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Chess

Eh, No! Sweden smacks down top brass scheming to align with NATO


Sputnik
Fri, 17 Mar 2017 14:40 UTC
Swedish aircraft
© AFP 2017/ Petras Malukas
Earlier this week, two of Sweden's top military officers came up with a proposal on "treaty-bound" defense obligations, which non-aligned Sweden currently lacks. As a result, Swedish Supreme Commander Micael Bydén came under fire for breaking Sweden's established policy of non-alignment and drawing the Nordic county into NATO.

In the proposal set forth by the Supreme Commander of the Swedish Armed Forces Micael Bydén and Chief of Staff Dennis Gyllensporre, the government's attention is brought to the merits of NATO-style "treaty-bound defense obligations." Despite the somewhat confusing wording, Swedish army bosses made no secret of what was actually meant.

"NATO is an example of a treaty-bound multilateral cooperation," Rear Admiral Jonas Haggren told the Swedish daily Svenska Dagbladet.
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Chess

Japan proposing common electronic currency as part of package for joint economic projects with Russia on Kuril Islands


RT
Fri, 17 Mar 2017 11:17 UTC
Russian Kuril Island
© Yuri Maltsev / Reuters The Pacific Ocean near the Island of Kunashir, one of four islands known as the Southern Kurils in Russia
Tokyo has prepared a range of offers to Moscow for joint economic projects on Russia's Kuril Islands, according to Japan's national broadcaster NHK.

The package of proposals, including tourism and fisheries, as well as a common electronic currency, will be presented during the Russia-Japan consultations on March 18 in Tokyo.

According to NHK, the new regional currency could be used instead of the Russian ruble and the Japanese yen and is expected to contribute to the development of the southern Kurils and the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido.

Comment: Economic agreements between Russia and Japan could avert Japanese crisis

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Eye 1

Trump's budget cuts State Dept, keeps foreign aid of $3.1billion to Israel, silent on other countries


RT
Fri, 17 Mar 2017 09:12 UTC
U.S. President Donald Trump (R) greets Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
© Kevin Lamarque / ReutersU.S. President Donald Trump (R) greets Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
President Donald Trump's new budget cuts deep into several agencies, including the State Department, but he is asking Congress to boost US military spending and leave $3.1 billion in foreign aid to Israel intact.

On Thursday, Trump unveiled his budget proposal for fiscal year 2018, which outlines a massive increase in military spending, while slashing funding for many other agencies and funding for foreign aid in order to "free up funding for critical priorities here at home and put America first."

The president is asking Congress to reduce funding for the Department of State and USAID by $10.1 billion, or 28 percent, while maintaining the current foreign aid levels to Israel.

The blueprint released by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) "provides $3.1 billion to meet the security assistance commitment to Israel, currently at an all-time high [sic]; ensuring that Israel has the ability to defend itself from threats and maintain its Qualitative Military Edge."

Comment: See also: US aid package makes it cheap for Israel to start a war

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Star of David

Syrian forces shoot down Israeli warplane targeting Syrian Army near Palmyra

H. Said
Syrian Arab News Agency
Fri, 17 Mar 2017 13:49 UTC
Israeli Fighter Jet in Syria
© UnknownIsraeli Fighter Jet in Syria
The General Command of the Army and the Armed Forced announced on Friday that the Syrian air defense downed one of four Israeli warplanes that violated the Syrian airspace and targeted a military site in the eastern countryside of Homs.

According to a statement by the Command, the four Israeli aircrafts violated the Syrian airspace in al-Breij area through the Lebanese territories at 2:40 am.

The Israeli warplanes targeted a military site near Palmyra in the eastern countryside of Homs, said the Army's Command, confirming that the Syria air defense forces confronted the enemy's aircrafts and shot down one of them inside the occupied territories, hit another and forced the other two to withdraw.

Comment: Sputnik reports that the Israelis were targeting the Syrian Army as they liberated areas near Palmyra - no doubt in support of their 'ISIS terrorist gangs':
Col. Samir Suleiman, head of the Syrian Army's information service, clarified that the IDF's intended targets were Syrian Army positions in the mountains near Palmyra. He also confirmed that the Israeli warplanes were F-16s, which entered Syrian airspace from over Lebanese airspace near the city of Al-Nebek in the region of al-Barij. [...]

The officer indicated that the Syrian military had made significant progress in efforts to liberate territory in the vicinity of Palmyra from Daesh (ISIL/ISIS) on Thursday evening. As far as the Syrian military's further plans against Israeli attacks are concerned, Suleiman noted that a decision on this issue could only be taken by the country's military command.

Speaking to Sputnik Arabic about the implications of Friday morning's events, Syrian military observer Col. Mohammed Isa said that unfortunately, the IDF attack effectively confirmed Israel's support for Daesh. Isa based his assertion on the fact that apart from the terrorists, there are no other anti-government forces operating in the area around Palmyra, the ancient city which was recently liberated from the extremists.


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Bad Guys

US confirms airstrikes near Syria's Idlib that left 100 civilians wounded, 42 killed


Sputnik
Fri, 17 Mar 2017 13:49 UTC
US Air Force
© REUTERS/ U.S. Air Force/Senior Airman Matthew Bruch/Handout
The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed an airstrike in the area of Idlib in Syria on Thursday amid reports of mass casualties when a mosque was hit during service.

