[DAWN] Afghanistan's presidential election, initially scheduled for April, will be postponed for several months to allow time to fix technical problems that surfaced during October's parliamentary elections, officials said Wednesday.
More time is needed to verify voter lists and train staff on a biometric identification system designed to reduce fraud, said Abdul Aziz Ibrahimi, deputy front man for the Independent Election Commission.
Parliamentary elections were fraught with delays after the few staff trained on the biometric system did not show up at the polling booths and countless registered voters could not find their names on voter lists.
Polling had to continue for a second day after hundreds of polling stations opened several hours late. Several legal complaints have been filed to challenge the results.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/27/2018 00:00 ||
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[DAWN] Eager to persuade Taliban ...Arabic for students... to join the Afghan grinding of the peace processor, the United States is offering them a safety network that includes creating job opportunities for the krazed killers.
As the United States, Pakistain, China, Russia and other world powers expedite efforts to encourage the Taliban to join the Afghan grinding of the peace processor, the US Defence Department has also outlined a plan for rehabilitating the rebels in a new Afghanistan.
"Although some members of the Taliban may be weary of fighting and ready to lay down their weapons, they will only rejoin society if they believe their safety and the safety of their families are guaranteed, and if they have an opportunity to earn enough money to provide for their families," says the plan that the Pentagon sent to Congress this week, along with proposals for addressing US security concerns and the interests of Afghanistan’s neighbours.
The Pentagon, however, notes that while local leaders are developing programmes that may offer a path to peace on a small scale, "the Afghan government has not developed a national reintegration programme".
While the Trump administration appears keen to start withdrawing US forces from Afghanistan, the Pentagon advocates maintaining enough troops in Afghanistan to force the Taliban to join peace talks.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/27/2018 00:00 ||
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[PRESSTV] Iran’s top security official has confirmed that the country has been holding talks with the Afghan Taliban ...the Pashtun equivalent of men... in coordination with Kabul to help relieve rampant insecurity in Afghanistan.
"The series of contacts and talks with the Taliban group have taken place with the knowledge of the Afghan government," Ali Shamkhani, the Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), said on Wednesday. "That trend will continue."
Shamkhani made the announcement during a one-day visit to Afghanistan at the invitation of Hamdullah Mohib, the Afghan president’s national security adviser.
Addressing the Geneva Conference on Afghanistan on November 28, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif called on the international community to facilitate "inclusive" dialog between the Afghan Taliban and the Afghan government in a bid to restore peace to the war-torn country.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/27/2018 00:00 ||
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[RADIOSHABELLE] The President of Hirshabelle state of Somalia, Mohammed Abdi Warre has called on an immediate and unconditional end of renewed clan festivities in Hiran region on Wednesday.
President Ware said his administration is ready to do all it can to stop the fighting that has already resulted in the death and destruction of properties in the state.
"I call upon the political and tribal leaders from the state to stand up to end these festivities," he said.
The leader also warned that the persistence of the tribal festivities that started in some parts of Hiran region would only benefit the agenda of the gang al-Shabaab ... Somalia's version of the Taliban, functioning as an arm of al-Qaeda... if not stopped immediately.
"I want to inform our brothers fighting in Hiran that the battle will only strengthen the cause of the gang al-Shabaab bandidosturbans in the region," President Ware warned.
He urged the rival clans to solve their differences through dialogue than resorting to fighting.
The sentiments of president Ware comes a day after Hiran governor Yusuf Hagar Ahmed who is in Mahas said his administration has been undertaking peace initiatives to iron out tensions between two clans.
The governor said he is committed to ending recurrent clan festivities in the region.
"We have been undertaking initiatives to stabilize the region. The first phase of our plan will be implemented in Mahas town where we want to start peace negotiations," he said.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/27/2018 00:00 ||
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[RADIOSHABELLE] At least four Kenya coppers have been injured in Mandera town after unknown assailants hurled a grenade at a security checkpoint.
The attack took place at 3 pm Tuesday afternoon, according to Mandera County Commissioner Kutswa Olaka.
"We have so far confirmed injuries of four officers after the attackers threw a grenade at a security checkpoint," he said.
The assailant reportedly fled from the scene shortly after the attack.
Kutswa said the officers are now recuperating at Mandera County referral hospital.
