SYRIA CEASE-FIRE BRINGS TURKEY CLOSER TO WAR

Turkish army tanks take up position on the Turkish-Syrian border near the southeastern town of Suruc in Sanliurfa province September 29, 2014. Turkish tanks and armoured vehicles took up positions on hills overlooking the besieged Syrian border town of Kobani on Monday as shelling by Islamic State insurgents intensified and stray fire hit Turkish soil, a Reuters correspondent said. At least 30 tanks and armoured vehicles, some with their guns pointed towards Syrian territory, were positioned near a Turkish military base just northwest of Kobani. Plumes of smoke rose up as shells hit the eastern and western sides of Kobani and sporadic bursts of machinegun fire rang out. REUTERS/Murad Sezer (TURKEY - Tags: POLITICS CONFLICT MILITARY TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)

By Roy Gutman Foreign Policy Secretary of State John Kerry’s agreement with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, billed as an opening to the cessation of hostilities in Syria, turned out to be the starting shot for more intensive Russian bombing of cities and towns, hospitals, and schools in the north of the country. And Russia’s… Continue reading SYRIA CEASE-FIRE BRINGS TURKEY CLOSER TO WAR

CHINA TESTS A NEW EXOATMOSPHERIC MISSILE CAPABLE OF KNOCKING OUT U.S. SATELLITES

A month ago China tested a new exoatmospheric missile, which would be able to destroy U.S. satellites. The Dong Neng-3 Exoatmospheric Vehicle (DN-3) was tested on the 30th of October this year at Korla Missile Test Complex in western China. The DN-3 is a direct-ascent missile, designed to ram enemy satellites and destroy them. This… Continue reading CHINA TESTS A NEW EXOATMOSPHERIC MISSILE CAPABLE OF KNOCKING OUT U.S. SATELLITES

RUSSIAN AIR FORCE IN SYRIA CAN CONDUCT 20-24 SORTIES PER DAY

The expeditionary detachment of the Russian Air Force in Syria can conduct a maximum of 20-24 sorties per day under normal conditions, and 48-96 sorties per day during a “combat surge”. This is the estimate of retired U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy fighter pilots who have been following the Russian campaign in Syria. According… Continue reading RUSSIAN AIR FORCE IN SYRIA CAN CONDUCT 20-24 SORTIES PER DAY