEWS] Rumors circulated on social media has this past weekend, claiming that Lebanese President Michel Aoun
...president of Leb, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hizbullah...
had passed away.

However,
man does not live by words alone, despite the fact that sometimes he has to eat them...
the official National News Agency (NNA) of Leb
...an Iranian colony situated on the eastern Mediterranean, conveniently adjacent to Israel. Formerly inhabited by hardy Phoenecian traders, its official language is now Arabic, with the usual unpleasant side effects. The Leb civil war, between 1975 and 1990, lasted a little over 145 years and produced 120,000 fatalities. The average length of a ceasefire was measured in seconds. The Lebs maintain a precarious sectarian balance among Shiites, Sunnis, and about a dozeen flavors of Christians. It is the home of Hezbollah, which periodically starts a war with the Zionist Entity, gets Beirut pounded to rubble, and then declares victory and has a parade. The Lebs have the curious habit of periodically murdering their heads of state or prime ministers...
denied the authenticity of these reports, pointing out that there is no truth to these rumors.

The agency said that some groups on WhatsApp reported the rumor of the death of Lebanese President Michel Aoun.

The agency denied that it had published anything of the kind, noting that it had nothing to do with any of these rumors.

They would add that the purpose of these rumors is to create confusion in the country.

Similar rumors were spread on social media this past week, with some even claiming that the famous singer, Fairuz, had passed away.
Posted by: Fred || 05/25/2020 00:00 || Comments || Link || [10 views] Top|| File under: Govt of Iran Proxies

#1  Um, He's been partying with Kim Jong Un?
Posted by: Mercutio || 05/25/2020 7:54 Comments || Top||


Some senior clerics in Iran have split with Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei about which day to celebrate EidalFitr
[PUBLISH.TWITTER]
Posted by: Fred || 05/25/2020 00:00 || Comments || Link || [5 views] Top|| File under: Govt of Iran

#1  This means WAR!
Posted by: Phugum Spump3764 || 05/25/2020 0:37 Comments || Top||

#2  As I recollect, they fought more than one war in Europe with things like this being an excuse.
Posted by: g(r)omgoru || 05/25/2020 2:06 Comments || Top||

#3  Splitters!

For someplace that prides itself on being the cradle of civilization, you'd think they'd have a calendar worked out by now.
Posted by: SteveS || 05/25/2020 2:14 Comments || Top||

#4  "and the Prophet said 'and they shall enjoy their eggs'" But he didn't say which end they should open them from, thus igniting the war between the Big-Endians and the Little-Endians.___ paraphrased from Jonathon Swift
Posted by: Mercutio || 05/25/2020 7:53 Comments || Top||



Who's in the News
40[untagged]
6Commies
5Sublime Porte
3Taliban
3Arab Spring
2Govt of Iran Proxies
2Govt of Sudan
2Govt of Syria
2Hezbollah
1Govt of Iran
1al-Shabaab (AQ)
1Islamic State
1Govt of Iraq
1Govt of Qatar (MB)
1Palestinian Authority

Bookmark
E-Mail Me

The Classics
The O Club
Rantburg Store
The Bloids
The Never-ending Story
Thugburg
Gulf War I
The Way We Were
Bio

Merry-Go-Blog











On Sale now!


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.
Click here for more information

Meet the Mods
In no particular order...
Steve White
Seafarious
tu3031
badanov
sherry
ryuge
GolfBravoUSMC
Bright Pebbles
trailing wife
Gloria
Fred
Besoeker
Glenmore
Frank G
3dc
Skidmark

Two weeks of WOT
Mon 2020-05-25
  Kurdish policeman found beheaded in Kirkuk
Sun 2020-05-24
  UN committee urges France to prevent execution of convicted jihadists in Iraq
Sat 2020-05-23
  Large cyber attack against Israel conducted from Gaza, Turkey, North Africa
Fri 2020-05-22
  PA refuses UAE aid sent via Israel, won’t be ‘tool for normalization’ – report
Thu 2020-05-21
  Iraq security forces arrest the new ISIS leader
Wed 2020-05-20
  Abbas says the PA sees itself free of all agreements with Israel and the U.S. - including on security matters
Tue 2020-05-19
  GNA captures al-Watiyah Airbase from the LNA
Mon 2020-05-18
  Afghan president inks power-sharing deal with rival
Sun 2020-05-17
  Pak Doctor on H-1B Visa Wanted to Attack U.S. for ISIS
Sat 2020-05-16
  Tomb of Mordechai and Esther in Iran reportedly set ablaze
Fri 2020-05-15
  France: Pro-Refugee Activist Murdered by Migrant He Was Sleeping With
Thu 2020-05-14
  Nangarhar Funeral Bombing Death Toll Rises to 32
Wed 2020-05-13
  President Ghani, in light of attacks, orders Afghan forces to resume attacks on the Taliban
Tue 2020-05-12
  GNA militia evacuate their headquarters in Abuslim
Mon 2020-05-11
  Iran navy own goal in Oman Gulf exercise; 24 dead


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.
3.129.13.201
Help keep the Burg running! Paypal:
WoT Operations (17)    Non-WoT (28)    Opinion (9)    (0)    Politix (6)