The US military can confirm it conducted an airstrike near Idlib in Syria on Thursday, CENTCOM spokesperson Andy Stephens told Sputnik.

"We can confirm that we conducted a strike in the area of Idlib earlier today," Stephens stated. "Due to the recent time of this airstrike, I don't have any additional details. Please understand that we take every precaution to prevent and mitigate civilian casualties, so we take every allegation seriously."

Comment: RFE/RL confirms that 100 civilian casualties have been reported when the US bombed a mosque full of of worshippers:
"The raids by unidentified warplanes targeted a mosque in Aleppo province during evening prayers, killing 42 people, most of them civilians," Rahman said.

He added that more than 100 people were injured, with many still trapped in the rubble of the collapsed mosque in the village of Al-Jineh, about 30 kilometers west of Aleppo.

First responders and local activists said at least 35 people were killed.

The mosque was full of worshippers at evening prayers when the jets struck, the observatory said.
Further reading:

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Treasure Chest

Saudi king lavishes golden sabre and Rolex watches on Indonesian officials


RT
Fri, 17 Mar 2017 14:41 UTC
King Salman of Saudi Arabia
© Beawiharta / Reuters
Officials in Indonesia have revealed the Saudi monarchy's penchant for lavish gifts, reporting that King Salman Abdulaziz Al Saud bestowed authorities with gold Rolex watches, ballpoint pens, and an Arabian sabre on his arrival.

The Saudi king arrived in Indonesia on March 1 as part of a tour that has seen him visit seven countries, including Japan and China.

Staying three days in Jakarta and nine days holidaying in Bali, the Saudi royal spent 300 billion rupiah ($22 million), Malaysia's Star Online reports, citing a Bali tourism agency.

King Salman's grandiose outlay also extends to opulent gifts, with an Indonesian anti-corruption agency releasing a list of gifted items, including Rolex watches, luxury pens, gold and diamond rings.
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Stock Up

Business as usual? Trump picks Boeing executive for Mattis deputy as Pentagon gets budget boost


RT
Fri, 17 Mar 2017 14:38 UTC
An MV-22 Osprey
© Christopher Lindahl / ReutersAn MV-22 Osprey
President Donald Trump has named six new senior officials at the Department of Defense, personally recommended by Secretary James Mattis. Among them is a Boeing executive who previously oversaw army aviation and missile defense programs.

If confirmed by the Senate, Patrick Shanahan will replace Robert Work as Deputy Secretary of Defense. He most recently managed supply chain and operations at Boeing and was credited with saving the troubled 787 Dreamliner program. He previously managed Boeing's Missile Defense Systems and Rotorcraft Systems, the division responsible for military transport and combat helicopters such as the V-22 Osprey, the CH-47 Chinook, and the AH-64D Apache.

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Star of David

Netanyahu reiterates commitment to rebuild demolished West Bank settlement


RT
Fri, 17 Mar 2017 14:05 UTC
West Bank settlements
© Ammar Awad / Reuters
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reiterated his promise to build a new West Bank settlement for residents of an outpost declared illegal and demolished by a Supreme Court order last month.


Comment: All the settlements are illegal under international law.


"To the settlers of Amona, I repeat, I gave you a commitment to build a new settlement and I will honor my commitment," Netanyahu said on Thursday ahead of a meeting with Jason Greenblatt, US President Donald Trump's chief Middle East negotiator, according to Reuters.

The Amona settlement, built on privately owned Palestinian land in 1995, was demolished last month following the Israeli Supreme Court ruling.
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Jet3

US admits strike on 'Al-Qaeda meeting' in Syria amid reports of deadly mosque attack nearby, Russia urges US comment


RT
Fri, 17 Mar 2017 14:02 UTC
debris following a reported airstrike on a mosque in the village of Al-Jineh in Aleppo province
© Omar haj kadour / AFP A general view shows the debris following a reported airstrike on a mosque in the village of Al-Jineh in Aleppo province, March 16, 2017.
Dozens of worshipers have reportedly been killed in an airstrike on a mosque in Syria's Aleppo province. While the Pentagon only admitted to striking terrorists several miles away in Idlib, some reports suggest US missile debris were recovered from the mosque's rubble.

Details of the strike on the Al-Jinah mosque are scarce, but over 50 people might have been killed in the incident, according to various reports. Images from the scene shared on social media show the wide-scale destruction.
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Jet3

US warplanes bomb mosque full of Syrian worshipers, at least 42 civilians killed


PressTV
Fri, 17 Mar 2017 13:56 UTC
Syria Mosque United States airstrike
© AFPSyrians dig through the rubble of a mosque following a US airstrike on a mosque in the village of al-Jineh in Aleppo Province on March 16, 2017.
At least 42 Syrian civilians have lost their lives when US warplanes bombed a mosque full of worshipers overnight in a village west of Aleppo.

More than 100 people were also wounded in the air raid on the village of al-Jineh, just over 30 km west of Aleppo, the so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on Friday.

The head of the London-based observatory Rami Abdel Rahman said the raids targeted the mosque during evening prayers.

The US military confirmed that it had carried out a deadly airstrike in northern Syria and would investigate reports that civilians were killed when a mosque was struck in the raid.

The observatory said many people were still trapped under the collapsed mosque as rescue workers struggled to pull survivors from rubble, and dozens of residents were still unaccounted for.
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