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UK Foreign Secretary Raab basically tells Iran only Britain is allowed to illegally detain tankers, no swap

Guy Faulconbridge
Reuters
Thu, 01 Aug 2019 18:02 UTC
Dominic Raab
© Dan Kitwood/Pool via REUTERS
Dominic Raab is seen at the Foreign and Commonwealth building after being appointed as the Foreign Secretary by Britain's new Prime Minister Boris Johnson in London, Britain, July 24, 2019.
Britain on Thursday ruled out exchanging an Iranian tanker detained by Gibraltar for a British-flagged tanker seized by Iran in the Gulf.

"We are not going to barter: if people or nations have detained UK-flagged illegally then the rule of law and rule of international law must be upheld," Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said while on a trip to Bangkok.


Comment: Raab should read that back to himself very, very slowly!


"We are not going to barter a ship that was detained legally with a ship that was detained illegally: that's not the way that Iran will come in from the cold," he said. "So I am afraid some kind of barter or haggle or linkage is not on the table."

Tensions have spiked between Iran and Britain since after Iranian commandos seized a British-flagged tanker last month. That came after British forces captured an Iranian oil tanker near Gibraltar, accused of violating sanctions on Syria.
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Yoda

Trump's DNI nominee Ratcliffe is intent on getting to bottom of Russiagate

Ray McGovern
Consortium News
Thu, 01 Aug 2019 17:09 UTC
Rep John Ratcliffe
© CNN.com
Rep. John Ratcliffe
Shortly before President Donald Trump announced he had nominated Rep. John Ratcliffe (R-TX) to replace Dan Coats as director of national intelligence, Ratcliffe made it clear he intends to hit the deck running on the "crimes" behind Russiagate.

"What I do know as a former federal prosecutor is it does appear that there were crimes committed during the Obama administration," Ratcliffe told Fox News' Maria Bartiromo. Mincing few words, he claimed the Democrats "accused Donald Trump of a crime and then tried to reverse engineer a process to justify that accusation."

It's an extravagant claim. But it is also true, and the proof is in the pudding of which we should have a steady diet in the months to come.
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Bad Guys

Iran delenda est: Israel's desire to go to war with Iran and Trump's appeasement

Stephen J. Sniegoski
The UNZ review
Thu, 25 Jul 2019 12:00 UTC
us iran
After Carthage had been significantly weakened by Rome in the Second Punic War (218 to 201 BC), Cato the Elder, a leading Roman senator, is said to have ended all his speeches with the words: "Carthago delenda est!" ("Carthage must be destroyed!"). This destruction ultimately took place in the Third Punic War (149-146 BC). A somewhat similar situation exists today in the United States, where war hawks demand that Iran-which in no way could effectively attack the United States, or even conquer America's Middle East so-called allies — be stripped of its ability to protect itself.

Of course, what makes the American situation different from ancient Rome's is that Rome sought to eliminate Carthage for its own interests whereas the United States is largely acting to advance the military interests of Israel (and to a lesser extent Saudi Arabia) because of the immense power of the Israel lobby in the United States. In short, the destruction of Iranian power would enable Israel to solidify its dominance of the Middle East.

An insightful article by James North notes: "Iran in 2019 is no danger to U.S. interests anywhere. . . . The U.S. is squeezing Iran mainly because Israel wants it to. . . . Iran is the only regional power that is deterring him [Netanyahu] from completely annexing the West Bank. Iran is also a major supporter of Hamas, the resistance movement in Gaza."