The commissioner confirmed that investigations are currently underway said the four border patrol coppers were manning border point 4 when the attackers hurled a grenade at them.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/27/2018 00:00 ||
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[PRESSTV] 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... Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ...Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia as of 2016.... has "every right" to succeed his ailing father into power, says Russian Deputy Prime Minister Mikhail Bogdanov, warning the United States against interfering with the embattled prince's right to rule the kingdom. Oh. Um... Okay.
Bogdanov, who is also President Vladimir Putin ...President-for-Life of Russia. He gets along well with other presidents for life. He is credited with bringing political stability and re-establishing something like the rule of law, which occasionally results in somebody dropping dead from poisoning by polonium or other interesting substance. Under Putin, a new group of business magnates controlling significant swathes of Russia's economy has emerged, all of whom have close personal ties to him. The old bunch, without close personal ties to Putin, are in jail or in exile or dead from poisoning by polonium or other interesting substances... 's envoy to the Middle East, said Tuesday it was up to Riyadh to decide what was next for bin Salman when King Salman ...either the largest species of Pacific salmon or the current Sheikh of the Burnin' Sands, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and Lord of Most of the Arabians.... , 82, dies.
"Of course we are against interference. The Saudi people and leadership must decide such questions themselves," Mikhail Bogdanov said in an interview in Moscow, according to Bloomberg.
Bin Salman became Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler last year in an untraditional manner, replacing Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, the late Saudi king's son.
Wary of getting bogged down in a power struggle, bin Salman soon launched a widespread crackdown against other royals to cement his grip on power.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/27/2018 00:00 ||
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Top|| File under: Govt of Saudi Arabia
[Dhaka Tribune] Over the last four years, Islami Andolan Bangladesh ...a minor Islamist party which in the days of Bangla Bhai served as a recruiting agency for the JMB... (IAB) has emerged as a political power in the country.
Using a "move alone" philosophy, the Islamist political organization has been steadily and silently climbing up the political ladder. They are now arguably the strongest Islamic party in Bangladesh.
After staying out of the 2014 general election, the party has fielded 298 candidates for the upcoming polls on December 30; more than any other party. Previously, the IAB fielded 167 candidates who bagged 658,254 votes in 2008, and the party nominated just three candidates under its hand fan symbol in 2001, who earned 5,944 votes.
The IAB was founded under the name Islami Shasontontro Andolon by the late Maulana Syed Muhammad Fazlul Karim, who was a Barisal based pir (spiritual leader), on March 13, 1987. The name was changed to IAB after the Election Commission did not allow them to register under the original name.
The primary aim of the organization is to establish Islamic law in Bangladesh. In this regard, the IAB has long been a rival of the country’s other Islamic party and BNP-led 20-party alliance member Jamaat-e-Islami ...The Islamic Society, founded in 1941 in Lahore by Maulana Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi, aka The Great Apostosizer. The Jamaat opposed the independence of Bangladesh but has operated an independent branch there since 1975. It maintains close ties with international Mohammedan groups such as the Moslem Brotherhood. the Taliban, and al-Qaeda. The Jamaat's objectives are the establishment of a pure Islamic state, governed by Sharia law. It is distinguished by its xenophobia, and its opposition to Westernization, capitalism, socialism, secularism, and liberalist social mores... Bangladesh.
According a big shot of IAB, the party has enjoyed a level playing field for election preparation over the last four years. Law enforcement agencies did not bar them from holding any political programs, with the exception of the time when the IAB tried to surround the Myanmar and US embassies after the Rohingya crisis began.
However, if you can't say something nice about a person some juicy gossip will go well... an IAB delegation led by Senior Joint Secretary General ATM Hemayet Uddin submitted a complaint to the Election Commission on Monday, claiming that activists and supporters of the ruling Awami League-led alliance were now obstructing their political programs as the election was edging closer.
IAB Ameer and Charmonair Pir Mufti Syed Muhammad Rezaul Karim said: "Activists and supporters of the ruling alliance are trying to stop the IAB from reaching the people, but their efforts will go in vain. No one can stop the rise of IAB by attacking us."
Meanwhile, ...back at the Senate, Tremulus continued with his speech against Varius and his cohorts, watching as his colleagues dropped off to sleep one by one... representatives of the BNP-Jamaat have been making similar allegations of obstruction by ruling alliance supporters for far longer.
