Category: Security and Strategy

Source: Military News By Tara Copp The U.S. is looking at further expanding its military presence in Greece, including increasing access for U.S. aircraft and ships, and increasing joint exercises there, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen. Joseph Dunford said Tuesday. “If you look at geography, and you look at current operations in Libya, and… Continue reading US GREECE LOOK AT INCREASING MILITARY PRESENCE AMID TENSION WITH TURKEY

Source: Ynetnews Western intelligence officials said Iran’s Fars Air Qeshm civil airline is suspected of smuggling weapons into Lebanon, destined for the Hezbollah terror group and Iranian weapons manufacturing factories in the country, Fox News reported Monday. The officials told Fox news they had uncovered the unusual routes that Iran apparently took to try avoiding… Continue reading IRANIAN CIVIL AIRLINE SUSPECTED OF SMUGGLING WEAPONS TO LEBANON

Source: Reuters By Karolina Tagaris Greek authorities have arrested two aid workers and are investigating a total of 30 from the same organization on the island of Lesbos on suspicion they smuggled migrants into Greece, spied and laundered money, police said on Tuesday. Police said in a statement the suspects, 24 foreign nationals and six… Continue reading GREECE INVESTIGATES AID WORKERS FOR SUSPECTED MIGRANT SMUGGLING, ESPIONAGE

Source: Defense News By Chirine Mouchantaf The Trump administration has in recent months been quietly working on creating a new security alliance comprised of six Gulf Arab states plus Egypt and Jordan, unofficially known as the “Arab NATO,” and also dubbed the “Middle East Strategic Alliance,” or MESA. The six Gulf Arab nations are Saudi… Continue reading WHAT ARE THE CHANCES AN “ARAB NATO” WILL WORK?

Source: Defence Blog Russian Defense Minister Army Sergei Shoigu announced that Russia will hold a largest military exercise in September. According to the TASS news agency, About 300,000 troops and more than 1,000 aircraft are set to take part in Russian massive military exercise that will also involve the Chinese and Mongolian armies. The exercise,… Continue reading RUSSIAN ANNOUNCES MASSIVE MILITARY EXERCISE THAT WILL INVOLVE CHINESE TROOPS

Source: CBS NEWS By Stefan Becket A new report from the UN’s nuclear watchdog expresses “grave concern” that North Korea is continuing to develop its nuclear program, despite the regime’s commitment to work towards denuclearization following June’s summit in Singapore. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) wrote in the report published Monday that inspectors have… Continue reading IAEA REPORT: “GRAVE CONCERN” OVER CONTINUATION OF NORTH KOREA’S NUCLEAR PROGRAM

Source: Inquirer.net By Nestor Corrales The Philippines is concerned about China’s possible deployment of nuclear weapons in its outposts in the heavily disputed South China Sea. “We are concerned about the entry of any and all nuclear weapons into the Philippine territory because our Constitution provides that we are a nuclear-free zone,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry… Continue reading PHILIPPINES CONCERNED OVER POSSIBLE ENRTY OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS IN SOUTH CHINA SEA

Source: The Intercept By Nick Turse A U.S. drone base in a remote part of West Africa has garnered attention for its $100 million construction price tag. But according to new projections from the Air Force, its initial cost will soon be dwarfed by the price of operating the facility — about $30 million a… Continue reading THE US IS BUILDING A DRONE BASE IN NIGER THAT WILL COST MORE THAN $280 MILLION BY 2024

Source: CNN By Caroline Kelly The White House has rejected a Turkish offer to release an American pastor in exchange for forgiveness of billions of dollars in US fines on a Turkish bank, expressing that other matters would be considered only after Andrew Brunson is released, a senior administration official told The Wall Street Journal.… Continue reading WHITE HOUSE REJECTS TURKEY’S OFFER FOR PASTOR’S RELEASE

Source: Al-Monitor By Pinar Tremblay As the diplomatic tug-of-war between the United States and Turkey escalates, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is lining up new friends. In early August, Erdogan’s 100-day action plan identified new markets in China, Mexico, India and Russia. It did not mention Africa, despite the “African continent opening” Erdogan sought in… Continue reading WHY ERDOGAN’S SO QUIET ABOUT TURKISH EXPANSION IN AFRICA