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Blackwater founder Erik Prince, whose former mercenary firm was behind the massacre of civilians in Iraq, has been approached about helping to forge an Arab military force to replace the U.S. presence in Syria, according to the Wall Street Journal.
The White House is evidently considering the advice of Prince, who last summer proposed to the Trump administration a plan to replace U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan with contractors from foreign countries, who would be overseen by "an American viceroy who would lead all U.S. government and coalition efforts—including command, budget, policy, promotion, and contracting—and report directly to the president."
As Common Dreams reported at the time, the war profiteer's concept amounted to "literal colonialism" according to one critic. Washington Post foreign affairs writer Ishaan Tharoor denounced the idea as "sheer 19th century bloodlust and thirst for empire."
According to the Journal, "Mr. Prince said Monday that he has been informally contacted by Arab officials about the prospect of building a force in Syria but that he was waiting to see what Mr. Trump would do."
Saudi Arabia would be prepared to send troops into Syria as part of the U.S.-led coalition if a decision was taken to widen it, Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said on Tuesday.
“We are in discussion with the U.S. and have been since the beginning of the Syrian crisis about sending forces into Syria,” Jubeir told a news conference in Riyadh with U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
He said Riyadh had expressed its readiness while Barack Obama was U.S. President to send ground forces into Syria if the United States were to add an on-the-ground component to the U.S.-led coalition fighting Islamic State insurgents.
Jubeir was responding to a question about a Wall Street Journal report that the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump is seeking to assemble an Arab force to replace the U.S. military contingent in Syria.
“There are discussions regarding ... what kind of force needs to remain in eastern Syria and where that force would come from, and those discussions are ongoing,” Jubeir said.
Syria denies new overnight strike in Homs
Commander insists no fresh attack in Syria, claiming false alarm caused by a 'joint electronic attack' by Israel and the US targeting the Syrian radar system triggered air defense missiles, which reportedly shot down missiles fired at air base in Homs area.
A commander in the regional military alliance that backs the Syrian government attributed the malfunction to "a joint electronic attack" by Israel and the United States targeting the Syrian radar system.
The issue had been dealt with by Russian experts, said the commander, who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity.
The US Defense Department quickly put out a statement in the wake of the reported attack saying, "There is no US military activity in that area at this time."
"We do not have additional details to provide," Pentagon spokesman Eric Pahon said.
The IDF Spokesperson's Unit has declined comment as well, and no reports pointed a finger in blame at Israel thus far.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called for early elections, moving to consolidate his one-man rule a year earlier than scheduled.
Turkish markets rallied after Erdogan’s announcement in Ankara that the country will go to the polls June 24 to pick a president, almost certainly ratifying his hold on power. The result will complete the transformation of the political system of the region’s largest economy, eliminating the prime minister’s job and weakening the role of parliament.
Alpe73 said:Dear "World Politics":
Please settle an argument between a friend and me. He says that being gassed is the worst way to go. I say that being gut shot with hot missile shrapnel in the blaring heat is the worst.
Who's right?
Thanks,
Marjorie
Look on the bright side. At least he cares about one.Bustedknuckle said:Alpe73 said:Dear "World Politics":
Please settle an argument between a friend and me. He says that being gassed is the worst way to go. I say that being gut shot with hot missile shrapnel in the blaring heat is the worst.
Who's right?
Thanks,
Marjorie
Well trump cares about one and not the other..making the world safe for the butcher of damascus.
python said:iran has promised a harsh and surprising response to the us scrapping the nuclear deal, which seems a given having in mind the new hawks in the trump band...
i wonder what that implies since the harshest steps - like leaving the non-proliferation treaty - would likely get iran in hot water with europe, which currently supports the deal. i personally think that macron may get trump to agree to another 3 months extension, but it matters little at this point since i doubt iran is going to sit by depending on the trump whim or good will. i also cant see at this point how trump can bring the pressure short of an outright attack on the nuclear facilities that would reverse iran even in the slightest.
i see it as a lose-lose for america or for the west in general if europe prostitutes itself once again. in fact, i cant see any winners if the deal collapses, except hoping that europe get some balls and accelerate its sovereignty seeing another fiasco attaching itself to the us foreign policy.
cant see how china or russia can benefit from a nuclear-armed iran, but it is also clear they arent going to do american bidding while having been waged a trade war against or being under the sanctions.
Alpe73 said:Dear "World Politics":
Please settle an argument between a friend and me. He says that being gassed is the worst way to go. I say that being gut shot with hot missile shrapnel in the blaring heat is the worst.
Who's right?
Thanks,
Marjorie
Bustedknuckle said:python said:iran has promised a harsh and surprising response to the us scrapping the nuclear deal, which seems a given having in mind the new hawks in the trump band...
i wonder what that implies since the harshest steps - like leaving the non-proliferation treaty - would likely get iran in hot water with europe, which currently supports the deal. i personally think that macron may get trump to agree to another 3 months extension, but it matters little at this point since i doubt iran is going to sit by depending on the trump whim or good will. i also cant see at this point how trump can bring the pressure short of an outright attack on the nuclear facilities that would reverse iran even in the slightest.
i see it as a lose-lose for america or for the west in general if europe prostitutes itself once again. in fact, i cant see any winners if the deal collapses, except hoping that europe get some balls and accelerate its sovereignty seeing another fiasco attaching itself to the us foreign policy.
cant see how china or russia can benefit from a nuclear-armed iran, but it is also clear they arent going to do american bidding while having been waged a trade war against or being under the sanctions.
Bolton wants donnie to jump off the Iran Nuke deal..so Iran can start enrichment again, so he can convince donnie to hit Iran militarily..won't be the cake walk the one in Iraq was(either GW 1 or 2) but a whole different gig with Iran.
https://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/26/opinion/to-stop-irans-bomb-bomb-iran.html
Bolton is a fool is a fool's administration..He STILL believes WMD's were in Iraq..he's trump's Goring w/a mustache.
ToreBear said:Anatomy of a russian propaganda campaign.
How and why the white helmets have become the boogey man to consumers of Russian propaganda.
https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/vanessa-beeley-syria-white-helmets_uk_5ad9b6cae4b03c426dad48a9
BullsFan22 said:ToreBear said:Anatomy of a russian propaganda campaign.
How and why the white helmets have become the boogey man to consumers of Russian propaganda.
https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/vanessa-beeley-syria-white-helmets_uk_5ad9b6cae4b03c426dad48a9
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jERWeylLH-s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DCu8mNC1JyE