By Bombing Terrorists in Syria Russia Hits Washington's Raw Nerve

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Russia is undoubtedly bombing insurgents supported by the US, but that is only because Washington has intentionally supported Al Qaeda and ISIL in Syria, geopolitical researcher Tony Cartalucci remarks.

Smoke rises from a base controlled by rebel fighters from the Ahrar al-Sham Movement, that was targeted by what activists said were Russian airstrikes at Hass ancient cemeteries in the southern countryside of Idlib,
Along with some other Western reporters Australian journalist Lauren Williams notes in her recent piece that Russia has launched its airstrikes on Homs and Hama regions which are "not ISIS [ISIL] hotspots."

Despite Video Evidence, Pentagon Slams Moscow for Using 'Dumb Bombs' to clears its proxies in Syria

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In Washington’s ongoing attempt to discredit Russian airstrikes in Syria, a senior US Air Force official has claimed Moscow lacks the technology for precision-guided missiles. Footage of the strikes proves his statement to be demonstrably false.

"To me, it was representative of what you’d expect from dumb bombs, being dropped from airplanes at medium altitudes, which is not that impressive," Lt. Gen. Robert P. Otto, the Air Force’s deputy chief of staff for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, told reporters on Thursday.

US Launches Information War Against Russia’s Anti-ISIL Airstrikes

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As Russia launches airstrikes against the self-proclaimed Islamic State terrorist group in Syria, the United States has already begun its disinformation campaign. Frustrated with its own failures in combating IS, Washington is misrepresenting Moscow’s efforts.

On Wednesday, Russian combat jets launched pinpointed strikes against IS targets in Syria. Almost immediately, Western media outlets carried reports of civilian casualties.

Russia Moves to Stabilize the Mideast Region not ‘Destroy It Like US

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Russia has conducted its first airstrike against ISIL militants in Syria. The Russian Ministry of Defense says the operation took place in the Arab republic’s third largest city of Homs, which is a central link between the interior cities and the Mediterranean coast.

The operation came hours after the Russian Parliament approved the use of the country’s armed forces abroad.


According to Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office Sergei Ivanov, the decision was made after Syrian President Bashar Assad requested military assistance from Moscow in the fight against terrorism.
While speaking to journalists on Wednesday morning, Ivanov also added that the move does not foresee any ground troop operations.

As China Rises, US Deploys Most Advanced Aircraft Carrier to Boost Japan

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The US Navy deployed one of its most advanced aircraft carriers to Japan to strengthen ties between Washington and Tokyo.

The USS Ronald Reagan, carrying a crew of 5,000 sailors and around 80 aircraft, docked at Yokosuka naval base on Thursday.

The nuclear-powered Reagan, which is equipped with the latest targeting and defense radars, integrated weapons systems and command and communications technology, marks an upgrade from the ship it is replacing, the USS George Washington.

Russia Approves Use of Armed Forces in Syria

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Russia’s Federation Council unanimously approved the use of the country’s armed forces abroad.
Russia’s upper house of parliament on Wednesday approved the country’s armed forces to be used abroad.

The decision includes only the use of the Air Force and does not foresee any ground troops operations, Kremlin Administration Aide Sergei Ivanov said Wednesday.

Speech of Russian President Vladimir Putin to the UN 70th General Assembly (Updated with transcript!)

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Transcript:

Mr. Secretary General,

Distinguished heads of state and government,

Ladies and gentlemen,

The 70th anniversary of the United Nations is a good occasion to both take stock of history and talk about our common future. In 1945, the countries that defeated Nazism joined their efforts to lay a solid foundation for the postwar world order. Let me remind you that key decisions on the principles defining interaction between states, as well as the decision to establish the UN, were made in our country, at the Yalta Conference of the leaders of the anti-Hitler coalition.

We came, we saw, He Died: How will Washington react if Assad repeats fate of Gadafi ?

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Following the death of Muammar Gaddafi then-US State Secretary Hillary Clinton jokingly said: "We came, we saw, he died." However, now amid the massive migrant crisis in Europe, Washington would unlikely react the same way if Syrian President Bashar Assad repeats the Libyan leader's fate, author Brian Cloughley believes.

The US invasion in Iraq, as well as NATO-led airstrikes in Libya and support of the so-called Syrian moderate rebels have backfired. Not so much on Washington, but its ally Europe, which is suffering from the largest migrant crisis since World War II, with hundreds of thousands fleeing violence in war-torn regions in the Middle East and North Africa, author and expert in political and military affairs Brian Cloughley noted. According to Brian Cloughley, the US war in Iraq has displaced about 1 in 25 Iraqi citizens, while the violent expansion of the ISIL jihadist group contributed to more Iraqis fleeing their homes.

Interesting but ambiguous video

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This video was supposedly made near Homs and supposedly shows a “large Russian aircraft and 4 escorts”.  Maybe.  The large aircraft could be either Il-76 (transport) or Il-78 (refueling).  The four smaller aircraft are not escorts, but probably SU-24, and if that guess of mine is correct, then this is interesting.    Careful now!  Iran also has Il-76 and SU-24s, so we don’t know for sure that these are Russian.  But if these are, indeed, Russian SU-24s that would significant as the Syrian Air Forces does not have such aircraft.