Both the IAB and the Awami League have denied rumours that there is a strong connection between the parties, with the aim of making IAB a counterpart to BNP’s Jamaat.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/27/2018 00:00 ||
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[Dhaka Tribune] A level playing field is all that BNP and its electoral alliance partners asked for.
With the polling date just round the corner, the alliance (Jatiya Oikya Front) leaders now consider they are not getting a fair deal as far as a congenial election environment is concerned.
This raises worries in the minds of the public about a possible pull out by the Front from the race.
But talking to the Dhaka Tribune on Wednesday, some of the key opposition functionaries made it clear that a poll boycott is something not in their agenda.
In the same breath, they said it will largely depend on the Election Commission how things shape up in run up to the December 30 parliamentary polls but, they would remain in the poll battle till the end.
Jatiya Oikya Front leaders, who have been complaining of wholesale arrests and harassments of their leaders and workers across the country and finding difficulties in carrying out election campaigns, on Wednesday sought the President’s assistance in getting rid of the current chief election commissioner (CEC) through an ’unbiased’ replacement.
The development came a day after the alliance leaders had walked out of a meeting with the CEC and other Commissioners after failing to get any serious response to their allegations of law enforcers playing a partisan role.
They claimed, since announcement of election schedule, as many as 43,766 BNP men were jugged Yez got nuttin' on me, coppers! Nuttin'! in numerous old cases as well as in 269 new cases. Besides, some of the opposition MP candidates also received injuries in the polls violence.
The platform led by eminent jurist Dr Kamal Hossain is now trying hard to remain in the poll battle ignoring constant alleged attacks and harassments by law enforcers and ruling party cadres. It still hoping against hope and expecting a level playing field as the election is approaching fast.
The leaders claimed that they were promised of level playing field and an end to harassment from the EC and the ruling Awami League, but the harassment continues against the opposition men, while the ruling candidates are electioneering in full swing, even with police support in many areas.
Against this backdrop, top alliance leaders say they are monitoring the activities of the Election Commission to decide on whether it will continue the poll battle or not.
Now, many of the alliance’s MP’s feel insecure and not being able to run their electioneering, they alleged that they are more concerned of their personal safety and pursuing poll campaigns have become secondary to them.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/27/2018 00:00 ||
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[10 News - CNN story] President Donald Trump made his first visit to a war zone on Wednesday, receiving an enthusiastic reception from many US troops there -- some of whom may have run afoul of military rules. Deplorable traitors, right, CNN?
Video footage and the written report of Trump's visit with service members in Iraq showed the President signing "Make America Great Again" hats and an embroidered patch that read "Trump 2020."
But troops' requests for the autographs could brush up against Department of Defense guidelines for political activities. Uh huh. Because they didn't adore teh Lightbringer.
Those guidelines say that "active duty personnel may not engage in partisan political activities and all military personnel should avoid the inference that their political activities imply or appear to imply DoD sponsorship, approval, or endorsement of a political candidate, campaign, or cause."
US military authorities in the coalition did not immediately respond to CNN's request for comment.
Retired Rear Adm. John Kirby, a former Obama administration smarmy lying tool spokesperson and a CNN analyst BIRM
said on CNN's "The Situation Room" on Wednesday that service members having Trump sign the items was inappropriate.
"It is in fact a campaign slogan, that is a campaign item, and it is completely inappropriate for the troops to do this," Kirby said.
Kirby assigned some blame to Trump himself for political activity around the military: "Every time he's around military audiences, he tends to politicize it, and he brings in complaints and grievances from outside the realm of military policy."
Posted by: Frank G ||
12/27/2018 00:00 ||
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#4
Get Bent, smarmy lying tool Kirby. And CNN as well.
Posted by: Whiskey Mike ||
12/27/2018 8:48 Comments ||
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#5
Rear Adm. John Kirby. The Magical Mulatto Mullah's clone.
Kirby served as the U.S. Navy's chief of misinformation, serving as the principal spokesman for the Department of the Navy and providing strategic communication counsel to the Secretary of the Navy and the Chief of Naval Operations. As the Navy's Chief of Information (CHINFO).