Comment: See also:

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Info

British warship didn't fire on IRGC capture of oil tanker because Iranians targeted it with multiple missile launchers

Elijah J. Magnier
ejmagnier.com
Wed, 31 Jul 2019 17:25 UTC
stan impero

Iranian IRGC Naval unit onboard of the British-flag tanker “Stena Impero“.
The US officially asked Europe, in particular the UK, France, Germany and Italy, to provide a naval force to patrol and protect ships sailing in the Straits of Hormuz, even if the command and control is handled by the Europeans and not the US. Washington wants to drag the old continent into the front line in case of a military confrontation with Iran. It is well known that the US is behind the existing tension in the Middle East today following its unlawful unilateral withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), known as the nuclear deal. However, to the dismay of the US, Europe has up to now refused to follow the US path. The US would like to see Europe more involved. Although the Trump administration is not looking for war, despite the fact that Iran turned its missiles against the UK Royal Navy HMS Montrose and the US destroyers (when the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps confiscated the British-flag tanker Stena Impero). This is the reason that the British command chose to avoid a military confrontation and decided against a military intervention to protect the tanker.

"I order you not to intervene in my operation. The tanker is under my control. Do not put your life in danger". This is exactly what the Iranian IRGC naval officer told the commander of the Foxtrot 236 when Iranian special forces were about to board the tanker Stena Impero. But why would he warn the British Navy "not to risk their lives"?

The British Navy's radar sweeps had discovered active mode missiles radar tracking them by means of their semi-radar homing from different launch platforms - main radars which could easily create a saturation attack designed to put the ship in a helpless position and eventually destroy it. The Iranian missiles were ready to fire had the commander of the UK vessel decided to engage with the Iranian fast boats.
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Network

Syria and Russia form an experimental unit in fight against terrorists in Idlib

Drago Bosnic
Fort Russ News
Thu, 01 Aug 2019 17:12 UTC
fort russ news
We are witnessing a renewed Syrian offensive in Idlib province from multiple directions. The first phase of the offensive ended with a series of bloody battles, especially for Kafar Nabudah, where both sides engaged their elite units. Despite terrorists suffering heavy losses due to the Syrian Arab Army's superior firepower, the losses of the army itself weren't negligible. The main pressing issue continues to be the terrorist possessing advanced anti-tank missiles, which are still a major obstacle to any rapid advance on part of the SAA. Thanks to these missiles, the advance of even superior SAA forces is greatly slowed. Recent offensives revealed just how pressing and persistent this issue is.

Terrorists in Idlib Province have almost completely switched to the captured or black market-acquired Russian anti-tank systems (mostly via Turkey), due to their superior efficiency in dealing with armored vehicles. Kornet, Metis, Konkurs are all in the arsenal of the large terrorist army in Idlib Province. However, this time the joint Syrian and Russian command actively began to take various forms of action to neutralize the scattered terrorist targets, thus opening the way for the SAA breakthrough units, such as the Tiger Forces.

Comment: See also: Explaining Russia's position on Idlib

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Arrow Up

Nord Stream 2 pipeline to start by end of year at latest - Austria's OMV company


RT
Thu, 01 Aug 2019 13:05 UTC
Nord Stream 2
© Reuters / Anton Vaganov
Workers at the construction site of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, near the town of Kingisepp, Leningrad region, Russia, June 5, 2019.
The first gas flow through the Nord Stream 2 is set to start no later than December 31 this year, the project's Austrian investor said, noting that 70 percent of the pipeline is ready to use.

The date for the gas infrastructure launch was revealed by Rainer Seele, head of the Austrian company OMV, one of the project's main European investors.

"The construction works are continuing according to plan. We see no time delay. We are planning with the first gas by the end of this year, so at latest December 31. The pipes are all on the site, and we have only 30 percent of pipe lay activities left," Seele said in a conference call on Wednesday, emphasizing that 70 percent of the pipeline has already been laid along the bottom of the Baltic Sea.

Comment: And so while Nord Stream 3 is in the works, the US is predictably slapping sanctions on Nord Stream related businesses: US Senate committee green-lights sanctions against Nord Stream 2 pipeline

See also:

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Star of David

Israel 'approves' 715 Palestinian homes in West Bank, but then greenlights 6,000 Jewish homes in Area C


i24 News
Wed, 31 Jul 2019 16:24 UTC
illegal jewish settlements apartheid road
© Thomas Coex/Agence France-Presse
A protected road from Jerusalem carves through the West Bank town of Bethlehem to the Gush Etzion settlement bloc which Israeli lawmakers are pushing to incorporate within an expanded city limits in a move critics say is tantmount to annexation

Comment: WTF is Israel to 'approve' building permits in a foreign country?