Iceland Counters US Military Claims of 'Russian Flights'

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Iceland's foreign ministry countered US defense department claims that Russia has increased activity around the country and that it is interested in "military cooperation."

The US government attempted to convince Iceland to accept a higher US military presence over what it called increased Russian military flights in the region, Icelandic media reported.

Iceland's foreign ministry released figures showing that Russian military flights anywhere near the country's airspace have actually decreased more than five times compared to 2007. None of the flights breached Icelandic airspace.

Operation Unthinkable 2.0? Pentagon Updating War Plans Against Russia

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According to State and Defense Department sources speaking to Foreign Policy, the Pentagon is "dusting off," reevaluating and updating its contingency plans for war with Russia. The publication explains why all of this is Russia's fault, and where things may go from here.

The article, written by well-known Russian politics critic and self-confessed Russophobe Julia Ioffe, explains this is "the first time since the collapse of the Soviet Union" that the Pentagon has decided to review and update its contingency plans for war with Russia, based on revised appraisals of the country as a potential threat, rather than a potential partner, to NATO.

Athens Denies US Request to Close Airspace for Russian Aid to Syria

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Moscow requested and received Athens' permission to conduct flights to transport humanitarian aid to Syria in the period from September 1 to September 24, according to a diplomatic source.

 Greece denied on Sunday US request to close Athens airspace (FIR Athens) for the flights of Russian aircraft with humanitarian aid to Syria, a diplomatic source in Athens said.

US Requests Greece Close Airspace for Russian Aid Flights to Syria

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Athens confirmed Greece has received a request from the United States to deny the country's airspace for Russian aid flights to Syria, Reuters reports.

A spokesman for the foreign ministry in Athens said on Monday that the request was being examined.
A source in the Greek Foreign Ministry confirmed media reports that Athens had received a US request to close down its airspace to Russian aid flights into Syria.

The Economist Slams Party of Mandela for Speaking Truth on US in Ukraine

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London-based weekly news magazine The Economist is outraged over a recent policy document from South Africa's ruling African National Congress party, labeling the party of anti-Apartheid hero Nelson Mandela "clueless and immoral."

Suggesting at the outset that its criticisms mark the fact that the ANC and South Africa have "strayed from Nelson Mandela's legacy," the magazine proceeds to bash the party, citing a recent paper on foreign policy drafted ahead of a key policy conference next month.

SITREP: grenade attack in Kiev – a US PSYOP?

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Check out this interesting footage of the hand grenade attack against the security forces guarding the Rada in Kiev: I would like to add a couple of comments here:

Yemen Map of War, August 28 Update

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(For a full size map please go to: http://southfront.org/yemen-map-of-war-august-28-2015/)

The exclusive series “Maps of War” is released due to your support. Help produce interesting content and join our struggle by donating via PayPal: southfront@list.ru or via: http://southfront.org/donate/

Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) and the Islamic State in Iraq and al Sham (ISIS) continue to use Saudi-led coalition victories as leverage to increase their territorial control and recruitment in Yemen. Coalition forces have been attempting to strengthen Saudi-controlled President Abdu Mansour Hadi’s ability to govern and control recently captured territories in southern and eastern Yemen.

Protesters Attempt to Break Into Ukraine's Parliament, Clash With Police

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 The clashes come shortly after the Ukrainian parliament has approved President Petro Poroshenko's proposed constitutional amendments on decentralization in the first reading.

A blast has been heard during the protests near the Verkhovna Rada after several shots had been fired, 112.Ukraine TV channel reported. Local police told RIA Novosti that the reason of the incident is being investigated.

New Russian Spaceship to Be Ready Ahead of Schedule

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Russian space manufacturer RSC Energia said that the first prototype of a new Russian manned spacecraft for launch to the International Space Station (ISS) and the Moon may be created ahead of schedule.

 — The first prototype of a new Russian manned spacecraft for launch to the International Space Station (ISS) and the Moon may be created ahead of schedule, president of Russian space manufacturer RSC Energia Vladimir Solntsev told RIA Novosti on Saturday.
The International Aviation and Space Salon MAKS 2015 is currently underway in the town of Zhukovsky near Moscow, and is due to finish on Sunday.

The Nigerian Electronic Passport Application Process ?

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December 31st 2010, proclaimed another era  in the West African electronic passport versus the Nigerian e-passport or e-travel permit, as the due date for the utilization of the Old Nigerian Machine Readable Passport (MRP Passport) became effective.

This inferred that any individual who flew out back to Nigeria from any remote base/Country on the old MRP identification would not have the capacity to fly back to their base abroad without being in control of the Nigerian electronic passport.

For all Nigerians situated in Russia, UK, USA, China, Republic of Ireland,others the tenth of November 2010 denoted another disclosure, as the new e-travel permit machines have been installed and completely tested.

US May Hit Syria With Ship-Based Tomahawk Missiles - Analyst

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The additional deployment of US Aegis-equipped warships in the Mediterranean Region could be considered a precondition for further offensive against Syrian leader Bashar Assad, security analyst Dmitry Efimov told Sputnik Radio.

The US will send an additional warship equipped with the Aegis combat system to the Mediterranean Sea to protect Turkey and its NATO allies against ballistic missile threats, Anadolu reported. The redeployment is scheduled to take place this fall, Navy spokeswoman Commodore Pamela Rawe told the agency.