Author: Mideast discourse

A US Treasury official reportedly argued that attempts to damage the Russian economy are being hampered. US officials have warned Türkiye and the United Arab Emirates against maintaining economic and financial ties with Russia because trade is undermining sanctions, Bloomberg reported on Friday, citing people with knowledge of the matter. The warnings were reportedly voiced by Brian Nelson, the undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence at the US Treasury, during meetings with Turkish officials on Thursday and Friday. Nelson’s visit to Türkiye comes as part of a regional tour that included the UAE earlier this week, and is said to…

British armed forces have been “hollowed out by spending cuts,” General Richard Barrons has said The UK could deplete its ammunition stocks in mere hours should it be drawn into large-scale fighting, a former British commander warned on Thursday. This and other issues make the UK military unfit to be regarded as a “top tier” NATO member, he said. Retired General Richard Barrons, who formerly headed the UK’s Joint Forces Command, sounded the alarm in an op-ed published by The Sun in which he said the fighting force has been “hollowed out by spending cuts.” Barrons claimed that the British armed forces “are smaller…

China has hit back at US accusations over the balloon sighted flying over the United States, saying that the balloon is a civilian meteorological “airship” used for scientific research purposes. In a statement late on Friday, the Chinese foreign ministry confirmed that “the airship is from China and is civilian in nature, used for meteorological and other scientific research. Due to the influence of westerly winds and its limited control capability, the airship deviated from its intended course.” The statement came after US officials accused China of allowing a “spy” balloon to fly over the United States, resulting in the postponement…

The Palestinian Hamas resistance movement has condemned in the strongest terms the decision by Sudan’s foreign ministry to move forward towards normalizing relations with Israel during talks with visiting foreign minister Eli Cohen in Khartoum, calling upon officials in the North African country to reverse the measure. “Hamas believes that this move contradicts the general Sudanese stance, which is against the normalization of ties with the occupying Israeli regime and lends support to the just Palestinian cause,” the Gaza-based group said in a statement released on Friday. “The development comes at the same time as the far-right Israeli administration has intensified…

By: Arnaud Develay, international Human Rights Lawyer Arms trafficking by Ukrainian gangs has made it possible to diversify stocks placed on the market at unbeatable prices in the countries of the European Union. Through an unprecedented outpouring of solidarity (especially with regard to the management of the health crisis), Europe has sent massive arms to Ukraine. Weapons that will undoubtedly end up killing Pierre, Jacques, Anne, even you or me. The road to Hell is paved with good intentions. This is the boomerang effect already seen through the ridiculous imposition of “sanctions trains”: Before releasing 100 million euros to equip…

Lloyd Austin says Moscow’s massive military has not helped it prevail in Ukraine US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has lauded Russia’s armed forces and weaponry on Saturday – but added, however, that such military might has not enabled Moscow to achieve victory in the Ukraine conflict. “You know, the Russians have a massive military and impressive weapons,” but this “hasn’t helped them prevail in a campaign of conquest and cruelty,” Austin claimed, speaking at the Halifax International Security Forum in Canada on Saturday. According to the official, “it’s about the cause,” as well as “those who fight for it.” The…

The airstrikes came after the recent attack in Istanbul The Turkish Air Force has struck a number of targets linked to Kurdish groups in northern Syria and Iraq, the country’s defense minister, Hulusi Akar, said on Sunday. The raids followed last week’s deadly terrorist attack in downtown Istanbul, Türkiye’s most populous city. “Terrorists’ shelters, bunkers, caves, tunnels, and warehouses were successfully destroyed,” Akar said, adding that “the so-called headquarters of the terrorist organization were also hit and destroyed.” Overall, the Defense Ministry claimed that the strikes hit nearly 90 targets, which it said were connected to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and the…

As of Sunday, the US has its first octogenarian president Joe Biden turned 80 years old on Sunday, becoming the first US president to serve into his ninth decade. While Biden’s advanced age and apparent cognitive difficulties have made him the target of Republican attacks, the combined leadership of both parties is older than ever. Biden will celebrate his birthday with a brunch hosted by First Lady Jill Biden, and members of his family already in Washington for his granddaughter’s wedding on Saturday are expected to attend. While Biden is already the oldest person ever to serve as president, his…

The US Justice Department informs the Israeli occupation that the FBI has opened an investigation into the murder of Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu Akleh. Israeli officials confirmed on Monday that the US Justice Department informed its Israeli counterpart that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has opened an investigation into the murder of Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh. In response, Israeli occupation Security Minister Benny Gantz described the FBI’s decision as “a grave mistake”, adding that “Israel” will not cooperate in this regard. “The US Justice Department decision to investigate the tragic death of Shireen Abu Akleh is a grave…

Some members of Congress want to turn Taiwan into a Ukraine-style “formidable military force” US lawmakers are seeking to flood Taiwan with as much American weaponry and military training as possible, the Washington Post reported on the eve of President Joe Biden’s planned face-to-face meeting with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping If successful, the bipartisan effort would enable the Pentagon to tap its own weapons stocks, including Javelin and Stinger missile systems, to accelerate a military buildup in Taiwan, the newspaper wrote on Sunday, citing US officials. The report, however, noted that approval for taxpayer-funded military assistance to Taipei may hinge on…