[DAWN] Oil rebounded from recent losses on Wednesday, gaining more than 1 per cent on perceptions that the price slide to 2017 lows prompted by economic worries has gone too far, too fast.
Crude has been caught up in wider financial market weakness as the US government shutdown, higher US interest rates and the US-China trade dispute unnerved investors and exacerbated worries over global growth.
Brent crude, the global benchmark, was up $1.51, or 3pc, to $52 as of 11:00am EST (1600 GMT). It earlier fell to $49.93, lowest since July 2017, after a 6.2pc slide in the previous session. US crude was up gained $1.79, or 4.2pc, to $44.31.
"I think there is a little bit of over-extension to the downside linked to global market fears," said Olivier Jakob, analyst at Petromatrix.
The head of Russian oil company Rosneft, Igor Sechin, predicted an oil price of $50-$53 in 2019, a long way south of the four-year high of $86 for Brent crude reached earlier this year.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/27/2018 00:00 ||
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[IsraelTimes] The Paleostinians are once again seeking to win full membership at the United Nations ...the Oyster Bay money pit... , a move that will certainly be blocked by a US veto.
Citing reports, Israel’s mission to the UN in New York says the Paleostinians are asking the UN Security Council to vote on full membership for the "State of Paleostine" on January 15, in the framework of the council’s regular discussion on the situation in the Middle East.
Since 2012, Paleostine has non-member state observer status at the UN. Several attempts to get full membership status have been blocked by the US. A US veto would be required if nine or more of the council’s 15 members vote in favor of the Paleostinian bid.
[Dhaka Tribune] President Donald Trump ...New York real estate developer, described by Dems as illiterate, racist, misogynistic, and what ever other unpleasant descriptions they can think of, elected by the rest of us as 45th President of the United States... made a surprise Christmas visit to US troops in Iraq on Wednesday, his first trip to a conflict zone nearly two years into his presidency and days after announcing a pullout of American troops from neighboring Syria.
Trump was looking for some positive headlines after several days of turmoil over his decisions to withdraw the 2,000 US troops in Syria, pull out half of the 14,000-strong contingent in Afghanistan, and push out Defense Secretary James Mattis two months earlier than planned for criticizing his policies.
Accompanied by first lady Melania Trump and speaking at the Al Asad Air Base west of Baghdad, Trump defended the withdrawal from Syria and said it was made possible by the defeat of Islamic State ...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're 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 the pols talk they're not really Moslems.... hard boys.
"Our presence in Syria was not open ended and it was never intended to be permanent," he told troops wearing camouflage fatigues in a hangar at the base. He said some troops "can now return home to their families."
Many Republican and Democratic politicians have heaped scorn on Trump over his Syria policy, saying the fight against Islamic State is far from over and the withdrawal leaves allies in the lurch.
One of those critics was Mattis, who said in a candid resignation letter last week that his views did not align with Trump’s, particularly on the treatment of US allies.
Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) ‐ An Iraqi military expert has said that U.S. President Donald Trump ...New York real estate developer, described by Dems as illiterate, racist, misogynistic, and what ever other unpleasant descriptions they can think of, elected by the rest of us as 45th President of the United States... ’s decision to withdraw American troops from Syria will help Iraq to keep a tight grip on the border with Syria, where the Islamic State ...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're 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 the pols talk they're not really Moslems.... gunnies are still active.
Speaking to Arabic-language Almaalomah news website, Safaa al-A’sam said the U.S. troop withdrawal from Syria "will give Iraq the chance to fight terrorist gangs scattered on the joint border (with Syria) and eliminate 3,000 Islamic State terrorists."
A’sam further pointed out that the U.S. was always reluctant to allow Iraq to launch Arclight airstrikes or artillery shelling on the positions of Islamic State inside the Syrian territories.
"The U.S. army has established more than 14 military bases in Iraq, including two under-construction bases in al-Khazar in djinn-infested Mosul ... the home of a particularly ferocious and hairy djinn... and another in al-Tanf in al-Anbar," the expert concluded.
Last week, Trump ordered the withdrawal of 2,000 American troops from Syria, bringing a sudden end to a military campaign thon the lamly vanquished the Islamic State.
Posted by: trailing wife ||
12/27/2018 00:00 ||
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“Hey, Abbas! Thanks for not talking to us — keep doing that for a while, OK? We really need to build another 50,000 units.”