Oh, that's right: Israel de facto claims ALL of Palestine...

Is Bibi pulling a PR stunt ahead of Kushner's visit?


The move, the first of its kind since 2016, has been eyed suspiciously by both the left and right

In a rare move that comes as Jared Kushner makes his way to Israel to reportedly announce a Camp David peace summit, Israel's security cabinet approved late Tuesday night construction permits for 715 Palestinian homes along with 6,000 for Jewish settlement homes in the West Bank's Area C.

Unlike Areas A and B, Area C is under full Israeli control, as per the Oslo Accords, and is home to Jewish settlements, accounting for over 60% of the West Bank.

It is not clear whether the approval provides for new construction of Palestinian homes or simply applies to existing ones that are slated for demolition.

Comment: Illegal West Bank squatters are furious at Netanyahu allowing "illegal" Palestinian construction:
Israeli settlers reacted to the news with outrage, despite getting approval for more than eight times as many units as the Palestinians. A joint statement from the Mateh Binyamin Regional Council and Samaria Regional Council accuses the Palestinian Authority of carrying out "massive illegal construction in these areas with the clear goal of establishing a terrorist state in the heart of the country."

According to Israeli media reports, the unusual move could be the result of US pressure, as President Donald Trump's son-in-law and adviser Jared Kushner is due to visit Israel in the coming days as part of a Middle East trip to discuss his 'deal of the century' peace plan.

"If it's true that this is an American demand, then we expect our government to say loud and clear - enough!" Gush Etzion Regional Council boss Shlomo Neeman said. He called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to "stop the delusional demands of our great friend [Trump] who, if he is a friend, would understand."

Israel controls security and land management in Area C of the West Bank, which is home to up to 300,000 Palestinians and 325,500 Israeli settlers. Palestinian construction is rarely approved by Israel, which blocks development by designating 60 percent of Area C as state land, national parks, or land for settlements, and by restricting Palestinian construction on the remaining land.


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Pirates

Nothin' to see here! Pentagon confirms training 'Maghawir al-Thawra moderate militants' near al-Tanf refugee 'camp'


Sputnik
Thu, 01 Aug 2019 17:01 UTC
Rukban refugee camp al tanf
© Associated Press/Raad Adayleh
This picture taken Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2017, shows an ariel view of the informal Rukban camp, between the Jordan and Syria borders.
The Combined Joint Task Force - Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTF-OIR) of the US-led international coalition fighting Daesh has confirmed to Sputnik that the coalition was training the armed rebel group, Maghawir al-Thawra, near Syria's Al-Tanf, stressing that the group was efficient in countering Daesh.


Comment: Right...


"Coalition partner forces in the vicinity of Al-Tanf, Syria are the Maghawir al-Thawra. The MaT has demonstrated its effectiveness in interdicting Daesh and maintaining security within the Al-Tanf de-confliction zone. We will continue to train and advise coalition forces in the vicinity of Al-Tanf in pursuit of the enduring defeat of Daesh and to set conditions for regional stability", the CJTF-OIR said, commenting on Rudskoy's statement.

The Chief of the Main Operational Directorate of the Russian General Staff, Col. Gen. Sergey Rudskoy, said on Monday that the United States was training 2,700 militants from the Syrian opposition group in the vicinity of the 55-kilometre (34-mile) US-controlled zone around its unauthorised military base in Syria's Al-Tanf.

Rudskoy also stated that the US Air Force was sending some of the militants to the east bank of the Euphrates River upon completing the training.

According to the chief of the Main Operational Directorate of the Russian General Staff, the militants were tasked with carrying out attacks targeting government forces and also destroying oil and gas infrastructure facilities.

