War News

Russia Upgrades Syrian Radars to Warn of U.S., Israeli Attack

Russia has modernized two radars in Syria and Lebanon that could threaten U.S. or Israel’s ability to launch a surprise attack against Syria and Iran, Israeli DEBKAfile portal said on Monday.

The range of the Jabal Al Harrah electronic and surveillance station south of Damascus has been increased to cover all parts of Israel and Jordan, the Gulf of Aqaba and northern Saudi Arabia.

The range of a Russian-equipped Syrian radar stationed on Lebanon’s Mount Sannine has also been extended, and the data-sharing capability of both radars has been improved.

As a result, the radars are now capable of tracking “U.S. and Israeli naval and aerial movements in the Eastern Mediterranean up to and including Cyprus and Greece.”

“Moscow decided to boost its radar tracking and surveillance reach for Iran’s benefit in response to a complaint from Tehran that it could not longer count on Russia for a real-time alert on an incoming U.S. or Israeli military strike, because those resources were stretched to the limit in support of the Assad regime,” DEBKAfile said citing its sources in the U.S. military.

Russia is alarmed by the growing threat of a military strike on Iran, which is increasingly reported as being an option under consideration by Israeli and U.S. military planners as Tehran continues to move ahead with its uranium enrichment program.

Moscow proposes to recognize Iran’s right to develop a civilian nuclear program, including the right to enrich uranium in exchange for placing the country’s nuclear activities under the tight control of the International Atomic Energy Agency

At the same time, Russia has strongly opposed foreign interference in a political crisis in Syria and warned against a “Libyan scenario” in the country. Read More

Oil not for dollars: Iranian oil bourse could be the real reason for coming war

On Thursday, March 20, the US will be at war with Iran, and it has nothing to do with Iran's nuclear ambitions. It's the oil.

A unit within the US Treasury called the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), has issued a March 20th advisory to the world's financial institutions. The advisory is titled, “Guidance to Financial Institutions on the Continuing Money Laundering Threat Involving Illicit Iranian Activity.”

In essence, the USA will have declared two acts of war against Iran; one against Iran’s banks and one against any financial institution anywhere in the world that tries to do business with Iran's banks.

The worldwide price of a barrel of oil has traditionally been set by US-dominated oil bourses, or major trading markets.

There are two major petroleum bourses; the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX) in New York City, and the International Petroleum Exchange (IPE) in London & Atlanta. Both bourses are controlled by US corporations (NYMEX is actually owned by a conglomerate including BP, Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley).

On March 20 Iran is moving full speed with a competing market, the International Oil Bourse (IOB) - also called the Kish Bourse because Iran's trading center is located on Kish Island off southern Iran. Kish was selected because it had been previously designated as Iran's free trade zone.

The Kish Bourse/IOB was set up in 2008 to trade oil contracts in Iranian rials, euros, Chinese yen - in fact, in any major currency other than USD.

Iran is, in short, challenging Anglo-American energy/corporate banking domination of the international oil trade by attempting to supplant the US greenback as the only standard by which world oil prices are fixed. Iran is breaking the US corporate monopoly. Pretty slick? Read More

What is really happening in Iran?

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei may control the nuclear programme, but he lacks a critical mass of Iranians.

Hong Kong - The supreme war-or-peace question regarding the Iran psychodrama has got to be: What game is Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei really playing?

Sharp wits among the lively Iranian global diaspora maintain that the Supreme Leader is the perfect US/Israel asset - as he incarnates Iran as "the enemy" (although in most cases in a much less strident way than Ahmadinejad).

In parallel, the military dictatorship of the mullahtariat in Tehran also needs "the enemy" - as in "the Great Satan" and assorted Zionists - to justify its monopoly of power. Read More

Libya: NTC Chairman Denies Khamis Capture, Warns Neighbouring Countries over Harbouring Pro-Gaddafi Criminals

“Libya will not forgive any state that provides safe heaven to pro-Gaddafi criminals and must immediately hand them over to face trial,” said the chairman of the National Transitional Council (NTC) Mustafa Abdul Jalil at a press conference Saturday night in Tripoli.

Jalil said there was no foreign intervention in al-Kufra and the conflict there, which has subsided, was a conflict between tribes. He called on all parities to reach reconciliation and that the government is in full control of the city.

With regard to the pro-Gaddafi elements who are currently taking Ben Walid as a safe heaven, Jalil said the national army and security services are monitoring the situation closely.

“We are now in dialogue with the elders of Ben Walid to surrender the pro-Gaddafi elements. If they failed to do so, force will be used to arrest them in the near future,” he confirmed. Read More

China calls US critique on Syria "super arrogant"

China has hit out at comments by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on its stance on Syria.

A foreign ministry spokesman called the comments unacceptable, and the official Communist Party newspaper described the criticism as "super arrogant".

Mrs Clinton on Friday called China and Russia's veto of a UN resolution on Syria "despicable".

The Chinese criticism came a day after Syria held a national referendum on a new constitution, amid violent unrest.

The referendum calls for a multi-party parliamentary election within three months. The opposition has dismissed Sunday's vote as a farce, as at least 30 more deaths were reported around the country.
'Patronising'

Ms Clinton made her remarks at the Friends of Syria conference in Tunisia, a meeting of diplomats boycotted by China and Russia that sought an end to the crisis.

The US Secretary of State said it was "quite distressing" to see two Security Council members using their vetoes "while people are being murdered".

"It is just despicable and I ask whose side are they on? They are clearly not on the side of the Syrian people."
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China's veto has left Beijing open to criticism that it sides with dictators and repressive regimes and is encouraging Syria's crackdown”

Damian Grammaticas

Grammaticas: China's stake in Syria stand-off

Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei, when asked for Beijing's response, said China "cannot accept that at all", AFP news agency reported.

Communist Party mouthpiece the People's Daily was more outspoken.

"The United States' motive in parading as a 'protector' of the Arab peoples is not difficult to imagine," it said in a commentary. "The problem is, what moral basis does it have for this patronising and egotistical super-arrogance and self-confidence?"

"Even now, violence continues unabated in Iraq and ordinary people enjoy no security. This alone is enough for us to draw a huge question mark over the sincerity and efficacy of US policy," it added. Read More

'US to announce aerial blockade on Syria'

US readies for possibility of intervention without UN resolution, Asharq Al-Awsat reports, citing US military official; plan to include humanitarian aid to Syrian refugees on Turkey's border

The Pentagon is readying for the possibility of intervention in Syria, aiming to halt Syrian President Bashsar Assad's violent crackdown on protesters, the newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat reported Saturday, citing a US military offical.

According to the official, the intervention scenario calls for the establishment of a buffer zone on the Turkish border, in order to receive Syrian refugees. The Red Cross would then provide the civilians humanitarian aid, before NATO crews would arrive from Turkey and join the efforts.

The measure would pave the way for the US to declare an aerial blockade on Syria.

The intercession is to be modeled after NATO's efforts in Kosovo, which brought an end to the Serbian control of the region. NATO's plan of action included prolonged aerial shelling