[IsraelTimes] The Defense Ministry body responsible for authorizing settlement construction advances plans for over 800 West Bank homes, capping off a two-day session that sees the green-lighting of nearly 2,200 homes.
Of the 839 homes okayed by the Civil Administration’s High Planning Subcommittee in 25 different plans, 352 gain final approval for construction while 407 homes have their plans cleared through an earlier planning stage known as “deposit.”
Yesterday, 1,352 homes were okayed by the High Planning Subcommittee, with 807 gaining final approval for construction and 545 clearing the earlier planning stage.
In total 2,191 settlement homes are advanced this week, of which 1,038 gain final building approval for construction.
[Dhaka Tribune] As the war in Syria enters its final phase, a victorious Bashar al Assad has started to clean up evidence of his brutal crimes against humanity.
During the ruthless civil war, anyone opposed to the regime who was not immediately neutralized was locked up in the notorious Seyedna Prison, where between 10,000 to 20,000 inmates were known to be held.
Now Assad cannot possibly allow these people to be released with most having witnessed first-hand his tactics of wiping out entire families of protestors, so instead he has simply accelerated the executions of the prisoners to an industrial level to leave no witnesses whatsoever.
Continued on Page 49
Posted by: Fred ||
12/27/2018 00:00 ||
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[PRESSTV] Israel is intending to instigate a war in the region in order to distract public opinion from its internal problems, says an activist, warning however that any attack on Syria or Leb will be the end of the "Zionist entity."
The comments were made with regard to the interception of Israeli missiles by Syrian air defense systems overnight.
Syria’s official SANA news agency cited a military source as saying on Tuesday that the Israeli missiles had fired via the Lebanese airspace, and that most of them had been downed before hitting their targets.
|Just two days ago, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that US President Donald Trump ...New York real estate developer, described by Dems as illiterate, racist, misogynistic, and what ever other unpleasant descriptions they can think of, elected by the rest of us as 45th President of the United States... ’s decision to withdraw American troops from Syria will not affect the Tel Aviv regime’s policy toward the war-torn country.
"It is not surprising the Zionists are doing this. They want to provoke a war. They need a war; they desperately need a war because they need to distract [attention] from all the other problems that they have and they need to provide a cover for a distraction in the media for their Arab allies," Shabbir Hassanally told Press TV in an interview on Wednesday.
"Having said that, I believe that the Syrian government and the Syrian army and the resistance are very capable of repelling any of these attacks. In fact, I believe the Israelis are aware that any future adventure, be it in Leb or be it in Syria, for the Zionists or even for the Americans, is going to be far from a picnic and they will suffer a lot... I am pretty confident [that] if the Zionists are stupid enough to make an attack on Syria or Leb an active war, then that will be the end of the Zionist entity. They will be signing their own death warrant," he added.
Also on November 30, Syrian air defenses were activated against several Israeli missiles, which were aimed at the city of al-Kiswah, located approximately 13 kilometers south of Damascus.
The Israeli attack was foiled despite the intensity of the aggression, Syrian state media reported at the time.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/27/2018 00:00 ||
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Top|| File under: Govt of Iran
#1
"This just in: Shabbir Hassanally violated, film at 11"
Posted by: Frank G ||
12/27/2018 6:19 Comments ||
Top||
#2
All those other times Israel was able to strike targets in Syria and Lebanon? Ignore those. The NEXT time will be their death warrant!
Posted by: Rob Crawford ||
12/27/2018 10:18 Comments ||
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#3
And if not the next time, then the next, next, next time!
#6
This Shabbir Hassanally is a pretty prolific islamic fundamentalist. A dedicated jihadist, big fan of Ayatollah Khamenei. And for good measure, hates both Israel and Saudi Arabia.
[PRESSTV] Syria has strongly condemned Israel’s recent missile strike near the capital Damascus as a blatant violation of a United Nations ...the Oyster Bay money pit... resolution, adding that Tel Aviv would not have been able to carry out such attacks without support from the United States.
In two separate letters addressed to the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and the head of the UN Security Council, the Syrian Foreign Ministry on Wednesday condemned the attack as a violation of UN Security Council Resolution 350, which called for a ceasefire between Israel and Syria in the wake of the Yom Kippur War.