Comment: Just the Pentagon training some more jihadis - business as usual.

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Whistle

EU and China oppose and will ignore US sanctions against Iranian Foreign Minister


Sputnik
Thu, 01 Aug 2019 17:01 UTC
zarif EU
© AFP 2019 / HANS PUNZ
The European Union regrets US decision to impose sanctions against Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and intends to keep working with him, Carlos Martin Ruiz de Gordejuela, the spokesman of the European Commission for the international cooperation and development, said Thursday.

"We regret this decision, and from our side, we will continue to work with Mr Zarif as Iran's most senior diplomat, and in view of the importance of maintaining diplomatic channels", the spokesman told reporters.

At the same time, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying also slammed Washington's decision.

Comment: Actions like this just shows how petty, bipolar, desperate and lacking in diplomacy the US really is - as if anybody really needed any more proof:

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Airplane

Malaysian govt says it again: No proof Russia was behind MH17

Paul Antonopoulos
Fort Russ News
Thu, 01 Aug 2019 16:53 UTC
Eksperti optužili Ukrajinu za falsifikovanje dokaza o padu aviona MH17
The Malaysian authorities say they have not received full details of the investigation from the countries concerned and suspected its veracity.

Malaysian Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah has called on the international community to dismiss the unfounded accusations against Russia of the MH17 crash, Izvestya reported.

According to the diplomat, ongoing investigations worry Kuala Lumpur. Malaysia requests access to all information obtained by the countries involved in the investigations.

The minister also called for investigations to be opened, while investigating countries denied Malaysian representatives full participation in the investigation.

Saifuddin fears that some investigation data will be hidden from Malaysia.

Although the investigations have not yet been completed, some Western countries have already [pronounced guilt], the minister recalled.

Comment: Just the fact that they will not share data with Malaysia should raise eyebrows. What do they have to hide? Well, Malaysia has shown every indication that they want an ACTUAL investigation. In other words, they are not willing to frame Russia, which all the other countries party to the investigation are more than willing to do. Therefore, Malaysia cannot see all the 'evidence'. Allowing that would rule out being able to easily manufacture a verdict to their liking. And it's not just that they're hiding evidence - they're refusing evidence that might contradict their pre-written narrative:
Dutch investigators refused to accept potentially groundbreaking new material in the MH17 case from German private investigator Josef Resch, and did not account for his material in their presentation on the case last month, Resch has said.

According to the investigator, his material was rejected by the Dutch-led Joint Investigation Team (JIT) after he asked to make it public.

Resch said his materials included important new information, including audio recordings about air traffic in the area on the day of the incident, recordings of the communications of Ukrainian servicemen, recordings related to Russian President Vladimir Putin's flight from Brazil to Moscow on the day of the crash, personal recordings of pilots about the incident, and other evidence.

None of this information was used in JIT's June presentation, which reiterated earlier claims about MH17 being 'downed by a Russian-made Buk missile', the investigator said.

"Our highest possible security, if it can be guaranteed at all, can be ensured with a public statement, along with the disclosure of information to the JIT and the prosecutor," Resch insisted, clarifying that he wants to see a public disclosure of his information out of fear for his life after receiving multiple death threats for his research.

The investigator said he was prepared to reveal the name of his source to JIT investigators, and provide them with other important information, including alleged secret documents previously thought destroyed containing the notes of unnamed high-ranking officials and politicians, and intelligence agents, as well as "extra documents" whose contents he said he could not discuss out of concerns for his safety.

The JIT has yet to to respond to Resch, while Dutch prosecutors wrote him a letter saying his offer would be "taken into consideration," but adding that his request to make the information public was "very unusual" and capable of "damaging" the probe. Prosecutors advised him to appeal to German prosecutors instead.

In the letter, seen by Sputnik, Dutch prosecutors told Resch that he could send his material to the JIT via a special online form.

Resch has been investigating the MH17 disaster since 2014 in his capacity as a private investigator.


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