The Foreign Ministry accused Israel of seeking to prolong the crisis in Syria, noting that such strikes are tantamount to what ISIS and other terrorist groups are doing in Syria.
Syria once again asks the Security Council to fulfill its responsibilities in keeping international peace and security and adopting firm measures to prevent the repetition of the Israeli attacks, the ministry concluded.
Meanwhile, ...back at the cheese factory, all the pieces finally fell together in Fluffy's mind... Leb's Foreign Ministry also condemned the Arclight airstrike and affirmed Syria's right to defend its illusory sovereignty.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the ministry asked the international community to denounce the aggression and counter the Israeli violation of Leb's airspace to conduct strikes against its neighbor, Syria.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/27/2018 00:00 ||
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[IsraelTimes] Source says Tuesday Arclight airstrikes hit site being used to transfer weapons to Hezbollah terror group as well as anti-aircraft battery
An Israeli security official confirmed Wednesday that Israel carried out an overnight airstrike in Syria, saying a series of Iranian targets were hit.
The official said the airstrike hit Iranian storage and logistic targets being used to transfer weapons to the Hezbollah terror group. The official said Israel also took out a Syrian anti-aircraft battery near Damascus that fired at the Israeli warplanes.
The official spoke on condition of anonymity under standard security protocols. The Israeli military has not commented on the incident.
Earlier Wednesday, Russia criticized the airstrikes, saying they had endangered civilian flights. The Israeli official said, however, that Israel alerted Russia about the airstrikes ahead of time.
Israel has previously confirmed carrying out scores of airstrikes in Syria, mostly believed to be aimed at suspected weapons shipments to Hezbollah.
"We will not abide an Iranian entrenchment in Syria," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is also the defense minister, said at a graduation ceremony for fresh Israeli Air Force pilots at the Hatzerim air base in the south earlier Wednesday.
"We are taking action against it aggressively and powerfully, including in these very days," he said.
According to Syrian state media, the strikes began around 10 p.m. Tuesday and were carried out by Israel from Leb. It said Syria’s air defenses opened fire on "enemy targets," shooting them down.
The Britannia-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a war monitor, said Tuesday’s Israeli strike targeted three positions south of Damascus that are arms depots for Leb’s Hezbollah terror group and Iranian forces.
Newsweek reported Wednesday morning that the alleged Israeli airstrike hit several senior Hezbollah officials as they boarded a plane bound for Iran, citing a US Defense Department source. The unnamed source told the magazine he had received the information from top Israeli military brass.
He said strategic Iranian munitions were also targeted, including advanced GPS components for weaponry.
However, a clean conscience makes a soft pillow... that report was later denied by Leb’s al-Mayadeen, widely regarded as pro-Hezbollah, which said no senior members of the terror group were hurt.
Syrian media said Wednesday morning that Israel hit a base used by Hezbollah in al-Dimas, a weapons depot at a base belonging to the Syrian army’s 4th division in Sabura and the military’s 10th Division command in Qatana.
Israel said Tuesday it deployed it’s own air defenses against a missile fired from Syria as Damascus attempted to repel the alleged airstrikes. The Israel Defense Forces said there was no damage or injuries from the surface-to-air missile fired from Syria at Israel.
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12/27/2018 00:00 ||
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[Rudaw] A withdrawal of American ground forces in Syria will give The Sick Man of Europe Turkey ...Qatar's colony in Asia Minor.... freer rein to target Washington's Kurdish partners in the fight against jihadists but analysts doubt Ankara's capacity to "eradicate" the Islamic State ...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're 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 the pols talk they're not really Moslems.... myrmidon group.
Continued on Page 49
Posted by: trailing wife ||
12/27/2018 00:00 ||
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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.
[PRESSTV] Iran’s top security official has confirmed that the country has been holding talks with the Afghan 
Somalia's version of the Taliban, functioning as an arm of al-Qaeda...
Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia as of 2016....
...either the largest species of Pacific salmon or the current Sheikh of the Burnin' Sands, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and Lord of Most of the Arabians....
[10 News - CNN story] President Donald Trump made his first visit to a war zone on Wednesday, receiving an enthusiastic reception from many US troops there -- some of whom may have run afoul of military rules.
[Dhaka Tribune] President 
